Impeach. To accuse and prosecute for felony or treason. (Tomlin's Law Dict.)

Warrant. (See Nos. 4, 114.)

No. 111.

Const. Now shame upon you, whether she does or no! His grandam's wrongs, and not his mother's shames, Draw those heaven-moving pearls from his poor eyes, Which heaven shall take in nature of a fee; Ay, with these crystal beads heaven shall be brib'd To do him justice, and revenge on you.

Eli. Thou monstrous slanderer of heaven and earth! Const. Thou monstrous injurer of heaven and earth! Call not me slanderer; thou, and thine, usurp

The dominations, royalties, and rights,

Of this oppressed boy: This is thy eldest son's son,
Infortunate in nothing but in thee;

Thy sins are visited in this poor child;
The canon of the law is laid on him,
Being but the second generation

Removed from thy sin-conceiving womb.

King John, Act 2, Scene 1.

Fee. Certain perquisities allowed to officers in the administration of justice as a recompense for their labor and trouble. (Tomlin's Law Dict.)

Canon. A law or ordinance of the church.

This passage evidently refers to the Scripture denunciation of penalties for the sins of fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.

This being a spiritual censure, Shakespare uses the word "canon."

(See No. 263.)

No. 112.

1 Cit. In brief, we are the king of England's subjects; For him, and in his right, we hold this town.

K. John. Acknowledge then the king, and let me in.

1 Cit. That can we not; but he that proves the king,

To him will we prove loyal; till that time,

Have we ramm'd up our gates against the world.

K. John. Doth not the crown of England prove the king!

And, if not that, I bring you witnesses,

Twice fifteen thousand hearts of England's breed,-
Bast. Bastards, and else.

K. John. To verify our title with their lives.

K. Phi. As many, and as well-born bloods as those,-
Bast. Some bastards too.

K. Phi. Stand in his face, to contradict his claim. 1 Cit. Till you compound whose right is worthiest, We, for the worthiest, hold the right from both.

King John, Act 2, Scene 1.

In this instance King John asserts the law of a sovereign de facto, as afterwards declared by the statute of Henry VII. The king says:

Doth not the crown of England prove the king?

"If there be a king regnant in possession of the crown, though he be but rex de facto and not de jure, yet he is seignior le roy; and if another hath right, if he be out of possession, he is not within

the meaning of the statute 11 Henry VII. c. 1.” 3 Inst. 7. See, also, 1 Hallam's Const. Hist. p. 25.

It was enacted by the statute of 4 Henry VII., c. 24, that "no person that did assist in arms or otherwise the king, for the time being, should afterwards be impeached therefor, or attainted either by the course of law or by parliament; but if any such attainder did happen to be made, it should be void and of none effect."

No. 113.

Drawn in the flattering table of her eye!

Hang'd in the frowning wrinkle of her brow! And quarter'd in her heart! he doth espy Himself love's traitor: this is pity now,

That hang'd, and drawn, and quarter'd, there should be, In such a love, so vile a lout as he.

King John, Act 2, Scene 1.

Drawn, hanged, and quartered. Punishment for

treason.

No. 114.

Pand. There's law and warrant, lady, for my curse.
Const. And for mine too; when law can do no right,
Let it be lawful, that law bar no wrong:
Law cannot give my child his kingdom here,
For he, that holds his kingdom, holds the law:
Therefore, since law itself is perfect wrong,
How can the law forbid my tongue to curse?

King John, Act 3, Scene 1.

Bar. (See Nos. 143, 144.)

Warrant. (See Nos. 4, 110.)

No. 115.

K. Rich. Old John of Gaunt, time-honour'd Lancaster,
Hast thou, according to thy oath and band,
Brought hither Henry Hereford thy bold son,
Here to make good the boisterous late appeal,
Which then our leisure would not let us hear,
Against the duke of Norfolk, Thomas Mowbray?
Gaunt. I have, my liege.

K. Rich. Tell me moreover, hast thou sounded him,
If he appeal the duke on ancient malice;

Or worthily as a good subject should,

On some known ground of treachery in him?

Gaunt. As near as I could sift him on that argument, On some apparent danger seen in him,

Aim'd at your highness, no inveterate malice.

K. Rich. Then call them to our presence; face to face, And frowning brow to brow, ourselves will hear

The accuser, and the accused, freely speak.

Richard II., Act 1, Scene 1.

Make good. Make: to perform or execute,as, to make his law, is to perform that law which he has formerly bound himself to. (Tomlin's Law Dict.)

No. 116.

K. Rich. We thank you both: yet one but flatters us,

As well appeareth by the cause you come;

Namely, to appeal each other of high treason.

Cousin of Hereford, what dost thou object

Against the duke of Norfolk, Thomas Mowbray?

Boling. Come I appellant to this princely presence,

Appeal has two senses: (1) The removal of a cause from an inferior court or judge to a superior. (2) When spoken of as a criminal prosecution, it denotes an accusation by a private subject against another for some heinous crime. It was anciently permitted to appeal another of high treason. (Tomlin's Law Dict.)

Object. To propose as a charge criminal. (Johnson.)

Appellant. The party by whom an appeal is made. (Tomlin's Law Dict.)

(See Nos. 120, 130.)

No. 117.

K. Rich. What doth our cousin lay to Mowbray's charge! It must be great, that can inherit us

So much as of a thought of ill in him.

No. 118.

Richard II., Act 1, Scene 1.

Boling. Further I say, and further will maintain
Upon his bad life, to make all this good.

Maintain. (See No. 130.)

No. 119.

Richard II., Act 1, Scene 1.

K. Rich. There shall your swords and lances arbitrate The swelling difference of your settled hate;