The utter lofs of all the realm of France.

War. Be patient, York; if we conclude a Peace, It fhall be with fuch ftrict and fevere covenants, As little fhall the Frenchmen gain thereby.

Enter Charles, Alanfon, Baftard, and Reignier. Char. Since, Lords of England, it is thus agreed, That peaceful Truce fhall be proclaim'd in France; We come to be informed by yourfelves,

What the conditions of that league muft be.
York. Speak, Winchefter; for boiling choler chokes.
The hollow paffage of my prifon'd voice,

By fight of these our baleful enemies.

Win. Charles and the rest, it is enacted thus:
That in regard King Henry gives confent,
Of meer compaffion and of lenity,
To eafe your Country of diftrefsful war,
And fuffer you to breathe in fruitful Peace;
You fhall become true liegemen to his Crown.
And, Charles, upon condition thou wilt swear
To pay him tribute and fubmit thyself,
Thou shalt be plac'd as Viceroy under him;
And fill enjoy thy regal dignity.

Alan. Muft he be then a fhadow of himself?
Adorn his temples with a Coronet",
And yet in fubftance and authority
Retain but privilege of a private man?
This proffer is abfurd and reafonlefs.

Char. 'Tis known, already that I am poffeft
Of more than half the Gallian Territories,
And therein rev'renc'd for their lawful King,
Shall I, for lucre of the reft un-vanquish'd,
Detract fo much from that prerogative,
As to be call'd but Viceroy of the whole?
No, Lord Ambaffador, l'il rather keep

2

baleful enemies.] Bale- baneful, hurtful, or mischievous. ful is forrowful; I therefore rawith a Coronet.] Cother imagine that we fhould read

ronet is here used for a crown.

That

That which I have, than, coveting for more,

Be caft from poffibility of all.

York. Infulting Charles, haft thou by fecret means
Us'd interceffion to obtain a League';

And now the matter grows to compromife,
Standft thou aloof upon comparison 32
Either accept the title thou ufurp'st,

Of benefit proceeding from our King,
And not of any challenge of defert,
Or we will plague thee with inceffant wars.
Reig. My Lord, you do not well in obftinacy
To cavil in the courfe of this Contract:
If once it be neglected, ten to one,
We fhall not find like opportunity,

Alan. To fay the truth, it is your policy,
To fave your Subjects from fuch maffacre,
Ard ruthless flaughters, as are daily feen
By our proceeding in hoftility.

And therefore take this compact of a Truce, Although you break it, when your pleasure serves. [Afide, to the Dauphin.

War. How fay't thou, Charles? fhall our Condition ftand?

Char. It fhall:

Only referv'd, you claim no intereft

In any of our towns of garrifon.

York. Then fwear allegiance to his Majefty.
As thou art Knight, never to difobey,
Nor be rebellious to the Crown of England,
Thou, nor thy Nobles, to the Crown of England.

[Charles and the rest give tokens of fealty..
So now difmifs your army, when you please;
Hang up your enfigns, let your drums be still,
For here we entertain a folemn Peace.

3 upon comparison ?] Do you ftand to compare your prefent ftate, a state which you have neither right or power to maintain,withthe terms which we offer?

[Exeunt.

Enter Suffolk, in Conference with King Henry;
Gloucester, and Exeter.

K. Henry.

OUR wondrous rare defcription,
Noble Earl,

You

Of beauteous Margret hath aftonish'd me;
Her virtues, graced with external gifts,
Do breed love's fettled paffions in my heart.
And, like as rigour of tempeftuous gufts
Provokes the mightieft hulk against the tide,
" So am I driv'n by breath of her renown,
Either to suffer fhipwreck, or arrive
Where I may have fruition of her love.

Suf. Tufh, my good Lord, this fuperficial tale
Is but a preface to her worthy praise,
The chief perfections of that lovely dame,
Had I fuffiient fkill to utter them,
Would make a volume of inticing lines,
Able to ravish any dull conceit.
And, which is more, fhe is not fo divine,
So full replete with choice of all delights,
But with as humble lowliness of mind
She is content to be at your command,
Command, I mean, of virtuous chafte intent,
To love and honour Henry as her Lord.

K. Henry. And otherwife will Henry ne'er prefume.
Therefore, my lord Protector, give confent,
That Margret may be England's Royal Queen.
Glou. So fhould I give confent to flatter fin.
You know, my Lord, your Highness is betroth'd

5 So am I driv'n] This fimile is fomewhat obfcure; he feems to mean, that as a fhip is

driven against the tide by the
wind, fo he is driven by love
against the current of his intereft.

Unto

Unto another Lady of esteem.

How shall we then difpenfe with that Contract,
And not deface your honour with reproach?

6

Suf. As doth a Ruler with unlawful oaths Or one, that at a triumph having vow'd To try his ftrength, forfaketh yet the Lifts By reason of his adversary's odds;

A poor Earl's daughter is unequal odds;
And therefore may be broke without offence.

Glou. Why, what, I pray, is Margret more than that?
Her father is no better than an Earl,

Although in glorious titles he excel.

Suf. Yes, my good Lord, her father is a King, The King of Naples and Jerufalem;

And of fuch great Authority in France,

That his Alliance will confirm our Peace ;
And keep the Frenchmen in allegiance.

Glou. And fo the Earl of Armagnac may do,

Because he is near kinfman unto Charles.

Exe. Befide, his wealth doth warrant lib'ral Dow'r, While Reignier fooner will receive, than give.

Suf. A Dow'r, my Lords! Difgrace not fo your King,
That he should be fo abject, base and poor,

To chufe for wealth, and not for perfect love.
Henry is able to enrich his Queen;

And not to seek a Queen to make him rich.
So worthless peasants bargain for their wives,
As market-men for Oxen, Sheep, or Horse.
But marriage is a matter of more worth,
Than to be dealt in by Attorneyship,

*

Not whom we will, but whom his Grace affects,
Must be companion of his nuptial bed.

And therefore, Lords, fince he affects her most,
It most of all these reasons bindeth us,

9 at a triumph] That is, at the fports by which a triumph is celebrated.

* By attorneyship.] By the in

tervention of another man's
choice; or the difcretional agen-
cy of another.

In

In our opinions fhe fhould be preferr'd,
For what is wedlock forced, but a hell,
An age of difcord and continual ftrife?
Whereas the contrary bringeth forth Blifs,
And is a pattern of celeftial Peace.

Whom fhould we match with Henry, being a King,
But Margret, that is daughter to a King?
Her peerless feature, joined with her birth,
Approves her fit for none, but for a King;
Her valiant courage, and undaunted fpirit,
More than in woman commonly is feen,
Anfwer our hope in Iffue of a King;
For Henry, fon unto a Conqueror,
Is likely to beget more Conquerors ;
If with a Lady of so high refolve,

As is fair Margret, he be link'd in love.

Then yield, `my Lords, and here conclude with me,
That Margret fhall be Queen, and none but the.

K. Henry. Whether it be through force of your re

port,

My noble Lord of Suffolk; or for that
My tender youth was never yet attaint
With any paffion of inflaming love,
I cannot tell; but this I am affur'd,
I feel fuch fharp diffention in my breast,
Such fierce alarums both of hope and fear,
As I am fick with working of my thoughts.
Take therefore fhipping; poft, my Lord, to France;
Agree to any Covenants; and procure,

That lady Margret do vouchfafe to come
To cross the feas to England; and be crown'd
King Henry's faithful and anointed Queen.
For your expences and fufficient charge,
Among the people gather up a tenth.
Be gone, I fay; for 'till you do return,
I am perplexed with a thoufand cares.
And you, good Uncle, banish all offence

If