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 I may have liberty to venge this wrong; Ver. Well, miscreant, I'll be there as soon as you; And, after, meet you sooner than you would. [Exeunt. ACT IV. SCENE I-The same. A room of state. Enter King Henry, Gloster, Exeter, York, Suffolk, Somerset, Winchester, Warwick, Talbot, the Governor 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, 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 pretend1 Malicious practices against his state: This shall ye do, so help you righteous God! [Exeunt Governor and his train. Enter Sir John Fastolfe. Fast. My gracious sovereign, as I rode from 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, (1) Design. To tear the garter from thy craven's! leg, [Plucking it off. (Which I have done) because unworthily When but in all I was six thousand strong, In which assault we lost twelve hundred men; Glo. To say the truth, this fact was infamous, And ill beseeming any common man; Much more a knight, a captain, and a leader. Be packing therefore, thou that wast a knight; (1) Mean, dastardly. (2) High. 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 Pretend1 some alteration in good will? [Reads. And join'd with Charles, the rightful king of France. O monstrous treachery! Can this be so; There should be found such false dissembling guile? And give him chastisement for this abuse :- 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; your foes. Enter Vernon and Basset. [Exit. Ver. Grant me the combat, gracious sovereign! (1) Design. (2) 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, 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? f 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 repugn1 the truth, About a certain question in the law, Argu'd 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: Yet know, my lord, I was provok'd by him; Though ne'er so cunningly you smother it. K. Hen. Good Lord! what madness rules in brain-sick men; When, for so slight and frivolous a cause, York. Let this dissension first be tried by fight, And then your highness shall command a peace. Som. The quarrel toucheth none but us alone; Betwixt ourselves let us decide it then. York. There is my pledge; accept it, Somerset. Ver. Nay, let it rest where it began at first. Bas. Confirm it so, mine honourable lord. Glo. Confirm it so? Confounded be your strife! And perish ye, with your audacious prate! Presumptuous vassals! are you not asham'd, With this immodest clamorous outrage To trouble and disturb the king and us? And you, my lords,-methinks, you do not well, To bear with their perverse objections; Much less, to take occasion from their mouths To raise a mutiny betwixt yourselves; Let me persuade you take a better course. Exe. It grieves his highness;-Good my lords, be friends. K. Hen. Come hither, you that would be com batants: Henceforth, I charge you, as you love our favour, |