And none but women left to wail the dead.- Enter a Messenger. Mes. My honourable lords, health to you all! 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 us'd? 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 ling'ring wars, with little cost; Let not sloth dim your honours, new-begot : Exe. Were our tears wanting to this funeral, 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 niseries. Enter another Messenger." 2 Mes. Lords, view these letters, full of bad mischance; France is revolted from the English quite, Except some petty towns of no import: The dauphin Charles is crowned king in Rheims"; Exe. The dauphin erowned 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 forwardness? An army have I muster'd in my thoughts, Wherewith already France is over-run. Enter a third Messenger. 3 Mes. My gracious lords, to add to your laments; Wherewith you now bedew king Henry's hearse,I must inform you of a dismal fight, Betwixt the stout lord Talbot and the French. Win. What! wherein Talbot overenme? is't so? Having full scarce six thousand in his troop, He wanted pikes to set before his archers; Instead whereof, sharp stakes, pluck'd out of hedges, Ten thousand soldiers with me I will take, 3 Mes. So you had need; for Orleans is beseig'd; The English army is grown weak and faint: The earl of Salisbury craveth supply, And hardly keeps his men from mutiny, Exe. Remember, lords, your oaths to Henry sworn; 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 haste I can, To view the artillery and munition; And then I will proclaim young Henry king. [Exit. Exe. To Eltham will I, where the young king is, Being ordain'd his special governor ; And for his safety there I'll best devise. [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, Other whiles, the famish'd English, like pale ghosts, Alen. They want their porridge, and their fat bullbeeves: Either they must be dieted like mules, And have their provender tied to their mouths, Reig. Let's raise the siege; Why live we idly here? Talbot is taken, whom we wont to fear: Remaineth none but mad-brain'd Salisbury; And he may well in fretting spend his gall, Nor men, nor money, hath he to make war. Char. Sound, sound, alarum; we will rush on them. 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. Alarums; Excursions; afterwards a Retreat. Reenter Charles, Alencon, Reignier, and others. [Exeunt. Char. Who ever saw the like? what men have I?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. Alen. Froisard, a countryman of ours, records, It sendeth forth to skirmish. One to ten! Lean raw-bon'd rascals! who would e'er suppose Char. Let's leave this town; for they are hairbrain'd slaves, And hunger will enforce them to be more eager: The walls they'll tear down, than forsake the siege. Reig. I think, by some odd gimmals or device, |