FIRST PART OF KING HENRY VI. ACT I. SCENE I. Westminster Abbey. Dead march. Corpse of King Henry the Fifth discovered, lying in state; attended on by the Dukes of BEDFORD, GLOSTER, and EXETER; the Earl of WARWICK, the Bishop of Winchester, Heralds, &c. Bed. Hung be the heavens with black,' yield day to night! Comets, importing change of times and states, His brandish'd sword did blind men with his beams; 1 Hung be the heavens with black,] Alluding to our ancient stage-practice when a tragedy was to be expected. Than mid-day sun, fierce bent against their faces. What should I say? his deeds exceed all speech: He ne'er lift up his hand, but conquered. Exe. We mourn in black; Why mourn we not in blood? Henry is dead, and never shall revive: Win. He was a king bless'd of the King of kings. His thread of life had not so soon decay'd; tector; And lookest to command the prince, and realm. Glo. Name not religion, for thou lov'st the flesh; And ne'er throughout the year to church thou go'st, 2 the subtle-witted French, &c.] There was a notion prevalent a long time, that life might be taken away by metrical charms. As superstition grew weaker, these charms were imagined only to have power on irrational animals. In our author's time it was supposed that the Irish could kill rats by a song. Except it be to pray against thy foes. Bed. Cease, cease these jars, and rest your minds in peace! Let's to the altar:-Heralds, wait on us: Instead of gold, we'll offer up our arms; Since arms avail not, now that Henry's dead.- years, When at their mothers' moist eyes babes shall suck; And none but women left to wail the dead.- Enter a Messenger. Mess. My honourable lords, health to you all! Sad tidings bring I to you out of France, Of loss, of slaughter, and discomfiture: Guienne, Champaigne, Rheims, Orleans, Paris, Guysors, Poictiers, are all quite lost. Bed. What say'st thou, man, before dead Henry's corse? Speak softly; or the loss of those great towns If Henry were recall'd to life again, These news would cause him once more yield the ghost. Exe. How were they lost? what treachery was us'd? Mess. No treachery; but want of men and money. Among the soldiers this is muttered, That here you maintain several factions; Our isle be made a nourish,] probably a nurse. And, whilst a field should be despatch'd and fought, One would have ling'ring wars, with little cost; Let not sloth dim your honours, new-begot: Exe. Were our tears wanting to this funeral, Enter another Messenger. 2 Mess. Lords, view these letters, full of bad mischance, France is revolted from the English quite; Reignier, duke of Anjou, doth take his part; Exe. The Dauphin crowned king! all fly to him! O, whither shall we fly from this reproach? Glo. We will not fly, but to throats: our enemies' Bedford, if thou be slack, I'll fight it out. 4-her flowing tides.] i. e. England's flowing tides. 5 their intermissive miseries.] i. e. their miseries, which have had only a short intermission from Henry the Fifth's death to my coming amongst them. Bed. Gloster, why doubt'st thou of my forward ness? An army have I muster'd in my thoughts, Enter a third Messenger. 3 Mess. My gracious lords, to add to your laments, Wherewith you now bedew king Henry's hearse,I must inform you of a dismal fight, Betwixt the stout lord Talbot and the French. Win. What! wherein Talbot overcame? is't so? 3 Mess. O, no; wherein lord Talbot was o'erthrown: The circumstance I'll tell you more at large. Having full scarce six thousand in his troop, Hundreds he sent to hell, and none durst stand him; Here, there, and every where, enrag'd he slew: |