Shakspeare's Dramatic Works

Lords, Captains, Soldiers, Messengers, and several Attendants both on the English and French.
The SCENE is partly in England, and partly in France.

SCENE I.

ACTI.

Westminster-Abbey. Dead March. Enter the Funeral of King Henry the Fifth, attended on by the Duke of Bedford, Regent of France; the Duke of Glofter, Protector; the Duke of Exeter, and the Earl of Warwick; the Bishop of Winchester, and the Duke of Somerjet, &c.

Bed. LIUNG be the heavens with black,

HUN yield day to night!

Comets, importing change of times and states,

Brandish your crystal treffes in the sky;
And with them fcourge the bad revolting stars,
That have confented unto Henry's death!
Henry the fifth, too famous to live long!
5 England ne'er lost a king of so much worth.

Glo. England ne'er had a king, until his time.
Virtue he had, deferving to command:
His brandifh'd fword did blind men with his beams;
His arms fpread wider than a dragon's wings;
10 His fparkling eyes, replete with wrathful fire,
More dazzled and drove back his enemies,
Than mid-day fun, fierce bent against their faces.

'Mr. Theobald obferves, that "the historical transactions contained in this play, take in the compafs of above thirty years. I must observe, however, that our author, in the three parts of Henry VI. has not been very precife to the date and difpofition of his facts; but fhuffled them, backwards and forwards, out of time. For inftance; the lord Talbot is kill'd at the end of the fourth act of this play, who in reality did not fall till the 13th of July 1453; and The Second Part of Henry VI. opens with the marriage of the king, which was folemniz'd eight years before Talbot's death, in the year 1445. Again, in the fecond part, dame Eleanor Cobham is introduced to infult queen Margaret; though her penance and banishment for forcery happened three years before that princefs came over to England. I could point out many other tranfgressions against history, as far as the order of time is concerned. Indeed, though there are feveral mafter-ftrokes in these three plays, which incontestably betray the workmanship of Shakspeare; yet I am almost doubtful, whether they were entirely of his writing. And unless they were wrote by him very early, I should rather imagine them to have been brought to him as a director of the ftage; and fo have received fome finishing beauties at his hand. An accurate obferver will easily fee, the diction of them is more obfolete, and the numbers more mean and profaical, than in the generality of his genuine compofitions.”

What

What should I say? his deeds exceed all speech: He ne'er lift up his hand, but conquered.

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

Henry is dead, and never fhall revive:
Upon a wooden coffin we attend;
And death's dishonourable victory
We with our stately prefence glorify,

Like captives bound to a triumphant car.
What? fhall we curfe the planets of mishap,
That plotted thus our glory's overthrow ?
Or fhall we think the fubtle-witted French
Conjurers and forcerers, that, afraid of him,
By magic verses have contriv'd his end?

Win. He was a king bleft 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 Hofts he fought:
The church's prayers made him so profperous.

¡Among the foldiers this is muttered,

That here you maintain several factions;

And, whilst a field should be dispatch'd and fought,
You are difputing of your generals.

5 One would have ling'ring wars, with little coft:
Another would fly swift, but wanteth wings;
A third man thinks, without expence at all,
By guileful fair words peace may be obtain'd.
Awake, awake, English nobility;

10 Let not floth dim your honours, new-begot:
Cropp'd are the flower-de-luces in your arms;
Of England's coat one half is cut away.

Glo. The church! where is it? Had not church-20
men pray'd,

His thread of life had not so foon decay'd:
None do you like but an effeminate prince,
Whom, like a school-boy, you may over-awe.

Win. Glofter, whate'er we like, thou art pro-25
tector;

And lookest to command the prince, and realm.
Thy wife is proud; fhe holdeth thee in awe,
More than God, or religious church-men, may.

Glo. Name not religion, for thou lov'ft the flesh;
And ne'er throughout the year to church thou go'ft,
Except it be to pray against thy foes.

Bed. Ceafe, cease these jars, and reft 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.—
Pofterity, await for wretched years,

When at their mothers' moift eyes babes fhall fuck;
Our ifle be made a nourish1 of falt tears,
And none but women left to wail the dead.-
Henry the fifth! thy ghost I invocate;
Profper this realm, keep it from civil broils!
Combat with adverse planets in the heavens !
A far more glorious ftar thy foul will make,
Than Julius Cæfar, or bright-

Enter a Meffenger.

Mess. My honourable lords, health to you all! Sad tidings bring I to you out of France, Of lofs, of flaughter, and discomfiture: Guienne, Champaigne, Rheims, Orleans, Paris, Guifors, Poitiers, are all quite loft.

Bed. What fay'ft thou, man, before dead Henry's corfe;

Speak foftly; or the lofs of those great towns
Will make him burst his lead, and rise from death.
Glo. Is Paris loft? is Roan yielded up?

[ghoft.

Exe. Were our tears wanting to this funeral, Thefe tidings would call forth their 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 intermiffive 2 miferies.

Enter to them another Meffenger.

2 Mess. Lords, view these letters, full of bad
mischance,

France is revolted from the English quite;
Except fome petty towns of no import :
The Dauphin Charles is crowned king in Rheims;
The baftard of Orleans with him is join'd;
Reignier, duke of Anjou, doth take his part;
The duke of Alençon flieth to his fide. [Exit.

Exe. The Dauphin crowned king! all fly to 300, whither fhall we fly from this reproach? [him! Glo. We will not fly, but to our enemies' throats :Bedford, if thou be flack, I'll fight it out.

Bed. Glofter, why doubt'st thou of my forwardness?

35 An army have I muster'd in my thoughts, Wherewith already France is over-run. Enter a third Meenger.

[45]

3 Mej. My gracious lords, to add to your la

ments,

Wherewith you now bedew king Henry's hearfe,I must inform you of a dismal fight,

Betwixt the ftout lord Talbot and the French. Win. What! wherein Talbot overcame? is't fo? 3 Meff. O, no; wherein lord Talbot was o'erthrown :

The circumftance I'll tell you more at large.
The tenth of August last, this dreadful lord,
Retiring from the fiege of Orleans,

Having full scarce 3 fix thousand in his troop,
50 By three and twenty thousand of the French
Was round encompassed and set upon :
No leifure had he to enrank his men;
He wanted pikes to fet befere his archers;
Inftead whereof, fharp ftakes, 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 fword and lance.
Hundreds he fent to hell, and none durft ftand him;
Here, there, and every where, enrag'd he flew :
The French exclaim'd, The devil was in arms;

If Henry were recall'd to life again,
Thefe news would cause him once more yield the
Exe. How were they loft? what treachery was 60
us'd?
[money.

Me. No treachery; but want of men and

1 Nourish here fignifies a nurse. 2 i. e. their miseries which have had only a short intermiffion from Henry the Fifth's death to my coming amongst them.

3 i. e. fcarcely.

All

All the whole army ftood agaz'd on him:
His foldiers, fpying his undaunted spirit,
A Talbot! a Talbot! cried out amain,
And rush'd into the bowels of the battle.
Here had the conqueft fully been feal'd up,
If Sir John Fastolfe had not play'd the coward:
He being in the vaward1 (plac'd behind,
With purpose to relieve and follow them)
Cowardly fled, not having ftruck 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 fpear into the back;
Whom all France,with her chief affembled ftrength,
Durft not prefume to look once in the face.

Bed. Is Talbot flain? then I will flay myself,
For living idly here, in pomp and ease,
Whilst fuch a worthy leader, wanting aid,
Unto his daftard foe-men is betray'd.

3 M. O no, he lives; but is took prifoner, And lord Scales with him, and lord Hungerford: Most of the reft slaughter'd, or took, likewife.

Bed. His ranfom there is none but I fhall pay : I'll hale the Dauphin headlong from his throne, His crown fhall be the ranfom of my friend; Four of their lords I'll change for one of ours.Farewel, my mafters; to my task will I; Bonfires in France forthwith I am to make, To keep our great Saint George's feaft withal: Ten thoufand foldiers with me I will take, Whofe bloody deeds fhall make all Europe quake. 3 Meff. So you had need; for Orleans is befieg'd; The English army is grown weak and faint: The earl of Salisbury craveth fupply; And hardly keeps his men from mutiny, Since they, fo few, watch fuch a multitude.

Exe. Remember, lords, your oaths to Henry
fworn ;

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

Bed. I do remember it; and here take leave, To go about my preparation.

[Exit.

Glo. I'll to the Tower with all the hafte I can,

To view the artillery and munition;

So in the earth, to this day is not known: Late, did he fhine upon the English fide; Now we are victors, upon us he fmiles. What towns of any moment, but we have? 5 At pleasure here we lie, near Orleans; Otherwhiles, the famifh'd English, like pale ghofts, Faintly befiege us one hour in a month.

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

10 Either they must be dieted, like mules,

And have their provender ty'd to their mouths, Or pitcous they will look, like drowned mice. Reig. Let's raife the fiege; Why live we idly here? Talbot is taken, whom we wont to fear : 15 Remaineth none, but mad-brain'd Salisbury; And he may well in fretting fpend his gall, Nor men, nor money, hath he to make war. Char. Sound, found alarum; we will rush on them.

20 Now for the honour of the forlorn French :Him I forgive my death, that killeth me, When he fees me go back one foot, or fly. [Exeunt. [Here alarum, they are beaten back by the Erglish, with great lefs.

Re-enter Charles, Alençon, and Reignier.

Char. Who ever faw the like? what men have

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

Alen. Froifard, a countryman of ours, records,
35 England all Olivers and Rowlands bred,
During the time Edward the third did reign.
More truly now may this be verified;
For none but Sarpfons, and Goliaffes,
It fendeth forth to skirmish. One to ten!
40Lean raw-bon'd rafcals! who would e'er fuppofe
They had fuch courage and audacity?

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

And hunger will enforce them to be more eager :

And then I will proclaim young Henry king. [Exit. 45 Of old I know them; rather with their teeth

Exe. To Eltham will I, where the young king is,

Being ordain'd his special governor;

And for his fafety there I'll beft advise.

[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 fend,
And fit at chiefeft ftern of public weal.
SCENE II.
Before Orleans in France.

The walls they'll tear down, than forfake the fiege. Reig. I think, by fome odd gimmals 3 or device, Their arms are fet, like clocks, ftill to ftrike on; Elfe they could ne'er hold out fo, as they do. 50 By my confent, we'll e'en let them alone. Alen. Be it fo.

Enter the Baftard of Orleans.

Baft. Where's the prince Dauphin? I have

news for him.

[Exit.

Enter Charles, Alençon, and Reignier, marching with

a Drum and Soldiers.

Char. Mars his true moving, even as in the

heavens,

appall'd;

Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence?

Be not difmay'd, for fuccour is at hand:

Ii. e. the back part of the van or front. Charlemagne's twelve peers; and their exploits are render'd fo ridiculously and equally extravagant by the old romancers, that from thence arofe that faying amongst our plain and fenfible ancestors, of giving one a Rowland for bis Oliver, to fignify the matching one incredible lye with another; or, as in the modern acceptation of the proverb, to give a perfon as good acne as he brings. 3 A gimmal is a piece of jointed work, where one piece moves within another, whence it is taken at large for an engine. It is now vulgarly called a gimcrack. 4 Chear is countenance, appearance.

2 Thefe were two of the most famous in the lift of

Dau. Go, call her in: But first, to try her skill, 10 Impatiently I burn with thy defire;
Reignier, ftand thou as Dauphin in my place :
Question her proudly, let thy looks be ftern;-
By this means fhall we found what skill she hath.
Enter Jan la Pucelle.

My heart and hands thou haft at once fubdu'd.
Excellent Pucelle, if thy name be so,

Reig. Fair maid, is't thou wilt do thefe wond'rous 1
15
feats ?

[me?
Pucel. Reignier, is't thou that thinkeft to beguile
Where is the Dauphin? come, come from behind ;|
I know thee well, though never feen 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 awhile.
Reig. She takes upon her bravely at first dash.
Pucel. Dauphin, I am by birth a fhepherd's
daughter,

My wit untrain’d in any kind of art.
Heaven, and our Lady gracious, hath it pleas'd
To thine on my contemptible eftate:
Lo, whilft I waited on my tender lambs,
And to fun'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 the promis'd, and affur'd fuccefs :
In compleat glory she reveal'd herself;
And, whereas I was black and fwart before,
With those clear rays which the infus'd on me,
That beauty am I bleft with, which you fee.
Ask me what question thou canst poffible,
And I will answer unpremeditated:
My courage try by combat, if thou dar'ft,
And thou shalt find that I exceed my fex.
Refolve on this: Thou shalt be fortunate,
If thou receive me for thy warlike mate.
Dau. Thou haft astonish'd me with thy high

terms:

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

Pucel. I am prepar'd: here is my keen-edg'd
fword,

Let me thy fervant, and not fovereign, be;
Tis the French Dauphin fueth to thee thus.
Pucel. I must not yield to any rites of love,
For my profeffion's facred from above :
When I have chafed all thy foes from hence,
Then will I think upon a recompence.

Dau. Mean time, look gracious on thy proftrate

thrall.

Reig. My lord, methinks, is very long in talk. Alen. Doubtless, he fhrives this woman to her (mock;

Elfe ne'er could he fo long protract his speech.

Reig. Shall we disturb him, fince he keeps no

mean?

Alen. He may mean more than we poor men do know: [tongues. Thefe women are fhrewd tempters with their 30 Reig. My lord, where are you? what devise

you on?

Shall we give over Orleans, or no?

Pucel. Why, no, I fay, distrustful recreants! Fight 'till the laft gafp; I will be your guard. Dau. What fhe fays, I'll confirm; we'll fight

it out.

Pucel. Affign'd I am to be the English scourge.
This night the fiege affuredly I'll raife:
Expect Saint Martin's fummer 3, halcyon days,
40 Since I have enter'd thus into these wars.
Glory is like a circle in the water,
Which never ceafeth to enlarge itself,
Till, by broad spreading, it difperfe to nought.
With Henry's death the English circle ends;
45 Difperfed are the glories it included.

Now am I like that proud infulting ship,
Which Cæfar and his fortune bare at once.
Dau. Was Mahomet infpired with a dove 4?
Thou with an eagle art infpired then.

50 Helen, the mother of great Constantine,
Nor yet Saint Philip's daughters 5, were like thee.
Bright ftar of Venus, fall'n down on the earth,
How may I reverently worship thee enough?

Deck'd with fine flower-de-luces on each fide;
The which, atTouraine in Saint Katharine's church-55
yard,

Out of a deal of old iron I chofe forth.

Alen. Leave off delays, and let us raife the fiege. Reig. Woman, do what thou canft to fave our honours;

Drive them from Orleans, and be immortaliz`d.

There were no nine fiby's of Rome! but our author confounds things, and mistakes this for the nine books of Sibylline oracles, brought to one of the Tarquins. 2 It should be read, believe ber words.

begun.

3 That is, expe&t prosperity after misfortune, like fair weather at Martlemas, after winter has 4 Mahomet had a dove, which he used to feed with wheat out of his ear; which dove, when it was hungry, lighted on Mahomet's shoulder, and thrust its bill in to find it's breakfast; Mibomat perfuading the rude and simple Arabians, that it was the Holy Ghoft that gave him advice. ing, the four daughters of Philip mentioned in the 47.

5 Mean

Dau.

Win. How now, ambitious Humphry? what 50 Off. All manner of men, assembled bere in arms this day,

1 Conveyance means theft. 2 A tawny coat was the drefs of the officer whofe bufinefs it was to fummon offenders to an ecclefiaftical court. These are the proper attendants therefore on the bishop of Winchester. 3 Alluding to his fhaven crown. In Weever's Funeral Monuments, p. 154, Robert Baldocke, bishop of London, is called a peeled priest, pilide clerk, feemingly in allufion to his fhaven crown alone. So, bald-bead was a term of fcorn and mockery. 4 The public flews were formerly under the district of the bishop of Winchester. 5 This means, I believe, I'll tumble thee into thy great

Eat, and shake thee, as bran and meal are shaken in a fieve. 6 Maundrel, in his Travels, fays, that about four miles from Damascus is a high hill, reported to be the fame on which Cain flew his brother Abel. 7 A ftrumpet, or the confequences of her love, was a Winchester goofe.

Nn 2

Gl.

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Shakspeare's Dramatic Works: With Explanatory Notes, Volume 2