The Battaile of Agincourt Part 2

His braine in labour, gladly foorth would bring Somewhat, that at this needfull time might fit, The sprightly humor of this youthfull King, If his inuention could but light of it; His working soule proiecteth many a thing, Vntill at length out of the strength of wit, He found a warre with France, must be the way To dash this Bill, else threatning their decay.

[Stanza 10]

Whilst vacant mindes sate in their b.r.e.a.s.t.s at ease, And the remembrance of their Conquests past, Vpon their fansies doth so strongly sease, As in their teeth, their Cowardise it cast Rehearsing to them those victorious daies, The deeds of which, beyond their names should last, That after ages, reading what was theirs, Shall hardly thinke, those men had any Heires.

[Stanza 11]

And to this point, premeditating well, A speech, (which chanc'd, the very pinne to cleaue) Aym'd, whatsoeuer the successe befell That it no roomth should for a second leaue, More of this t.i.tle then in hand to tell, If so his skill him did not much deceaue, And gainst the King in publike should appeare; Thus frames his speech to the a.s.sembly there.

[Stanza 12: _The Archbishop of Canterburies Oration, to the King & Parliament at Lecester, in the Eleuen following Stanzas._]

Pardon my boldnesse, my Liedge Soueraine Lord, Nor your Dread presence let my speech offend, Your milde attention, fauourably affoord, Which, such cleere vigour to my spirit shall lend, That it shall set an edge vpon your Sword, To my demand, and make you to attend, Asking you, why, men train'd to Armes you keepe, Your right in France yet suffering still to sleepe.

[Stanza 13]

Can such a Prince be in an Iland pent, And poorely thus shutt vp within a Sea.

When as your right includes that large extent, To th'either Alpes your Empire forth to lay, Can he be English borne, and is not bent To follow you, appoint you but the way, Weele wade if we want s.h.i.+ps, the waues or climme, In one hand hold our swords, with th'other swim.

[Stanza 14: _The Crowne of France descended vpon Edward the third, from Isabell his Mother, Daughter and suruiuing heyre, to King Philippe of France named the fayre._]

What time controules, your braue great Grandsires claim, To th'Realme of France, from Philip nam'd the faire, Which to King Edward by his mother came, Queene Isabel; that Philips onely heire, Which this short intermission doth not maime, But if it did, as he, so yours repaire; That where his Right in bloud preuailed not, In spight of h.e.l.l, yet by his Sword he got.

[Stanza 15]

What set that Conqueror, by their Salique Lawes, Those poore decrees their Parliaments could make, He entred on the iustnesse of his Cause, To make good, what he dar'd to vndertake, And once in Action, he stood not to pause, But in vpon them like a Tempest brake, And downe their buildings with such fury bare, That they from mists dissolued were to ayre.

[Stanza 16]

As those braue Edwards, Father, and the Sonne, At Conquer'd Cressy, with successefull lucke, Where first all France (as at one game) they wonne, Neuer two Warriours, such a Battaile strucke, That when the bloudy dismall fight was done, Here in one heape, there in another Rucke Princes and Peasants lay together mixt, The English Swords, no difference knew betwixt.

[Stanza 17: _Iames, Daulphine of Viennoies. The Dukes of Lorraine, and Burbon. The Earles of Aumerle, Sauoye, Mountbilliard, Flaunders, Neuers & Harecourt._]

There Lewes King of Beame was ouerthrowne With valient Charles, of France the younger Brother, A Daulphine, and two Dukes, in pieces hewen; To them six Earles lay slaine by one another; There the grand Prior of France, fetcht his last groane, Two Archbishops the boystrous Croud doth smother, There fifteene thousand of their Gentrie dy'de With each two Souldiers, slaughtered by his side.

[Stanza 18: _King Iohn of France and Philip his Son taken by the Black Prince at the Battaile of Poyteers, brought Prisoners to England._]

[_Iohn of Cleumount._]

[_Peter of Burbon._]

Nor the Blacke Prince, at Poyteers battaile fought; Short of his Father, and himselfe before, Her King and Prince, that prisoners. .h.i.ther brought From forty thousand weltring in their gore, That in the Worlds opinion it was thought, France from that instant could subsist no more, The Marshall, and the Constable, there slaine Vnder the Standard, in that Battaile ta'ne.

[Stanza 19: _Examples of such as haue aduanced th?selues to the Crowne of France against the strict letter of the lawe Salique, in the two following Stanzas._]

Nor is this clayme for women to succeede, (Gainst which they would your right to France debarre) A thing so new, that it so much should neede Such opposition, as though fetcht from farre, By Pepin this is prou'd, as by a deede, Deposing Cheldrick, by a fatall warre, By Blythild dar'd his t.i.tle to aduance, Daughter to Clothar, first so nam'd of France.

[Stanza 20]

Hugh Capet, who from Charles of Lorayne tooke The Crowne of France, that he in peace might raigne, As heire to Lingard to her t.i.tle stooke, Who was the daughter of King Charlemaine, So holy Lewes poring on his booke, Whom that Hugh Capet made his heire againe, From Ermingard his Grandame, claim'd the Crowne, Duke Charles his daughter, wrongfully put downe.

[Stanza 21]

Nor thinke my Leege a fitter time then this, You could haue found your t.i.tle to aduance, At the full height when now the faction is, T'wixt Burgoyne, and the house of Orleance, Your purpose you not possibly can misse, It for my Lord so luckily doth chance, That whilst these two in opposition stand, You may haue time, your Army there to land.

[Stanza 22]

And if my fancy doe not ouerpresse, My visuall sence, me thinkes in euery eye I see such cheere, as of our good successe In France hereafter seemes to Prophecie; Thinke not my Soueraigne, my Alegeance lesse Quoth he; my Lords nor doe you misaply My words: thus long vpon this subiect spent, Who humbly here submit to your a.s.sent.

[Stanza 23]

This speech of his, that powerfull Engine prou'd, Then e'r our Fathers got, which rais'd vs hier, The Clergies feare that quietly remou'd, And into France transferd our Hostile fier, It made the English through the world belou'd, That durst to those so mighty things aspire, And gaue so cleere a l.u.s.ter to our fame, That neighbouring Nations trembled at our name.

[Stanza 24]

When through the house, this rumor scarcely ran, That warre with France propounded was againe, In all th'a.s.sembly there was not a man, But put the proiect on with might and maine, So great applause it generally wan, That else no bus'nesse they would entertaine, As though their honour vtterly were lost, If this designe should any way be crost.

[Stanza 25]

So much mens mindes, now vpon France were set That euery one doth with himselfe forecast, What might fall out this enterprize to let, As what againe might giue it wings of hast, And for they knew, the French did still abet The Scot against vs, (which we vsde to tast) It question'd was if it were fit or no, To Conquer them, ere we to France should goe.

[Stanza 26: _Ralph Neuill then Warden of the Marches betwixt England and Scotland._]

[_An old adage, He that will France winne: must with Scotland first beginne._]

Which Ralph then Earle of Westmorland propos'd, Quoth he, with Scotland let vs first begin, By which we are vpon the North inclos'd, And lockt with vs, one Continent within, Then first let Scotland be by vs dispos'd, And with more ease, yee spatious France may winne, Else of our selues, ere we our s.h.i.+ps can cleere, To land in France; they will inuade vs here.

[Stanza 27: _The Duke of Excester the Kings own vnckle._]

Not so braue Neuill, Excester replies, For that of one two labours were to make, For Scotland wholly vpon France relies; First, Conquer France, and Scotland yee may take, Tis the French pay, the Scot to them that tyes, That stopt, asunder quickly yee shall shake The French and Scots; to France then first say I, First, first, to France, then all the Commons cry.

[Stanza 28: _The first breach with France._]

And instantly an Emba.s.sy is sent, To Charles of France, to will him to restore Those Territories, of whose large extent, The English Kings were owners of before; Which if he did not, and incontinent, The King would set those English on his Sh.o.r.e, That in despight of him, and all his might, Should leaue their liues there, or redeeme his right.

[Stanza 29: _The Countries demanded by the King of England._]

First Normandy, in his demand he makes, With Aquitane, a Dutchy no lesse great, Aniou, and Mayne, with Gascoyne which he takes Cleerely his owne, as any English seat; With these proud France, he first of all awakes, For their deliuery, giuing power to treat; For well he knew, if Charles should these restore, No King of France was euer left so poore.

[Stanza 30: _The King and Daulphine of France, deriding the King of England._]

The King, and Daulphin, to his proud demand, That he might see they no such matter ment, As a thing fitter for his youthfull hand; A Tunne of Paris Tennis b.a.l.l.s him sent, Better himselfe to make him vnderstand, Deriding his ridiculous intent: And that was all the answere he could get, Which more, the King doth to this Conquest whet.

[Stanza 31: _Henry the fift answered for the Tennis b.a.l.l.s._]

[_The language of Tennis._]

That answering the Amba.s.sadour, quoth he, Thanks for my b.a.l.l.s, to Charles your Soueraigne giue, And thus a.s.sure him, and his sonne from me, I'le send him b.a.l.l.s and Rackets if I liue, That they such Racket shall in Paris see, When ouer lyne with Bandies I shall driue, As that before the Set be fully done, France may (perhaps) into the Hazard runne.