Kath. I cannot tell vat is dat.

K. Hen. No, Kate? I will tell thee in French;
which, I am sure, will hang upon my tongue
like a new-married wife about her husband's
neck, hardly to be shook off. Quand j'ay la
possession de France, et quand vous avez le
possession de moi, (let me see, what theu ?
Saint Dennis be my speed !)-donc vostre est
It is as easy
France, et vous estes mienne.
for me, Kate, to conquer the kingdom, as to
speak so much more French: I shall never move
thee in French: unless it be to laugh at ine.

Kath. Sauf vostre honneur, le François que-
vous parlez, est meilleur que l'Anglois le
quel je parle.

K. Hen. No, 'faith, 'tls not, Kate: but thy
speaking of my tongue, and I thine, most truly
falsely, must needs be granted to be much at
But, Kate, dost thou understand thus
mach English? Canst thou love me f
Kath. I connot tell.

one.

K. Hen. Can any of your neighbours tell, Come, I know, thou Kate? I'll ask them. lovest me: and at night, when you come into your closet, you'll question this gentlewoman about me; and I know, Kate, you will, to her, dispraise those parts in me, that you love with your heart: but, good Kate, mock me merciK. Hen. O Kate, nice customs curt'sy to faily; the rather, gentle princess, because I If ever thou be'st mine, love thee cruelly. Kate, (as I have a saving faith within me, tells great kings. Dear Kate, you and I cannot be me thou shalt,) I get thee with scambling, confined within the weak list of a country's and thou must therefore needs prove a good fashion: we are the makers of manners, Kate; I, be- and the liberty that follows our places, stops soldier-breeder: Shall not thou and tween Saint Dennis and Saint George, com- the mouths of all find-faults; as I will do your's, pound a boy, half French, half English, that for upholding the nice fashion of your country, whail go to Constantinople, and take the Turkin denying me a kiss: therefore, patiently, and by the beard? shall we not? what sayest thou, yielding. [Kissing her.] You have witchcraft in your lips, Kate: there is more eloquence in a sugar touch of them, than in the tongues of my fair flower-de-luce ! the French Council; and they should sooner persuade Harry of England, than a general petition of monarchs. Here comes your father. Enter the FRENCH KING and QUEEN, BURGUNDY, BEDFORD, GLOSTER, EXETER, WESTMORELAND, and other French and English Lords.

Scene 11.

KING HENRY V.

constancy;

And while thou livest, dear Kate, take a fellow | By mine honour in true English, I love thee, for he Kate: by which, honour I dare not swear thou of plain and uncoined perforce must do thee right, because he bath lovest me; yet my blood begins to flatter me not the gift to woo in other places: for these that thou dost, notwithstanding the poor and fellows of infinite tongue, that can rhyme them-untempering effect of my visage. Now beselves into ladies' favours,-they do always shrew my father's ambition! he was thinking reason themselves out again. What! a speaker of civil wars when he got me; therefore was I is but a prater; a rhyme is but a ballad. A created with a stubborn outside, with an asBut in faith, Kate, the elder good leg will fall: a straight back will stoop:pect of iron, that, when I come to woo ladies a black beard will turn white; a curled pate I fright them. will grow bald; a fair face will wither; a full I wax, the better I shall appear: my comfort eye will wax hollow: but a good heart, Kate, is, that old age, that ill layer-up of beauty, can is the sun and moon; or rather the sun, and do no more spoil upon my face: thou hast me, not the moon; for it shines bright, and never if thou hast me, at the worst; and thou shalt changes, but keeps his course truly. If thou wear me, if thou wear me, better and better; Put off your maiden would have such a one, take me: And take And therefore tell me, most fair Katharine, me, take a soldier: take a soldier, take a king will you have me: And what sayest thou then to my love? speak, blushes; avouch the thoughts of your heart with the looks of an empress; take me by the my fair, and fairly, I pray thee. Kath. Is it possible dat I should love de band, and say-Harry of England, I am thine: which word thou shalt no sooner bless mine enemy of France ? Ireland is thine, France is thine, ear withal, but I will tell thee aloud-England is thine, and Henry Plantagenet is thine; who, though i speak it before his face, if he be not fellow with the best king, thou shalt find the best king of good fellows. Come, your answer in broen music; for thy voice is music, and thy English broken; therefore, queen of all, Katharine, break thy mind to me in broken Eng lish. Wilt thou have ine?

K. Hen. No; it is not possible you should love the enemy of France, Kate: but in loving me, you should love the friend of France; for I love France so well, that I will not part with a village of it; I will have it all mine: aud, Kate, when France is mine, and I am your's, then your's is France, and you are mine.

Kath. Dat is, as it shall please de roy mon pere.

K. Hen. Nay, it will please him well, Kate; it shall please him, Kate.

Kath. Den it shall also content me.

K. Hen. Upon that I will kiss your hand, and I call you--my queen.

Kath. Laissez, mon siegneur, laissez, laissez: ma foy, je ne veux point que vous ubaissez vostre grandeur, en baisant la main d'une vostre indigne serviteure; excusez moy, je vous supplie, mon tres puissant seigneur.

K. Hen. Then 1 will kiss your lips, Kate. Kath. Les dames, et damoiselles, pour estre baisets devant leur nopces il n'est pas le coutume de France.

Kath. I do not know dat.

K. Hen. No; 'tis hereafter to know, but now to promise: do but now promise, Kate, you will endeavour for your French part of such a my English moiety, take the boy; and, for How answer word of a king and a bachelor. yos, la plus belle Katharine du monde mon tres chère et divine deesse?

K. Hen. Madam, my interpreter, what says she? Atice. Dat it is not be de fashion pour les ladies of France,-I cannot tell what is baiser en English.

K. Hen. To kiss.

Alice. Your Majesty entendre bettre que moy. K. Hen. It is not the fashion for the maids France to kiss before they are married, would she say?

in

Alice. Ouz, vrayment.

Kath. Your majesté 'ave fausse French essach to deceive de most suge demoiselle dat is en France.

K. Hen. Now, fie upon my false French!

+ Fall away.

He means, resembling a plain piece of metal which sot yet received any impression. fiery V. had been dead 31 years before the Turks became possessed of Constantinople that event took

Ein 1451.

Bur. God save your majesty! my royal cousin, teach you our princess English?

K. Hen. I would have her learn, my fair cousin, how perfectly I love her; and that is good English,

Bur. Is she not apt?

1. c. Though my face has no power to soften you. ↑ Slight barrier.

OF

KING HENRY VI.

LITERARY AND HISTORICAL NOTICE.

MALONE supposes this portion of Henry VI. to have been written in 1589; but doubts, with Theobald, whether the three plays comprised under the title of Henry VI. were actually composed by Shakspeare. Dr. Johnson however maintains, that they exhibit "no marks of spuriousness," and that they "are declared to be genuine by the voice of Shakspeare himself. The transactions of the piece are scattered through a period of thirty years, and introduced with little regard to historical accuracy. Lord Talbot who is killed at the end of the fourth act, did not in reality fall until July 13, 1453; and the second part of Henry VI. opens with the king marriage, which was solemnized in the year 1445, or eight years before Talbot's death. In the same part, Dame Eleanor Cobham is introduced to insult Queen Margaret; though her penance and banishment for sorcery happened three years before that princess arrived in England. These deviations from the page of history are of little consequence to the mere lover of dramatic literature, as they neither weaken the gratification, nor diminish the effect of the scenic narrative. Poetry appeals to the passions, and imagination, like a true magician, lends her most powerful spells to excite or subdue them. But there are many to whom the great events of history are known only through the fascinating medium of a play or a romance; and it is fre quently difficult, if not disagreeable to efface, in after life, the distorted impressions which they leave upon the memory. When viewed in the sober simplicity of historic truth, a favourite hero often loses much of his glitter, and a detested villain some portion of his turpitude. It is therefore of no little consequence to examine the materials of a dramatic fabric, to separate truth from fiction, and to shew "the age and body of the time, his form and pressure:" because, in lauding the productions of Shakspeare (particularly those historical pieces upon which he exercised such masterly talents,) it has been the fashion to represent them not only as morally entertaining, but also as politically instructive; an attribute with which, examination shows, it is dangerous to invest them.

RICHARD PLANTAGENET, eldest son of Richard, late Earl of Cambridge; afterwards Duke of York.

EARL OF WARWICK.-EARL OF SALISBURY.

GRAVE. MAYOR OF LONDON.

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.
MASTER-GUNNER OF ORLEANS, and his Son.;
GENERAL OF THE FRENCH FORCES in Bour
deaux.

EDMUND MORTIMER, Earl of March.
MORTIMER'S KEEPER, and a LAWYER.
SIR JOHN FASTOLFE.-SIR WILLIAM LUCY.
SIR WILLIAM GLANSDALE. SIR THOMAS GAR-

WOODVILLE, Lieutenant of the Tower.

EARL OF SUPFOLK.

wards married to King Henry. LORD TALBOT, afterwards Earl of Shrews- MARGARET, Daughter to Reignier; afterbury. COUNTESS OF AUVERGNE.

JOHN TALBOT, his Son.

JOAN LA PUCELLE, commonly called Joan of
Arc.

A FRENCH SERGEANT.-A PORTER.

AN

OLD SHEPHERD, Father to Joan la
Pucelle.

SCENE, partly in England,

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!

Warders of the Tower, Heralds, Officers, Fiends appearing to La Pucelle, Lords, Soldiers, Messengers, and several Attend ants both on the English and French. and partly in France.

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:
beams;
His brandish'd sword did blind men with his

30

His arms spread wider than a dragon's wings;
His sparkling eyes replete with wrathful tire,
More dazzled and drove back his enemies,
Than mid-day sun, fierce beut 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 dishonourable victory
We with 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
Conjurers and sorcerers, that, afraid of him,
By magic verses bave contriv'd his end?
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 fight.
'The battles of the Lord of hosts he fought;
The church's prayers inade him so prosperous.
Glo. The church! where is it? Had not
churchmen pray'd,

His thread of life had not so soon decay'd:
None do you like but an effeminate prince,
Whom like a school-boy you may over-awe.

Win. Gloster, whate'er we like, thou art pro-
tector,

And lookest to command the prince and realm,
Thy wife is proud; she holdeth thee in awe,
More than God, or religious churchmen, may.
Glo. Name not religion, for thou lov'st the
flesh;
And ne'er throughout the year 1 church thou
go'st,
Except it be to pray against thy foes.

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, [suck;
When at their mothers' moist eyes babes shall
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——

Enter a MESSENGER.

Mess. My honourable lords, health to all!

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 honours, 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 tides.

Sad tidings bring I to you out of France,
Of loss, of slaughter, and discomfiture:
Guienne, Champaigue, Rheims, Orleans,
Paris, Gu ors, Poictiers, ar 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.

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.

2 Mess. Lords, view these letters, full of bad
mischance,

France is revolted from the English quite
Except some petty towns of no import:
The dauphin Charles is crowned king fa
Rheims :

There was a notion long prevalent, that life might be taken away by metrical charms.

Nurse was anciently so spelt.

you He wanted pikes to set before his archers; Instead whereof, sharp stakes, pluck'd out of hedges,

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,
By three and twenty thousand of the French
Was round encompassed and set upon :
No leisure had be to enrank his men ;

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, enrag'd he slew :
The French exclaim'd, The devil was in arms;
All the whole army stood agaz'd on bim:
His soldiers, spying bis undaunted spirit,
A Talbot! a Talbot! cried out amain,
And rush'd into the bowels of the battle.
Here had the conquest fully been seal'd up,
If Sir John Fastolfe had not play'd the coward;
He being in the vaward, (plac'd behind,
With purpose to relieve and follow them,)
Cowardly fled, not having struck one stroke:

Among the soldiers this is muttered,-
That here you maintain several factions;

And whilst a field should be despatch'd and Hence grew the general wreck and massacre;
Enclosed were they with their enemies :

fought, You are disputing of your generals. One would have ling'ring wars, with little cost; Thrust Talbot with a spear into the back;

A base Walloon, to win the Dauphin's grace,

• Her, i e. England's. +. Their miseries which have had only a short

intermission.

Scene II.

Whom all France, with their chief assembled | Alarums; Excursions; afterwards a Retreat.
strength,

Re-enter CHARLES, ALENÇON, REIGNIER, and
others.

Darst not presume to look once in the face.
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.

Char. Who ever saw the like? what men have
I?—

Dogs! cowards! dastards;-I would ne'er have
fled,

3 Mess. O no, he lives; but is took prisoner,
And lord Scales with him, and lord
ford:

Hunger

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.

Most of the rest slaughter'd, or took,
Bed. His ransom there is none
pay:
I'll bale 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

Alen. Froissard, a countryman of our's, re-
cords,

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-bou'd rascals! who would e'er sup-

likewise.
but I shall

our's.

Farewell, my masters; to my task will I;
Bonfires in France forthwith I am to make,
To keep our great Saint George's feast witbal:
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 be-
sieg'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 Henry

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,

To view the artillery and munition;

And then I will proclaim young Henry king.

pose

They had such courage and audacity?

Char. Let's leave this town; for they are hair-
brain'd slaves,
And hunger will enforce them to be more ea.
ger:

Of old I know them; rather with their teeth
The walls they'll tear down, than forsake the

[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 advise.

[Exit.

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-office;
The king from Eltham I intend to send,
And sit at chiefest stern of public weal.
[Exit. Scene closes.

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.

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

siege.

Reig. I think, by some odd gimmals or device,

Char. Mars his true moving, even as in the
heavens,

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;
famish'd English, like pale
Otherwhiles, the
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,
And have their provender tyed to their mouths,
Or piteous they will look, like drowned mice.
Reig. Let's raise the siege; Why live we idly

here ?
Talbot is taken, whom we wont to fear:
Remaineth none but mad-brain'd Salisbury;
And he may well in fretting spend his gall,
Nor men, nor money, hath he to make war.
Char. Sound, sound alarum; we will rush on
them.

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?
Be not dismay'd, for succour is at band:
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.

For they are certain and infallible.
Speak, shall I call her in? Believe my words,

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
[Retires.
bath.
Enter LA PUCELLE, BASTARD of Orleans, and
others.

Now for the honour of the forlorn French :-
Him I forgive my death, that killeth me,
When he sees me go back one foot, or fly.

[Exeunt.

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;

Be not amaz'd, there's nothing hid from me : know thee well, though never seen before. In private will I talk with thee apart :

I. e. The prey for which they are hungry.

+ These were two of the most famous in Charlemagne's list of peers..

A gimmal is a piece of jointed 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.
Countenance.

Shakspeare mistakes the nine Sibylline books, for nice Sybils.