THE First Part of Henry VI.' was originally printed, | force of simplicity, he might have resoived, with them, under that title, in the folio collection of 1623. Upon to substitute what would more unquestionably gratify the authority, then, of the editors of that edition of “Mr. a rude popular taste,—the force of extravagance. On William Shakespeare's Comedies, Histories, and Tra- the other hand, it was open to him to transfer to the gedies, published according to the true original Copies," dramatic shape the spirit-stirring recitals of the old this drama properly finds a place in every modern edi- chronicle writers; in whose narratives, and especially tion of our poet's works. But since the time of Malone in that portion of them in which they make their chathe English critics have agreed that this play is spu- racters speak, there is a manly and straightforward rious; and Drake, without hesitation, refers to what earnestness which in itself not seldom becomes poetical. Shakspere's friends and editors denominated the Second Shakspere chose this latter course. When we begin to and Third Parts of 'Henry VI.' as the First and Second study the Henry VI.,' we find in the First Part that Parts; and recommends all future editors, if they print the action does not appear to progress to a catastrophe; this first play at all, to give it only in an Appendix. that the author lingers about the details, as one who If we were in the habit, then, of taking upon trust what was called upon to exhibit an entire series of events the previous editors of Shakspere have authoritatively rather than the most dramatic portions of them;-there held, we should either reject this play altogether, or, if are the alternations of success and loss, and loss and we printed it, we should inform our readers that "the success, till we somewhat doubt to which side to assign hand of Shakspere is nowhere visible throughout." We the victory. The characters are firmly drawn, but cannot consent to follow either of these courses. We without any very subtle distinctions,--and their sentiprint the play, and we do not tell the reader that Shak-ments and actions appear occasionally inconsistent, or spere never touched it. The question of the authenticity at any rate not guided by a determined purpose in the

of the three parts of Henry VI.' is a very large one, embracing many details. In this edition we are compelled to refer the reader to our Essay on the subject, which accompanies these plays in our Pictorial' and Library' editions.

In the humble house of Shakspere's boyhood there was, in all probability, to be found a thick squat folio volume, then some thirty years printed, in which might be read, "what misery, what murder, and what execrable plagues this famous region hath suffered by the division and dissention of the renowned houses of Lancaster and York." This book was Hall's Chronicle.' With the local and family associations that must have belonged to his early years, the subject of the four dramas that relate to the dissention of the houses of Lancaster and York, or rather the subject of this one great drama in four parts, must have irresistibly presented itself to the mind of Shakspere, as one which he was especially qualified to throw into the form of a chronicle history. It was a task peculiarly fitted for the young poet during the first five years of his connexion with the theatre. Historical dramas, in the rudest form, presented unequalled attractions to the audiences who flocked to the rising stage. He had not here to invent a plot; or to aim at the unity of action, of time, and of place, which the more refined critics of his day held to be essential to tragedy. The form of a chronicle history might appear to require little beyond a poetical exposition of the most attractive facts of the real Chronicles. It is in this spirit, we think, that Shakspere approached the execution of the First Part of 'Henry VI. It appears to us, also, that in that very early performance he in some degree held his genius in subordination to the necessity of executing his task, rather with reference to the character of his audience and the general nature of his subject than for the fulfil ment of his own aspirations as a poet. There was before him one of two courses. He might have chosen, as the greater number of his contemporaries chose, to consider the dominions of poetry and of common sense to be far sundered; and, unconscious or doubtful of the

writer. But although the effect may be, to a certain extent, undramatic, there is impressed upon the whole performance a wonderful air of truth. Much of this must have resulted from the extraordinary quality of the poet's mind, which could tear off all the flimsy conventional disguises of individual character, and penetrate the real moving principle of events with a rare acuteness, and a rarer impartiality. In our view, that whole portion of the First Part of Henry VI.' which deals with the character and actions of Joan of Arc is a remarkable example of this power in Shakspere. He knew that, with all the influence of her supernatural pretension, this extraordinary woman could not have swayed the destinies of kingdoms, and moulded princes and warriors to her will, unless she had been a person of very rare natural endowments. She was represented by the Chroniclers as a mere virago, a bold and shameless trull, a monster, a witch;-because they adopted the vulgar view of her character,-the view, in truth, of those to whom she was opposed. They were rough soldiers, with all the virtues and all the vices of their age; the creatures of brute force; the champions, indeed, of chivalry, but with the brand upon them of all the selfish passions with which the highest deeds of chivalry were too invariably associated. The English Chroniclers, in all that regards the delineation of characters and manners, give us abundant materials upon which we may form an estimate of actions, and motives, and instruments; but they do not show us the instruments moving in their own forms of vitality; they do not lay bare their motives; and hence we have no real key to their actions. Froissart is, perhaps, the only contemporary writer who gives us real portraits of the men of mail. But Shakspere marshalled them upon his stage, in all their rude might, their coarse ambition, their low jealousies, their factious hatreds,-mixed up with their thirst for glory, their indomitable courage, their warm friendships, their tender natural affections, their love of country. This is the truth which Shakspere substituted for the vague delineations of the old stage.

KING HENRY VI.-PART I.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

KING HENRY VI.
Appears, Act III. se. 1; sc. 4. Act IV. sc. 1. Act V. sc. 1; sc. 5.
DUKE OF GLOSTER, uncle to the King, and Protector.
Appears, Act I. sc. 1; sc. 3. Act III. sc. 1; sc. 4. Act IV.
sc. 1. Act V. sc. 1; sc. 5.

DUKE OF BEDFORD, uncle to the King, and Regent
of France.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 2. Act III. sc. 2.

Mayor of London.

Appears, Act I. sc. 3. Act III. sc. 1.
WOODVILLE, Lieutenant of the Tower.
Appears, Act I. sc. 3.

VERNON, of the White Rose, or York, faction.
Appears, Act II. sc. 4. Act III. sc. 4. Act IV. sc. 1.
BASSET, of the Red Rose, or Lancaster, faction.
Appears, Act III. sc. 4. Act IV. sc. 1.

THOMAS BEAUFORT, Duke of Exeter, great uncle to the CHARLES, Dauphin, and afterwards King, of France.

King.

Appears, Act I. sc. 1. Act III. sc. 1. Act IV. sc. 1.

Act V. sc. 1; sc. 5.

HENRY BEAUFORT, great uncle to the King, Bishop
of Winchester, and afterwards Cardinal.
Appears, Act I. sc. 1; sc. 3.

Act III. sc. 1. Act IV. sc. 1.
Act V. sc. 1; sc. 4.

Appears, Act I. sc. 2; sc. 5; sc. 6. Act II. sc. 1. Act III. sc. 2;
sc. 3. Act IV. sc. 7. Act V. sc. 2; sc. 4.
REIGNIER, Duke of Anjou, and titular King of Naples.
Appears, Act I. sc. 2; sc. 6. Act II. sc. 1. Act V.
sc. 3; sc. 4.
DUKE OF BURGUNDY.

Act V. sc. 2.
DUKE OF ALENÇON.
Appears, Act I. sc. 2. Act II. sc. 1. Act III. sc. 2; sc. 3.
Act IV. sc. 7. Act V. sc. &; sc. 4.

JOHN BEAUFORT, Earl of Somerset ; afterwards Duke. Appears, Act II. sc. 1; sc. 2. Act III. sc. 2; sc. 3. Act IV. sc. 7.
Appears, Act II. sc. 4. Act III. sc. 1. Act IV. sc. 1; sc. 4.
RICHARD PLANTAGENET, eldest son of Richard, late
Earl of Cambridge; afterwards Duke of York.
Appears, Act II. sc. 4; sc. 5. Act III. sc. 1. Act IV. sc. 1; sc. 3.
Act V. sc. 3; sc. 4.
EARL OF WARWICK.

Appears, Act II. sc. 4. Act III. sc. 1. Act IV. sc. 1.
Act V. sc. 3; sc. 5.

LORD TALBOT, afterwards Earl of Shrewsbury. Appears, Act I. sc. 4; sc. 5. Act II. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3. Act III. se. 2; sc. 3. Act IV. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 5; sc. 6; sc. 7.

JOHN TALBOT, son to Lord Talbot.

Appears, Act IV. sc. 5; sc. 6; sc. 7.
EDMUND MORTIMER, Earl of March.
Appears, Act II. sc. 5.

Mortimer's Keeper.
Appears, Act II. sc. 5.

A Lawyer.

Appears, Act II. sc. 4.
SIR JOHN FASTOLFE.

Appears, Act III. sc. 2. Act IV. sc. 1.

SIR WILLIAM LUCY.
Appears, Act IV. sc. 3; sc. 4; sc. 7.
SIR WILLIAM GLANSDALE.
Appears, Act I. sc. 4.

SIR THOMAS GARGRAVE.
Appears, Act I. sc. 4.

Governor of Paris.
Appears, Act IV. sc. 1.

BASTARD OF ORLEANS.

MARGARET, daughter to Reignier; afterwards married
to King Henry.
Appears, Act V. sc. 3.

COUNTESS OF AUVERGNE.
Appears, Act II. sc. 3.

JOAN LA PUCELLE, commonly called Joan of Arc. Appears, Act I. sc. 2; sc. 5; sc. 6. Act II. sc. 1. Act III. sc. 2; sc. 3. Act IV. sc. 7. Act V. sc. 2; sc. 3; sc. 4.

Fiends appearing to La Pucelle, Lords, Warders of the Tower, Heralds, Officers, Soldiers, Messengers, and several Attendants both on the English and French.

SCENE, PARTLY IN ENGLAND, AND PARTLY IN FRANCE.

ACT I

SCENE I.-Westminster Abbey.
Dead march. Corpse of KING HENRY V. discovered,
lying in state; attended on by the DUKES OF BED-
FORD, GLOSTER, and EXETER; the EARL OF WAR-
WICK, the BISHOP OF WINCHESTER, Heralds, &c.
Bed. Hung be the heavens with black, yield day to
night!

Corneta, 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!
England ne'er lost a king of so much worth.
King Henry the fifth, too famous to live long!

Glo. England ne'er had a king until his time.
Virtue he had, deserving to command:
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,
More dazzled and drove back his enemies,

a Consented. Probably the word should he spelt concented. To concent is to be in harmony-to act together.

Exe. We mourn in black: Why mourn we not in Give me my steeled coat, I'll fight for France. blood?

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 fight

Betwixt the stout lord Talbot and the French.

Win. What! wherein Talbot overcame? is 't so?
3 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 :

When at their mothers' moisten'd eyes babes shall suck; No leisure had he to enrank his men;

Bed. His ransom there is none but I shall pay :
I'll hale the dauphin headlong from his throne,-
His crown shall be the ransom of my friend;
Four of their lords I'll change for one of ours.
Farewell, my masters; to my task will I;
Bonfires in France forthwith I am to make,
To keep our great Saint George's feast withal:
Ten thousand soldiers with me I will take,
Whose bloody deeds shall make all Europe quake.
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'll 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.
But long I will not be Jack-out-of-office;
The king from Eltham I intend to send,
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;
Now we are victors, upon us he smiles.
What towns of any moment but we have?
At pleasure here we lie near Orleans;
Otherwhiles, the famish'd English, like pale ghosts,
Faintly besiege us one hour in a month.

Alen. They want their porridge and their fat bull-
beeves:

Either they must be dieted like mules,
And have their provender tied to their mouths,
Or piteous they will look, like drowned mice.

Reig. Let's raise the siege: Why live we idly here?
Talbot is taken, whom we wont to fear :
Remaineth none but mad-brain'd Salisbury;
And he may well in fretting spend his gall,

Nor men nor money hath he to make war.

[Exeunt.

It sendeth forth to skirmish. One to ten!
Lean raw-bon'd rascals! who would e'er suppose
They had such courage and audacity?

Char. Let's leave this town; for they are hair.
brain'd slaves,

And hunger will enforce them to be more eager :
Of old I know them; rather with their teeth
The walls they'll tear down than forsake the siege.
Reig. I think, by some odd gimmers or device,
Their arms are set like clocks, still to strike on;
Else ne'er could they hold out so as they do.
By my consent, we 'll even let them alone.
Alen. Be it so.

Enter the BASTARD of ORLEANS.

Bast. Where's the prince dauphin? I have news for him.

Char. Bastard of Orleans, thrice welcome to us.

Bast. Methinks your looks are sad, your cheer ap-
pall'd;

Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence?
Be not dismay'd, for succour is at hand:
A holy maid hither with me I bring,
Which, by a vision sent to her from heaven,
Ordained is to raise this tedious siege,

And drive the English forth the bounds of France.
The spirit of deep prophecy she hath,
Exceeding the nine sibyls of old Rome;

What 's past, and what 's to come, she can descry.
Speak, shall I call her in? Believe my words,
For they are certain and unfallible.

Char. Go, call her in: [Exit Bastard] But, first,
to try her skill,

Reignier, stand thou as dauphin in my place:
Question her proudly, let thy looks be stern:-
By this means shall we sound what skill she hath.

[Retires.

Enter LA PUCELLE, BASTARD of ORLEANS, and others.

Reig. Fair maid, is 't thou wilt do these wondrous
feats?

Puc. Reignier, is 't thou that thinkest to beguile me?
Where is the dauphin?-come, come from behind;
I know thee well, though never seen before.
Be not amaz'd, there's nothing hid from me:
In private will I talk with thee apart ;—
Stand back, you lords, and give us leave awhile.
Reig. She takes upon her bravely at first dash.
Puc. Dauphin, I am by birth a shepherd's daughter,
My wit untrain'd in any kind of art.
Heaven, and our Lady gracious, hath it pleas d
To shine on my contemptible estate :

Lo, whilst I waited on my tender lambs,

Char. Sound, sound alarum; we will rush on them. And to sun's parching heat display'd my cheeks,
Now for the honour of the forlorn French :-
Him I forgive my death that killeth me,
When he sees me go back one foot, or fly.
Alarums. They are beaten back by the English, with
great loss. Re-enter CHARLES, ALENÇON, REIG-
NIER, and others.

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.
The other lords, like lions wanting food,
Do rush upon us as their hungry prey.

Alen. Froissart, a countryman of ours, records,
England all Olivers and Rowlands bred
During the time Edward the third did reign.
More truly now may this be verified;
For none but Samsons, and Goliasses,

God's mother deigned to appear to me;
And, in a vision full of majesty,
Will'd me to leave my base vocation,
And free my country from calamity:
Her id she promis'd and assur'd success:
In complete glory she reveal'd herself;
And, whereas I was black and swart before,
With those clear rays which sne infus'd on me,
That beauty am I bless'd with which you may see
Ask me what question thou canst possible,
And I will answer unpremeditated:
My courage try by combat, if thou dar'st,
And thou shalt find that I exceed my sex.
Resolve on this: Thou shalt be fortunate
If thou receive me for thy warlike mate.

Char. Thou hast astonish'd me with thy high tering
Only this proof I'll of thy valour make,—-
In single combat thou shalt buckle with me:

a Cheer-countenance. Resolve-be firmly persuaded.