[Draw the curtain:  the king sits sleeping, his sword by his side.  Enter Austria, before whom cometh Ambition, and bringing him before the chair, King John in sleep maketh signs to avoid, and holdeth his own crown fast with both his hands.

FRIAR.  Ambition, that had ever waited on King John,
Now brings him Austria, easy to be ta’en,
Being wholly tam’d by Richard’s warlike hand. 
And bids him add that dukedom to his crown: 
But he puts by Ambition, and contemns
All other kingdoms but the English crown,
Which he holds fast, as if he would not loose[293].

[Enter Constance, leading Young Arthur:  both offer to take the crown; but with his foot he overturneth them:  to them cometh Insurrection, led by the F.K. and L.[294] menacing him, and leads the child again to the chair; but he only layeth hand on his sword, and with his foot overthroweth the child, whom they take up as dead; and, Insurrection flying, they mournfully bear in the body.

FRIAR.  The lady and the child that did ascend,
Striving in vain to take the crown from John,
Were Constance and her son the Duke of Britain,
Heir to the elder brother of the king: 
Yet he sleeps on, and with a little spurn
The mother and the prince doth overturn. 
Again, when Insurrection them assists,
Stirr’d by the French king and the wronged earl,
Whose troth-plight wife King John had ta’en to wife,
He only claps his hand upon his sword,
Mocketh their threatenings, and in their attempts
The harmless prince receives recureless death,
Whom they too late with bootless tears lament.

[Enter Queen with two Children, borne after her:  she ascends, and seeing no motion, she fetcheth her children one by one; but seeing yet no motion, she descendeth, wringing her hands, and departeth.  Enter Matilda in a mourning veil, reading on a book, at whose coming he starteth, and sitteth upright; as she passeth by, he smiles, and folds his arms as if he did embrace her:  being gone, he starts suddenly, and speaks.

KING.  Matilda! stay, Matilda, do but speak! 
Who’s there?  Entreat Matilda to come back.

    Enter BONVILLE[295].

BON.  Who would you have, my lord?

KING.  Why, my Lord Bonville, I would have Matilda,
That but even now pass’d by toward the door.

BON.  I saw her not, my lord.

KING.  Hadst thou a lover’s eye,
A gnat, a mote, a shadow thou wouldst spy. 
Come, follow me; she cannot be so far,
But I shall overtake her:  come away!
          
                              [Exeunt.