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[Retreat.

Tal. Bring forth the body of old Salisbury;
And here advance it in the market-place,
The middle centre of this cursed town.-
Now have I pay'd my vow unto his soul ;—
For every drop of blood was drawn from him,
There hath at least five Frenchmen dy'd to-night,
And, that hereafter ages may behold
What ruin happen'd in revenge of him,
Within their chiefest temple I'll erect

A tomb, wherein his corpse shall be interr'd:
Upon the which, that every one may read,
Shall be engrav'd the sack of Orleans;

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20

25

Tal. Well then, alone, since there's no remedy,
I mean to prove this lady's courtesy.
Come hither,captain. [Whispers]-You perceive
my mind.

Capt. I do, my lord; and mean accordingly.
[Exeunt.

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Count. The plot is laid: if all things fall out right, 30I shall as famous be by this exploit, As Scythian Tomyris by Cyrus' death. Great is the rumour of this dreadful knight, And his achievements of no less account: Fain would mine eyes be witness with mine ears, 35 To give their censure of these rare reports.

The treacherous manner of his mournful death,
And what a terror he had been to France.
But, lords, in all our bloody massacre,
I muse, we met not with the Dauphin's grace;
His new-come champion, virtuous Joan of Arc;
Nor
any of his false confederates.
[began,
Bed. 'Tis thought, lord Talbot, when the fight 40
Rous'd on the sudden from their drowsy beds,
They did, amongst the troops of armed inen,
Leap o'er the walls for refuge in the field.

Bur. Myself (as far as I could well discern,
For smoke, and dusky vapours of the night)
Am sure, I scar'd the Dauphin, and his trull;
When arm in arm they both came swiftly running,
Like to a pair of loving turtle-doves,
That could not live asunder day or night.
After that things are set in order here,
We'll follow them with all the power we have.
Enter a Messenger.

Enter Messenger, and Talbot.

Mess. Madam,accordingas yourladyshipdesir'd,
By message crav'd, so is ford Talbot come.
Count. And he is welcome. What! is this the man?
Mess. Madam, it is.

Count. [as musing] Is this the scourge of France?
Is this the Talbot, so much fear'd abroad,
That with his name the mothers still their babes?
I see, report is fabulous and false :

45I thought, I should have seen some Hercules,
A second Hector, for his grim aspect,
And large proportion of his strong-knit limbs.
Alas! this is a child, a silly dwarf:

It cannot be, this weak and wrizled shrimp
50Should strike such terror to his enemies.

Mess. All hail, my lords! Which of this princely
Call ye the warlike Talbot, for his acts
[train
So much applauded through the realm of France? 55
Tal. Here is the Talbot; Who would speak

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Tal. Madam, I have been bold to trouble you:
But, since your ladyship is not at leisure,
I'll sort some other time to visit you.

Count. What means he now-Go ask him,
whither he goes?

Mess. Stay, my lord Talbot; for my lady craves To know the cause of your abrupt departure. Tal. Marry, for that she's in a wrong belief, go to certify her, Talbot's here.

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Re-enter Porter with keys.
Count. If thou be he, then art thou prisoner.
Tal. Prisoner! to whom?

1

Count. To me, blood-thirsty lord;
And for that cause I train'd thee to my house.
Long time thy shadow hath been thrall to me,
For in my gallery thy picture hangs:

But now the substance shall endure the like:
And I will chain these legs and arms of thine,
That hast by tyranny, these many years,
Wasted our country, slain our citizens,
And sent our sons and husbands captivate.
Tal. Ha, ha, ha!

Dare no man answer in a case of truth? Suf. Within the Temple-hall we were too loud; The garden here is more convenient. [truth; Plant. Then say at once, if I maintain'd the 5 Or, else, was wrangling Somerset in the error? Suf. 'Faith, I have been a truant in the law; I never yet could frame my will to it; And, therefore, frame the law unto my will. Som. Judge you, my lord of Warwick, then between us. [er pitch, War. Between two hawks, which flies the highBetween two dogs, which hath the deeper mouth, Between twoblades, which bearsthebettertemper, Between two horses, which doth bear him best, 15 Between two girls, which hath the merriest eye, I have, perhaps, some shallow spirit of judgment: But in these nice sharp quillets of the law, Good faith, I am no wiser than a daw. Plant. Tut, tut, here is a mannerly forbearance: 20The truth appears so naked on my side, That any purblind eye may find it out.

[turn to moan. 10
Count. Laughest thou, wretch? thy mirth shall
Tal. I laugh to see your ladyship so fond',
To think that you have ought but Talbot's shadow,
Whereon to practise your severity.

Count. Why, art not thou the man?
Tal. I am, indeed.

Count. Then have I substance too.

Tal. No, no, I am but shadow of myself:
You are deceiv'd, my substance is not here;
For what you see is but the smallest part
And least proportion of humanity:

I tell you, madam, were the whole frame here;
It is of such a spacious lofty pitch,

Your roof were not sufficient to contain it.

Som. And on my side it is so well apparell'd, So clear, so shining, and so evident,

That it will glimmer through a blind man's eye.

Count. This is a riddling 2 merchantforthenonce; 25 Plant. Since you are tongue-ty'd, and so loth

He will be here, and yet he is not here:
How can these contrarieties agree?
Tal. That will I shew you presently.
Windshishorn;drums strike up: apeal of ordnance.
Enter Soldiers.

How say you, madam? are you now persuaded,
That Talbot is but shadow of himself?
These archis substance,sinews,arins,andstrength,
With which he yoketh your rebellious necks;
Razeth your cities, and subverts your towns,
And in a moment makes them desolate.

Count. Victorious Talbot! pardon my abuse: I find thou art no less than fame hath bruited, And more than may be gather'd by thy shape. Let my presumption not provoke thy wrath; For I am sorry, that with reverence

I did not entertain thee as thou art.

Tal. Be not dismay'd, fair lady; nor misconstrue The mind of Talbot, as you did mistake The outward composition of his body. What you have done, hath not offended me : Nor other satisfaction do I crave, But only (with your patience) that we may Taste of your wine, and see what cates you have; For soldiers' stomachs always serve them well. Count. With all my heart; and think me honoured To feast so great a warrior in my house. [Exeunt. SCENE IV.

to speak,

In dumb significants proclaim your thoughts: Let him, that is a true-born gentleman, And stands upon the honour of his birth, 30 If he suppose that I have pleaded truth, From off this briar pluck a white rose with me3. S. Let him that is no coward, nor no flatterer, But dare maintain the party of the truth, Pluck a red rose from off this thorn with me. War. I love no colours4; and, without all colour Of base insinuating flattery,

35

40

I pluck this white rose, with Plantagenet.
Suf. Ipluck this red rose, with young Somerset;
And say withal, I think he held the right.

Ver. Stay, lords, and gentlemen; and pluck

no more,

'Till you conclude that he, upon whose side The fewest roses are cropt from the tree, Shall yield the other in the right opinion. 45 Som. Good master Vernon, it is well objected; If I have fewest, I subscribe in silence. Plant. And I.

50

London. The Temple Garden.
Enter the Earls of Somerset, Suffolk, and Warwick; 55
RichardPlantagenet, Vernon, and another Lawyer.
Plant. Great lords and gentlemen, what means

this silence?

Ver. Then for the truth and plainness of the case, I pluck this pale and maiden blossom here, Giving my verdict on the white rose side.

Som. Prick not your finger as you pluck it off; Lest, bleeding, you do paint the white rose red, And fall on my side so against your will.

Ver. If I, my lord, for my opinion bleed,
Opinion shall be surgeon to my hurt,
And keep me on the side where still I am.

Som. Well, well, come on: Who else?
Law. Unless my study and my books be false,

1i. e. so foolish. The term merchant, which was, and now is, frequently applied to the lowest sort of dealers, seems anciently to have been used on familiar occasions in contradistinction to gentleman; signifying, that the person shewed by his behaviour he was a low fellow. The word chap, i. e. chapman, a word of the same import with merchant, in its less respectable sense, is still in common use, particularly in Staffordshire, and the adjoining counties, as a common denomination for any person of whom they mean to speak with freedom or disrespect. 3 The rose (as the fables say) was the symbol of silence, and consecrated by Cupid to Harpocrates, to conceal the lewd pranks of his mother. 4 Colours is here used ambiguously for tints and deceits. si. c. it is justly proposed.

The

The argument you held, was wrong in you;
[To Somerset.
In sign whereof, I pluck a white rose too.
Plant. Now, Somerset, where is your argument?
Som. Here, in my scabbard; meditating, that 5
Shall dye your white rose to a bloody red. [roses;
Plant Meantime your cheeks do counterfeitour
For pale they look with fear, as witnessing
The truth on our side.

Som. No, Plantagenet,

Som. Ay, thou shalt find us ready for thee still: And know us, by these colours, for thy foes; For these my friends, in spight of thee, shall wear. Plant. And, by my soul, this pale and angry rose, As cognisance of my blood-drinking hate, Will I for ever, and my faction, wear; Until it wither with me to my grave, Or flourish to the height of my degree. [bition! Suf. Go forward, and be choak'd with thy am10 And so farewell, until I meet thee next. [Exit. Som. Have with thee, Poole.-Farewell, ambitious Richard. [Exit. Plant. How I am brav'd, and must perforce endure it! [house,

'Tis not for fear; but anger-that thy cheeks
Blush for pure shame, to counterfeit our roses;
And yet thy tongue will not confess thy error.
Plant. Hath not thy rose a canker, Somerset
Som. Hath not thy rose a thorn, Plantagenet:15]
Plant. Ay, sharp and piercing, to maintain his
truth;

Whiles thy consuming canker eats his falsehood.
Som. Well, I'll find friends to wear my bleed-

ing roses,

War. This blot, that they object against your
Shall be wip'd out in the next parliament,
Call'd for the truce of Winchester and Gloster:
And, if thou be not then created York,
I will not live to be accounted Warwick.
20 Mean time, in signal of my love to thee,
Against proud Somerset, and William Poole,
Will I upon thy party wear this rose:
And here I prophesy,-This brawl to-day
Grown to this faction, in the Temple-garden,
Shall send, between the red rose and the white,
A thousand souls to death and deadly night.
Plant. Good masterVernon, I am bound to you,
That you on my behalf would pluck a flower.
Ver. In your behalf still will I wear the same.
Law. And so will I.

That shall maintain what I have said is true,
Where false Plantagenet dare not be seen.
Plant. Now, by this maiden blossom in my hand,
I scorn thee and thy fashion', peevish boy.
Suf. Turn not thyscorns this way, Plantagenet. 25
Plant. Proud Poole, I will; and scorn both him
and thee.

Suf. I'll turn my part thereof into thy throat.
Som. Away, away, good William De-la-Poole!
We
grace the yeoman, by conversing with him. 30
War. Now, by God's will, thou wrong'st him,
Somerset ;

His grandfather was Lionel duke of Clarence,
Third son to the third Edward king of England;
Spring crestless yeomen 2 from so deep a root:35
Plant. He bears him on the place's privilege',
Or durst not, for his craven heart, say thus.

Som. By him that made me, I'll inaintain my
On any plot of ground in Christendom: [words
Was not thy father, Richard, earl of Cambridge, 40
For treason executed in our late king's days?
And, by his treason, stand'st not thou attainted,
Corrupted, and exempt from ancient gentry?
His trespass yet lives guilty in thy blood;
And, 'till thou be restor'd, thou art a yeoman.

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Plant. My father was attached, not attainted;
Condemn'd to die for treason, but no traitor;
And that I'll prove on better men than Somerset,
Were growing time once ripen'd to my will.
For your partaker Poole, and you yourself,
I'll note you in my book of memory,
To scourge you for this apprehension":
Look to it well; and say you are well warn'd.

6

Plant. Thanks, gentle sir.

Come, let us four to dinner: I dare say,
Thisquarrelwill drink blood anotherday.[Exeunt.
SCENE V.

A Room in the Tower.
Enter Mortimer, brought in a chair, and Jailors.
Mor. Kind keepers of my weak decaying age,
Let dying Mortimer here rest himself.
Even like a man new haled from the rack,
So fare my limbs with long imprisonment:
And these grey locks, the pursuivants of death,
Nestor-like aged, in an age of care,
Argue the end of Edmund Mortimer.

45 These eyes-like lamps whose wasting oil is spent-
Wax dim, as drawing to their exigent':
Weak shoulders, over-bornewithburth'ning grief;
And pithless arms, like to a wither'd vine
That droops his sapless branches to the ground.-
50 Yet are these feet-whose strengthless stay is
Unable to support this lump of clay,- [numb,
Swift-winged with desire to get a grave,
As witting I no other comfort have.-

By fashion is meant the badge of the red rose, which Somerset says he and his friends should be distinguish'd by. i. e. those who have no right to arms. 'The Temple, being a religious house, was an asylum, a place of exemption, from violence, revenge, and bloodshed. Exempt for excluded. i. c. opinion. A badge is called a cognisance à cognoscendo, because by it such persons as do wear it upon their sleeves, their shoulders, or in their hats, are manifestly known whose servants they are. Mr. Edwards observes, that Shakspeare has varied from the truth of history, to introduce this scene between Mortimer and Richard Plantagenet. Edmund Mortimerserved under Henry V. in 1422, and died unconfined in Ireland in 1424. Holinshed says, that Mortimer was one of the mourners at the funeral of Henry V. Mr. Steevens adds, "that his uncle, Sir John Mortimer, was indeed prisoner in the Tower, and was executed not long before the earl of March's death, being charged with an attempt to make his escape in order to stir up an insurrection in Wales." i. e. the heralds that, forerunning death, proclaim its approach. i. e. end,

8

But

And answer was return'd, that he will come.

Mor. Enough; my soul then shall be satisfy'd. Poor gentleman! his wrong doth equal mine. Since Henry Monmouth first began to reign, (Before whose glory I was great in arms,) This loathsome sequestration have I had;

To king Edward t

5 From John of Ga
Being but the four
But mark; as, in t
They laboured to
I lost my liberty,

And even since then hath Richard been obscur'd, 10 Long after this, wh Depriv'd of honour and inheritance;

But now, the arbitrator of despairs,

Just death, kind umpire of men's miseries,
With sweet enlargement doth dismiss me hence:
I would, his troubles likewise were expir'd,
That so he might recover what was lost.
Enter Richard Plantagenet.

come,

Succeeding his fat Thy father, earl of From famous Edm Marrying my sister 15 Again, in pity of m Levied an army; And have install'd But, as the rest, so And was beheaded In whom the title Plant. Of which, m Mor. True; and t And that my fainti Thou art my heir; yet be wary in Plant. Thy grave But yet, methinks, Was nothing less th

Keep. My lord, your loving nephew now is
[come?
Mor. Richard Plantagenet, my friend? is he0
Plant. Ay, noble uncle, thus ignobly us'd,
Your nephew, late-despised Richard, comes.
Mor. Direct mine arms, I may embrace his neck,
And in his bosom spend my latter gasp:
Oh, tell me, when my lips do touch his cheeks,
That I may kindly give one fainting kiss.-
And now declare, sweet stem from York's great

stock,

25

Why didst thou say—of late thou wert despis'di
Plant. First, lean thine aged back against mine 30
And, in that ease, I'll tell thee my disease'.[arm;
This day, in argument upon a case,

Some words there grew 'twixt Somerset and me:
Among which terms, he us'd his lavish tongue,
And did upbraid me with my father's death;
Which obloquy set bars before my tongue,
Else with the like I had requited him:
Therefore, good uncle--for my father's sake,
In honour of a true Plantagenet,
And for alliance' sake,-declare the cause
My father, earl of Cambridge, lost his head. [me,
Mor. That cause, fair nephew, that imprison'd
And hath detain'd me, all my flow'ring youth,
Within a loathsome dungeon, there to pine,
Was cursed instrument of his decease.
Plant. Discover more at large what cause that
For I am ignorant, and cannot guess.

But

Mor. With silend Strong fixed is the And, like a mounta But now thy uncle i As princes do their With long continuar 35 Plant. Ö, uncle, w Might but redeem Mor. Thou dost th t'rer doth, Which giveth many 40 Mourn not, except t Only, give order for And so farewell; and And prosperousbethy Plan. And peace, n In prison hast thou s And like a hermit o Well, I will lock his And what I do imagi Keepers, convey hin 50 Will see his burial be Here dies the dusky Choak'd with ambiti And, for those wrong Which Somerset hatl 551 doubt not, but with And therefore haste I Either to be restored Or make my ill the a

[was :45

Mor. I will; if that my fading breath permit,
And death approach not ere my tale be done.
Henry the fourth, grandfather to this king,
Depos'd his nephew Richard; Edward's son,
The first-begotten, and the lawful heir
Of Edward king, the third of that descent:
During whose reign, the Percies of the north,
Finding his usurpation most unjust,

Endeavour'd my advancement to the throne:
The reason mov'd these warlike lords to this,
Was-for that (young king Richard thus remov'd,
Leaving no heir begotten of his body)

5

6

That is, he that terminates or concludes misery. i.e. my uneasiness The sense is, I acknowledge thee to be my heir; the consequences wi thence, I recommend it to thee to draw. i.e. lucky or prosperous. speaker as reflecting on the ill fortune of Mortimer, in being always ma of the north in their rebellious intrigues; rather than in asserting his clair of his own princely ambition.

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SCENE I.
The Parliament.

Flourish. Enter King Henry, Exeter, Gloster,
Winchester, Warwick, Somerset, Suffolk, and
Richard Plantagenet. Gloster offers to put up
a Bill; Winchester snatches it, and tears it.

Win. COM'ST thou with deep premeditated

lines,

With written pamphlets studiously devis'd,
Humphrey of Gloster? If thou canst accuse,
Or ought intend'st to lay unto my charge,
Do it without invention suddenly;

As I with sudden and extemporal speech
Purpose to answer what thou canst object.
Glo. Presumptuous priest! this place com-
mands my patience,

Or thou shouldst find thou hast dishonour'd me.
Think not, although in writing I preferr'd
The manner of thy vile outrageous crimes,
That therefore I have forg'd, or am not able
Verbatim to rehearse the method of my pen:
No, prelate; such is thy audacious wickedness,
Thy lewd, pestiferous, and dissentious pranks,
As very infants prattle of thy pride.
Thou art a most pernicious usurer;
Froward by nature, enemy to peace;
Lascivious, wanton, more than well beseems
A man of thy profession, and degree;
And for thy treachery, What's more manifest
In that thou laid'st a trap to take my life,
As well at London-bridge, as at the Tower?
Beside, I fear me, if thy thoughts were sifted,
The king, thy sovereign, is not quite exempt
From envious malice of thy swelling heart.

[safe

Win. Gloster, I do defy thee.-Lords, vouch-
To give me hearing what I shall reply.
If I were covetous, perverse, ambitious,
As he will have me, How am I so poor?
Or how haps it, I seek not to advance
Or raise myself, but keep my wonted calling?
And for dissention, Who preferreth peace
More than I do,-except I be provok'd?
No, my good lords, it is not that offends;
It is not that, that hath incens'd the duke:
It is, because no one should sway but he;
No one, but he, should be about the king;
And that engenders thunder in his breast,
And makes him roar these accusations forth.
But he shall know, I am as good-

Glo. As good?

Thou bastard of my grandfather!

Win. Ay, lordly sir; For what are you, I pray,
But one imperious in another's throne?

Glo. Am I not protector, saucy priest?
Win. And am I not a prelate of the church?
Glo. Yes, as an out-law in a castle keeps,
And useth it to patronage his theft.
Win. Unreverent Gloster!

5

Glo. Thou art reverent

Touching thy spiritual function, not thy life.
Win. Rome shall remedy this.

War. Roam thither then.

Som. My lord, it were your duty to forbear.
War. Ay, see the bishop be not over-borne.
Som. Methinks, my lord should be religious,
And know the office that belongs to such.
War. Methinks, his lordship should be humbler;
10 It fitteth not a prelate so to plead. [near.
Som. Yes, when his holy state is touch'd so
War. State holy, or unhallow'd, what of that?
Is not his grace protector to the king?

15

Rich. Plantagenet, I see, must hold his tongue;
Lest it be said, Speak, sirrah, when you should;
Must your bold verdict enter talk with lords?
Else would I have a fling at Winchester. [Aside.
K. Henry. Uncles of Gloster, and of Winchester,
The special watchmen of our English weal;
20I would prevail, if prayers might prevail,
To join your hearts in love and amity,
Oh, what a scandal is it to our crown,
That two such noble peers as ye, should jar!
Believe me, lords, my tender years can tell,
Civil dissention is a viperous worm,
That gnaws the bowels of the common-wealth.--
[A noise within; Down with the tawny coats!
What tumult's this?

25

War. An uproar, I dare warrant, 30 Begun through malice of the bishop's men. [A noise again, Stones! Stones! Enter the Mayor of London, attended. Mayor. Oh, my good lords, and virtuous Pity the city of London, pity us! [Henry,

35 The bishop and the duke of Gloster's men,
Forbidden late to carry any weapon,

Have fill'd their pockets full of pebble-stones;
And, banding themselves in contrary parts,
Do pelt so fast at one another's pate,

40 That many have their giddy brains knock'd out:
Our windows are broke down in every street,
And we, for fear, compell'd to shut our shops.

Enter men in skirmish, with bloody pates. K.Henry.We charge you,on allegiance to ourself, 45 To hold your slaught'ring hands, and keep the Pray, uncle Gloster, mitigate this strife. [peace. 1 Serv. Nay, if we be

50

Forbidden stones, we'll fall to it with our teeth.
2 Serv. Do what you dare, we are as resolute.
[Skirmish again.

Glo. You of my household, leave this peevish
And set this unaccustom'd' fight aside. [broil,
3 Serv. My lord,we know your grace to be a man
Just and upright; and, for your royal birth,
55 Inferior to none, but to his majesty:
And, ere that we will suffer such a prince,
So kind a father of the common-weal,
To be disgraced by an inkhorn mate',

We, and our wives, and children, all will fight,

is aunnoood to be derived from the cant of vagabonds. who

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