The LIFE of King HENRY V. (2) ACTI. SCENE, An Antechamber in the Englifh Court, at Kenilworth. Enter the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, and Bishop of M Ely. Arch-Bishop of CANTERBURY. Y lord, I'll tell you; that felf bill is urg'd, reign, Was like, and had, indeed, against us past, Did push it out of farther question. Ely. But how, my lord, fhall we refift it now? (2) The Life of K. Henry] The Tranfactions, compriz'd in this Hif torical Play, commence about the latter end of the first, and terminate in the 8th Year of this King's Reign; when he married Catharine Princess of France, and closed up the Differences betwixt England and that Crown. Cant. It must be thought on: if it pass against us, For all the temporal lands, which men devout Would they ftrip from us; being valu'd thus, A thousand pounds by th'year. Ely. This would drink deep. Thus runs the bill. Cant. 'Twould drink the cup, and all. Cant. The King is full of grace and fair regard. And whipt th'offending Adam out of him; T'invelope and contain celeftial fpirits. Never was fuch a fudden scholar made: With fuch a heady current, fcow'ring faults: So foon did lofe his feat, and all at once, As in this King. Ely. We're bleffed in the change. Cant. Hear him but reafon in divinity, You would defire, the King were made a Prelate. Turn Turn him to any cause of policy, Which is a wonder how his Grace fhould glean it, Ely. The Strawberry grows underneath the nettle, And fo the Prince obfcur'd his contemplation Cant. It must be fo; for miracles are ceas'd: Ely. But, my good lord, How now for mitigation of this bill, Urg'd by the Commons? doth his Majefty (3) So that the Art and practic part of Life] All the Editions, if I am not deceiv'd, are guilty of a flight corruption in this Paffage. The Archbishop has been fhewing, what a Mafter the King was in the Theory of Divinity, War, and Policy: fo that it must be expected (as I conceive, he would infer ;) that the King fhould now wed that Theory to Action, and the putting the feveral parts of his Knowledge into practice. If this be our Author's Meaning, I think, we can hardly doubt but he wrote, So that the A&t, and practic &c. Thus we have a Confonance in the Terms and Senfe. For Theory is the Art, and Study of the Rules of any Science; and Action, the Exemplification of thofe Rules by Proof and Experiment. Cant. He feems indifferent; Or rather fwaying more upon our part, And in regard of caufes now in hand, Ely. How did this offer feem receiv'd, my lord? Of his true titles to fome certain Dukedoms, Ely. What was th'impediment, that broke this off? Cant. Then go we in to know his embaffie: SCENE opens to the Presence. [Exeunt. Enter King Henry, Gloucester, Bedford, Clarence, Warwick, Weftmorland, and Exeter. K. Henry. WHERE is my gracious lord of Canter bury? Exe. Not here in presence. K. Henry. Send for him, good uncle. Weft. Shall we call in th'ambaffador, my Liege? K. Henry, K. Henry. Not yet, my coufin; we would be refolv'd, Before we hear him, of fome things of weight, That task our thoughts, concerning us and France. Enter the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Bishop of Ely. Cant. God and his angels guard your facred throne, And make you long become it! K. Henry. Sure, we thank you. My learned lord, we pray you to proceed; Why the law Salike, that they have in France, Of what your reverence fhall incite us to. 'Gainft him, whofe wrong gives edge unto the fwords, That make fuch wafte in brief mortality. Under this conjuration, fpeak, my lord; For we will hear, note, and believe in heart, As pure as fin with baptifm. Cant. Then hear me, gracious Soveraign, and you Peers, That owe your lives, your faith, and fervices, To this imperial throne. There is no bar To make against your Highness' claim to France, Το |