To tear the garter from thy craven's leg, [plucking it off. Were there surpris'd, and taken prisoners. Glo. To say the truth, this fact was infamous, Much more a knight, a captain, and a leader. Tal. When first this order was ordain'd, my lords, Knights of the garter were of noble birth; Valiant, and virtuous, full of haughty courage,7 Such as were grown to credit by the wars ; Not fearing death, nor shrinking for distress, But always resolute in most extremes. He then, that is not furnish'd in this sort, Doth but usurp the sacred name of knight, Profaning this most honourable order ; And should (if I were worthy to be judge,) Be quite degraded like a hedge-born swain That doth presume to boast of gentle blood. K.Hen. Stain to thy countrymen! thou hear'st thy doom: Be packing therefore, thou that wast a knight; [Exit FASTOLFE. And now, my lord protector, view the letter Sent from our uncle duke of Burgundy. Glo. What means his grace, that he hath chang'd his [Viewing the superscription. stile ? No more but, plain and bluntly, To the king. Hath he forgot, he is his sovereign? (6) That is, thy mean, dastardly leg. WHALLEY. JOHN9. Haughty is here in its original sense for high. Pretend some alteration in good will ?8 What's here?—I have, upon especial cause,- Of such as your oppression feeds upon,— [Reads. And join'd with Charles, the rightful king of France. O monstrous treachery! Can this be so ; That in alliance, amity, and oaths, There should be found such false dissembling guile ? And give him chastisement for this abuse : Tal. Content, my liege? yes; but that I am prevented, I should have begg'd I might have been employ'd. K.Hen. Then gather strength, and march unto him straight: Let him perceive, how ill we brook his treason ; Enter VERNON and BASSET. [Exit. Ver. Grant me the combat, gracious sovereign! Bas. And me, my lord, grant me the combat too! York. This is my servant; Hear him, noble prince! Som. And this is mine; Sweet Henry, favour him ! K.Hen. Be patient, lords,and give them leave to speak. -Say, gentlemen, What makes you thus exclaim? And wherefore crave you combat? or with whom? Ver. With him, my lord; for he hath done me wrong. Bas. And I with him; for he hath done me wrong. K.Hen. What is that wrong whereof you both complain? First let me know, and then I'll answer you. Bas. Crossing the sea from England into France, (8) To pretend seems to be here used in its Latin sense, that is, to hold out, to stretch forward. It may mean, however, as in other places, to de. sign. STEEV. This fellow here, with envious carping tongue, Ver. And that is my petition, noble lord: Yet know, my lord, I was provok'd by him; York. Will not this malice, Somerset, be left? Som. Your private grudge, my lord of York, will out, Though ne'er so cunningly you smother it. K.Hen. Good Lord! what madness rules in brainsick men ; When, for so slight and frivolous a cause, -Good cousins both, of York and Somerset, York. Let this dissention first be try'd by fight, York. There is my pledge; accept it, Somerset. -And you, my lords,--methinks, you do not well, Let me persuade you take a better course. (9) To repugn is to resist. MAL. Exe. It grieves his highness; good my lords,be friends. K.Hen. Come hither, you that would be combatants ; Henceforth, I charge you, as you love our favour, Quite to forget this quarrel, and the cause.— And you, my lords,-remember where we are ; In France, amongst a fickle wavering nation; If they perceive dissention in our looks, And that within ourselves we disagree, How will their grudging stomachs be provok'd To wilful disobedience, and rebel? Beside, what infamy will there arise, When foreign princes shall be certify'd, That, for a toy, a thing of no regard, King Henry's peers, and chief nobility, Destroy'd themselves, and lost the realm of France ? O, think upon the conquest of my father, My tender years; and let us not forego That, for a trifle, that was bought with blood! I see no reason, if I wear this rose, [putting on a red rose. I more incline to Somerset, than York : Your troops of horsemen with his bands of foot ;— Your angry choler on your enemies. Ourself, my lord protector, and the rest, After some respite, will return to Calais ; From thence to England; where I hope ere long With Charles, Alençon, and that traitorous rout. York. And so he did; but yet I like it not, In that he wears the badge of Somerset. War. Tush! that was but his fancy, blame him not; I dare presume, sweet prince, he thought no harm. York. And, if I wist, he did,-But let it rest; Other affairs must now be managed. [Exeunt YORK, WAR. and VER. Exe. Well didst thou, Richard, to suppress thy voice; For, had the passions of thy heart burst out, I fear we should have seen decypher'd there More rancorous spite, more furious raging broils, But howsoe'er no simple man that sees This should'ring of each other in the court, 'Tis much, when sceptres are in children's hands; SCENE II. [Exit. France. Before Bourdeaux. Enter TALBOT, with his Forces. Tal. Go to the gates of Bourdeaux, trumpeter, Summon their general unto the wall. Trumpet sounds a parley. Enter, on the walls, the English John Talbot, captains, calls you forth, Gen. Thou ominous and fearful owl of death, [1] Envy in old English writers frequently means enmity. Unkind is unnatural. MAL |