2988King. Peace to this meeting, wherefore we are met;

2989Vnto our brother France, and to our Sister

2990Health and faire time of day: Ioy and good wishes

2991To our most faire and Princely Cosine Katherine:

2992And as a branch and member of this Royalty,

2993By whom this great assembly is contriu'd,

2994We do salute you Duke of Burgogne,

2995And Princes French and Peeres health to you all.

2996Fra. Right ioyous are we to behold your face,

2997Most worthy brother England, fairely met,

2998So are you Princes (English) euery one.

2999Quee. So happy be the Issue brother Ireland

3000Of this good day, and of this gracious meeting,

3001As we are now glad to behold your eyes,

3002Your eyes which hitherto haue borne

3003In them against the French that met them in their bent,

3004The fatall Balls of murthering Basiliskes:

3005The venome of such Lookes we fairely hope

3006Haue lost their qualitie, and that this day

3007Shall change all griefes and quarrels into loue.

3008Eng. To cry Amen to that, thus we appeare.

3009Quee. You English Princes all, I doe salute you.

3010Burg. My dutie to you both, on equall loue.

3011Great Kings of France and England: that I haue labour'd

3012With all my wits, my paines, and strong endeuors,

3013To bring your most Imperiall Maiesties

3014Vnto this Barre, and Royall enterview;

3015Your Mightinesse on both parts best can witnesse.

3016Since then my Office hath so farre preuayl'd,

3017That Face to Face, and Royall Eye to Eye,

3018You haue congreeted: let it not disgrace me,

3019If I demand before this Royall view,

3020What Rub, or what Impediment there is,

3021Why that the naked, poore, and mangled Peace,

3022Deare Nourse of Arts, Plentyes, and ioyfull Births,

3023Should not in this best Garden of the World,

3024Our fertile France, put vp her louely Visage?

3025Alas, shee hath from France too long been chas'd,

3026And all her Husbandry doth lye on heapes,

3027Corrupting in it owne fertilitie.

3028Her Vine, the merry chearer of the heart,

3029Vnpruned, dyes: her Hedges euen pleach'd,

3030Like Prisoners wildly ouer-growne with hayre,

3031Put forth disorder'd Twigs: her fallow Leas,

3032The Darnell, Hemlock, and ranke Femetary,

3033Doth root vpon; while that the Culter rusts,

3034That should deracinate such Sauagery:

3035The euen Meade, that erst brought sweetly forth

3036The freckled Cowslip, Burnet, and greene Clouer,

3037Wanting the Sythe, withall vncorrected, ranke;

3038Conceiues by idlenesse, and nothing teemes,

3039But hatefull Docks, rough Thistles, Keksyes, Burres,

3040Loosing both beautie and vtilitie;

3041And all our Vineyards, Fallowes, Meades, and Hedges,

3042Defectiue in their natures, grow to wildnesse.

3043Euen so our Houses, and our selues, and Children,

3044Haue lost, or doe not learne, for want of time,

3045The Sciences that should become our Countrey;

3046But grow like Sauages, as Souldiers will,

3047That nothing doe, but meditate on Blood,

3048To Swearing, and sterne Lookes, defus'd Attyre,

3049And euery thing that seemes vnnaturall.

3050Which to reduce into our former fauour,

3051You are assembled: and my speech entreats,

3052That I may know the Let, why gentle Peace

3053Should not expell these inconueniences,

3054And blesse vs with her former qualities.

3055Eng. If Duke of Burgonie, you would the Peace,

3056Whose want giues growth to th'imperfections

3057Which you haue cited; you must buy that Peace

3058With full accord to all our iust demands,

3059Whose Tenures and particular effects

3060You haue enschedul'd briefely in your hands.

3061Burg. The King hath heard them: to the which, as yet

3062There is no Answer made.

3063Eng. Well then: the Peace which you before so vrg'd,

3064Lyes in his Answer.

3065France. I haue but with a curselarie eye

3066O're-glanc't the Articles: Pleaseth your Grace

3067To appoint some of your Councell presently

3068To sit with vs once more, with better heed

3069To re-suruey them; we will suddenly

3070Passe our accept and peremptorie Answer.

3071England. Brother we shall. Goe Vnckle Exeter,

3072And Brother Clarence, and you Brother Gloucester,

3073Warwick, and Huntington, goe with the King,

3074And take with you free power, to ratifie,

3075Augment, or alter, as your Wisdomes best

3076Shall see aduantageable for our Dignitie,

3077Any thing in or out of our Demands,

3078And wee'le consigne thereto. Will you, faire Sister,

3079Goe with the Princes, or stay here with vs?

3080Quee. Our gracious Brother, I will goe with them:

3081Happily a Womans Voyce may doe some good,

3082When Articles too nicely vrg'd, be stood on.

3083England. Yet leaue our Cousin Katherine here with vs,

3084She is our capitall Demand, compris'd

3085Within the fore-ranke of our Articles.

3086Quee. She hath good leaue. Exeunt omnes.

3088King. Faire Katherine, and most faire,

3089Will you vouchsafe to teach a Souldier tearmes,

3090Such as will enter at a Ladyes eare,

3091And pleade his Loue-suit to her gentle heart.

3092Kath. Your Maiestie shall mock at me, I cannot speake

3093your England.

3094King. O faire Katherine, if you will loue me soundly

3095with your French heart, I will be glad to heare you con-

3096fesse it brokenly with your English Tongue. Doe you

3097like me, Kate?

3098Kath. Pardonne moy, I cannot tell wat is like me.

3099King. An Angell is like you Kate, and you are like an

3100Angell.

3101Kath. Que dit il que Ie suis semblable a les Anges?

3102Lady. Ouy verayment (sauf vostre Grace) ainsi dit il.

3103King. I said so, deare Katherine, and I must not blush

3104to affirme it.

3105Kath. O bon Dieu, les langues des hommes sont plein de

3106tromperies.

3107King. What sayes she, faire one? that the tongues of

3108men are full of deceits?

3109Lady. Ouy, dat de tongeus of de mans is be full of de-

3110ceits: dat is de Princesse.

3111King. The Princesse is the better English-woman:

3112yfaith Kate, my wooing is fit for thy vnderstanding, I am

3113glad thou canst speake no better English, for if thou

3114could'st, thou would'st finde me such a plaine King, that

3115thou wouldst thinke, I had sold my Farme to buy my

3116Crowne. I know no wayes to mince it in loue, but di-

3117rectly to say, I loue you; then if you vrge me farther,

3118then to say, Doe you in faith? I weare out my suite: Giue

3119me your answer, yfaith doe, and so clap hands, and a bar-

3120gaine: how say you, Lady?

3121Kath. Sauf vostre honeur, me vnderstand well.

3122King. Marry, if you would put me to Verses, or to

3123Dance for your sake, Kate, why you vndid me: for the one

3124I haue neither words nor measure; and for the other, I

3125haue no strength in measure, yet a reasonable measure in

3126strength. If I could winne a Lady at Leape-frogge, or by

3127vawting into my Saddle, with my Armour on my backe;

3128vnder the correction of bragging be it spoken. I should

3129quickly leape into a Wife: Or if I might buffet for my

3130Loue, or bound my Horse for her fauours, I could lay on

3131like a Butcher, and sit like a Iack an Apes, neuer off. But

3132before God Kate, I cannot looke greenely, nor gaspe out

3133my eloquence, nor I haue no cunning in protestation;

3134onely downe-right Oathes, which I neuer vse till vrg'd,

3135nor neuer breake for vrging. If thou canst loue a fellow

3136of this temper, Kate, whose face is not worth Sunne-bur-

3137ning? that neuer lookes in his Glasse, for loue of any

3138thing he sees there? let thine Eye be thy Cooke. I speake

3139to thee plaine Souldier: If thou canst loue me for this,

3140take me? if not? to say to thee that I shall dye, is true; but

3141for thy loue, by the L. No: yet I loue thee too. And

3142while thou liu'st, deare Kate, take a fellow of plaine and

3143vncoyned Constancie, for he perforce must do thee right,

3144because he hath not the gift to wooe in other places: for

3145these fellowes of infinit tongue, that can ryme themselues

3146into Ladyes fauours, they doe alwayes reason themselues

3147out againe. What? a speaker is but a prater, a Ryme is

3148but a Ballad; a good Legge will fall, a strait Backe will

3149stoope, a blacke Beard will turne white, a curl'd Pate will

3150grow bald, a faire Face will wither, a full Eye will wax

3151hollow: but a good Heart, Kate, is the Sunne and the

3152Moone, or rather the Sunne, and not the Moone; for it

3153shines bright, and neuer changes, but keepes his course

3154truly. If thou would haue such a one, take me? and

3155take me; take a Souldier: take a Souldier; take a King.

3156And what say'st thou then to my Loue? speake my faire,

3157and fairely, I pray thee.

3158Kath. Is it possible dat I sould loue de ennemie of

3159Fraunce?

3160King. No, it is not possible you should loue the Ene-

3161mie of France, Kate; but in louing me, you should loue

3162the Friend of France: for I loue France so well, that I

3163will not part with a Village of it; I will haue it all mine:

3164and Kate, when France is mine, and I am yours; then yours

3165is France, and you are mine.

3166Kath. I cannot tell wat is dat.

3167King. No, Kate? I will tell thee in French, which I am

3168sure will hang vpon my tongue, like a new-married Wife

3169about her Husbands Necke, hardly to be shooke off; Ie

3170quand sur le possession de Fraunce, & quand vous aues le pos-

3171session de moy. (Let mee see, what then? Saint Dennis bee

3172my speede) Donc vostre est Fraunce, & vous estes mienne.

3173It is as easie for me, Kate, to conquer the Kingdome, as to

3174speake so much more French: I shall neuer moue thee in

3175French, vnlesse it be to laugh at me.

3176Kath. Sauf vostre honeur, le Francois ques vous parleis, il

3177& melieus que l'Anglois le quel Ie parle.

3178King. No faith is't not, Kate: but thy speaking of

3179my Tongue, and I thine, most truely falsely, must

3180needes be graunted to be much at one. But Kate, doo'st

3181thou vnderstand thus much English? Canst thou loue

3182mee?

3183Kath. I cannot tell.

3184King. Can any of your Neighbours tell, Kate? Ile

3185aske them. Come, I know thou louest me: and at night,

3186when you come into your Closet, you'le question this

3187Gentlewoman about me; and I know, Kate, you will to

3188her disprayse those parts in me, that you loue with your

3189heart: but good Kate, mocke me mercifully, the rather

3190gentle Princesse, because I loue thee cruelly. If euer thou

3191beest mine, Kate, as I haue a sauing Faith within me tells

3192me thou shalt; I get thee with skambling, and thou

3193must therefore needes proue a good Souldier-breeder:

3194Shall not thou and I, betweene Saint Dennis and Saint

3195George, compound a Boy, halfe French halfe English,

k that

3196that shall goe to Constantinople, and take the Turke by

3197the Beard. Shall wee not? what say'st thou, my faire

3198Flower-de-Luce.

3199Kate. I doe not know dat.

3200King. No: 'tis hereafter to know, but now to promise:

3201doe but now promise Kate, you will endeauour for your

3202French part of such a Boy; and for my English moytie,

3203take the Word of a King, and a Batcheler. How answer

3204you, La plus belle Katherine du monde mon trescher & deuin

3205deesse.

3206Kath. Your Maiestee aue fause Frenche enough to

3207deceiue de most sage Damoiseil dat is en Fraunce.

3208King. Now fye vpon my false French: by mine Honor

3209in true English, I loue thee Kate; by which Honor, I dare

3210not sweare thou louest me, yet my blood begins to flat-

3211ter me, that thou doo'st; notwithstanding the poore and

3212vntempering effect of my Visage. Now beshrew my

3213Fathers Ambition, hee was thinking of Ciuill Warres

3214when hee got me, therefore was I created with a stub-

3215borne out-side, with an aspect of Iron, that when I come

3216to wooe Ladyes, I fright them: but in faith Kate, the el-

3217der I wax, the better I shall appeare. My comfort is, that

3218Old Age, that ill layer vp of Beautie, can doe no more

3219spoyle vpon my Face. Thou hast me, if thou hast me, at

3220the worst; and thou shalt weare me, if thou weare me,

3221better and better: and therefore tell me, most faire Ka-

3222therine, will you haue me? Put off your Maiden Blushes,

3223auouch the Thoughts of your Heart with the Lookes of

3224an Empresse, take me by the Hand, and say, Harry of

3225England, I am thine: which Word thou shalt no sooner

3226blesse mine Eare withall, but I will tell thee alowd, Eng-

3227land is thine, Ireland is thine, France is thine, and Henry

3228Plantaginet is thine; who, though I speake it before his

3229Face, if he be not Fellow with the best King, thou shalt

3230finde the best King of Good-fellowes. Come your An-

3231swer in broken Musick; for thy Voyce is Musick, and

3232thy English broken: Therefore Queene of all, Katherine,

3233breake thy minde to me in broken English; wilt thou

3234haue me?

3235Kath. Dat is as it shall please de Roy mon pere.

3236King. Nay, it will please him well, Kate; it shall please

3237him, Kate.

3238Kath. Den it sall also content me.

3239King. Vpon that I kisse your Hand, and I call you my

3240Queene.

3241Kath. Laisse mon Seigneur, laisse, laisse, may foy: Ie ne

3242veus point que vous abbaisse vostre grandeus, en baisant le

3243main d'une nostre Seigneur indignie seruiteur excuse moy. Ie

3244vous supplie mon tres-puissant Seigneur.

3245King. Then I will kisse your Lippes, Kate.

3246Kath. Les Dames & Damoisels pour estre baisee deuant

3247leur nopcese il net pas le costume de Fraunce.

3248King. Madame, my Interpreter, what sayes shee?

3249Lady. Dat it is not be de fashon pour le Ladies of

3250Fraunce; I cannot tell wat is buisse en Anglish.

3251King. To kisse.

3252Lady. Your Maiestee entendre bettre que moy.

3253King. It is not a fashion for the Maids in Fraunce to

3254kisse before they are marryed, would she say?

3255Lady. Ouy verayment.

3256King. O Kate, nice Customes cursie to great Kings.

3257Deare Kate, you and I cannot bee confin'd within the

3258weake Lyst of a Countreyes fashion: wee are the ma-

3259kers of Manners, Kate; and the libertie that followes

3260our Places, stoppes the mouth of all finde-faults, as I

3261will doe yours, for vpholding the nice fashion of your

3262Countrey, in denying me a Kisse: therefore patiently,

3263and yeelding. You haue Witch-craft in your Lippes,

3264Kate: there is more eloquence in a Sugar touch of

3265them, then in the Tongues of the French Councell; and

3266they should sooner perswade Harry of England, then a

3267generall Petition of Monarchs. Heere comes your

3268Father.

3271Burg. God saue your Maiestie, my Royall Cousin,

3272teach you our Princesse English?

3273King. I would haue her learne, my faire Cousin, how

3274perfectly I loue her, and that is good English.

3275Burg. Is shee not apt?

3276King. Our Tongue is rough, Coze, and my Conditi-

3277on is not smooth: so that hauing neyther the Voyce nor

3278the Heart of Flatterie about me, I cannot so coniure vp

3279the Spirit of Loue in her, that hee will appeare in his true

3280likenesse.

3281Burg. Pardon the franknesse of my mirth, if I answer

3282you for that. If you would coniure in her, you must

3283make a Circle: if coniure vp Loue in her in his true

3284likenesse, hee must appeare naked, and blinde. Can you

3285blame her then, being a Maid, yet ros'd ouer with the

3286Virgin Crimson of Modestie, if shee deny the apparance

3287of a naked blinde Boy in her naked seeing selfe? It were

3288(my Lord) a hard Condition for a Maid to consigne

3289to.

3290King. Yet they doe winke and yeeld, as Loue is blind

3291and enforces.

3292Burg. They are then excus'd, my Lord, when they see

3293not what they doe.

3294King. Then good my Lord, teach your Cousin to

3295consent winking.

3296Burg. I will winke on her to consent, my Lord, if you

3297will teach her to know my meaning: for Maides well

3298Summer'd, and warme kept, are like Flyes at Bartholo-

3299mew-tyde, blinde, though they haue their eyes, and then

3300they will endure handling, which before would not abide

3301looking on.

3302King. This Morall tyes me ouer to Time, and a hot

3303Summer; and so I shall catch the Flye, your Cousin, in

3304the latter end, and she must be blinde to.

3305Burg. As Loue is my Lord, before it loues.

3306King. It is so: and you may, some of you, thanke

3307Loue for my blindnesse, who cannot see many a faire

3308French Citie for one faire French Maid that stands in my

3309way.

3310French King. Yes my Lord, you see them perspec-

3311tiuely: the Cities turn'd into a Maid; for they are

3312all gyrdled with Maiden Walls, that Warre hath en-

3313tred.

3314England. Shall Kate be my Wife?

3315France. So please you.

3316England. I am content, so the Maiden Cities you

3317talke of, may wait on her: so the Maid that stood in

3318the way for my Wish, shall shew me the way to my

3319Will.

3320France. Wee haue consented to all tearmes of rea-

3321son.

3322England. Is't so, my Lords of England?

3323West. The King hath graunted euery Article:

3324His Daughter first; and in sequele, all,

3325According to their firme proposed natures.

3326Exet. Onely he hath not yet subscribed this:

3327Where your Maiestie demands, That the King of France

3328hauing any occasion to write for matter of Graunt, shall

3329name your Highnesse in this forme, and with this additi-

3330on, in French: Nostre trescher filz Henry Roy d'Angleterre

3331Heretere de Fraunce: and thus in Latine; Praeclarissimus

3332Filius noster Henricus Rex Angliae & Heres Franciae.

3333France. Nor this I haue not Brother so deny'd,

3334But your request shall make me let it passe.

3335England. I pray you then, in loue and deare allyance,

3336Let that one Article ranke with the rest,

3337And thereupon giue me your Daughter.

3338France. Take her faire Sonne, and from her blood rayse vp

3339Issue to me, that the contending Kingdomes

3340Of France and England, whose very shoares looke pale,

3341With enuy of each others happinesse,

3342May cease their hatred; and this deare Coniunction

3343Plant Neighbour-hood and Christian-like accord

3344In their sweet Bosomes: that neuer Warre aduance

3345His bleeding Sword 'twixt England and faire France.

3346Lords. Amen.

3347King. Now welcome Kate: and beare me witnesse all,

3348That here I kisse her as my Soueraigne Queene.

3350Quee. God, the best maker of all Marriages,

3351Combine your hearts in one, your Realmes in one:

3352As Man and Wife being two, are one in loue,

3353So be there 'twixt your Kingdomes such a Spousall,

3354That neuer may ill Office, or fell Iealousie,

3355Which troubles oft the Bed of blessed Marriage,

3356Thrust in betweene the Pation of these Kingdomes,

3357To make diuorce of their incorporate League:

3358That English may as French, French Englishmen,

3359Receiue each other. God speake this Amen.

3360All. Amen.

3361King. Prepare we for our Marriage: on which day,

3362My Lord of Burgundy wee'le take your Oath

3363And all the Peeres, for suretie of our Leagues.

3364Then shall I sweare to Kate, and you to me,

3365And may our Oathes well kept and prosp'rous be.