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Ver. Well, miscreant, I'll be there as soon as

you;

And, after, meet you sooner than you would.

ACT IV.

[Exeunt.

The same.

SCENE I.

A room of state.

Enter KING HENRY, GLOSTER, EXETER, YORK, SUFFOLK, SOMERSET, WINCHESTER, WARWICK, TALBOT,

Governor of Paris, and others.

Glos. Lord bishop, set the crown upon his head. Win. God save King Henry, of that name the sixth !

Glos. Now, governor of Paris, take your oath,—
[Governor 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 1
Malicious practices against his state.

This shall ye do, so help you righteous God!

1

[Exeunt Governor and his train.

Enter SIR JOHN FASTOLfe.

Fas. My gracious sovereign, as I rode from

Calais,

Intend, design.

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's 1 leg,
[plucking it off.

1

(Which I have done) because unworthily
Thou wast installed in that high degree.
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 surprised, 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.

Glos. 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;

1 Mean, dastardly.

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 honorable 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;
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. Glos. What means his grace, that he hath changed [viewing the superscription. No more but, plain and bluntly,- To the king?' Hath he forgot, he is his sovereign?

his style?

Or doth this churlish superscription

1

Pretend 1 some alteration in good will?

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

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[reads.

Moved with compassion of my country's wreck,
Together with the pitiful complaints
Of such as your oppression feeds upon ;—
Forsaken your pernicious faction,

1 Denote.

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? Glos. He doth, my lord; and is become your foe. K. Hen. Is that the worst this letter doth con

tain?

Glos. 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.—
How say you, my lord? are you not content?
Tal. Content, my liege? Yes; but that I am
prevented,1

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!

'Anticipated.

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, favor 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 color of the leaves Did represent my master's blushing cheeks, When stubbornly he did repugn1 the truth, About a certain question in the law, Argued betwixt the duke of York and him; With other vile and ignominious terms: In confutation of which rude reproach, And in defence of my lord's worthiness, I crave the benefit of law of arms.

Ver. And that is my petition, noble lord:

SHAK.

1 Resist.

VIII.

F

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