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 scarce full six thousand in his troop,
By three and twenty thousand of the French
Was round encompassed and set upon.
No leisure had he to enrank his men;
He wanted pikes to set before his archers;
Instead whereof, sharp stakes, pluckt out of hedges,
They pitched in the ground confusedly;
To keep the horsemen off from breaking in.
More than three hours the fight continued;
Where valiant Talbot above human thought
Enacted wonders with his sword and lance.
Hundreds he sent to hell, and none durst stand him;
Here, there, and every where, enrag'd he flew:
The French exclaim'd, “The devil was in arms!
All the whole army stood agaz'd on him.
His soldiers, spying his undaunted spirit,
A Talbot! Talbot! cried out amain,
And rush'd into the bowels of the battle.
Here had the Conquest fully been seal'd up,
If Sir John Fastolfe had not play'd the coward;
He being in the vaward, (plac'd behind,
With purpose to relieve and follow them)
Cowardly fled, not having struck one stroak.
Hence grew the gen'ral wreck and massacre;
Enclosed were they with their enemies.
A base Walloon, to win the Dauphin's grace,
Thrust Talbot with a spear into the back;
Whom all France with her chief assembled strength
Durst not presume to look once in the face.

Bed.
Is Talbot slain then? I will slay my self,
For living idly here in pomp and ease;
Whilst such a worthy leader, wanting aid,
Unto his dastard foe-men is betray'd.

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.
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.
Farewel, my masters, to my task will I;
Bonfires in France forthwith I am to make,
To keep our great St. 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 yoak.

Bed.
I do remember it, and here take leave,
To go about my preparation. [Exit Bedford.

Glou.
I'll to the Tower with all the haste I can,
To view th' artillery and ammunition;
And then I will proclaim young Henry King. [Exit Gloucester.

Exe.
To Eltam 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 thus out of office:
The King from Eltam I intend to send,
And sit at chiefest stern of publick weal. [Exit.

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