Speeches (Lines) for Hubert de Burgh
in "King John"
Total: 52

1

III,3,1330

King John. Come hither, Hubert. O my gentle Hubert,
We owe thee much! within this wall of flesh
There is a soul counts thee her creditor
And with advantage means to pay thy love:
And my good friend, thy voluntary oath
Lives in this bosom, dearly cherished.
Give me thy hand. I had a thing to say,
But I will fit it with some better time.
By heaven, Hubert, I am almost ashamed
To say what good respect I have of thee.

Hubert de Burgh. I am much bounden to your majesty.

2

III,3,1356

King John. Good friend, thou hast no cause to say so yet,
But thou shalt have; and creep time ne'er so slow,
Yet it shall come from me to do thee good.
I had a thing to say, but let it go:
The sun is in the heaven, and the proud day,
Attended with the pleasures of the world,
Is all too wanton and too full of gawds
To give me audience: if the midnight bell
Did, with his iron tongue and brazen mouth,
Sound on into the drowsy race of night;
If this same were a churchyard where we stand,
And thou possessed with a thousand wrongs,
Or if that surly spirit, melancholy,
Had baked thy blood and made it heavy-thick,Which else runs tickling up and down the veins,
Making that idiot, laughter, keep men's eyes
And strain their cheeks to idle merriment,
A passion hateful to my purposes,
Or if that thou couldst see me without eyes,
Hear me without thine ears, and make reply
Without a tongue, using conceit alone,
Without eyes, ears and harmful sound of words;
Then, in despite of brooded watchful day,
I would into thy bosom pour my thoughts:
But, ah, I will not! yet I love thee well;
And, by my troth, I think thou lovest me well.

Hubert de Burgh. So well, that what you bid me undertake,
Though that my death were adjunct to my act,
By heaven, I would do it.

3

III,3,1366

King John. Do not I know thou wouldst?
Good Hubert, Hubert, Hubert, throw thine eye
On yon young boy: I'll tell thee what, my friend,
He is a very serpent in my way;
And whereso'er this foot of mine doth tread,
He lies before me: dost thou understand me?
Thou art his keeper.

Hubert de Burgh. And I'll keep him so,
That he shall not offend your majesty.

4

III,3,1369

King John. Death.

Hubert de Burgh. My lord?

5

III,3,1371

King John. A grave.

Hubert de Burgh. He shall not live.

6

IV,1,1574

(stage directions). [Enter HUBERT and Executioners]

Hubert de Burgh. Heat me these irons hot; and look thou stand
Within the arras: when I strike my foot
Upon the bosom of the ground, rush forth,
And bind the boy which you shall find with me
Fast to the chair: be heedful: hence, and watch.

7

IV,1,1580

First Executioner. I hope your warrant will bear out the deed.

Hubert de Burgh. Uncleanly scruples! fear not you: look to't.
[Exeunt Executioners]
Young lad, come forth; I have to say with you.

8

IV,1,1585

Arthur. Good morrow, Hubert.

Hubert de Burgh. Good morrow, little prince.

9

IV,1,1588

Arthur. As little prince, having so great a title
To be more prince, as may be. You are sad.

Hubert de Burgh. Indeed, I have been merrier.

10

IV,1,1602

Arthur. Mercy on me!
Methinks no body should be sad but I:
Yet, I remember, when I was in France,
Young gentlemen would be as sad as night,
Only for wantonness. By my christendom,
So I were out of prison and kept sheep,
I should be as merry as the day is long;
And so I would be here, but that I doubt
My uncle practises more harm to me:
He is afraid of me and I of him:
Is it my fault that I was Geffrey's son?
No, indeed, is't not; and I would to heaven
I were your son, so you would love me, Hubert.

Hubert de Burgh. [Aside] If I talk to him, with his innocent prate
He will awake my mercy which lies dead:
Therefore I will be sudden and dispatch.

11

IV,1,1609

Arthur. Are you sick, Hubert? you look pale to-day:
In sooth, I would you were a little sick,
That I might sit all night and watch with you:
I warrant I love you more than you do me.

Hubert de Burgh. [Aside] His words do take possession of my bosom.
Read here, young Arthur.
[Showing a paper]
[Aside]
How now, foolish rheum!
Turning dispiteous torture out of door!
I must be brief, lest resolution drop
Out at mine eyes in tender womanish tears.
Can you not read it? Is it not fair writ?

12

IV,1,1620

Arthur. Too fairly, Hubert, for so foul effect:
Must you with hot irons burn out both mine eyes?

Hubert de Burgh. Young boy, I must.

13

IV,1,1622

Arthur. And will you?

Hubert de Burgh. And I will.

14

IV,1,1641

Arthur. Have you the heart? When your head did but ache,
I knit my handercher about your brows,
The best I had, a princess wrought it me,
And I did never ask it you again;
And with my hand at midnight held your head,
And like the watchful minutes to the hour,
Still and anon cheer'd up the heavy time,
Saying, 'What lack you?' and 'Where lies your grief?'
Or 'What good love may I perform for you?'
Many a poor man's son would have lien still
And ne'er have spoke a loving word to you;
But you at your sick service had a prince.
Nay, you may think my love was crafty love
And call it cunning: do, an if you will:
If heaven be pleased that you must use me ill,
Why then you must. Will you put out mine eyes?
These eyes that never did nor never shall
So much as frown on you.

Hubert de Burgh. I have sworn to do it;
And with hot irons must I burn them out.

15

IV,1,1654

Arthur. Ah, none but in this iron age would do it!
The iron of itself, though heat red-hot,
Approaching near these eyes, would drink my tears
And quench his fiery indignation
Even in the matter of mine innocence;
Nay, after that, consume away in rust
But for containing fire to harm mine eye.
Are you more stubborn-hard than hammer'd iron?
An if an angel should have come to me
And told me Hubert should put out mine eyes,
I would not have believed him,—no tongue but Hubert's.

Hubert de Burgh. Come forth.
[Stamps]
[Re-enter Executioners, with a cord, irons, &c]
Do as I bid you do.

16

IV,1,1660

Arthur. O, save me, Hubert, save me! my eyes are out
Even with the fierce looks of these bloody men.

Hubert de Burgh. Give me the iron, I say, and bind him here.

17

IV,1,1670

Arthur. Alas, what need you be so boisterous-rough?
I will not struggle, I will stand stone-still.
For heaven sake, Hubert, let me not be bound!
Nay, hear me, Hubert, drive these men away,
And I will sit as quiet as a lamb;
I will not stir, nor wince, nor speak a word,
Nor look upon the iron angerly:
Thrust but these men away, and I'll forgive you,
Whatever torment you do put me to.

Hubert de Burgh. Go, stand within; let me alone with him.

18

IV,1,1677

Arthur. Alas, I then have chid away my friend!
He hath a stern look, but a gentle heart:
Let him come back, that his compassion may
Give life to yours.

Hubert de Burgh. Come, boy, prepare yourself.

19

IV,1,1679

Arthur. Is there no remedy?

Hubert de Burgh. None, but to lose your eyes.

20

IV,1,1685

Arthur. O heaven, that there were but a mote in yours,
A grain, a dust, a gnat, a wandering hair,
Any annoyance in that precious sense!
Then feeling what small things are boisterous there,
Your vile intent must needs seem horrible.

Hubert de Burgh. Is this your promise? go to, hold your tongue.

21

IV,1,1694

Arthur. Hubert, the utterance of a brace of tongues
Must needs want pleading for a pair of eyes:
Let me not hold my tongue, let me not, Hubert;
Or, Hubert, if you will, cut out my tongue,
So I may keep mine eyes: O, spare mine eyes.
Though to no use but still to look on you!
Lo, by my truth, the instrument is cold
And would not harm me.

Hubert de Burgh. I can heat it, boy.

22

IV,1,1701

Arthur. No, in good sooth: the fire is dead with grief,
Being create for comfort, to be used
In undeserved extremes: see else yourself;
There is no malice in this burning coal;
The breath of heaven has blown his spirit out
And strew'd repentent ashes on his head.

Hubert de Burgh. But with my breath I can revive it, boy.

23

IV,1,1711

Arthur. An if you do, you will but make it blush
And glow with shame of your proceedings, Hubert:
Nay, it perchance will sparkle in your eyes;
And like a dog that is compell'd to fight,
Snatch at his master that doth tarre him on.
All things that you should use to do me wrong
Deny their office: only you do lack
That mercy which fierce fire and iron extends,
Creatures of note for mercy-lacking uses.

Hubert de Burgh. Well, see to live; I will not touch thine eye
For all the treasure that thine uncle owes:
Yet am I sworn and I did purpose, boy,
With this same very iron to burn them out.

24

IV,1,1717

Arthur. O, now you look like Hubert! all this while
You were disguised.

Hubert de Burgh. Peace; no more. Adieu.
Your uncle must not know but you are dead;
I'll fill these dogged spies with false reports:
And, pretty child, sleep doubtless and secure,
That Hubert, for the wealth of all the world,
Will not offend thee.

25

IV,1,1724

Arthur. O heaven! I thank you, Hubert.

Hubert de Burgh. Silence; no more: go closely in with me:
Much danger do I undergo for thee.

26

IV,2,1925

(stage directions). [Re-enter HUBERT]

Hubert de Burgh. My lord, they say five moons were seen to-night;
Four fixed, and the fifth did whirl about
The other four in wondrous motion.

27

IV,2,1929

King John. Five moons!

Hubert de Burgh. Old men and beldams in the streets
Do prophesy upon it dangerously:
Young Arthur's death is common in their mouths:
And when they talk of him, they shake their heads
And whisper one another in the ear;
And he that speaks doth gripe the hearer's wrist,
Whilst he that hears makes fearful action,
With wrinkled brows, with nods, with rolling eyes.
I saw a smith stand with his hammer, thus,
The whilst his iron did on the anvil cool,
With open mouth swallowing a tailor's news;
Who, with his shears and measure in his hand,
Standing on slippers, which his nimble haste
Had falsely thrust upon contrary feet,
Told of a many thousand warlike French
That were embattailed and rank'd in Kent:
Another lean unwash'd artificer
Cuts off his tale and talks of Arthur's death.

28

IV,2,1951

King John. Why seek'st thou to possess me with these fears?
Why urgest thou so oft young Arthur's death?
Thy hand hath murder'd him: I had a mighty cause
To wish him dead, but thou hadst none to kill him.

Hubert de Burgh. No had, my lord! why, did you not provoke me?

29

IV,2,1959

King John. It is the curse of kings to be attended
By slaves that take their humours for a warrant
To break within the bloody house of life,
And on the winking of authority
To understand a law, to know the meaning
Of dangerous majesty, when perchance it frowns
More upon humour than advised respect.

Hubert de Burgh. Here is your hand and seal for what I did.

30

IV,2,1974

King John. O, when the last account 'twixt heaven and earth
Is to be made, then shall this hand and seal
Witness against us to damnation!
How oft the sight of means to do ill deeds
Make deeds ill done! Hadst not thou been by,
A fellow by the hand of nature mark'd,
Quoted and sign'd to do a deed of shame,
This murder had not come into my mind:
But taking note of thy abhorr'd aspect,
Finding thee fit for bloody villany,
Apt, liable to be employ'd in danger,
I faintly broke with thee of Arthur's death;
And thou, to be endeared to a king,
Made it no conscience to destroy a prince.

Hubert de Burgh. My lord—

31

IV,2,1993

King John. Hadst thou but shook thy head or made a pause
When I spake darkly what I purposed,
Or turn'd an eye of doubt upon my face,
As bid me tell my tale in express words,
Deep shame had struck me dumb, made me break off,
And those thy fears might have wrought fears in me:
But thou didst understand me by my signs
And didst in signs again parley with sin;
Yea, without stop, didst let thy heart consent,
And consequently thy rude hand to act
The deed, which both our tongues held vile to name.
Out of my sight, and never see me more!
My nobles leave me; and my state is braved,
Even at my gates, with ranks of foreign powers:
Nay, in the body of this fleshly land,
This kingdom, this confine of blood and breath,
Hostility and civil tumult reigns
Between my conscience and my cousin's death.

Hubert de Burgh. Arm you against your other enemies,
I'll make a peace between your soul and you.
Young Arthur is alive: this hand of mine
Is yet a maiden and an innocent hand,
Not painted with the crimson spots of blood.
Within this bosom never enter'd yet
The dreadful motion of a murderous thought;
And you have slander'd nature in my form,
Which, howsoever rude exteriorly,
Is yet the cover of a fairer mind
Than to be butcher of an innocent child.

32

IV,3,2095

(stage directions). [Enter HUBERT]

Hubert de Burgh. Lords, I am hot with haste in seeking you:
Arthur doth live; the king hath sent for you.

33

IV,3,2099

Salisbury. O, he is old and blushes not at death.
Avaunt, thou hateful villain, get thee gone!

Hubert de Burgh. I am no villain.

34

IV,3,2104

Salisbury. Not till I sheathe it in a murderer's skin.

Hubert de Burgh. Stand back, Lord Salisbury, stand back, I say;
By heaven, I think my sword's as sharp as yours:
I would not have you, lord, forget yourself,
Nor tempt the danger of my true defence;
Lest I, by marking of your rage, forget
Your worth, your greatness and nobility.

35

IV,3,2111

Lord Bigot. Out, dunghill! darest thou brave a nobleman?

Hubert de Burgh. Not for my life: but yet I dare defend
My innocent life against an emperor.

36

IV,3,2114

Salisbury. Thou art a murderer.

Hubert de Burgh. Do not prove me so;
Yet I am none: whose tongue soe'er speaks false,
Not truly speaks; who speaks not truly, lies.

37

IV,3,2128

Lord Bigot. What wilt thou do, renowned Faulconbridge?
Second a villain and a murderer?

Hubert de Burgh. Lord Bigot, I am none.

38

IV,3,2130

Lord Bigot. Who kill'd this prince?

Hubert de Burgh. 'Tis not an hour since I left him well:
I honour'd him, I loved him, and will weep
My date of life out for his sweet life's loss.

39

IV,3,2147

Philip the Bastard. Here's a good world! Knew you of this fair work?
Beyond the infinite and boundless reach
Of mercy, if thou didst this deed of death,
Art thou damn'd, Hubert.

Hubert de Burgh. Do but hear me, sir.

40

IV,3,2153

Philip the Bastard. Ha! I'll tell thee what;
Thou'rt damn'd as black—nay, nothing is so black;
Thou art more deep damn'd than Prince Lucifer:
There is not yet so ugly a fiend of hell
As thou shalt be, if thou didst kill this child.

Hubert de Burgh. Upon my soul—

41

IV,3,2164

Philip the Bastard. If thou didst but consent
To this most cruel act, do but despair;
And if thou want'st a cord, the smallest thread
That ever spider twisted from her womb
Will serve to strangle thee, a rush will be a beam
To hang thee on; or wouldst thou drown thyself,
Put but a little water in a spoon,
And it shall be as all the ocean,
Enough to stifle such a villain up.
I do suspect thee very grievously.

Hubert de Burgh. If I in act, consent, or sin of thought,
Be guilty of the stealing that sweet breath
Which was embounded in this beauteous clay,
Let hell want pains enough to torture me.
I left him well.

42

V,3,2468

King John. How goes the day with us? O, tell me, Hubert.

Hubert de Burgh. Badly, I fear. How fares your majesty?

43

V,6,2578

(stage directions). [Enter the BASTARD and HUBERT, severally]

Hubert de Burgh. Who's there? speak, ho! speak quickly, or I shoot.

44

V,6,2580

Philip the Bastard. A friend. What art thou?

Hubert de Burgh. Of the part of England.

45

V,6,2582

Philip the Bastard. Whither dost thou go?

Hubert de Burgh. What's that to thee? why may not I demand
Of thine affairs, as well as thou of mine?

46

V,6,2585

Philip the Bastard. Hubert, I think?

Hubert de Burgh. Thou hast a perfect thought:
I will upon all hazards well believe
Thou art my friend, that know'st my tongue so well.
Who art thou?

47

V,6,2592

Philip the Bastard. Who thou wilt: and if thou please,
Thou mayst befriend me so much as to think
I come one way of the Plantagenets.

Hubert de Burgh. Unkind remembrance! thou and eyeless night
Have done me shame: brave soldier, pardon me,
That any accent breaking from thy tongue
Should 'scape the true acquaintance of mine ear.

48

V,6,2597

Philip the Bastard. Come, come; sans compliment, what news abroad?

Hubert de Burgh. Why, here walk I in the black brow of night,
To find you out.

49

V,6,2600

Philip the Bastard. Brief, then; and what's the news?

Hubert de Burgh. O, my sweet sir, news fitting to the night,
Black, fearful, comfortless and horrible.

50

V,6,2604

Philip the Bastard. Show me the very wound of this ill news:
I am no woman, I'll not swoon at it.

Hubert de Burgh. The king, I fear, is poison'd by a monk:
I left him almost speechless; and broke out
To acquaint you with this evil, that you might
The better arm you to the sudden time,
Than if you had at leisure known of this.

51

V,6,2610

Philip the Bastard. How did he take it? who did taste to him?

Hubert de Burgh. A monk, I tell you; a resolved villain,
Whose bowels suddenly burst out: the king
Yet speaks and peradventure may recover.

52

V,6,2614

Philip the Bastard. Who didst thou leave to tend his majesty?

Hubert de Burgh. Why, know you not? the lords are all come back,
And brought Prince Henry in their company;
At whose request the king hath pardon'd them,
And they are all about his majesty.