Puc. [Aside] Done like a Frenchman: turn, and turn again!

har. Welcome, brave duke; thy friendship makes us fresh.

Bast. And doth beget new courage in our breasts. Alen. Pucelle hath bravely play'd her part in this, And doth deserve a coronet of gold.

Char. Now let us on, my lords, and join our pow

ers,

And seek how we may prejudice the foe.

90

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV

Paris. The palace.

Enter the King, Gloucester, Bishop of Winchester,
York, Sk, Somerset, War, Exeter:
Vernon, Basset, and others. To them with his
Soldiers, Talbot.

Tal. My gracious prince, and honorable peers,
Hearing of your arrival in this realm,

I have awhile given truce unto my wars,
To do my duty to my sovereign:

In sign whereof, this arm, that hath reclaim'd
To your obedience fifty fortresses,

85. "Done like a Frenchman: turn, and turn again"; "the inconstancy of the French was always a subject of satire. I have read a dissertation to prove that the index of the wind upon our steeples was made in form of a cock to ridicule the French for their frequent changes" (Johnson).-H. N. H.

Twelve cities and seven walled towns

strength,

Beside five hundred prisoners of esteem, Lets fall his sword before your highness' fe And with submissive loyalty of heart Ascribes the glory of his conquest got First to my God and next unto your grace. [Knee King. Is this the Lord Talbot, uncle Gloucester,

That hath so long been resident in France?
Glou. Yes, if it please your majesty, my liege.
King. Welcome, brave captain and victorious lord
When I was young, as yet I am not old.
I do remember how my father said

A stouter champion never handled sword.
Long since we were resolved of your truth, 20
Your faithful service and your toil in war;
Yet never have you tasted our reward,
Or been reguerdon'd with so much as thanks.
Because till now we never saw your face:
Therefore, stand up: and, for these good de
serts,

We here create you Earl of Shrewsbury;
And in our coronation take your place.

18. "I do remember"; "Henry was but nine months old when hi father died, and never even saw him" (Malone).-H. N. H.

26. Talbot was not made earl of Shrewsbury till 1442, more tha ten years after the crowning of Henry at Paris. And the hono was not conferred at Paris, but at London. The matter is thu stated by Holinshed: "About this season John, the valiant lor Talbot, for his approved prowesse and wisdome, as well in Eng land as in France, both in peace and warre so well tried, was cr ated earle of Shrewsburie, and with a companie of three thousan men sent againe into Normandie, for the better defense of th same."-H. N. H.

[Sennet. Flourish. Exeunt all but Vernon and Basset.

Ver. Now, sir, to you, that were so hot at sea,
Disgracing of these colors that I wear

30

In honor of my noble Lord of York:—
Darest thou maintain the former words thou

spakest?

Bas. Yes, sir; as well as you dare patronage
The envious barking of your saucy tongue
Against my lord the Duke of Somerset.

strong

Ver. Sirrah, thy lord I honor as he is.
Bas. Why, what is he? as good a man as York.
Ver. Hark ye; not so: in witness, take ye that.

[Strikes him.

Bas. Villain, thou know'st the law of arms is such That whoso draws a sword, 'tis present death, Or else this blow should broach thy dearest blood.

But I'll unto his majesty, and crave

I may have liberty to venge this wrong;

40

When thou shalt see I'll meet thee to thy cost. Ver. Well, miscreant, I'll be there as soon as you; And, after, meet you sooner than you would.

[Exeunt.

38. "the law of arms is such"; "By the ancient law before the Conquest, fighting in the king's palace, or before the king's judges, vas punished with death. And by Statute 33, Henry VIII, malicious triking in the king's palace, whereby blood is drawn, is punishable by perpetual imprisonment and fine at the king's pleasure and also vith loss of the offender's right hand."-Blackstone.

Little figure

ACT FOURTH

SCENE I

Paris. A hall of state.

Enter the King, Gloucester, Bishop of Winchester,
York, Suffolk, Somerset, Warwick, Talbot,
Exeter, the Governor of Paris, and others.

Glou. Lord bishop, set the crown upon his head.
Win. God save King Henry, of that name the

sixth!

Glou. Now, governor of Paris, take your oath,
That you elect no other king but him;

Esteem none friends but such as are his friends.
And none your foes but such as shall pretend
Malicious practices against his state:

This shall ye do, so help you righteous God!

Enter Sir John Fastolfe.

Fast. My gracious sovereign, as I rode from
Calais,

To haste unto your coronation,

10

6. "Pretend" was often used in the sense of purpose, or design. -H. N. H.

10. The crowning of King Henry at Paris took place December 17, 1431. Concerning that event Holinshed has the following: “To speake with what honour he was received into the citie of Paris, what pageants were prepared, and how richlie the gates, streets,

A letter was deliver'd to my hands,

Writ to your grace from the Duke of Burgundy.

Tal. Shame to the Duke of Burgundy and thee! I vow'd, base knight, when I did meet thee next,

To tear the garter from thy craven's leg,

[Plucking it off.
Which I have done, because unworthily
Thou wast installed in that high degree.
Pardon me, princely Henry, and the rest:
This dastard, at the battle of Patay,

19

When but in all I was six thousand strong
And that the French were almost ten to one,

bridges on everie side were hanged with costlie clothes of arras and tapestrie, it would be too long a processe, and therefore I doo heere passe it over with silence." Nevertheless the occasion was but poorly attended save by foreigners, none of the higher French nobility gracing it with their presence. The ceremony of coronation was of old thought to have a kind of sacramental virtue, confirming the title of a new king, and rendering his person sacred. Thus the crowning of Charles at Rheims, which took place in July, 1429, operated as a charm to engage the loyalty of the people; and it was with this view that Joan of Arc urged it on so vehemently, declaring it the main purpose of her celestial mission; and during the ceremony she stood at the king's side with her banner unfurled, and as soon as it was over fell on her knees, embraced his feet, said her mission was at an end, and begged with tears that she might return to her former station. Charles indeed had been crowned once before, but it was not done at Rheims, the ancient place of that ceremony, and therefore it proved ineffectual. This good old local religion put the regent upon great efforts to have Henry crowned there; but herein he was still baffled, and, after trying about two years, he concluded to have it done at Paris, rather than not at all. The ceremony was performed by the bishop of Winchester, then cardinal.-H. N. H.

19. "at the battle of Patay"; Capell's emendation (adopted by Malone) of "Poictiers" of the Ff. The battle of Poictiers was fought 1357; the date of the present scene is 1428.—I. G.