Her afhes, in an urn more precious Than the rich-jewel'd coffer of Darius, Transported shall be at high festivals Before the kings and queens of France.
No longer on Saint Denis will we cry,
But Joan la Pucelle fhall be France's faint, Come in; and let us banquet royally,
After this golden day of victory. [Flourish. Exeunt.
Enter a French Serjeant, with two Centinels.
Serj. SIRS, take your places, and be vigilant:
If any noife, or foldier, you perceive,
Near to the walls, by fome apparent fign, Let us have knowledge at the court of guard. Cent. Serjeant, you fhall. [Exit Serjeant.] Thus
Of English Henry, fhall this night appear How much in duty I am bound to both. 15 The English, fealing the walls, cry, St. George! A Talbst!
(When others fleep upon their quiet beds) Conftrain'd to watch in darkness, rain, and cold. Eater Talbot, Bedford, and Burgundy, with fealing 25 ladders. Their drums beating a dead march. Tal. Lord regent-and redoubted Burgundy,- By whofe approach, the regions of Artois, Walloon, and Picardy, are friends to us,- This happy night the Frenchmen are fecure, Having all day carous'd and banqueted: Embrace we then this opportunity; As fitting beft to quittance their deceit, Contriv'd by art, and baleful forcery.
Bed. Coward of France!--how much he wrongs his 35
Defpairing of his own arm's fortitude,
To join with witches, and the help of hell.
Bur. Traitors have never other company.
But what's that Pucelle, whom they term so pure?40 Tal. A maid, they fay.
Bed. A maid! and be fo martial !
Bur. Pray God, the prove not mafculine ere long; If underneath the standard of the French, She carry armour, as the hath begun.
Tal. Well, let them practise and converfe with fpirits:
God is our fortrefs; in whofe conquering name, Let us refolve to fcale their flinty bulwarks.
Cent. [Within.] Arm, arm! the enemy doth make affault!
The French leap over the walls in their shirts. Enter feveral ways, Baftard, Alençon, Reignier, half ready, and half unready.
Alen. How now, my lords? what all unready fo? Baft. Unready? ay, and glad we 'fcap'd fo well. Reig. 'Twas time, I trow, to wake, and leave Hearing alarums at our chamber doors. [our beds, Alen. Of all exploits, fince first I follow'd arms, Ne'er heard I of a warlike enterprize
More venturous, or defperate, than this. Baft. I think, this Talbot is a fiend of hell. Reig. If not of hell, the heavens, fure, favour him. Alen. Here cometh Charles; I marvel how he fped.
Enter Charles, and Pucelle.
Baft. Tut! holy Joan was his defenfive guard. Char. Is this thy cunning, thou deceitful dame? Didft thou at first, to flatter us withal, Make us partakers of a little gain, That now our lofs might be ten times fo much? Pucel. Wherefore is Charles impatient with
At all times will you have my power alike? Sleeping, or waking, muft I still prevail,
Or will you blame and lay the fault on me?Improvident foldiers! had your watch been good, 45 This fudden mischief never could have fall'n.
Char. Duke of Alençon, this was your default; That, being captain of the watch to-night, Did look no better to that weighty charge. Alen. Had all your quarters been as safely kept,
Bed. Afcend, brave Talbot; we will follow thee. 50 As that whereof I had the government,
Tal. Not all together: better far, I gueís, That we do make our entrance feveral ways; That, if it chance the one of us do fail, The other yet may rife against their force. Bed. Agreed; I'll to yon corner. Bur. And I to this.
Tal. And here will Talbot mount, or make his Now, Salisbury! for thee, and for the right
We had not been thus fhamefully furpriz’d. Baft. Mine was fecure.
Reign. And fo was mine, my lord.
Char. And, for myself, most part of all this night, 55 Within her quarter, and mine own precinct, I was employ'd in paffing to and fro, About relieving of the centinels:
Then how, or which way, fhould they first break in?
1 When Alexander the Great took the city of Gaza, the metropolis of Syria, amidst the other (poils and wealth of Darius treafured up there, he found an exceeding rich and beautiful little cheft or cafket, and asked those about him what they thought fitteft to be laid up in it. When they had severally delivered their opinions, he told them, he esteemed nothing fo worthy to be preferved in it as Homer's Iliad, ? Unready was the current word in thofe times for undress'd.
Pucel. Queftion, my lords, no further of the cafe, How, or which way: 'tis fure they found fome
But weakly guarded, where the breach was made. And now there refts no other shift but this,- To gather our foldiers, scatter'd and dispers'd, And lay new platforms to endamage them. Alarum. Enter a Soldier crying, A Talbut! A Talbot! they fly, leaving their cloaths behind.
Whofe glory fills the world with loud report. Bur. Is it even fo? Nay, then, I fee, our wars Will turn into a peaceful comic sport, When ladies crave to be encounter'd with.5 You may not, my lord, defpife her gentle fuit. Tal. Ne'er truft me then; for, when a world of men
Could not prevail with all their oratory,
Yet hath a woman's kindness over-rul'd:
And in fubmiffion will attend on her.Will not your honours bear me company?
Sal. I'll be fo bold to take what they have left. 10 And therefore tell her, I return great thanks; The cry of Talbot serves me for a sword; For I have loaden me with many spoils, Ufing no other weapon but his name.
Enter Talbot, Bedford, Burgundy, &c. Bed. The day begins to break, and night is fled, Whofe pitchy mantle over-veil'd the earth. Here found retreat, and cease our hot pursuit.
Tal. Bring forth the body of old Salisbury; And here advance it in the market-place, The middle centre of this cursed town.— Now have I pay'd my vow unto his foul; For every drop of blood was drawn from him, There hath at least five Frenchmen dy'd to-night, And, that hereafter ages may behold What ruin happen'd in revenge of him, Within their chiefeft temple I'll ere&
A tomb, wherein his corpfe fhall be interr'd: Upon the which, that every one may read, Shall be engrav'd the fack of Orleans;
The treacherous manner of his mournful death, And what a terror he had been to France. But, lords, in all our bloody massacre,
I mufe, we met not with the Dauphin's grace; His new-come champion, virtuous Joan of Arc; Nor any of his falfe confederates.
Bed. No, truly; that is more than manners will: And I have heard it said,--Unbidden guests
15 Are often welcomeft when they are gone.
As Scythian Tomyris by Cyrus' death. Great is the rumour of this dreadful knight, And his atchievements of no lefs account : Fain would mine eyes be witness with mine ears, 35 To give their censure of these rare reports. Enter Mejenger, and Talbot.
Bed. 'Tis thought, lord Talbot, when the fight 40 Rous'd on the fudden from their drowsy beds, They did, amongst the troops of armed men, Leap o'er the walls for refuge in the field.
Bur. Myfelf (as far as I could well difcern, For fmoke, and dusky vapours of the night) Am fure, I scar'd the Dauphin, and his trull; When arm in arm they both came swiftly running, Like to a pair of loving turtle doves, That could not live afunder day or night. After that things are set in order here, We'll follow them with all the power we have. Enter a Messenger.
Me. Madam, according as your ladyship defir'd, By meffage crav'd, fo is lord Talbot come.
Count. And he is welcome. What! is this the man? Me. Madam, it is.
Count. [as mufing] Is this the fcourge of France? Is this the Talbot, fo much fear'd abroad, That with his name the mothers ftill their babes? I fee, report is fabulous and falfe: 451 thought, I should have seen fome Hercules, A fecond Hector, for his grim aspect, And large proportion of his ftrong-knit limbs. Alas! this is a child, a filly dwarf:
It cannot be, this weak and wrizled shrimp 50 Should ftrike fuch terror to his enemies.
Me. All hail, my lords! which of this princely Call ye the warlike Talbot, for his acts [train So much applauded through the realm of France? 55 Tal. Here is the Talbot; Who would fpeak
Tal. Madam, I have been bold to trouble you: But, fince your ladyship is not at leisure, I'll fort fome other time to vifit you. Count. What means he now?-Go ask him, whither he goes.
Meff. Stay, my lord Talbot; for my lady craves To know the cause of your abrupt departure.
Tal. Marry, for that she's in a wrong belief, go to certify her, Talbot's here.
Re-enter Porter with keys.
Count. If thou be he, then art thou prifoner. Tal. Prifoner! to whom?
1 This alludes to a popular tradition, that the French women, to affray their children, would tell them, that the TALBOT cometh. See alfo the end of Sc. iii. A& II.
Count. To me, blood-thirfty lord;
And for that caufe I train'd thee to my house. Long time thy fhadow hath been thrall to me, For in my gallery thy picture hangs :
But now the fubftance fhall endure the like: And I will chain thefe legs and arms of thine, That haft by tyranny, thefe many years, Wafted our country, flain our citizens, And fent our fons and husbands capt.vate. Tal. Ha, ha, ha!
[turn to moan. 10 Count. Laugheft thou, wretch? thy mirth fhall Tal. I laugh to fee your ladyfhip fo fond 1,
To think that you have ought but Talbot's fhadow,| W. eon to practise your severity.
Dare no man answer in a cafe of truth? Suf. Within the Temple-hall we were too loud The garden here is more convenient. [truth; Plant. Then fay at once, if I maintain'd the
5 Or, elfe, was wrangling Somerset in the error? Suf. 'Faith, I have been a truant in the law; I never yet could frame my will to it; And, therefore, frame the law unto my will. Sem. Judge you, my lord of Warwick, then [er pitch, War. Between two hawks, which flies the high- Between two dogs, which hath the deeper mouth, Between two blades, which bears the better temper, Between two horfes, which doth bear him best, 15 Between two girls, which hath the merriest eye, I have, perhaps, fome fhallow fpirit of judgment: But in thefe nice fharp quillets of the law, Good faith, I am no wiser than a daw. Plant. Tut, tut, here is a mannerly forbearance: 20 The truth appears fo naked on my fide, That any purblind eye may find it out.
Sem. And on my fide it is fo well apparell'd, So clear, fo fh ning, and fo evident,
That it will glimmer through a blind man's eye.
Count. This is a riddling 2 merchant for the nonce; 25 Plant. Since you are tongue-ty`d, and so loth to.
He will be here, and yet he is not here: How can these contrarieties agree?
Tal. That will I fhew you prefently.
Winds his born; drums ftrike up: a peal of ordnance.
How fay you, madam? are you now perfuaded, That Talbot is but fhadow of himself?
Thefe are his fubftance, finews, arms, and ftrength, With which he yoketh your rebellious necks; Razeth your cities, and fubverts your towns, And in a moment makes them defolate.
Count. Victorious Talbot! pardon my abufe: I find thou art no less than fame hath bruited, And more than may be gather'd by thy shape. Let my prefumpt on not provoke thy wrath; For I am forry, that with reverence I did not entertain thee as thou art.
Tal. Be not difmay'd, fair lady; nor mifconftrue The mind of Talbot, as you did mistake The outward compofition of his body. What you have done, hath not offended me : Nor other fatisfaction do I crave, But only (with your patience) that we may Taste of your wine, and fee what cates you have; For foldiers' ftomachs always ferve them well.
Count. With all my heart; and think me honoured To feaft fo great a warrior in my houfe. [Excunt. SCENE IV.
Lend.n. The Temple Garden. Enter the Earls of Somerfet, Suffolk, and Warwick; Rickard Plantagenet, Vernon, and another Lawyer. Plant. Great lords, and gentlemen, what means this filence?
In dumb fignificants proclaim your thoughts: Let him, that is a true-born gentleman, And ftands upon the honour of his birth, 30If he fuppofe that I have pleaded truth, From off this briar pluck a white rose with me 3.
Sum. Let him that is no coward, nor no flatterer, But dare maintain the party of the truth, Pluck a red rofe from off this thorn with me. War. I love no colours ; and, without all colour Of bafe infinuating flattery,
pluck this white rofe, with Plantagenet.
Suf. I pluck this red rofe, with young Somerset ; And fay withal, I think he held the right.
Ver. Stay, lords, and gentlemen; and pluck no
'Till you conclude that he, upon whofe fide The feweft roles are cropt from the tree, Shall yield the other in the right opinion. Som. Good master Vernon, it is well objected 5; If I have feweft, I fubfcribe in filence. Plant. And I.
Ver. Then for the truth and plainness of the case I pluck this pale and maiden bloffom here, Giving my verdict on the white rofe fide.
Sem. Prick not your finger as you pluck it off; Left, bleeding, you do paint the white rofe red, And fall on my fide fo against your will. Ver. If I, my lord, for my opinion bleed, 55 Opinion shall be furgeon to my hurt, And keep me on the fide where still I am. Som. Well, well, come on: Who elfe? Lawyer. Unless my ftudy and my books be falfe,
i. e. fo foolish. 2 The term merchant, which was, and now is, frequently applied to the lowest fort of dealers, seems anciently to have been used on familiar occafions in contradiftinction to gentleman ; fignifying, that the perfon fhewed by his behaviour he was a low fellow. The word chap, i. e. chapman, a word of the fame import with merchant, in its less respectable sense, is still in common use, particularly in Staffordinire, and the adjoining counties, as a common denomination for any perfon of whom they nean to fpeak with freedom or dif:efpe&t. 3 The role (as the fables fay) was the symbol of filence, and confecrated by Cupid to Harpocrates, to conceal the lewd pranks of his mother. 4 Colours is here ufed ambiguously for tints and deceits. 5 i. e. it is justly proposed.
The argument you held, was wrong in you;
[To Somerfet. In fign whereof, I pluck a white rofe too. Plant. Now, Somerfet, where is your argument? Sem. Here, in my scabbard; meditating that, Shall dye your white rose to a bloody red. [rofes; Plant. Mean time your cheeks do counterfeit our For pale they look with fear, as witnessing The truth on our fide.
'Tis not for fear; but anger-that thy cheeks Blush for pure fhame, to counterfeit our rofes; And yet thy tongue will not confefs thy error. Plant. Hath not thy rofe a canker, Somerset ? Sem. Hath not thy rofe a thorn, Plantagenet? Plant. Ay, sharp and piercing, to maintain his truth;
Whiles thy confuming canker eats his falfhood. Sem. Well, I'll find friends to wear my bleed- ing rofes,
That shall maintain what I have faid is true, Where falfe Plantagenet dare not be seen.
Or flourish to the height of my degree. Suf. Go forward, and be choak'd with thy am10 And fo farewell, until I meet thee next. [Exit. S.m. Have with thee, Poole.-Farewell, ambitious Richard.
[Exit. Plant. How I am brav'd, and must perforce en
dure it! [houfe, War. This blot, that they object against your Shall be wip'd out in the next parliament, Call d for the truce of Winchester and Glofter: And, if thou be not then created York, I will not live to be accounted Warwick. 20 Mean time, in fignal of my love to thee, Against proud Somerfet, and William Poole, Will I upon thy party wear this rofe: And here I prophefy,-This brawl to-day Grown to this faction, in the Temple-garden, Shall fend, between the red rofe and the white, A thoufand fouls to death and deadly night.
Plant. Now, by this maiden bloffom in my hand, I fcorn thee and thy fashion 1, peevish boy. Suf. Turn not thy fcorns this way, Plantagenet. 25 Plant, Proud Poole, I will; and fcorn both him and thee.
Suf. I'll turn my part thereof into thy throat. Som. Away, away, good William De-la-Poole ! We grace the yeoman, by converfing with him. War. Now, by God's will, thou wrong'st him, Somerset ;
His grandfather was Lionel duke of Clarence, Third fon to the third Edward king of England; Spring creftlefs yeomen 2 from fo deep a root? Plant. He bears him on the place's privilege 3, Or durft not, for his craven heart, fay thus.
Sem. By him that made me, I'll maintain my On any plot of ground in Christendom: [words Was not thy father, Richard, earl of Cambridge, For treafon executed in our late king's days? And, by his treason, ftand'ft not thou attainted, Corrupted, and exempt from ancient gentry? His trefpafs yet lives guilty in thy blood; And, 'till thou be reftor'd, thou art a yeoman. Plant. My father was attached, not attainted; Condemn'd to die for treafon, but no traitor; And that I'll prove on better men than Somerset, Were growing time once ripen'd to my will. For your partaker Poole, and you yourself,
I'll note you in my book of memory,
To fcourge you for this apprehenfion 5:
Look to it well; and fay you are well warn'd.
Plant. Good mafter Vernon, I am bound to you, That you on my behalf would pluck a flower. Ver. In your behalf ftill will I wear the fame. Law. And so will I.
Plant. Thanks, gentle fir.
Come, let us four to dinner: I dare fay,
This quarrel will drink blood another day. [Exeum. SCENE V.
Enter Mortimer 7, brought in a chair, and Jailers. Mor. Kind keepers of my weak decaying age, Let dying Mortimer here reft himself.- Even like a man new haled from the rack, So fare my limbs with long imprisonment: And thefe grey locks, the purfuivants of death, Neftor-like aged, in an age of care,
Argue the end of Edmund Mortimer.
45 Thefe eyes-like lamps whose wafting oil is fpent- Wax dim, as drawing to their exigent 9: Weak fhoulders, over-borne with burth'ning grief; And pithlefs arms, like to a wither'd vine That droops his fapless branches to the ground. 50 Yet are thefe feet-whofe ftrengthless stay is numb, Unable to fupport this lump of clay,- Swift-winged with defire to get a grave, As witting I no other comfort have.-
By fashion is meant the badge of the red rofe, which Somerfet fays he and his friends fhould be dif tinguish'd by. 2 i. e. those who have no right to arms. 3 The Temple, being a religious house, was an afylum, a place of exemption, from violence, revenge, and bloodshed. 4 Exempt, for excluded. 5 i. e. opinion. A badge is called a cognisance à cognofcends, because by it fuch perfons as do wear it upon their fleeves, their shoulders, or in their hats, are manifeftly known whofe fervants they are. 7 Mr. Edwards obferves, that Shakspeare has varied from the truth of hiftory, to introduce this scene between Mortimer and Richard Plantagenet. Edmund Mortimer ferved under Henry V. in 1422, and died unconfined in Ireland in 1424. Holinfhed fays, that Mortimer was one of the mourners at the funeral of Henry V. Mr. Steevens adds, "that his uncle, fir John Mortimer, was indeed prifoner in the Tower, and was executed not long before the earl of March's death, being charged with an attempt to make his escape in order to ftir up an infurrection in Wales." 8 i. e. the heralds that, forerunning death, proclaim its approach.
But tell me, keeper, will my nephew come? Keep. Richard Plantagenet, my lord, will come : We fent unto the Temple, to his chamber; And anfwer was return'd, that he will come.
Mor. Enough; my foul then shall be fatisfy'd.- Poor gentleman! his wrong doth equal mine. Since Henry Monmouth first began to reign, (Before whofe glory I was great in arms) This loathfome fequeftration have I had; And even fince then hath Richard been obfcur'd, Depriv'd of honour and inheritance; But now, the arbitrator of despairs,
Juft death, kind umpire' of men's miferies, With fweet enlargement doth difmifs me hence: I would, his troubles likewife were expir'd, That fo he might recover what was lost.
Enter Richard Plantagenet.
Kerp. My lord, your loving nephew now is [come?
I was the next by birth and parentage; For by my mother I derived am From Lionel duke of Clarence, the third fon To king Edward the Third, whereas he
5 From John of Gaunt doth bring his pedigree, Being but the fourth of that heroic line. But mark; as, in this haughty 3 great attempt, They laboured to plant the rightful heir, I loft my liberty, and they their lives. 10 Long after this, when Henry the fifth,- Succeeding his father Bolingbroke,-did reign, Thy father, earl of Cambridge,-then deriv'd From famous Edmund Langley, duke of York,-*** Marrying my fifter, that thy mother was, 15 Again, in pity of my hard diftrefs, Levied an army; weening to redeem, And have inftall'd me in the diadem: But, as the reft, fo fell that noble earl, And was beheaded. Thus the Mortimers, In whom the title rested, were fupprefs'd. Plan. Of which, my lord, your honour is the last. Mor. True; and thou feeft, that I no issue have; And that my fainting words do warrant death: Thou art my heir; the reft I wish thee gather 4: 25 But yet be wary in thy ftudious care.
Mor. Richard Plantagenet, my friend? Is he 20 Plant. Ay, noble uncle, thus ignobly us'd, Your nephew, late-defpifed Richard, comes.
Mor. Direct mine arms, I may embrace his neck, And in his bofom spend my latter gafp: Oh, tell me, when my lips do touch his cheeks, That I may kindly give one fainting kifs.- And now declare, fweet ftem from York's great stock,
Why didft thou fay-of late thou wert defpis'd?
Plant. First, lean thine aged back against mine 30 And, in that eafe, I'll tell thee my disease 2. [arm; This day, in argument upon a cafe, Some words there grew 'twixt Somerset and me: Among which terms, he us'd his lavish tongue, And did upbraid me with my father's death; Which obloquy fet bars before my tongue, Elfe with the like I had requited him : Therefore, good uncle-for my father's fake, In honour of a true Plantagenet, And for alliance' fake,-declare the cause My father, earl of Cambridge, loft his head. [me, Mar. That caufe, fair nephew, that imprifon'd And hath detain'd me, all my flow'ring youth, Within a loathfome dungeon, there to pine, Was curfed inftrument of his decease. [was Plant. Discover more at large what caufe that For I am ignorant, and cannot guess.
Mor. I will; if that my fading breath permit, And death approach not ere my tale be done. Henry the fourth, grandfather to this king, Depos'd his nephew Richard; Edward's fon, The first-begotten, and the lawful heir Of Edward king, the third of that defcent: During whofe reign, the Percies of the north, Finding his ufurpation moft unjust, Endeavour'd my advancement to the throne: The reafon mov'd thefe warlike lords to this, Was for that (young king Richard thus remov'd, Leaving no heir begotten of his body)
Plan. Thy grave admonishments prevail with But yet, methinks, my father's execution Was nothing less than bloody tyranny.
Mor. With filence, nephew, be thou politick; Strong fixed is the houfe of Lancaster, And, like a mountain, not to be remov'd. But now thy uncle is removing hence; As princes do their courts when they are cloy'd With long continuance in a settled place. [years Plan. O, uncle, would fome part of my young Might but redeem the paffage of your age! Mor.Thou doft then wrong me; as the flaught'rer
Which giveth many wounds, when one will kill. 40 Mourn not, except thou forrow for my good; Only, give order for my funeral;
And fo farewel; and fair 5 be all thy hopes! And profperous be thy life, in peace, and war! [Dies. Plan. And peace, no war, befall thy parting foul! 45 In prison hast thou spent a pilgrimage, And like a hermit over-pafs'd thy days.- Well, I will lock his counsel in my breast; And what I do imagine, let that reft.- Keepers, convey him hence; and I myself 50 Will fee his burial better than his life.-
Here dies the dusky torch of Mortimer, Choak'd with ambition of the meaner fort": And, for thofe wrongs, thofe bitter injuries, Which Somerfet hath offer'd to my house,- 55I doubt not, but with honour to redress: And therefore hafte I to the parliament; Either to be restored to my blood, Or make my ill the advantage of my good,
2 i. e. my uneafinefs or difcentent.
That is, he that terminates or concludes mifery. 4 The fenfe is, I acknowledge thee to be my heir; the confequences which may be collected from thence, I recommend it to thee to draw. 5 i. e. lucky, or profperous. 6 We are to understand the fpeaker as reflecting on the ill fortune of Mortimer, in being always made a tool of by the Percies of the north in their rebellious intrigues; rather than in afferting his claim to the crown, in fupport of his own princely ambition.
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