Henry VI, Pt. 1
Act V, Scene 1
London. A room in the palace.
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Sennet. Enter King, Gloucester, and Exeter.
King Henry the Sixth
1 - 2
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Have you perus’d the letters from the Pope,
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The Emperor, and the Earl of Armagnac?
Duke of Gloucester
3 - 6
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I have, my lord, and their intent is this:
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They humbly sue unto your Excellence
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To have a godly peace concluded of
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Between the realms of England and of France.
King Henry the Sixth
7
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How doth your Grace affect their motion?
Duke of Gloucester
8 - 10
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Well, my good lord, and as the only means
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To stop effusion of our Christian blood,
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And stablish quietness on every side.
King Henry the Sixth
11 - 14
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Ay, marry, uncle, for I always thought
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It was both impious and unnatural
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That such immanity and bloody strife
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Should reign among professors of one faith.
Duke of Gloucester
15 - 20
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Beside, my lord, the sooner to effect
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And surer bind this knot of amity,
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The Earl of Armagnac, near knit to Charles,
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A man of great authority in France,
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Proffers his only daughter to your Grace
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In marriage, with a large and sumptuous dowry.
King Henry the Sixth
21 - 27
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Marriage, uncle? Alas, my years are young;
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And fitter is my study and my books
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Than wanton dalliance with a paramour.
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Yet call th’ ambassadors, and as you please,
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So let them have their answers every one.
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I shall be well content with any choice
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Tends to God’s glory and my country’s weal.
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Enter Winchester in cardinal’s habit and three Ambassadors,
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one of them a Papal Legate.
Duke of Exeter
28 - 33
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What, is my Lord of Winchester install’d,
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And call’d unto a cardinal’s degree?
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Then I perceive that will be verified
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Henry the Fifth did sometime prophesy:
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“If once he come to be a cardinal,
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He’ll make his cap co-equal with the crown.”
King Henry the Sixth
34 - 40
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My lords ambassadors, your several suits
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Have been consider’d and debated on.
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Your purpose is both good and reasonable;
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And therefore are we certainly resolv’d
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To draw conditions of a friendly peace,
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Which by my Lord of Winchester we mean
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Shall be transported presently to France.
Duke of Gloucester
41 - 45
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To the Ambassador from Armagnac.
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And for the proffer of my lord your master,
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I have inform’d his Highness so at large,
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As liking of the lady’s virtuous gifts,
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Her beauty, and the value of her dower,
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He doth intend she shall be England’s queen.
King Henry the Sixth
46 - 50
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In argument and proof of which contract,
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Bear her this jewel, pledge of my affection.
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And so, my Lord Protector, see them guarded
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And safely brought to Dover, wherein shipp’d,
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Commit them to the fortune of the sea.
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Exeunt all but Winchester and Legate.
Bishop of Winchester
51 - 54
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Stay, my lord legate, you shall first receive
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The sum of money which I promised
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Should be delivered to his Holiness
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For clothing me in these grave ornaments.
Papal Legate
55
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I will attend upon your lordship’s leisure.
Bishop of Winchester
56 - 62
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Now Winchester will not submit, I trow,
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Or be inferior to the proudest peer.
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Humphrey of Gloucester, thou shalt well perceive
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That neither in birth, or for authority,
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The Bishop will be overborne by thee.
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I’ll either make thee stoop and bend thy knee,
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Or sack this country with a mutiny.
