HARVARD COLLEGE LIBRARY FROM

THE BEQUEST OF EVERT JANSEN WENDELL

1918

FIRST PART OF

KING HENRY VI.

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.

Thoinas 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.

Sir William Lucy.

Mortimer's keeper, and a lawyer.
Sir John Fastolfe.
Sir William Glansdale. Sir Thomas Gargrave.
Mayor of London. Woodville, lieut. of the Tower."

ACT I.

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

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; the Earl of War-Unto the French the dreadful judgment day
wick, the Bishop of Winchester, Heralds, &c. 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-
men 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;

nd lookest to command the prince, and realm. Thy wife is proud; she holdeth thee in awe, More than God, or religious churchmen, may.

Bedford.

HUNG be the heavens with black,1 yield day to
night!

Comets, importing change of times and states,
Brandish your crystal tresses in the sky;
And with them scourge the bad revolting stars,
That have consented unto Henry's death!
Henry the Fifth, too famous to live long!
England ne'er lost a king of so much worth.

Glo. 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,
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 conquered.

Exe. We mourn in black; Why mourn we not in blood?

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.
Duke of Burgundy. Duke of Alençon.
Governor of Paris. Bastard of Orleans.
Master-gunner of Orleans, and his son.
General of the French forces in Bourdeaux.
A French Sergeant. A Porter.
An old shepherd, father to Joan la Pucelle.
Margaret, daughter to Reignier; afterwards mar-

ried 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.

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,

(1) Alluding to our ancient stage-practice when a tragedy was to be acted

VOL. II.

That plotted thus our glory's overthrow?
Or shall we think the subtle-witted French
Conjurers and sorcerers, that, afraid of him,
By magic verses2 have contriv'd his end?

Glo. Name not religion, for thou lov'st the flesh;
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 nourish3 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!

(2) There was a notion long prevalent, that life might be taken away by metrical charms. (3) Nurse was ancien so spelt.

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 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?

No leisure had he to enrank his men;
He wanted pikes to set before his archers;
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;
His soldiers, spying his undaunted spirit,
All the whole army stood agaz'd on him:
A Talbot! a Talbot! cried out amain,
And rush'd into the bowels of the battle.
Here had the conquest fully been seal'd
If sir John Fastolfe had not play'd the coward;
He being the vaward (plac'd behind,
Cowardly fled, not having struck one stroke.
With purpose to relieve and follow them,)
Hence grew the general wreck and massacre;
A base Walloon, to win the dauphin's grace,
Enclosed were they with their enemies:
Thrust Talbot with a spear into the back;
Whom all France, with their chief assembled
strength,

up,

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-men is betray'd.

3 Mess. O no, he lives; but is took prisoner, And lord Scales with him, and lord Hungerford: 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 ours.→
Farewell, my masters; my task will I;
Bonfires in France forthwith I am to make,
To keep our great Saint George's feast withal:

Enter another Messenger..

2 Mess. Lords, view these letters, full of bad Ten thousand soldiers with me I will take,

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 despatch'd and fought,
You are disputing of your generals.
One would have ling'ring 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 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.1

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.2

mischance,

France is revolted from the English quite;
Except some petty towns of no import:
The dauphin Charles is crowned king in Rheims;
The bastard of Orleans with him is join'd;
Reigneir, duke of Anjou, doth take his part;
The duke of Alençon flieth to his side.

Exe. The dauphin crowned king! all fly to him!
O, whither shall we fly from this reproach?

Glo. We will not fly, but to our enemies' throats: Bedford, if thou be slack, I'll fight it out.

Bed. Gloster, why doubt'st thou of my forward

ness?

Whose bloody deeds shall make all Europe quake.
3 Mess. So you had need; for Orleans is besieg'd;
The earl of Salisbury craveth supply,
The English army is grown weak and faint:
And hardly keeps his men from mutiny,
Since they, so few, watch such a multitude.
Exe. Remember, lords, your oaths to Henry

sworn;

Or bring him in obedience to your yoke.
Either to quell the dauphin utterly,

Bed. I do remember it; and here take leave,
To 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. [Ex.
Exe. To Eltham will I, where the young king is,
And for his safety there I'll best devise.
Being ordain'd his special governor;

[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; Alençon, Reignier,
and others.

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

(2) i. e. Their miseries which have had only a short intermission.

Now for the honour of the forlorn French :-
Him I forgive my death, that killeth me,
When he sees me go back one foot, or fly. [Exe.
Alarums; excursions; afterwards a retreat.
enter Charles, Alençon, Reignier, and others.
Char. Whoever saw the like? what men have
Dogs! cowards! dastards!-I would ne'er have fled,
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.1

Alen. Froissard, a countryman of ours, 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 Goliases,
It sendeth forth to skirmish. One to ten!
Lean raw-bon'd rascals! who would e'er suppose
They had such courage and audacity?

Char. Let's leave this town; for they are hair-
brain'd slaves,

And hunger will enforce them to be more eager:
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 gimmals2 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. Bastard3 of Orleans, thrice welcome to us. Bast. Methinks your looks are sad, your cheer4 appall'd;

My wit untrain'd in any kind of art.
Heaven, and our Lady gracious, hath it pleas'd
To shine on my contemptible estate:
Re-And to sun's parching heat display'd my cheeks,
Lo, whilst I waited on my tender lambs,
God's mother deigned to appear to me;
I?-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 :5 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, 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 flower-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.
Puc. And, while I live, I'll ne'er fly from a man.
[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.

Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence?
Be not dismay'd, for succour is at hand;
A holy maid hither with me I bring,
Which, by a vision sent to her from heaven,
Ordained is to raise this tedious siege,
And drive the English forth the bounds of France.
The spirit of deep prophecy she hath,
Exceeding the nine sibyls of old Rome:
What's past, and what's to come, she can descry.
Speak, shall I call her in? Believe
my words,
For they are certain and unfallible.

Char. Go, call her in: [Exit Bastard.] But, first,
to try her skill,"

Reignier, stand thou as dauphin in my place:
Question her proudly, let thy looks be stern:-
By this means shall we sound what skill she hath.
[Retires.

(1) i. e. The prey for which they are hungry. (2) A gimmal is a piece of jointed work, where one piece moves within another; here it is taken at large for an engine.

Enter La Pucelle, Bastard of Orleans, and others. Reig. Fair maid, is't thou wilt do these wond'rous feats?

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

Where is the dauphin?-come, come from behind;
I 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 :-
Stand back, you lords, and give us leave a while.
Reig. She takes upon her bravely at first dash.
Puc. Dauphin, I am by birth a shepherd's
daughter,

it out.

Puc. Assign'd am I to be the English scourge.
This night the siege assuredly I'll raise:
Expect Saint Martin's summer,' halcyon days,
Since I have entered into these wars.
Glory is like a circle in the water,
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 Constantine,
Nor yet Saint Philip's daughters,2 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 canst to save our
honours:

Shall we give over Orleans, or no?

Puc. Why, no, I say, distrustful recreants! Fight till the last gasp; I will be your guard. Char. What she says, I'll confirm; we'll fight|| Enter Winchester, attended by a train of servants,

in tawny-coats.

Win. How now, ambitious Humphrey? what means this?

about it:

Drive them from Orleans, and be immortaliz'd.
Char. Presently we'll try :-Come, let's away
No prophet will I trust, if she prove false. [1
[Exe.
SCENE III.-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 knock.

1 Ward. [Within.] Who is there that knocks 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 willed you? or whose will stands but mine?

Glo. Lieutenant, is it you, whose voice I hear?
Open the gates; here's Gloster, that would enter.
Wood. [Within.] Have patience, noble duke:
may not open;
The cardinal of Winchester forbids:
From him I have express commandment,
That thou, nor none of thine, shall be let in.
Glo. Faint-hearted Woodville, prizest him 'fore
me?

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 trai-

tors have we here?

(1) Expect prosperity after misfortune.

(2) Meaning the four daughters of Philip, mentioned in Acts xxi. 9.

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

Thou art no friend to God, or to the king:
Open the gates, or I'll shut thee out shortly.

1 Serv. Open the gates unto the lord protector; Or we'll burst them open, if that you come not quickly.

[Gloster and his men attack the bishop.
I mean to tug it, and to cuff you soundly:
Under my feet I stamp thy cardinal's hat;
In spite of pope or dignities of church,
Here by the cheeks I'll drag thee up and down.

Win. Gloster, thou'lt answer this before the pope.
Glo. Winchester goose, I cry-a rope! a rope!-
Now beat them hence, why do you let them stay?-
Thee I'll chase hence, thou wolf in sheep's array.-
Out, tawney-coats!-out, scarlet9 hypocrite!
Here a great tumult. In the midst of it, enter

the Mayor of London, and officers.

May. Fie, lords! that you, being supreme ma-
gistrates,

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,

open.

(3) Theft.
(4) Break
(5) Alluding to his shaven crown. (6) Traitor.
(7) Sift.
(8) A strumpet.
(9) An allusion to the bishop's habit,