Who, holding in difdain the German women,
For fome difhoneft manners of their life,
Establisht then this law: to wit, no female
Should be inheritrix in Salike land:
Which Salike, as I faid, 'twixt Elve and Sala,
Is at this day in Germany call'd Meifen,
Thus doth it well appear, the Salike law
Was not devised for the realm of France;
Nor did the French poffefs the Salike fand,
Until four hundred one and twenty years
After defunction of King Pharamond,
(Idly fuppos'd, the founder of this law;)
Who died within the year of our redemption
Four hundred twenty fix; and Charles the great,
Subdu'd the Saxons, and did feat the French
Beyond the river Sala in the year
Eight hundred five. Befides, their writers say,
King Pepin, which depofed Childerick,
Did as heir general (being defcended
Of Blithild, which was daughter to King Clothair)
Make claim and title to the Crown of France.
Hugh Capet alfo, who ufurp'd the Crown
Of Charles the Duke of Lorain, fole heir male
Of the true line and ftock of Charles the great,
To fine his title with fome fhews of truth,
(Though, in pure truth, it was corrupt and naught)
Convey'd himself as heir to th' lady Lingare,
Daughter to Charlemain, who was the fon
To Lewis th' Emperor, which was the fon
Of Charles the great. Alfo King Lewis the ninth,
Who was fole heir to the ufurper Capet,
Could not keep quiet in his confcience,
Wearing the Crown of France, 'till fatisfy'd
That fair Queen Isabel, his grandmother,
Was lineal of the lady Ermengere,
Daughter to Charles the forefaid Duke of Lorain:
By the which match the line of Charles the great
Was re-united to the Crown of France.
So that, as clear as is the fummer's fun,
King Pepin's title, and Hugh Capet's claim,
King Lewis his Poffeffion, all appear
To hold in right and title of the female.
So do the Kings of France until this day:
Howbeit they would hold up this Salike law,
To bar your Highness claiming from the female;
And rather chufe to hide them in a net,
*Than amply to imbare their crooked titles,
Ufurpt from you and your progenitors.
K. Henry. May I with right and confcience make this
Cant. The fin upon my head, dread Sovereign! For in the book of Numbers it is writ,
When the fon dies, let the inheritance
Defcend unto the daughter.
Stand for your own, unwind your bloody flag:
Look back into your mighty ancestors;
Go, my dread lord, to your great grandfire's tomb,
From whom you claim; invoke his warlike fpirit,
And your great uncle Edward the black Prince;
Who on the French ground play'd a Tragedy,
Making defeat on the full pow'r of France;
While his mot mighty Father, on a hill,
Stood fmiling, to behold his Lion's whelp
Forage in blood of French Nobility.
O noble English, that could entertain
With half their forces the full pow'r of France;
And let another half ftand laughing by,
All out of work, and cold for action!
Ely. Awake remembrance of thefe valiant dead,
And with your puiffant arm renew their feats!
You are their heir, you fit upon their throne;
The blood and courage, that renowned them,
Runs in your veins; and my thrice puiffant Liege
Than openly to imbrace-] The two old Folios read, Than amply to imbarre. Hence it appears we fhould, read, Than amply to imbare, i, e. lay open, make naked, expose to view.
Is in the very May-morn of his youth,
Ripe for exploits and mighty enterprises.
Exe. Your brother Kings and Monarchs of the
earth
Do all expect that you fhould rouze yourself;
As did the former Lions of your blood.
Weft. They know, your Race had caufe, and
means, and might:
So hath your Highness; never King of England
Had Nobles richer, and more loyal Subjects;
Whofe hearts have left their bodies here in England,
And lie pavilion'd in the field of France.
+ O let their bodies follow, my dear Liege,
With blood and fword, and fire, to win your right.
Cant. In aid whereof, we of the Spiritualty
Will raise your Highnefs fuch a mighty fum,
As never did the Clergy at one time
Bring in to any of your ancestors.
K.Henry. We must not only arm t'invade the French, But lay down our proportions to defend
Against the Scot, who will make road upon us
With all advantages.
Cant. They of thofe Marches, gracious Sovereign, Shall be a wall fufficient to defend
Our Inland from the pilfering borderers.
K. Henry. We do not mean the courfing fnatchers only,
But fear the main intendment of the Scot,
Who hath been still a giddy neighbour to us:
*They know your Grace hath caufe, and means, and might, So hath your Highness] We should read,
which is carrying on the Senfe of the concluding Words of Exeter. As did the former Lions of your blood.
meaning Edward III, and the Black Prince.
+ O, let their bodies follow, &c.] These two Lines, with a high Indecorum, are given to the Archbishop: but they belong to Weftmorland; and Canterbury begins,
In aid whereof, we of the Spiritualty, &c.
For, you fhall read, that my great grandfather
Ne'er went with his full forces into France,
But that the Scot on his unfurnisht kingdom
Came pouring, like a tide into a breach,
With ample and brim fulness of his force;
Galling the gleaned land with hot assays;
Girding with grievous fiege caftles and towns
That England, being empty of defence,
Hath fhook, and trembled, at th' ill neighbourhood. Cant. She hath been then more fear'd than harm'd, my Liege;
For hear her beft 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,
But taken and impounded as a stray
The King of Scots; whom she did send to France,
To fill King Edward's fame with prifoner Kings;
And make his chronicle as rich with prize,
As is the ouzy bottom of the Sea
With funken wreck and fumless treasuries.
* Exe. But there's a saying very old and true, If that you will France win, then with Scotland firft begin. For once the Eagle England being in prey,
To her unguarded neft the Weazel, Scot,
Comes sneaking, and fo fucks her princely eggs;
Playing the Mouse in absence of the Cat,
To taint, and havock, more than fhe can eat.
Ely. It follows then, the Cat must stay at home, Yet that is but a 'fcus'd neceffity;
Since we have locks to fafeguard neceffaries,
Ely. But there's a faying &c.] This Speech, which is diffuafive of the War with France, is abfurdly given to one of the Churchmen in Confederacy to push the King upon it, as appears by the first Scene of this Act. Befides, the Poet had here an eye to Hall, who gives this Obfervation to the Duke of Exeter. But the Editors have nade Ely and Exeter change Sides, and speak one another's Speeches; for, this, which is given to Ely, is Exeter's; and the following given to Exeter, is Ely's.
And pretty traps to catch the petty thieves.
While that the armed hand doth fight abroad,
Th' advised head defends itself at home:
For Government, though high, and low, and lower,
Put into parts, doth keep in one confent;
Congreeing in a full and natural close,
Like mufic.
Cant. Therefore heaven doth divide
The ftate of man in divers functions,
Setting,endeavour in continual motion;
To which is fixed, as an aim or butt,
Obedience; for so work the honey Bees;
Creatures, that by a ruling nature teach
The art of order to a peopled kingdom.
They have a King, and officers of fort;
Where fome, like magiftrates, correct at home:
Others like merchant-venturers, trade abroad;
Others, like foldiers, armed in their ftings,
Make boot upon the fummer's velvet buds:
Which pillage they with merry march bring home
To the tent-royal of their Emperor:
Who, bufied in his majefty, furveys
The finging mafon building roofs of gold;
The civil citizens kneading up the honey;
The poor mechanic porters crowding in
Their heavy burdens at his narrow gate:
The fad-ey'd Juftice with his furly hum,
Delivering o'er to executors pale
The lazy yawning drone. I this infer,
That many things, having full reference
To one confent, may work contrariously:
As many arrows, loofed feveral ways,
Come to one mark as many ways meet in one town; As many fresh streams meet in one salt sea; lines clofe in the dial's center;
So may a thoufand actions, 't once a-foot,
End in one purpose, and be all well borne
Without defeat. Therefore to France, my Liege.
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