Our isle be made a nourish 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 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. Amongst 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: a Nourish. Nourice, nourish, nursh, nre the same words. VOL. VI. B Exe. Were our tears wanting to this funeral, These tidings would call forth her flowing tides. Bed. 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 another Messenger. 2 Mess. Lords, view these letters, full of bad mischance: France is revolted from the Fnglish quite; The dauphin Charles is crowned king in Rheims; Exe. The dauphin crowned king! all fly to him! 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 tight Betwixt the stout lord Talbot and the French. Win. What! wherein Talbot overcame? is 't so? Having full scarce six thousand in his troop, No leisure had he to enrank his men; He wanted pikes to set before his archers; Instead whereof, sharp stakes, pluck'd out of hedges, 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 : a Vaward—the van. The explanation of the commentators, such as it is, we give: "When an army is attacked in the rear, the van becomes the rear in its turn, and of course the reserve." I'll hale the dauphin headlong from his throne,-- 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 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. Bed. I do remember it; and here take my leave, To go about my preparation. [Exit. Glo. I'11 to the Tower, with all the haste I can, To view the artillery and munition; And then I will proclaim young Henry king. [Exit. Exe. To Eltham will I, 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. And sit at chiefest stern of public weal. [Exit. Scene closes. SCENE II.—France. Before Orleans. Enter Charles, with his Forces; ALENÇON, REIG NIER, and others. Char. Mars his true moving, even as in the heavens, So in the earth, to this day is not known: Late did he shine upon the English side; Otherwhiles, the famish'd English, like pale ghosts, Alen. They want their porridge and their fat bullbeeves: Either they must be dieted like mules, And have their provender tied to their mouths, Reig. Let's raise the siege: Why live we idly here? 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, [Exeunt. Alarums. They are beaten back by the English, with 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. Froissart, a countryman of |