KING HENRY V. DRAMATIS PERSONÆ. KING HENRY THE FIFTH. DUKE OF YORK, Cousin to the Conspi EARLS OF SALISBURY, WEST- rators. BATES, COURT, WILLIAMS, Sol diers. ALICE, a Lady attending on the PISTOL, NYM, BARDOLPH. MRS. QUICLLY, a Hostess. Lords, Ladies, Officers, French and English Soldiers, Messengers, and Attendants. The SCENE in England, and in France. ACT I. SCENE I. London. An Ante-chamber in the King's Palace. Enter the Archbishop of CANTERBURY, and Bishop of ELY. Cant. My lord, I'll tell you, that self bill is urg'd, Which in th' eleventh year of the last king's reign Was like, and had indeed against us pass'd, But that the scambling and unquiet time Did push it out of farther question. Ely. But how, my lord, shall we resist it now? Would they strip from us; being valued thus, A thousand pounds by the year. Thus runs the bill. Cant. Ely. But what prevention? 'T would drink the 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. And, all-admiring, with an inward wish- 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 Incline to it, or no? Cant. He seems indifferent, Or, rather, swaying more upon our part, Than cherishing th' exhibiters against us ; And in regard of causes now in hand, Which I have open'd to his grace at large, to give a greater sum Than ever at one time the clergy yet Did to his predecessors part withal. Ely. How did this offer seem receiv'd, my lord? Of this true titles to some certain dukedoms, Ely. What was th' impediment that broke this off? Ely. It is. Cant. Then go we in, to know his embassy, Ely. I'll wait upon you, and I long to hear it. SCENE II. The Same. A Room of State in the Same. [Exeunt. Enter King HENRY, GLostfr, 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 liege? 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! K. Hen. And justly and religiously unfold, Why the law Salique, that they have in France, With opening titles miscreate, whose right Of what your reverence shall incite us to. Are every one a woe, a sore complaint, 'Gainst him whose wrongs give edge unto the swords And we will hear, note, and believe in heart, 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, But this, which they produce from Pharamond, In terram Salicam mulieres nè succedant, "No woman shall succeed in Salique land." Which Salique land the French unjustly gloze, To be the realm of France, and Pharamond |