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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    Not Peer Reviewed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)

    Enter Talbot with Trumpe and Drumme,
    before Burdeaux.
    1950 Talb. Go to the Gates of Burdeaux Trumpeter,
    Summon their Generall vnto the Wall. Sounds.
    Enter Generall aloft.
    English Iohn Talbot (Captaines) call you forth,
    Seruant in Armes to Harry King of England,
    1955And thus he would. Open your Citie Gates,
    Be humble to vs, call my Soueraigne yours,
    And do him homage as obedient Subiects,
    And Ile withdraw me, and my bloody power.
    But if you frowne vpon this proffer'd Peace,
    1960You tempt the fury of my three attendants,
    Leane Famine, quartering Steele, and climbing Fire,
    Who in a moment, eeuen with the earth,
    Shall lay your stately, and ayre-brauing Towers,
    If you forsake the offer of their loue.
    1965 Cap. Thou ominous and fearefull Owle of death,
    Our Nations terror, and their bloody scourge,
    The period of thy Tyranny approacheth,
    On vs thou canst not enter but by death:
    For I protest we are well fortified,
    1970And strong enough to issue out and fight.
    If thou retire, the Dolphin well appointed,
    Stands with the snares of Warre to tangle thee.
    On either hand thee, there are squadrons pitcht,
    To wall thee from the liberty of Flight;
    1975And no way canst thou turne thee for redresse,
    But death doth front thee with apparant spoyle,
    And pale destruction meets thee in the face:
    Ten thousand French haue tane the Sacrament,
    To ryue their dangerous Artillerie
    1980Vpon no Christian soule but English Talbot:
    Loe, there thou standst a breathing valiant man
    Of an inuincible vnconquer'd spirit:
    This is the latest Glorie of thy praise,
    That I thy enemy dew thee withall:
    1985For ere the Glasse that now begins to runne,
    Finish the processe of his sandy houre,
    These eyes that see thee now well coloured,
    Shall see thee withered, bloody, pale, and dead.
    Drum a farre off.
    1990Harke, harke, the Dolphins drumme, a warning bell,
    Sings heauy Musicke to thy timorous soule,
    And mine shall ring thy dire departure out. Exit
    Tal. He Fables not, I heare the enemie:
    Out some light Horsemen, and peruse their Wings.
    1995O negligent and heedlesse Discipline,
    How are we park'd and bounded in a pale?
    A little Heard of Englands timorous Deere,
    Maz'd with a yelping kennell of French Curres.
    If we be English Deere, be then in blood,
    2000Not Rascall-like to fall downe with a pinch,
    But rather moodie mad: And desperate Stagges,
    Turne on the bloody Hounds with heads of Steele,
    And make the Cowards stand aloofe at bay:
    Sell euery man his life as deere as mine,
    2005And they shall finde deere Deere of vs my Friends.
    God, and S. George, Talbot and Englands right,
    Prosper our Colours in this dangerous fight.
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