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  • Title: Henry VI, Part 1 (Modern)
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  • Copyright . This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor:
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    Henry VI, Part 1 (Modern)

    Enter [Lord] Talbot, with [a] Trumpet[er] and Drum[mer], [and Soldiers,] before Bordeaux.
    1950Talbot
    Go to the gates of Bordeaux, trumpeter.
    Summon their general unto the wall.
    [The trumpeter] sounds [a parley]. Enter [French] General, aloft.
    English John Talbot, captain, calls you forth,
    Servant in arms to Harry King of England;
    1955And thus he would: open your city gates,
    Be humble to us, call my sovereign yours
    And do him homage as obedient subjects,
    And I'll withdraw me and my bloody power.
    But if you frown upon this proffered peace,
    1960You tempt the fury of my three attendants,
    Lean famine, quartering steel, and climbing fire,
    Who in a moment even with the earth
    Shall lay your stately and air-braving towers
    If you forsake the offer of their love.
    1965General
    Thou ominous and fearful owl of death,
    Our nation's terror and their bloody scourge,
    The period of thy tyranny approacheth.
    On us 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 Dauphin well appointed
    Stands with the snares of war to tangle thee.
    On either hand thee there are squadrons pitched
    To wall thee from the liberty of flight,
    1975And no way canst thou turn thee for redress
    But death doth front thee with apparent spoil,
    And pale destruction meets thee in the face.
    Ten thousand French have ta'en the sacrament
    To rive their dangerous artillery
    1980Upon no Christian soul but English Talbot.
    Lo, there thou stand'st, a breathing valiant man
    Of an invincible unconquered spirit.
    This is the latest glory of thy praise,
    That I thy enemy due thee withal,
    1985For ere the glass that now begins to run
    Finish the process of his sandy hour,
    These eyes that see thee now well colorèd
    Shall see thee withered, bloody, pale, and dead.
    Drum afar off.
    1990Hark, hark, the Dauphin's drum, a warning bell,
    Sings heavy music to thy timorous soul,
    And mine shall ring thy dire departure out.
    Exit.
    Talbot
    He fables not. I hear the enemy.
    Out, some light horsemen, and peruse their wings.
    [Exit one or more Soldiers.]
    1995O negligent and heedless discipline,
    How are we parked and bounded in a pale,
    A little herd of England's timorous deer
    Mazed with a yelping kennel of French curs.
    If we be English deer, be then in blood,
    2000Not rascal-like to fall down with a pinch,
    But rather, moody-mad and desperate stags,
    Turn on the bloody hounds with heads of steel
    And make the cowards stand aloof at bay.
    Sell every man his life as dear as mine
    2005And they shall find dear deer of us, my friends.
    God and Saint George, Talbot and England's right,
    Prosper our colors in this dangerous fight.
    [Exeunt.]