Enter Faftolfe.

Faft. My gracious Sovereign, as I rode from Calais, To hafte unto your Coronation;

A letter was deliver'd to my hands,

Writ to your Grace from th' Duke of Burgundy.
Tal. Shame to the Duke of Burgundy, and thee!
I vow'd, bafe Knight, when I did meet thee next,
To tear the Garter from thy craven leg,
Which I have done; because unworthily
Thou waft inftalled in that high degree.
Pardon, my Princely Henry, and the reft:
This daftard, at the battle of Poitiers,
When but in all I was fix thousand ftrong,
And that the French were almost ten to one,
Before we met, or that a stroke was given,
Like to a trufty 'fquire, did run away.
In which affault we loft twelve hundred men :
Myself and divers gentlemen befide
Were there furpriz'd, and taken prisoners.
Then judge, great lords, if I have done amifs
Or whether that fuch cowards ought to wear
This ornament of knighthood, yea or no?

Glou. To fay the truth, this fact was infamous,
And ill befeeming any common man;
Much more a knight, a captain, and a leader.

Tal. When first this Order was ordain'd, my lords,
Knights of the Garter were of noble birth;
Valiant and virtuous, full of haughty courage;
Such as were grown to Credit by the wars;
Not fearing death, nor fhrinking for diftrefs,
But always refolute in most extremes.
He then, that is not furnish'd in this fort,
Doth but ufurp the facred name of Knight,
Prophaning this most honourable Order;
And fhould, if I were worthy to be judge,
Be quite degraded, like a hedge-born fwain
That doth prefume to boaft of gentle blood.

K. Henry.

K. Henry. Stain to thy countrymen! thou hear'st thy doom:

Be packing therefore, thou that waft a Knight;
Henceforth we banish thee on pain of death. [Exit Faft.
And now, my lord Protector, view the letter
Sent from our uncle Duke of Burgundy.

Glou. What means his Grace, that he hath chang'd his ftile?

No more but plain and bluntly, To the King. [Reading.
Hath he forgot, he is his Sovereign?
Or doth this churlifh fuperfcription
Portend fome alteration in good will?
What's here? I have upon efpecial canfe,
Mov'd with compaffion of my country's wreck,
Together with the puiful complaints

Of fuch as your oppreffion feeds upon,
Forfaken your pernicious faction,

[Reads.

And join'd with Charles, the rightful King of France.
O monftrous treachery! can this be fo?
That in alliance, amity, and oaths,

There should be found fuch false diffembling guile?
K. Henry. What! doth my uncle Burgundy revolt?
Glou. He doth, my lord, and is become your foe.
K. Henry. Is that the worft this letter doth contain?
Glou. It is the worft, and all, my lord, he writes.
K. Henry. Why then, lord Tolbot there fhall talk
with him,

And give him chaftifement for this abufe.
My lord, how fay you, are you not content?

Tal. Content, my Liege? yes: but that I am pre

vented,

I fhould have begg'd I might have been employ'd. K. Henry. Then gather ftrength, and march unto him ftrait:

Let him perceive how ill we brook his treason,
And what offence it is to flout his friends.

Tal. I go, my lord, in heart defiring ftill
You may behold confufion of your foes. [Exit Talbot.
VOL. V.
SCENE

R

Enter Vernon and Baffet.

RANT me the combat, gracious Sovereign.

Ver. Baf. And me, my lord; grant me the combat

too.

York. This is my fervant; hear him, noble Prince. Som. And this is mine; fweet Henry, favour him. K. Henry. Be patient, lords, and give them leave to speak.

Say, gentlemen, what makes you thus exclaim? And wherefore crave you combat? or with whom? Ver. With him, my lord, for he hath done me wrong. Baf. And I with him, for he hath done me wrong, K. Henry. What is the wrong whereon you both complain ?

First let me know, and then I'll answer you.

Baf. Croffing the fea from England into France
This fellow here, with envious, carping tongue,
Upbraided me about the rofe I wear;

Saying, the fanguine colour of the leaves
Did reprefent my mafter's blushing cheeks;
When ftubbornly he did repugn the truth
About a certain question in the law,
Argu'd betwixt the Duke of York and him;
With other vile and ignominious terms.
In confutation of which rude reproach,
And in defence of my lord's worthiness,
I crave the benefit of law of arms.

Ver. And that is my petition, noble lord;
For though he seem with forged quaint conceit
To fet a glofs upon his bold intent,

Yet, know, my lord, I was provok`d by him;
And he first took exceptions at this badge,
Pronouncing, that the palenefs of this flow'r
Bewray'd the faintnefs of my master's heart.

York. Will not this malice, Somerset, be left?
Som. Your private grudge, my lord of York, will out,
Though

Though ne'er fo cunningly you fmother it.

K. Henry. Good lord! what madness rules in brain

fick men !

When, for fo flight and frivolous a caufe,
Such factious emulations fhall arife!
Good coufins both of York and Somerset,
Quiet yourselves, I pray, and be at peace.
York. Let this diffention first be try'd by fight,
And then your Highness fhall command a peace.
Som. The quarrel toucheth none but us alone;
Betwixt ourfelves let us decide it then.

York. There is my pledge; accept it, Somerset.
Ver. Nay, let it reft, where it began at first.
C Baf. Confirm it fo? mine honourable lord.
Glou. Confirm it fo? confounded be your ftrife,
And perish ye with your audacious prate;
Prefumptuous vaffals! are you not asham'd
With this immodeft clamorous outrage
To trouble and difturb the King, and us?"
And you, my lords, methinks, you do not well
To bear with their perverse objections:
Much less to take occafion from their mouths
To raise a mutiny betwixt yourselves:
Let me perfuade you, take a better course.

Exe. It grieves his Highnefs: good my lords, be friends.

[tants: K. Henry. Come hither you, that would be combaHenceforth I charge you, as you love our favour, Quite to forget this quarrel and the caufe. And you, my lords; remember where we are; In France, amongst a fickle wavering nation: If they perceive diffention in our looks, And that within ourselves we disagree, How will their grudging ftomachs be provok'd To wilful Difobedience, and Rebel? Befide, what infamy will there arife, When foreign Princes fhall be certify'd, That for a toy, a thing of no regard, R 2

King

King Henry's Peers and chief Nobility

Deftroy'd themfelves, and loft the realm of France?
O, think upon the Conqueft of my father,
My tender years, and let us not forego

That for a trifle, which was bought with blood.
Let me be Umpire in this doubtful ftrife:
I fee no reason, if I wear this rofe,
That any one should therefore be fufpicious
I more encline to Somerfet, than York.

Both are my kinsmen, and I love them both.
As well they may upbraid me with my Crown,
Because, forfooth, the King of Scots is crown'd.
But your discretions better can perfuade,
Than I am able to inftru& or teach:
And therefore, as we hither came in peace,
So let us ftill continue peace and love.
Coufin of York, we inftitute your Grace
To be our Regent in these parts of France:
And, good my lord of Somerfet, unite

Your troops of horsemen with his bands of foot;
And, like true fubjects, fons of your progenitors,
Go chearfully together, and digeft

Your angry choler on your enemies.
Ourself, my lord Protector, and the reft,
After fome refpite, will return to Calais ;
From thence to England; where I hope ere long
To be prefented, by your victories,
With Charles, Alanfon, and that trait'rous rout.
[Flourish. Exeunt.

Manent York, Warwick, Exeter, and Vernon. War. My lord of York, I promife you, the King Prettily, methought, did play the orator.

York. And fo he did; but yet I like it not, In that he wears the badge of Somerfet.

War. Tub, that was but his fancy, blame him not; I dare prefume, fweet Prince, he thought no harm. York. And, if I wis, he did.-But let it reft; Other affairs must now be managed.

[Exeunt.

Manet