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His arms spread wider than a dragon's wings;
His sparkling eyes replete with wrathful tire,
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 band, but conquered.

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
Conjurers and sorcerers, that, afraid of him,
By magic verses bave contriv'd his end?
Win. He was a king bless'd of the King of
kings.

Unto the French the dreadful judgment day
So dreadful will not be, as was his fight.
The battles of the Lord of hosts he fought;
The church's prayers inade 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,
Whom like a school-boy you may over-awe.
Win. Gloster, whate'er we like, thou art pro-
tector,

And lookest to command the prince and realm,
Thy wife is proud; she holdeth thee in awe,
More than God, or religious churchmen, may.
Glo. Name not religion, for thou lov'st the
flesh;

And ne'er throughout the year 1 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;
Siuce arms avail not, now that Henry's dead.—
Posterity, await for wretched years, [suck;
When at their mothers' moist eyes babes shall
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.

Another would fly swift but wanteth wings;
A third man thinks, without expense at all,
By guileful fair words peace may be obtain'd.
Awake, awake, English nobility!
Let not sloth dim your honours, new-begot:
Cropp'd 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 steeled 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 another 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 crowned king t
Rheims :

The bastard of Orleans with him is join'd;
Reignier, duke of Anjou, doth take his part,
The duke of Alençon flieth to his side.

Exe. The Dauphin crowned king! all ty to him?

O whither shall we fly from this reproach! Glo. We will not fly, but to our enerves" throats:

Bedford, if thou be slack, I'll fight it out
Bed. Gloster, why doubt'st thou of my for-
wardness!

An army have I muster'd in my thoughts
Wherewith already France is over-ruu.

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.
Win. What! wherein Talbot overcame ? ist

so?

3 Mess. O no; wherein lord Talbot was o'er thrown:

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 be to enrank his men ;

Mess. My honourable lords, health to you He wanted pikes to set before his archers;

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 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;

Instead whereof, sharp stakes, pluck'd out of

hedges,

They pitched in the ground confusedly,
To keep the horsemen off from breaking in.
More than three hours the fight continued;
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 every where, enrag'd he slew:
The French exclaim'd, The devil was in arms;
All the whole army stood agaz'd on him:
His soldiers, spying his undaunted spirit,
A Talbot! a Talbot! cried out amain,
And rush'd into the bowels of the battle.
Here had the conquest fully been seal'd up,
If Sir John Fastolfe had not play'd the coward;
He being in the vaward, (plac'd behind,
With purpose to relieve and follow them,)
Cowardly fled, not having struck one stroke:

Aud whilst a field should be despatch'd and Hence grew the general wreck and massacre;

fought,

You are disputing of your generals.

One would have ling'ring wars, with little cost;

There was a notion long prevalent, that life might be taken away by metrical charms.

Nurse was anciently so spelt.

Enclosed were they with their enemies :
A base Walloon, to win the Dauphin's grace,
Thrust Talbot with a spear into the back;

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Whom all France, with their chief assembled | Alarums; Excursions; afterwards a Retreat. Re-enter CHARLES, ALENÇON, REIGNIER, and

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 foe-man is betray'd.

3 Mess. O no, he lives; but is took prisoner, And lord Scales with him, and lord ford:

others.

Char. Who ever saw the like? what men have
I?—

Dogs! cowards! dastards ;-I would ne'er have
fled,
Hunger-But that they left me midst my enemies.
Reig. Salisbury is a desperate homicide;
He fighteth as one weary of his life.
The other lords, like lions wanting food,
Do rush upon us as their hungry prey.

Most of the rest slaughter'd, 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

our's.

Farewell, my masters; to my task will I;
Bonfires in France forthwith I am to make,
To keep our great Saint George's feast withal:
Ten thousand soldiers with me I will take,
Whose bloody deeds shall make all Europe
quake.

3 Mess. So you had need; for Orleans is besieg'd;

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

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Alen. Froissard, a countryman of our's, records,

England all Olivers and Rowlands + bred,
During the time Edward the third did reign.
More truly now may this be verified;
For none but Samsons and Goliasses,

It sendeth forth to skirmish. One to ten!
Lean raw-bon'd rascals! who would e'er sup-
pose

They had such courage and audacity?

Char. Let's leave this town; for they are hairbrain'd slaves,

And hunger will enforce them to be more ea.

ger:

Of old I know them; rather with their teeth The walls they'll tear down, than forsake the siege.

Reig. I think, by some odd gimmals 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 e'en 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

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Enter LA PUCELLE, BASTARD of Orleans, and others.

Reig. Fair maid, is't thou wilt do these wond'rous feats ?

Puc. Reignier, is't thou that thinkest to beguile me?

Where is the Dauphin ?-come, come from be

hind;

know thee well, though never seen before. Be not amaz'd, there's nothing hid from me : In private will I talk with thee apart :

I. e. The prey for which they are hungry. These were two of the most famous in Charlemagne's list of peers..

A gimmal is a piece of jointed work, where one piece moves within another; here it is taken at large for an engine.

This was not in former times a term of reproach.
Countenance.

Shakspeare mistakes the nine Stuylline books, for

nice Sybils.

Stand back, you lords, and give us leave awhile.

Reig. She takes upon her bravely at first dash.

Puc. Dauphin, I am by birth a shepherd's daughter,

My wit untraiu'd in any kind of art.
Heaven, and our lady gracious, hath it pleas'd
To shine on my contemptible estate:
Lo, whilst I waited on my tender lambs,

And to sun's parching heat display'd my cheeks,
God's mother deigned to appear to me;
And, in a vision full of majesty,
Will'd me to leave my base vocation,
And free my country from calamity:
Her aid she promis'd, and assur'd success:
In complete glory she reveal'd herself;
And, whereas I was black and swart before,
With those clear rays which she infus'd on me,
That beauty am I bless'd with, which you see.
Ask me what question thou canst possible,
And I will answer unpremeditated:
My courage try by combat, if thou dar'st,
And thou shalt find that I exceed my sex.
Resolve on this: Thou shalt be fortunate,
If thou receive me for thy warlike mate.
Char. Thou hast astonish'd me with thy high
terms;

Only this proof I'll of thy valour make,-
In single combat thou shalt buckle with me;
And, if thou vanquishest, thy words are true;
Otherwise, I renounce all confidence.

Puc. I am prepar'd: here is my keen-edg'd sword,

Deck'd with five flour-de-luces on each side; The which at Touraine, in Saint Katharine's church-yard,

Out of a deal of old iron I chose forth.

Char. Then come o'God's name, I fear no

woman.

man.

Puc. And, while I live, I'll ne'er fly from a [They fight. Char. Stay, stay thy hands thou art an Amazon,

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 buru with thy desire;

My heart and bands thou hast at once subdu'd.
Excellent Pucelle, if thy name be so,
Let me thy servant, and not sovereign be;
'Tis the French Dauphin sueth to thee thus.

Puc. I must not yield to any rites of love, For my profession's sacred from above: When I have chased all thy foes from hence, Then will I think upon a recompense.

Char. Meantime, look gracious on thy pros

trate 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?

Alen. He may mean more than we poor men do know:

These women are shrewd tempters with their tongues.

Reig. My lord, where are you? what devise

you on?

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Which never ceaseth to enlarge itself,
Till by broad spreading, it disperse to nought.
With Henry's death, the English circle ends;
Dispersed are the glories it included.
Now am I like that proud insulting ship,
Which Cæsar and his fortune bare at once.
Char. Was Mahomet inspired with a dove !*
Thou with an eagle art inspired then.
Helen, the mother of great Constantiue,
Nor yet Saint Philip's daughters, were like thee.
Bright star of Venus, fall'n down on the earth,
How may I reverently worship thee enough!
Alen. Leave off delays, and let us raise the
siege.

Reig. Woman, do what thou cau'st to save our honours;

Drive them from Orleans, and be immortaliz'd. Char. Presently we'll try -Come let's anay

about it:

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SCENE 111.-London.-Hill before the Tower.

Enter, at the Gates, the Duke of GLOSTER, with his Serving-men, in blue coats. Glo. I am come to survey the Tower this day; Since Henry's death, I fear, there is conveyance. -Where be these warders, that they wait not here? Open the gates: Gloster it is that calls. [SERVANTS Anock.

1 Ward. [Within.] Who is there that kucks so imperiously?

1 Serv. It is the noble Duke of Gloster. 2 Ward. [Within.] Whoe'er he be you may not be let in.

1 Serv. Answer you so the lord protector, villains?

1 Ward. [Within.] The Lord protect him! So we answer him:

We do no otherwise than we are will'd.

Glo. Who will'd 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!

SERVANTS rush at the Tower Gates. Enter, to the Gates, WOODVILLE, the Lieutenant. Wood. [Within.] What noise is this? what traitors have we here?

Glo. Lieutenant, is it you, whose voice I bear?

Open the gates: here's Gloster that would enter.
Wood. [Within.] Have patience noble duke.
I may not open;

From him I have express commandment,
The cardinal of Winchester forbids:
That thou, nor none of thine, shall be let in.
Glo. Faint-hearted Woodville, prizest him

'fore me ?

Arrogant Winchester? that haughty prelate, Whom Harry, our late sovereign, ne'er could

brook ?

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Glo. Winchester goose, I cry-a rope! a [stay?rope!Why do you let them Thee I'll chase hence, thou wolf in sheep's

Now beat them hence.

array.

Out, tawny coats!-out, scarlet || bypocrite!
In the midst of it,
Here a great Tumult.
Eater the MAYOR of London, and Officers.
May. Fie, lords! that you, being supreme
magistrates,

Thus contumeliously should break the peace!
Glo. Peace, mayor; thou know'st little of
my wrongs:

Here's Beaufort that regards nor God nor king,
Hath here distrain'd the Tower to his use.

Win. Here's Gloster too a foe to citizens:
One that still motions war, and never peace,
O'ercharging your free purses with large fines;
That seeks to overthrow religion,
Because he is protector of the realm;
And would have armour here out of the Tower

To crown himself king, and suppress the prince.
Gie. I will not answer thee with words, but
blows. [Here they skirmish again.
May. Nought rest for me, in this tumultuous
strife,

Bat to make open proclamation :-
Come, officer; as loud as e'er thou canst.

KING HENRY VI.

469

May. See the coast clear'd, and then we will
depart.-

Good God that nobles should such stomachs

bear!

I myself fight not once in forty year. [Exeunt.

SCENE IV.-France.-Before Orleans.
Enter, on the Walls, the MASTER-GUNNER

and his SON.

M. Gun. Sirrab, thou know'st how Orleans
is besieg'd;

And how the English have the suburbs won.
Son. Father, I know; and oft have shot at
them,

Howe'er, unfortunate, I miss'd my aim.
M. Gun. But now thou shalt not.
rul'd by me:

Be thou

Chief master-gunner am I of this town;
Something I must do, to procure me grace: +
The prince's espials have informed me,
How the English, in the suburbs close in-
trench'd,
Wont, through a secret gate of iron bars
In yonder tower, to overpeer the city;
And thence discover how, with most advan-
tage,

They may vex us, with shot or with assault.
To intercept this inconvenience,

A piece of ordnance 'gainst it I have plac'd;
And fully even these three days have i watch'd,
If I could see them. Now, boy, do thou watch,
For I can stay no longer.
If thou spy'st any run and bring me word;
And thou shalt find me at the governor's.

[Exit.

Son. Father, I warrant you; take you no

care;

I'll never trouble you, if I may spy them.
Enter, in an upper Chamber of a Tower,
the Lords SALISBURY and TALBOT, Sir
WILLIAM GLANSDALE, Sir THOMAS GAR-
GRAVE, and others.

Sal. Talbot, my life, my joy, again return'd?
How wert thou handled, being prisoner?
Or by what means got'st thou to be releas'd?
Discourse, I pr'ythee on this turret's top.

[me

Tal. The duke of Bedford had a prisoner,
Called-the brave lord Ponton de Santrailles;
For him I was exchang'd and rausomed.
But with a baser man of arms by far,
Once, in contempt, they would have barter'd
which I, disdaining, scorn'd: and craved death
Rather than I would be so pil'd esteemed. §
in fine, redeem'd I was as I desir'd.

But ob! the treacherous Fastolfe wounds my heart:
Whom with my bare fists I would execute,
If I now had him brought into my power.
Sal. Yet tell'st thou not, how thou wert en-

tertain'd.

Of. All manner of men assembled here in
arms this day, against God's peace and the
king's, we charge and command you, in his
kighness' name, to repair to your several
dwelling places; and not to wear, handle, In open market-place produc'd they me,
Or use any sword, weapon, or dagger, hence-To be a public spectacle to all;
forward, upon pain of death.

Tal. With scoffs, and scorns, and coutume-
lious taunts.

Glo. Cardinal, I'll be no breaker of the law: But we shall ineet, and break our minds at

large.

Win. Gioster, we'll meet; to thy dear coast

be sure:

The heart blood I will have, for this day's work. Alay. I'll call for clubs, ¶ if you will not away:

This cardinal is more baughty than the devil. Gle. Mayor, farewell: thou dost but what thou may'st.

Win. Abominable Gloster! guard thy head; For I intend to have it ere long.

• Traitor.

[Exit.

Here, said they, is the terror of the French,
The scare-scrow that affrights our children so.
Then broke I from the officers that led me;
And with my nails digg'd stones out of the
ground,

To hurl at the beholders of my shame.
None durst come near for fear of sudden
My grisly countenance inade others fly;
death.

In iron walls they deem'd me not secure ;
So great fear of my name 'mongst them was
spread,

That they suppos'd I could rend bars of steel,
And spurn in pieces posts of adamant :
Wherefore a guard of chosen shot I had,
That walk'd about me every minute-while;

The public stews were formerly licen-And if I did but stir out my bed,
Ready they were to shoot me to the heart.
1 Spies.

sed by the Bishop of Winchester, and their inmates ob-
tarned the name of Winchester geese.

1 Silt.
A strumpet.
An allusion to the Bishop's habit.
That 19, for peace-officers armed with clubs or staves.

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Sal. I grieve to hear what torments you | SCENE V.-The same.-Before one of the endur'd ;

But we will be reveng'd sufficiently.
Now it is supper time in Orleans:

Here, through this grate, I can count every

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Gates.

Alarum. Skirmishings. TALBOT pursueth the DAUPHIN, and driveth him in: them enter JOAN LA PUCELLE, driving Englishmen before her. Then enter TALBOT.

Tal. Where is my strength, my valour, and
my force?

Glans-Our English troops retire, I cannot stay them;
A woman clad in armour, chaseth them.

Let me have your express opinions,
Where is best place to make our battery next.
Gar. I think, at the north gate; for there
staud lords.

Glan. And I, here, at the bulwark of the

bridge.

Tal. For aught I see, this city must be famish'd,

Or with light skirmishes enfeebled.

[Shot from the Town. SALISBURY and Sir THO. GARGRAVE fall.

Sal. O Lord have mercy on us, wretched sinners!

Gar. O Lord have mercy on me, woeful

man!

Tal. What chance is this, that suddenly hath

cross'd us?—

Speak, Salisbury; at least, if thou canst speak;
How far'st thou, mirror of all martial men?
One of thy eyes, and thy cheek's side struck

'

off!

Accursed tower! accursed fatal hand,

That have contriv'd this woeful tragedy!
In thirteen battles Salisbury o'ercame;
Henry the fifth he first train'd to the wars;
Whilst any trump did sound, or drum struck

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grace:

The sun with one eye vieweth all the world.-
Heaven, be thou gracious to none alive,
If Salisbury wants mercy at thy bands!-
Bear hence his body, I will help to bury it,—
Sir Thomas Gargrave, hast thou any life?
Speak unto Talbot; nay, look up to him.
Salisbury, cheer thy spirit with this comfort;
Thou shalt not die, whiles--

He beckons with his hand, and smiles on me;
As who should say, When I am dead and gone,

Remember to avenge me on the French.-
Plantagenet, I will; and Nero-like,
Play on the Inte, beholding the towns barn:
Wretched shall France be only in my name.
[Thunder heard, afterwards an Alarum.
What stir is this? What tumult's in the hea.

vens ?

Whence cometh this alarum, and the noise?

Enter a MESSENGER.

Mess. My lord, my lord, the French have gathered head:

The Dauphin with one Joan la Pucelle join'd,A holy prophetess, new risen up,

Is come with a great power to raise the siege.
[SALISBURY groans.
Tal. Hear, hear, how dying Salisbury doth
groan !

It irks his heart, he cannot be reveng'd.-
Frenchmen, I'll be a Salisbury to you :-
Pucelle or puzzel, dolphin or dogtish,

Your hearts I'll stamp out with my horse's heels,

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I must go victual Orleans forthwith.

O'ertake me, if thou canst; I scorn thy strength.
Go, go, cheer up thy hunger-starved men;
Help Salisbury to make his testament:
This day is our's, as many more shall be.

[PUCELLE enters the Town, with Soldiers. Tal. My thoughts are whirled like a potter's wheel;

I know not where I am, nor what I do :
A witch, by fear, not force, like Hannibal,
Drives back our troops, and conquers, as she

lists:

So bees with smoke, and doves with Boisome stench,

Are from their hives and houses driven away. They call'd us, for our fierceness English dogs;

Now, like to whelps, we crying run away.
[A short Alarum.
Hark, countrymen! either renew the fight,
Or tear the lions out of England's coat;
Renounce your soil, give sheep in lion's stead:
Sheep run not half so timorous from the wulf,
As you fly from your oft subdued slaves.
Or horse, or oxen, from the leopard,

[Alarum. Another Skirmish.
It will not be :-Retire into your trenches:
You all consented unto Salisbury's death,
For one would strike a stroke in his revenge.--
Pucere is enter'd into Orleans,

In spite of us, or anght that we could do, O would I were to die with Salisbury! The shame hereof will make me hide my head. [Alarum. Retreat. Exeunt TALBOT and his Forces, &c.

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And make a quagmire of your mingled brains.-Thy
Convey me Salisbury into his tent,

And then we'll try what these dastardly French-
men dare.

[Exeunt, bearing out the Bodies.

A dirty wench.

next.

The superstition of those times tanght, that he who could draw a witch's blood was free from het power.

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