King Henry the Fifth. William Shakespeare

      Why the law Salique,(G) that they have in France,

      Or should, or should not, bar us in our claim:

      And Heaven forbid, my dear and faithful lord,

      That you should fashion, wrest,4 or bow your reading,5

      Or nicely charge your understanding soul6

      With opening titles miscreate,7 whose right

      Suits not in native colours with the truth.

      For Heaven doth know how many, now in health,

      Shall drop their blood in approbation8

      Of what your reverence shall incite us to.

      Therefore take heed how you impawn our person,9

      How you awake the sleeping sword of war:

      We charge you, in the name of Heaven, take heed:

      Under this conjuration, speak, my lord.

      Cant. (R.C.) Then hear me, gracious sovereign, and you peers,

      That owe your lives, your faith, and services,

      To this imperial throne.—There is no bar

      To make against your highness’ claim to France

      But this, which they produce from Pharamond—

      No woman shall succeed in Salique land:

      Which Salique land the French unjustly gloze10

      To be the realm of France, and Pharamond

      The founder of this law and female bar.

      Yet their own authors faithfully affirm

      That the land Salique lies in Germany,

      Between the floods of Sala and of Elbe;

      Where Charles the Great, having subdued the Saxons,

      There left behind and settled certain French:

      Nor did the French possess the Salique land

      Until four hundred one and twenty years

      After defunction of King Pharamond,

      Idly supposed the founder of this law.

      Besides, their writers say,

      King Pepin, which deposed Childerick,

      Did hold in right and title of the female:

      So do the kings of France unto this day;

      Howbeit they would hold up this Salique law

      To bar your highness claiming from the female;

      And rather choose to hide them in a net

      Than amply to imbare their crooked titles11

      Usurp’d from you and your progenitors.

      K. Hen. May I with right and conscience make this claim?

      Cant. (R.C.) 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,

      Stand for your own; unwind your bloody flag;

      Look back unto your mighty ancestors:

      Go, my dread lord, to your great grandsire’s tomb,

      From whom you claim; invoke his warlike spirit,

      And your great uncle’s, Edward the black prince,

      Who on the French ground play’d a tragedy,

      Making defeat on the full power of France,

      Whiles his most mighty father on a hill

      Stood smiling to behold his lion’s whelp

      Forage in blood of French nobility.12

      Ely. (R.C.) Awake remembrance of these valiant dead,

      And with your puissant arm renew their feats:

      You are their heir; you sit upon their throne;

      The blood and courage, that renowned them,

      Runs in your veins; and my thrice-puissant liege

      Is in the very May-morn of his youth,

      Ripe for exploits and mighty enterprises.

      Exe. (L.) 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. (L.) They know your grace hath cause, and means and might:

      So hath your highness;13 never king of England

      Had nobles richer and more loyal subjects,

      Whose hearts have left their bodies here in England,

      And lie pavilion’d in the fields of France.

      Cant. O, let their 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,

      But lay down our proportions to defend

      Against the Scot, who will make road upon us

      With all advantages.

      Cant. (R.C.) They of those marches,14 gracious sovereign,

      Shall be a wall sufficient to defend

      Our inland from the pilfering borderers.

      Therefore to France, my liege.

      Divide your happy England into four;

      Whereof take you one quarter into France,

      And you withal shall make all Gallia shake.

      If we, with thrice that power left at home,

      Cannot defend our own door from the dog,

      Let us be worried, and our nation lose

      The name of hardiness and policy.

      K. Hen. Call in the messengers sent from the Dauphin.

      Exit Herald with Lords, L.H.

      Now are we well resolv’d; and by Heaven’s help,

      And yours, the noble sinews of our power—

      France being ours, we’ll bend it to our awe,

      Or break it all to pieces.

      Re-enter Herald and Lords, L.H., with the Ambassador of France, French Bishops, Gentlemen, and Attendants carrying a treasure chest, L.H.

      Now are we well prepar’d to know the pleasure

      Of our fair cousin Dauphin; for we hear

      Your greeting is from him, not from the king.

      Amb. (L.C.) May it please your majesty to give us leave

      Freely to render what we have in charge;

      Or