Alen. We'll set thy statue in some holy place, And have thee reverenc'd like a blessed saint; Employ thee then, sweet virgin, for our good." 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 France,

And not have title to an earldom here.

Who join'st thou with, but with a lordly na-
That will not trust thee, but for profit's sake?
When Talbot hath set footing once in France,
And fashion'd thee that instrument of ill,
Who then, but English Henry, will be lord,
And thou be thrust out, like a fugitive?
Call we to mind,-and mark but this, for
proof;-

Was not the duke of Orleans thy foe?
And was he not in England prisoner?
But, when they heard he was thine enemy,
They set him free, without his ransom paid,
In spite of Burgundy, and all his friends.
See then! thou fight'st against thy countrymen,
And join'st with them will be thy slaughter-
[lord;

men,

Come, come, return; return, thou wand'ring Charles, and the rest, will take thee in their

arms.

Bur. I am vanquished; these haughty* words of hers

To bring this matter to the wished end.

[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 at a distance, TALBOT and his Forces.

There goes the Talbot, with his colours spread;
And all the troops of English after him.
A French March. Enter the duke of BURGUNDY
and Forces.

Now, in the rearward, comes the duke, and
his;
Fortune, in favour, make him lag behind.
Summon a parley, we will talk with him.
[A Parley sounded.
Char. A parley with the duke of Burgundy.
Bur. Who craves a parley with the Bur-
gundy?

Puc. The princely Charles of France, thy countryman.

Bur. What say'st thou, Charles? for I am marching hence.

Char. Speak, Pucelle; and enchant him with
thy words.

Puc. Brave Burgundy, undoubted hope of
France!

Stay, let thy humbie handmaid speak to thee.
Bur. Speak on; but be not over-tedious.
Puc. Look on thy country, look on fertile
France,

And see the cities and the towns defac'd
By wasting ruin of the cruel foe!

As looks the mother on her lowly babe,
When death doth close his tender dying eyes,
See, see,
the pining malady of France;
Behold the wounds, the most unnatural wounds,
Which thou thyself hast given her woful breast!
O, turn thy edged sword another way; [help!
Strike those that hurt, and hurt not those that
One drop of blood, drawn from thy country's
bosom,
[gore;
Should grieve thee more than streams of foreign
Return thee, therefore, with a flood of tears,
And wash away thy country's stained spots!
Bur. Either she hath bewitch'd me with
her words,

Or nature makes me suddenly relent.
Puc. Besides, all French and France exclaims
on thee,

And made me almost yield upon my knees.— Forgive me, country, and sweet countrymen! And, lords, accept this hearty kind embrace: My forces and my power of men are yours ;So, farewell, Talbot; I'll no longer trust thee. Puc. Done like a Frenchman, turn, and turn again!

Char. Welcome, brave duke! thy friendship makes us fresh.

Bast. And doth beget new courage in our breasts.

Alen. Pucelle hath bravely played her part in this,

And doth deserve a coronet of gold.

Char. Now let us on, my lords, and join our

SCENE IV.-Paris.-A Room in the Palace.

Enter King HENRY, GLOSTER, and other Lords, VERNON, BASSET, &c. To them TALEOT, and some of his Officers.

Tal. My gracious prince,-and honourable peers,

Hearing of your arrival in this realm,
I have a while given truce unto my wars,
To do my duty to my sovereign :
In sign whereof, this arm-that hath reclaim'd
To your obedience fifty fortresses, [strength,
Twelve cities, and seven walled towns of
Beside five hundred prisoners of esteem,-
Lets fall his sword before your highness' feet;
And, with submissive loyalty of heart,
Ascribes the glory of his conquest got,
First to my God, and next unto your grace.
K. Hen. Is this the lord Talbot, uncle Glos-

ter,

That hath so long been resident in France?
Glo. Yes, if it please your majesty, my liege.
K. Hen. Welcome, brave captain, and victo-
rious lord!
When I was young, (as yet I am not old,)
I do remember how my father said,
A stouter champion never handled sword.
Long since we were resolvedt of your truth,
Your faithful service, and your toil in war;
Yet never have you tasted our reward,
Or been reguerdon'd; with so much as thanks,
Because till now we never saw your face:

* Elevated. Confirmed in opinion. Rewarded.

Therefore, stand up; and, for these good deserts,

We here create you earl of Shrewsbury;
And in our coronation take your place.

[Exeunt King HENRY, GLOSTER, TALBOT,
and Nobles.

Ver. Now, Sir, to you, that were so hot at Disgracing of these colours, that I wear [sea, In honour of my noble lord of York,Dar'st thou maintain the former words thou spak'st?

Bas. Yes, Sir; as well as you dare patronage The envious barking of your saucy tongue Against my lord the duke of Somerset.

Ver. Sirrah, thy lord I honour as he is.
Bus. Why, what is he? as good a man as
York.

Ver. Hark ye; not so: in witness, take ye
that.
[Strikes him.
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 But I'll unto his majesty, and crave [blood. I may have liberty to 'venge this wrong; When thou shalt see, I'll meet thee to thy cost. 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 pretend* Malicious practices against his state: This shall ye do, so help you righteous God! [Exeunt Gov. and his Train.

Enter Sir JOHN FASTOLFE.

Fast. My gracious sovereign, as I rode from [Calais,

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!
[next,
I vow'd, base knight, when I did meet thee
To tear the garter from thy craven'st leg,
[Plucking it off.
(Which I have done) because unworthily
Thou wast installed in that high degree.-
Pardon me, princely Henry, and the rest:
This dastard, at the battle of Patay,
When but in all I was six thousand strong,
And that the French were almost ten to one,—
Before we met, or that a stroke was given,
Like to a trusty squire, did run away;
In which assault we lost twelve hundred men;
Myself, and divers gentlemen beside,
Were there surpris'd, and taken prisoners.
Then judge, great lords, if I have done amiss;
Or whether that such cowards ought to wear
This ornament of knighthood, yea, or no.

Glo. To say the truth, this fact was infamous,
And ill beseeming any common man;
Much more a knight, a captain, and a leader.
Tal. When first this order was ordain'd, my
lords,

Knights of the garter were of noble birth;
Valiant, and virtuous, full of haughty* courage,
Such as were grown to credit by the wars;
Not fearing death, nor shrinking for distress,
But always resolute in most extremes.t
He then, that is not furnish'd in this sort,
Doth but usurp the sacred name of knight,
Profaning this most honourable order;
And should (if I were worthy to be judge,)
Be quite degraded, like a hedge-born swain
That doth presume to boast of gentle blood.
K. Hen. Stain to thy countrymen! thou hear'st
thy doom:

Be packing therefore, thou that wast a knight; Henceforth we banish thee, on pain of death.[Exit FASTOLFE,

And now, my lord protector, view the letter
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
Pretend‡ some alteration in good will?
What's here?-I have, upon especial cause,-
[Reads.
Mov'd with compassion of my country's wreck,
Together with the pitiful complaints
Of such as your oppression feeds upon,-
Forsaken your pernicious faction, [France.
And join'd with Charles, the rightful king of
O monstrous treachery! Can this be so;
That in alliance, amity, and oaths, [guile?
There should be found such false dissembling
K. Hen. What! doth my uncle Burgundy

revolt?

Glo. He doth, my lord; and is become your foe.

K. Hen. Is that the worst, this letter doth contain?

Glo. It is the worst, and all, my lord, he writes.

K. Hen. Why then, lord Talbot there shall talk with him,

And give him chastisement for this abuse:My lord, how say you? are not you content? Tal. Content, my liege? Yes; but that I am prevented, [ploy'd. I should have begg'd I might have been emK. Hen. Then gather strength, and march unto him straight: [son; Let him perceive, how ill we brook his treaAnd what offence it is, to flout his friends. Tal. I go, my lord; in heart desiring still, You may behold confusion of your foes. [Exit.

Enter VERNON and BASSET.

Ver. Grant me the combat, gracious sovereign!

Bas. And me, my lord, grant me the combat

And wherefore crave you combat? or with whom?

Ver. With him, my lord; for he hath done me wrong.

wrong.

K. Hen. What is that wrong whereof you both complain?

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 repugn* 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: For though he seem, with forged quaint conTo set a gloss upon his bold intent, [ceit, Yet know, my lord, I was provok'd by him; And he first took exceptions at this badge, Pronouncing-that the paleness of this flower Bewray'd the faintness of my master's heart. York. Will not this malice, Somerset, be left?

Som. Your private grudge, my lord of York, will out,

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,
Such factious emulations shall arise!-
Good cousins both, of York and Somerset,
Quiet yourselves, I pray, and be at peace.
York. Let this dissention 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, So-

merset.

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
To bear with their perverse objections; [well,
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 combatants: [favour, Henceforth, I charge you, as you love our Quite to forget this quarrel, and the cause.And you, my lords,-remember where we are; In France, amongst a fickle wavering nation: If they perceive dissention in our looks, And that within ourselves we disagree, How will their grudging stomachs be provok'd To wilful disobedience, and rebel? Beside, What infamy will there arise, When foreign princes shall be certified,

* Resist.

My tender years; and let us not forego
That for a trifle, that was bought with blood!
Let me be umpire in this doubtful strife.
I see no reason, if I wear this rose,

[Putting on a red Rose.
That any one should therefore be suspicious
I more incline to Somerset, than York:
Both are my kinsmen, and I love them both:
As well they may upbraid me with my crown,
Because, forsooth, the king of Scots is crown'd.
But your discretions better can persuade,
Than I am able to instruct or teach:
And therefore, as we hither came in peace,
So let us still continue peace and love.-
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;-
[tors,
And, like true subjects, sons of your progeni-
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;
From thence to England; where I hope ere
To be presented, by your victories,
With Charles, Alençon, and that traitorous

rout.

[long

[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.
War. Tush! that was but his fancy, blame
[harm.
I dare presume, sweet prince, he thought no
York. And, if I wist, he did,-But let it
rest;

him not;

Other affairs must now be managed.

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

thy voice:

For, had the passions of thy heart burst ont, I fear we should have seen decipher'd there More rancorous spite, more furious raging Than yet can be imagin'd or suppos'd. [broils, 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; [sion; But more, when envyt breeds unkindt diviThere comes the ruin, there begins confusion. [Exit.

SCENE II.-France.-Before Bourdeaux. Enter TALBOT, with his Forces. Tal. Go to the gates of Bourdeaux, trumpeter, Summon their general unto the wall. Trumpet sounds a Parley. 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, 'Tis strange, or wonderful.

↑ Unnatural.

Be humble to us; call my sovereign yours,
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 you forsake the offer of their love.

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

To 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-
To rive their dangerous artillery [ment,
Upon no Christian soul but English Talbot.
Lo! there thou stand'st, a breathing valiant
Of an invincible unconquer'd spirit: [man,
This is the latest glory of thy praise,
That I, 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,
Shall see thee wither'd, bloody, pale, and dead.
[Drum afar off.
Hark! hark! the Dauphin's drum, a warning
Sings heavy music to thy timorous soul; [bell,
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 heedless 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:+
Not 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,

friends.

my

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 MESSENGER. 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, [power, That he is march'd to Bourdeaux with his 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 Somerse 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 Never so needful on the earth of France, strength, 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

Doth stop my cornets-were in Talbot's place!
So should we save a valiant gentleman,
Mad ire, and wrathful fury, makes me weep,
By forfeiting a traitor and a coward.
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 mourn, France smiles; we lose, they daily All 'long of this vile traitor Somerset. [get; Lucy. Then, God take mercy on brave TalAnd on his son, young John; whom two hours [since,

bot's soul!

This seven years did not Talbot see his son; And now they meet where both their lives are

I met in travel toward his warlike father!

done.t

away,

'Long all of Somerset, and his delay. [Exit.
Lucy. Thus, while the vulture of sedition
Feeds in the bosom of such great commanders,
The conquest of our scarce-cold conqueror,
Sleeping neglection doth betray to loss
Henry the fifth-Whiles they each other cross,
That ever-living man of memory,
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

name.

Offi. Here is Sir William Lucy, who with me Set from our o'er-match'd forces forth for åid.

Vanquished, baffled + Expended, consumed.
Alluding to the tale of Prometheus.

Enter Sir WILLIAM LUCY.

Som. How now, Sir William? whither were you sent?

Lucy. Whither, my lord? from bought and sold lord Talbot;*

Who, ring'd aboutt with bold adversity,
Cries out for noble York and Somerset,
To beat assailing death from his weak legions.
And whiles the honourable captain there
Drops bloody sweat from his war-wearied
limbs,

And, in advantage ling'ring, looks for rescue,
You, his false hopes, the trust of England's

honour,

Keep off aloof with worthless emulation.
Let not your private discord keep away
The levied succours that should lend him aid,
While he, renowned noble gentleman,
Yields up his life unto a world of odds:
Orleans the Bastard, Charles, and Burgundy,
Alençon, Reignier, compass him about,
And Talbot perisheth by your default.

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 had the horse:

I owe him little duty, and less love; [ing. And take foul scorn, to fawn on him by sendLucy. The fraud of England, not the force

of France,

Hath now entrapp'd the noble-minded Talbot:
Never to England shall he bear his life;
But dies, betrayed 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 adieu! Lucy. His fame lives in the world, his shame [Exeunt.

in you.

SCENE V.-The English Camp, near Bourdeaux.

Enter TALBOT und JOHN his Son. Tal. O young John Talbot! I did send for To tutor thee in stratagems of war; [thee, 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 thou art come unto a feast of death,‡ A terrible and unavoided danger: [horse; Therefore, dear boy, mount on my swiftest And I'll direct thee how thou shalt escape By sudden flight: come, dally not, be gone. John. Is my name Taibot? and am I your son?

And shall I fly? O, if you love my mother,
Dishonour not her honourable name,
To make a bastard and a slave of me:
The world will say-He is not Talbot's blood,
That basely fled, when noble Talbot stood.
Tal. Fly, to revenge my death, if I be slain.
John. He, that flies so, will ne'er return
again.

Tal. If we both stay, we both are sure to die. John. Then let me stay; and, father, do 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 yours they will, in you all hopes are lost.
But mine it will, that no exploit have done:
Flight cannot stain the honour you have won;
You fled for vantage every one will swear;
But, if I bow, they'll say-it was for fear.
If, the first hour, I shrink, and run away.
There is no hope that ever I will stay,
Here, on my knee, I beg mortality,
Rather than life preserv'd with infamy.
Tal. Shall all thy mother's hopes lie in one
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 toe. Tal. Part of thy father may be sav'd in thee. John. No part of him, but will be shame in

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.

Tal. Then here I take my leave of thee, fair [son, Born to eclipse thy life this afternoon. Come, side by side together live and die; And soul with soul from France to heaven fly. [Exeunt.

SCENE VI.-A Field of Battle. Alarum: Excursions, wherein TALBOT's Son is hemmed about, and TALBOT rescues him. Tal. Saint George and victory! fight, soldiers,

fight:

The regent hath with Talbot broke his word, And left us to the rage of France his sword. Where is John Talbot?-pause, and take thy breath;

son:

I gave thee life, and rescu'd thee from death. John. O twice my father! twice am I thy [done; The life, thou gav'st me first, was lost and Till with thy warlike sword, despite of fate, To my determin'dt time thou gav'st new date.

Tal. When from the Dauphin's crest thy

sword struck fire,

It warm'd thy father's heart with proud desire Of bold fac'd victory. Then leaden age, Quicken'd with youthful spleen, and warlike

rage,

+ Encircled. To a field where death will be feasted with slaughter. For unavoidable.