have their eyes; and then they will endure | May cease their hatred; and this dear conjunction handling, which before would not abide looking on. Plant neighbourhood and Christian-like accord K. Hen. This moral ties me over to time, and In their sweet bosoms, that never war advance a hot summer; and so I will catch the fly, your His bleeding sword 'twixt England and fair cousin, in the latter end, and she must be blind too. All. Amen! [France. Bur. As love is, my lord, before it loves. K. Hen. Now, welcome, Kate:-and bear me witness all, 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? 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 K., Hen. Is't so, my lords of England? [reason. 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 tres cher filz Henry roy d'Angleterre, heretier de France; and thus in Latin,-Præclarissimus filius noster Henricus, rex Angliæ, et hæres Francia. [nied, Fr. King. Nor this I have not, brother, so deBut your request shall make me let it pass. K. Hen. I pray you then, in love and dear Let that one article rank with the rest: [alliance, And, thereupon, give me your daughter. Fr. King. Take her, fair sou? and from her Issue to me: that the contending kingdoms 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 make divorce of their incorporate league ; That English may as French, French Englishmen, Receive each other!-God speak this Amen! All. Amen! [which day, K. Hen. Prepare we for our marriage:-on 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 prosperous bo! [exeunt. Enter Chorus. Thus far, with rough, and all unable pen, This star of England; fortune made his sword; Of France and England, did this king succeed; Whose state so many had the managing, [bleed : That they lost France, and made his England Which oft our stage has shown; and, for their sake, In your fair minds let this acceptance take. [ert KING HENRY VI. PART I. King Henry VI. DRAMATIS PERSONE. Duke of Gloster, Uncle to the King, and Protector. John Beaufort, Earl of Somerset; afterwards Duke, Earl of Warwick. Earl of Salisbury. Earl of Suffolk. Lord Talbot, afterwards Earl of Shrewsbury. Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March. Mortimer's Keeper, and a Lawyer. Sir John Fastolfe. Sir William Lucy. Sir William Glansdale. Sir Thomas Gargrave. Mayor of London. Woodville, Lieut. of the Tower. Vernon, of the White Rose, or York Faction. An old Shepherd, father to Joan la Pucelle. Joan La Pucelle, commonly called Joan of Arc. SCENE:-partly in England, and partly in France. SCENE I. WESTMINSTER-ABBEY. АСТ І. Dead March. Corpse of King Henry the Fifth Bed. HUNG be the heavens with black, yield Comets, importing change of times and states, Glo. England ne'er had a king, until his time. Ere. We mourn in black; why mourn we not Like captives bound to a triumphant car. His thread of life had not so soon decay'd: Win. Gloster, whate'er we like, thou art pro Instead of gold, we'll offer up our arms; When at their mothers' moist eyes babes shall Enter a Messenger. I must inform you of a dismal fight, The circumstance I'll tell you more at large. Having full scarce six thousand in his troop, Mess. My honourable lords, health to you all! He wanted pikes to set before his archers; Sad tidings bring I to you out of France, Speak softly; or the loss of those great towns Let not sloth dim your honours, new-begot: Exe. Were our tears wanting to this funeral, Enter another Messenger. [mischance, Bedford, if thou be slack, I'll fight it out. Instead whereof, sharp stakes, pluck'd out of Here, there, and every where, enrag'd he slew: Durst not presume to look once in the face. Bed. Is Talbot slain? then I will slay myself, 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 ransome there is none but I shall pay : The English army is grown weak and faint: Exe. Remember, lords, your oaths to Henry Bed. I do remember it; and here take leave, To go about my preparation. Lerit [exit. Scene closes. SCENE II. FRANCE. BEFORE ORLEANS. Enter Charles, with his Forces; Alencon, Reignier, and others. [heavens, Char. Mars his true moving, even as in the 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 besiege us one hour in a month. Alen. They want their porridge, and their fat bull-beeves: Either they must be dieted like mules, Reig. Let's raise the siege; why live we idly Now for the honour of the forlorn French :- Reig. Salisbury is a desperate homicide; One to ten! And hunger will enforce them to be more eager: Of old I know them; rather with their teeth The walls they'll tear down, than forsake the siege. Reig. I think, by some odd grimmals 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 cheer appall'd; Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence? 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 ? [guile me?Puc. Reignier, is't thou that thinkest to beWhere 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 awhile. Reig. She takes upon her bravely at first dash. Puc. Dauphin I am by birth a shepherd's My wit untrain'd in any kind of art. [daughter, Heaven, and our Lady gracious hath it pleas'd To shine on my contemptible estate: Lo, whilst I waited on my tender lambs, And the sun's parching heat displayed 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; And, whereas I was black and swart before, With those clear rays which she infus'd on me, That beauty am I bless'd with, which you see. 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. [termus: Char. Thou hast astonish'd me with thy high Only this proof I'll of thy valour make, In single combat thou shalt buckle with me; And, if thou vanquishest, thy words are true; Otherwise, I renounce all confidence. [sword, Puc. I am prepar'd: here is my keen-edg'a Deck'd with five flower-de-luces on each side; The which, at Touraine, in saint Katharine's church-yard, Out of a deal of old iron I chose forth. [woman. Char. Then come o'God's name, 1 fear no Pac. And, while I live, I'll ne'er fly from a [they fight. man. Char. Stay, stay thy hands; thou art an And fightest with the sword of Deborah. [weak. Puc. I must not yield to any rites of love, Char. Mean time, 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? [do know: Alen. He may mean more than we poor men These women are shrewd tempters with their tongues. [you on? Reig. My lord, where are you? what devise Shall we give over Orleans, or no? Puc. Why, no, I say, distrustful recreants! Fight till the last gasp; I will be your guard. [out. Char. What she says, I'll confirm; we'll fight it 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 carth, 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 honours; 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. [ex. 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.Where be these warders, that they wait not here? Open the gates; Gloster it is, that calls. [Servants knock. I Ward. [Within.] Who is there that knocks ro imperiously? 1 Serv. It is the noble duke of Gloster. 2 Ward. [Within.] Whoe'er he be, we may [lains? not let him in. 1 Serv. Answer you so the lord protector, vil1 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.— Wood. [Within.] What noise is this? what The cardinal of Winchester forbids: From him I have express commandment, That thou, nor none of thine, shall be let in. [me? Glo. Faint-hearted Woodville, prizest him 'fore | Arrogant Winchester? that haughty prelate, Whom Henry, our late sovereign, ne'er could Thou art no friend to God, or to the king: [brook 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 Servants in tawny coats. Win. How now, ambitious Humphry? what And not protector the king, or realm. Glo. Stand back, hou manifest conspirator; Thou, that contriv'dst to murder our dead lord; Thou, that giv'st whores indulgences to sin : I'll canvas thee in thy broad cardinal's hat, If thou proceed in this thy insolence. [a foot; Win. Nay, stand thou back, I will not budge This be Damascus, be thou cursed Cain, To slay thy brother Abel, if thou wilt. [back: Glo. What? am I dar'd, and bearded to my Draw, men, for all this privileged place; [beard; Blue-coats to tawny-coats. Priest, beware your [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. [rope! 8 Glo. Winchester goose, I cry-a rope! Now beat them hence; why do you let them stay?[ray.Thee I'll chase hence, thou wolf in sheep's ar Out, tawny coats!-out, scarlet hypocrite! |