Glo. He doth, my lord; and is become your foc.
K. Henry. Is that the worst, this letter doth 40
contain?

Glo. It is the worft, and all, my lord, he writes.
K. Henry. Why then, lord Talbot there fhall

And give him chaftifement for this abufe:-
My lord, how fay you? are you not content?
Tal. Content, my liege? Yes; but that I am
prevented,

I fhould have begg'd I might have been employ'd.
K. Hurry. Then gather ftrength, and march 5
unto him ftraight:

Let him perceive, how ill we brook his treafon;
And what offence it is, to Acut his friends.

Tal. I go, my lord; in heart defiring ftill,
You may behold confufion of your foes. [Exit Tal. 55
Enter Vernon, and Baffit.

Ver. Grant me the combat, gracious fovereign!
Baf. And me, my lord, grant me the combat too!
York. This is my fervant; Hear him, noble prince!
Sem. And this is mine; Sweet Henry, favour him!60
K. Henry. Be patient, lords, and give them leave
to speak.-

Say, gentlemen, What makes you thus exclaim?

2 To pretend feems to be here used in its Latin sense, i, e. to hold out. 3 i. e. refift.

Befide, What infamy will there arife,
When foreign princes fhall be certify'd,
That, for a toy, a thing of no regard,
King Henry's peers, and chief nobility,
Deftroy'd themselves, and loft the realm of France?
O, think upon the conqueft of my father,
My tender years; and let us not forego
That for a trifle, which was bought with blood!
Let me be umpire in this doubtful ftrife.
I fee no reason, if I wear this rofe,

[Putting on a red rofe.
That any one should therefore be fufpicious
I more incline to Somerset, than York:
Both are my kinsmen, and I love them both:
As well they may upbraid me with my crown,
Because, forfooth, the king of Scots is crown'd.
But your difcretions better can perfuade,
Than I am able to instruct or teach:
And therefore, as we hither came in peace,
So let us ftill continue peace and love.—
Coufin of York, we inftitute your grace
To be our regent in these parts of France :-
And, good my lord of Somerset, unite
Your troops of horsemen with his bands of foot ;-
And, like true fubjects, sons of your progenitors,
Go chearfully together, and digest

Your angry choler on your enemies.
Ourself, my lord protector, and the reft,

After fome refpite, will return to Calais;

Enter General aloft.

English John Talbot, captains, calls you forth,
Servant in arms to Harry king of England;
And thus he would,Open your city gates,
5 Be humbled to us; call my fovereign yours,
And do him homage as obedient fubjects,
And I'll withdraw me and my bloody power:
But, if you frown upon this proffer'd peace,
You tempt the fury of my three attendants,
10 Lean famine, quartering fteel, and climbing fire;
Who, in a moment, even with the earth
Shall lay your ftately and air-braving towers,
If you forfake the offer of their love.

15

Gen. Thou ominous and fearful owl of death,
Our nation's terror, and their bloody scourge !
The period of thy tyranny approacheth.
On us thou canst not enter, but by death:
For, I proteft, we are well fortify'd,
And strong enough to iffue out and fight:
20 If thou retire, the Dauphin, well appointed,
Stands with the fnares of war to tangle thee:
On either hand thee there are fquadrons pitch'd,
To wall thee from the liberty of flight;

And no way canst thou turn thee for redrefs,
25 But death doth front thee with apparent spoil,
And pale deftruction meets thee in the face.
Ten thoufand French have ta'en the facrament,
To rive their dangerous artillery

Upon no chriftian foul but English Talbot.

From thence to England; where I hope ere long 30 Lo! there thou stand st, a breathing valiant man,

To be prefented, by your victories,

With Charles, Alençon, and that traitorous rout.
[Flourish. Exeunt.
Manent York, Warwick, Exeter, and Vernon.
War. My lord of York, I promise you, the king 35
Prettily, methought, did play the orator.

Tork. And so he did; but yet I like it not,
In that he wears the badge of Somerset.

War. Tush! that was but his fancy, blame

him not;

I dare prefume, fweet prince, he thought no harm.
Yerk. And, if I wift ', he did-But let it reft;
Other affairs must now be managed. [Exeunt.

Manent Exeter.

Of an invincible unconquer'd spirit:
This is the latest glory of thy praise,
That I, thy enemy, due 3 thee withal;
For ere the glass, that now begins to run,
Finish the process of his sandy hour,
These eyes, that fee thee now well coloured,
Shall fee thee wither'd, bloody, pale, and dead.
[Drum afar off.
Hark! hark! the Dauphin's drum, a warning bell,
40 Sings heavy mufic to thy timorous foul;
And mine fhall ring thy dire departure out.

[Exit from the walls.
Tal. He fables not, I hear the enemy;—
Out, fome light horfemen, and peruse their wings.-

Exe. Well didst thou, Richard, to fupprefs 450, negligent and heedlefs difcipline!

thy voice:

For, had the paffions of thy heart burst out,

I fear, we should have feen decypher'd there
More rancorous fpight, more furious raging broils,
Than yet can be imagin'd or suppos'd.

But howfoe'er, no fimple man that fees

This jarring difcord of nobility,

This should'ring of each other in the court,
This factious bandying of their favourites,
But that he doth presage some ill event.

'Tis much, when fcepters are in children's hands;
But more, when envy breeds unkind divifion;
There comes the ruin, there begins confufion. [Exit.
SCENE II.

Before the walls of Bourdeaux.

Enter Talbot, with trumpets and drum.
Tal. Go to the gates of Bourdeaux, trumpeter,
Summon their general unto the wall,
[Sounds.

How are we park'd, and bounded in a pale;
A little herd of England's timorous deer,
Maz'd with a yelping kennel of French curs!
If we be English deer, be then in blood:
50 Not rafcal+ like, to fall down with a pinch;
But rather moody mad, and desperate tags,
Turn on the bloody hounds with heads of steel,
And make the cowards ftand aloof at bay:
Sell every man his life as dear as mine,

55 And they fhall find dear deer of us, my friends.-
God, and faint George! Talbot, and England's
right!

60

Profper our colours in this dangerous fight! [Excunt.

Enter a Meffenger meeting York, who enters with a trumpet, and many foldiers.

York. Are not the fpeedy scouts return'd again,

3 To due is to endue, to deck, to grace. 4 A rafcal deer means

That

That dogg'd the mighty army of the Dauphin?
Mf. They are return'd, my lord; and give

it out,

That he is march'd to Bourdeaux with his power,
To fight with Talbot: As he march'd along,
By your efpials were difcovered

Two mightier troops than that the Dauphin led;
Which join'd with him, and made their march for
Bourdeaux.

York. A plague upon that villain Somerset ;
That thus delays my promised fupply
Of horsemen, that were levied for this fiege!
Renowned Talbot doth expect my aid;
And I am lowted by a traitor villain,
And cannot help the noble chevalier :
God comfort him in this neceffity!
If he miscarry, farewel wars in France.

Enter Sir William Lucy.

5

10

Lucy. Thou princely leader of our English ftrength, 20
Never fo needful on the earth of France,
Spur to the rescue of the noble Talbot;
Who now is girdled with a waift of iron,
And hemm'd about with grim destruction:
To Bourdeaux, warlike duke ! to Bourdeaux, York! 25
Elfe, farewel Talbot, France, and England's ho-

nour.

York. O God! that Somerfet-who in proud

heart

SCENE IV.

Another part of France.

Enter Semerfet, with his Army.

Sem. It is too late: I cannot fend them now;

This expedition was by York and Talbot
Too rafhly plotted; all our general force
Might with the fally of the very town
Be buckled with: the over-daring Talbot
Hath fullied all his glofs of former honour
By this unheedful, defperate, wild adventure:
York fet him on to fight, and die in shame,
That, Talbot dead, great York might bear the name.
Capt. Here is Sir William Lucy, who with me
Set from our o'er-match'd forces forth for aid.
Enter Sir William Lucy.

Som. How now, Sir William? whither were
you fent?

Lucy. Whither, my lord? from bought and fold
lord Talbot;

Who, ring'd ahout with bold adverfity,
Cries out for noble York and Somerset,
To beat affailing death from his weak legions.
And whiles the honourable captain there
Drops bloody fweat from his war-wearied limbs,
And, in advantage ling'ring 3, looks for refcue,
You, his falfe hopes, the truft of England's honour,
Keep off aloof with worthless emulation 4.
Let not your private difcord keep away
30 The levied fuccours that fhall lend him aid,
While he, renowned noble gentleman,
Yields up his life unto a world of odds:
Orleans the Baftard, Charles, and Burgundy,
Alençon, Reignier, compass him about,
And Talbot perifheth by your default. [him aid.
Som. York fet him on, York should have fent
Lucy. And York as faft upon your grace exclaims;
Swearing, that you withhold his levied hoft,
Collected for this expedition.

Doth ftop my cornets-were in Talbot's place!
So fhould we fave a valiant gentleman,
By forfeiting a traitor, and a coward.
Mad ire, and wrathful fury, makes me weep,
That thus we die, while remifs traitors fleep.
Lucy. O, fend fome fuccour to the diftrefs'd lord! 35
York. He dies, we lofe; I break my warlike
word:

We mourn, France fmiles; we lofe, they daily get;
All 'long of this vile traitor Somerset.

Lucy. Then, God take mercy on brave Talbot's 4c
foul!
[fince,

And on his fon young John; whom, two hours
I met in travel towards his warlike father!
This feven years did not Talbot see his fon;
And now they meet where both their lives are done. 45
York. Alas! what joy fhall noble Talbot have,
To bid his young fon welcome to his grave?
Away! vexation almost stops my breath,
That funder'd friends greet in the hour of death.-
Lucy, farewel: no more my fortune can,
But curfe the cause I cannot aid the man.-
Maine, Blois, Poitiers, and Tours, are won away,
'Long all of Somerfet, and his delay.

Lucy. Thus, while the vulture of fedition
Feeds in the bofom of such great commanders,
Sleeping neglection doth betray to lofs

55

The conqueft of our scarce-cold conqueror,
That ever-living man of memory,

Henry the fifth-Whiles they each other cross,
Lives, honours, lands, and all, hurry to loss.

1 i. e. I am let down, I am lowered. by the advantage of a strong post. fuperior excellence.

[Exit.

60

[the horse;

Som. York lies; he might have fent, and had
I owe him little duty, and lefs love;
And take foul fcorn, to fawn on him by fending.
Lucy. The fraud of England, not the force of
France,

Hath now entrapt the noble-minded Talbot.
Never to England thall he bear his life;
But dies, betray'd to fortune by your ftrife.[ftraight:
Som. Come, go; I will difpatch the horsemen
Within fix hours they will be at his aid.

Lucy. Too late comes rescue; he is ta`en, or flain:
For fly he could not, if he would have fled;
And fly would Talbot never, though he might.
Som. If he be dead, brave Talbot then adieu!
Lucy. His fame lives in the world, his shame in
[Excunt.

you.

Tal. O young John Talbot! I did fend for thee, To tutor thee in ftratagems of war;

2 i. c. environed, encircled. 3 i. e. protracting his refiftance 4 In this line emulation fignifies merely rivalry, not Atruggle for

That

That Talbot's name might be in thee reviv'd,
When faplefs age, and weak unable limbs,
Should bring thy father to his drooping chair.
But, O malignant and ill-boding stars!-
Now art thou come unto a feast of death,
A terrible and unavoided danger :
Therefore, dear boy, mount on my swifteft horfe;
And I'll direct thee how thou shalt escape
By fudden flight: come, dally not, begone.

Jobn. Is my name Talbot? and am I your fon
And fhall I fly? O! if you love my mother,
Dishonour not her honourable name,
To make a baftard, and a flave of me :
The world will fay-He is not Talbot's blood,
That bafely fled, when noble Talbot stood.

Tal. Fly, to revenge my death, if I be slain.
Jobn. He that flies fo, will ne'er return again.
Tal, If we both stay, we both are fure to die.
Jabr. Then, let me stay; and, father, do you fly:
Your lofs is great, so your regard2 should be;
My worth unknown, no lofs is known in me.
Upon my death the French can little boast;
In yours they will, in you all hopes are loft.
Flight cannot stain the honour you have won;
But mine it will, that no exploit have done :
You fled for vantage, every one will swear;
But if I bow, they'll fay-it was for fear.
There is no hope that ever I will stay,
If, the first hour, I shrink, and run away.
Here, on my knee, I beg mortality,
Rather than life preferv'd with infamy.

Tal. Shall all thy mother's hopes lie in one tomb?
Jibn. Ay, rather than I'll fhame my mother's
womb.

Where is John Talbot?--Pause, and take thy breath;
gave thee life, and rescu'd thee from death.
Juba. O twice my father! twice am I thy fon:
The life, thou gav'ft me first, was lost and done;
'Till with thy warlike fword, defpight of fate,
To my determin'd time thou gav`st new date.

Tal. When from the Dauphin's creft thy fword
ftruck fire,

It warm'd thy father's heart with proud defire
10 Of bold-fac'd victory. Then leaden age,
Quicken'd with youthful fpleen, and warlike rage,
Beat down Alençon, Orleans, Burgundy,
And from the pride of Gallia refcu'd thee.
The ireful baftard Orleans-that drew blood
15 From thee, my boy, and had the maidenhood
Of thy first fight-I foon encountered;
And, interchanging blows, I quickly fhed
Some of his baftard blood; and, in difgrace,
Bespoke him thus: Contaminated, base,

20 And mif-begotten blood I spill of thine,

Mean and right por; for that pure bloed of mine,
Which thou didst force from Talbot, my brave boy :-
Here, purpofing the bastard to destroy,
Came in ftrong refcue. Speak, thy father's care;
25 Art not thou weary, John? How doft thou fare?
Wilt thou yet leave the battle, boy, and fly,
Now thou art feal'd the fon of chivalry?
Fly, to revenge my death, when I am dead;
The help of one ftands me in little ftead.
30Oh, too much folly is it, well I wot,

To hazard all our lives in one small boat.
If I to-day die not with Frenchmen's rage,
To-morrow I fhall die with mickle age:
By me they nothing gain, and if I stay,
35Tis but the fhort'ning of my life one day:
In thee thy mother dies, our houfhold's name,
My death's revenge, thy youth, and England's fame:
All thefe, and more, we hazard by thy ftay;
All thefe are fav'd, if thou wilt fly away. [fmart,
Jobn. The fword of Orleans hath not made me
Thefe words of yours draw life-blood from my
heart:

Tal. Upon my bleffing I command thee go.
Jobn. To fight I will, but not to fly the foe.
Tal. Part of thy father may be fav'd in thee.
Jebn. No part of him, but will be shame in me.
Tal. Thou never hadft renown, nor canft not
lofe it.
[abuse it? 40
John. Yes, your renowned name; Shall flight
Tal. Thy father's charge fhall clear thee from

that stain.

John. You cannot witnefs for me, being flain.
If death be fo apparent, then both fly. [die
Tal. And leave my followers here to fight and
My age was never tainted with such shame. [blame?
John. And fhall my youth be guilty of fuch
No more can I be fever'd from your fide,
Than can yourself yourself in twain divide:
Stay, go, do what you will, the like do I;
For live I will not, if my father die.

Tal. Then here I take my leave of thee, fair fon,
Born to eclipse thy life this afternoon.
Come, fide by fide together live and die;
And foul with foul from France to heaven fly.

Alarum: : excurfions, wherein Talbot's fon is bemm'à about, and Talbot refcues bim.

Tal. Saint George, and victory! fight, foldiers, The regent hath with Talbot broke his word, [fight: And left us to the rage of France's fword.

45

Oh what advantage, bought with such a shame,
To fave a paltry life, and flay bright fame!
Before young Talbot from old Talbot fly,
The coward horfe, that bears me, fall and die!
And like 3 me to the peafant boys of France;
To be fhame's fcorn, and fubject of mifchance!
Surely, by all the glory you have won,

50 And if I fly, I am not Talbot's fon:
Then talk no more of flight, it is no boot;
if fon to Talbot, die at Talbot's foot.

Tal. Then follow thou thy defperate fire of Crete,
Thou Icarus; thy life to me is sweet:

|55|If thou wilt fight, fight by thy father's fide;
And, commendable prov'd, let's die in pride.
[Exeunt.

3 CE NE VII.

60 Alarum: excurfions. Enter old Talbot, led by the French. Tal. Where is my other life?-mine own is gone:

O, where's young Talbot? where is valiant John?—

2

1 To a field where death will be feafted with slaughter. Meaning, your care of your own safety. 3 i. c. make me like, or reduce me to a level with, the peafant boys, &c.

002

Triumphant

Anon from thy infulting tyranny,
Coupled in bonds of perpetuity,

Two Talbots, winged through the lither 3 sky,
In thy defpight, shall 'scape mortality.-

50 thou whofe wounds become hard-favour'd death,
Speak to thy father, ere thou yield thy breath:
Brave death by fpeaking, whether he will or no;
Imagine him a Frenchman, and thy foe.-

IC

ACT

Enter Charles, Alençon, Burgundy, Baftard, and
Joan la Pucelle.

25 Lucy. Where is the great Alcides of the field,
Valiant lord Talbot, earl of Shrewsbury?
Created for his rare fuccefs in arms,

Great earl of Washford, Waterford, and Valence;
Lord Talbot of Goodrig and Urchinfield,

AD York and Somerset brought|36| Lord Strange of Blackmere, lord Verdun of Alton,

We should have found a bloody day of this.

Baft. How the young whelp of Talbot's raging-
wood 4,

Did flesh his puny fword in Frenchmen's blood!
Pucel. Once I encounter'd him, and thus I faid,
Thou maiden youth, be vanquish'd by a maid:
But with a proud, majestical, high scorn-
He answer'd thus; Young Talbot was not born-
To be the pillage of a giglot 5 wench:
So, rushing in the bowels of the French,
He left me proudly, as unworthy fight. [knight:

Bur. Doubtless, he would have made a noble
See, where he lies inherfed in the arms
Of the most bloody nurfer of his harms. [afunder; 45
Baft. Hew them to pieces, hack their bones
Whofe life was England's glory, Gallia's wonder.
Char. Oh, no; forbear: for that which we have
[fied
During the life, let us not wrong it dead.

Lucy. Herald, conduct me to the Dauphin's tent; to know

Who hath obtain'd the glory of the day.

Char. On what fubmiffive meffage art thou fent?
Lucy. Submiffion, Dauphin? 'tis a mere French 55
word;

We English warriors wot not what it means.
I come to know what prifoners thou hast ta'en,
And to furvey the bodies of the dead.

Char. For prisoners afk'ft thou? hell our prifon is. 60 A phoenix, that shall make all France afeard. [wilt. But tell me whom thou seek'st.

4 Raging-wood fignifies raging mad.