K. Henry. This moral ties me over to time, and a hot fummer; and fo I fhall catch the flie your coufin in the latter end, and fhe must be blind too.

Burg. As love is, my lord, before it loves. K. Henry. It is fo; and you may fome of you thank love for my blindness, who cannot fee many a fair French city, for one fair French maid that stands in my way.

Fr. King. Yes, my lord, you fee them perfpectively; the cities turn'd into a maid; for they are all girdled with maiden walls, that war hath never enter'd.

K. Henry. Shall Kate be my wife?

Fr. King. So please you.

K. Henry. I am content, fo the maiden cities you talk of may wait on her; fo the maid, that flood in the way for my wifh, fhall fhew me the way to my will.

Fr. King. We have confented to all terms of reafon. K. Henry. Is't fo, my lords of England? Weft. The King hath granted every article: His daughter firft; and then in fequel all, According to their firm propofed nature.

Exe. Only he hath not yet fubscribed this : Where your Majefty demands, That the King of France, having occafion to write for matter of grant, fhall name your Highness in this form, and with this addition in French: noftre tres cher filz Henry Roy d'Angleterre, heretier de France: and thus in Latin; Præclariffimus filius nofter Henricus Rex Anglia & hæres Franciæ. Fr. King. Yet this I have not (brother) fo deny'd, But your request shall make me let it pafs.

K. Henry. I pray you then, in love and dear alliance, Let that one article rank with the reft,

And thereupon give me your daughter.

Fr. King. Take her, fair fon, and from her blood

raife up

Iffue to me; that thefe contending Kingdoms,
England and France, whofe very fhores look pale
With envy of each other's happiness,

May cease their hatred; and this dear conjunction
Plant neighbourhood and christian-like accord

In

In their fweet breafts; that never war advance

His bleeding fword 'twixt England and fair France.
Lords. Amen!

K. Henry. Now welcome, Kate; and bear me witnefs all,

That here I kifs her as my Sovereign Queen. [Flourish.
Q. Ifa. God, the best maker of all marriages,
Combine your hearts in one, your realms in one:
As man and wife, being two, are one in love,
So be there, 'twixt your kingdoms fuch a fpoufal,
That never may ill office, or fell jealoufie,
Which troubles oft the bed of bleffed marriage,
Thruft in between the paction of thefe kingdoms, (31)
To make divorce of their incorporate league :
That English may as French, French Englishmen,
Receive each other. God fpeak this Amen!

All. Amen!

K. Henry. Prepare we for our marriage; on which day, My lord of Burgundy, we'll take your oath And all the Peers, for furety of our leagues. Then fhall I fwear to Kate, and you to me, And may our oaths well kept, and profp'rous be! [Exeunt.

Enter Chorus.

Thus far wich rough, and all-unable, pen
Our bending author hath purfu'd the story;
In little room confining mighty men,

Mangling by ftarts the full courfe of their glory,
Small time, but, in that fmall, moft greatly liv'd
This Star of England. Fortune made his sword;

(31) Thrust in between the paffion of thefe Kingdoms] The old Folio's have it, the pation; which makes me believe, the Author's Word was paction; a Word, more proper on the occafion of a Peace ftruck up. A Paffion of two Kingdoms for one another, is an odd Expreffion. An Amity and political Harmony may be fix'd betwixt two Countries, and yet either People be far from having a Paffion for the other,

By

By which the world's beft garden he atchiev'd,
And of it left his fon imperial lord.

Henry the Sixth, in infant bands crown'd King

Of France and England, did this King fucceed: Whofe ftate fo many had i' th' managing,

That they loft France, and made his England bleed: Which oft our stage hath fhown; and, for their fake, In your fair minds let this acceptance take.

THE