(8) FIRST PART OF KING HENRY VI. PERSONS REPRESENTED. King Henry the Sixth. Vernon, of the white rose, or York faction. Duke of Gloster, uncle to the king, and protector. Basset, the red rose, or Lancaster faction. Duke of Bedford, uncle to the king and regent Charles, dauphin, and afterwards king of France. of France. Reignier, duke of Anjou, and lilular king of Naples. Thomas Beaufort, duke of Exeter, great uncle to Duke of 'Burgundy. Duke of Alençon. the king. Governor of Paris. Bastard of Orleans. Henry Beaufort, great uncle to the king, bishop of Master-gunner of Orleans, and his son. Winchester, and afterwards cardinal. General of the French forces in Bourdeaux. John Beaufort, earl of Somerset; afterwards duke. A French Sergeant. A Porter. Richard Plantagenet, eldest son of Richard, late An old shepherd, father to Joan la Pucelle. earl of Cambridge; afterwards duke of York. Earl of Warwick. Earl of Salisbury. Margaret, daughter to Reignier ; afterwards mar Earl of Suffolk. ried to King Henry. Countess of Auvergne. Lord Talbot, afterwards earl of Shrewsbury. Joan la Pucelle, commonly called Joan of Arc. John Talbot, his son. Fiends appearing to La Pucelle, lords, warders Edmund Mortimer, earl of March. of the Tower, heralds, officers, soldiers, mesMortimer's keeper and a lawyer, Sir John Fastolfe. Sir William Lucy. sengers, and several allendanis, both on the English and French. Sir William Glansdale. Sir Thomas Gargrave. Mayor of London. Woodville, lieut. of the Tower. / Scene, parlly in England, and partly in France. ACT I. That plotted thus our glory's overthrow? Or shall we think the subtle-witted French SCENE I.-Westminster Abbey. Dead march. Conjurers and sorcerers, that, afraid of him, Corpse of King Henry the Fifth discovered, By magic verses? have contrivd his end ? The battles of the Lord of hosts he fought: The church's prayers made him so prosperous. HUNG be the heavens with black,' yield day to Glo. The church! where is it? Tiad not church men pray'd, night! His thread of life had not so soon decay'd: Comets, importing change of times and states, None do you like but an effeminate prince, Brandish your crystal tresses in the sky; Whom, like a school-boy, you may over-awe. And with them scourge the bad revolting stars, Win. Gloster, whate'er we like, thou art proThat have consented unto Henry's death! tector; Henry the Fifth, too famous to live long! And lookest to command the prince and realm. England ne'er lost a king of so much worth. Thy wife is proud ; she holdeth thee in awe, Glo. England ne'er had a king, until his time. More than God, or religious churchmen, may. Virtue he had, deserving to command : Glo. Name not religion, for thou lov'st the flesh; in peace! Since arms avail not, now that Henry's dead. Exe. We mourn in black; Why mourn we not Posterity, await for wretched years, in blood ? When at their mothers' moist eyes babes shall suck, Henry is dead, and never shall revive: Our isle be made a nourish of salt tears, Upon a wooden coffin we attend; And none but women left to wail the dead.And death's dishonourable victory Henry the Fifth! thy ghost I invocate; We with our stately presence glorify, Prosper this realm, keep it from civil broils ! Like captives bound to a triumphant car. Combat with adverse planets in the heavens! What! 'shall we curse the planets of mishap, (2) There was a notion long prevalent, that life (1) Alluding to our ancient stage-practice when might be taken away by metrical charms. a tragedy was to be acted. (3) Nurse was anciently so spelt. VOL. II. A far more glorious star thy soul will make, No leisure had he to enrank his men; He wanted pikes to set before his archers; Instead whereof, sharp stakes, pluck'd out of hedges, They pitched in the ground confusedly, Mess. My honourable lords, health to you all! To keep the horseinen off from breaking in. Sad tidings bring I to you out of France, More than three hours the fight continued ; Of loss, of slaughter, and discomfiture: Where valiant Talbot, above human thought, Guienne, Champaigne, Rheims, Orleans, Enacted wonders with his sword and lance. Paris, Guysors, Poictiers, are all quite lost. Hundreds he sent to hell, and none durst stand him: Bed. What say'st thou man, before dead Henry's Here, there, and every where, enrag'd he slew: corse ? The French'exclaim'd, The devil was in arms : His soldiers, spying his undaunted spirit, And rush'd into the bowels of the battle. These news would cause him once more yield the Here had the conquest fully been seald up, ghost. If sir John Fastolle had not play'd the coward; Exe. How were they lost ? what treachery was He being in the vaward (plae'd behind, us'd ? With purpose to relieve and follow them,) Mess. No treachery; but want of men and money. Cowardly fled, not having struck one stroke. Among the soldiers this is muttered. Hence grew the general wreck and massacre; Enclosed were they with their enemies : Thrust Talbot with a spear into the back; strength, A third man thinks, without expense at all, Durst not presume to look once in the face. For living idly here, in pomp and ease, 3 Mess. O no, he lives ; but is took prisoner, Bed. His ransom there is none but I shall pay: Farewell, my masters; to my task will I; Bonfires in France forthwith I am to make, Ten thousand soldiers with me I will take, France is revolted from the English quite; Whose bloody deeds shall make all Europe quake. Except some petty towns of no import : 3 Mess. So you had need; for Orleans is besieg'd; The dauphin Charles is crowned king in Rheims; The English army is grown weak and faint: The bastard of Orleans with him is join'd; The earl of Salisbury craveth supply, Reigneir, duke of Anjou, doth take his part; And hardly keeps his men from mutiny, The duke of Alençon flieth to his side. Since thev, so few, watch such a multitude. Ere. The dauphin crowned king! all fly to him! Exe. Remember, lords, your oaths to Henry 0, whither shall we fly from this reproach? Glo. We will not fly, but to our enemies' throats: Either to quell the dauphin utterly, Or bring him in obedience to your yoke. Bed. I do remember it; and here take leave, ness? [Exit. An army have I muster'd in my thoughts, Glo. I'll to the Tower, with all the haste I can, Wherewith already France is over-run. To view the artillery and munition : And then I will proclaim young Henry king. (Ex. Exe. To Eltham will I, where the young king is, And for his safety there I'll best devise. (Exit. Where with you now bedew king Henry's hearse,- Win. Each hath his place and function to altend : I must inform you of a dismal fight, I am left out out; for me nothing remains. Win. What! wherein Talbot overcame? is't so? The king from Eltham I intend to send, [Exit. Scene closes. and others. Jaring full scarce six thousand in his troop, Char. Mars his true moving, even as in the Dy three and twenty thousand of the French heavens, Nas round encompassed and set upon: (2) i. e. Their miseries which have had only a (1) Her, l. e. England's. ' short intermission. Sworn; So in the earth, to this day is not known: Char. Go, call her in: (Exit Bastard. ] But, first, Late did he shine upon the English side; to try her skill, Now we are victors, upon us he smiles. Reignier, stand thou as dauphin in my place: What lowns of any moment, but we have ? Question her proudly, let thy looks be stern: At pleasure here we lie, near Orleans ; By this means shall we sound what skill she hath, Otherwhiles, the famish'd English, like pale ghosts, (Retires. Faintly besiege us one hour in a month. Alen. They want their porridge, and their fat Enter La Pucelle, Bastard of Orleans and others. bull-beeves; Reig. Fair maid, is't thou wilt do these wond'rous Either they must be dieted like mules, feats? And have their provender tied to their mouths, Puc Reignier, is't thou that thinkest to beguile Or piteous they will look like drowned mice. me? Reig. Let's raise the siege; Why live we idly Where is the dauphin?-come, come from behind; here? I know thee well, though never seen before. Be not amaz'd, there's nothing hid from me: Stand back, you lords, and give us leave a while. Reig. She takes upon her bravely at first dash. Char. Sound, sound alarum; we will rush on Puc. Dauphin, I am by birth a shepherd'o them. daughter, Now for the honour of the forlorn French: My wit untraind in any kind of art. Heaven, and our Lady gracious, hath it pleas'd Lo, whilst I waited on my tender lambs, Re. And to sun's parching heat display'd my cheeks, enter Charles, Alençon, Reignier, and others. God's mother deigned to appear to me; And free my country from calamity: In complete glory she reveal'd herself; And, whereas I was black and swart before, Do rush upon us as their hungry prey.' With those clear rays which she infus'd on me, Ask me what question thou canst possible, My courage try by combat, if thou dar'st, And thou shalt find that I exceed my sex. It sendeth forth to skirmish. One to ten! Resolve on this :5 Thou shalt be fortunate, Lean raw-bon'd rascals! who would e'er suppose If thou receive me for thy warlike mate. They had such courage and audacity? Char. Thou hast astonish'd me with thy high Char. Let's leave this town; for they are hair terms; Only this proof' I'll of thy valour make, Reig. I think, by some odd gimmals? or device, Puc. I am preparid: here is my keen-edg'd sword, church-yard, Alen. Be it so. Out of a deal of old iron I chose forth. Char. Thencome o'God's name, I fear no woman. Enter the Bastard of Orleans. Puc. And, while I live, I'll ne'er fly from a man. Bast. Where's the prince dauphin? I have news [They fight. for him. Char. Stay, stay thy hands; thou art an amazon, Char. Bastard of Orleans, thrice welcome to us. And fightest with the sword of Deborah. Bast. Methinks your looks are sad, your cheer Puc. Christ's mother helps me, else I were too appallid; weak. Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence ? Char. Whoe'er helps thee, 'tis thou that must Be not dismay'd, for succour is at hand: help me: A holy maid hither with me I bring, Impatiently I burn with thy desire; Excellent Pucelle, if thy name be so, "Tis the French dauphin suieth to thee thus. Excecding the nine sibyls of old Rome: Puc. I must not yield to any rites of love, What's past, and what's to come, she can descry. For my profession's sacred from above: Speak, shall I call her in ? Believe my words, When I have chased all thy foes from hence, For they are certain and unfallible. Then will I think upon a recompense. (1) i. e. The prey for which they are hungry. (3) This was not in former times a term of me (2) A gimmal is a piece of jointed work, where proach. one piece moves within another; here it is taken (4) Countenance. at large for an engine. (5) Be firmly persuaded of its Char. Mean time, look gracious on thy prostrate| Glo. Lieutenant, is it you, whose voice I hear? Open the gates;. here's Gloster, that would enter. The cardinal or Winchester forbids : Glo. Faint-hearted Woodville, prizest him 'fore me? know: Arrogant Winchester? that haughty prelate, These women are shrewd tempters with their Whom Henry, our late sovereign, ne'er could tongues. brook? Reig. My lord, where are you? what devise you Thou art no friend to God, or to the king : on? Open the gates, or I'll shut thee out shortly. Shall we give over Orleans, or no? 1 Serv. Open the gates unto the lord protector; Puc. Why, no, I say, distrustsul recreants! Or we'll burst them open, is that you come not Fight till the last gasp; I will be your guard. quickly. Char. What she says, I'll confirm; we'll fight Enter Winchester, attended by a train of servants, it out. Puc. Assign'd am I to be the English scourge. in lawny-coats. This night the siege assuredly l'll raise : Win. How now, ambitious Humphrey ? what Expect Saint Martin's summer,' halcyon days, means this? Since I have entered into these wars, Glo. Pield priest, dost thou command me to be Glory is like a circle in the water, shut out? Which never ceaseth to enlarge itself, Win. I do, thou most usurping proditore, Thou that contriv'dst to murder our dead lord; Thou, that giv'st whores indulgences to sin : I'll canvass thee in thy broad cardinal's hat, Win. Nay, stand thou back, I will not budge a foot; Alen. Leave off delays, and let us raise the siege. Thy scarlet robes, as a child's bearing-cloth, use to carry thee out of this place. Win. Do what thou dar'st; I beard thee to thy Drive them from Orleans, and be immortaliz'd. face. Char. Presently we'll try:-Come, let's away Glo. What ? am I dar'd, and bearded to my about it: face? No prophet will I trust, if she prove false. (Exe. Draw, men, for all this privileged place; : SCENE III.-London. Hill before the Tower. Blue-coats to tawny-coats. Priest, beware your beard ; Enter, at the gates, the Duke of Gloster, with his serving-men in blue coats. [Gloster and his men attack the bishop. I mean to tug it, and to cuff you soundly : Win. Gloster, thou'lt answer this before the pope. [Servants knock. Glo. Winchester goose, I cry—a rope ! a rope ! 1 Ward. (Within.] Who is there that knocks so Now beat them hence, why do you let them stay imperiously? Thee I'll chase hence, thou wolf in sheep's array.1 Serv. It is the noble duke of Gloster. Out, tawney-coats !-out, scarlet hypocrite! 2 Ward. [Within.) Whoe'er he be, you may not be let in. Here a great tumu!t. In the midst of it, enter 1 Serv. Answer you so the lord protector, villains ? the Mayor of London, and officers. i Ward. [Within.) The Lord protect him! so May. Fie, lords! that you, being supreme mawe answer him : We do no otherwise than we are will’d. gistrates, Thus contumeliously should break the peace ! Glo. Who willed you ? or whose will stands but mine? Glo. Peace, mayor ; thou knowest little of my There's none protector of the realm, but I. Here's Beaufort, that regards nor God nor king Break up the gates, I'll be your warrantize : Hath here distrain'd the Tower to his use. Shall I be fouted thus by dunghill grooms ? Win. Here's (Hoster too, a soe to citizens : Servants rush at the Touer gates. Enter, to the One that still motions war, and never peace, gates, Woodville, the lieutenant. O'ercharging your free purses with large fines; Wood. (Within.) What noise is this ? what trai. That seeks to overthrow religion, tors have we here? (3) Thelt. (4) Break oren. (1) Expect prosperity after misfortune. (5) Alluding to his shaven crown. (6) Traitor. (2) Meaning the four daughters of Philip, men (7) Sist, (8) A strumpet. tioner in Acts xxi. 9. (9) An allusion to the bishop's habit. wronrs: 1 sure: Because he is protector of the realm; Which I, disdaining, scorn'd; and craved death, And would have armour here out of the Tower, Rather than I would be so pild esteem'd." To crown himself king, and suppress the prince. In fine, redeem'd I was as I desir'd. Glo. I will not answer thee with words, but blows. But, O! the treacherous Fastolfe wounds my heart! (Here they skirmish again. Whom with my bare fists I would execute, May. Nought rests for me, in this tumultuous IC I now had him brought into my power. strife, Sal. Yel tell'st thou not, how thou wert enterBut to make open proclamation: tain'd. Come, Officer; as loud as e'er thou canst. Tal. With scoffs, and scorns, and contumelious Off . All manner of men, assembled here in arms in open markel-place produc'd they me, taunts. this day, againsi God's peace and the king's, we to be a public spectacle to all ; charge and command yori, in his highness' name, Here, said they, is the terror of the French, to repair to your several dwelling-places; and the scare-crow that aftrights our children so. not to wear, handle, or use, any sword, weapon, Then broke I from the otficers that led me; or dagger, hence forward, upon pain of death. And with my nails digg'd stones out of the ground, Glo. Cardinal, I'll be no breaker of the law: To hurl at the beholders of my shame. But we shall meet, and break our minds at large. My grisly countenance made others fly; Win. Gloster, we'll meet; to thy dear cost, be None durst come near for fear of sudden death. In iron walls they deem'd me not secure; Thy heart-blood I will have for this day's work. So great fear of my name 'mongst them was spread, May. I'll call for clubs,' if you will not away :- That they supposed, I could rend bars of steel, This cardinal is more haughty than the devil. And spurn in pieces posts of adamant: Glo. Mayor, farewell: thou dost but what thou Wherefore a guard of chosen shot I had, may'st. That walk'd about me every minute-while; Win. Abominable Gloster! guard thy head; And if I did but stir out of my bed, For I intend to have it ere long. (Exeunt. Ready they were to shoot me to the heart. May. See the coast clear'd, and then we will Sal. I grieve to hear what torments you endur'd, depart. But we will be reveng'd sufficiently. Good God! that nobles should such stomachs bear! Now it is supper-time in Orleans : I myself fight not once in forty year. (Ereunt. Here, through this grate, I can count every one, SCENE IV.-France. Before Orleans. Enter Let us look in, the sight will much delight thee.- And view the Frenchmen how they fortify; on the walls, the Master-Gunner and his Son. Sir Thomas Gargrave, and sir William Glansdale, M. Gun. Sirrah, thou know'st how Orleans is Let me have your express opinions, besieg'd : Where is best place to make our battery next. And how the English have the suburbs won. Gar. I think, at the north gate; for there stand Son. Father, I know; and oft have shot at them, lords. Howe'er, unfortunate, I miss'd my aim. Glan. And I, here, at the bulwark of the bridge. M. Gim. But now thou shalt not. Be thou rul'd Tal. For aught I see, this city must be famish'd, by me: Or with slight skirmishes enseebled. Chief master-gunner am I of this town; [Shot from the town. Salisbury and Sir Something I must do, to procure me grace:3 Thomas Gargrave fall. The prince's espials have inform'd me, Sal. O Lord, have mercy on us, wretched sinners! How the English, in the suburbs close entrench'd, Gar. O Lord, have mercy on me, woful man! Wont, through a secret grate of iron bars Tal. What chance is this, that suddenly hath In vonder tower, to overpeer the city; cross'd us? And thence discover, how, with most advantage, Speak, Salisbury; at least, if thou canst speak; They may vex us, with shot, or with assault. How far'st thou, mirror of all martial men ! To intercept this inconvenience, One of thy eyes, and thy cheek's side struck off!A piece of ordnance 'gainst it I have plac'd; Accursed tower! accursed fatal hand, And fully even these three days have I watch'd, That hath contrived this wosul tragedy ! If I could see them. Now, boy, do thou watch, In thirteen battles Salisbury o'ercame; For I can stay no longer. Henry the Fifth he first trained to the wars; If thou spy'st any, run and bring me word; Whilst any trump did sound, or drum struck up, And thou shalt find me at the governor's. [Exit. His sword did ne'er leave striking in the field. Son. Father, I warrant you ; take you no care; Yet liv'st thou, Salisbury ? though thy speech doth I'll never trouble you, if I may spy them. fail, Enter, in an upper chamber of a tover, the Lords one eye thou hast to look to heaven for grace: Salisbury and Talbot, Sir William Glansdale, Heaven be thou gracious to none alive, The sun with one eve vieweth all the world. Sir Thomas Gargrave, and others. If Salisbury want mercy at thy hands! Sir Thomas Gargrave, hast thou any life? Salisbury, cheer thy spirit with this comfort; Td. The duke of Bedford had a prisoner, Thou shalt not die, whilesCalled-the brave lord Ponton de Santrailles; He beckons with his hand, and smiles on me; For him I was exchang'd and ransomed. As who should say, When I am deau and gone, But with a baser man of arms by far, Remember to avenge me on the French. Once, in contempl, they would have barter'd me: Plantaganet, I will; and Nero-like, (1) That is, for peace-officers armed with clubs (2) Pride. (3) Favour. (4) Spies, er steves, (5) So stripped of honours. |