This ornament of knighthood, yea, or no?
Glou. To fay the truth, this fact was infamous,
And ill befeeming any common man ;
Much more a Knight, a Captain, and a Leader.
Tal. When first this order was ordain'd, my Lords,
Knights of the Garter were of noble birth;
Valiant and virtuous, full of haughty courage;
Such as were grown to credit by the wars;
Not fearing death, nor fhrinking for diftrefs,
But always refolute in most extremes.
He then that is not furnish'd in this fort,
Doth but ufurp the facred name of Knight,
Profaning this most honourable order;
And thou'd, if I were worthy to be judge,
Be quite degraded, like a hedge-born fwain-
That doth prefume to boast of gentle blood. [doom;
K. Henry. Stain to thy countrymen! thou hear'st thy
Be packing therefore, thou that waft a Knight;
Henceforth we banish thee on pain of death. [Exit Fal,
And now, my Lord Protector, view the letter
Sent from our uncle Duke of Burgundy.
Glow. What means his Grace, that he hath change'd his style?
No more but plain and bluntly, To the King. [Reading: Hath he forgot he is his Sovereign?
Or doth his churlish fuperfcription
Portend fome alteration in good-will?
What's here? I have upon efpecial caufe,
Mov'd with compassion of my country's wreck,
Together with the pitiful complaints
Of fuch as your oppreffion feeds upon,
Forfaken your pernicious faction,
And join'd with Charles the rightful King of France. O monftrous treachery! can this be fo?
That in alliance, amity, and oaths,
There fhould be found fuch falfe diffembling guile? K. Henry. What! doth my uncle Burgundy revolt Glou. He doth, my Lord, and is become your foe. K. Henry. Is that the worst this letter doth contain? Glou. It is the worst, and all, my Lord, he writes. K. Henry. Why then, Lord Talbot there fhall talk And give him chaftifement for this abufe. [with him;
My Lord, how fay you, are you not content?
Tal. Content, my Liege? yes: but that I am pre
I fhould have begg'd I might have been employ'd.
K. Henry. Then gather ftrength, and march unto him
Let him perceive how ill we brook his treafon, [ftrait:
And what offence it is to flout his friends.
Tal. I go, my Lord, in heart defiring still
You may behold confufion of your foes. [Exit Talbot.
SCENE II. Enter Vernon aud Baffet.
Ver. Grant me the combat, gracious Sovereign.
Baf. And me, my Lord, grant me the combat too.
York. This is my fervant; hear him, Noble Prince.
Som. And this is mine; fweet Henry, favour him.
K. Henry. Be patient, Lords, and give them leave to
fpeak.
Say, Gentlemen, what makes you thus exclaim?
And wherefore crave you combat? or with whom?
Ver. With him, my Lord, for he hath done me wrong.
Baf. And I with him, for he hath done me wrong.
K.Henry. What is the wrong whereon you both com-
First let me know, and then I'll anfwer you. [plain.
Bal. Croffing the fea from England into France,
This fellow here, with envious, carping tongue,
Upbraided me about the rose Į wear;
Saying, the fanguine colour of the leaves
Did reprefent my master's blushing cheeks;
When ftubbornly he did repugn the truth
About a certain queftion in the law,
Argu'd betwixt the Duke of York and him;
With other vile and ignominious terms.
In confutation of which rude reproach,
And in defence of my Lord's worthiness,
I crave the benefit of law of arms.
Ver. And that is my petition, Noble Lord:
For tho' he feem, with forged quaint conceit,
To fet a glofs upon his bold intent;
Yet know, my Lord, I was provok'd by him,
And he first took exceptions at this badge,
Pronouncing, that the palenefs of this flower
Bewray'd the faintnefs of my mafter's heart.
York. Will not this malice, Somerset, be left? Som. Your private grudge, my Lord of York, will out, Though ne'er fo cunningly you fmother it.
K. Henry. Good Lord! what madnefs rules in brainWhen, for fo flight and frivolous a caufe, [fick men ! Such factious emulations fhall arife!
Good coufins both of York and Somerfet,
Quiet yourselves, I pray, and be at peace.
York. Let this diffenfion firft be try'd by fight;
And then your Highnefs fhall command a peace.
Som. The quarrel toucheth none but us alone;
Betwixt ourfelves let us decide it then.
York. There is my pledge; accept it, Somerset:
Ver. Nay, let it reft where it began at first.
Baf. Confirm it fo, mine Honourable Lord.
Glou. Confirm it fo! confounded be your ftrife,
And perifh ye with your audacious prate;
Prefumptuous vaffals! are you not afham'd
With this immodeft clamorous outrage
To trouble and disturb the King and us?
And you, my Lords, methinks you do not well
To bear with their perverfe objections;
Much lefs to take occafion from their mouths
To raise a mutiny betwixt yourselves.
Let me perfuade you, take a better course.
Exe. It grieves his Highnefs; good my Lords, be friends.
K. Henry. Come hither, you that wou'd be combatants.
Henceforth I charge you, as you love our favour,
Quite to forget this quarrel, and the cause.
And you, my Lords, remember where we are :
In France; amongst a fickle wavering nation.
If they perceive diffenfion in our looks,
And that within ourselves we difagree,
How will their grudging ftomachs be provok'd
To wilful difobedience, and rebel?
Befide, what infamy will there arife,
When foreign princes fhall be certify'd,
That for a toy, a thing of no regard,
King Henry's Peers and chief nobility
Destroy'd themselves, and loft the realm of France!
O, think upon the conqueft of my father,
My tender years, and let us not forego
That for a trifle which was bought with blood.
Let me be umpire in this doubtful trife.
I fee no reason, if I wear this rofe,
That any one should therefore be fufpicious
I more incline to Someriet than York.
Both are my kinfmen, and I love them both.
As well they may upbraid me with my crown,
Because, forfooth the King of Scots is crown'd.
But your difcretions better can perfuade,
Than I am able to inftruct or teach:
And therefore, as we hither came in peace,
So let us still continue peace and love.
Coufin of York, we inftitute your Grace
To be our Regent in these parts of France:
And, good my Lord of Somerfet, unite
Your troops
of horsemen with his bands of foot: And, like true subjects, fons of your progenitors, Go chearfully together, and digeft
Your angry choler on your enemies.
Our felf, my Lord Protector, and the reft,
After fome refpite will return to Calais;
From thence to England; where I hope ere long
To be prefented by your victories,
With Charles, Alanfon, and that trait'rous rout.
Manent York, Warwick, Exeter, and Vernon.
War. My Lord of York, I promise you, the King Prettily, methought, did play the orator.
York. And fo he did; but yet I like it not,
In that he wears the badge of Somerfet.
War. Tuth, that was but his fancy, blame him not: I dare prefume, fweet Prince, he thought no harm. York. And if I wis, he did.
Other affairs must now be managed.
Exe. Well didft thou, Richard, to fupprefs thy voice: For had the paflions of thy heart burit out, I fear we thould have feen decypher'd there
More ranç'rous fpight, more furious raging broils,
Than yet can be imagin'd or fuppos'd.
But howfoe'er, no fimple man that fees
This jarring difcord of Noblity,
This thould'ring of each other in the court,
This factious bandying of their favourites,
But that he doth prefage fome ill event.
'Tis much, when fceptres are in childrens' hands;
But more, when envy breeds unkind divifion :
There comes the ruin, there begins confufion. [Exit,
SCENE III. Before the walls of Bourdeaux. Enter Talbot with trumpets aud drums.
Tal. Go to the gates of Bourdeaux, trumpeter, Summon their General unto the wall. [Sounds,
Englifh John Talbot, Captains, calls you forth,
Servant in arms to Harry King of England;
And thus he would.- -Open your city-gates,
Be humbled to us, call my fovereign yours,
And do him homage as obedient fubjects,
And I'll withdraw me and my bloody pow'r.
But if you frown upon this proffer'd peace,
You tempt the fury of my three attendants,
Lean famine, quartering fteel, and climbing fire;
Who in a moment even with the earth
Shall lay your stately and air-braving tow'rs,
If you forfake the offer of their love.
Gen. Thou ominous and fearful owl of death,
Our nation's terror, and their bloody fcourge !
The period of thy tyranny approacheth.
On us thou cant not enter, but by death;
For I proteft we are well fortify'd,
And ftrong enough to iffue out and fight.
If thou retire, the Dauphin, well appointed,
Stands with the fnares of war to tangle thee.
On either hand thee, there are fquadrons pitch'd
To wall thee from the liberty of flight;
And no way canft thou turn thee for redrefs,
But death doth front thee with apparent spoil,
And pale deftruction meets thee in the face.
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