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Bur. They are then excused, my lord, when they | Issue to me: that the contending kingdoms see not what they do. Of France and England, whose very shores look pale

K. Hen. Then, good my lord, teach your cousin to consent to winking.

Bur. I will wink on her to consent, my lord, if you will teach her to know my meaning: for maids, well suminered and warm kept, are like flies at Bartholomew-tide, blind, though they have their eyes; and then they will endure handling, which before would not abide looking on.

K. Hen. This moral ties me over to time, and a hot summer; and so I will catch the fly, your cousin, in the latter end, and she must be blind too. Bur. As love is, my lord, before it loves. K. Hen. It is so: and you may, some of you, thank love for my blindness; who cannot see many a fair French city, for one fair French maid that stands in my way.

Fr. King. Yes, my lord, you see them perspectively, the cities turned into a maid; for they are all girdled with maiden walls, that war hath never

entered.

K. Hen. Shall Kate be my wife?
Fr. King. So please you.

K. Hen. I am content; so the maiden cities you talk of, may wait on her: so the maid, that stood in the way of my wish, shall show me the way to my will.

Fr. King. We have consented to all terms of

reason.

K. Hen. Is't so, my lords of England?
West. The king hath granted every article:
His daughter, first; and then, in sequel, all,
According to their firm proposed natures.

Exe. Only, he hath not yet subscribed this:Where your majesty demands,-That the king of France having any occasion to write for matter of grant, shall name your highness in this form, and with this addition, in French,-Notre très cher filz Henry, roy d'Angleterre héritier de France; and thus in Latin,-Præclarissimus filius noster Henricus, rex Angliæ, & hæres Francia.

Fr. King. Nor this I have not, brother, so denied, But your request shall make me let it pass.

K. Hen. I pray you, then, in love and dear alli

ance,

Let that one article rank with the rest:
And, thereupon, give me your daughter.

With envy of each other's happiness,
May cease their hatred; and this dear conjunction
Plant neighborhood and Christian-like accord
In their sweet bosoms, that never war advance
His bleeding sword 'twixt England and fair France.
All. Amen!

K. Hen. Now welcome, Kate:-and bear me wit-
ness all,

That here I kiss her as my sovereign queen.

[Flourish.

Q. Isa. God, the best maker of all marriages,
Combine your hearts in one, your realms in one!
As man and wife, being two, are one in love,
So be there 'twixt your kingdoms such a spousal,
That never may ill office, or fell jealousy,
Which troubles oft the bed of blessed marriage,
Thrust in between the paction of these kingdoms,
To inake divorce of their incorporate league;
That English may as French, French Englishmen,
Receive each other!-God speak this Amen!
All. Amen!

K. Hen. Prepare we for our marriage:-on which
day,
My lord of Burgundy, we'll take your oath,
And all the peers', for surety of our leagues.-
Then shall I swear to Kate, and you to me!
And may our oaths well kept and prosp'rous be!
[Exeunt.

Enter CHORUS.

Thus far, with rough, and all unable pen,
Our bending author hath pursu'd the story;
In little room confining mighty men,

Small time, but, in that small, most greatly liv'd
Mangling by starts the full course of their glory.
This star of England: fortune made his sword;
By which the world's best garden he achiev'd,
And of it left his son imperial lord.

Henry the sixth, in infant bands crown'd king
Of France and England, did this crown succeed;
Whose state so many had the managing,

That they lost France, and made his England
bleed:

Which oft our stage hath shown; and for their sake,

Fr. King. Take her, fair son; and from her blood In your fair minds let this acceptance take. [Exit.

raise up

•Application.

7i. e. Unequal to the weight of the subject. France.

FIRST PART OF

KING HENRY VI.

KING HENRY THE SIXTH.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

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SIR WILLIAM GLANDSDALE.
SIR THOMAS GARGRAVE.
Mayor of London.

WOODVILLE, Lieutenant of the Tower.
VERNON, of the White Rose, or York Faction.
BASSET, of the Red Rose, or Lancaster Faction.
CHARLES, Dauphin, and afterwards King of France.
REIGNIER, Duke of Anjou, and titular King of
Naples.
DUKE OF BURGUNDY.
DUKE OF ALENÇON.
Governor of Paris.
Bastard of Orleans.

Muster-Gunner of Orleans, and his Son.
General of the French Forces in Bourdeaux.
A French Sergeant.

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SCENE, partly in England, and partly in France.

ACT I.

SCENE I.-Westminster Abbey. Dead March. Corpse of KING HENRY THE FIFTH discovered, lying in state; attended on by the DUKES OF BEDFORD, GLOSTER, and EXETER; the EARL OF WARWICK, the BISHOP OF WINCHESTER, Heralds, &c.

Bed. Hung be the heavens with black, yield day
to night!

Comets, importing change of times and states,
Brandish your crystal tresses in the sky;
And with them scourge the bad revolting stars,
That have consented unto Henry's death!
Henry the Fifth, too famous to live long!
England ne'er lost a king of so much worth.

Glo. England ne'er had a king until his time.
Virtue he had, deserving to command:
His brandish'd sword did blind men with his beams;
His arms spread wider than a dragon's wings;
His sparkling eyes, replete with wrathful fire,
More dazzled and drove back his enemies,
Than mid-day sun, fierce bent against their faces.
What should I say? his deeds exceed all speech,
He ne'er lift up his hand, but conquered.

Exe. We mourn in black; Why mourn we not

in blood?

Henry is dead, and never shall revive:

Upon a wooden coffin we attend;
And death's dishonorable victory
We will our stately presence glorify,
Like captives bound to a triumphant car.
What? shall we curse the planets of mishap,
That plotted thus our glory's overthrow?
Or shall we think the subtle-witted French
By magic verses1 have contrived his end?
Conjurers and sorcerers, that, afraid of him,
Win. He was a king bless'd of the King of
kings.

Unto the French the dreadful judgment-day
So dreadful will not be, as was his sight.
The battles of the Lord of hosts he fought:
The church's prayers made him so prosperous.
Glo. The church! where is it? Had not church-

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Bed. Cease, cease these jars, and rest your minds
in peace!

Let's to the altar:-Heralds, wait on us:-
Instead of gold, we'll offer up our arms;
Since arms avail not, now that Henry's dead.-
Posterity, await for wretched years,

When at their mothers' moist eyes babes shall suck;
Our isle be made a nourish of salt tears,
And none but women left to wail the dead.-
Henry the Fifth! thy ghost I invocate;
Prosper this realm, keep it from civil broils!
Combat with adverse planets in the heavens!
A far more glorious star thy soul will make,
Than Julius Cæsar, or bright.-

Glo. Name not religion, for thou lov'st the flesh, | By three-and-twenty thousand of the French And ne'er throughout the year to church thou go'st, Was round encompassed and set upon; No leisure had he to enrank his men; Except it be to pray against thy foes. He wanted pikes to set before his archers; Instead whereof, sharp stakes, pluck'd out of hedges, They pitched in the ground confusedly, To keep the horsemen off from breaking in. More than three hours the fight continued; Where valiant Talbot, above human thought, Enacted wonders with his sword and lance. Hundreds he sent to hell, and none durst stand him, Here, there, and every where, enraged he slew: The French exclaim'd the devil was in arms; All the whole army stood agaz'd on him: His soldiers, spying his undaunted spirit, A Talbot! a Talbot! cried out amain, And rush'd into the bowels of the battle. Here had the conquest fully been sealed up, If sir John Fastolie had not play'd the coward; He being in the vaward (placed behind With purpose to relieve and follow them,) Cowardly fled, not having struck one stroke. Hence grew the general wreck and massacre; Enclosed were they with their enemies: A base Walloon, to win the dauphin's grace, Thrust Talbot with a spear into the back; Whom all France, with their chief assembled strength, Durst not presume to look once in the face.

Enter a Messenger.

Mess. My honorable lords, health to you all!
Sad tidings bring I to you out of France,
Of loss, of slaughter, and discomfiture:
Guienne, Champaigne, Rheims, Orleans,
Paris, Guysors, Poictiers, are all quite lost.
Bed. What say'st thou, man, before dead Henry's
corse?

Speak softly; or the loss of those great towns
Will make him burst his lead, and rise from death.
Glo. Is Paris lost? is Rouen yielded up?
If Henry were recall'd to life again,
These news would cause him once more yield the
ghost.

Exe. How were they lost? what treachery was

us'd?

Mess. No treachery; but want of men and money.
Among the soldiers this is muttered,-
That here you maintain several factions;
And, whilst a field should be despatch'd and fought,
You are disputing of your generals.

One would have lingering wars with little cost;
Another would fly swift, but wanteth wings;
A third man thinks, without expense at all,
By guileful fair words peace may be obtain'd.
Awake, awake, English nobility!

Let not sloth dim your honors, new-begot:
Cropp'd are the flower-de-luces in your arms;
Of England's coat one half is cut away.

Exe. Were our tears wanting to this funeral,
These tidings would call forth her flowing dides.
Bed. Me they concern; regent I am of France:-
Give me my steeled coat, I'll fight for France.-
Away with these disgraceful wailing robes!
Wounds I will lend the French, instead of eyes,
To weep their intermissive miseries."

Enter another Messenger.

Bed. Is Talbot slain? then I will slay myself,
For living idly here, in pomp and ease,
Whilst such a worthy leader, wanting aid,
Unto his dastard foe-man is betray'd.

3 Mess. O no, he lives; but is took prisoner, And lord Scales with him, and lord Hungerford; Most of the rest slaughter'd, or took likewise.

Bed. His ransom there is none but I shall pay:
I'll hale the dauphin headlong from his throne,
His crown shall be the ransom of my friend;
Four of their lords I'll change for one of ours.-
Farewell, my masters; to my task will I;
Bonfires in France forthwith I am to make,
To keep our great saint George's feast withal:
Ten thousand soldiers with me I will take,
Whose bloody deeds shall make all Europe quake.
3 Mess. So you had need; for Orleans is besieg'd;
The English army is grown weak and faint:
The earl of Salisbury craveth supply,
And hardly keeps his men from mutiny,
Since they, so few, watch such a multitude.
Exe. Remember, lords, your oaths to Harry

sworn;

Either to quell the dauphin utterly,

Or bring him in obedience to your yoke.
Bed. I do remember it; and here take leave,
To go about my preparation.

[Exit.

Glo. I'll to the Tower, with all the haste I can,

2 Mess. Lords, view these letters, full of bad To view the artillery and munition;

mischance,

France is revolted from the English quite;
Except some petty towns of no import:
The dauphin Charles is crowned king in Rheims;
The bastard of Orleans with him is join'd;
Reignier, duke of Anjou, doth take his part;
The duke of Alençon flieth to his side.
Exe. The dauphin crowned king! all fly to him!
O, whither shall we fly from this reproach?
Glo. We will not fly, but to our enemies' throats:
Bedford, if thou be slack, I'll fight it out.
Bed. Gloster, why doubt'st thou of my forward-
ness?

Ar army have I muster'd in my thoughts,
Wherewith already France is over-run.

Enter a third Messenger.

3 Mess. My gracious lords,-to add to your la

ments,

Wherewith you now bedew king Henry's hearse,
I must inform you of a dismal fight,
Betwixt the stout lord Talbot and the French.
Win. What! wherein Talbot overcome? is't so?
3 Mess. O, no; wherein lord Talbot was o'er-
thrown;

The circumstance I'll tell you more at large.
The tenth of August last, this dreadful lord,
Retiring from the siege of Orleans,
Having full scarce six thousand in his troop,

2 Nurse was anciently so spelt.

And then I will proclaim young Henry king.

[Exit.

[Exit.
Exe. To Eltham will I, where the young king is,
Being ordain'd his special governor;
And for his safety there I'll best devise.
Win. Each hath his place and function to attend:
I am left out; for me nothing remains.
But long I will not be Jack-out-of-otlice;
The king from Eltham I intend to send,
And sit at chiefest stern of public weal.

[Exit.

SCENE II.-France. Before Orleans.
Enter CHARLES, with his Forces; ALENÇON, REIG
NIER, and others.

Char. Mars his true moving, even as in the hea.
vens,
So in the earth, to this day is not known:
Late did he shine upon the English side;
Now we are victors, upon us he smiles.
What towns of any moment, but we have?
At pleasure here we lie, near Orleans;
Other whiles, the famish'd English, like pale ghosts,
Faintly beseige us one hour in a month.

Alen. They want their porridge, and their fat
bull-beeves:

Either they must be dieted like mules,
And have their provender tied to their mouths,
Or piteous they will look, like drowned mice.
Reig. Let's raise the seige: Why live we idly here?
Remaineth none but mad-brain'd Salisbury;

3i. e. Their miseries which have had only a short Talbot is taken whom we wont to fear: intermission.

And he may well in fretting spend his gall, Nor men, nor money, hath he to make war.

And, whereas I was black and swart before, With those clear rays which she infus'd on me,

Char. Sound, sound alarum; we will rush on That beauty am I bless'd with, which you see.

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Alarums; Excursions; afterwards a Retreat. Re-enter CHARLES, ALENÇON, REIGNIER, and others. Char. Who ever saw the like? what men have I?Dogs! cowards! dastards!-I would ne'er have fled, But, that they left me 'midst my enemies.

Reig. Salisbury is a desperate homicide;
He fighteth as one weary of his life.
The other lords, like lions wanting food,

Do rush upon us as their hungry prey.4

Ask me what question thou canst possible,
And I will answer unpremeditated:
My courage try by combat, if thou dar'st,
And thou shalt find that I exceed my sex.
Resolve on this: Thou shalt be fortunate,
If thou receive me for thy warlike mate.
Char. Thou hast astonish'd me with thy high

terms;

Only this proof I'll of thy valor make,-
In single combat thou shalt buckle with me:
And, if thou vanquishest, thy words are true;
Otherwise, I renounce all confidence.

Puc. I am prepared: here is my keen-edg'd sword,
Deck'd with five flower-de-luces on each side;
The which at Touraine, in saint Katharine's church-
yard,

Alen. Froissard, a countryman of ours, records, Out of a deal of old iron I chose forth.

England all Olivers and Rowlands bred,

During the time Edward the Third did reign.
More truly now may this be verified;

For none but Samsons, and Goliasses,
It sendeth forth to skirmish. One to ten!
Lean raw-bon'd rascals! who would e'er suppose
They had such courage and audacity?

Char. Let's leave this town; for they are hairbrain'd slaves,

And hunger will enforce them to be more eager;
Of old I know them; rather with their teeth
The walls they'll tear down, then forsake the seige.
Reig. I think by some odd gimmals or device,
Their arms are set, like clocks, still to strike on;
Else ne'er could they hold out so, as they do.
By my consent, we'll e'en let them alone.
Alen. Be it so.

Enter the Bastard of Orleans.

Bast. Where's the prince dauphin? I have news for him.

Char. Bastard of Orleans, thrice welcome to us. Bast. Methinks, your looks are sad, your cheer1

appall'd;

Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence?
Be not dismay'd, for succor is at hand:

A holy maid hither with me I bring,

Which, by a vision sent to her from heaven,
Ordained is to raise this tedious siege,

And drive the English forth the bounds of France.
The spirit of deep prophecy she hath,
Exceeding the nine sibyls of old Rome;
What's past, and what's to come, she can descry.
Speak, shall I call her in? Believe my words,
For they are certain and unfallible.

Char. Go, call her in: [Exit Bastard.] But, first,
to try her skill,

Reignier, stand thou as dauphin in my place: Question her proudly, let thy looks be stern:— By this means shall we sound what skill she hath. [Retires. Enter LA PUCELLE, Bastard of Orleans, and others. Reig. Fair maid, is't thou wilt do these wond'rous feats?

Puc. Reignier, is't thou that thinkest to beguile
me?-

Where is the dauphin?-come, come from behind;
I know thee well, though never seen before.
Be not amaz'd, there's nothing hid from me:
In private will I talk with thee apart :-
Stand back, you lords, and give us leave a while.
Reig. She takes upon her bravely at first dash.
Puc. Dauphin, I am by birth a shepherd's
daughter,

My wit untrain'd in any kind of art.
Heaven, and our lady gracious, hath it pleas'd
To shine on my contemptible estate:
Lo, whilst I waited on my tender lambs,
And to sun's parching heat display'd my cheeks,
God's mother deigned to appear to me;
And, in a vision full of majesty,

Will'd me to leave my base vocation,
And free my country from calamity:
Her aid she promis'd and assur'd success:
In complete glory she reveal'd herself;

4i. e. The prey for which they are hungry.

A gimmal is a piece of joined work, where one piece moves within another; here it is taken at large for an engine. This was not in former times a term of reproach. 7 Countenance.

Char. Then come o'God's name, I fear no woman. Puc. And, while I live, I'll ne'er fly from a man. [They fight. Char. Stay, stay thy hands; thou art an Amazon, And fightest with the sword of Deborah. Puc. Christ's mother helps me, else I were too weak.

Char. Whoe'er helps thee, 'tis thou that must help me:

Impatiently I burn with thy desire;

My heart and hands thou hast at once subdu'd.
Excellent Pucelle, if thy name be so,
Let me thy servant, and not sovereign, be;
'Tis the French dauphin sueth to thee thus.

Puc. I must not yield to any rites of love,
For my profession's sacred from above:
When I have chased all thy foes from hence,
Then will I think upon a recompense.

Char. Meantime, look gracious on thy prostrate

thrall.

Reig. My lord, methinks, is very long in talk. Alen. Doubtless he shrives this woman to her smock;

Else ne'er could he so long protract his speech. Reig. Shall we disturb him, since he keeps no mean?

Alen. He may mean more than we poor men do know.

These women are shrewd tempters with their tongues.

Reig. My lord, where are you? what devise you on? Shall we give over Orleans, or no?

Puc. Why, no, I say, distrustful recreants! Fight till the last gasp; I will be your guard. Char. What she says, I'll confirm; we'll fight it out. Puc. Assign'd am I to be the English scourge. This night the siege assuredly I'll raise: Expect saint Martin's summer' halcyon days, Since I have entered into these wars. Glory is like a circle in the water, Which never ceaseth to enlarge itself, Till, by broad spreading, it disperse to nought. With Henry's death, the English circle ends; Dispersed are the glories it included. Now am I like that proud insulting ship, Which Cæsar and his fortune bare at once.

Char. Was Mahomet inspired with a dove? Thou with an eagle art inspired then. Helen, the mother of great Constantine, Nor yet saint Philip's daughters, were like thee. Bright star of Venus, fall'n down on the earth, How may I reverently worship thee enough?

Alen. Leave off delays, and let us raise the siege. Reig. Woman, do what thou canst to save our honors;

Drive them from Orleans, and be immortaliz'd. Char. Presently we'll try:-Come, let's away about it:

No prophet will I trust if she prove false. [Exeunt. SCENE III.-London. Hill before the Tower. Enter, at the Gates, the DUKE OF GLOSTER, with his Serving-men, in blue Coats.

Glo. I am come to survey the Tower this day; Since Henry's death, I fear, there is conveyance.

8 Be firmly persuaded of it.
Expect prosperity after misfortune.

1 Meaning the four daughters of Philip mentioned in Acts, xxi. 9. & Theft.

Where be these warders, that they wait not here? pen the gates; Gloster it is that calls. [Servants knock. 1 Ward. [Within.] Who is there that knocks so imperiously? 1 Serv. It is the noble duke of Gloster.

2 Ward. [Within.] Whoe'er he be, you may not be let in.

Serv. Answer you so the lord protector, villains? 1 Ward. [Within.] The Lord protect him! so we answer him:

We do no otherwise than we are will'd.

Glo. Who willed you? or whose will stands, but mine?

There's none protector of the realm but I.-
Break up the gates, I'll be your warrantize:
Shall I be flouted thus by dunghill grooms?
Servants rush at the Tower Gates. Enter, to the
Gates, WOODVILLE, the Lieutenant.
Wood. [Within.] What noise is this? what trai-
tors have we here?

Glo. Lieutenant, is it you, whose voice I hear? Open the gates; here's Gloster, that would enter. Wood. [Within.] Have patience, noble duke; I may not open;

The cardinal of Winchester forbids:
From him I have express commandment,
That thou, nor none of thine, shall be let in.

Glo. Faint-hearted Woodville, prizest him 'fore me?

Arrogant Winchester? that haughty prelate,
Whom Henry our late sovereign, ne'er could brook?
Thou art no friend to God, or to the king:
Open the gates, or I'll shut thee out shortly.

1 Serv. Open the gates unto the lord protector; Or we'll burst them open, if that you come not quickly.

Enter WINCHESTER, attended by a Train of vants, in tawny Coats.

That seeks to overthrow religion,
Because he is protector of the realm:
And would have armor here out of the Tower,
To crown himself king, and suppress the prince.
Glo. I will not answer thee with words, but blows.
[Here they skirmish again.
May. Nought rests for me, in this tumultuous
strife,

But to make open proclamation:-
Come, officer; as loud as e'er thou canst.

Off. All manner of men, assembled here in arms
this day, against God's peace and the king's, we
charge and command you, in his highness' name
to repair to your several dwelling-places;
not to wear, handle, or use, any sword, weapor
or dagger, henceforward, upon pain of death.
Glo. Cardinal, I'll be no breaker of the law:

But we shall meet and break our minds at large.
Win. Gloster, we'll meet; to thy dear cost, be sure:
Thy heart-blood I will have, for this day's work.
May. I'll call for clubs, if you will not away:-
This cardinal is more haughty than the devil.
Glo. Mayor, farewell; thou dost but what thou
mayst.

Win. Abominable Gloster! guard thy head;
For I intend to have it ere long.

[Exeunt.

May. See the coast clear'd, and then we will

depart.

Good God! that nobles should such stomachs bear!
I myself fight not once in forty year. [Exeunt.
SCENE IV.-France. Before Orleans.
Enter on the Walls, the Master-Gunner, and his Son.
M. Gun. Sirrah, thou know'st how Orleans is
besieged;

And how the English have the suburbs won.
Son. Father, I know; and oft have shot at them,
Ser-Howe'er, unfortunate, I miss'd my aim.

Win. How now, ambitious Humphrey? what means this?

Glo. Piel'd priest, dost thou command me to be shut out?

Win. I do, thou most usurping proditor,
And not protector of the king or realin.

Glo. Stand back: thou manifest conspirator;
Thou that contriv'dst to murder our dead lord:
Thou, that giv'st whores indulgences to sin:
I'll canvass thee in thy broad cardinal's hat,
If thou proceed in this thy insolence.

Win. Nay, stand thou back, I will not budge a foot.
This be Damascus, be thou cursed Cain,
To slay thy brother Abel, if thou wilt.

Glo. I will not slay thee, but I'll drive thee back: Thy scarlet robes, as a child's bearing-cloth, I'll use, to carry thee out of this place.

Win. Do what thou dar'st; I beard thee to thy

face.

Glo. What? am I dar'd, and bearded to my face?

Draw, men, for all this privileged place; Blue-coats to tawny-coats. Priest, beware your beard;

[GLOSTER and his men attack the Bishop. I mean to tug it, and to cuff you soundly: Under my feet I stamp thy cardinal's hat; In spite of pope or dignities of church, Here by the cheeks I'll drag thee up and down. Win. Gloster, thou'lt answer this before the pope. Glo. Winchester goose, I cry-a rope! a rope! Now beat them hence: Why do you let them

stay!

Thee I'll chase hence, thou wolf in sheep's array.
Out, tawny coats!-out, scarlet hypocrite!
Here a great Tumult. In the midst of it, enter the
Mayor of London, and Officers.

May. Fye, lords! that you, being supreme magistrates,

Thus contumeliously should break the peace!
Glo. Peace, mayor; thou know'st little of my

wrongs:

Here's Beauford, that regards nor God nor king,
Hath here distrain'd the Tower to his use.
Win. Here's Gloster too, a foe to citizens;
One that still motions war, and never peace,
O'ercharging your free purses with large fines;
Alluding to his shaven crown. 4 Traitor. Sift.
A strumpet.
An allusion to the Bishop's habir.

M. Gun. But now thou shalt not. Be thou rul'd

by me:

Chief master-gunner am I of this town;
Something I must do, to procure me grace:
The prince's espials have informed me,
How the English, in the suburbs close intrench'd,
Wont, through a secret grate of iron bars
In yonder tower, to overpeer the city;
And thence discover, how, with most advantage,
They may vex us, with shot, or with assault.
To intercept this inconvenience,

A piece of ordnance 'gainst it I have placed;
And fully even these three days have I watch'd,
If I could see them. Now boy, do thou watch,
For I can stay no longer.

If thou spy'st any, run and bring me word;
And thou shalt find me at the governor's.

[Exit.

Son. Father, I warrant you; take you no care;
I'll never trouble you, if I may spy them.
Enter, in an upper Chamber of a Tower, the Lords
SALISBURY, and TALBOT, SIR WILLIAM GLANSDALE,
SIR THOMAS GARGRAVE, and others.

Sal. Talbot, my life, my joy, again return'd!
How wert thou handled, being prisoner?
Or by what means got'st thou to be releas'd?
Discourse, I pr'ythee, on this turret's top.

Tal. The duke of Bedford had a prisoner,
Called the brave lord Ponton de Santrailles;
For him I was exchanged and ransomed.
But with a baser man of arms by far,
Once, in contempt, they would have barter'd me:
Which I, disdaining, scorn'd; and craved death
Rather than I would be so piled esteem'd."
In fine, redeem'd I was as I desir'd.
But, O! the treacherous Fastolfe wounds my heart!
Whom with my bare fists I would execute,
If I now had him brought into my power.

Sal. Yet tell'st thou not, how thou wert enter

tain'd.

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