King John

Act 5, Scene 3

Modern spelling. Stage directions omitted.

Listen to Act 5. LibriVox volunteers recorded “Act 5” as one track, so it runs past this scene and includes stage directions this page leaves out. LibriVox catalog.

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 troubled me so long
Lies heavy on me. O, my heart is sick!

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 wrack’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.

All of King John

Act 1

Act 1, Scene 1,

Act 2

Act 2, Scene 1,

Act 3

Act 3, Scene 1Act 3, Scene 2Act 3, Scene 3Act 3, Scene 4,

Act 4

Act 4, Scene 1Act 4, Scene 2Act 4, Scene 3,

Act 5

Act 5, Scene 1Act 5, Scene 2Act 5, Scene 3Act 5, Scene 4Act 5, Scene 5Act 5, Scene 6Act 5, Scene 7

Open King John in the 1623 First Folio. See its words in the cloud.

Modern spelling for reading. The edition is public domain in the United States. Edition source.