Reading The life and death of King Iohn — William Shakespeare

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Con.

If thou that bidst me be content, wert grim

Vgly, and slandrous to thy Mothers wombe,

Full of vnpleasing blots, and sightlesse staines,

Lame, foolish, crooked, swart, prodigious,

Patch'd with foule Moles, and eye‑offending markes,

I would not care, I then would be content,

For then I should not loue thee: no, nor thou

Become thy great birth, nor deserue a Crowne.

But thou art faire, and at thy birth (deere boy)

Nature and Fortune ioyn'd to make thee great.

Of Natures guifts, thou mayst with Lillies boast,

And with the halfe‑blowne Rose. But Fortune, oh,

She is corrupted, chang'd, and wonne from thee,

Sh'adulterates hourely with thine Vnckle Iohn,

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