And to the coffers of the king beside, A thousand pounds by the year. Thus runs the bill. Ely. This would drink deep. "Twould drink the cup and all. Ely. But what prevention? Cant. The king is full of grace, and fair regard. And whipp'd th' offending Adam out of him, T'envelop and contain celestial spirits. With such a heady current scouring faults; So soon did lose his seat, and all at once, Ely. We are blessed in the change. Cant. Hear him but reason in divinity, And, all-admiring, with an inward wish You would desire the king were made a prelate: You would say, it hath been all-in-all his study: The Gordian knot of it he will unloose, Which is a wonder, how his grace should glean it, His companies unletter'd, rude, and shallow; Ely. The strawberry grows underneath the nettle, And wholesome berries thrive and ripen best, Neighbour'd by fruit of baser quality: And so the prince obscur'd his contemplation Cant. It must be so; for miracles are ceas'd, Ely. But, my good lord, How now for mitigation of this bill Urg'd by the commons? Doth his majesty Cant. He seems indifferent, Or, rather, swaying more upon our part, And in regard of causes now in hand, As touching France,—to give a greater sum Did to his predecessors part withal. Ely. How did this offer seem receiv'd, my lord? Cant. With good acceptance of his majesty; Save, that there was not time enough to hear (As, I perceiv'd, his grace would fain have done) The severals, and unhidden passages Of his true titles to some certain dukedoms, And, generally, to the crown and seat of France, Ely. What was th' impediment that broke this off? Cant. Then go we in, to know his embassy, [Exeunt. SCENE II. The Same. A Room of State in the Same. Enter King HENRY, Gloster, Bedford, Exeter, WARWICK, WESTMORELAND, and Attendants. K. Hen. Where is my gracious lord of Canterbury? Exe. Not here in presence. K. Hen. Send for him, good uncle. West. Shall we call in th' ambassador, my liege1? K. Hen. Not yet, my cousin: we would be resolv'd, Before we hear him, of some things of weight, That task our thoughts, concerning us and France. Enter the Archbishop of CANTERBURY, and Bishop of ELY. Cant. God, and his angels, guard your sacred throne, And make you long become it! 5 Shall we call in th' ambassador, my liege ?] At this point the play, according to the quartos of 1600, 1602, and 1608, begins, but they all assign the line to Exeter, and give it thus: "Shall I call in th' ambassadors, my liege ?" K. Hen. Sure, we thank you. My learned lord, we pray you to proceed, And justly and religiously unfold, Why the law Salique, that they have in France, Of what your reverence shall incite us to. 'Gainst him whose wrongs give edge unto the swords That make such waste in brief mortality.. Under this conjuration, speak, my lord, And we will hear, note, and believe in heart, That what you speak is in your conscience wash'd, As pure as sin with baptism. Cant. Then hear me, gracious sovereign, and you peers, That owe yourselves, your lives, and services, To this imperial throne.-There is no bar To make against your highness' claim to France, • Shall drop their blood in APPROBATION] i. e. in probation or proof. 7 The founder of this law, and female bar: Where Charles the great, having subdued the Saxons, Who died within the year of our redemption Beyond the river Sala in the year Eight hundred five. Besides, their writers say, Did, as heir general, being descended Of Blithild, which was daughter to king Clothair, 8 Where Charles the GREAT,-] In the quarto editions it stands, "Where Charles the fift.” • TO FIND his title] So the folio, and it is not necessary to alter it, though the quartos read fine, which on some accounts (in the sense of refine) might seem preferable. The quartos can only be a guide, even in more doubtful cases. |