Besides five hundred prisoners of esteem, — Lets fall his sword before your highness' feet; And, with submissive loyalty of heart, Ascribes the glory of his conquest got, First to my God, and next unto your grace.
K. Hen. Is this the lord Talbot, uncle Gloster, That hath so long been resident in France?
Glo. Yes, if it please your majesty, my liege. K. Hen. Welcome, brave captain, and victorious lord! When I was young (as yet I am not old), I do remember how my father said, A stouter champion never handled sword. Long since we were resolved of your truth, Your faithful service, and your toil in war; Yet never have you tasted our reward, Or been reguerdon'd with so much as thanks, Because till now we never saw your face: Therefore, stand up; and, for these good deserts, We here create you earl of Shrewsbury; And in our coronation take your place.
[Exeunt King Henry, Gloster, Talbot, and Nobles. Ver. Now, sir, to you, that were so hot at sea, Disgracing of these colours that I wear In honour of my noble lord of York,- Dar'st thou maintain the former words thou spak'st? Bas. Yes, sir; as well as you dare patronage The envious barking of your saucy tongue Against my lord, the duke of Somerset.
Ver. Sirrah, thy lord I honour as he is. Bas. Why, what is he? as good a man as York. Ver. Hark ye; not so: in witness, take ye that.
[Strikes him. Bas. Villain, thou know'st the law of arms is such, That, who so draws a sword, 'tis present death; Or else this blow should broach thy dearest blood. But I'll unto his majesty, and crave I may have liberty to venge this wrong; When thou shalt see, I'll meet thee to thy cost.
Ver. Well, miscreant, I'll be there as soon as you; And, after, meet you sooner than you would. [Exeunt.
SCENE I. The same. A Room of State. Enter KING HENRY, GLOSTER, EXETER, YORK, SUFFOLK, SOMERSET, WINCHESTER, WARWICK, TALBOT, the Governor of Paris, and others. Glo. Lord bishop, set the crown upon his head. Win. God save king Henry, of that name the sixth ! Glo. Now, governor of Paris, take your oath,
That you elect no other king but him: Esteem none friends, but such as are his friends; And none your foes, but such as shall pretend Malicious practices against his state:
This shall ye do, so help you righteous God!
[Exeunt Governor and his Train.
Enter SIR JOHN FASTOLFE.
Fast. My gracious sovereign, as I rode from Calais,
To haste unto your coronation,
A letter was deliver'd to my hands,
Writ to your grace from the duke of Burgundy.
Tal. Shame to the duke of Burgundy, and thee!
I vow'd, base knight, when I did meet thee next, To tear the garter from thy craven's leg.
(Which I have done) because unworthily Thou wast installed in that high degree.- Pardon me, princely Henry, and the rest: This dastard, at the battle of Patay,- When but in all I was six thousand strong, And that the French were almost ten to one,- Before we met, or that a stroke was given, Like to a trusty squire, did run away; In which assault we lost twelve hundred men; Myself, and divers gentlemen beside, Were there surpris'd, and taken prisoners. Then judge, great lords, if I have done amiss; Or whether that such cowards ought to wear This ornament of knighthood, yea, or no.
Glo. To say the truth, this fact was infamous, And ill-beseeming any common man; Much more a knight, a captain, and a leader.
Tal. When first this order was ordain'd, my lords, Knights of the garter were of noble birth; Valiant and virtuous, full of haughty courage, Such as were grown to credit by the wars; Not fearing death, nor shrinking for distress, But always resolute in most extremes. He then, that is not furnish'd in this sort, Doth but usurp the sacred name of knight, Profaning this most honourable order; And should (if I were worthy to be judge), Be quite degraded, like a hedge-born swain That doth presume to boast of gentle blood. K. Hen. Stain to thy countrymen! thou hear'st thy Be packing therefore, thou that wast a knight; Henceforth we banish thee, on pain of death.-
And now, my lord protector, view the letter. Sent from our uncle duke of Burgundy. Glo. What means his grace, that he hath chang'd his style? [Viewing the Superscription.
No more but, plain and bluntly, To the king? Hath he forgot, he is his sovereign? Or doth this churlish superscription Pretend some alteration in good will?
What's here? - I have, upon especial cause,
Mov'd with compassion of my country's wreck,
Together with the pitiful complaints Of such as your oppression feeds upon,- Forsaken your pernicious faction,
And join'd with Charles, the rightful king of France.
O monstrous treachery! Can this be so; That in alliance, amity, and oaths,
There should be found such false dissembling guile; K. Hen. What! doth my uncle Burgundy revolt? Glo. He doth, my lord, and is become your foe. K. Hen. Is that the worst this letter doth contain? Glo. It is the worst, and all, my lord, he writes. K. Hen. Why then, lord Talbot there shall talk with [him,
And give him chastisement for this abuse :- My lord, how say you? are you not content?
Tal. Content, my liege? Yes, but that I am prevented, I should have begg'd I might have been employ'd.
K. Hen. Then gather strength, and march unto him
Let him perceive, how ill we brook his treason ; And what offence it is, to flout his friends.
Tal. I go, my lord; in heart desiring still, You may behold confusion of your foes.
Enter VERNON and BASSET. Ver. Grant me the combat, gracious sovereign! Bas: And me, my lord, grant me the combat too! York. This is my servant; Hear him, noble prince! Som. And this is mine; Sweet Henry, favour him! K. Hen. Be patient, lords; and give them leave to
Say, gentlemen, What makes you thus exclaim? And wherefore crave you combat? or with whom?
Ver. With him, my lord; for he hath done me wrong. Bas. And I with him; for he hath done me wrong.
K. Hen. What is that wrong whereof you both comFirst let me know, and then I'll answer you. [plain?
Bas. Crossing the sea from England into France, This fellow here, with envious carping tongue, Upbraided me about the rose I wear; Saying the sanguine colour of the leaves Did represent my master's blushing cheeks, When stubbornly he did repugn the truth, About a certain question in the law, Argu'd betwixt the duke of York and him; With other vile and ignominious terms: In confutation of which rude reproach, And in defence of my lord's worthiness, I crave the benefit of the law of arms.
Ver. And that is my petition, noble lord : For though he seem, with forged quaint conceit, To set a gloss upon his bold intent, Yet know, my lord, I was provok'd by him; And he first took exceptions at this badge, Pronouncing-that the paleness of this flower Bewray'd the faintness of my master's heart.
York. Will not this malice, Somerset, be left? Som. Your private grudge, my lord of York, will out, Though ne'er so cunningly you smother it.
K. Hen. Good Lord! what madness rules in brainWhen for so slight and frivolous a cause, [sick men; Such factious emulations shall arise!Good cousins both, of York and Somerset, Quiet yourselves, I pray, and be at peace.
York. Let this dissension first be tried by fight, And then your highness shall command a peace. Som. The quarrel toucheth none but us alone; Betwixt ourselves let us decide it then.
York. There is my pledge; accept it, Somerset. Ver. Nay, let it rest where it began at first. Bas. Confirm it so, mine honourable lord. Glo. Confirm it so? Confounded be your strife!
And perish ye, with your audacious prate! Presumptuous vassals! are you not asham'd, With this immodest clamorous outrage
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