d from Strutt's "Regal
Antiquities." The dresses of the English throughout the play are
taken from the works of Strutt, Meyrick, Shaw, and Hamilton Smith.
The heraldry has been kindly supplied by Thomas Willement, Esq.,
F.S.A. The Lord Great Chamberlain carrying the sword of state is
De Vere, Earl of Oxford.]

_K. Hen._ Where is my gracious Lord of Canterbury?

_Exe._ (L.) Not here in presence.

_K. Hen._ Send for him, good uncle.

[_EXETER beckons to a HERALD, who goes off, L.H._

_West._ (L.) Shall we call in the ambassador, my liege?

_K. Hen._ Not yet, my cousin: we would be resolv'd,
Before we hear him, of some things of weight,
That task[1] our thoughts, concerning us and France.

_Re-enter HERALD with the Archbishop of CANTERBURY,(F)[2] and
Bishop of ELY,[3] L.H. The Bishops cross to R.C._

_Cant._ (R.C.) Heaven and its angels guard your sacred throne,
And make you long become it!

_K. Hen._ Sure, we thank you.
My learned lord, we pray you to proceed,
And justly and religiously unfold,
Why the law Salique,(G) that they have in France,
Or should, or should not, bar us in our claim:
And Heaven forbid, my dear and faithful lord,
That you should fashion, wrest,[4] or bow your reading,[5]
Or nicely charge your understanding soul[6]
With opening titles miscreate,[7] whose right
Suits not in native colours with the truth.
For Heaven doth know how many, now in health,
Shall drop their blood in approbation[8]
Of what your reverence shall incite us to.
Therefore take heed how you impawn our person,[9]
How you awake the sleeping sword of war:
We charge you, in the name of Heaven, take heed:
Under this conjuration, speak, my lord.

_Cant._ (R.C.) Then hear me, gracious sovereign, and you peers,
That owe your lives, your faith, and services,
To this imperial throne.--There is no bar
To make against your highness' claim to France
But this, which they produce from Pharamond,--
_No woman shall succeed in Salique land_:
Which Salique land the French unjustly gloze[10]
To be the realm of France, and Pharamond
The founder of this law and female bar.
Yet their own authors faithfully affirm
That the land Salique lies in Germany,
Between the floods of Sala and of Elbe;
Where Charles the Great, having subdued the Saxons,
There left behind and settled certain French:
Nor did the French