THE HISTORY OF KING HENRY V. THIS play was styled in the earlier editions a "Chronicle History," which it strictly is, in a dramatic form-" for it borrows nothing from mere invention in incident, and scarcely in character." The story, in all its details, is purely historical; and even the comic personages introduced are almost historical in their character, exhibiting, as they do, types or representatives of the classes of the period. The period comprised in this Dramatic History commences about the latter end of the first, and terminates in the eighth year of this king's reign; when he married Katharine of France, and closed up the differences betwixt England and that crown. PERSONS REPRESENTED. KING HENRY THE FIFTH. DUKE OF GLOSTER, DUKE OF BEDford, Brothers to the KING. DUKE OF EXETER, Uncle to the KING. DUKE OF YORK, Cousin to the KING. EARLS OF SALISBURY, WESTMORELAND, and WARWICK. ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY. BISHOP OF ELY. EARL OF CAMBRIDGE, LORD SCROOP, Sir THOMAS GREY, Conspirators. Sir THOMAS ERPINGHAM, Gower, FLUELLEN, MACMORRIS, JAMY, Officers in KING HENRY'S Army. BATES, COURT, WILLIAMS, Soldiers in the Same. PISTOL, NYM, BARDOLPH. Boy, Servant to them. A Herald. CHARLES THE SIXTH, King of France. LEWIS, the Dauphin. DUKES OF BURGUNDY, ORLEANS, and BOURBON. The Constable of France. RAMBURES, and GRANDPRE, French Lords. MONTJOY, a French Herald. Governor of Harfleur. Embassadors to England. ISABEL, Queen of France. KATHARINE, Daughter of CHARLES and ISABEL. ALICE, a Lady attending on the Princess KATHARINE. Hostess of the Boar's Head Tavern in Eastcheap; formerly Mistress QUICKLY, now wife to PISTOL. Lords, Ladies, Officers, Soldiers, Citizens, Messengers, and Attendants. 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 the 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? Cant. It must be thought on. If it pass against us, We lose the better half of our possession: For all the temporal lands, which men devout By testament have given to the church, Would they strip from us. Ely. This would drink deep. Ely. But what prevention? "Twould drink the cup and all. Cant. The king is full of grace, and fair regard. But that his wildness, mortified in him, And whipp'd th' offending Adam out of him, To envelope and contain celestial spirits. With such a heady current, scouring faults; So soon did lose his seat, and all at once, As in this king. Ely. We are blessed in the change. 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, And the mute wonder lurketh in men's ears, Ely. The strawberry grows underneath the nettle, And wholesome berries thrive and ripen best, Neighbor'd by fruit of baser quality: And so the prince obscur'd his contemplation Cant. It must be so, for miracles are ceas'd. How now for mitigation of this bill Urg'd by the commons? Doth his majesty Cant. He seems indifferent; And in regard of causes now in hand, Did to his predecessors part withal. Ely. How did this offer seem receiv'd, my lord? Of his true titles to some certain dukedoms, Ely. What was th' impediment that broke this off? *Crescive-increasing, growing. Cant. The French embassador upon that instant Ely. It is. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-London. A Room of State in the Palace. Enter KING HEnry, Gloster, BEDFORD, EXETER, WARWICK, WESTMORELAND, and Attendants. K. Hen. Where is my gracious lord of Canterbury? K. Hen. Send for him, good uncle. West. Shall we call in th' embassador, 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 the BISHOP OF ELY. Cant. Heaven and its angels, guard your sacred throne, And make you long become it! K. Hen. Why the law Salique, that they have in France, That you should fashion, wrest, or bow your reading, With opening titles miscreate, whose right Of what your reverence shall incite us to. Cant. Then hear me, gracious sovereign, and you peers, To this imperial throne.-There is no bar Where Charles the great, having subdued the Saxons, The kings of France hold up this Salique law, Usurp'd from you and your progenitors. K. Hen. May I with right and conscience make this claim? Cant. The sin upon my head, dread sovereign! For in the Book of Numbers is it writ, When the son dies, let the inheritance Descend unto the daughter. Gracious lord, Go, my dread lord, to your great grandsire's tomb, Ely. Awake remembrance of these valiant dead, Exe. Your brother kings and monarchs of the earth Do all expect that you should rouse yourself, As did the former lions of your blood. West. They know your grace hath cause and means and might. Cant. O, let our bodies follow, my dear liege, With blood, and sword, and fire, to win your right: In aid whereof, we of the spiritualty Will raise your highness such a mighty sum, As never did the clergy at one time Bring in to any of your ancestors. K. Hen. We must not only arm to invade the French, * Gloze-to palliate by specious exposition. |