King John: Act 5, Scene 3
history
The field of battle.
John has fallen seriously ill on the field of battle and retreats to Swinstead Abbey. The English are struggling. Hubert arrives and John is feverish and dying.
Rehearsing this scene?
Pick your part to highlight your lines and step through the scene one speech at a time. You can hide your lines to learn them from the cue.
Or read it aloud and let the page follow you (voice follow, beta)Alarums. Enter KING JOHN and HUBERT
KING JOHN
How goes the day with us? O, tell me, Hubert.
HUBERT
Badly, I fear. How fares your majesty?
KING JOHN
This fever, that hath troubled me so long,
Lies heavy on me; O, my heart is sick!
Enter a Messenger
Messenger
My lord, your valiant kinsman, Faulconbridge,
Desires your majesty to leave the field
And send him word by me which way you go.
KING JOHN
Tell him, toward Swinstead, to the abbey there.
Messenger
Be of good comfort; for the great supply
That was expected by the Dauphin here,
Are wreck'd three nights ago on Goodwin Sands.
This news was brought to Richard but even now:
The French fight coldly, and retire themselves.
KING JOHN
Ay me! this tyrant fever burns me up,
And will not let me welcome this good news.
Set on toward Swinstead: to my litter straight;
Weakness possesseth me, and I am faint.
Exeunt