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 If Henry were recall'd to life again, These news would cause him once more yield the ghost. Exe. How were they lost? what treachery was us'd? Mess. No treachery; but want of men and money. Among the soldiers this is muttered, That here you maintain several factions; And, whilst a field should be despatch'd and fought, One would have ling'ring wars, with little cost; Let not sloth dim your honours, new-begot: Exe. Were our tears wanting to this funeral, Enter another Messenger. [chance, 2 Mess. Lords, view these letters, full of bad misFrance is revolted from the English quite; Except some petty towns of no import: The dauphin Charles is crowned king in Rheims; Reignier, duke of Anjou, doth take his part; Exe. The dauphin crowned king! all fly to him! O, whither shall we fly from this reproach? Glo. We will not fly, but to our enemies' throats :— Bedford, if thou be slack, I'll fight it out. Bed. Gloster, why doubt'st thou of my forwardness? An army have I muster'd in my thoughts, Wherewith already France is overrun. Enter a third Messenger. 3 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? Having full scarce six thousand in his troop, To keep the horsemen off from breaking in. With purpose to relieve and follow them), A base Walloon, to win the dauphin's grace, Bed. Is Talbot slain? then I will slay myself, 3 Mess. O no, he lives; but is took prisoner, And lord Scales with him, and lord Hungerford: Most of the rest slaughter'd, or took, likewise. Bed. His ransom there is none but I shall pay : I'll hale the dauphin headlong from his throne, His crown shall be the ransom of my friend; Four of their lords I'll change for one of ours.— Farewell, my masters; to my task will I; Bonfires in France forthwith I am to make, To keep our great saint George's feast withal: Ten thousand soldiers with me I will take, Whose bloody deeds shall make all Europe quake. 3 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 matiny, 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 Bed. I do remember it; and here take leave, go about my preparation. Glo. I'll to the Tower, with all the hasto I can, To view the artillery and munition; [Exit. And then I will proclaim young Henry king. [Exit. Exe. To Eltham will 1, where the young king is, Being ordain'd his special governor And for his safety there I'll best devise. [Exit. Win. Each hath his place and function to attend: I am left out; for me nothing remains. [Exit. Scene closes. SCENE II. FRANCE. Before ORLEANS. Enter CHARLES, with his Forces; ALENÇON, REIGNIER, and others. Char. Mars his true moving, even as in the heavens, Otherwhiles, the famish'd English, like pale ghosts, Alen. They want their porridge, and their fat bullEither they must be dieted like mules, And have their provender tied to their mouths, [beeves: Reig. Let's raise the siege; Why live we idly here? Talbot is taken, whom we wont to fear: Remaineth none, but mad-brain'd Salisbury; And he may well in fretting spend his gall, Nor men, nor money, hath he to make war. Char. Sound, sound alarum; we will rush on them. Now for the honour of the forlorn French :--Him I forgive my death, that killeth me, When he sees me go back one foot, or fly. [Exeunt. Alarums; Excursions; afterwards a Retreat. Re-enter CHARLES, ALENÇON, REIGNIER, and others. Char. Who ever saw the like? what men have I?Dogs! cowards! dastards!-I would ne'er have fled, But that they left me 'midst my enemies. Reig. Salisbury is a desperate homicide; He fighteth as one weary of his life. Alen. Froissard, a countryman of ours, records, During the time Edward the third did reign." It sendeth forth to skirmish. One to ten! Enter the BASTARD of ORLEANS. Bast. Where's the prince dauphin? I have news for him. Which, by a vision sent to her from heaven, And drive the English forth the bounds of France. What's past, and what's to come, she can descry. [try her skill, |