| |
Enter Chorus. | |
| Chor. Now all the youth of England are on fire, | |
| And silken dalliance in the wardrobe lies; | |
| Now thrive the armourers, and honour’s thought | |
| Reigns solely in the breast of every man: | 5 |
| They sell the pasture now to buy the horse, | |
| Following the mirror of all Christian kings, | |
| With winged heels, as English Mercuries. | |
| For now sits Expectation in the air | |
| And hides a sword from hilts unto the point | 10 |
| With crowns imperial, crowns and coronets, | |
| Promis’d to Harry and his followers. | |
| The French, advis’d by good intelligence | |
| Of this most dreadful preparation, | |
| Shake in their fear, and with pale policy | 15 |
| Seek to divert the English purposes. | |
| O England! model to thy inward greatness, | |
| Like little body with a mighty heart, | |
| What mightst thou do, that honour would thee do, | |
| Were all thy children kind and natural! | 20 |
| But see thy fault! France hath in thee found out | |
| A nest of hollow bosoms, which he fills | |
| With treacherous crowns; and three corrupted men, | |
| One, Richard Earl of Cambridge, and the second, | |
| Henry Lord Scroop of Masham, and the third, | 25 |
| Sir Thomas Grey, knight, of Northumberland, | |
| Have, for the gilt of France,—O guilt, indeed!— | |
| Confirm’d conspiracy with fearful France; | |
| And by their hands this grace of kings must die,— | |
| If hell and treason hold their promises,— | 30 |
| Ere he take ship for France, and in Southampton. | |
| Linger your patience on; and well digest | |
| The abuse of distance while we force a play. | |
| The sum is paid; the traitors are agreed; | |
| The king is set from London; and the scene | 35 |
| Is now transported, gentles, to Southampton: | |
| There is the playhouse now, there must you sit: | |
| And thence to France shall we convey you safe, | |
| And bring you back, charming the narrow seas | |
| To give you gentle pass; for, if we may, | 40 |
| We’ll not offend one stomach with our play. | |
| But, till the king come forth and not till then, | |
| Unto Southampton do we shift our scene. [Exit. | |
| |
