" KING HENRY VI. PART I. (WRITTEN ABOUT 1590-91. INTRODUCTION. This is almost certainly an old play, by one or more authors, which, as we find it in the First Folio, had received touches from the hand of Shakespeare. In Henslowe's diary a Henry VI. is said to have been acted March 3, 1591-92. It was extremely popular. Nash, in his Pierce Pennilesse (1592), alludes to the triumph on the stage of "brave Talbot" over the French. But we have no reason for assuming that the play which we possess was that mentioned by Henslowe, or alluded to by Nash. Greene had, perhaps, a chief hand in the play, and he may have been assisted by Peele and Marlowe. There is a general agreement among critics in attributing to Shakespeare the scene (Act II. Sc. IV.) in which the white and red roses are plucked as emblems of the rival parties in the state; perhaps the scene of the wooing of Margaret by Suffolk (Act V., sc. III., L. 45. and onwards), if not written by Shakespeare was touched by him. The general spirit of the drama belongs to an older school than the Shakespearean," and it is a happiness," says Prof. Dowden, “not to have to ascribe to our greatest poet the crude and hateful handling of the character of Joan of Arc, excused though to some extent it may be by the concurrence of view in our old English chronicles." ACT I. SCENE I. Westminster Abbey." Dead March. Enter the Funeral of KING HENRY the Fifth, attended on by the DUKE OF BEDFORD, Regent of France; the DUKE OF GLOUCESTER, Protector; the DUKE OF EXETER, the EARL OF WARWICK, the BISHOP OF WINCHESTER, Heralds, &c. Bed. Hung be the heavens with black, yield day to night! Comets, importing change of times and states, time. Virtue he had, deserving to command: His brandish'd sword did blind men with his beams: 10 His arms spread wider than a dragon's wings; What should I say? his deeds exceed all speech : He ne'er lift up his hand but conquered. Henry is dead and never shall revive : 20 Win. He was a king bless'd of the King of kings. 30 Unto the French the dreadful judgement-day His thread of life had not so soon decay'd: art protector And lookest to command the prince and realm. Thy wife is proud; she holdeth thee in awe, More than God or religious churchmen may.40 Glou. Name not religion, for thou lovest the flesh, 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, Enter a Messenger. 50 60 Sad tidings bring I to you out of France, Speak softly, or the loss of those great towns Will make him burst his lead and rise from death. Glou. 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 used ? Mess. No treachery; but want of men and money. 70 Amongst the soldiers this is muttered, You are disputing of your generals: Let not sloth dim your honors new-begot : 81 Exe. Were our tears wanting to this funeral, These tidings would call forth their flowing tides. 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 will I lend the French instead of Reignier, Duke of Anjou, doth take his part; The Duke of Alençon flieth to his side. Exe. The Dauphin crowned king! all fly to him! O, whither shall we fly from this reproach? Giou. We will not fly, but to our enemies' throats. Bedford, if thou be slack, I'll fight it out. An army have I muster'd in my thoughts, Enter another Messenger. 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 Mess. O, no; wherein Lord Talbot was o'erthrown : 111 The circumstance I'll tell you more at large. They pitched in the ground confusedly, To keep the horsemen off from breaking in. Here, there, and every where, enraged he flew : 131 He, being in the vaward, placed behind strength Durst not presume to look once in the face. Bed. Is Talbot slain ? then I will slay myself, 141 For living idly here in pomp and ease, Mess. Quo, he lives; but is took prisoner, SCENE II. France. Before Orleans. Sound a flourish. Enter CHARLES, ALENÇON, and REIGNIER, marching with drum and Soldiers. Char. Mars his true moving, even as in the heavens So in the earth, to this day is not known: Faintly besiege us one hour in a month. 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. 20 Now for the honor of the forlorn French! Here alarum; they are beaten back by the Char. Who ever saw the like? what men have I ! Dogs! cowards! dastards! I would ne'er have fled, But that they left me 'midst my enemies. He fighteth as one weary of his life. The other lords, like lions wanting food, Alen. Froissart, a countryman of ours, records, England all Olivers and Rowlands bred, 30 It sendeth forth to skirmish. One to ten! Lean, raw-boned rascals! who would c'er suppose They had such courage and audacity? Char. Let's leave this town; for they are hare-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. 40 Reig. I think, by some odd gimmors or device 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 even let them alone. Alen. Be it so. 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: 50 Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence? Re-enter the BASTARD of Orleans, with JOAN LA PUCELLE. Reig. Fair maid, is't thou wilt do these wondrous feats? Puc. Reignier, is't thou that thinkest to beguile me? Where is the Dauphin? Come, come from behind; I know thee well, though never seen before. Be not amazed, there's nothing hid from me: In private will I talk with thee apart. Stand back, you lords, and give us leave awhile. 70 Reig. She takes upon her bravely at first dash. Puc. Dauphin, I am by birth a shepherd's daughter, My wit untrain'd in any kind of art. Heaven and our Lady gracious hath it pleased To shine on my contemptible estate: Lo, whilst I waited on my tender lambs, And to sun's parching heat display'd my cheeks, 80 God's mother deigned to appear to me Only this proof I'll of thy valor make, Puc. I am prepared : here is my keen-edged sword, Deck'd with five flower-de-luces on each side; The which at Touraine, in Saint Katharine's churchyard, 100 Out of a great deal of old iron I chose forth. Char. Then come, o' God's name; I fear no And fightest with the sword of Deborah. Puc. Christ's mother helps me, else I were too weak. Char. Whoe'er helps thee, 'tis thou that must help me: Impatiently I burn with thy desire; My heart and hands thou hast at once subdued. 110 Excellent Pucelle, if thy name be so, Char. Meantime look gracious on thy prostrate thrall. Reig. My lord, methinks, is very long in talk. Alen. Doubtless he shrives this woman to her smock; Else ne'er could he so long protract his speech. Reig. Shall we disturb him, since he keeps no mean? 121 Alen. He may mean more than we poor men do know: These women are shrewd tempters with their tongues. [you on? Reig. My lord, where are you? what devise Shall we give over Orleans, or no? Puc. Why, no, I say, distrustful recreants! Fight till the last gasp; I will be your guard. Char. What she says I'll confirm: we'll fight it out. Puc. Assign'd am I to be the English This night the siege assuredly I'll raise: 130 141 Where be these warders, that they wait not here? Open the gates; 'tis Gloucester that calls. First Warder. [Within] Who's there that knocks so imperiously? First Serv. It is the noble Duke of Gloucester. Second Warder. [Within] Whoe'er he be, you may not be let in. First Serv. Villains, answer you so the lord protector? First Warder. [Within] The Lord protect him! so we answer him: We do no otherwise than we are will'd. 10 Glou. Who willed you? or whose will stands but mine? There's none protector of the realm but I. Break up the gates, I'll be your warrantize: Shall I be flouted thus by dunghill grooms? [Gloucester's men rush at the Tower Gates, and Woodvile the Lieutenant speaks within. Woodv. What noise is this? what traitors have we here? Glou. Lieutenant, is it you whose voice I hear? Open the gates; here's Gloucester that would Arrogant Winchester, that haughty prelate, Whom Henry, our late sovereign, ne'er could brook? Thou art no friend to God or to the king: Open the gates, or I'll shut thee out shortly. Serving-men. Open the gates unto the lord protector, Or we'll burst them open, if that you come not quickly. Enter to the Protector at the Tower Gates WINCHESTER and his men in tawny coats. Win. How now, ambitious Humphry! what means this? Glou. Peel'd priest, dost thou command me to be shut out? 30 Win. I do, thou most usurping proditor, And not protector, of the king or realm. Glou. Stand back, thou manifest conspir ator, Thou that contrivedst to murder our dead lord; Thou that givest whores indulgences to sin: I'll canvass thee in thy broad cardinal's hat, If thou proceed in this thy insolence. Win. Nay, stand thou back; I will not budge a foot: This be Damascus, be thou cursed Cain, |