FIRST PART OF KING HENRY VI. PERSONS REPRESENTED. KING HENRY THE SIXTH. DUKE OF BEDFORD, Uncle to the King, and THOMAS BEAUFORT, Duke of Exeter, great Uncle to the King. HENRY BEAUFORT, great Uncle to the King, Bishop of Winchester; and afterwards Cardinal. JOHN BEAUFORT, Earl of Somerset; afterwards Duke. RICHARD PLANTAGENET, eldest Son of Richard, late Earl of Cambridge; afterwards Duke of York. EARL OF WARWICK.-EARL OF SALISBURY.EARL OF SUFFOLK. LORD TALBOT, afterwards Earl of Shrewsbury. EDMUND MORTIMER, Earl of March. SIR JOHN FASTOLFE.-SIR WILLIAM LUCY. MAYOR OF LONDON. WOODVILLE, Lieutenant of the Tower. ACT I. SCENE I.-Westminster Abbey. Dead march. Corpse of King HENRY the Fifth discovered, lying in state; attended on by the Dukes of BEDFORD, GLOSTER, and EXETER; the Earl of WARWICK, the Bishop of WINCHESTER, Heralds, &c. Bed. Hung be the heavens with black,* yield day to night! Comets, importing change of times and states, That have consented unto Henry's death! His arms spread wider than a dragon's wings; His sparkling eyes replete with wrathful fire, Alluding to our ancient stage-practice when a tragedy was to be acted, Glo. The church! where is it? Had not churchmen pray'd, His thread of life had not so soon decay'd: And lookest to command the prince, and realm, Bed. Cease, cease these jars, and rest your minds in peace! Let's to the altar:-Heralds, wait on us:- Among the soldiers this is muttered,- You are disputing of your generals. Let not sloth dim your honours, new-begot: tides. Bed. Me they concern; regent I am of France: Give me my steeled coat, I'll fight for France.- Enter another MESSENGER. 2 Mess. Lords, view these letters, full of bad mischance, * Nurse was anciently so spelt. + Her, i. e. England's. | France is revolted from the English quite; The bastard of Orleans with him is join'd; O, whither shall we fly from this reproach? Glo. We will not fly, but to our enemies' throats: Bedford, if thou be slack, I'll fight it out. An army have I muster'd in my thoughts, Enter a third MESSENGER. 3 Mess. My gracious lords,-to add to your laments, [hearse,Wherewith you now bedew King Henry's I must inform you of a dismal fight, Betwixt the stout lord Talbot and the French. Win. What! wherein Talbot overcame? is't 80? 3 Mess. O, no; wherein lord Talbot was o'erthrown: The circumstance I'll tell you more at large. Having full scarce six thousand in his troop, They pitched in the ground confusedly, him; Here, there, and every where, enrag'd he slew: And rush'd into the bowels of the battle. Hence grew the general wreck and massacre; Enclosed were they with their enemies : Thrust Talbot with a spear into the back; A base Walloon, to win the Dauphin's grace, Whom all France, with their chief assembled Durst not presume to look once in the face. strength, For living idly here, in pomp and ease, And lord Scales with him, and lord Hunger3 Mess. O no, he lives; but is took prisoner, ford: Most of the rest slaughter'd, or took, likewise. Bed. His ransom there is none but I shall pay: I'll hale the Dauphin headlong from his throne, I. c. Their miseries which have had only a short inter- Four of their lords I'll change for one of mission. ours. Farewell, my masters; to my task will I; Bonfires in France forthwith I am to make, To keep our great Saint George's feast withal: Ten thousand soldiers with me I will take, Whose bloody deeds shall make all Europe quake. 3 Mess. So you had need; for Orleans is besieg'd; The English army is grown weak and faint: Exe. Remember, lords, your oaths to Henry Being ordain'd his special governor; [Exit. Win. Each hath his place and function to attend: I am left out; for me nothing remains. [Exit. Scene closes. SCENE II-France.-Before Orleans. Enter CHARLES, with his Forces; ALENÇON, REIGNIER, and others. Char. Mars his true moving, even as in the heavens, So in the earth, to this day is not known: Faintly besiege us one hour in a month. The other lords, like lions wanting food, England all Olivers and Rowlands bred, Reig. I think, by some odd gimmalst or device, {on; Their arms are set, like clocks, still to strike Else ne'er could they hold out so, as they do. By my consent, we'll e'en let them alone. Alen. Be it so. Enter the BASTARD of Orleans. Bust. Where's the prince Dauphin, I have news for him. Chur. Bastard‡ of Orleans, thrice welcome to us. Bast. Methinks, your looks are sad, your cheers appall'd; Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence? And drive the English forth the bounds of The spirit of deep prophecy she hath, Exceeding the nine sibyls of old Rome; What's past, and what's to come, she can descry. Speak, shall I call her in? Belieye my words, For they are certain and unfallible. Char. Go, call her in: [Exit BASTARD.] But, first, to try her skill, Reignier, stand thou as Dauphin in my place: Question her proudly, let thy looks be stern:Alen. They want their porridge, and their fat By this means shall we sound what skill she bull-beeves: Either they must be dieted like mules, Talbot is taken, whom we wont to fear: Now for the honour of the forlorn French :Him I forgive my death, that killeth me, When he sees me go back one foot, or fly. [Exeunt. Alarums; Excursions; afterwards a Retreat. Re-enter CHARLES, ALENÇON, REIGNIER, and others. Char. Who ever saw the like? what men have I? Dogs! cowards! dastards!-1 would ne'er bave fled, But that they left me 'midst my enemies. Reig. Salisbury is a desperate homicide; He fighteth as one weary of his life. hath. [Retires. Enter LA PUCELLE, BASTARD of Orleans, and others. Reig. Fair maid, is't thou wilt do these wond'rous feats? Puc. Reignier, is't thou that thinkest to beguile me?[hind; Where is the Dauphin?-come, come from beI know thee well, though never seen before. Be not amaz'd, there's nothing hid from me: In private will I talk with thee apart:Stand back, you lords, and give us leave a while. Reig. She takes upon her bravely at first dash. Puc. Dauphin, I am by birth a shepherd's daughter, My wit untrain'd in any kind of art. I. c. The prey for which they are hungry. A gimmal is a piece of jointed work, where one piece moves within another; here it is taken at large for an engine. This was not in former times a term of reproach. Lo, whilst I waited on my tender lambs, God's mother deigned to appear to me; Char. Thou hast astonish'd me with thy high terms; Only this proof I'll of thy valour make,- Puc. I am prepar'd: here is my keen-edg'd sword, Deck'd with five flour-de-luces on each side; The which at Touraine, in Saint Katharine's church-yard, Out of a deal of old iron I chose forth. Char. Then come o'God's name, I fear no woman. Puc. And, while I live, I'll near fly from a [They fight. man. Char. Stay, stay thy hands; thou art an Amazon, And fightest with the sword of Deborah. Puc. Christ's mother helps me, else I were too weak. Char. Whoe'er helps thee, 'tis thou that Excellent Pucelle, if thy name be so, Char. Meantime, look gracious on thy pros- Reig. My lord, methinks, is very long in talk. Alen. Doubtless he shrives this woman to Which never ceaseth to enlarge itself, Char. Was Mahomet inspired with a dove? Reig. Woman, do what thou canst to save our honours; Drive them from Orleans, and be immortaliz'd. Char. Presently we'll try :-Come let's away about it: No prophet will I trust, if she prove false. [Exeunt. SCENE III.-London.-Hill before the Tower. Enter, at the Gates, the Duke of GLOSTER, with his Serving-men, in blue coats. Glo. I am come to survey the Tower this day; Since Henry's death, I fear, there is conveyance.t-Where be these warders, that they wait not here? Open the gates; Gloster it is that calls. [SERVANTS knock. 1 Ward. [Within.] Who is there that knocks so imperiously? 1 Serv. It is the noble Duke of Gloster. 2 Ward. [Within.] Whoe'er he be, you may not be let in. 1 Serv. Answer you so the lord protector, villains? 1 Ward. [Within.] The Lord protect him! So we answer him: We do no otherwise than we are will'd. Glo. Who will'd you? or whose will stands but mine? There's none protector of the realm, but I.— Break up the gates, I'll be your warrantize: Shall I be flouted thus by dunghill grooms? SERVANTS rush at the Tower Gates. Enter, to the Gates, WOODVILLE, the Lieutenant. Wood. [Within.] What noise is this? wha traitors have we here? Win. I do, thou most usurping proditor,t And not protector of the king or realm. Glo. Stand back, thou manifest conspirator; Thou, that contriv'dst to murder our dead lord; Thou, that giv'st whores indulgences to sin: I'll canvast thee in thy broad cardinal's hat, If thou proceed in this thy insolence. Win. Nay, stand thou back, I will not budge a foot; This be Damascus, be thou cursed Cain, Glo. I will not slay thee, but I'll drive thee back: Thy scarlet robes, as a child's bearing-cloth I'll use, to carry thee out of this place. Win. Do what thou dar'st; I beard thee to thy face. Glo. What? am I dar'd, and bearded to my face? Draw, men, for all this privileged place; Blue-coats to tawny-coats. Priest, beware your beard; [GLOSTER and his Men attack the Bishop. I mean to tug it, and to cuff you soundly: Under my feet I stamp thy cardinal's hat; In spite of pope or dignities of church, Here by the cheeks I'll drag thee up and down. Win. Gloster, thou'lt answer this before the pope. Good God! that nobles should such stomachst I myself fight not once in forty year. [Exeunt. SCENE IV.-France.-Before Orleans. Enter, on the Walls, the MASTER-GUNNER and his SON. M. Gun. Sirrah, thou know'st how Orleans is besieg'd; And how the English have the suburbs won. Son. Father, I know; and oft have shot at them, Howe'er, unfortunate, I miss'd my aim. M. Gun. But now thou shalt not. Be thou Chief master-gunner am I of this town; Wont, through a secret gate of iron bars Glo. Winchester goose, I cry-a rope! a rope! Now beat them hence. Why do you let them Thee I'll chase hence, thou wolf in sheep's Out, tawny coats!-out, scarlet|| hypocrite! Here a great Tumult. In the midst of it, Enter the MAYOR of London, and Officers. May. Fie, lords! that you, being supreme magistrates, Thus contumeliously should break the peace! Glo. Peace, mayor; thou know'st little of my wrongs: [king, Here's Beaufort, that regards nor God nor Hath here distraín'd the Tower to his use. Win. Here's Gloster too, a foe to citizens; But to make open proclamation:- Off. All manner of men, assembled here in arms this day, against God's peace and the king's, we charge and command you, in his highness' name, to repair to your several dwelling-places; and not to wear, handle, or use, any sword, weapon, or dagger, henceforward, upon pain of death. Glo. Cardinal, I'll be no breaker of the law: But we shall meet, and break our minds at large. Win. Gloster, we'll meet; to thy dear cost, be sure: Thy heart-blood I will have, for this day's work. Alluding to his shaven crown. + Traitor. + Sift. A piece of ordnance 'gainst it I have plac'd; And thou shalt find me at the governor's. [Exit. Son. Father, I warrant you; take you no care; I'll never trouble you, if 1 may spy them. Enter, in an upper Chamber of a Tower, the Lords SALISBURY and TALBOT, Sir WILLIAM GLANSDALE, Sir THOMAS GARGRAVE, and others. Sal. Talbot, my life, my joy, again return'd! How wert thou handled, being prisoner? Or by what means got'st thou to be releas'd? Discourse, I pr'ythee, on this turret's top. Tal. The duke of Bedford had a prisoner, Called the brave lord Ponton de Santrailles; For him I was exchang'd and ransomed. But with a baser man of arms by far, [me: Once, in contempt, they would have barter'd Which I, disdaining, scorn'd; and craved death Rather than I would be so pil'd esteemed.|| In fine, redeem'd I was as I desir'd. [heart! But, O! the treacherous Fastolfe wounds my If I now had him brought into my power. Whom with my bare fists I would execute, Sul. Yet tell'st thou not, how thou wert entertain❜d. Tal. With scoffs, and scorns, and contumelious taunts. In open market-place produc'd they me, ground, *That is, for peace-officers armed with clubs or staves. + Pride. ↑ Favour. Spies So stripped of honours. |