DRAMATIS PERSONE. KING HENRY THE SIXTH. DUKE OF GLOSTER, Uncle to the KING, and Protector. DUKE OF BEDFORD, Uncle to the KING, and Regent of France. THOMAS BEAUFORT, Duke of Exeter, Great-Uncle to the King. HENRY BEAUFORT, Great-Uncle to the KING; Bishop of Winchester, and afterwards Cardinal. JOHN BEAUFORT, Earl of Somerset, afterwards Duke. RICHARD PLANtagenet, Eldest Son of Richard, laie Earl of Cambridge; afterwards Duke of York. EARLS OF WARWICK, SALISBURY, and SUFFOLK. LORD TALBOT, afterwards Earl of Shrewsbury. JOHN TALBOT, his Son. EDMUND MORTIMER, Earl of March. MORTIMER'S Keepers, and a Lawyer. SIR JOHN FASTOLFE. SIR WILLIAM LUCY. THOMAS GARGRAVE. WOODVILLE, Lieutenant of the Tower. VERNON, of the White Rose, or York Faction. BASSET, of the Red Rose, or Lancaster Faction. SIR WILLIAM GLANSDALE. SIR CHARLES, Dauphin, and afterwards King, of France. BASTARD OF ORLEANS. Governor of Paris. Master-Gunner of Orleans, and his Son. General of the French Forces in Bourdeaux. A French Sergeant. A Porter. An old Shepherd, Father to JOAN LA PUCELLE. MARGARET, Daughter to REIGNIER; afterwards married to KING HENRY. JOAN LA PUCELLE, commonly called Joan of Arc. Fiends appearing to LA PUCELLE, Lords, Warders of the Tower, Heralds, Officers, Soldiers, Messengers, and several Attendants both on the English and French. SCENE,-Partly in ENGLAND, and partly in FRANCE. FIRST PART OF KING HENRY VI. Dead March. ACT I. SCENE I.-Westminster Abbey. The Corpse of King Henry the Fifth is 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! Brandish your crystal tresses in the sky, Glo. England ne'er had a king until his time. Than mid-day sun fierce bent 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? Upon a wooden coffin we attend; Like captives bound to a triumphant car. Win. He was a king, bless'd of the King of kings. 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 churchmen pray'd, His thread of life had not so soon decay'd: None do you like but an effeminate prince, Win. Gloster, whate'er we like, thou art protector, Glo. Name not religion, for thou lov'st the flesh; 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 left to wail the dead. Henry the fifth thy ghost I invocate; Enter a Messenger. Mess. My honourable lords, health to you all! Of loss, of slaughter, and discomfiture: Paris, Guysors, Poictiers, are 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. Among the soldiers this is muttered, That here you maintain several factions; And, whilst a field should be despatch'd and fought, One would have lingering wars, with little cost; Exe. Were our tears wanting to this funeral, Enter a second 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 crownèd king in Rheims; Reignier, duke of Anjou, doth take his part; Exe. The Dauphin crownèd king! all fly to him! O, whither shall we fly from this reproach? Glo. We will not fly, but to our enemies' throats :- Bed. Gloster, why doubt'st thou of my forwardness? Enter a third Messenger. 3 Mess. My gracious lords, to add to your laments, Wherewith you now bedew king Henry's hearse,I must inform you of a dismal fight Betwixt the stout lord Talbot and the French. |