ABSTRACT
Next the French are seen mourning their losses. In The Raigne Pandulph speaks a funeral epitaph on Austria (not found in Shakespeare), before Constance comes to lament her son's capture. The legate then urges the Dauphin against England, asserting that Arthur is 'safe', i.e. sure to be put out of the way by John. These details are developed at length by Shakespeare, who gives Constance a long 'passion' (III.4.23-I05) and Pandulph a 'politic' prophecy of the inevitable removable of Arthur and the opportunity which will be afforded Lewis by John's consequent loss of popularity (ibid. 112-83). Shakespeare's Cardinal thinks that the Bastard's spoliation of the monasteries will also raise enemies against the English king (III-4-I7I-7). Maybe this reference is an allusion to the comic scene in The Raigne (II8Iff) in which Faulconbridge makes a friar open an Abbot's treasure-chest and finds a nun inside, whereupon she tells of a 'press full of plate and money', which proves to contain Friar Lawrence.1 The scene in The Raigne is written in so archaic a style that one may wonder whether it was transferred from an earlier play, not necessarily about King John, or whether it was written as a parody of the Morality play manner. It is followed by the discovery by Faulconbridge of Peter the Prophet, who is arrested and taken to the King. Shakespeare omits this also.
