Come,I know thou lovest me;and at night,when you come into your closet,you'll question this gentlewoman about me;and I know,Kate,you will to her dispraise those parts in me that you love with your heart.But,good Kate,mock me mercifully;the rather,gentle Princess,because I love thee cruelly.If ever thou beest mine,Kate,as I have a saving faith within me tells me thou shalt,I get thee with scambling,and thou must therefore needs prove a good soldier-breeder.Shall not thou and I,between Saint Denis and Saint George,compound a boy,half French,half English,that shall go to Constantinople and take the Turk by the beard?Shall we not?What say'st thou,my fair flower-de-luce?KATHERINE.I do not know dat.KING HENRY.No:'tis hereafter to know,but now to promise;do but now promise,Kate,you will endeavour for your French part of such a boy;and for my English moiety take the word of a king and a bachelor.How answer you,la plus belle Katherine du monde,mon tres cher et divin deesse?KATHERINE.Your Majestee ave fausse French enough to deceive de most sage damoiselle dat is en France.KING HENRY.Now,fie upon my false French!By mine honour,in true English,I love thee,Kate;by which honour I dare not swear thou lovest me;yet my blood begins to flatter me that thou dost,notwithstanding the poor and untempering effect of my visage.Now beshrew my father's ambition!He was thinking of civil wars when he got me;therefore was I created with a stubborn outside,with an aspect of iron,that when I come to woo ladies I fright them.But,in faith,Kate,the elder I wax,the better I shall appear:my comfort is,that old age,that in layer-up of beauty,can do no more spoil upon my face;thou hast me,if thou hast me,at the worst;and thou shalt wear me,if thou wear me,better and better.And therefore tell me,most fair Katherine,will you have me?Put off your maiden blushes;avouch the thoughts of your heart with the looks of an empress;take me by the hand and say 'Harry of England,I am thine.'Which word thou shalt no sooner bless mine ear withal but I will tell thee aloud 'England is thine,Ireland is thine,France is thine,and Henry Plantagenet is thine';who,though I speak it before his face,if he be not fellow with the best king,thou shalt find the best king of good fellows.Come,your answer in broken music-for thy voice is music and thy English broken;therefore,
Queen of all,Katherine,break thy mind to me in broken English,wilt thou have me?KATHERINE.Dat is as it shall please de roi mon pere.KING HENRY.Nay,it will please him well,Kate-it shall please him,Kate.KATHERINE.Den it sall also content me.KING HENRY.Upon that I kiss your hand,and I can you my queen.KATHERINE.Laissez,mon seigneur,laissez,laissez!Ma foi,je ne veux point que vous abaissiez votre grandeur en baisant la main d'une,notre seigneur,indigne serviteur;excusez-moi,je vous supplie,mon tres puissant seigneur.KING HENRY.Then I will kiss your lips,Kate.KATHERINE.Les dames et demoiselles pour etre baisees devant leur noces,il n'est pas la coutume de France.KING HENRY.Madame my interpreter,what says she?ALICE.Dat it is not be de fashion pour le ladies of France-I cannot tell vat is baiser en Anglish.KING HENRY.To kiss.ALICE.Your Majestee entendre bettre que moi.KING HENRY.It is not a fashion for the maids in France to kiss before they are married,would she say?ALICE.Oui,vraiment.KING HENRY.O Kate,nice customs curtsy to great kings.Dear Kate,you and I cannot be confin'd within the weak list of a country's fashion;we are the makers of manners,Kate;and the liberty that follows our places stops the mouth of all find-faults-as I will do yours for upholding the nice fashion of your country in denying me a kiss;therefore,patiently and yielding.[Kissing her]You have witchcraft in your lips,Kate:there is more eloquence in a sugar touch of them than in the tongues of the
French council;and they should sooner persuade Henry of England than a general petition of monarchs.Here comes your father.
