6 PERSONS REPRESENTED. KING HENRY THE SIXTH. DUKE OF GLOSTER, uncle to the king, and protector. DUKE OF BEDFORD, uncle to the king, and regent of France. THOMAS BEAUFORT, duke of Exeter, great uncle to the king. HENRY BEAUFORT, great uncle to the king, bishop of Winchester, and afterwards cardinal. JOHN BEAUFORT, earl of Somerset ; afterwards duke. RICHARD PLANTAGENET, eldest son of Richard late earl of Cambridge; afterwards duke of York. EARL OF WARWICK. EARL OF SALISBURY. EARL OF SUFFOLK, LORD TALBOT, afterwards earl of Shrewsbury. JOHN TALBOT, his son. EDMUND MORTIMER, earl of March. MORTIMER'S KEEPER, and a LAWYER. SIR JOHN FASTOLFE. SIR WILLIAM LUCY. SIR WILLIAM GLANSDALE. SIR THOMAS GARGRAVE. MAYOR OF LONDON. WOODVILLE, lieutenant of the Tower. VERNON, of the white rose, or York faction. BASSET, of the red rose, or Lancaster faction. CHARLES, Dauphin, and afterwards king of France. REIGNIER, duke of Anjou, and titular king of Naples. A FRENCH SERGEANT. A PORTER. AN OLD SHEPHERD, father to Joan la Pucelle. MARGARET, daughter to Reignier; afterwards married to King Henry. COUNTESS OF AUVERGNE. JOAN LA PUCELLE, commonly called Joan of Arc. Fiends appearing to La Pucelle, Lords, Warders of the Tower, Heralds, Officers, Soldiers, Messengers, and several Attendants both on the English and French. SCENE, partly in England, and partly in France. KING HENRY VI. PART 1. ACT I. SCENE I. Westminster Abbey. Dead march. Corpse of King Henry the Fifth discovered, lying in state, attended on by the DUKES OF BEDFORD, GLOSTER, and EXETER, EARL OF WARWICK, BISHOP OF WINCHESTER, Heralds, &c. Bed. Hung be the heavens with black, yield day to night! Comets, importing change of times and states, Glos. England ne'er had a king, until his time. Virtue he had, deserving to command. His brandish'd sword did blind men with his beams : His arms spread wider than a dragon's wings: His sparkling eyes, replete with wrathful fire, 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 conquered. Exe. We mourn in black: why mourn we not in blood? Henry is dead, and never shall revive: The church's prayers made him so prosperous. Glos. The church! where is it? Had not churchmen pray'd, His thread of life had not so soon decay'd. There was a notion long prevalent that life might be destroyed by metrical charms. Win. Gloster, whate'er we like, thou art protector, And lookest to command the prince and realm. Glos. Name not religion, for thou lovest the flesh; And ne'er throughout the year to church thou goest, 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 :- When at their mothers' moisten'd eyes babes shall suck; Our isle be made a nourish 1 of salt tears, Enter MESSENGER. Mes. My honorable lords, health to you all! Sad tidings bring I to you out of France, 1 Nurse. Of loss, of slaughter, and discomfiture: Guienne, Champaigne, Rheims, Orleans, Bed. What say'st thou, man, before dead Henry's corse? Speak softly; or the loss of those great towns 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? Mes. 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 despatch'd and fought, One would have lingering wars, with little cost; Exe. Were our tears wanting to this funeral, These tidings would call forth her 1 flowing tides. 1 i. e. England's. |