suit. Give me your answer; i'faith, do; and so clap hands and a bargain: How say you, lady? Kath. Sauf vostre honneur, me understand well. K. Hen. Marry, if you would put me to verses, or to dance for your sake, Kate, why you undid me: for the one, I have neither words nor measure; and for the other, I have no strength in measure,1 yet a reasonable measure in strength. If I could win a lady at leap-frog, or by vaulting into my saddle with my armour on my back, under the correction of bragging be it spoken, I should quickly leap for a wife. Or, if I might buffet for my love, or bound my horse for her favours, I could lay on like a butcher, and sit like a jack-an-apes, never off: but, I cannot look greenly, nor gasp out my eloquence, nor I have no cunning in protestation; only down-right oaths, which I never use till urged, nor never break for urging. If thou canst love a fellow of this temper, Kate, whose face is not worth sunburning, that never looks in his glass for love of any thing he sees there, let thine eye be thy cook. I speak to thee plain soldier: If thou canst love me for this, take me: if not, to say to thee that I shall die, is true; but for thy love, no; yet I love thee too. And while thou livest, dear Kate, take a fellow of plain and uncoined constancy3; for he perforce must do thee right, because he hath not the gift to woo in other places: for these fellows of infinite tongue, that can rhyme themselves into ladies' favours -they do always reason themselves out again. What! a speaker is but a prater; a rhyme is but a ballad. A good leg will fall; a straight back will stoop; a black beard will turn white; a curled pate will grow bald; a fair face will wither; a full eye will wax hollow: but a good heart, Kate, is the sun and moon; or rather the sun, and not the moon; for it shines bright, and never changes, but keeps his course truly. If thou would have such a one, take me: And take me, take a soldier; take a soldier, take a king: And what sayest thou then to my love? speak, my fair, and fairly, I pray thee. Kath. Is it possible dat I should love de enemy of France? K. Hen. No; it is not possible, you should love the enemy of France, Kate; but in loving me, you should love the friend of France; for I love France so well, that I will not part with a village of it; I will have it all mine: and, Kate, when France is mine, and I am yours, then yours is France, and you are mine. Kath. I cannot tell vat is dat. K. Hen. No, Kate? I will tell thee in French; which, I am sure, will hang upon my tongue like a new-married wife about her husband's neck, hardly to be shook off. Quand j'ay la possession de France, & quand vous avez la possession de moi, (let me see, what then? Saint Dennis be my speed!)-donc vostre est France, & vous estes mienne. It is as easy for me, Kate, to conquer the kingdom, as to speak so much more French: I shall never move thee in French, unless it be to laugh at me. Kath. Sauf vostre honneur, le François que vous parlez, est meilleur que l'Anglois lequel je parle. K. Hen. No, 'faith, is't not, Kate: but thy speaking of my tongue, and I thine, most truly falsely, must needs be granted to be much at one. But, Kate, dost thou understand thus much English? Canst thou love me? Kath. I cannot tell. K. Hen. Can any of your neighbours tell, Kate? I'll ask them. Come, I know thou lovest me: and at night when you come into your closet, you'll question this gentlewoman about me; and I know, Kate, you will to her, dispraise those parts in me, that you love with your heart: but, good Kate, mock me mercifully; the rather, gentle princess, because I love thee truly. How answer you, la plus belle Catharine du monde, mon très chere et divine déesse? Kath. Your majesté 'ave fausse French enough to deceive de most sage demoiselle dat is en France. K. Hen. Now, fie upon my false French! By mine honour, in true English, I love thee, Kate: by which honour I dare not swear, thou lovest me; yet my blood begins to flatter me that thou dost, notwithstanding the poor and untempering effect of my visage. Now beshrew my father's ambition! he was always thinking of civil wars; therefore was I created with a stubborn outside, with an aspect of iron, that, when I come to woo ladies, I fright them. But, in faith, Kate, the elder I wax, the better I shall appear: my comfort is, that old age, that ill layer-up of beauty, can do no more spoil upon my face: thou hast me, if thou hast me, at the worst; and thou shalt wear me, if thou wear me, better and better; and therefore tell me, most fair Katharine, will you have me? Put off your maiden blushes; avouch the thoughts of your heart with the looks of an empress; take me by the hand, and say-Harry of England, I am thine: which word thou shalt no sooner bless mine ear withal, but I will tell thee aloud-England is thine, Ireland is thine, France is thine, and Henry Plantagenet is thine; who, though I speak it before his face, if he be not fellow with the best king, thou shalt find the best king of good fellows. Come, your answer in broken musick; for thy voice is musick, and thy English broken therefore, queen of all, Katharine, break thy mind to me in broken English, Wilt thou have me? Kath. Dat is, as it shall please de roy mon pere. K. Hen. Nay, it will please him well, Kate; it shall please him, Kate. Kath. Den it shall also content me. K. Hen. Upon that I will kiss your hand, and I call you--my queen. Kath. Laissez, mon seigneur, laissez, laissez ma foy, je ne veux point que vous abbaissez vostre grandeur, en baisant la main d'une vostre indigne serviteur; excusez moy, je vous supplie, mon très puissant seigneur. K. Hen. Then I will kiss your lips, Kate. Kath. Les dames, & demoiselles, pour estre baisées devant leur nopces, il n'est pas la coûtume de France. Alice. Ouy, vrayment. K. Hen. O, Kate, nice customs curt'sy to great kings. Dear Kate, you and I cannot be confined within the weak list1 of a country's fashion: we are the makers of manners, Kate; and the liberty that follows our places, stops the mouths of all find-faults; as I will do yours, for upholding the nice fashion of your country, in denying me a kiss: therefore, patiently, and yielding. [Kissing her.] You have witchcraft in your lips, Kate: there is more eloquence in a sugar touch of them, than in the tongues of the French council; and they should sooner persuade Harry of England, than a general petition of monarchs. Here comes your father. Enter the French King and Queen, Burgundy, Bedford, Gloster, Exeter, Westmoreland, and other French and English Lords. Bur. God save your majesty! my royal cousin, teach you our princess English? K. Hen. I would have her learn, my fair cousin, how perfectly I love her; and that is good English. Bur. Is she not apt? K. Hen. Our tongue is rough, coz; and my condition2 is not smooth: so that, having neither the voice nor the heart of flattery about me, I cannot so conjure up the spirit of love in her, that he will appear in his true.likeness. Bur. Pardon the frankness of my mirth, if I answer you for that. If you conjure up love in her in his true likeness, he must appear blind: Can you blame her then, being a maid yet rosed over with the virgin crimson of modesty, if she deny the appearance of a blind boy in her seeing self? K. Hen. This moral ties me over to time; and so I will catch the fly, your cousin, in the latter end, and she must be blind too. Bur. As love is, my lord, before it loves. K. Hen. It is so: and you may, some of you, thank love for my blindness; who cannot see, many a fair French city, for one fair French maid that stands in my way. Shall Kate be my wife? Fr. King. So please you. K. Hen. I am content. Fr. King. We have consented to all terms of reason. K. Hen. Is't so, my lords of England? West. The king hath granted every article: His daughter, first; and then, in sequel, all, According to their firm proposed natures. Exe. Only, he hath not yet subscribed this:Where your majesty demands,-That the king of France having any occasion to write for matter 1 Barrier. 2 Disposition. of grant, shall name your highness in this form, and with this addition, in French,-Notre très cher filz Henry roy d'Angleterre, héritier de France; and thus in Latin,-Præclarissimus filius noster Henricus, rex Angliæ, & hæres Francia. Fr. K. Nor this I have not, brother, so denied, Let that one article rank with the rest: Issue to me: that the contending kingdoms [tion With envy of each other's happiness, All. Amen! K. Hen. Now welcome, Kate:--and bear me witness all, That here I kiss her as my sovereign queen. [Flourish. Q. Isa. God, the best maker of all marriages, Combine your hearts in one, your realms in one! As man and wife, being two, are one in love, So be there 'twixt your kingdoms such a spousal, That never may ill office, or fell jealousy, Which troubles oft the bed of blessed marriage, Thrust in between the paction of these kingdoms, To make divorce of their incorporate league; That English may as French, French English Thus far, with rough, and all unable pen, Our bending author hath pursu'd the story; In little room confining mighty men, Mangling by starts the full course of their glory. Small time, but, in that small, most greatly liv'd Of France and England, did this king succeed; Whose state so many had the managing, That they lost France, and made his England bleed: First Part of King Henry VI. KING HENRY THE SIXTH. Persons Represented. DUKE OF GLOSTER, Uncle to the King, and Pro- DUKE OF BEDFORD, Uncle to the King, and THOMAS BEAUFORT, Duke of Exeter, great HENRY BEAUFORT, great Uncle to the King, JOHN BEAUFORT, Earl of Somerset; afterwards EARL OF WARWICK. EARL OF SALISBURY. EARL OF SUFFOLK. LORD TALBOT, afterwards Earl of Shrewsbury. EDWARD MORTIMER, Earl of March. SIR WILLIAM LUCY. SIR WILLIAM GLANSDALE. Lords, Warders of the Tower, Heralds, Officers, SCENE.-Partly in England, and partly in France. SCENE I.-WESTMINSTER ABBEY. Dead March. Corpse of King Henry the Fifth Bed. Hung be the heavens with black, yield Comets, importing change of times and states, Glo. England ne'er had a king until his time. E. We mourn in black; Why mourn we not in We with our stately presence glorify, Win.He was a king bless'd of the King of kings. men pray'd, His thread of life had not so soon decay'd: Win. Gloster, whate'er we like, thou art pro tector; And lookest to command the prince, and realm. Glo. Name not religion, for thou lov'st the flesh, minds in peace! Let's to the altar-Heralds, wait on us:Instead of gold, we'll offer up our arms; charms. Since arms avail not, now that Henry's dead.-- Enter a Messenger. Mess. My honourable lords, health to you all! Speak softly; or the loss of those great towns death. Glo. Is Paris lost? is Rouen yielded up? us'd? M. No treachery; but want of men and money. Let not sloth dim your honours, new-begot: Exe. Were our tears wanting to this funeral, Enter another Messenger. 2 Mess. Lords, view these letters, full of bad France is revolted from the English quite; Exe. The dauphin crowned king! all fly to him! throats: Bedford, if thou be slack, I'll fight it out. [ness? Enter a third Messenger. Wherewith you now bedew king Henry's hearse,- The circumstance I'll tell you more at large. Having full scarce six thousand in his troop, Here, there, and every where, enrag'd he slew; Durst not presume to look once in the face. Bed. Is Talbot slain? then will I slay myself, 3 Mess. Oh no, he lives; but is took prisoner, And lord Scales with him, and lord Hungerford; Most of the rest slaughter'd, or took likewise. Bed. His ransome there is none but I shall pay : Exe. Remember, lords, your oaths to Henry 3 Mess. My gracious lords,-to add to your To go about my preparation. laments, 1 Nurse. 2 With short intermission. And then I will proclaim young Henry king. C. Mars his true moving, even as in the heavens, A.They want their porridge, and their fat bull- Now for the honour of the forlorn French: Their arms are set, like clocks, still to strike on; Enter the Bastard of Orleans. Bast. Where's the prince dauphin? I have news for him. 1&e. The prey for which they are hungry. 2 Machine. Char. Bastard of Orleans, thrice welcome to us. Bast. Methinks, your looks are sad, your cheer1 appall'd; Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence? Char. Go, call her in: [Exit Bastard.] But, first, to try her skill, Reignier, stand thou as dauphin in my place: Question her proudly, let thy looks be stern:By this means shall we sound what skill she hath. [Retires. Enter La Pucelle, Bastard of Orleans, and others. Reig. Fair maid, is't thou wilt do these won d'rous feats? [me? Where is the dauphin?-come, come from behind; Char. Thou hast astonish'd me with thy high In single combat thou shalt buckle with me: Only this proof I'll of thy valour make,- [terms; And, if thou vanquishest, thy words are true; Otherwise, I renounce all confidence. [sword, Deck'd with five flower-de-luces on each side; Puc. I am prepared: here is my keen-edg'd The which at Touraine, in saint Katharine's churchyard, Out of a deal of old iron I chose forth. man. Char. Then come on, damsel, I fear no woman. Puc. And, while I live, I'll ne'er fly from a [They fight. Ch. Stay, stay thy hands; thou art an amazon, And fightest with the sword of Deborah. 2 Be persuaded of. 1 Countenance. |