THE FIRST PART OF KING HENRY VI. Dead march. ACT I. SCENE I. Westminster Abbey. The corpse of King HENRY the Fifth, in state, is brought in, 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, Brandish your crystal tresses in the sky, And with them scourge the bad revolting stars, Glo. England ne'er had a king until his time. His brandish'd sword did blind men with his beams; 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: Upon a wooden coffin we attend; And death's dishonourable victory We with our stately presence glorify, Win. He was a king bless'd of the King of kings. So dreadful will not be as was his sight. The battles of the Lord of hosts he fought: The church's prayers made him so prosperous. Glo. The church! where is it? Had not churchmen pray'd, His thread of life had not so soon decay'd: None do you like but an effeminate prince, Win. Gloster, whate'er we like, thou art protector, Glo. Name not religion, for thou lov'st the flesh; 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. Posterity, await for wretched years, When at their mothers' moisten'd (') eyes babes shall suck; Our isle be made a marish (2) of salt tears, Enter a Messenger. Mess. My honourable lords, health to you all! Bed. What say'st thou, man, before dead Henry's corse? Speak softly; or the loss of those great towns Will make him burst his lead, and rise from death. If Henry were recall'd to life again, These news would cause him once more yield the ghost. One would have lingering wars, with little cost; Exe. Were our tears wanting to this funeral, Bed. Me they concern; regent I am of France.— Enter a second Messenger. Sec. Mess. Lords, view these letters, full of bad mischance. France is revolted from the English quite, Except some petty towns of no import: The Dauphin Charles is crownèd king in Rheims; The Bastard of Orleans with him is join'd; Exe. The Dauphin crownèd king! all fly to him! Glo. We will not fly, but to our enemies' throats :- Bed. Gloster, why doubt'st thou of my forwardness? Enter a third Messenger. Third 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 ? Third Mess. O, no; wherein Lord Talbot was o'erthrown: The circumstance I'll tell you more at large. The tenth of August last, this dreadful lord, Having full scarce six thousand in his troop, He wanted pikes to set before his archers; All the whole army stood agaz'd on him: Here had the conquest fully been seal'd up, A base Walloon, to win the Dauphin's grace, Whom all France, with their chief assembled strength, Bed. Is Talbot slain? then I will slay myself, Third Mess. O no, he lives; but is took prisoner, Bed. His ransom there is none but I shall pay : Whose bloody deeds shall make all Europe quake. Third Mess. So you had need; for Orleans is besieg'd; The English army is grown weak and faint: The Earl of Salisbury craveth supply, And hardly keeps his men from mutiny, Since they, so few, watch such a multitude. Exe. Remember, lords, your oaths to Henry sworn, Either to quell the Dauphin utterly, Or bring him in obedience to your yoke. To go about my preparation. Bed. I do remember it; and here take my leave, [Exit. Glo. I'll to the Tower, with all the haste I can, To view the artillery and munition; |