And in our coronation take your place.

[Sennet. Flourish. Exeunt all but VERNON

and BASSET.

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 York,

Dar'st thou maintain the former word thou spakest?

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 whoso draws a sword, 't is 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.

[Exeunt.

ACT IV.

SCENE I.-Paris. A Hall of State.

Enter the KING, GLOSTER, Bishop of WINCHESTER, YORK, SUFFOLK, SOMERSET, WARWICK, TALBOT, EXETER, 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,
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 pretend
Malicious practices against his state;

This shall ye do, so help you righteous God!

Enter Sir JOHN FASTOLfe.

Fast. My gracious sovereign, as I rode from Calais,

To haste unto your coronation,

A letter was delivered to my hands,

Writ to your grace from the Duke of Burgundy. Tal. Shame to the Duke of Burgundy and thee! I vowed, base knight, when I did meet thee next,

To tear the garter from thy craven's leg,

[Plucking it off.

Which I have done, because unworthily
Thou wast installéd 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

Were there surprised 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 ordained, 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 furnished 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.

King. 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 changed his style?

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? [Reads] 'I have, upon especial cause, Moved with compassion of my country's wrack, Together with the pitiful complaints

Of such as your oppression feeds upon,

Forsaken your pernicious faction

And joined 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?
King. What! doth my uncle Burgundy revolt?
Glo. He doth, my lord, and is become your foe.
King. Is that the worst this letter doth contain?
Glo. It is the worst, and all, my lord, he writes.
King. Why, then, Lord Talbot there shall talk
with him,

And give him chastisement for this abuse.—
How say you, my lord? are you not content?
Tal. Content, my liege! yes, but that I am
prevented,

I should have begged I might have been employed.
King. 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.

Ver. Grant me the combat, gracious sovereign. Bas. And me, my lord, grant me the combat too. York. This is my servant; hear him, noble

prince.