EPILOGUE

Enter Chorus

CHOR. Thus far, with rough and all-unable pen,
Our bending author hath pursued the story,
In little room confining mighty men,

Mangling by starts the full course of their glory.
Small time, but in that small most greatly lived
This star of England: Fortune made his sword;
By which the world's best garden he achieved,
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:
Which oft our stage hath shown; and, for their sake,
In your fair minds let this acceptance take.

2 bending] sc. under the weight of his task.

[Exit.

4 Mangling by starts] Distorting by interruptions, by fragmentary treatment, by breaches of continuity.

7 the world's best garden] The kingdom of France has already been called "this best garden of the world," V, ii, 36, supra.

9 in infant bands] in swaddling clothes.

13 Which oft... shown] a reference to the three parts of Hen. VI and to the dramatic pieces on which they were based.

14 let this acceptance take] let this find acceptance.

10