Henry VI, Part 1 (William Shakespeare) » p.14 » All Books Online Free

Forgive me, country, and sweet countrymen;

81

And, lords, accept this hearty kind embrace.

82

My forces and my power of men are yours.

83

So, farewell, Talbot. I’ll no longer trust thee.

84

PUCELLE,

Done like a Frenchman: turn and turn again.

85

CHARLES

Welcome, brave duke. Thy friendship makes us fresh.

86

BASTARD

And doth beget new courage in our breasts.

87

ALANSON

Pucelle hath bravely played her part in this

88

And doth deserve a coronet of gold.

89

CHARLES

Now let us on, my lords, and join our powers,

90

And seek how we may prejudice the foe.

91

They exit.

Scene 4

Enter the King, Gloucester, Winchester,

Exeter; York, Warwick,

Somerset, Suffolk,

To them, with his Soldiers, Talbot.

TALBOT

My gracious prince and honorable peers,

1

Hearing of your arrival in this realm,

2

I have awhile given truce unto my wars

3

To do my duty to my sovereign;

4

In sign whereof, this arm, that hath reclaimed

5

To your obedience fifty fortresses,

6

Twelve cities, and seven walled towns of strength,

7

Besides five hundred prisoners of esteem,

8

Lets fall his sword before your Highness’ feet,

9

And with submissive loyalty of heart

10

Ascribes the glory of his conquest got

11

First to my God, and next unto your Grace.

12

KING HENRY

Is this the Lord Talbot, Uncle Gloucester,

13

That hath so long been resident in France?

14

GLOUCESTER

Yes, if it please your Majesty, my liege.

15

KING HENRY

Welcome, brave captain and victorious lord.

16

When I was young—as yet I am not old—

17

I do remember how my father said

18

A stouter champion never handled sword.

19

Long since we were resolvèd of your truth,

20

Your faithful service, and your toil in war;

21

Yet never have you tasted our reward

22

Or been reguerdoned with so much as thanks,

23

Because till now we never saw your face.

24

Therefore stand up; and for these good deserts

25

We here create you Earl of Shrewsbury;

26

And in our coronation take your place.

27

Sennet. Flourish. All except

Vernon and Basset exit.

VERNON

Now, sir, to you that were so hot at sea,

28

Disgracing of these colors that I wear

29

In honor of my noble Lord of York,

30

Dar’st thou maintain the former words thou spak’st?

31

BASSET

Yes, sir, as well as you dare patronage

32

The envious barking of your saucy tongue

33

Against my lord the Duke of Somerset.

34

VERNON

Sirrah, thy lord I honor as he is.

35

BASSET

Why, what is he? As good a man as York.

36

VERNON

Hark you, not so; in witness, take you that.

37

Strikes him.

BASSET

Villain, thou knowest the law of arms is such

38

That whoso draws a sword ’tis present death,

39

Or else this blow should broach thy dearest blood.

40

But I’ll unto his Majesty, and crave

41

I may have liberty to venge this wrong,

42

When thou shalt see I’ll meet thee to thy cost.

43

VERNON

Well, miscreant, I’ll be there as soon as you,

44

And after meet you sooner than you would.

45

He exits.

HENRY VI

Part 1

* * *

ACT 4

ACT 4

* * *

Scene 1

Enter King, Gloucester, Winchester, Talbot,

Exeter; York Warwick, Suffolk

Somerset, Governor
and Others.>

GLOUCESTER

Lord Bishop, set the crown upon his head.

1

WINCHESTER,

God save King Henry, of that name the Sixth!

2

GLOUCESTER

Now, Governor of Paris, take your oath.

3

That you elect no other king but him;

4

Esteem none friends but such as are his friends,

5

And none your foes but such as shall pretend

6

Malicious practices against his state:

7

This shall you do, so help you righteous God.

8

Enter Fastolf.

FASTOLF

My gracious sovereign, as I rode from Callice

9

To haste unto your coronation,

10

A letter was delivered to my hands,

11

Writ to your Grace from th’ Duke of Burgundy.

12

TALBOT

Shame to the Duke of Burgundy and thee!

13

I vowed, base knight, when I did meet thee next,

14

To tear the Garter from thy craven’s leg,

15

()

Which I have done, because unworthily

16

Thou wast installèd in that high degree.—

17

Pardon me, princely Henry and the rest.

18

This dastard, at the battle of

19

When but in all I was six thousand strong

20

And that the French were almost ten to one,

21

Before we met or that a stroke was given,

22

Like to a trusty squire did run away;

23

In which assault we lost twelve hundred men.

24

Myself and divers gentlemen besides

25

Were there surprised and taken prisoners.

26

Then judge, great lords, if I have done amiss,

27

Or whether that such cowards ought to wear

28

This ornament of knighthood—yea or no?

29

GLOUCESTER

To say the truth, this fact was infamous

30

And ill beseeming any common man,

31

Much more a knight, a captain, and a leader.

32

TALBOT

When first this Order was ordained, my lords,

33

Knights of the Garter were of noble birth,

34

Valiant and virtuous, full of haughty courage,

35

Such as were grown to credit by the wars;

36

Not fearing death nor shrinking for distress,

37

But always resolute in most extremes.

38

He then that is not furnished in this sort

39

Doth but usurp the sacred name of knight,

40

Profaning this most honorable Order,

41

And should, if I were worthy to be judge,

42

Be quite degraded, like a hedge-born swain

43

That doth presume to boast of gentle blood.

44

KING HENRY,

Stain to thy countrymen, thou hear’st thy doom.

45

Be packing therefore, thou that wast a knight.

46

Henceforth we banish thee on pain of death.

47

And now, lord protector, view the letter

48

Sent from our uncle, Duke of Burgundy.

49

GLOUCESTER

What means his Grace that he hath changed his style?

50

No more but, plain and bluntly, “To the King”!

51

Hath he forgot he is his sovereign?

52

Or doth this churlish superscription

53

Pretend some alteration in good will?

54

What’s here?

55

()

I have upon especial cause,

56

Moved with compassion of my country’s wrack,

57

Together with the pitiful complaints

58

Of such as your oppression feeds upon,

59

Forsaken your pernicious faction

60

And joined with Charles, the rightful king of France.

61

O monstrous treachery! Can this be so?

62

That in alliance, amity, and oaths

63

There should be found such false dissembling guile?

64

KING HENRY

What? Doth my Uncle Burgundy revolt?

65

GLOUCESTER

He doth, my lord, and is become your foe.

66

KING HENRY

Is that the worst this letter doth contain?

67

GLOUCESTER

It is the worst, and all, my lord, he writes.

68

KING HENRY

Why, then, Lord Talbot there shall talk with him

69

And give him chastisement for this abuse.—

70

How say you, my lord, are you not content?

71

TALBOT

Content, my liege? Yes. But that I am prevented,

72

I should have begged I might have been employed.

73

KING HENRY

Then gather strength and march unto him straight;

74

Let him perceive how ill we brook his treason

75

And what offense it is to flout his friends.

76

TALBOT

I go, my lord, in heart desiring still

77

You may behold confusion of your foes.

78

Enter Vernon, and Basset,

VERNON

Grant me the combat, gracious sovereign.

79

BASSET

And me, my lord, grant me the combat too.

80

YORK,

This is my servant; hear him, noble prince.

81

SOMERSET,

And this is mine, sweet Henry; favor him.

82

KING HENRY

Be patient, lords, and give them leave to speak.—

83

Say, gentlemen, what makes you thus exclaim,

84

And wherefore crave you combat, or with whom?

85

VERNON

With him, my lord, for he hath done me wrong.

86

BASSET

And I with him, for he hath done me wrong.

87

KING HENRY

What is that wrong whereof you both complain?

88

First let me know, and then I’ll answer you.

89

BASSET

Crossing the sea from England into France,

90

This fellow here with envious carping tongue

91

Upbraided me about the rose I wear,

92

Saying the sanguine color of the leaves

93

Did represent my master’s blushing cheeks

94

When stubbornly he did repugn the truth

95

About a certain question in the law

96

Argued betwixt the Duke of York and him,

97

With other vile and ignominious terms.

98

In confutation of which rude reproach,

99

And in defense of my lord’s worthiness,

100

I crave the benefit of law of arms.

101

VERNON

And that is my petition, noble lord;

102

For though he seem with forgèd quaint conceit

103

To set a gloss upon his bold intent,

104

Yet know, my lord, I was provoked by him,

105

And he first took exceptions at this badge,

106

Pronouncing that the paleness of this flower

107

Bewrayed the faintness of my master’s heart.

108

YORK

Will not this malice, Somerset, be left?

109

SOMERSET

Your private grudge, my Lord of York, will out,

110

Though ne’er so cunningly you smother it.

111

KING HENRY

Good Lord, what madness rules in brainsick men

112

When for so slight and frivolous a cause

113

Such factious emulations shall arise!

114

Good cousins both, of York and Somerset,

115

Quiet yourselves, I pray, and be at peace.

116

YORK

Henry VI, Part 1, p.14

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