REV. SAMUEL AYSCOUGH, AND ASSISTANT LIBRARIAN OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM, F. S. A. EMBELLISHED WITH A STRIKING LIKENESS OF SHAKSPEARE, VOL. II. IMMORTAL SHAKSPEARE ROSE; " EACH CHANGE OF MANY-COLOURED LIFE HE DREW, LONDON PRINTED FOR JOHN STOCKDALE, PICCADILLY. M. DCC.xc. Lords, Captains, Soldiers, Messengers, and feveral Attendants both on the English and French. SCENE Westminster-Abbey. ACT I. Dead March. Enter the Funeral of King Henry the Fifth, attended on by the Duke of Bedford, Regent of France; the Duke of Glofter, Protector; the Duke of Exeter, and the Earl of Warwick; the Bishop of Winchester, and the Duke of Somerfet, &cc. Bed. I. Brandish your crystal tresses in the sky; Glo. England ne'er had a king, until his time. H More dazzled and drove back his enemies, Mr. Theobald observes, that " the historical transactions contained in this play, take in the compass of above thirty years. I must observe, however, that our author, in the three parts of Henry VI. has not been very precife to the date and disposition of his facts; but shuffled them, backwards and forwards, out of time. For instance; the lord Talbot is kill'd at the end of the fourth act of this play, who in reality did not fall till the 13th of July 1453; and The Second Part of Henry VI. opens with the marriage of the king, which was folemniz'd eight years before Talbot's death, in the year 1445. Again, in the fecond part, dame Eleanor Cobham is introduced to insult queen Margaret; though her penance and banishment for forcery happened three years before that princess came over to England. I could point out many other tranfgreffions against history, as far as the order of time is concerned. Indeed, though there are several mafter-ftrokes in these three plays, which incontestably betray the workmanship of Shakspeare; yet I am almost doubtful, whether they were entirely of his writing. And unless they were wrote by him very early, I should rather imagine them to have been brought to him as a director of the stage; and fo have received some finishing beauties at his hand. An accurate observer will easily fee, the diction of them is more obfolete, and the numbers more mean and profaical, than in the generality of his genuine compositions." What What should I say? his deeds exceed all speech: He ne'er lift up his hand, but conquered. Exe. We mourn in black; Why mourn we not Henry is dead, and never shall revive: Among the foldiers this is muttered,- 5 One would have ling'ring wars, with little cost: 10 Let not floth dim your honours, new-begot: Win. He was a king bleft of the King of Kings. 15 Unto the French the dreadful judgment-day So dreadful will not be, as was his fight. The battles of the Lord of Hosts he fought: The church's prayers made him so profperous. Glo. The church! where is it? Had not church-20 men pray'd, His thread of life had not fo foon decay'd: Win. Glofter, whate'er we like, thou art pro-25 tector; And lookest to command the prince, and realm. Glo. Name not religion, for thou lov'ft the flesh; Bed. Ceafe, cease these jars, and rest your minds Let's to the altar:-Heralds, wait on us:- Enter a Meffenger. Meff. My honourable lords, health to you all! Sad tidings bring I to you out of France, Of lofs, of flaughter, and discomfiture: Guienne, Champaigne, Rheims, Orleans, Paris, Guifors, Poictiers, are all quite loft. Bed. What say'st thou, man, before dead Henry's corse; 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.Away with these disgraceful wailing robes! Wounds I will lend the French, instead of eyes, To weep their intermiffive miseries. Enter to them another Messenger. 2 Meff. Lords, view these letters, full of bad mischance, France is revolted from the English quite; [Exit. Exe. The Dauphin crowned king! all fly to 300, whither shall we fly from this reproach? [him! Glo. We will not fly, but to our enemies' throats :Bedford, if thou be slack, I'll fight it out. Bed. Glofter, why doubt'st thou of my for wardness? 35 An army have I muster'd in my thoughts, 3 Mes: My gracious lords, to add to your la ments, 40 Wherewith you now bedew king Henry's hearse, 45 The circumstance I'll tell you more at large. 55 They pitched in the ground confusedly, Speak softly; or the loss of those great towns us'd? [money. Mef. No treachery; but want of men and Here, there, and every where, enrag'd he flew : 1 Nourish here fignifies a murfe. 2 i. e. their miseries which have had only a short intermiffion from Henry the Fifth's death to my coming amongst them. 3 i. e. scarcely. All |