I do remember how my father said,

A stouter champion never handled sword.
Long since we were resolved of your truth,
Your faithful service, and your toil in war;
Yet never have you tasted our reward,

Or been reguerdon'd' with so much as thanks,
Because till now we never saw your face:
Therefore, stand up; and, for these good deserts,
We here create you earl of Shrewsbury;

And in our coronation take your place.

[Exeunt King HENRY, GLOSTER, TALBOT, and Nobles.

Ver. Now, sir, to you, that were so hot at sea, Disgracing of these colours that I wear

In honour of my noble lord of York.

Dar'st thou maintain the former words thou spak'st?
Bas. Yes, sir; as well as you dare patronage
The envious barking of your saucy tongue
Against my lord the duke of Somerset.

Ver. Sirrah, thy lord I honour as he is.

Bas. Why, what is he? as good a man as York. Ver. Hark ye; not so: in witness, take ye that. [Strikes him.

Bas. Villain, thou know'st, the law of arms is

such,

That, who so draws a sword, 'tis present death;

Or else this blow should broach thy dearest blood. But I'll unto his majesty, and crave

may have liberty to venge this wrong; When thou shalt see, I'll meet thee to thy cost. Ver. Well, miscreant, I'll be there as soon as you; And, after, meet you sooner than

9 Confirmed in opinion.

you

would. [Exeunt.

1 Rewarded.

ACT IV.

SCENE 1. The same. A Room of State.

Enter King HENRY, GLOSTER, EXETER, YORK, SUFFOLK, SOMERSET, WINCHESTER, WARWICK, TALBOT, the Governour of Paris, and Others.

Glo. Lord bishop, set the crown upon his head. Win. God save king Henry, of that name the sixth! Glo. Now, governour of Paris, take your oath,— [Governour kneels. That you elect no other king but him : Esteem none friends, but such as are his friends; And none your foes, but such as shall pretend Malicious practices against his state :

This shall ye do, so help you righteous God!

I

[Exeunt Gov. and his Train.

Enter Sir JOHN FASTOLFE.

Fast. My gracious sovereign, as I rode from Calais, To haste unto your coronation,

A letter was deliver'd to my hands,

Writ to your grace from the duke of Burgundy.

Tal. Shame to the duke of Burgundy, and thee! I vow'd, base knight, when I did meet thee next, To tear the garter from thy craven's2 leg,

[Plucking it off. (Which I have done) because unworthily Thou wast installed in that high degree.—

I Design. 2 Mean, dastardly.

Pardon me, princely Henry, and the rest:
This dastard, at the battle of Patay,

When but in all I was six thousand strong,

And that the French were almost ten to one,―
Before we met, or that a stroke was given,
Like to a trusty squire, did run away;

In which assault we lost twelve hundred men;
Myself, and divers gentlemen beside,

Were there surpriz'd, and taken prisoners.
Then judge, great lords, if I have done amiss;
Or whether that such cowards ought to wear
This ornament of knighthood, yea, or no.

Glo. To say the truth, this fact was infamous,
And ill beseeming any common man;

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,
Such as were grown to credit by the wars;
Not fearing death, nor shrinking for distress,
But always resolute in most extremes.4
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;

3 High.

4 i. e. In greatest extremities.

Henceforth we banish thee, on pain of death.—

[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 style?

[Viewing the superscription.

No more but, plain and bluntly,-To the king?
Hath he forgot, he is his sovereign?
Or doth this churlish superscription
Pretend 5 some alteration in good will?

What's here?-I have, upon especial cause,

[Reads.

Mov'd with compassion of my country's wreck,
Together with the pitiful complaints

Of such as your oppression feeds upon,—

Forsaken your pernicious faction,

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 ?

K. Hen. What! doth my uncle Burgundy revolt?
Glo. He doth, my lord; and is become your foe.
K. Hen. Is that the worst, this letter doth contain?
Glo. It is the worst, and all, my lord, he writes.
K. Hen. Why then, lord Talbot there shall talk
with him,

And give him chastisement for this abuse :-
My lord, how say you? are you not content?
Tal. Content, my liege? Yes; but that I am pre-
vented,"

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;
And what offence it is, to flout his friends.
Tal. I go, my lord; in heart desiring still,
You may behold confusion of your foes.

Enter VERNON and BASSET.

[Exit.

Ver. Grant me the combat, gracious sovereign! Bas. And me, my lord, grant me the coinbat 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, This fellow here, with envious carping tongue, Upbraided me about the rose I wear; Saying the sanguine colour of the leaves Did represent my master's blushing cheeks, When stubbornly he did repugn' the truth, About a certain question in the law, Argu'd betwixt the duke of York and him

7 Resist.

VOL. VI.