ACT IV.

SCENE L

PARIS.

Enter King Henry, Gloucefter, Winchefter, York, Suffolk, Somerfet, Warwick, Talbot, Exeter, and Governor of Paris.

L

Gloucefter.

Ord Bishop, fet the crown upon his head.

Win. God fave King Henry, of that name the
Sixth!

Glou. Now, Governor of Paris, take your oath, That you elect no other King but him

Esteem none friends but fuch as are his friends,
And none your foes but fuch as fhall pretend
Malicious practices against his ftate.

This fhall ye do, fo help you righteous God!
Enter Faftolfe.

Faft. My gracious Sovereign, as I rode from CaTo hafte unto your coronation,

A letter was delivered to my hands,

[lais,

Writ to your Grace from th' Duke of Burgundy.
Tal. Shame to the Duke of Burgundy and thee!
I vow'd, base knight, when I did meet thee next,
To tear the Garter from thy craven leg,
Which I have done; because unworthily
Thou waft inftalled in that high degree.
Pardon, my princely Henry, and the reft:
This daftard, at the battle of Poitiers,
When but in all I was fix thousand strong,
And that the French were almost ten-to one,
Before we met, or that a ftroke was giv'n,
Like to a trufty 'fquire, did run away;
In which affault we loft twelve hundred men ;
Myfelf and divers gentlemen befide
Were there furprized and taken prifoners.
Then judge, great Lords, if I have done amifs
Or whether that fuch cowards ought to wear
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 should, if I were worthy to be judge,
Be quite degraded, like a hedge-born fwain
That doth prefume to boast of gentle blood.
K. Henry. Stain to thy countrymen! thou hear'ft ·
thy doom;

Be packing therefore, thou that waft a knight;
Henceforth we banish thee on pain of death.

[Exit Faft. And now, my Lord Protector, view the letter Sent from our uncle Duke of Burgundy.

Glou. What means his Grace, that he hath chang'd: his style?

[Reading..

No more but plain and bluntly, To the King.
Hath he forgot he is his Sovereign?
Or doth this churlish fuperfcription

Portend fome alteration in good will?

What's here? I have upon especial caufe, [Reads. Mov'd with compaffion of my country's wreck, Together with the pitiful complaints

of fuch as your oppreffion feeds upon,

For faken your pernicious faction,

And join' with Charles, the rightful King of France.
O monstrous 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 con--
tain?

Glou. It is the worst, and all, my Lord, he writes..

K. Henry. Why then, Lord Talbot there fhall talk with him,

And give him chastisement for this abuse.

My Lord, how fay you? are you not content? Tel. Content, my Liege! yes: but that I'm prevented,

I fiould have begg'd I might have been employ'd. K. Henry. Then gather ftrength, and march unte him ftrait:

Let him perceive how ill we brook his treason,
And what offence it is to flout his friends.

Tal. I go, my Lord, in heart defiring ftill
You may behold confufion of your foes. [Exit Tak.

Enter Vernon and 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 speak.

-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 complain?

First let me know, and then I'll answer you.

Baf. Croffing the fea from England into France, This fellow here, with envious, carping tongue, Upbraided me about the rose I wear; Saying, the fanguine colour of the leaves Did reprefent my mafter's blufhing 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 though 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 firft took exceptions at this badge,
Pronouncing, that the palenefs of this flow'r
Bewray'd the faintnefs of my master'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 madness rules in brain fick men,.

When, for fo flight and frivolous a caufe,
Such factious emulations fhall arife!

Good coufms both of York and Somerset,..
Quiet yourfelves, I pray, and be at peace.

York. Let this diffention first be try'd by fight,And then your Highnefs thall command a peace. Son. 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 firft. Baf. Confirm it fo, inine honourable Lord. Glou. Confirm it fo!-Confounded be your strife, And perifh ye with your audacious prate Prefumptuous vaflals! 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.

Exet. It grieves his Highness. Good my Lords, be friends.

K. Henry. Come hither you, that would 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 diffention 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 arise,
When foreign princes fhall be certify'd,
That for a toy, a thing of no regard,
King Henry's peers and chief nobility.

Deftroy'd themselves, and loft the realm of France?
O, think upon the conquest 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 ftrife.

I fee no reason, if I wear this rofe,

[Putting on a red rofe. That any one should therefore be fufpicious I more incline to Somerset 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 ftill 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 Somerset, unite

Your troops of horfemen with his bands of foot;
And, like true fubjects, fons of your progenitors,
Go chearfully together, and digeft

Your angry choler on your enemies.
Ourfelf, iny Lord Protector, and the rest,
After fome refpite, will return to Calais;
From thence to England; where I hope ere long
To be prefented by your victories,

With Charles, Alanson, and that trait'rous rout.
[Flourish. Exeunt:

Manent York, Warwick, Exeter and Vernon. War. My Lord of York, I promise you the King Prettily, methought, did play the orator..