ACT I. SCENE I. London. An ante-chamber in the Enter the ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, and the Cant. My lord, I'll tell you; that self bill is Which in the eleventh year of the last king's reign But that the scambling and unquiet time Did push it out of farther question. Ely. But how, my lord, shall we resist it now? against us, If it pass We lose the better half of our possession : Sc. 1. Canterbury. This was Henrie Chichele. Shakespeare follows the chronicles in attributing to him the chief share in the clerical plot for diverting the VOL. VII 17 king's attention from his confiscation bill. I. self, same. 4. scambling, turbulent. A thousand pounds by the year: thus runs the bill. Cant. 'Twould drink the cup and all. 20 Ely. But what prevention ? Cant. The king is full of grace and fair regard. And whipp'd the offending Adam out of him, To envelope and contain celestial spirits. With such a heady currance, 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: 19. A thousand pounds by the year. 'Hall and Holinshed the principal sum. "And the king to have clerely to his cofers twentie thousand poundes" (Hall). Shakespeare reckons interest therefore at five per cent' (Wright). 28. Consideration, serious reflection. 34. currance, current. The air, a charter'd libertine, is still, And the mute wonder lurketh in men's ears, Which is a wonder how his grace should glean it, His companies unletter'd, rude and shallow, Ely. The strawberry grows underneath the And wholesome berries thrive and ripen best And so the prince obscured his contemplation Cant. It must be so; for miracles are ceased; 50 60 In that Montaigne expresses this idea more explicitly in a passage (iii. 9) which Shakespeare perhaps knew in the original. Florio's translation (1603) it runs: Roses and Violets are ever the sweeter and more odoriferous, that grow neere under Garlike and Onions, forasmuch as they suck and draw all the ill savours of the ground unto them.' 66. crescive in his faculty, increasing in virtue of its latent capacity. 70 Doth his majesty How now for mitigation of this bill 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 Ely. How did this offer seem received, my Cant. With good acceptance of his majesty ; Of his true titles to some certain dukedoms Ely. What was the impediment that broke this Cant. The French ambassador upon that instant Craved audience; and the hour, I think, is come To give him hearing: is it four o'clock? Ely. It is. Cant. Then go we in, to know his embassy; 74. exhibiters, introducers of the bill in Parliament. 86. severals, details. [Exeunt. 80 90 86. unhidden passages, manifest courses or channels of descent. SCENE II. The same. The Presence chamber. Enter KING HENRY, GLOUCESTER, 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 the ambassador, my liege? K. Hen. Not yet, my cousin: we would be resolved, Before we hear him, of some things of weight Enter the ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, and Cant. God and his angels guard your sacred throne And make you long become it! 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 Or nicely charge your understanding soul cousin. Westmoreland was a cousin only by marriage. He had married, as his second wife, a daughter of John of 10 Gaunt, half sister of Henry IV., and aunt of the king. 14. bow, warp. 15. nicely, sophistically. |