Henry V

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Oh, for a muse of fire...

that would ascend the

brightest heaven of invention.

A kingdom for a stage,

princes to act...

and monarchs to behold

the swelling scene.

Then should the warlike harry,

like himself,

assume the port of Mars...

and at his heels,

leashed in like hounds,

should famine, sword and fire

crouch for employment.

But pardon, gentles all,

the flat, unraised spirits...

that have dared

on this unworthy scaffold...

to bring forth

so great an object.

Can this cockpit hold

the vasty fields of France

or may we cram

within this wooden "o"...

the very casques that did affright

the air at Agincourt?

Oh, pardon.

Let us, ciphers

to this great account,

on your imaginary forces work.

For it is your thoughts

that now must deck our kings,

carry them here, there,

jumping o'er times,

turning the accomplishment of

many years into an hourglass.

For the which supply,

admit me, chorus, to this history,

who, prologue-like,

your humble patience pray...

gently to hear,

kindly to judge...

our play!

My lord, I'll tell you.

That self bill is urged,

which, in the 11th year...

of the last king's reign was

like to have passed against us.

But how, my lord,

shall we resist it now?

It must be thought on.

If it pass against us, we lose the

better half of our possession.

But what prevention?

The king is full of grace

and fair regard.

And a true lover

of the holy church.

The courses of his youth

promised it not.

Since his addiction

was to courses vain,

his hours filled up

with riots, banquets,

sports and never noted

in him any study.

But, my good lord,

how now for the mitigation...

Of this bill

urged by the commons?

Doth his majesty incline

to it or no?

He seems...

indifferent,

or rather swaying more

upon our part.

For I have made an offer

to his majesty,

as touching France.

Where is my gracious

lord of Canterbury?

God and his angels guard your sacred

throne and make you long become it.

Sure we thank you.

My learned lord,

we pray you to proceed...

and justly and religiously unfold...

why the law salique

that they have in France,

or should or should not

bar us in our claim.

And pray, take heed

how you impawn our person,

how you awake

our sleeping sword of war.

We charge you,

in the name of God, take heed.

For never two such kingdoms did

contend without much fall of blood.

Then hear me,

gracious sovereign.

There is no bar to make against

your highness' claim to France...

but this, which they

produce from Pharamond.

"In terram salicam

mulieres ne succedant."

"No woman shall succeed

in Salique land."

Which Salique land

the French unjustly gloze...

to be the realm of France.

Yet their own authors

faithfully affirm...

that the land Salique

lies in Germany...

between the floods

of Sala and of Elbe.

Then doth it well appear

the Salique law...

was not devised

for the realm of France,

nor did the French possess

the Salique land...

until 421 years after

defunction of king Pharamond,

idly supposed

the founder of this law.

King Pepin,

which deposed childeric,

did, as heir general,

being descended of blithild,

which was the daughter

to king Clothair,

make claim and title

to the crown of France.

Hugh Capet, also, who usurped the

crown of Charles, the duke of Lorraine,

sole heir male of the true line

and stock of Charles the great,

could not keep quiet in his conscience

wearing the crown of France...

until satisfied that fair queen

Isabel, his grandmother,

was lineal

of the Lady Ermengare,

daughter to Charles,

the aforesaid duke of Lorraine,

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