IF

CHRONICLE HISTORY

O F

HENRY the Fift.

With his BATTELL fought at

AGIN COURT in FRANCE.

Together with

ANCIENT PISTOL L.

As it hath bene fundry Times playd

By the Right Honourable the LORD CHAMBERLAINE his Seruants.

Printed for T. P. 1608.

This Play was writ (as appears. from a Pas

fage in the Chorus to the Fifth Act) at the Time of the Earl of Effex's commanding the Forces in Ireland, in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth; and not till after Henry the Sixth had been play'd; as may be seen by the Conclufion of the Play. Mr. POPE. The First Scene was added fince the Edition of 1608, which is much short of the present Editions, wherein the Speeches are generally enlarged and raised: feveral whole Scenes befides, and all the Chorus's also were fince added by Shakespear. Ibid. There was no perfect Edition of this Play printed before that in the First Folio.

Enter king Henry, Exeter, two Bishops, Clarence, and other

Attendants.

Exeter.

S

HALL I call in th' ambaffadors my liege?
King. Not yet my coufin, till we be refolu'd
Of fome serious matters touching vs and France.
Byfb. God and his angels guard your facred throne,
And make you long become it.

King. Sure we thanke you: and good my lord proceed
Why the law Salique which they haue in France,
Or fhould or should not stop in vs our claime:
And God forbid my wife and learned lord,
That you should fashion, frame, or wreft the fame.
For God doth know how many now in health,
Shall drop their blood, in approbation

Of what your reuerence shall incite vs too.

Therefore take heede how you impawne our perfon,

How you awake the fleeping fword of warre:
We charge you in the name of God take heede..
After this coniuration, fpeake my lord:

And we will iudge, note, and beleeue in heart,
That what you fpeake, is wafht as pure

As fin in baptifme.

Bifb. Then heare me gracious foueraigne, and you peeres, Which owe your liues, your faith, and feruices

To this imperiall throne:

There is no bar to stay your highneffe claime to France,

But one; which they produce from Faramount:

No female shall fucceed in Salique land;

Which Salique land, the French vniustly gloze

To be the realme of France,

And Faramount the founder of this law and female barre.
Yet their owne writers faithfully affirme,

That the land Salique lyes in Germany,

Betweene the floods of Sabeck and of Elme,

Where Charles the fift hauing fubdude the Saxons
There left behinde, and fetled certaine French,
Who holding in difdaine the Germanè women,
For fome dishonest manners of their liues,
Establifht there this law. To wit,
No female shall fucceed in Salique land:
Which Salique land (as I haue fayd before)
Is at this time in Germany, call'd Mefene.
Thus doth it well appeare, the Salique law
Was not deuifed for the realme of France:
Nor did the French poffeffe the Salique land,
Vntill foure hundred one and twenty yeares
After the function of king Faramount,
Godly fuppofd the founder of this law.
Hugh Capet alfo that vfurpt the crowne,
To fine his title with fome fhew of truth,

When