Plan. Now, by this maiden blossom in my hand, I scorn thee and thy fashion, peevish boy. Suf. Turn not thy scorns this way, Plantagenet. Plan. 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. 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 from so deep a root? Plan. 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 maintain my words On any plot of ground in Christendom : Was not thy father, Richard, earl of Cambridge, 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. Plan. 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. Som. Ay, thou shalt find us ready for thee still: And know us, by these colours, for thy foes; For these my friends, in spite of thee, shall wear. Plan. And, by my soul, this pale and angry rose, As cognizance 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. Suf. Go forward, and be chok'd with thy ambition! And so farewell, until I meet thee next. Som. Have with thee, Poole. [Exit. Farewell, ambi[Exit. tious Richard. Plan. How I am brav'd, and must perforce endure it! War. This blot, that they object against your house, 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. 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 prophecy, - This brawl to-day, Grown to this faction, in the Temple garden, Shall send, between the red rose and the white, A thousands souls to death and deadly night. Plan. Good master Vernon, 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. Plan. Thanks, gentle sir. Come, let us four to dinner: I dare say, This quarrel will drink blood another day. [Exeunt. Mor. Kind keepers of my weak decaying age, And, in that case, I'll tell thee my disease. 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, From Lionel duke of Clarence, the third son Plan. Of which, my lord, your honour is the last. Mor. True; and thou seest, that I no issue have; And that my fainting words do warrant death: Thou art my heir; the rest, I wish thee gather; And yet be wary in thy studious care. Plan. Thy grave admonishments prevail with me: ACT III. The Parliament-House. SCENE I. The same. Flourish. Enter KING HENRY, EXETER, Gloster, WARWICK, SOMERSET, and SUFFOLK; the Bishop of WINCHESTER, RICHARD PLANTAGENET, and others. GLOSTER offers to put up a bill; WINCHESTER Snatches it, and tears it. Win. Com'st thou with deep premeditated lines, Or thou should'st find thou hast dishonour'd me. And for thy treachery, What's more manifest? Win. Gloster, I do defy thee. Lords, vouchsafe To give me hearing what I shall reply. As good? I pray, Glo. Thou bastard of my grandfather! Win. Ay, lordly sir; For what are you, But one imperious in another's throne? Glo. Am I not the protector, saucy priest? Win. And am I not a prelate of the church? Glo. Yes, as an outlaw in a castle keeps, And useth it to patronage his theft. 2 Serv. Ay, and the very parings of our nails Shall pitch a field, when we are dead. Thou art reverent, Win. Unreverent Gloster ! Glo. Touching thy spiritual function, not thy life. Win. This Rome shall remedy. War. Roam thither then. Som. My lord, it were your duty to forbear. War. Ay, see the bishop be not overborne. Som. Methinks, my lord should be religious, And know the office that belongs to such. War. Methinks, his lordship should be humbler; It fitteth not a prelate so to plead. Som. Yes, when his holy state is touch'd so near. War. State holy, or unhallow'd, what of that? Is not his grace protector to the king? Plan. 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. Hen. Uncles of Gloster, and of Winchester, The special watchmen of our English weal; I would prevail, if prayers might prevail, To join your hearts in love and amity. O, 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 commonwealth. [A noise within; Down with the tawny coats! What tumult's this? War. An uproar, I dare warrant, Begun through malice of the bishop's men. [A noise again; Stones! Stones ! Enter the Mayor of London, attended. May. O, my good lords, — and virtuous Henry,— Pity the city of London, pity us! The bishop and the duke of Gloster's men, Have fill'd their pockets full of pebble-stones; That many have their giddy brains knock'd out: Enter, skirmishing, the Retainers of GLOSTER and K. Hen. We charge you, on allegiance to ourself, To hold your slaught'ring hands, and keep the peace. Pray, uncle Gloster, mitigate this strife. 1 Serv. Nay, if we be Forbidden stones, we'll fall to it with our teeth. 2 Serv. Do what ye dare, we are as resolute. [Skirmish again. Glo. You of my household, leave this peevish broil, And set this unaccustom'd fight aside. 1 Serv. My lord, we know your grace to be a man Just and upright; and, for your royal birth, And, ere that we will suffer such a prince, To be disgraced by an inkhorn mate, We, and our wives, and children, all will fight, And have our bodies slaughter'd by thy foes. Glo. [Skirmish again. Stay, stay, I say! And, you love me, as you say you do, K. Hen. O, how this discord doth afflict my soul! Can you, my lord of Winchester, behold Except you mean, with obstinate repulse, Win. He shall submit, or I will never yield. Or, I would see his heart out, ere the priest War. Behold, my lord of Winchester, the duke Glo. Here, Winchester, I offer thee my hand. That malice was a great and grievous sin : War. Sweet king! -the bishop hath a kindly gird. For shame, my lord of Winchester! relent; Win. Well, duke of Gloster, I will yield to thee; Love for thy love, and hand for hand I give. Glo. Aye; but, I fear me, with a hollow heart. [Aside. K. Hen. O loving uncle, kind duke of Gloster, How joyful am I made by this contráct! Away, my masters! trouble us no more; But join in friendship, as your lords have done. 1 Serv. Content; I'll to the surgeon's. 2 Serv. And so will I. 2 Serv. And I will see what physick the tavern affords. [Exeunt Servants, Mayor, &c. War. Accept this scroll, most gracious sovereign; Which in the right of Richard Plantagenet Glo. Well urg'd, my lord of Warwick; An if your grace mark every circumstance, At Eltham-place I told your majesty. for, K. Hen. And those occasions, uncle, were of force : Therefore, my loving lords, our pleasure is, That Richard be restored to his blood. War. Let Richard be restored to his blood; So shall his father's wrongs be recompens'd. Win. As will the rest, so willeth Winchester. K. Hen. If Richard will be true, not that alone, But all the whole inheritance I give, That doth belong unto the house of York, From whence you spring by lineal descent. Plan. Thy humble servant vows obedience, And humble service, till the point of death. K. Hen. Stoop then, and set your knee against my foot: And, in reguerdon of that duty done, Plan. And so thrive Richard, as thy foes may fall! Glo. Now will it best avail your majesty, K. Hen. When Gloster says the word, king For friendly counsel cuts off many foes. Glo. Your ships already are in readiness. [Exeunt all but EXETER. Exe. Aye, we may march in England, or in Not seeing what is likely to ensue : SCENE II. - France. Before Rouen. [Exit. Enter LA PUCELLE disguised, and Soldiers dressed And we be lords and rulers over Rouen; Guard. [Within.] Qui est là? [Knocks. Puc. Paisans, pauvres gens de France: poor market-folks, that come to sell their corn. Guard. Enter, go in; the market-bell is rung. [Opens the gates. Puc. Now, Rouen, I'll shake thy bulwarks to the ground. [PUCELLE, &c. enter the city Enter CHARLES, Bastard of Orleans, ALENÇON, ana Forces. Char. Saint Dennis bless this happy stratagem! And once again we'll sleep secure in Rouen. Bast. Here enter'd Pucelle, and her practisants; Now she is there, how will she specify Where is the best and safest passage in? Alen. By thrusting out a torch from yonder tower; Which, once discern'd, shows, that her meaning is,No way to that, for weakness, which she enter❜d. Enter LA PUCELLE on a battlement: holding out a torch burning. Puc. Behold, this is the happy wedding torch, That joineth Roüen unto her countrymen; But burning fatal to the Talbotites. Bast. See, noble Charles! the beacon of our friend, The burning torch in yonder turret stands. Char. Now shine it like a comet of revenge, A prophet to the fall of all our foes! Alen. Defer no time, Delays have dangerous ends; If Talbot but survive thy treachery. [Exeunt to the town. Alarum: Excursions. Enter, from the town, BEDFORD, brought in sick, in a chair, with TALBOT, BURGUNDY, and the English Forces. Then, enter on the walls, LA PUCELLE, CHARLES, Bastard, ALENÇON, and others. Puc. Good morrow, gallants! want ye corn for bread? I think, the duke of Burgundy will fast, Bur. Scoff on, vile fiend, and shameless courtezan! Char. Your grace may starve, perhaps, before that time. Bed. O, let no words, but deeds, revenge this treason! Puc. What will you do, good grey-beard? break a lance, And run a tilt at death within a chair? Tal. Foul fiend of France, and hag of all despite, Encompass'd with thy lustful paramours! Becomes it thee to taunt his valiant age, And twit with cowardice a man half dead? Damsel, I'll have a bout with you again, Or else let Talbot perish with this shame. Puc. Are you so hot, sir? - Yet, Pucelle, hold thy peace; If Talbot do but thunder, rain will follow. — [TALBOT, and the rest, consult together. God speed the parliament! who shall be the speaker? Tal. Dare ye come forth, and meet us in the field? [Exeunt LA PUCELLE, &c. from the walls. Tal. And there will we be too, ere it be long, Or else reproach be Talbot's greatest fame! Vow, Burgundy, by honour of thy house, (Prick'd on by publick wrongs, sustain'd in France,) Either to get the town again, or die : And I, -as sure as English Henry lives, Bur. My vows are equal partners with thy vows. Bed. Lord Talbot, do not so dishonour me: Here will I sit before the walls of Rouen, And will be partner of your weal, or woe. Bur. Courageous Bedford, let us now persuade you. Bed. Not to be gone from hence; for once I That stout Pendragon, in his litter, sick, Tal. Undaunted spirit in a dying breast! [Exeunt BURGUNDY, TALBOT, and Forces, Alarum: Excursions. Enter Sir JOHN FASTOLFE, and a Captain. Cap. Whither away, Sir John Fastolfe, in such haste? Fast. Whither away? to save myself by flight; We are like to have the overthrow again. Cap. What! will you fly, and leave lord Talbot? Fast. Ay, All the Talbots in the world, to save my life. [Exit. Cap. Cowardly knight! ill fortune follow thee! [Exit. Retreat: Excursions. Enter, from the town, LA PUCELLE, ALENÇON, CHARLES, &c. and exeunt flying. Bed. Now, quiet soul, depart when heaven please; For I have seen our enemies' overthrow. What is the trust or strength of foolish man? They, that of late were daring with their scoffs, Are glad and fain by flight to save themselves. [Dies, and is carried off in his chair. Alarum: Enter TALBOT, BURGUNDY, and others. Tal. Lost, and recover'd in a day again! This is a double honour, Burgundy: Yet, heavens have glory for this victory! Bur. Warlike and martial Talbot, Burgundy Enshrines thee in his heart; and there erects Thy noble deeds, as valour's monument. Tal. Thanks, gentle duke. But where is Pucelle now? I think, her old familiar is asleep : Now where's the Bastard's braves, and Charles his gleeks? What, all a-mort? Rouen hangs her head for grief, Now will we take some order in the town, Bur. What wills lord Talbot, pleaseth Burgundy. [Exeunt. SCENE III.-The same. The Plains near the City. Enter CHARLES, the Bastard, ALENÇON, LA Puc. Dismay not, princes, at this accident, Char. We have been guided by thee hitherto, Bast. Search out thy wit for secret policies, Puc. Then thus it must be; this doth Joan devise: By fair persuasions, mix'd with sugar'd words, We will entice the duke of Burgundy To leave the Talbot, and to follow us. Char. Ay, marry, sweeting, if we could do that, France were no place for Henry's warriors; Nor should that nation boast it so with us, But be extirped from our provinces. Alen. For ever should they be expuls'd from And not have title to an earldom here. [Drums heard. Hark! by the sound of drum, you may perceive Their powers are marching unto Paris-ward. An English March. Enter, and pass over av a distance, TALBOT and his Forces. There goes the Talbot, with his colours spread; And all the troops of English after him. Ii 4 |