betray the workmanship of Shakspere; 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 so have received some finishing beauties at his hand. An accurate observer will easily fee, the diction of them is more obsolete, and the numbers more mean and prosaical, than in the generality of his genuine compositions.

THEOBALD.

Of this play there is no copy earlier than that of the folio in 1623, though the two succeeding parts are extant in two editions in quarto. That the second and third parts were published without the first, may be admitted as no weak proof that the copies were surreptitiously obtained, and that the printers at that time gave the publick those plays, not such as the author designed, but such as they could get them. That this play was written before the two others is indubitably collected from the series of events; that it was written and played before Henry the Fifth is apparent, because in the epilogue there is mention made of this play, and not of the other parts:

Henry the sixth in swaddling bands crown'd king,
Whose state so many had the managing

That they lost France, and made his England bleed
Which oft our stage hath shewn.

France is lost in this play. The two following contain, as the old title imports, the contention of the houses of York and Lancaster.

The second and third parts of Henry VI. were printed in 1600. When Henry V. was written we know not, but

it was printed likewise in 1600, and therefore before the publication of the first part: the first part of Henry VI. had been often shewn on the stage, and would certainly have appeared in its place had the author been the publisher.

JOHNSON.

King HENRY the Sixth.

MEN.

Duke of GLOSTER, Uncle to the King, and Protector.
Duke of BEDFORD, Uncle to the King, and Regent of France.
Cardinal BEAUFORT, Bishop of Winchester, and great
Duke of EXETER.

Duke of SOMERSET.
Earl of WARWICK.

Earl of SALISBURY.

Earl of SUFFOLK,
Lord TALBOT.

Young TALBOT, his Son.

Uncle [to the King.

RICHARD PLANTAGENET, afterwards Duke of York.
MORTIMER, Earl of March.

Sir JOHN FASTOLFE. WOODVILE, Lieutenant of the Tower,
Lord Mayor of London. Sir THOMAS GARGRAVE. Sir
WILLIAM GLANSDALE. Sir WILLIAM LUCY.
VERNON, of the White Rose, or York Faction.
BASSET, of the Red Rofe, or Lancaster Faction.

CHARLES, Dauphin, and afterwards King of France,
REIGNIER, Duke of Anjou, and titular King of Naples.
Duke of BURGUNDY.

Duke of ALENÇON.

Bastard of Orleans.

Governor of Paris.

Master-Gunner of Orleans. Boy, his Son,

An old Shepherd, Father to Joan la Pucelle.

WOMEN.

MARGARET, Daughter to Reignier, and afterwards Queen to King Henry.

Countess of AUVERGNE.

JOAN LA PUCELLE, commonly called, JOAN OF ARC; a Maid pretending to be inspir'd from Heaven, and setting up for the Championess of France.

Fiends, attending her.

Lords, Captains, Soldiers, Messengers, and several Attendants both on the English and French.

The SCENE is partly in England, and partly in France.

FIRST PART OF

HENRY VI.

ACT I. SCENE I.

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 GLOSTER, Protector; the Duke of EXETER, and the Earl of WARWICK; the Bishop of WINCHESTER, and the Duke of SOMERSET, &c.

Bedford.

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

Glo.

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

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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,

Than mid-day sun, fierce bent against their faces.
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 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?

Win. He was a king blest of the King of kings.
Unto the French the dreadful judgment-day
So dreadful will not be, as was his sight.

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30

The battles of the Lord of hosts he fought:

The church's prayers made him so prosperous.
Glo. The church! where is it? Had not church-

men pray'd,

His thread of life had not so soon decay'd:

None do you like but an effeminate prince,