Enter a Messenger. Mess. My honourable lords, health to you all! 60 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. Glou. 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. Exe. How were they lost? what treachery was used? That here you maintain several factions, 70 And whilst a field should be dispatch'd and fought, One would have lingering wars with little cost; By guileful fair words peace may be obtain❜d. Let not sloth dim your honours new-begot: Cropp'd are the flower-de-luces in your arms; 80 Of England's coat one half is cut away. Exe. Were our tears wanting to this funeral, These tidings would call forth their flowing tides. Bed. Me they concern; Regent I am of France. Give me my steeled coat. I'll fight for France. Enter to them another Messenger. Mess. Lords, view these letters full of bad mischance. France is revolted from the English quite, Except some petty towns of no import : 90 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 Alençon flieth to his side. Exe. The Dauphin crowned king! all fly to him! O, whither shall we fly from this reproach? Glou. We will not fly, but to our enemies' throats. Bedford, if thou be slack, I'll fight it out. ΙΟΙ Bed. Gloucester, why doubt'st thou of my forwardness? An army have I muster'd in my thoughts, Wherewith already France is overrun. Enter another Messenger. 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 110 Betwixt the stout Lord Talbot and the French. Win. What! wherein Talbot overcame ? is 't so? 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, Retiring from the siege of Orleans, Having full scarce six thousand in his troop, By three and twenty thousand of the French Was round encompassed and set upon. No leisure had he to enrank his me ; He wanted pikes to set before his archers; Instead whereof sharp stakes pluck'd out of hedges They pitched in the ground confusedly, To keep the horsemen off from breaking in. More than three hours the fight continued ; Where valiant Talbot above human thought Enacted wonders with his sword and lance: Hundreds he sent to hell, and none durst stand him Here, there, and every where, enraged he flew : The French exclaim'd, the devil was in arms; 120 All the whole army stood agazed on him: 130 140 Whom all France with their chief assembled strength And Lord Scales with him, and Lord Hungerford : Bed. His ransom there is none but I shall pay : I'll hale the Dauphin headlong from his throne: Four of their lords I'll change for one of ours. And hardly keeps his men from mutiny, Or bring him in obedience to your yoke. Bed. I do remember it; and here take my leave, 160 [Exit. Glou. I'll to the Tower with all the haste I can, Exe. To Eltham will I, where the young king is, And for his safety there I'll best devise. Win. Each hath his place and function to attend : 170 [Exit. |