King Henry VI, Part 1 | Page 3

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SCENE:?England and France
The First Part of King Henry the Sixth
ACT I. SCENE 1.
Westminster Abbey
Dead March. Enter the funeral of KING HENRY THE FIFTH,?attended on by the DUKE OF BEDFORD, Regent of France,?the DUKE OF GLOUCESTER, Protector, the DUKE OF EXETER,?the EARL OF WARWICK, the BISHOP OF WINCHESTER
BEDFORD. 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?That have consented unto Henry's death!?King Henry the Fifth, too famous to live long!?England ne'er lost a king of so much worth.?GLOUCESTER. England ne'er had a king until his time.?Virtue he had, deserving to command;?His brandish'd sword did blind men with his beams;?His arms spread wider than a dragon's wings;?His sparkling eyes, replete with wrathful fire,?More dazzled and drove back his enemies?Than mid-day sun fierce bent against their faces.?What should I say? His deeds exceed all speech:?He ne'er lift up his hand but conquered.?EXETER. 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,?Like captives bound to a triumphant car.?What! shall we curse the planets of mishap?That plotted thus our glory's overthrow??Or shall we think the subtle-witted French?Conjurers and sorcerers, that, afraid of him,?By magic verses have contriv'd his end??WINCHESTER. He was a king bless'd of the King of kings;?Unto the French the dreadful judgment-day?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.?GLOUCESTER. 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,?Whom like a school-boy you may overawe.?WINCHESTER. Gloucester, whate'er we like, thou art?Protector?And lookest to command the Prince and realm.?Thy wife is proud; she holdeth thee in awe?More than God or religious churchmen may.?GLOUCESTER. Name not religion, for thou lov'st the flesh; And ne'er throughout the year to church thou go'st,?Except it be to pray against thy foes.?BEDFORD. 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' moist'ned eyes babes shall suck, Our isle be made a nourish of salt tears,?And none but women left to wail the dead.?Henry the Fifth, thy ghost I invocate:?Prosper this realm, keep it from civil broils,?Combat with adverse planets in the heavens.?A far more glorious star thy soul will make?Than Julius Caesar or bright
Enter a MESSENGER
MESSENGER. My honourable lords, health to you all!?Sad tidings bring I to you out of France,?Of loss, of slaughter, and discomfiture:?Guienne, Champagne, Rheims, Orleans,?Paris, Guysors, Poictiers, are all quite lost.?BEDFORD. 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.?GLOUCESTER. Is Paris lost? Is Rouen yielded up??If Henry were recall'd to life again,?These news would cause him once more yield the ghost.?EXETER. How were they lost? What treachery was us'd??MESSENGER. No treachery, but want of men and money.?Amongst the soldiers this is muttered?That here you maintain several factions;?And whilst a field should be dispatch'd and fought,?You are disputing of your generals:?One would have ling'ring wars, with little cost;?Another would fly swift, but wanteth wings;?A third thinks, without expense at all,?By guileful fair words peace may be obtain'd.?Awake, awake, English nobility!?Let not sloth dim your honours, new-begot.?Cropp'd are the flower-de-luces in your arms;?Of England's coat one half is cut away.?EXETER. Were our tears wanting to this funeral,?These tidings would call forth their flowing tides.?BEDFORD. Me they concern; Regent I am of France.?Give me my steeled coat; I'll fight for France.?Away with these disgraceful wailing robes!?Wounds will I lend the French instead of eyes,?To weep their intermissive miseries.
Enter a second MESSENGER
SECOND MESSENGER. 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 crowned king in Rheims;?The Bastard of Orleans with him is join'd;?Reignier, Duke of Anjou, doth take his part;?The Duke of Alencon flieth to his side.?EXETER. The Dauphin crowned king! all fly to him!?O, whither shall we fly from this reproach??GLOUCESTER. We will not fly but to our enemies' throats.?Bedford, if thou be slack I'll fight it out.?BEDFORD.