Char. Now let us on, my lords, and join our powers, And seek how we may prejudice the foe. SCENE IV. Paris. The palace. [Exeunt. Enter the KING, GLOUCESTER, BISHOP OF WINCHESTER, YORK, SUFFOLK, SOMERSET, WARWICK, EXETER: VERNON, BASSET, and others. To them with his Soldiers, TALBOT. Tal. My gracious prince, and honourable peers, Hearing of your arrival in this realm, I have awhile given truce unto my wars, To do my duty to my sovereign; In sign whereof, this arm, that hath reclaim'd 5 To your obedience fifty fortresses, Twelve cities, and seven walled towns of strength, Lets fall his sword before your highness' feet, Ascribes the glory of his conquest got First to my God and next unto your grace. [Kneels. King. When I was young, as yet I am not old, I do remember how my father said 16 A stouter champion never handled sword. 20 Or been reguerdon'd with so much as thanks, And in our coronation take your place. [Sennet. Flourish. Exeunt all but Vernon and Basset. Ver. Now, sir, to you, that were so hot at sea, Disgracing of these colours that I wear In honour of my noble Lord of York, 30 Darest thou maintain the former words thou spakest? Bas. Yes, sir; as well as you dare patronage The envious barking of your saucy tongue Against my lord the Duke of Somerset. Ver. Sirrah, thy lord I honour as he is. 35 Bas. Why, what is he? as good a man as York. Ver. Hark ye, not so; in witness, take ye that. [Strikes him. Bas. Villain, thou know'st the law of arms is such That whoso draws a sword, 'tis present death, blood. But I'll unto his majesty, and crave I may have liberty to venge this wrong; When thou shalt see I 'll meet thee to thy cost. 40 Ver. Well, miscreant, I'll be there as soon as you; And, after, meet you sooner than you would. 45 [Exeunt. ACT IV. SCENE I. Paris. A hall of state. Enter the KING, Gloucester, Bishop of Winchester, YORK, SUFFOLK, SOMERSET, WARWICK, TALBOT, EXETER, the Governor of Paris, and others. Glou. Lord bishop, set the crown upon his head. Win. God save 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 such as are his friends, 5 And none your foes but such as shall pretend Malicious practices against his state: This shall ye do, so help you righteous God! Fast. Enter SIR JOHN FASTOLFE. My gracious sovereign, as I rode from To haste unto your coronation, A letter was deliver'd to my hands, 10 Writ to your grace from the 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's leg, 15 [Plucking it off. Which I have done, because unworthily In which assault we lost twelve hundred men; Glou. To say the truth, this fact was infamous And ill beseeming any common man, Much more a knight, a captain, and a leader. 20 25 31 Tal. When first this order was ordain'd, my lords, Knights of the garter were of noble birth, Such as were grown to credit by the wars, 35 40 Be quite degraded, like a hedge-born swain That doth presume to boast of gentle blood. Be packing, therefore, thou that wast a knight; 45 [Exit Fastolfe. And now, my lord protector, view the letter Glou. What means his grace, that he hath changed his style? 6 No more but, plain and bluntly, To the king!' Pretend some alteration in good will? What's here? [Reads] I have, upon especial cause, Moved with compassion of my country's wreck, Together with the pitiful complaints Of such as your oppression feeds upon, Forsaken your pernicious faction, And join'd with Charles, the rightful King of France.'- 50 56 61 There should be found such false dissembling guile? King. What! doth my uncle Burgundy revolt? Glou. He doth, my lord, and is become your foe. 65 King. Is that the worst this letter doth contain? Glou. It is the worst, and all, my lord, he writes. King. Why, then, Lord Talbot there shall talk with him, |