News have I, that my Nell is dead i'the spital
Of malady of France;

And there my rendezvous is quite cut off.
Old I do wax; and from my weary limbs
Honour is cudgell'd. Well, bawd will I turn,
And something lean to cutpurse of quick hand.
To England will I steal, and there I'll steal:
And patches will I get unto these scars,
And swear, I got them in the Gallia wars.

[Exit.

| That should deracinate* such savagery:
The even mead, that erst brought sweetly forth
The freckled cowslip, burnet, and green clover,
Wanting the scythe, all uncorrected, rank,
Conceives by idleness; and nothing teems,
But hateful docks, rough thistles, kecksies,
Losing both beauty and utility.
[burs.
And as our vineyards, fallows, meads, and
hedges,

Defective in their natures, grow to wildness;
Even so our houses, and ourselves, and children,
SCENE II.-Troyes in Champagne.-An Apart-Have lost, or do not learn, for want of time,
ment in the French King's Palace.
Enter, at one door, King HENRY, BEDFORD,
GLOSTER, EXETER, WARWICK, WESTMORE-
LAND, and other Lords; at another, the FRENCH
KING, Queen ISABEL, the Princess KATHA-
RINE, Lords, Ladies, &c. the Duke of BUR-
GUNDY, and his Train.

K. Hen. Peace to this meeting, wherefore

we are met!

Unto our brother France,-and to our sister,
Health and fair time of day:-joy and good
wishes
[rine;
To our most fair and princely cousin Katha-
And (as a branch and member of this royalty,
By whom this great assembly is contriv'd,)
We do salute you, duke of Burgundy;-
And, princes French, and peers, health to you
all!

Fr. King. Right joyous are we to behold
your face,

Most worthy brother England; fairly met :-
So are you, princes English, every one.

Q Isa. So happy be the issue, brother Eng-
land,

Of this good day, and of this gracious meeting,
As we are now glad to behold your eyes;
Your eyes, which hitherto have borne in them
Against the French, that met them in their
The fatal balls of murdering basilisks: [bent,
The venom of such looks, we fairly hope,
Have lost their quality; and that this day
Shall change all griefs, and quarrels, into love.
K. Hen. To cry amen to that, thus we ap-

you.

have laboured

Bur. My duty to you both, on equal love,
Great kings of France and England! That I
[vours,
With all my wits, my pains and strong endea-
To bring your most imperial majesties
Unto this bart and royal interview,
Your mightiness on both parts best can witness.
Since then my office hath so far prevail'd,
That, face to face, and royal eye to eye,
You have congreeted; let it not disgrace me,
If I demand, before this royal view,
What rub, or what impediment, there is,
Why that the naked, poor, and mangled peace,
Dear nurse of arts, plenties, and joyful births,
Should not, in this best garden of the world,
Our fertile France, put up her lovely visage?
Alas! she hath from France too long been
chas'd;

And all her husbandry doth lie on heaps,
Corrupting in its own fertility.

Her vine, the merry cheerer of the heart,
Unpruned dies: her hedges even-pleached,
Like prisoners wildly over-grown with hair,
Put forth disorder'd twigs: her fallow leas
The darnel hemlock, and rank fumitory,
Doth root upon; while that the coulter rusts,
+ Barrier.
+ Ploughshare

* Hospital.

The sciences that should become our country;
But grow, like savages,-as soldiers will,
That nothing do but meditate on blood,-
To swearing, and stern looks, diffus'dt attire,
And every thing that seems unnatural.
Which to reduce into our former favour,
You are assembled: and my speech entreats,
That I may know the let, why gentle peace
Should not expel these inconveniencies,
And bless us with her former qualities.

K. Hen. If, duke of Burgundy, you would
the peace,
Whose want gives growth to the imperfections
Which you have cited, you must buy that peace
With full accord to all our just demands;
Whose tenors and particular effects
You have, enschedul'd briefly, in your hands.
Bur. The king hath heard them; to the
There is no answer made.
which, as yet,

K. Hen. Well then, the peace,
Which you before so urg'd, lies in his answer.
O'er-glanc'd the articles: pleaseth your grace
Fr. King. I have but with a cursorary eye
To sit with us once more, with better heed
To appoint some of your council presently
To re-survey them, we will, suddenly,
Pass our accept, and peremptory answer.
K. Hen. Brother, we shall.-Go, uncle Exe-

ter,-
[ter,-
And brother Clarence,-and you, brother Glos-
Warwick-and Huntingdon,-go with the
And take with you free power, to ratify,
king:
Shall see advantageable for our dignity,
Augment, or alter, as your wisdoms best
Any thing in, or out of, our demands; [ter,
Go with the princes, or stay here with us?
And we'll consign thereto.--Will you, fair sis-

them:

Q. Isa. Our gracious brother, I will go with
Haply, a woman's voice may do some good,
When articles, too nicely urg'd, be stood on.
K. Hen. Yet leave our cousin Katharine here
with us;

She is our capital demand, compris'd
Within the fore-rank of our articles.
Q. Isa. She hath good leave.

[Exeunt all but HENRY, KATHA
and her Gentlewoman.
K. Hen. Fair Katharine, and most fair!
Will you vouchsafe to teach a soldier terms
Such as will enter at a lady's ear,

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.

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

FIRST PART

OF

KING HENRY VI.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.