SCENE III. The field of battle. The Life and Death of King John  Shakespeare homepage  |  King John  | Act 5, Scene 3 

 Previous scene  |  Next scene  SCENE III. The field of battle. 

 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  Shakespeare homepage  |  King John  | Act 5, Scene 3 

 Previous scene  |  Next scene 