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KING HENRY VI

Cousin of York, we institute your grace
To be our regent in these parts of France :-
And good my lord of Somerset, unite

Your troops of horsemen with his bands of
foot;-

And, like true subjects, sons of your progenitors,

Go cheerfully together, and digest

Your angry choler on your enemies.

Ourself, my lord protector, and the rest,
After some respite, will return to Calais;

wall thee from the liberty of flight:
And no way canst thou turn thee for redress,
But death doth front thee with apparent spoil,
And pale destruction meets thee in the face.
Ten thousand French have ta'en the sacra-
ment,

To rive their dangerous artillery

Upon no Christian soul but English Talbot.
Lo! there thou stand'st, a breathing valiant
man,

Of an invincible unconquer'd spirit:

From thence to England; where I hope ere This is the latest glory of thy praise,

long

To be presented, by your victories,

With Charles, Alençon, and that traitorous

rout.

[Flourish Exeunt King HENRY, GLO. SOM. WIN. SUF. and BASSET.

War. My lord of York, I promise you, the king

Prettily, methought, did play the orator.

York. And so he did; but yet I like it not,
In that he wears the badge of Somerset.
Wor. Tush! that was but his fancy, blame
him not:

I dare presume, sweet prince, he thought no
harm.

York. And if I wist he did,-But let rest;

Other affairs must now be managed.

it

[Exeunt YORK, WARWICK, and VERNON. Exe. Well didst thou, Richard to suppress thy voice:

For, had the passions of thy heart burst out,
I fear we should have seen decipher'd there,
More rancorous spite, more furious raging broils,
Than yet can be imagin'd or suppos'd.
But howsoe'er, no simple man that sees
This jarring discord of nobility,

This should'ring of each other in the court,
This factious bandying of their favourites,
But that it doth presage some ill event.
'Tis much, when sceptres are in children's
hands;

But more, when envy breeds unkind ‡ divi-
sion;
There comes the ruin, there begins confusion.

[Exit.

SCENE II.-France.-Before Bourdeaux.

Enter TALBOT with his Forces.
Tal. Go to the gates of Bourdeaux,
peter,
Summon their general unto the wall.
Trumpet sounds a Parley.

That 1, thy enemy, due thee withal;
For ere the glass, that now begins to run,
Finish the process of his sandy hour,
These eyes, that see thee now well coloured,
(Drum affar off.
Shall see thee wither'd, bloody, pale, aud dead.
Hark! hark! the Dauphin's drum, a warning
bell,

Sings heavy music to thy timorous soul;
And mine shall ring thy dire departure out.

[Exeunt GENERAL, &c. from the Walls.
Tal. He fables not, I hear the enemy ;-
Out, some light horsemen, and peruse their
wings.-

O negligent and beedless discipline!
How are we park'd, and bounded in a pale;
A little herd of England's timorous deer,
Maz'd with a yelping kennel of French curs!
If we be English deer, be then in blood : +
For rascal-like, to fall-down with a pinch;
But rather moody-mad, and desperate stags
Turn on the bloody hounds with heads of
steel,

And make the cowards stand aloof at bay:
Sell every man his life as dear as mine,
And they shall find dear deer of us, my
friends.-

God and Saint George! Talbot and England's
right!

Prosper our colours in this dangerous fight!
[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-Plains in Gascony.
Enter YORK, with Forces; to him a Mus-
SENGER.

York. Are not the speedy scouts return'd again, That dogg'd the mighty army of the Dauphin? Mess. They are return'd, my lord; and give it out,

trum-That

Enter, on the Walls, the GENERAL of the French Forces, and others.

English John Talbot, captains, calls you forth,
Servant in arms to Harry king of England;
And thus he would,--Open your city gates,
Be humble to us; call my sovereign your's,
And do him homage as obedient subjects,
And I'll withdraw me and my bloody power:
But, if you frown upon this proffer'd peace,
You tempt the fury of my three attendants,
Lean famine, quartering steel, and climbing

fire;

Who, in a moment, even with the earth
Shall lay your stately and air-braving towers,
If ya forsake the offer of their love.

Gen. Thou ominous and fearful owl of death,
car nation's terror, and their bloody scourge !
The period of thy tyranny approacheth.
On as thou canst not enter, but by death: .
For, I protest, we are well fortified,
And strong enough to issue out and fight:
11thon retire, the Dauphin, well appointed,'
Stands with the snares of war to tangle thee:
On either hand thee there are squadrons pitch'd,

• Tis strange, or wonderful.
+ Ennuity.
1 Unnatural.

he is march'd to Bourdeaux with his
power,

To fight with Talbot: as he march'd along,
By your espials were discovered
Two mightier troops than that the Dauphin led;
Which join'd with him, and made their march
for Bourdeaux.

York. A plague upon that villain Somerset ;
That thus delays my promised supply
Of horsemen, that were levied for this siege!
Renowned Talbot doth expect my aid;
And I am lowted by a traitor villain,
And cannot help the noble chevalier:
God comfort him in this necessity!
If he miscarry, farewell wars in France.
Enter Sir WILLIAM LUCY.
Lucy. Thou princely leader of our English
strength,

Never so needful on the earth of France,
Spur to the rescue of the noble Talbot;
Who now is girdled with a waist of iron,
And hemm'd about with grim destruction:
To Bourdeaux, warlike duke! to Bourdeaux,

York!

Else, farewell, Talbot, France, and England's honour.

York. O God! that Somerset-who in proud heart

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Doth stop my cornets-were in Talbot's place!
So should we save a valiant gentleman,
By forfeiting a traitor and a coward.
Mad ire, and wrathful fury, makes me weep,
That thus we die, while remiss traitors sleep.
Lucy. O send some succour to the distress'd
lord!

York. He dies, we lose; I break my warlike
word:

We mouru, France smiles; we lose, they daily get;

All 'long of this vile traitor Somerset.

Lucy. Then, God take mercy on brave Talbot's soul!

And on his son, young John; whom two hours since,

I met in travel toward his warlike father!
This seven years did not Talbot see bis son;
And now they meet where both their lives are
done..

York. Alas! what joy shall noble Talbot
have,

To bid his young son welcome to his grave ?
Away! vexation almost stops my breath,
That sunder'd friends greet in the hour of
death.-

Lucy, farewell: no more my fortune can,
But curse the cause I cannot aid the man.-
Maine, Blois, Poictiers, and Tours, are won
away,

'Long all of Somerset, and his delay.

[Exit.

Lucy. Thus, while the vulture + of sedition Feeds in the bosom of such great commanders, Sleeping neglection doth betray to loss The conquest of our scarce-cold conqueror, That ever-living man of memory,

Henry the fifth-Whiles they each other cross, Lives, honours, lands, and all, hurry to loss.

[Exit.

SCENE IV.-Other Plains of Gascony. Enter SOMERSET, with his Forces; an OFFICER of TALBOT's with him.

Som. It is too late; I cannot send them now;
This expedition was by York and Talbot,
Too rashly plotted; all our general force
Might with a sally of the very town

Be buckled with the over-daring Talbot
Hath sullied all his gloss of former honour,
By this unheedful, desperate, wild adventure:
York set him on to fight, and die in shame,
That, Talbot dead, great York might bear the

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Som. York set him on, York should have sent him aid.

Lucy. And York as fast upon your grace exclaims:

Swearing that you withhold his levied host,
Collected for this expedition.

Som. York lies; he might have sent and bad the horse:

I owe him little duty, and less love; And take foul scorn, to fawn on him by sending.

Lucy. The fraud of England, not the force of France,

Hath now entrapp'd the noble-minded Talbot:
Never to England shall be bear his life;
But dies, betray'd to fortune by your strife.
Som. Come, go: I will despatch the horse-
men straight :

Within six hours they will be at his aid.
Lucy. Too late comes rescue: he is ta'en, or
slain:

For fly he could not, if he would have fled : And fly would Talbot never, though he might. Som. If he be dead, brave Talbot then adien! Lucy. His fame lives in the world, bis shame in you. [Exeunt.

SCENE V.-The English Camp, near Bour

deaux.

Enter TALBOT and JOHN his Son. Tal. O young John Talbot! I did send for thee,

To tutor thee in stratagems of war;
That Talbot's name might be in thee reviv'd,
When sapless age, and weak unable limbs,
Should bring thy father to his drooping chair.
But, O malignant and ill-boding stars!
Now thon art come unto a feast of death,"
A terrible and unavoided danger :
Therefore, dear boy, mount on my swiftest
horse;

And I'll direct thee how thou shalt escape
By sudden flight come, dally not, be gone.
John. Is my name Talbot? and am I your

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Tal. If we both stay, we both are sure to die.

John. Then let me stay; and, father, de

you fly :

Your loss is great, so your regard should be;
My worth unknown, no loss is known in me.
Upon my death the French can little boast;
In your's they will, in you all hopes are lost.
Flight cannot stain the honour you have won;
But mine it will, that no exploit have done :
You fled for vantage every one will swear;
But, if I bow, they'll say it was for fear.
There is no hope that ever I will stay,
If, the first hour, I shrink and run away.
Here, on my knee, I beg mortality,
Rather than life preserv'd with infamy.

Tul. Shall all thy mother's hopes lie in out tomb?

John. Ay, rather than I'll shame my mother's womb.

Tal. Upon my blessing I command thee go. John. To fight I will, but not to fly the foe. Tal. Part of thy father may be sav'd in thee. Jahn. No part of him, but will be shame in

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John. Yes, your renowned name; Shall | John. The sword of Orleans hath not made flight abuse it?

Tal. Thy father's charge shall clear thee from

that stain.

John. You cannot witness for me being

slain.

If death be so apparent, then both fly.
Tal. And leave my followers here, to fight,

and die ?

My age was never tainted with such shame.
John. And shall my youth be guilty of such

blame?

No more can I be sever'd from your side,
Than can yourself yourself in twain divide:
Stay, go, do what you will, the like do I;
For live I will not, if my father die.

me smart,

These words of your's draw life-blood from my
heart:

On that advantage, bought with such a shame,
(To save a paltry life, and slay bright fame,)
Before young Talbot from old Talbot fly,
The coward horse, that bears me, fall and die :
And like me to the peasant boys of France;
To be shame's torn, and subject of mischauce!
Surely, by all the glory you have won,
And if I fly, I am not Talbot's son:
Then talk no more of flight, it is no boot;
If son to Talbot, die at Talbot's foot.

Tal. Then follow thou thy desperate sire of
Crete,

Tal. Then here I take my leave of thee, fair Thou Icarus; thy life to me is sweet:

son,

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Wilt thou yet leave the battle, boy, and fly,
Now thou art seal'd the son of chivalry ?
Fly, to revenge my death, when I am dead;
The help of one stands me in little stead.
O too much folly is it, well I wot,
To bazard all our lives in one small boat.
If I to-day die not with Frenchmen's rage,
To-morrow I shall die with mickle age:
By me they nothing gain, and if I stay,
'Tis but the short'ning of my life one day:
In thee thy mother dies, our household's

name,

My death's revenge, thy youth, and England's

famé :

All these, and more, we hazard by thy stay;
All these are say'd, if thou wilt fly away.

• Ended.

If thou wilt night, fight by thy father's side;
And, commendable prov'd, let's die in pride.

[Exeunt.

SCENE VII.-Another part of the same. Alarum: Excursions. Enter TALBOT wounded supported by a SERVANT.

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Tal. Where is my other life?-mine own is

gone;

where's young Talbot? where is valiant
John ?--

Triumphant death, smear'd with captivity! +
Young Talbot's valour makes me smile at thee:
When he perceiv'd me shrink, and
on my

His bloody sword he brandish'd over me,
knee,
Aud, like a hungry lion, did commence
Rough deeds of rage, and stern impatience;
But when my angry guardant stood alone,
Dizzy-ey'd fury, and great rage of heart,
Tend'ring my ruin, and assail'd of none,
Suddenly made him from my side to start
Into the clust'ring battle of the French:
And in that sea of blood my boy did dreuch
My Icarus, my blossom, in his pride.
His overmounting spirit; and there died

Enter Soldiers, bearing the Body of Jons

TAI BOT.

Serv. O my dear lord! lo, where your son is borne !

Tal. Thou antic death, which laugh'st us
here to scorn,

Anon, from thy insulting tyranny,
Coupled in bonds of perpetuity,

Two Talbots, winged through the lither sky.
In thy despite, shall 'scape mortality.-

O thou whose wounds become hard-favour'd

death,

Brave death by speaking, whether he will, or
Speak to thy father, ere thon yield thy breath:

no;

Imagine him a Frenchman, and thy foe.-
Poor boy! he smiles, methinks; as who should
say-

Had death been French, then death had died
to-day.

Come, come, and lay him in his father's

armis;

My spirit can no longer bear these harms.
Soldiers, adieu! I have what I would have,
Now my old arms are young John Talbot's

grave.

[Dies.

Alarums. Exeunt Soldiers and Servants,
leaving the two Bodies. Enter CHARLES,
ALENÇON, BURGUNDY, BASTARD, LA PU-
CELLE, and Forces.

Char. Had York and Somerset brought res-
cue in,

We should have found a bloody day of this.
Bas. How the young whelp of Talbot's,
raging-wood,

Like me, reduce me to a level with.

↑ Death stained and dishonoured with captivity.
"Watching me with tenderness in my fall."
Flexible, yielding. Raving mad.

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Lucy. Submission, Dauphin? 'tis a mere
French word;

We English warriors wot not what it means.
I come to know what prisoners thou hast ta'en,
And to survey the bodies of the dead.

Char. For prisoners ask'st thou hell our
prison is.

But tell me whom thou seek'st.

Lucy. Where is the great Alcides of the field,
Valiant lord Talbot, earl of Shrewsbury?
Created, for his rare success in arms,
Great Earl of Washford, Waterford, and

lence;

Lord Talbot of Goodrig and Urchingfield,
Lord Strange of Blackmere, lord Verdun

of

Char. So we be rid of them, do with 'em
what thou wilt.

And now to Paris, in this conquering vein;
All will be our's, now bloody Talbot's slain.
[Exeunt.

ACT V.

SCENE I.-London.-A Room in the Palace.
Enter King HENRY, GLOSTER, and EXETER.
K. Hen. Have you perus'd the letters from
the pope,

The emperor and the earl of Armagnac ?
Glo. I have, my lord; and their intent is
this,-

They humbly sue unto your excellence,
To have a godly peace concluded of,
Between the realins of England and of France.
K. Hen. How doth your grace affect their
motion 1

Glo. Well, my good lord; and as the only

means

To stop effusion of our Christian blood,
And 'stablish quietness on every side.

K. Hen. Ay, marry, uncle; for I always
thought,

It was both impious and unnatural,
That such immanity and bloody strife
Should reigu among professors of one faith

Glo. Beside, my lord,-the sooner to ellect,
And surer bind, this knot of amity,-
The earl of Armagnac, near knit to Charles,
A man of great authority in France,-
Proffers his only daughter to your grace

[u

marriage, with a large and sumptaons dowry.

K. Hen. Marriage, uncle! alas, my years
are young;

And fitter is my study and my books,
Than wanton dalliance with a paramour.

Va-Yet, call the ambassadors; and, as you please,
So let them have their answers every one:
I shall be well content with any choice,
Tends to God's glory, and my country's weal
Enter a LEGATE, and two AMBASSADORS, with
WINCHESTER, in a Cardinal's Habit.
E.ce. What is my lord of Winchester in-
stail'd,

Alton,

Lord Cromwell of Wingfield, lord Furnival

of

Sheffield,

The thrice victorious lord of Falconbridge;
Knight of the noble order of Saint George,
Worthy saint Michael, and the golden fleece;
Great mareschal to Henry the sixth,

Of all his wars within the realm of France ?
Puc. Here is a silly stately style indeed!
The Turk, that two and fifty kingdoms hath,
Writes not so tedious a style as this.-
Him, that thou magnifiest with all these titles,
Stinking, and fly-blown, lies here at our feet.
Lucy. Is Talbot slain; the Frenchmen's only

Scourge,

Your kingdom's terror and black Nemesis ?
O were mine eye-balls into bullets turn'd,
That I, in rage, might shoot them at your

faces !

O that I could but call these dead to life!
It were enough to fright the realm of France:
Were but his picture left among you here,
It would amaze the proudest of you all.
Give me their bodies; that I may bear them
hence,

And give them burial as beseems their worth.
Puc. I think, this upstart is old Talbot's
ghost,

He speaks with such a proud commanding

spirit.

For God's sake, let him have 'em to keep

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HENRY VI

The sum of money, which I promised
Should he deliver'd to his holiness
For clothing me in these grave ornaments.
Leg. I will attend upon your lordship's lei-

sure.

Win. Now, Winchester will not submit I trow,

Or be inferior to the proudest peer.

Humphrey of Gloster, thou shalt well perceive,
That, neither in birth, or for authority,
The bishop will be overborne by thee:

have redress ?-My body shall
Pay recompense, if you will grant my suit.
[They shake their heads.
Cannot my body, nor blood-sacrifice,
Entreat you to your wouted furtherance?
Then take my soul; my body, soul, and all,
Before that England give the French the foil.
[They depart.
Now the time is come,
See! they forsake me.
That France must vail her lofty-plumed crest,
And let her head fall into England's lap.

P' either make thee stoop, and bend thy My ancient incantations are too weak,
knee,

Or sack this country with a mutiny.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.-France.-Plains in Anjou.

Enter CHARLES, BURGUNDY, ALENÇON, LA
PUCELLE, and Forces marching.

Char. These news, my lords, may cheer our
drooping spirits:

'Tis said, the stout Parisians do revolt,
And turn again unto the warlike French.
Alen. Then march to Paris, royal Charles of
France,

And keep not back your powers in dalliance.
Puc. Peace be amongst them, if they turn

to us;

Else, ruin combat with their palaces!

Enter a MESSENGER.

Mess. Success unto our valiant general,
And happiness to his accomplices !
Char. What tidings send our scouts? I pr'y.
thee, speak.

Mess. The English army, that divided was
Into two parts, is now conjoin'd in one;
And means to give you battle presently.

Char. Somewhat too sudden, Sirs, the warn-
ing is;

But we will presently provide for them.

Bur. I trust the ghost of Talbot is not there;

Now he is gone, my lord, you need not fear. Puc. Of all base passions, fear is most curs'd:

And hell too strong for me to buckle with
Now, France, thy glory droopeth to the dust.

[Exit. Alarums. Enter French and English, fighting. LA PUCELLE and YORK fight hand to hand. LA PUCELLE is taken. The French fly.

York. Damsel of France, I think I have you
fast:
Unchain your spirits now with spelling charms,
And try if they can gain your liberty.-
A goodly prize, fit for the devil's grace!
See, how the ugly witch doth bend her brows,
As if, with Circe, she would change my shape.
Puc. Chang'd to a worser shape thou canst
not be.

York. O Charles the Dauphin is a proper

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Enter SUFFOLK, Leading in Lady
MARGARET.
Suff. Be what thou wilt, thou art my prisoner.
[Gazes on her.

ac-
O fairest beauty, do not fear, nor fly;
For I will touch thee but with reverent hands,
And lay them gently on thy tender side.

Command the conquest, Charles, it shall be
thine;

Let Henry fret, and all the world repine.
Char. Then on, my lords; And France be for
[Exeunt.

tunate!

SCENE III.-The same.-Before Angiers.
Enter LA PUCELLE.
Alarums: Excursions.
Puc. The regent conquers, and the French-
men fly.-

Now help, ye charming spells, and periapts; *
And ye choice spirits that admonish me,
And give me signs of future accidents !

[Thunder.

You speedy helpers, that are substitutes
Under the lordly monarch of the north, t
Appear, and aid me in this enterprize!
Enter Fiends.

This speedy quick appearance argues proof
of your accustom'd diligence to me.
Now, ye familiar spirits, that are cull'd
Out of the powerful regions under earth,
Help me this once, that France may get the field.
[They walk about and speak not.

O hold me not with silence over-long!
Where I was wont to feed you with my blood,
1'li lop a member off, and give it you,
In earnest of a further benefit;

So you do condescend to help me now.-
[They hang their heads.

Charms sowed up of these, the first chapter of
St. Joba's gospel was deemed the most efficacious.

The north was supposed to be the particular habitaœion of had spirits.

I kiss these fingers [Kissing her hand.] for eternal peace:

Who art thou? say, that I may honour thee. Mar. Margaret my name; and daughter to a king,

The king of Naples, whosoe'er thou art.

Suff. An earl I am, and Suffolk am I call'd.
Be not offended, nature's miracle,
Thou art allotted to be ta'en by me:
So doth the swan her downy cygnets save,
Keeping the prisoners underneath her wings.
Yet, if this servile usage once offend,
Go, and be free again as Suffolk's friend.
[She turns away as going.
O stay!-I have no power to let her pass;
My hand would free her, but my heart says-

no.

As plays the sun upon the glassy streams,
Twinkling another counterfeited beam,
So seems this gorgeous beauty to mine eyes.
Fain would I woo her, yet I dare not speak :
I'll call for pen and ink, and write my mind:
Fie, De la Poole ! disable not thyself;
Hast not a tongue? is she not here thy pris-

oner?

Wilt thou be daunted at a woman's sight?
Ay; beauty's princely majesty is such,
Confounds the tongue, and makes the senses
rough.

Mar. Say earl of Suffolk,-if thy name be
80,-

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