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Between the floods of Sala and of Elbe:

Where Charles the great, having fubdu'd the Saxons,
There left behind and fettled certain French;
Who, holding in difdain the German women,
For fome difhoneft manners of their life,
Establish'd there this law,-to wit, no female
Should be inheritix in Salique land;
Which Salique, as I faid, 'twixt Elbe and Sala,
Is at this day in Germany call'd-Meisen.
Thus doth it well appear, the Salique law
Was not devised for the realm of France :
Nor did the French poffefs the Salique land
Until four hundred one and twenty years
After defunction of king Pharamond,
Idly fuppos'd the founder of this law;
Who died within the year of our redemption
Four hundred twenty-fix; and Charles the great,
Subdu'd the Saxons, and did feat the French
Beyond the river Sala, in the year

Eight hundred five. Befides, their writers fay,
King Pepin, which depofed Childerick,
Did, as heir general, being defcended

Of Blithild, which was daughter to king Clothair,
Make claim and title to the crown of France.
Hugh Capet alfo,-that ufurp'd the crown
Of Charles the duke of Lorain, fole heir male
Of the true line and stock of Charles the great,-
To fine his title with fome shew of truth,
(Though, in pure truth, it was corrupt and naught)
"Convey'd himself as heir to the lady Lingare,
Daughter to Charlechauve, who was the fon

d fine]-defecate, clear; fet off, embellish. himself

out to be.

e Convey'd]-gave

f Charlechauve-or the bald Charlemain.

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To Lewis the emperor, and Lewis the fon

Of Charles the great. Alfo king Lewis the tenth,
Who was fole heir to the ufurper Capet,

Could not keep quiet in his confcience,
Wearing the crown of France, 'till fatisfy'd
That fair queen Isabel, his grandmother,
Was lineal of the lady Ermengare,

Daughter to Charles the forefaid duke of Lorain;
By the which marriage, the line of Charles the great
Was re-united to the crown of France..

So that, as clear as is the fummer's fun,
King Pepin's title, and Hugh Capet's claim,
King Lewis his fatisfaction, all appear
To,' 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 chufe to hide them in a net,
Than amply to imbare their crooked titles,
Ufurp'd from you and your progenitors.

K. Henry. May I, with right and confcience, make this claim?

Cant. The fin upon my head, dread fovereign!
For in the book of Numbers is it writ-

When the fon 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 grandfire's tomb,
From whom you claim; invoke his warlike spirit,
And your great uncle's, Edward the black prince;

& ninth.

and fophiltry.

bold-hold good. i in a net,]-of chicane, amply to imbare]-to difclofe, difplay openly

to the eyes of the world.

Who

Who on the French ground play'd a tragedy,
Making defeat on the full power of France;
Whiles his moft mighty father on a hill,
Stood fmiling, to behold his lion's whelp
Forage in blood of French nobility.-
O noble English, that could entertain
With half their forces the full pride of France;
And let another half ftand laughing by,
All out of work, and cold 'for action!

Ely. Awake remembrance of these valiant dead,
And with your puiffant arm renew their feats:
You are their heir, you fit upon their throne;
The blood and courage, that renowned them,
Runs in your veins; and my thrice-puiffant liege
Is in the very May-morn of his youth,
Ripe for exploits and mighty enterprizes.

Exe. Your brother kings and monarchs of the earth. Do all expect that you should rouse yourself,

m

As did the former lions of your blood.

Weft. They know, your grace hath caufe; and means and might

'So hath your highness; 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 fword, and fire, to win your right:
In aid whereof, we of the spiritualty

Will raise your highness such a mighty fum,
As never did the clergy at one time

Bring in to any of your ancestors.

for]-for want of. ward III. and the black prince. highness hath alfo.

m the former lions of your blood.]-EdSo bath your highness; 1-Your

K. Henry.

K. Henry. 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. They of those marches, gracious fovereign,
Shall be a wall fufficient to defend

Our inland from the pilfering borderers.

K. Henry. We do not mean the ' courfing fnatchers only, But fear the main intendment of the Scot,

Who hath been ftill a 'giddy neighbour to us:
For you fhall read, that my great grandfather
Never went with his forces into France,
But that the Scot on his unfurnish'd kingdom
Came pouring, like the tide into a breach,
With ample and 'brim fulness of his force;
Galling the gleaned land with hot affays;
Girding with grievous fiege caftles, and towns;
That England, being empty of defence,

Hath fhook, and trembled at the ill neighbourhood.

Cant. She hath been then more "fear'd than harm'd, my liege:

* For hear her but exampled by herself,-
When all her chivalry hath been in France,

And the a mourning widow of her nobles,
She hath herself not only well defended,
But taken, and impounded as a ftray,

The king of Scots; whom she did send to France,

• lay down our proportions]-affign both men and money. P With all advantages.]-upon every profpect of advantage. They of thoje marches,]-the lords-prefidents of the marches. courfing fnatchers]-free booters. giddy]-fickle, faithlefs. brim fulness]-the main intendment, all the head he could make. fear'd]-affrighted, alarm'd.

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▾ For bear ber but exampled by berfelf,]—Attend but to a recent example furnish'd by herfelf.

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To fill king Edward's fame with prifoner kings;

W

And make her chronicle as rich with *praife,
As is the ouze and bottom of the fea

With funken wreck and fumlefs treasuries.

Weft. But there's a faying, very old and true,—
If that you will France win,

Then with Scotland first begin:

For once the eagle England being 'in prey,
To her unguarded neft the weazel Scot

Comes fneaking, and fo fucks her princely eggs;
Playing the mouse, in abfence of the cat,

To taint and havock more than fhe can eat.

Ely. It follows then, the cat must stay at home:
Yet that is but a curs'd neceffity:

Since we have locks to fafeguard neceffaries,
And petty traps to catch the petty thieves.
While that armed hand doth fight abroad,
The advised head defends itself at home:

For government, though high, and low, and lower,
Put into parts, doth keep in one concent;
Congruing in a full and natural close,

Like mufick.

Cant. True; therefore doth heaven divide
The state of man in divers functions,
Setting endeavour in continual motion;
To which is fixed, as an aim or butt,
Obedience: for fo work the honey bees,

W your, their.

* praise,]—praife worthy exploits.

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bavock]-fpoil, wafte.

Yin prey,]-in queft of prey.
a curs'd neceffity]-a forry argument urging fuch neceffity.

b pretty.

C

bigh, and low, and lower,]-treble, middle, and base.

in one concent ;]-in unifon-confent.

Setting endeavour, &c.]-Obedience to the fupreme power, with a

view to promote the general welfare, fhould be the constant object of

our exertions,

Creatures,

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