The Dramatic Works of William Shakspeare

ACT III.

SCENE I-The same. The Parliament-House.

Flourish. Enter King Henry, Exeter, Gloster, Warwick, Somerset, and Suffolk; the Bishop of Winchester, Richard Plantagenet, and others.

Gloster offers to put up a bill; Winchester snatches it, and tears it.

Win. Com'st thou with deep premeditated lines, With written pamphlets studiously devis'd, Humphrey of Gloster? if thou canst accuse, Or aught intend'st to lay unto my charge, Do it without invention suddenly; As I with sudden and extemporal speech Purpose to answer what thou canst object.

Glo. Presumptuous priest! this place commands

my patience,

Or thou should'st find thou hast dishonour'd me.
Think not, although in writing I preferr'd
The manner of thy vile outrageous crimes,
That therefore I have forg'd, or am not able
Verbatim to rehearse the method of my pen:
No, prelate; such is thy audacious wickedness,
Thy lewd, pestiferous, and dissentious pranks,
As very infants prattle of thy pride.
Thou art a most pernicious usurer;
Froward by nature, enemy to peace;
Lascivious, wanton, more than well beseems
A man of thy profession, and degree;
And for thy treachery, What's more manifest;
In that thou laid'st a trap to take my life,
As well at London-bridge, as at the Tower?
Besides, I fear me, if thy thoughts were sifted,
The king, thy sovereign, is not quite exempt
From envious malice of thy swelling heart.

War. State holy, or unhallow'd, what of that? Is not his grace protector to the king?

Plan. Plantagenet, I see, must hold his tongue; Lest it be said, Speak, sirrah, when you should; Must your bold verdict enter talk with lords? Else would I have a fling at Winchester. [Aside.

K. Hen. Uncles of Gloster, and of Winchester, The special watchmen of our English weal; I would prevail, if prayers might prevail, To join your hearts in love and amity. O, what a scandal is it to our crown, That two such noble peers as ye, should jar! Believe me, lords, my tender years can tell, Civil dissension is a viperous worm, That gnaws the bowels of the commonwealth.-[A noise within; Down with the tawny coats! What tumult's this? War.

An uproar, I dare warrant, Begun through malice of the bishop's men.

[A noise again; Stones! stones!

Enter the Mayor of London, attended. May. O, my good lords, and virtuous Henry,Pity the city of London, pity us! The bishop and the duke of Gloster's men, Forbidden late to carry any weapon, Have fill'd their pockets full of pebble-stones; And, banding themselves in contráry parts, Do pelt so fast at one another's pate, That many have their giddy brains knock'd out: Our windows are broke down in every street, And we, for fear, compell'd to shut our shops.

Enter, skirmishing, the retainers of Gloster and Winchester, with bloody pates.

K. Hen. We charge you, on allegiance to ourself, To hold your slaught'ring hands, and keep the peace. Pray, uncle Gloster, mitigate this strife.

1 Serv. Nay, if we be Forbidden stones, we'll fall to it with our teeth. 2 Serv. Do what ye dare, we are as resolute. [Skirmish again.

Glo. You of my household, leave this peevish broil,

Win. Gloster, I do defy thee. -Lords, vouchsafe To give me hearing what I shall reply. If I were covetous, ambitious, or perverse, As he will have me, How am I so poor? Or how haps it, I seek not to advance Or raise myself, but keep my wonted calling? And for dissension, Who preterreth peace More than I do, except I be provok'd? No, my good lords, it is not that offends; It is not that, that hath incens'd the duke: It is, because no one should sway but he; No one, but he, should be about the king; And that engenders thunder in his breast, And makes him roar these accusations forth.

And set this unaccustom'd2 fight aside.

3 Serv. My lord, we know your grace to be a man

Just and upright; and, for your royal birth, Inferior to none, but his majesty:

And ere that we will suffer such a prince,
So kind a father of the commonweal,
To be disgraced by an inkhorn mate,3
We, and our wives, and children, all will fight,
And have our bodies slaughter'd by thy foes.

1 Serv. Ay, and the very parings of our nails Shall pitch a field, when we are dead.

[Skirmish again.

Glo.

Stay, stay, I say!

And, if you love me, as you say you do,
Let me persuade you to forbear a while.

K. Hen. O, how this discord doth afflict my

soul!

Can you, my lord of Winchester, behold
My sighs and tears, and will not once relent?
Who should be pitiful, if you be not?
Or who should study to prefer a peace,
If holy churchmen take delight in broils?
War. My lord protector, yield;-yield, Win-

chester;

Except you mean, with obstinate repulse,
To slay your sovereign, and destroy the realm.
You see what mischief, and what murder too,

(3) This was a term of reproach towards men ll of learning.

Should ever get that privilege of me.

Amongst his subjects, aud his loyal friends;

Hath banish'd moody discontented fury,

K. Hen. When Gloster says the word, king Hen

ry goes;

War. Behold, my lord of Winchester, the duke As it disanimates his enemies.

As by his smoothed brows it doth appear:

Why look you still so stern, and tragical?

Glo. Here, Winchester, I offer thee my hand.

K. Hen. Fie, uncle Beaufort! I have heard you

preach,

That malice was a great and grievous sin:
And will not you maintain the thing you teach,
But prove a chief offender in the same?

War. Sweet king!-the bishop hath a kindly
gird. 1

For shame, my lord of Winchester! relent;
What, shall a child instruct you what to do?
Win. Well, duke of Gloster, I will yield to thee;
Love for thy love, and hand for hand, I give.
Glo. Ay; but, I fear me, with a hollow heart.-
See here, my friends, and loving countrymen;
This token serveth for a flag of truce,
Betwixt ourselves, and all our followers:
So help me God, as I dissemble not!
Win. So help me God, as I intend it not!
K. Hen. O loving uncle, kind duke of Gloster,
How joyful am I made by this contract!-
Away, my masters! trouble us no more;
But join in friendship, as your lords have done.

1 Serv. Content; I'll to the surgeon's.

2 Serv.

[Aside.

And so will I.

3 Serv. And I will see what physic the tavern affords. [Exeunt Servants, Mayor, &c. War. Accept this scroll, most gracious sovereign; Which in the right of Richard Plantagenet We do exhibit to your majesty.

For friendly counsel cuts off many foes.

Glo. Your ships already are in readiness.
[Exeunt all but Exeter.

Exe. Ay, we may march in England or in
France,

Not seeing what is likely to ensue :
This late dissension grown betwixt the peers,
Burns under feigned ashes of forg'd love,
And will at last break out into a flame:
As fester'd members rot but by degrees,
Till bones, and flesh, and sinews, fall away,
So will this base and envious discord breed.
And now I fear that fatal prophecy,
Which, in the time of Henry, nam'd the Fifth,
Was in the mouth of every sucking babe,-
That Henry, born at Monmouth, should win all;
And Henry, born at Windsor, should lose all:
Which is so plain, that Exeter doth wish
His days may finish ere that hapless time. [Exit.

SCENE II.-France. Before Roüen. Enter
La Pucelle disguised, and Soldiers dressed like
countrymen, with sacks upon their backs.

Puc. These are the city gates, the gates of Roïen,
Through which our policy must make a breach:
Take heed, be wary how you place your words;
Talk like the vulgar sort of market-men,
That come to gather money for their corn.
If we have entrance (as I hope we shall,)
And that we find the slothful watch but weak,
I'll by a sign give notice to our friends,

Glo. Well urg'd, my lord of Warwick; for, sweet That Charles the dauphin may encounter them.

prince,

An if your grace mark every circumstance,

You have great reason to do Richard right:

Especially, for those occasions

At Eltham-place I told your majesty.

1 Sold. Our sacks shall be a mean to sack the city, And we be lords and rulers over Roüen; Therefore we'll knock.

[Knocks.

Guard. [Within.] Qui est là?

Puc. Paisans, pauvres gens de France:

K. Hen. And those occasions, uncle, were of Poor market-folks, that come to sell their corn.

force:

Therefore, my loving lords, our pleasure is,
That Richard be restored to his blood.

War. Let Richard be restored to his blood;
So shall his father's wrongs be recompens'd.
Win. As will the rest, so willeth Winchester.
K. Hen. If Richard will be true, not that alone,
But all the whole inheritance I give,
That doth belong unto the house of York,
From whence you spring by lineal descent.
Plan. Thy humble servant vows obedience,
And humble service, till the point of death.

K. Hen. Stoop then, and set your knee against

my foot;

And, in reguerdon2 of that duty done,
I girt thee with the valiant sword of York:
Rise, Richard, like a true Plantagenet;
And rise created princely duke of York.

Plan. And so thrive Richard, as thy foes may

fall!

Guard. Enter, go in; the market-bell is rung. [Opens the gates. Puc. Now, Roüen, I'll shake thy bulwarks to the ground. [Pucelle, &c. enter the city. Enter Charles, Bastard of Orleans, Alençon, and forces.

Char. Saint Dennis bless this happy stratagem!
And once again we'll sleep secure in Roüen.
Bast. Here enter'd Pucelle, and her practisants;
Now she is there, how will she specify
Where is the best and safest passage in?

Alen. By thrusting out a torch from yonder tower;
Which, once discern'd, shows, that her meaning is,--
No way to that, for weakness, which she enter'd.
Enter La Pucelle on a battlement: holding out a
torch burning.

Puc. Behold, this is the happy wedding torch,
That joineth Roüen unto her countrymen:
But burning fatal to the Talbotites.

Bast. See, noble Charles! the beacon of our

Char. Now shine it like a comet of revenge,
A prophet to the fall of all our foes!
Alen. Defer no time, Delays have dangerous
ends;

Enter, and cry-The Dauphin!-presently,
And then do execution on the watch. [They enter.
Alarums. Enter Talbot, and certain English.

Tal. France, thou shalt rue this treason with thy
tears,
If Talbot but survive thy treachery.-
Pucelle, that witch, that damned sorceress,
Hath wrought this hellish mischief unawares,
That hardly we escap'd the pridel of France.
[Exeunt to the town.

Alarum: Excursions. Enter from the town, Bedford, brought in sick, in a chair, with Talbot, Burgundy, and the English forces. Then, enter on the walls, La Pucelle, Charles, Bastard, Alençon, and others.

you.

Bed. Not to be gone from hence; for once I read
That stout Pendragon, in his litter, sick,
Came to the field, and vanquished his foes:
Methinks, I should revive the soldiers' hearts,
Because I ever found them as myself.

Tal. Undaunted spirit in a dying breast!-
Then be it so:-Heavens keep old Bedford safe!-

Puc. Good morrow, gallants! want ye corn for And now no more ado, brave Burgundy,

bread?

Puc. What will you do, good grey-beard? break a lance,

And run a tilt at death within a chair?

T'al. Foul fiend of France, and hag of all despite,

Encompass'd with thy lustful paramours!
Becomes it thee to taunt his valiant age,
And twit with cowardice a man half dead?

Damsel, I'll have a bout with you again,

Or else let Talbot perish with this shame.

But gather we our forces out of hand,
And set upon our boasting enemy.

[Exeunt Burgundy, Talbot, and forces, leav-
ing Bedford, and others.

Alarum: Excursions. Enter Sir John Fastolfe, and a Captain.

Capt. Whither away, sir John Fastolfe, in such haste?

Fast. Whither away? to save myself by flight; We are like to have the overthrow again.

Capt. What! will you fly, and leave lord Talbot?

Fast.

Ay,
All the Talbots in the world to save my life. [Exit.
Capt. Cowardly knight! ill fortune follow thee!
[Exil.

Retreat: Excursions. Enter from the town, La
Pucelle, Alençon, Charles, &c.; and exeunt,
Aying.

Bed. Now, quiet soul, depart when heaven please;

Puc. Are you so hot, sir?-Yet, Pucelle, hold For I have seen our enemies' overthrow. thy peace;

If Talbot do but thunder, rain will follow.

[Talbot, and the rest, consult together. God speed the parliament! who shall be the speaker? Tal. Dare ye come forth, and meet us in the field?

Puc. Belike, your lordship takes us then for fools, To try if that our own be ours, or no.

Tal. I speak not to that railing Hecaté,

But unto thee, Alençon, and the rest:
Will ye, like soldiers, come and fight it out?
Alen Signior, no.

Tal. Signior, hang !-base muleteers of France!

Like peasant foot-boys do they keep the walls,
And dare not take up arms like gentlemen.

Puc. Captains, away: let's get us from the walls;
For Talbot means no goodness, by his looks. -
God be wi' you, my lord! we came, sir, but to tell

What is the trust or strength of foolish man?
They, that of late were daring with their scoffs,
Are glad and fain by flight to save themselves.
[Dies, and is carried off in his chair.
Alarum: Enter Talbot, Burgundy, and others.
Tal. Lost, and recover'd in a day again!
This is a double honour, Burgundy:
Yet, heavens have glory for this victory!
Bur. Warlike and martial Talbot, Burgundy
Enshrines thee in his heart; and there erects
Thy noble deeds, as valour's monument.

Tal. Thanks, gentle duke. But where is Pu

celle now?

I think, her old familiar is asleep:

Now where's the Bastard's braves, and Charles his

gleeks?2

What, all a-mort?3 Roüen hangs her head for grief,
That such a valiant company are fled.
Now will we take some order in the town,
Placing therein some expert officers;
And then depart to Paris, to the king;
For there young Harry, with his nobles, lies.
Bur. What wills lord Talbot, pleaseth Burgundy.
Tal. But yet, before we go, let's not forget
The noble duke of Bedford, late deceas'd,
But see his exequies fulfill'd in Roüen;

(4) Make some necessary dispositions.
(5) Funeral rites.

A braver soldier never couched lance,

A gentler heart did never sway in court:
But kings, and mightiest potentates, must die;
For that's the end of human misery.

SCENE III.-The same.

[Exeunt.

The plains near the city. Enter Charles, the Bastard, Alençon, La Pucelle, and forces.

Puc. Dismay not, princes, at this accident,

Nor grieve that Roüen is so recovered:
Care is no cure, but rather corrosive,
For things that are not to be remedied.
Let frantic Talbot triumph for a while,
And like a peacock sweep along his tail;
We'll pull his plumes, and take away his train,
If dauphin, and the rest, will be but rul'd.

Char. We have been guided by thee hitherto,
And of thy cunning had no diffidence;
One sudden foil shall never breed distrust.

Bast. Search out thy wit for secret policies, And we will make thee famous through the world. 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.

Strike those that hurt, and hurt not those that help!
One drop of blood, drawn from thy country's bosom,
Should grieve thee more than streams of foreign
gore;
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,

Doubting thy birth and lawful progeny.

Who join'st thou with, but with a lordly nation,
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-men.
Come, come, return; return, thou wand'ring lord;
Charles, and the rest, will take thee in their arms.
Bur. I am vanquished; these haughty words of
hers

Have batter'd me like roaring cannon-shot,
And made me almost yield upon my knees.-

Alen. For ever should they be expuls'd2 from Forgive me, country, and sweet countrymen!

France,

And not have title to an earldom here.

Puc. Your honours shall perceive how I will work, 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, makes 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 Burgundy?
Puc. The princely Charles of France, thy coun-
tryman.

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 humble 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;

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 play'd her part in this, And doth deserve a coronet of gold.

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

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,
Twelve cities, and seven walled towns of strength,
Besides 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 Gloster,
That hath so long been resident in France?
Glo. Yes, if it please your majesty, my liege.
K. Hen. Welcome, brave captain, and victorious

lord!

When I was young (as yet I am not old,)
I do remember how my father said,
A stouter champion never handled sword.

(1) Rooted out.

(2) Expelled.

(3) Elevated.

Long since we were resolved1 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:
Therefore, stand up; and, for these good deserts,
We here create you earl of Shrewsbury;
And in our coronation take your place.

Nobles.

[Exeunt King Henry, Gloster, Talbot, and Ver. Now, sir, to you, that were so hot at sea, Disgracing of these colours that I wear In honour of my noble lord of YorkDar'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. Bas. 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 blood. But I'll unto his majesty, and crave 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.

ACT IV.

[Exeunt.

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 pretenda Malicious practices against his state:

This shall ye do, so help you righteous God!

[Exeunt Governor 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!
I vow'd, base knight, when I did meet thee next,
To tear the garter from thy craven's4 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,

(1) Confirmed in opinion. (2) Rewarded. (3) Design. (4) Mean, dastardly. (5) High.

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 haughtys courage, Such as were grown to credit by the wars; Not fearing death, nor shrinking for distress, But always resolute in most extremes, 6 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,

And join'd with Charles, the rightful king of

France.

O monstrous treachery! Can this be so;
That in alliance, amity, and oaths,
There should be found such false dissembling guile?
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 you not content?

Tal. Content, my liege? Yes; but that I am prevented,8

I should have begg'd I might have been employ'd. K. Hen. Then gather strength, and march unto him straight:

Let him perceive, how ill we brook his treason;
And what offence it is, to flout his friends.
Tal. I go, my lord; in heart desiring still,
You may behold confusion of your foes.
Enter Vernon and Basset.

[Exit.

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The Dramatic Works of William Shakspeare, Volume 2