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Henry VI, Part 1 (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Not Peer Reviewed
108
The first Part of Henry the Sixt.
Talb. Dare yee come forth, and meet vs in the field?
Pucell. Belike your Lordship takes vs then for fooles,
To try if that our owne be ours, or no.
1500 Talb. I speake not to that rayling Hecate,
But vnto thee Alanson, and the rest.
Will ye, like Souldiors, come and fight it out?
Alans. Seignior no.
Talb. Seignior hang: base Muleters of France,
1505Like Pesant foot-Boyes doe they keepe the Walls,
And dare not take vp Armes, like Gentlemen.
Pucell. Away Captaines, let's get vs from the Walls,
For Talbot meanes no goodnesse by his Lookes.
God b'uy my Lord, we came but to tell you
1510That wee are here.
Exeunt from the Walls.
Talb. And there will we be too, ere it be long,
Or else reproach be Talbots greatest fame.
Vow Burgonie, by honor of thy House,
Prickt on by publike Wrongs sustain'd in France,
1515Either to get the Towne againe, or dye.
And I, as sure as English Henry liues,
And as his Father here was Conqueror;
As sure as in this late betrayed Towne,
Great Cordelions Heart was buryed;
1520So sure I sweare, to get the Towne, or dye.
Burg. My Vowes are equall partners with thy
Vowes.
Talb. But ere we goe, regard this dying Prince,
The valiant Duke of Bedford: Come my Lord,
1525We will bestow you in some better place,
Fitter for sicknesse, and for crasie age.
Bedf. Lord Talbot, doe not so dishonour me:
Here will I sit, before the Walls of Roan,
And will be partner of your weale or woe.
1530 Burg. Couragious Bedford, let vs now perswade you.
Bedf. Not to be gone from hence: for once I read,
That stout Pendragon, in his Litter sick,
Came to the field, and vanquished his foes.
Me thinkes I should reuiue the Souldiors hearts,
1535Because I euer found them as my selfe.
Talb. Vndaunted spirit in a dying breast,
Then be it so: Heauens keepe old Bedford safe.
And now no more adoe, braue Burgonie,
But gather we our Forces out of hand,
1540And set vpon our boasting Enemie.
Exit.

An Alarum: Excursions. Enter Sir Iohn
Falstaffe, and a Captaine.

Capt. Whither away Sir Iohn Falstaffe, in such haste?
Falst. Whither away? to saue my selfe by flight,
1545We are like to haue the ouerthrow againe.
Capt. What? will you flye, and leaue Lord Talbot?
Falst. I, all the Talbots in the World, to saue my life.
Exit.
Capt. Cowardly Knight, ill fortune follow thee.
1550
Exit.

Retreat. Excursions. Pucell, Alanson, and
Charles flye.

Bedf. Now quiet Soule, depart when Heauen please,
For I haue seene our Enemies ouerthrow.
1555What is the trust or strength of foolish man?
They that of late were daring with their scoffes,
Are glad and faine by flight to saue themselues.
Bedford dyes, and is carryed in by two in his Chaire.
An Alarum. Enter Talbot, Burgonie, and
1560
the rest.
Talb. Lost, and recouered in a day againe,
This is a double Honor, Burgonie:
Yet Heauens haue glory for this Victorie.
Burg. Warlike and Martiall Talbot, Burgonie
1565Inshrines thee in his heart, and there erects
Thy noble Deeds, as Valors Monuments.
Talb. Thanks gentle Duke: but where is Pucel now?
I thinke her old Familiar is asleepe.
Now where's the Bastards braues, and Charles his glikes?
1570What all amort? Roan hangs her head for griefe,
That such a valiant Company are fled.
Now will we take some order in the Towne,
Placing therein some expert Officers,
And then depart to Paris, to the King,
1575For there young Henry with his Nobles lye.
Burg. What wills Lord Talbot, pleaseth Burgonie.
Talb. But yet before we goe, let's not forget
The Noble Duke of Bedford, late deceas'd,
But see his Exequies fulfill'd in Roan.
1580A brauer Souldier neuer couched Launce,
A gentler Heart did neuer sway in Court.
But Kings and mightiest Potentates must die,
For that's the end of humane miserie.
Exeunt.


Scæna Tertia.


1585
Enter Charles, Bastard, Alanson, Pucell.
Pucell. Dismay not (Princes) at this accident,
Nor grieue that Roan is so recouered:
Care is no cure, but rather corrosiue,
For things that are not to be remedy'd.
1590Let frantike Talbot triumph for a while,
And like a Peacock sweepe along his tayle,
Wee'le pull his Plumes, and take away his Trayne,
If Dolphin and the rest will be but rul'd.
Charles. We haue been guided by thee hitherto,
1595And of thy Cunning had no diffidence,
One sudden Foyle shall neuer breed distrust.
Bastard. Search out thy wit for secret pollicies,
And we will make thee famous through the World.
Alans. Wee'le set thy Statue in some holy place,
1600And haue thee reuerenc't like a blessed Saint.
Employ thee then, sweet Virgin, for our good.
Pucell. Then thus it must be, this doth Ioane deuise:
By faire perswasions, mixt with sugred words,
We will entice the Duke of Burgonie
1605To leaue the Talbot, and to follow vs.
Charles. I marry Sweeting, if we could doe that,
France were no place for Henryes Warriors,
Nor should that Nation boast it so with vs,
But be extirped from our Prouinces.
1610 Alans. For euer should they be expuls'd from France,
And not haue Title of an Earledome here.
Pucell. Your Honors shall perceiue how I will worke,
To bring this matter to the wished end.
Drumme sounds a farre off.
1615Hearke, by the sound of Drumme you may perceiue
Their Powers are marching vnto Paris-ward.
Here sound an English March.
There goes the Talbot, with his Colours spred,
And all the Troupes of English after him.
French