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  • 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    Not Peer Reviewed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 Quartus. Scena Prima.
    Enter King, Glocester, Winchester, Yorke, Suffolke, Somer-
    1745set, Warwicke, Talbot, and Gouernor Exeter.
    Glo. Lord Bishop set the Crowne vpon his head.
    Win. God saue King Henry of that name the sixt.
    Glo. Now Gouernour of Paris take your oath,
    That you elect no other King but him;
    1750Esteeme none Friends, but such as are his Friends,
    And none your Foes, but such as shall pretend
    Malicious practises against his State:
    This shall ye do, so helpe you righteous God.
    Enter Falstaffe.
    1755 Fal. My gracious Soueraigne, as I rode from Calice,
    To haste vnto your Coronation:
    A Letter was deliuer'd to my hands,
    Writ to your Grace, from th'Duke of Burgundy.
    Tal. Shame to the Duke of Burgundy, and thee :
    1760I vow'd (base Knight) when I did meete the next,
    To teare the Garter from thy Crauens legge,
    Which I haue done, because (vnworthily)
    Thou was't installed in that High Degree.
    Pardon me Princely Henry, and the rest:
    1765This Dastard, at the battell of Poictiers,
    When (but in all) I was sixe thousand strong,
    And that the French were almost ten to one,
    Before we met, or that a stroke was giuen,
    Like to a trustie Squire, did run away.
    1770In which assault, we lost twelue hundred men.
    My selfe, and diuers Gentlemen beside,
    Were there surpriz'd, and taken prisoners.
    Then iudge (great Lords) if I haue done amisse:
    Or whether that such Cowards ought to weare
    1775This 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 Captaine, and a Leader.
    Tal. When first this Order was ordain'd my Lords,
    1780Knights of the Garter were of Noble birth;
    Valiant, and Vertuous, full of haughtie Courage,
    Such as were growne to credit by the warres:
    Not fearing Death, nor shrinking for Distresse,
    But alwayes resolute, in most extreames.
    1785He then, that is not furnish'd in this sort,
    Doth but vsurpe the Sacred name of Knight,
    Prophaning this most Honourable Order,
    And should (if I were worthy to be Iudge)
    Be quite degraded, like a Hedge-borne Swaine,
    1790That doth presume to boast of Gentle blood.
    K. Staine to thy Countrymen, thou hear'st thy doom:
    Be packing therefore, thou that was't a knight:
    Henceforth we banish thee on paine of death.
    And now Lord Protector, view the Letter
    1795Sent from our Vnckle Duke of Burgundy.
    Glo. What meanes his Grace, that he hath chaung'd
    his Stile?
    No more but plaine and bluntly? (To the King.)
    Hath he forgot he is his Soueraigne?
    1800Or doth this churlish Superscription
    Pretend some alteration in good will?
    What's heere?
    I haue vpon especiall cause,
    Mou'd with compassion of my Countries wracke,
    Together with the pittifull complaints
    1805Of such as your oppression feedes vpon,
    Forsaken your pernitious Faction,
    And ioyn'd with Charles, the rightfull king of France.
    O monstrous Treachery: Can this be so?
    That in alliance, amity, and oathes,
    1810There should be found such false dissembling guile?
    King. What? doth my Vnckle Burgundy reuolt?
    Glo. He doth my Lord, and is become your foe.
    King. Is that the worst this Letter doth containe?
    Glo. It is the worst, and all (my Lord) he writes.
    1815 King. Why then Lord Talbot there shal talk with him,
    And giue him chasticement for this abuse.
    How say you (my Lord) are you not content?
    Tal. Content, my Liege? Yes: But yt I am preuented,
    I should haue begg'd I might haue bene employd.
    1820 King. Then gather strength, and march vnto him
    straight:
    Let him perceiue how ill we brooke his Treason,
    And what offence it is to flout his Friends.
    Tal. I go my Lord, in heart desiring still
    1825You may behold confusion of your foes.
    Enter Vernon and Bassit.
    Ver. Grant me the Combate, gracious Soueraigne.
    Bas. And me (my Lord) grant me the Combate too.
    Yorke. This is my Seruant, heare him Noble Prince.
    1830 Som. And this is mine (sweet Henry) fauour him.
    King. Be patient Lords, and giue them leaue to speak.
    Say Gentlemen, what makes you thus exclaime,
    And wherefore craue you Combate? Or with whom?
    Ver. With him (my Lord) for he hath done me wrong.
    1835 Bas. And I with him, for he hath done me wrong.
    King. What is that wrong, wherof you both complain
    First let me know, and then Ile answer you.
    Bas. Crossing the Sea, from England into France,
    This Fellow heere with enuious carping tongue,
    1840Vpbraided me about the Rose I weare,
    Saying, the sanguine colour of the Leaues
    Did represent my Masters blushing cheekes:
    When stubbornly he did repugne the truth,
    About a certaine question in the Law,
    1845Argu'd betwixt the Duke of Yorke, and him:
    With other vile and ignominious tearmes.
    In confutation of which rude reproach,
    And in defence of my Lords worthinesse,
    I craue the benefit of Law of Armes.
    1850 Uer. And that is my petition (Noble Lord:)
    For though he seeme with forged queint conceite
    To set a glosse vpon his bold intent,
    Yet know (my Lord) I was prouok'd by him,
    And he first tooke exceptions at this badge,
    1855Pronouncing that the palenesse of this Flower,
    Bewray'd the faintnesse of my Masters heart.
    Yorke. Will not this malice Somerset be left?
    Som. Your priuate grudge my Lord of York, wil out,
    Though ne're so cunningly you smother it.
    1860 King. Good Lord, what madnesse rules in braine-
    sicke men,
    When for so slight and friuolous a cause,
    Such factious aemulations shall arise?
    Good Cosins both of Yorke and Somerset,
    1865Quiet your selues (I pray) and be at peace.
    Yorke. Let this dissention first be tried by fight,
    And then your Highnesse shall command a Peace.
    Som. The quarrell toucheth none but vs alone,
    Betwixt our selues let vs decide it then.
    1870 Yorke. There is my pledge, accept it Somerset.
    Ver. Nay, let it rest where it began at first.
    Bass. Confirme it so, mine honourable Lord.
    Glo. Confirme it so? Confounded be your strife,
    And perish ye with your audacious prate,
    1875Presumptuous vassals, are you not asham'd
    With this immodest clamorous outrage,
    To trouble and disturbe the King, and Vs?
    And you my Lords, me thinkes you do not well
    To beare with their peruerse Obiections:
    1880Much lesse to take occasion from their mouthes,
    To raise a mutiny betwixt your selues.
    Let me perswade you take a better course.
    Exet. It greeues his Highnesse,
    Good my Lords, be Friends.
    1885 King. Come hither you that would be Combatants:
    Henceforth I charge you, as you loue our fauour,
    Quite to forget this Quarrell, and the cause.
    And you my Lords: Remember where we are,
    In France, amongst a fickle wauering Nation:
    1890If they perceyue dissention in our lookes,
    And that within our selues we disagree;
    How will their grudging stomackes be prouok'd
    To wilfull Disobedience, and Rebell?
    Beside, What infamy will there arise,
    1895When Forraigne Princes shall be certified,
    That for a toy, a thing of no regard,
    King Henries Peeres, and cheefe Nobility,
    Destroy'd themselues, and lost the Realme of France?
    Oh thinke vpon the Conquest of my Father,
    1900My tender yeares, and let vs not forgoe
    That for a trifle, that was bought with blood.
    Let me be Vmper in this doubtfull strife:
    I see no reason if I weare this Rose,
    That any one should therefore be suspitious
    1905I more incline to Somerset, than Yorke:
    Both are my kinsmen, and I loue them both.
    As well they may vpbray'd me with my Crowne,
    Because (forsooth) the King of Scots is Crown'd.
    But your discretions better can perswade,
    1910Then I am able to instruct or teach:
    And therefore, as we hither came in peace,
    So let vs still continue peace, and loue.
    Cosin of Yorke, we institute your Grace
    To be our Regent in these parts of France:
    1915And good my Lord of Somerset, vnite
    Your Troopes of horsemen, with his Bands of foote,
    And like true Subiects, sonnes of your Progenitors,
    Go cheerefully together, and digest
    Your angry Choller on your Enemies.
    1920Our Selfe, my Lord Protector, and the rest,
    After some respit, will returne to Calice;
    From thence to England, where I hope ere long
    To be presented by your Victories,
    With Charles, Alanson, and that Traiterous rout.
    1925 Exeunt. Manet Yorke, Warwick, Exeter, Vernon.
    War. My Lord of Yorke, I promise you the King
    Prettily (me thought) did play the Orator.)
    Yorke. And so he did, but yet I like it not,
    In that he weares the badge of Somerset.
    1930 War. Tush, that was but his fancie, blame him not,
    I dare presume (sweet Prince) he thought no harme.
    York. And if I wish he did. But let it rest,
    Other affayres must now be managed. Exeunt.
    Flourish. Manet Exeter.
    1935 Exet. Well didst thou Richard to suppresse thy voice:
    For had the passions of thy heart burst out,
    I feare we should haue seene decipher'd there
    More rancorous spight, more furious raging broyles,
    Then yet can be imagin'd or suppos'd:
    1940But howsoere, no simple man that sees
    This iarring discord of Nobilitie,
    This shouldering of each other in the Court,
    This factious bandying of their Fauourites,
    But that it doth presage some ill euent.
    1945'Tis much, when Scepters are in Childrens hands:
    But more, when Enuy breeds vnkinde deuision,
    There comes the ruine, there begins confusion. Exit.
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