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. 1 Win. Com'st thou with deep premeditated lines, As I with sudden and extemporal speech Glo. Presumptuous priest! this place commands my patience, Or thou should'st find thou hast dishonour'd me. Win. Gloster, I do defy thee.-Lords, vouchsafe Or raise myself, but keep my wonted calling? As good? Thou bastard of my grandfather! Glo. Am I not the protector, saucy priest? Thou art reverent Roam thither then. Touching thy spiritual function, not thy life. Som. Yes, when his holy state is touch'd so (1) i. e. Articles of accusation. (2) Unseemly, indecent. [Aside. War. State holy, or unhallow'd, what of that? Is not his grace protector to the king? Lest it be said, Speak, sirrah, when you should; Plan. Plantagenet, I see, must hold his tongue; Must your bold verdict enter talk with lords? Else would I have a fling at Winchester. K. Hen. Uncles of Gloster, and of Winchester, The special watchmen of our English weal; 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 dissention is a viperous worm, I That gnaws the bowels of the commonwealth.- An uproar, I dare warrant, Begun through malice of the bishop's men. [A noise again; Stones! stones! Enter the Mayor of London, attended. The bishop and the duke of Gloster's men, Have fill'd their pockets full of pebble-stones; Enter, skirmishing, the retainers of Gloster and 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, And set this unaccustom'd' 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, 1 Serv. Ay, and the very parings of our nails Shall pitch a field, when we are dead. [Skirmish again. Stay, stay, I say! Glo. Can you, my lord of Winchester, behold Except you mean, with obstinate repulse, (3) This was a term of reproach towards men of learning. Hath been enacted through your enmity; War. Behold, my lord of Winchester, the duke 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: War. Sweet king!-The bishop hath a kindly gird.' For shame, my lord of Winchester! relent Win. Well, duke of Gloster, I will yield to thee; Love for thy love, and hand for hand, I give. Som. Perish, base prince, ignoble duke of York! [Aside. Glo. Now it will best avail your majesty, K. Hen. When Gloster says the word, king Henry goes; For friendly counsel cuts off many foes. Not seeing what is likely to ensue : Was in the mouth of every sucking babe, Glo. Ay; but, I fear me, with a hollow heart.-Which, in the name of Henry, nam'd the Fifth, Win. So help me God, as I intend it not! [Aside. K. Hen. O loving uncle, kind duke of Gloster, How joyful am I made by this contráct!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. 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. Glo. Well urg'd, my lord of Warwick: for, sweet prince, An if your grace mark every circumstance, At Eltham-place I told your majesty. 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. Enter SCENE II.-France. Before Rouen. La Pucelle disguised, and Soldiers dressed like countrymen, with sacks upon their backs. Puc. These are the city gates, the gates of Rouen, Guard. [Within.] Qui est là? [Knocks. 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, War. Let Richard be restored to his blood; 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: Plan. And so thrive Richard, as thy foes may fall! And as my duty springs, so perish they That grudge one thought against your majesty! All. Welcome, high prince, the mighty duke of York! (1) Feels an emotion of kind remorse. (2) Recompense. Guard. Enter, go in; the market-bell is rung. [Opens the gates. Puc. Now, Rouen, 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 Rouen. 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, Bast. See, noble Charles! the beacon of our friend, The burning torch in yonder turret stands. (3) Confederates in stratagems. 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 Enter, and cry-The Dauphin;-presently, If Talbot but survive thy treachery. 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. Bed. Not to be gone from hence: for once I read Tal. Undaunted spirit in a dying breast!- Puc. Good morrow, gallants! want ye corn for And now no more ado, brave Burgundy, bread? I think, the duke of Burgundy will fast Before he'll buy again at such a rate: Bur. Scoff on, vile fiend, and shameless court ezan. I trust, ere long, to choke thee with thine own, Char. Your grace may starve, perhaps, before Bed. O, let no words, but deeds, revenge this treason! Puc. What will you do, good grey-beard? break a lance, And run a tilt at death within a chair? Tal. Foul fiend of France, and hag of all despite, But gather we our forces out of hand, [Exeunt Burgundy, Talbot, and forces, lear- 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; Capt. What! will you fly, and leave lord Talbot? Ay, Retreat: Excursions. Enter from the town, La Pucelle, Alençon, Charles, &c.; and exeunt flying. 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.- Puc. Belike, your lordship takes us then for fools, Tal. I speak not to that railing Hecaté, Tal. Signior, hang!-base muleteers of France! Puc. Captains, away: let's get us from the walls: Bed. Now, quiet soul, depart when heaven please; [Dies, and is carried off in his chair. Alarum: Enter Talbot, Burgundy, and others. Bur. Warlike and martial Talbot, Burgundy Tal. Thanks, gentle duke. But where is Pu- I think her old familiar is asleep: What, all a-mort? Rouen hangs her head for grief, (4) Make some necessary dispositions. SCENE. III.-The same. The plains near the city. Enter Charles, the Bastard, Alençon, La Pucelle, and forces. Puc. Dismay not, princes, at this accident, Char. We have been guided by thee hitherto, Bast. Search out thy wit for secret policies, 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 France, Strike those that hurt, and hurt not those that help! Return thee, therefore, with a flood of tears, Or nature makes me suddenly relent. Puc. Besides, all French and France exclaims on thee, Doubting thy birth and lawful progeny. hers Have batter'd me like roaring cannon-shot, And not have title to an earldom here. [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; 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. 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 of his officers. Tal. My gracious prince,-and honourable peers, [A parley sounded. 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! Stav, let thy humble handmaid speak to thee. Bur. Speak on; but be not over-tedious. As looks the mother on her lowly babe, To do my duty to my sovereign: In sign whereof, this arm-that hath reclaim'd K. Hen. Is this the lord Talbot, uncle Gloster, When I was young, (as yet I am not old,) I do remember how my father said, (3) Elevated. Long since we were resolved' of your truth, Or been reguerdon'd' with so much as thanks, [Exeunt King Henry, Gloster, Talbot, and Ver. Now, sir, to you, that were so hot at sea, Dar'st thou maintain the former words thou spak'st? Ver. Sirrah, thy lord I honour as he is. 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! 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. 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 was a knight; And now, my lord protector, view the letter [Reads. Mov'd with compassion of my country's wreck, And join'd with Charles, the rightful king of O monstrous treachery! Can this be so; Glo. Now, governor of Paris, take your oath-There should be found such false dissembling guile? [Governor kneels. That you elect no other king but him: Esteem none friends, but such as are his friends; Fast. My gracious sovereign, as I rode from To haste unto your coronation, [Plucking it off. (Which I have done) because unworthily (1) Confirmed in opinion. (2) Rewarded. K. Hen. What! doth my uncle Burgundy revolt? And give him chastisement for this abuse:- I should have begg'd I might have been employ'd. 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. [Exit. |