145King. Where is my gracious Lord of Canterbury?

146Exeter. Not here in presence.

147King. Send for him, good Vnckle.

148Westm. Shall we call in th' Ambassador, my Liege?

149King. Not yet, my Cousin: we would be resolu'd,

150Before we heare him, of some things of weight,

151That taske our thoughts, concerning vs and France.

153B.Cant. God and his Angels guard your sacred Throne,

154And make you long become it.

155King. Sure we thanke you.

156My learned Lord, we pray you to proceed,

157And iustly and religiously vnfold,

158Why the Law Salike, that they haue in France,

159Or should or should not barre vs in our Clayme:

160And God forbid, my deare and faithfull Lord,

161That you should fashion, wrest, or bow your reading,

162Or nicely charge your vnderstanding Soule,

163With opening Titles miscreate, whose right

164Sutes not in natiue colours with the truth:

165For God doth know, how many now in health,

166Shall drop their blood, in approbation

167Of what your reuerence shall incite vs to.

168Therefore take heed how you impawne our Person,

169How you awake our sleeping Sword of Warre;

170We charge you in the Name of God take heed:

171For neuer two such Kingdomes did contend,

172Without much fall of blood, whose guiltlesse drops

173Are euery one, a Woe, a sore Complaint,

174'Gainst him, whose wrongs giues edge vnto the Swords,

175That makes such waste in briefe mortalitie.

176Vnder this Coniuration, speake my Lord:

177For we will heare, note, and beleeue in heart,

178That what you speake, is in your Conscience washt,

179As pure as sinne with Baptisme.

180B.Can. Then heare me gracious Soueraign, & you Peers,

181That owe your selues, your liues, and seruices,

182To this Imperiall Throne. There is no barre

183To make against your Highnesse Clayme to France,

184But this which they produce from Pharamond,

185In terram Salicam Mulieres ne succedaul,

186No Woman shall succeed in Salike Land:

187Which Salike Land, the French vniustly gloze

188To be the Realme of France, and Pharamond

189The founder of this Law, and Female Barre.

190Yet their owne Authors faithfully affirme,

191That the Land Salike is in Germanie,

192Betweene the Flouds of Sala and of Elue:

193Where Charles the Great hauing subdu'd the Saxons,

194There left behind and settled certaine French:

195Who holding in disdaine the German Women,

196For some dishonest manners of their life,

197Establisht then this Law; to wit, No Female

198Should be Inheritrix in Salike Land:

199Which Salike (as I said) 'twixt Elue and Sala,

200Is at this day in Germanie, call'd Meisen.

201Then doth it well appeare, the Salike Law

202Was not deuised for the Realme of France:

203Nor did the French possesse the Salike Land,

204Vntill foure hundred one and twentie yeeres

205After defunction of King Pharamond,

206Idly suppos'd the founder of this Law,

207Who died within the yeere of our Redemption,

208Foure hundred twentie six: and Charles the Great

209Subdu'd the Saxons, and did seat the French

210Beyond the Riuer Sala, in the yeere

211Eight hundred fiue. Besides, their Writers say,

212King Pepin, which deposed Childerike,

213Did as Heire Generall, being descended

214Of Blithild, which was Daughter to King Clothair,

215Make Clayme and Title to the Crowne of France.

216Hugh Capet also, who vsurpt the Crowne

217Of Charles the Duke of Loraine, sole Heire male

218Of the true Line and Stock of Charles the Great:

219To find his Title with some shewes of truth,

220Though in pure truth it was corrupt and naught,

221Conuey'd himselfe as th'Heire to th'Lady Lingare,

222Daughter to Charlemaine, who was the Sonne

223To Lewes the Emperour, and Lewes the Sonne

224Of Charles the Great: also King Lewes the Tenth,

225Who was sole Heire to the Vsurper Capet,

226Could not keepe quiet in his conscience,

227Wearing the Crowne of France, 'till satisfied,

228That faire Queene Isabel, his Grandmother,

229Was Lineall of the Lady Ermengare,

230Daughter to Charles the foresaid Duke of Loraine:

231By the which Marriage, the Lyne of Charles the Great

232Was re-vnited to the Crowne of France.

233So, that as cleare as is the Summers Sunne,

234King Pepins Title, and Hugh Capets Clayme,

235King Lewes his satisfaction, all appeare

236To hold in Right and Title of the Female:

237So doe the Kings of France vnto this day.

238Howbeit, they would hold vp this Salique Law,

239To barre your Highnesse clayming from the Female,

240And rather chuse to hide them in a Net,

241Then amply to imbarre their crooked Titles,

242Vsurpt from you and your Progenitors.

243King. May I with right and conscience make this claim?

244Bish. Cant. The sinne vpon my head, dread Soueraigne:

245For in the Booke of Numbers is it writ,

246When the man dyes, let the Inheritance

247Descend vnto the Daughter. Gracious Lord,

248Stand for your owne, vnwind your bloody Flagge,

249Looke back into your mightie Ancestors:

250Goe my dread Lord, to your great Grandsires Tombe,

251From whom you clayme; inuoke his Warlike Spirit,

252And your Great Vnckles, Edward the Black Prince,

253Who on the French ground play'd a Tragedie,

254Making defeat on the full Power of France:

255Whiles his most mightie Father on a Hill

256Stood smiling, to behold his Lyons Whelpe

257Forrage in blood of French Nobilitie.

258O Noble English, that could entertaine

259With halfe their Forces, the full pride of France,

260And let another halfe stand laughing by,

261All out of worke, and cold for action.

262Bish. Awake remembrance of these valiant dead,

263And with your puissant Arme renew their Feats;

264You are their Heire, you sit vpon their Throne:

265The Blood and Courage that renowned them,

266Runs in your Veines: and my thrice-puissant Liege

267Is in the very May-Morne of his Youth,

268Ripe for Exploits and mightie Enterprises.

269Exe. Your Brother Kings and Monarchs of the Earth

270Doe all expect, that you should rowse your selfe,

271As did the former Lyons of your Blood.

272West. They know your Grace hath cause, and means, and (might;

273So hath your Highnesse: neuer King of England

274Had Nobles richer, and more loyall Subiects,

275Whose hearts haue left their bodyes here in England,

276And lye pauillion'd in the fields of France.

277Bish. Can. O let their bodyes follow my deare Liege

278With Bloods, and Sword and Fire, to win your Right:

279In ayde whereof, we of the Spiritualtie

280Will rayse your Highnesse such a mightie Summe,

281As neuer did the Clergie at one time

282Bring in to any of your Ancestors.

283King. We must not onely arme t'inuade the French,

284But lay downe our proportions, to defend

285Against the Scot, who will make roade vpon vs,

286With all aduantages.

287Bish. Can. They of those Marches, gracious Soueraign,

288Shall be a Wall sufficient to defend

289Our in-land from the pilfering Borderers.

290King. We do not meane the coursing snatchers onely,

291But feare the maine intendment of the Scot,

292Who hath been still a giddy neighbour to vs:

293For you shall reade, that my great Grandfather

294Neuer went with his forces into France,

295But that the Scot, on his vnfurnisht Kingdome,

296Came pouring like the Tyde into a breach,

297With ample and brim fulnesse of his force,

298Galling the gleaned Land with hot Assayes,

299Girding with grieuous siege, Castles and Townes:

300That England being emptie of defence,

301Hath shooke and trembled at th'ill neighbourhood.

302B.Can. She hath bin thē more fear'd thē harm'd, my Liege:

303For heare her but exampl'd by her selfe,

304When all her Cheualrie hath been in France,

305And shee a mourning Widdow of her Nobles,

306Shee hath her selfe not onely well defended,

307But taken and impounded as a Stray,

308The King of Scots: whom shee did send to France,

309To fill King Edwards fame with prisoner Kings,

310And make their Chronicle as rich with prayse,

311As is the Owse and bottome of the Sea

312With sunken Wrack, and sum-lesse Treasuries.

313Bish. Ely. But there's a saying very old and true,

314If that you will France win, then with Scotland first begia.

315For once the Eagle (England) being in prey,

316To her vnguarded Nest, the Weazell (Scot)

317Comes sneaking, and so sucks her Princely Egges,

318Playing the Mouse in absence of the Cat,

319To tame and hauocke more then she can eate.

320Exet. It followes theu, the Cat must stay at home,

321Yet that is but a crush'd necessity,

322Since we haue lockes to safegard necessaries,

323And pretty traps to catch the petty theeues.

324While that the Armed hand doth fight abroad,

325Th'aduised head defends it selfe at home:

326For Gouernment, though high, and low, and lower,

327Put into parts, doth keepe in one consent,

328Congreeing in a full and natural close,

329Like Musicke.

330Cant. Therefore doth heauen diuide

331The state of man in diuers functions,

332Setting endeuour in continual motion:

333To which is fixed as an ayme or butt,

334Obedience: for so worke the Hony Bees,

335Creatures that by a rule in Nature teach

336The Act of Order to a peopled Kingdome.

337They haue a King, and Officers of sorts,

338Where some like Magistrates correct at home:

339Others, like Merchants venter Trade abroad:

340Others, like Souldiers armed in their stings,

341Make boote vpon the Summers Veluet buddes:

342Which pillage, they with merry march bring home

343To the Tent-royal of their Emperor :

344Who busied in his Maiesties surueyes

345The singing Masons building roofes of Gold,

346The ciuil Citizens kneading vp the hony;

347The poore Mechanicke Porters, crowding in

348Their heauy burthens at his narrow gate:

h 2 The

349The sad-ey'd Iustice with his surly humme,

350Deliuering ore to Executors pale

351The lazie yawning Drone: I this inferre,

352That many things hauing full reference

353To one consent, may worke contrariously,

354As many Arrowes loosed seuerall wayes

355Come to one marke: as many wayes meet in one towne,

356As many fresh stream es meet in one salt sea;

357As many Lynes close in the Dials center:

358So may a thousand actions once a foote,

359And in one purpose, and be all well borne

360Without defeat. Therefore to France, my Liege,

361Diuide your happy England into foure,

362Whereof, take you one quarter into France,

363And you withall shall make all Gallia shake.

364If we with thrice such powers left at home,

365Cannot defend our owne doores from the dogge,

366Let vs be worried, and our Nation lose

367The name of hardinesse and policie.

368King. Call in the Messengers sent from the Dolphin.

369Now are we well resolu'd, and by Gods helpe

370And yours, the noble sinewes of our power,

371France being ours, wee'l bend it to our Awe,

372Or breake it all to peeces. Or there wee'l sit,

373(Ruling in large and ample Emperie,

374Ore France, and all her (almost) Kingly Dukedomes)

375Or lay these bones in an vnworthy Vrne,

376Tomblesse, with no remembrance ouer them :

377Either our History shall with full mouth

378Speake freely of our Acts, or else our graue

379Like Turkish mute, shall haue a tonguelesse mouth,

380Not worshipt with a waxen Epitaph.

382Now are we well prepar'd to know the pleasure

383Of our faire Cosin Dolphin: for we heare,

384Your greeting is from him, not from the King.

385Amb. May't please your Maiestie to giue vs leaue

386Freely to render what we haue in charge:

387Or shall we sparingly shew you farre off

388The Dolphins meauing, and our Embassie.

389King. We are no Tyrant, but a Christian King,

390Vnto whose grace our passion is as subiect

391As is our wretches fettred in our prisons,

392Therefore with franke and with vncurbed plainnesse,

393Tell vs the Dolphins minde.

394Amb. Thus than in few:

395Your Highnesse lately sending into France,

396Did claime some certaine Dukedomes, in the right

397Of your great Predecessor, King Edward the third.

398In answer of which claime, the Prince our Master

399Sayes, t hat you sauour too much of your youth,

400And bids you be aduis'd: There's nought in France,

401That can be with a nimble Galliard wonne:

402You cannot reuell into Dukedomes there.

403He therefore sends you meeter for your spirit

404This Tun of Treasure; and in lieu of this,

405Desires you let the dukedomes that you claime

406Heare no more of you. This the Dolphin speakes.

407King. What Treasure Vncle?

408Exe. Tennis balles, my Liege.

409Kin, We are glad the Dolphin is so pleasant with vs,

410His Present, and your paines we thanke you for:

411When we haue matcht our Rackets to these Balles,

412We will in France (by Gods grace) play a set,

413Shall strike his fathers Crowne into the hazard.

414Tell him, he hath made a match with such a Wrangler,

415That all the Courts of France will be disturb'd

416With Chaces. And we vnderstand him well,

417How he comes o're vs with our wilder dayes,

418Not measuring what vse we made of them.

419We neuer valew'd this poore seate of England,

420And therefore liuing hence, did giue our selfe

421To barbarous license: As 'tis euer common,

422That men are merriest, when they are from home.

423But tell the Dolphin, I will keepe my State,

424Be like a King, and shew my sayle of Greatnesse,

425When I do rowse me in my Throne of France.

426For that I haue layd by my Maiestie,

427And plodded like a man for working dayes:

428But I will rise there with so full a glorie,

429That I will dazle all the eyes of France,

430Yea strike the Dolphin blinde to looke on vs,

431And tell the pleasant Prince, this Mocke of his

432Hath turn'd his balles to Gun-stones, and his soule

433Shall stand sore charged, for the wastefull vengeance

434That shall flye with them: for many a thousand widows

435Shall this his Mocke, mocke out of their deer hnsbands;

436Mocke mothers from their sonnes, mock Castles downe:

437And some are yet vngotten and vnborne,

438That shal haue cause to curse the Dolphins scorne.

439But this lyes all within the wil of God,

440To whom I do appeale, and in whose name

441Tel you the Dolphin, I am comming on,

442To venge me as I may, and to put forth

443My rightfull hand in a wel-hallow'd cause.

444So get you hence in peace: And tell the Dolphin,

445His Iest will sauour but of shallow wit,

446When thousands weepe more then did laugh at it.

447Conuey them with safe conduct. Fare you well.

449Exe. This was a merry Message.

450King. We hope to make the Sender blush at it:

451Therefore, my Lords, omit no happy howre,

452That may giue furth'rance to our Expedition:

453For we haue now no thought in vs but France,

454Saue those to God, that runne before our businesse.

455Therefore let our proportions for these Warres

456Be soone collected, and all things thought vpon,

457That may with reasonable swiftnesse adde

458More Feathers to our Wings: for God before,

459Wee'le chide this Dolphin at his fathers doore.

460Therefore let euery man now taske his thought,

461That this faire Action may on foot be brought. Exeunt.