O monstrous treachery! can this be fo!
That in alliance, amity, and oaths,
There fhould be found fuch falfe diffembling guile?
K. Henry. What! doth my uncle Burgundy revolt?
Glou. He doth, my Lord, and is become our foe.
K Henry. Is that the worst this letter doth contain?
Glou. It is the worst, and all, my Lord, he writes.
K Henry.Why then Lord Talbot there fhall talk with him,
And give him chastisement for this abuse.
My Lord, how fay you, are you not content?
Tal. Content, my Liege? yes: but that I'm prevented, I fhould have begg'd I might have been employ'd.
K. Henry. Then gather ftrength, and march unto him Let him perceive how ill we brook his treafon, [ftrait: And what offence it is to flout his friends. Tal. I go, my Lord, in heart defiring still You may behold confufion of
Ver. Grant me the combat, gracious Sovereign.
Baf. And me, my Lord, grant me the combat too.
York. This is my fervant, hear him, noble Prince.
Som. And this is mine, fweet Henry, favour him.
K. Henry. Be patient, Lords, and give them leave to fpeak.
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.
Baf. And I with him, for he hath done me wrong.
K.Henry What is the wrong whereon you both complain?
First let me know, and then I'll answer you.
Baf. Croffing the fea from England into France,
This fellow here with fharp and carping tongue
Upbraided me about the rofe I wear;
Saying the fanguine colour of the leaves
Did reprefent my mafter's blufhing cheeks;
When ftubbornly he did repugn the truth
About a certain queftion 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 law of arms.
Ver. And that is my petition, noble Lord;
For though he seem with forged quaint conceit
To fet a glofs 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 flow'r
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 fo cunningly you fmother it.
[men! K. Henry. Good Lord! what madness rules in brain-fick
When for fo flight and frivolous a caufe
Such factious emulations fhall arife!
Good coufins both of York and Somerfet,
Quiet your felves and be again at peace.
York. Let this diffention first be try'd by fight,
And then your Highness fhall command a peace.
Som. The quarrel toucheth none but us alone,
Betwixt our felves let us decide it then.
York. There is my pledge; accept it, Somerfet.
Ver. Nay, let it reft where it began at first.
Baf. Confirm it fo, mine honourable Lord.
Glou. Confirm it fo? confounded be your ftrife,
And perish ye with your audacious prate!
Prefumptuous vaffals, are you not asham'd
With this immodeft clamorous outrage
To trouble and difturb the King and us?
And you, my Lords, methinks you do not well
To bear with their perverfe objections:
Much lefs to take occafion from their mouths
To raise a mutiny betwixt your felves:
Let me perfuade you take a better course.
Exe. It grieves his Highness: good my Lords, be friends.
K. Henry. Come hither you that would be combatants :
Henceforth I charge you, as you love our favour,
Quite to forget this quarrel and the cause.
And you, my Lords, remember where we are,
In France, amongst a fickle wavering nation:
If they perceive diffention in our looks,
And that within ourselves we disagree,
How will their grudging ftomachs be provok'd
To wilful difobedience, and rebel!
Befide, what infamy will there arise,
When foreign Princes fhall be certify'd,
That for a toy, a thing of no regard,
King Henry's Peers and chief Nobility
Destroy'd themselves, and lost 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,
That any one should therefore be fufpicious
I more encline to Somerset than York:
Both are my kinfmen, 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 discretions better can perfuade,
Than I am able to inftruct or teach:
And therefore as we hither came in peace,
So let us still 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 Somerfet, unite
Your troops of horsemen with his bands of foot;
And like true fubjects, fons of your progenitors,
Go chearfully together, and digeft
Your angry choler on your enemies.
Our felf, my Lord Protector, and the rest,
After fome refpite will return to Calais;
From thence to England, where I hope ere long
To be prefented, by your victories,
With Charles, Alanfon, and that trait'rous rout. [Flourish.
Manent York, Warwick, Exeter, and Vernon.
War. My Lord of York, I promise you the King
Moft prettily, methought, did play the orator.
York. And fo he did; but yet I like it not,
In that he wears the badge of Somerfet.
War. Tufh, that was but his fancy, blame him not; I dare prefume, fweet Prince, he thought no harm. York. An if I'wis, he did. But let it reft; Other affairs must now be managed.
Exe. Well didft thou, Richard, to fupprefs thy voice: For had the paffions of thy heart burst out,
I fear we should have feen decypher'd there
More ranc'rous fpight, more furious raging broils,
Than yet can be imagin'd or fuppos'd.
But howfoe'er, no fimple man that fees
This jarring difcord of Nobility,
This fhould'ring of each other in the Court,
This factious bandying of their favourites;
But that he doth prefage fome ill event.
'Tis much, when scepters are in childrens hands;
But more, when envy breeds unkind divifion,
Then comes the ruin, there begins confufion.
4 wish, . . . old edit. Theob. emend,
Enter Talbot with trumpets, and drum.
O to the gates of Bourdeaux, trumpeter,
Summon their General unto the wall.
English John Talbot, captains, calls you forth,
Servant in arms to Harry King of England;
And thus he would: open your city gates,
Be humbled to us, call my Sovereign yours,
And do him homage as obedient fubjects,
And I'll withdraw me and my bloody pow'r.
But if you frown upon this proffer'd peace,
You tempt the fury of my three attendants,'
Lean famine, quartering fteel, and climbing fire;
Who in a moment even with the earth
Shall lay your stately and air-braving tow'rs,
If you forfake the offer of 'our love.
5
Gen. Thou ominous and fearful owl of death,
Our nation's terrour, and their bloody scourge!
The period of thy tyranny approacheth.
On us thou canft not enter but by death:
For I proteft we are well fortify'd,
And strong enough to iffue out and fight.
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 canft thou turn thee for redress,
But death doth front thee with apparent spoil.
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