His sparkling eyes, replete with wrathful fire,
More dazzled and drove back his enemies
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 conqueréd.

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 captives 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
Conjurors and sorcerers, that, afraid of him,
By magic verses have contrived his end?

Win. He was a king blessed of the King of kings.

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-

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 left 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 star thy soul will make
Than Julius Cæsar or bright—

Enter a Messenger.

Mess. My honourable lords, health to you all! Sad tidings bring I to you out of France,

Of loss, of slaughter, and discomfiture:
Guienne, Champaigne, Rheims, Orleans,
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 recalled 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.

Among the soldiers this is muttered :-
That here you maintain several factions,
And, whilst a field should be despatched and
fought,

You are disputing of your generals.
One would have lingering wars, with little cost;
Another would fly swift, but wanteth wings;
A third man thinks, without expense at all,
By guileful fair words peace may be obtained.
Awake, awake, English nobility!
Let not sloth dim your honours new begot.
Cropped 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 her flowing tides.

Bed. Me they concern: regent I am of France: Give me my steeléd 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 a third Messenger.

3rd 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. Win. What! wherein Talbot overcame: is 't so? 3rd Mess. Ono: wherein Lord Talbot was o'erthrown.

The circumstance I'll tell you more at large :-
The tenth of August last, this dreadful lord,
Retiring from the siege of Orleans,

Having full scarce six thousand in his troop,
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, plucked out of
hedges,

They pitchéd in the ground confusedly,

To keep the horsemen off from breaking in.
More than three hours the fight continuéd;
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 everywhere, enraged he slew.
The French exclaimed, the devil was in arms:
All the whole army stood agazed on him:
His soldiers, spying his undaunted spirit,
"A Talbot! a Talbot!" cried out amain,
And rushed into the bowels of the battle.
Here had the conquest fully been sealed up,
If Sir John Fastolfe had not played the coward:
He, being in the vaward (placed 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;
Whom all France, with their chief assembled
strength,

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 foemen is betrayed.

3rd Mess. O no, he lives, but is took prisoner : And Lord Scales with him, and Lord Hungerford: Most of the rest slaughtered 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 St. George's feast withal.
Ten thousand soldiers with me I will take,
Whose bloody deeds shall make all Europe quake.
3rd Mess. So you had need: for Orleans is
besieged;

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,

Το

Or bring him in obedience to your yoke.
Bed. I do remember it; and here take my
leave,
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 ordained his special governor :
And for his safety there I'll best devise. [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.

[Exit. Scene closes.

SCENE II.-France. Before Orleans. Enter CHARLES, with his Forces; ALENCON, REIGNIER, and others.

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

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
At pleasure here we lie near Orleans;
Otherwhiles the famished English, like pale
ghosts,

Faintly besiege us one hour in a month.

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

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

Reig. Let's raise the siege: why live we idly

here?

Talbot is taken, whom we wont to fear: Remaineth none but mad-brained Salisbury,