Internet Shakespeare Editions

Toolbox




Jump to line
Through Line Number
Help on texts
About this text
Print this page

About this text

  • Title: Henry VI, Part 1 (Folio 1, 1623)

    • Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Henry VI, Part 1 (Folio 1, 1623)

    Actus Secundus. Scena Prima.
    675 Enter a Sergeant of a Band, with two Sentinels.
    Ser. Sirs, take your places, and be vigilant:
    If any noyse or Souldier you perceiue
    Neere to the walles, by some apparant signe
    Let vs haue knowledge at the Court of Guard.
    680 Sent. Sergeant you shall. Thus are poore Seruitors
    (When others sleepe vpon their quiet beds)
    Constrain'd to watch in darknesse, raine, and cold.
    Enter Talbot, Bedford, and Burgundy, with scaling
    Ladders: Their Drummesbeating a
    685 Dead March.
    Tal. Lord Regent, and redoubted Burgundy,
    By whose approach, the Regions of Artoys,
    Wallon, and Picardy, are friends to vs:
    This happy night, the Frenchmen are secure,
    690Hauing all day carows'd and banquetted,
    Embrace we then this opportunitie,
    As fitting best to quittance their deceite,
    Contriu'd by Art, and balefull Sorcerie.
    Bed. Coward of France, how much he wrongs his fame,
    695Dispairing of his owne armes fortitude,
    To ioyne with Witches, and the helpe of Hell.
    Bur. Traitors haue neuer other company.
    But what's that Puzell whom they tearme so pure?
    Tal. A Maid, they say.
    700 Bed. A Maid? And be so martiall?
    Bur. Pray God she proue not masculine ere long:
    If vnderneath the Standard of the French
    She carry Armour, as she hath begun.
    Tal. Well, let them practise and conuerse with spirits.
    705God is our Fortresse, in whose conquering name
    Let vs resolue to scale their flinty bulwarkes.
    Bed. Ascend braue Talbot, we will follow thee.
    Tal. Not altogether: Better farre I guesse,
    That we do make our entrance seuerall wayes:
    710That if it chance the one of vs do faile,
    The other yet may rise against their force.
    Bed. Agreed; Ile to yond corner.
    Bur. And I to this.
    Tal. And heere will Talbot mount, or make his graue.
    715Now Salisbury, for thee and for the right
    Of English Henry, shall this night appeare
    How much in duty, I am bound to both.
    Sent. Arme, arme, the enemy doth make assault.
    Cry, S. George, A Talbot.
    720 The French leape ore the walles in their shirts. Enter
    seuerall wayes, Bastard, Alanson, Reignier,
    halfe ready, and halfe vnready.
    Alan. How now my Lords? what all vnreadie so?
    Bast. Vnready? I and glad we scap'd so well.
    725 Reig. 'Twas time (I trow) to wake and leaue our beds,
    Hearing Alarums at our Chamber doores.
    Alan. Of all exploits since first I follow'd Armes,
    Nere heard I of a warlike enterprize
    More venturous, or desperate then this.
    730 Bast. I thinke this Talbot be a Fiend of Hell.
    Reig. If not of Hell, the Heauens sure fauour him.
    Alans. Here commeth Charles, I maruell how he sped?
    Enter Charles and Ioane.
    Bast. Tut, holy Ioane was his defensiue Guard.
    735 Charl. Is this thy cunning, thou deceitfull Dame?
    Didst thou at first, to flatter vs withall,
    Make vs partakers of a little gayne,
    That now our losse might be ten times so much?
    Ioane. Wherefore is Charles impatient with his friend?
    740At all times will you haue my Power alike?
    Sleeping or waking, must I still preuayle,
    Or will you blame and lay the fault on me?
    Improuident Souldiors, had your Watch been good,
    This sudden Mischiefe neuer could haue falne.
    745 Charl. Duke of Alanson, this was your default,
    That being Captaine of the Watch to Night,
    Did looke no better to that weightie Charge.
    Alans. Had all your Quarters been as safely kept,
    As that whereof I had the gouernment,
    750We had not beene thus shamefully surpriz'd.
    Bast. Mine was secure.
    Reig. And so was mine, my Lord.
    Charl. And for my selfe, most part of all this Night
    Within her Quarter, and mine owne Precinct,
    755I was imploy'd in passing to and fro,
    About relieuing of the Centinels.
    Then how, or which way, should they first breake in?
    Ioane. Question (my Lords) no further of the case,
    How or which way; 'tis sure they found some place,
    760But weakely guarded, where the breach was made:
    And now there rests no other shift but this,
    To gather our Souldiors, scatter'd and disperc't,
    And lay new Plat-formes to endammage them.
    Exeunt.
    765 Alarum. Enter a Souldier, crying, a Talbot, a Talbot:
    they flye, leauing their Clothes behind.
    Sould. Ile be so bold to take what they haue left:
    The Cry of Talbot serues me for a Sword,
    For I haue loaden me with many Spoyles,
    770Vsing no other Weapon but his Name. Exit.
    About
    Contact us
    Content quality
    Site guide
    © Internet Shakespeare Editions
    Copyright details
    Privacy policy
    This site is supported by:
    University of Victoria
    Friends of the ISE
    SSHRC