Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

THE map on the next page is a modified reproduction of one included in the famous Atlas of ORTELIUS (edition of 1580), those places only being indicated which are of interest in connection with the 'First Part of Henry VI' and 'Henry V.' Parallels of latitude are reckoned eastwardly around the globe from a line in the Atlantic Ocean about 20 degrees west of Greenwich; parallels of longitude are as in modern maps. The two lines of dashes mark the approximate limits of English dominion in France prior to the relief of Orleans in 1429. Only the central district, south of the Loire and east of Bordeaux, and the besieged city of Orleans then recognized the Dauphin's authority.

[graphic]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]
[ocr errors]

KING HENRY THE SIXTH

John, DUKE OF BEDFORD, Uncle to the King, Regent of France HumphreyDUKE OF GLOUCESTER, Uncle to the King, and Protector DUKE OF EXETER,

BISHOP OF WINCHESTER, Great-Uncles to the King

RICHARD PLANTAGENET, Son of Richard, late Earl of Cambridge; afterwards Duke of York

ehn Beaufort DUKE OF SOMERSET

EARL OF WARWICK

EARL OF SALISBURY

EARL OF SUFFOLK

LORD TALBOT, afterwards Earl of Shrewsbury
JOHN TALBOT, his Son

EDMUND MORTIMER, Earl of March

SIR JOHN FASTOLFE

SIR WILLIAM GLANSDALE

SIR THOMAS GARGRAVE

SIR WILLIAM LUCY

VERNON, of the White-Rose, or York, Faction
BASSET, of the Red-Rose, or Lancaster, Faction
WOODVILE, Lieutenant of the Tower

Mayor of London

A Lawyer of the Temple

Lords, Warders of the Tower, Mortimer's Keepers, Heralds,
Officers, Soldiers, Messengers, and Attendants

CHARLES, Dauphin of France (legitimately, King Charles
VII)

REIGNIER, Duke of Anjou, and titular King of Naples
DUKE OF BURGUNDY

DUKE OF ALENÇON
BASTARD OF ORLEANS

Governor of Paris

General of the French Forces in Bordeaux

Master-Gunner of Orleans, and his Son

An old Shepherd, Father to Joan la Pucellenc)
MARGARET, Daughter to Reignier

COUNTESS OF AUVERGNE

JOAN LA PUCELLE, commonly called Joan of Arc

French Herald, Sergeant, and Sentinels; Porter to the
Countess of Auvergne; Fiends appearing to La Pucelle

SCENE: London and Westminster; various parts of France.]

CALFORNIA

The First Part of Henry the Sixth

ACT FIRST

Scene One

[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; Warwick; the Bishop of Winchester;
and the Duke of Somerset [with Heralds, &c.].
Bed. 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!

5

King Henry the Fifth, too famous to live long! (1358-1422) England ne'er lost a king of so much worth.

Glo. England ne'er had a king until his time. Virtue he had, deserving to command:

9

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, 12
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:

The First Part, etc.; cf. n.

10 his: its

1 Hung... black; cf. n.

He ne'er lift up his hand but conquered.

16

Exe. 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?

20

24

Win. 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.

28

The battles of the Lord of hosts he fought:

The church's prayers made him so prosperous.

32

Glo. 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 over-awe.

36

Win. 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.

Glo. 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.

16 lift: lifted

40

« AnteriorContinuar »