Here is the line-by-line paraphrase of Arthur’s monologue from King John:

Original: Too fairly, Hubert, for so foul effect:
Modern: You speak too kindly, Hubert, for such a horrible thing you’re about to do:

Original: Must you with hot irons burn out both mine eyes?
Modern: Do you really have to burn out both my eyes with hot irons?

Original: And will you?
Modern: And will you really do it?

Original: Have you the heart? When your head did but ache,
Modern: Do you have the heart to do this? When you just had a headache,

Original: I knit my handercher about your brows,
Modern: I wrapped my handkerchief around your forehead,

Original: The best I had, a princess wrought it me,
Modern: The finest one I owned, which a princess had made for me,

Original: And I did never ask it you again;
Modern: And I never asked you to give it back;

Original: And with my hand at midnight held your head,
Modern: And at midnight I held your head with my hand,

Original: And like the watchful minutes to the hour,
Modern: And like minutes that carefully count toward each hour,

Original: Still and anon cheer’d up the heavy time,
Modern: I constantly tried to cheer you up during that difficult time,

Original: Saying, ‘What lack you?’ and ‘Where lies your grief?’
Modern: Saying, ‘What do you need?’ and ‘What’s causing you pain?’

Original: Or ‘What good love may I perform for you?’
Modern: Or ‘What loving act can I do for you?’

Original: Many a poor man’s son would have lien still
Modern: Many a poor man’s son would have just lain there

Original: And ne’er have spoke a loving word to you;
Modern: And never would have said a kind word to you;

Original: But you at your sick service had a prince.
Modern: But when you were sick, you had a prince taking care of you.

Original: Nay, you may think my love was crafty love
Modern: No, you might think my love was fake

Original: And call it cunning: do, an if you will:
Modern: And call it manipulative: go ahead, if you want to:

Original: If heaven be pleased that you must use me ill,
Modern: If God wants you to treat me badly,

Original: Why then you must. Will you put out mine eyes?
Modern: Then you have to. Will you blind me?

Original: These eyes that never did nor never shall
Modern: These eyes that have never and will never

Original: So much as frown on you.
Modern: Even frown at you.

Original: Ah, none but in this iron age would do it!
Modern: Oh, only in this cruel time would anyone do such a thing!

Original: The iron of itself, though heat red-hot,
Modern: The iron itself, even though it’s heated red-hot,

Original: Approaching near these eyes, would drink my tears
Modern: Coming close to my eyes, would soak up my tears

Original: And quench his fiery indignation
Modern: And put out its burning anger

Original: Even in the matter of mine innocence;
Modern: Just because of my innocence;

Original: Nay, after that, consume away in rust
Modern: No, after that, it would rust away completely

Original: But for containing fire to harm mine eye.
Modern: Rather than hold fire to hurt my eye.

Original: Are you more stubborn-hard than hammer’d iron?
Modern: Are you more stubbornly hard than beaten iron?

Original: An if an angel should have come to me
Modern: If an angel had come to me

Original: And told me Hubert should put out mine eyes,
Modern: And told me that Hubert would blind me,

Original: I would not have believed him,—no tongue but Hubert’s.
Modern: I wouldn’t have believed him—only if Hubert himself told me.

Original: O, save me, Hubert, save me! my eyes are out
Modern: Oh, save me, Hubert, save me! My eyes feel destroyed

Original: Even with the fierce looks of these bloody men.
Modern: Just from the cruel stares of these violent men.

Original: Alas, what need you be so boisterous-rough?
Modern: Please, why do you need to be so violent and rough?

Original: I will not struggle, I will stand stone-still.
Modern: I won’t fight back, I’ll stand perfectly still.

Original: For heaven sake, Hubert, let me not be bound!
Modern: For God’s sake, Hubert, don’t let them tie me up!

Original: Nay, hear me, Hubert, drive these men away,
Modern: Please, listen to me, Hubert, send these men away,

Original: And I will sit as quiet as a lamb;
Modern: And I’ll sit as quietly as a lamb;

Original: I will not stir, nor wince, nor speak a word,
Modern: I won’t move, or flinch, or say a word,

Original: Nor look upon the iron angerly:
Modern: Or look at the iron angrily:

Original: Thrust but these men away, and I’ll forgive you,
Modern: Just send these men away, and I’ll forgive you,

Original: Whatever torment you do put me to.
Modern: Whatever torture you put me through.

In Act IV, Scene 1 of “King John,” Hubert enters with executioners, carrying instruments intended to blind the young Prince Arthur, who is being held prisoner. King John has secretly ordered Arthur’s eyes to be burned out with hot irons. Arthur, unaware of Hubert’s terrible purpose, greets him warmly and speaks affectionately of their friendship, saying he wishes Hubert were his kinsman. When Hubert reluctantly reveals the warrant for Arthur’s blinding and shows him the instruments of torture, the boy is horrified and pleads desperately for mercy.

Arthur’s innocent and heartfelt appeals gradually break down Hubert’s resolve to carry out the king’s orders. The young prince argues that the heated iron has shed a tear in pity of him, and he begs Hubert to remember their friendship and spare his eyes. Moved by the child’s genuine terror and eloquent pleas, Hubert finally relents and sends the executioners away. He tells Arthur he will report to King John that the deed has been done, thereby protecting the boy while deceiving the king. Arthur expresses profound gratitude for Hubert’s mercy, and Hubert promises to keep him safely hidden.

King John opens with King Philip of France supporting Arthur, the young son of John’s deceased brother Geoffrey, as the rightful heir to the English throne. John’s mother, Queen Eleanor, and the French court engage in heated disputes over legitimacy. Meanwhile, the Bastard (Philip Faulconbridge), illegitimate son of Richard the Lionheart, joins John’s cause after being legitimized. War breaks out between England and France, with the strategic town of Angiers caught between the two armies.

The conflict temporarily resolves when John’s niece Blanche marries the French Dauphin Lewis, uniting the two kingdoms. However, Cardinal Pandulph arrives from Rome and excommunicates John for refusing to accept Stephen Langton as Archbishop of Canterbury. The Cardinal persuades France to break the peace and resume war against the excommunicated English king. In the ensuing battle, Arthur is captured by John’s forces.

John orders Hubert to kill the young Arthur, but Hubert cannot bring himself to murder the child and instead hides him. When Arthur later dies attempting to escape from his prison tower, the English nobles believe John has murdered him and defect to join the invading French forces led by the Dauphin. As John faces rebellion from within and invasion from without, he submits to the Pope’s authority to regain legitimacy. However, he falls ill and is poisoned by a monk at Swinstead Abbey.

The Bastard rallies the remaining English forces and discovers that the French nobles plan to kill their English allies after victory. This intelligence helps reconcile the English lords to their king. John dies, and his young son Henry is crowned King Henry III. The Dauphin withdraws his forces, and Cardinal Pandulph negotiates peace. The play concludes with the Bastard delivering a patriotic speech about England’s strength when united against foreign threats.