News have I, that my Nell is dead i'the spital And there my rendezvous is quite cut off. [Exit. | That should deracinate* such savagery: Defective in their natures, grow to wildness; K. Hen. Peace to this meeting, wherefore we are met! Unto our brother France,-and to our sister, Fr. King. Right joyous are we to behold Most worthy brother England; fairly met :- Q Isa. So happy be the issue, brother Eng- Of this good day, and of this gracious meeting, you. have laboured Bur. My duty to you both, on equal love, And all her husbandry doth lie on heaps, Her vine, the merry cheerer of the heart, * Hospital. The sciences that should become our country; K. Hen. If, duke of Burgundy, you would K. Hen. Well then, the peace, ter,- them: Q. Isa. Our gracious brother, I will go with She is our capital demand, compris'd [Exeunt all but HENRY, KATHA And plead his love-suit to her gentle heart? Kath. Your majesty shall mock at me; I cannot speak your England. K. Hen. O fair Katharine, if you will love me soundly with your French heart, I will be glad to hear you confess it brokenly with your English tongue. Do you like me, Kate? Kath. Pardonnez moy, I cannot tell vat islike me. * To deracinate is to force up the roots. + Extravagant. * Appearance. § Hinderança K. Hen. I said so, dear Katharine; and I must not blush to affirm it. Kath. O bon Dieu! les langues des hommes sont pleines des tromperies. K. Hen. What says she, fair one? that the tongues of men are full of deceits? Alice. Ouy; dat de tongues of de mans is be full of deceits: dat is de princess. K. Hen. The princess is the better Englishwoman. I'faith, Kate, my wooing is fit for thy understanding: I am glad, thou can'st speak no better English; for, if thou could'st, thou would'st find me such a plain king, that thou would'st think, I had sold my farm to buy my crown. I know no ways to mince it in love, but directly to say-I love you: then, if you urge me further than to say-Do you in faith? I wear out my 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. 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, et quand vous avez le possession de moi, (let me see, what then? Saint Dennis be my speed!)-donc vostre est France, et 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, 'tis 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? Kuth. I cannot tell. Kath. I do not know dat. K. Hen. Marry, if you would put me to ver- K. Hen. Can any of your neighbours tell, ses, or to dance for your sake, Kate, why you Kate? I'll ask them. Come, I know, thou undid me: for the one, I have neither words lovest me: and at night when you come into nor measure; and for the other, I have no your closet, you'll question this gentlewoman strength in measure, yet a reasonable mea-about me; and I know, Kate, you will, to her, sure in strength. If I could win a lady at leap-dispraise those parts in me, that you love with frog, or by vaulting into my saddle with my your heart: but, good Kate, mock me merciarmour on my back, under the correction of fully; the rather, gentle princess, because I bragging be it spoken, I should quickly leap love thee cruelly. If ever thou be'st mine, into a wife. Or, if I might buffet for my love, Kate, (as I have a saving faith within me, tells or bound my horse for her favours, I could lay me,-thou shalt,) I get thee with scambling, on like a butcher, and sit like a jack-an-apes, and thou must therefore needs prove a good never off: but, before God, I cannot look green-soldier-breeder: Shall not thou and I, bely, nor gasp out my eloquence, nor I have tween Saint Dennis and Saint George, comno cunning in protestation; only downright pound a boy, half French, half English, that oaths, which I never use till urged, nor never shall go to Constantinople, and take the Turk break for urging. If thou canst love a fellow by the beard? shall we not? what sayest thou, of this temper, Kate, whose face is not worth my fair flower-de-luce? sun-burning, that never looks in his glass for love of any thing he sees there, let thine eye be K. Hen. No; 'tis hereafter to know, but now thy cook. I speak to thee plain soldier: If to promise: do but now promise, Kate, you thou canst love me for this, take me: if not, to will endeavour for your French part of such a say to thee-that I shall die, is true; but-for boy; and, for my English moiety, take the thy love, by the Lord, no; yet I love thee too. word of a king and a bachelor. How answer And while thou livest, dear Kate, take a fel-you, la plus belle Katharine du monde, mon tres low of plain and uncoined constancy; for he chere et divine deesse? 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? * In dancing. + I. e. Like a young lover, awkwardly. He means, resembling a plain piece of metal which has not yet received any impression. Fall away. 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 thinking of civil wars when he got me; therefore was 1 created with a stubborn outside, with an as. pect of iron, that, when I come to woo ladies, I fright then. 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 1. e. Though my face has no power to soften vou. 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 | as 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 music; for thy voice is music, 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. Kuth. Den it shall also content me. K. Hen. Upon that I will kiss your hand, and I call you-my queen. Kath. Laissez, mon siegneur, laissez, laissez: ma foy, je ne veux point que vous abbaissez vostre grandeur, en baisant la main d'une vostre indigne serviteure; excusez moy, je vous supplie, mon tres puissant seigneur. K. Hen. Then I will kiss your lips, Kate. Kath. Les dames, et damoiselles, pour estre baiseés devant leur nopces, il n'est pas le coûtume de France. K. Hen. Madam, my interpreter, what says 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 list* 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 condition 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 per, that he will appear in his true likeness. Bur. Pardon the frankness of my mirth, if I answer you for that. If you would conjure in ner you must make a circle: if conjure up love in her in his true likeness, he must appear + Temper. Slight barrier. naked, and 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 naked blind boy in her naked seeing self? It were, my lord, a hard condition for a maid to consign to. K. Hen. Yet they do wink, and yield; as love is blind, and enforces. Bur. They are then excused, my lord, when they see not what they do. K. Hen. Then, good my lord, teach your cousin to consent to winking. Bur. I will wink on her to consent, my lord, if you will teach her to know my meaning: for maids, well summered and warm kept, are like flies at Bartholomew-tide, blind, though they have their eyes; and then they will endure handling, which before would not abide looking on. K. Hen. This moral ties me over to time, and a hot summer; 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. Fr. King. Yes, iny lord, you see them perspectively, the cities turned into a maid; for they are all girdled with maiden walls, that war hath never entered. K. Hen. Shall Kate be my wife? K. Hen. I am content; so the maiden cities you talk of, may wait on her: so the maid, that stood in the way of my wish, shall show me the way to my will. 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 of grant, shall name your highness in this form, and with this addition, in French,Notre tres cher filz Henry roy d'Angleterre, keretier de France; and thus in Latin,-Præclarissimus filius noster Henricus, rex Angliæ, et hæres Franciæ. Fr. King. Nor this I have not, brother, so denied, But your request shall make me let it pass. K. Hen. I pray you then, in love and dear alliance, Let that one article rank with the rest: blood raise up Issue to me: that the contending kingdoms Of France and England, whose very shores look pale [tion With envy of each other's happiness, Enter CHORUS. Thus far, with rough, and all unable pen, Henry the sixth, in infant bands crown'd king. Of France and England did this king succeed; Whose state so many had the managing, That they lost France, and made his England bleed: Which oft our stage hath shown; and, for their sake, In your fair minds let this acceptance take. [Exit * I. 6. Unequal to the weight of the subject, † Franos... FIRST PART OF KING HENRY VI. PERSONS REPRESENTED. KI. HENRY THE SIXTH. DUE OF BEDFORD, Uncle to the King, and THE BEAUFORT, Duke of Exeter, great Uncle to the King. HENRY BEAUFORT, great Uncle to the King, Bishop of Winchester; and afterwards Cardinal. JOHS BLAUFORT, Earl of Somerset; afterwards Duke. RICHARD PLANTAGENET, eldest Son of Richard, late Earl of Cambridge; afterwards Duke of York. EARL OF WARWICK.-EARL OF SALISBURY.EARL OF SUFFOLK. LORD TALBOT, afterwards Earl of Shrewsbury. EDMUND MORTIMER, Earl of March. SIR JOHN FASTOLFE.-SIR WILLIAM LUCY. GRAVE. MAYOR OF LONDON. WOODVILLE, Lieutenant of the Tower. VERNON, of the White Rose, or York Faction. BASSET, of the Red Rose, or Lancaster Faction. CHARLES, Dauphin, and afterwards King of France. REIGNIER, Duke of Anjou, and titular King of Naples. DUKE OF BURGUNDY.-DUKE OF ALENÇON. A FRENCH SERGEANT.-A PORTER. MARGARET, Daughter to Reignier; afterwards Fiends appearing to La Pucelle, Lords, Warders of the Tower, Heralds, Officers, Soldiers, Messengers, and several Attendants both on the English and French. SCENE; partly in England, and partly in France. ACT I. SCENE I.-Westminster Abbey. Dead march. Corpse of King HENRY the Fifth discovered, lying in state; attended on by the Dukes of BEDFORD, GLOSTER, and EXETER; the Earl of WARWICK, the Bishop of WINCHESTER, Heralds, &c. Bed. Hung be the heavens with black,* yield day to night! Comets, importing change of times and states, That have consented unto Henry's death! His arms spread wider than a dragon's wings; His sparkling eyes replete with wrathful fire,' * Alluding to our ancient stage-practice when a tragedy was to be acted More dazzled and drove back nis enemies, Than mid-day sun, fierce bent against their faces. [speech: What should I say? his deeds exceed all He ne'er lift up his hand, but conquered. Exe. We mourn in black; Why mourn we not in blood? Henry is dead, and never shall revive : Upon a wooden coffin we attend; And death's dishonourable victory We with our stately presence glorify, Like captives bound to a triumphant car. What? shall we curse the planets of mishap, That plotted thus our glory's overthrow? Or shall we think the subtle-witted French Conjurers and sorcerers, that, afraid of him, By magic verses have contriv'd his end? Win. He was a king bless'd of the King of kings. Unto the French the dreadful judgement day There was a notion long prevalent, that life might be taken away by metrical charms. |