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which before would not abide looking on.

K. Henry. This moral' ties nie over to time, and a hot summer: and so I shall catch the fly, your cousin, in the latter end, and she must be blind too. Burg. As love is, my lord, before it loves.

K. Henry. 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.

5

Fr. King. Yes, my lord, you see them per-10 spectively, the cities turn'd into a maid; for they are all girdled within maiden walls, that war hath never enter'd,

K. Henry. Shall Kate be my wife?

Fr. King. So please you.

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

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2. 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,
15 Which troubles oft the bed of blessed marriage,
Thrust in between the paction of these kingdoms,
To make divorce of their incorporate league;
That Englishmay as French, French Englishmen,
Receive each other!--God speak this Amen!
All. Amen!

Fr. King. We have consented to all terms of 20

reasou.

K. Henry. 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.

25

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 30 filz Henry roy d' Angleterre, heretier de France: and thus in Latin,-Præclarissimus filius noster Henricus, rex Angliæ, & hæres Francia.

Fr. King. Yet this I have not, brother, so deny'd, But your request shall make me let it pass.

K. Henry. I pray you then, in love and dear alliance.

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

35

Fr. King. Take her, fair son: and from her 40
blood raise up

Issue to me: that the contending kingdoms [pale
Of France and England, whose very shores look!

K. Henry. 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 coufining mighty men,

Mangling by starts the full course of their glory.
Smail time, but, in that small, most greatly liv'd
This star of England: fortune made his sword;
By which the world's best garden he atchiev'd,
And of it left his son imperial lord.
Henry the sixth, in infant bands crown'd king
Of France and England, did this king succeed;
Whose state so many had the managing,

That they lost France, and made his England bleed: [sake, Which oft our stage hath shewn; and, for their In your fair minds let this acceptance take.

That is, the application of this fable, the moral being the application of a fable. 2 i. e. humble. Meaning, by touching only on select parts.

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RICHARD PLANTAGENET, afterwards Duke of
York.

MORTIMER, Earl of March.

Sir JOHN FASTOLFE WOODVILLE, Lieutenant|
of the Tower. Lord Mayor of London. Sir
THOMAS GARGRAVE. Sir WILLIAM GLANS-
DALE. Sir WILLIAM LUCY.

VERNON, of the White Rose, or York Faction.

BASSET, of the Red Rose, or Lancaster Fuction.

CHARLES, Dauphin, und afterwards King of

France.

REIGNIER, Duke of Anjou, and Titular King
of Naples.

Duke of BURGUNDY.
Duke of ALENÇON.
Bastard of ORLEANS.
Governor of PARIS.

Master-Gunner of ORLEANS. Boy, his son.
An Old Shepherd, Father to Joan la Pucelle.
MARGARET, daughter to Reignier, and after-
wards Queen to King Henry.
Countess of AUVERGNE.

JOAN LA PUCELLE, commonly called Joan of
Arc; a Maid pretending to be inspir'd from
Heaven, and setting up for the Championess
of France.

Fiends, attending her.

Lords, Captains, Soldiers, Messengers, and several Attendants both on the English and French. · The SCENE is partly in England, and partly in France.

SCENE I.

Westminster Abbey.

ACT I.

Dead March. Enter the funeral of King Henry the Fifth, attended on by the Duke of Bedford, Re- 5 gent of France; the Duke of Gloster, Protector; the Duke of Exeter, and the Earl of Warwick; the Bishop of Winchester, and the Duke of Somerset, &c.

yield day to night!

Bed. HUNG be the heavens with black, Comets, importing change of times and states,

10

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'dsword 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.

'Mr. Theobald observes, that, "the historical transactions contained in this play, take in the comI must observe, however, that our author, in the three parts of Henry VI. pass of above thirty years. has not been very precise to the date and disposition of his facts; but shuffled thein, backwards and For instance; the lord Talbot is kill'd at the end of the fourth act of this forwards, out of time. play, who in reality did not fall till the 13th of July 1453; and The Second Part of Henry VI. opens with the marriage of the king, which was solemniz'd eight years before Talbot's death, in the year 1445. Again, in the second part, dame Eleanor Cobham is introduced to insult queen Margaret; though her penance and banishment for sorcery happened three years before that princess came over to England. I could point out many other transgressions against history, as far as the order of time is concerned. Indeed, though there are several master-strokes in these three plays, which incontestably betray the workmanship of Shakspeare; yet I am almost doubtful whether they were entirely of his writing. And unless they were wrote by him very early, I should rather imagine them to have been brought to him as a director of the stage; and so have received some finishing beauties at his hand. An accurate observer will easily see, the diction of them is more obsolete, and the numbers more mean and prosaical, than in the generality of his genuine compositions."

5

What

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 aptives 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 have contriv'd his end?

5

Among the soldiers this is muttered,—
That here you maintain several factions;
And, whilst a field should be dispatch'd and fought,
You are disputing of your generals.

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

10 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 their flowing tides.

Win. He was a king blest of the King of Kings. 15 Bed. Methey concern; regent I am of France:

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-20
men pray'd,

Ilis 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

tector;

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 to them 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:

pro-25The 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

And lookest to command the prince, and realm.
Thy wife is proud; she holdeth thee in awe,
More than God, or religious church-men, may.

[Exit.

Glo. Namenot religion, for thou lov'st the flesh;300, whither shall we fly from this reproach? [him!

And ne'er throughout the year to 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,

When at their mothers' moist eyes babes shall suck:
Our isle be made a nourish of salt tears,
And none but women lelt 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 stor thy soul will make,
Than Julius Cæsar, or bright-

Enter a Messenger.

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 for-
wardness?

35 An 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,

40 Wherewith you now bedew king Henry's hearse,—— I must inform you of a dismal tight,

1451

Betwixt the stout lord Talbot and the French.

Win. What! wherein Talbot overcame? 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,

Mess. My honourable lords, health to you all! Retiring from the siege of Orleans,

Sad tidings bring I to you out of France,
Of loss, of slaughter, and discomfiture:
Guienne, Champaigne, Rheinis, Orleans,
Paris, Guisors, Poi tiers, are all quite lost.

Bed. What say'st thou, man, before dead Hen-
ry's corse?

55

Having full scarce' six thousand in his troop,
50 By three and twenty thousand of the French
Was round encompassed and set upon:
No leisure had he to enrank his men;
He wanted pikes to set before his archers;
Instead whereof, sharp stakes,pluck'dout 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, enrag'd he flew :
The French exclaim'd, The devil was in arms;

Speak softly; or the loss of those great towns
Will make him burst his lead, and rise from death.
Glo. Is Paris lost? Is Roan yielded up?
If Henry were recall'd to life again, [ghost.
These news would cause him once more vield the
Exe. How were they lost? what treachery was 60
us'd?
[money.

Mess. No treachery; but want of men and

Nourish here signifies a nurse. 2 i. e. their miseries Henry the Fifth's death to my coming amongst them.

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Act 1. Scene 2.]

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 scal'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.
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;
Whomall France, withherchiefassembledstrength,
Durst 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 foc-men is betray'd.

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?
5. At pleasure here we lie, near Orleans;
Otherwhiles, thefamish'd English, like pale ghosts,
Faintly besiege us one hour in a month.

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

10 Either they must be dieted, like mules,
And have their provender ty'd to their mouths,
Or piteous they will look like drowned mice.

Reig. Let's raise the siege; Whyliveweidlyhere?
Talbot is taken, whom we wont to fear:
15 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.

3 Mess. O no, he lives; but is took prisoner, 20 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 bloodydeeds shall make all Europe quake.
3Mess. 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 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. [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.
SCENE II.
Before Orleans in France.
Enter Charles, Alençon, and Reignier, marching
with a Drum and Soldiers.

[Exit.

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

25

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.
[Here alarum, they are beaten back by the
English, with great loss.

I

Re-enter Charles, Alençon, and Reignier.
Char. Who ever saw the like? what men have
[fled,
Dogs! cowards! dastards!-I would ne'er have
But that they left me 'midst my enemies.
30 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.

Alen. Froisard, a countryman of ours, records,
35 England all Olivers and Rowlands 2 bred,
During the time Edward the third did reign.
More truly now may this be verified;
For none but Sampsons, and Goliasses,

It sendeth forth to skirmish. One to ten!
40 Lean raw-bon'd rascals! who would e'er suppose
They had such courage and audacity?

45

Char. Let's leave this town; for they are hair
brain'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, than forsake the siege.

Reig. I think, by some odd gimmals3 or device,
Their arms are set, like clocks, still to strike on;
Else they could ne'er hold out so, as they do.
50 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.

55 Dau. Bastard of Orleans, thrice welcome to us. Bast. Methinks, your looks are sad, your chear+

appall'd;

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

2 These were two of the most famous in the list of, i. e. the back part of the can or front. Charlemagne's twelve peers; and their exploits are render'd so ridiculously and equally extravagant by the old romancers, that from thence arose that saying amongst our plain and sensible ancestors, of giting one a Rowland for his Oliver, to signify the matching one incredible lye with another; or, as in the modern acceptation of the proverb, to give a person as good a one as he brings. 3 Agimmal is a piece of jointedwork, where one piece moves within another, whence it is taken at large for an engine. It is now vulgarly called a gimcrack.

+ Chear is countenance, appearance.

Nn

A holy

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