Of Charles the Duke of Lorraine, sole heir male To Lewis the Emperor, and Lewis the son Of Charles the Great. Also King Lewis the Tenth, Could not keep quiet in his conscience, Wearing the Crown of France, till satisfied Daughter to Charles the foresaid Duke of Lorraine : So that, as clear as is the Summer's Sun, So do the Kings of France unto this day; Howbeit they would hold up this Salique Law To bar your Highness' claiming from the female ; Than amply to imbare2 their crooked titles Usurp'd from you and your progenitors. 80 90 K. HEN. May I with right and conscience make this claim? For in the Book of Numbers is it writ: When the man dies, let the inheritance 1 i.e. refine, strengthen. V: B 2 discover; strip; lay naked. 9 100 ACT I Sc. II Forage in blood of French nobility. O noble English, that could entertain With half their forces the full pride of France, All out of work and cold for1 action! ELY. Awake remembrance of these valiant dead, WEST. They know your Grace hath cause; and means and might, So hath your Highness; never King of England Had Nobles richer and more loyal subjects, Whose hearts have left their bodies here in England, And lie pavilion'd' in the fields of France. CANT. O, let their bodies follow, my dear Liege, 130 With Blood and Sword and Fire to win your Right: In aid whereof we of the Spiritualty3 Will raise your Highness such a mighty sum As never did the Clergy at one time Bring in to any of your ancestors. K. HEN. We must not only arm to invade the French, Against the Scot, who will make road upon us With all advantages. CANT. They of those marches, gracious Sovereign, Shall be a wall sufficient to defend Our inland from the pilfering Borderers. 5 K. HEN. We do not mean the coursing sneakers only, Who hath been still a giddy neighbour to us; 140 But that the Scot on his unfurnish'd Kingdom Galling the gleaned land with hot assays, ACT I Sc. II 150 Girding with grievous siege castles and towns; That England, being empty of defence, Hath shook and trembled at the ill neighbourhood. CANT. She hath been then more fear'd' than harm'd, my For hear her but exampled by herself: When all her Chivalry hath been in France, And she a mourning widow of her Nobles, She hath herself not only well defended, 160 The King of Scots; whom she did send to France, To fill King Edward's fame with prisoner Kings, As is the ooze and bottom of the Sea Then with Scotland first begin: For, once the eagle England being in prey,2 EXE. It follows, then, the cat must stay at home: Since we have locks to safeguard necessaries, The advised Head defends itself at home; For Government, though high and low and lower Like music. CANT. True: therefore doth Heaven divide The state of Man in1 divers functions, 1 affrighted. 3 'connected harmony.'-Burney. 170 180 ACT I Sc. II Setting Endeavour in continual motion; Who, busied in his Majesty, surveys The singing Masons building roofs of gold; The 190 200 Come to one mark; as many Ways meet in one Town; As many lines close in the Dial's centre; So may a thousand actions, once afoot, End in one purpose, and be all well borne The name of hardiness and policy. K. HEN. Call in the messengers sent from the Dolphin. 210 220 [Exeunt some Attendants. Now are we well resolv'd; and, by God's help, And your's, the noble sinews of our power, France being our's, we'll bend it to our awe,1 O'er France and all her almost kingly Dukedoms, Speak freely of our acts, or else our Grave, Like Turkish mutes, shall have a tongueless mouth, Enter Ambassadors of France, attended. Your greeting is from him, not from the King. Or shall we sparingly shew you far off The Dolphin's meaning and our embassy? K. HEN. We are no tyrant, but a Christian King; As are our wretches fetter'd in our prisons: FIRST AMB. You cannot revel into Dukedoms there. He therefore sends you, meeter for your spirit, This tun of treasure; and, in lieu of this, Desires you let the Dukedoms that you claim Hear no more of you. This the Dolphin speaks. K. HEN. What treasure, Uncle? EXE. 230 240 250 Tennis-balls, my Liege. K. HEN. We are glad the Dolphin is so pleasant with us; ACT I Sc. II 1 the dreadful respect of us. |