KING Henry VI. Duke of Gloucester, Uncle to the King, and Protector. Duke of Bedford, Uncle to the King, and Regent of France. Cardinal Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester, and Uncle likewife to the King... Young Talbot, his Son. Richard Plantagenet, afterwards Duke of York. Woodvile, Lieutenant of the Tower. Lord Mayor of London. Vernon, of the White Rofe, or York Faction. Charles, Dauphin, and afterwards King of France. Duke of Alanfon. Baftard of Orleans. An old Shepherd, Father to Joan la Pucelle. Margaret, Daughter to Reignier, and afterwards Queen to King Henry. Joan la Pucelle, a Maid pretending to be infpir'd from Heaven, and fetting up for the Championess of France. Countess of Auvergne. Lords, Captains, Soldiers, Meffengers, and several Attendants both on the English and French. The SCENE is fartly in England, and partly in France. The The FIRST PART of King HENRY VI. ACT I. SCENE I. Dead March. Enter the Funeral of King Henry the Fifth, attended on by the Duke of Bedford, Regent of France; the Duke of Gloucefter, Protector; the Duke of Exeter, and the Earl of Warwick, the Bishop of Winchester, and the Duke of Somerset. H BEDFORD. UNG be the heav'ns with black, yield day to night! Comets, importing change of times and ftates, Brandifh your cryftal treffes in the sky, That have confented unto Henry's death: A 3 Glou. Glou. England ne'er had a King until his time: His brandifh'd fword did blind men with its beams; Exe. We mourn in black, why mourn we not in blood? Henry is dead, and never fhall revive: The church's pray'rs made him fo profperous. Glou. The church? where is it? had not church-men pray'd, His thread of life had not fo foon decay'd. Win. Glofter, whate'er we like, thou art Protector. Glou. Name not religion, for thou lov'ft the flesh, And ne'er throughout the year to church thou go'ft, Except it be to pray against thy foes. Bed. Bed. Ceafe, ceafe these jars, and reft your minds in peace: Let's to the altar: heralds, wait on us } Inftead of gold we'll offer up our arms, When at their mothers moift eyes babes fhall fuck, SCENE IL Enter a Meffenger. Meff. My honourable lords, health to you all, Paris, Guyfors, Poitiers, are all quite loft. Bed. What fay'ft thou man, before dead Henry's coarfe? Speak foftly, or the lofs of thofe great towns Will make him burft his lead, and rife from death. a nourish. + I can't guess the occafion of the Hemyftic, and imperfect Senfe, in this place; 'tis not impoffible it might have been fill'd up withFrancis Drake- tho that were a terrible Anachronism (as bad as He&tor's quoting Ariftotle in Troil, and Crefs.) yet perhaps, at the time that brave Englishman was in his glory, to an English-bearted audience, and pronounced by fome favourite Actor, the thing might be. popular, tho not judicious; and therefore by fome Critick, in favour of the author, afterwards ftruck out. But this is a mere flight conje&ture. If Henry were recall'd to life again, These news would caufe him once more yield the ghoft. Exe. How were they loft? what treachery was us'd ? Meff. No treachery, but want of men and mony.. Amongst the foldiers this is muttered, That here you maintain fev'ral factions; And whilst a field should be dispatch'd and fought, One would have lingring wars with little coft; Let not floth dim your honours, new-begot; Exe. Were our tears wanting to this funeral, SCENE III. Enter to them another Meffenger. 2 Meff. Lords, view thefe letters, full of bad mif chance. France is revolted from the English quite, Except fome petty towns of no import. The Dauphin Charles is crowned King in Rheims, The baftard Orleans with him is join'd: + England's. [Exit Exe.. |