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pair of loving turtle…doves That could not live asunder day or night。 After
that things are set in order here； We'll follow them with all the power we
have。 Enter a MESSENGER
MESSENGER。 All hail； my lords！ Which of this princely train Call
ye the warlike Talbot； for his acts So much applauded through the realm of
France？ TALBOT。 Here is the Talbot； who would speak with him？
MESSENGER。 The virtuous lady； Countess of Auvergne； With modesty
admiring thy renown； By me entreats； great lord； thou wouldst vouchsafe
To visit her poor castle where she lies； That she may boast she hath beheld
the man Whose glory fills the world with loud report。 BURGUNDY。 Is it
even so？ Nay； then I see our wars Will turn into a peaceful comic sport；
When ladies crave to be encount'red with。 You may not； my lord； despise
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her gentle suit。 TALBOT。 Ne'er trust me then； for when a world of men
Could not prevail with all their oratory； Yet hath a woman's kindness
overrul'd； And therefore tell her I return great thanks And in submission
will attend on her。 Will not your honours bear me company？ BEDFORD。
No； truly； 'tis more than manners will； And I have heard it said unbidden
guests Are often welcomest when they are gone。 TALBOT。 Well then；
alone； since there's no remedy； I mean to prove this lady's courtesy。 Come
hither； Captain。 ＇Whispers＇ You perceive my mind？ CAPTAIN。 I do； my
lord； and mean accordingly。 Exeunt
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King Henry VI； Part 1
SCENE 3。
AUVERGNE。 The Castle
Enter the COUNTESS and her PORTER
COUNTESS。 Porter； remember what I gave in charge； And when you
have done so； bring the keys to me。 PORTER。 Madam； I will。
COUNTESS。 The plot is laid； if all things fall out right； I shall as famous
be by this exploit。 As Scythian Tomyris by Cyrus' death。 Great is the
rumour of this dreadful knight； And his achievements of no less account。
Fain would mine eyes be witness with mine ears To give their censure of
these rare reports。
Enter MESSENGER and TALBOT。
MESSENGER。 Madam； according as your ladyship desir'd； By
message crav'd； so is Lord Talbot come。 COUNTESS。 And he is welcome。
What！ is this the man？ MESSENGER。 Madam； it is。 COUNTESS。 Is this
the scourge of France？ Is this Talbot； so much fear'd abroad That with his
name the mothers still their babes？ I see report is fabulous and false。 I
thought I should have seen some Hercules； A second Hector； for his grim
aspect And large proportion of his strong…knit limbs。 Alas； this is a child； a
silly dwarf！ It cannot be this weak and writhled shrimp Should strike such
terror to his enemies。 TALBOT。 Madam； I have been bold to trouble you；
But since your ladyship is not at leisure； I'll sort some other time to visit
you。 ＇Going＇ COUNTESS。 What means he now？ Go ask him whither he
goes。 MESSENGER。 Stay； my Lord Talbot； for my lady craves To know
the cause of your abrupt departure。 TALBOT。 Marry； for that she's in a
wrong belief； I go to certify her Talbot's here。
Re…enter PORTER With keys
COUNTESS。 If thou be he； then art thou prisoner。 TALBOT。 Prisoner！
To whom？ COUNTESS。 To me； blood…thirsty lord And for that cause I
train'd thee to my house。 Long time thy shadow hath been thrall to me； For
in my gallery thy picture hangs； But now the substance shall endure the
like And I will chain these legs and arms of thine That hast by tyranny
these many years Wasted our country； slain our citizens； And sent our sons
and husbands captivate。 TALBOT。 Ha； ha； ha！ COUNTESS。 Laughest
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King Henry VI； Part 1
thou； wretch？ Thy mirth shall turn to moan。 TALBOT。 I laugh to see your
ladyship so fond To think that you have aught but Talbot's shadow
Whereon to practise your severity。 COUNTESS。 Why； art not thou the
man？ TALBOT。 I am indeed。 COUNTESS。 Then have I substance too。
TALBOT。 No； no； I am but shadow of myself。 You are deceiv'd； my
substance is not here； For what you see is but the smallest part And least
proportion of humanity。 I tell you； madam； were the whole frame here； It
is of such a spacious lofty pitch Your roof were not sufficient to contain 't。
COUNTESS。 This is a riddling merchant for the nonce； He will be here；
and yet he is not here。 How can these contrarieties agree？ TALBOT。 That
will I show you presently。
Winds his horn； drums strike up； a peal of ordnance。 Enter soldiers
How say you； madam？ Are you now persuaded That Talbot is but
shadow of himself？ These are his substance； sinews； arms； and strength；
With which he yoketh your rebellious necks； Razeth your cities； and
subverts your towns； And in a moment makes them desolate。 COUNTESS。
Victorious Talbot！ pardon my abuse。 I find thou art no less than fame hath
bruited； And more than may be gathered by thy shape。 Let my
presumption not provoke thy wrath； For I am sorry that with reverence I
did not entertain thee as thou art。 TALBOT。 Be not dismay'd； fair lady； nor
misconster The mind of Talbot as you did mistake The outward
composition of his body。 What you have done hath not offended me。 Nor
other satisfaction do I crave But only； with your patience； that we may
Taste of your wine and see what cates you have； For soldiers' stomachs
always serve them well。 COUNTESS。 With all my heart； and think me
honoured To feast so great a warrior in my house。 Exeunt
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SCENE 4。
London。 The Temple garden
Enter the EARLS OF SOMERSET； SUFFOLK； and WARWICK；
RICHARD PLANTAGENET； VERNON； and another LAWYER
PLANTAGENET。 Great lords and gentlemen； what means this
silence？ Dare no man answer in a case of truth？ SUFFOLK。 Within the
Temple Hall we were too loud； The garden here is more convenient。
PLANTAGENET。 Then say at once if I maintain'd the truth； Or else was
wrangling Somerset in th' error？ SUFFOLK。 Faith； I have been a truant in
the law And never yet could frame my will to it； And therefore frame the
law unto my will。 SOMERSET。 Judge you； my Lord of Warwick； then；
between us。 WARWICK。 Between two hawks； which flies the higher pitch；
Between two dogs； which hath the deeper mouth； Between two blades；
which bears the better temper； Between two horses； which doth bear him
best； Between two girls； which hath the merriest eye I have perhaps some
shallow spirit of judgment； But in these nice sharp quillets of the law；
Good faith； I am no wiser than a daw。 PLANTAGENET。 Tut； tut； here is a
mannerly forbearance： The truth appears so naked on my side That any
purblind eye may find it out。 SOMERSET。 And on my side it is so well
apparell'd； So clear； so shining； and so evident； That it will glimmer
through a blind man's eye。 PLANTAGENET。 Since you are tongue…tied
and so loath to speak； In dumb significants proclaim your thoughts。 Let
him that is a true…born gentleman And stands upon the honour of his birth；
If he suppose that I have pleaded truth； From off this brier pluck a white
rose with me。 SOMERSET。 Let him that is no coward nor no flatterer； But
dare maintain the party of the truth； Pluck a red rose from off this thorn
with me。 WARWICK。 I love no colours； and； without all colour Of base
insinuating flattery； I pluck this white rose with Plantagenet。 SUFFOLK。 I
pluck this red rose with young Somerset； And say withal I think he held
the right。 VERNON。 Stay； lords and gentlemen； and pluck no more Till
you conclude that he upon whose side The fewest roses are cropp'd from
the tree Shall yield the other in the right opinion。 SOMERSET。 Good
Master Vernon； it is well objec