Henry VI, Part I by William Shakespeare
Act 4 - Scene 1
Paris. A hall of state.
Sir John Fastolfe : My gracious sovereign, as I rode from Calais,
[p]To haste unto your
coronation,
[p]A letter was deliver'd to my hands,
[p]Writ to your
grace from the Duke of Burgundy.
Lord Talbot/Earl of Shrewsbury : Shame to the Duke of Burgundy and thee!
[p]I vow'd, base knight, when
I did meet thee next,
[p]To tear the garter from thy craven's
leg,
[p][Plucking it off]
[p]Which I have done, because
unworthily
[p]Thou wast installed in that high degree.
[p]Pardon me,
princely Henry, and the rest
[p]This dastard, at the battle of
Patay,
[p]When but in all I was six thousand strong
[p]And that the
French were almost ten to one,
[p]Before we met or that a stroke was
given,
[p]Like to a trusty squire did run away:
[p]In which assault we
lost twelve hundred men;
[p]Myself and divers gentlemen beside
[p]Were
there surprised and taken prisoners.
[p]Then judge, great lords, if I
have done amiss;
[p]Or whether that such cowards ought to wear
[p]This
ornament of knighthood, yea or no.
Lord Talbot/Earl of Shrewsbury : When first this order was ordain'd, my lords,
[p]Knights of the garter
were of noble birth,
[p]Valiant and virtuous, full of haughty
courage,
[p]Such as were grown to credit by the wars;
[p]Not fearing
death, nor shrinking for distress,
[p]But always resolute in most
extremes.
[p]He then that is not furnish'd in this sort
[p]Doth but
usurp the sacred name of knight,
[p]Profaning this most honourable
order,
[p]And should, if I were worthy to be judge,
[p]Be quite
degraded, like a hedge-born swain
[p]That doth presume to boast of
gentle blood.
Lord Talbot/Earl of Shrewsbury : Content, my liege! yes, but that I am prevented,
[p]I should have
begg'd I might have been employ'd.
Lord Talbot/Earl of Shrewsbury : I go, my lord, in heart desiring still
[p]You may behold confusion of
your foes.
Basset : And me, my lord, grant me the combat too.
Basset : And I with him; for he hath done me wrong.
Basset : Crossing the sea from England into France,
[p]This fellow here, with
envious carping tongue,
[p]Upbraided me about the rose I
wear;
[p]Saying, the sanguine colour of the leaves
[p]Did represent my
master's blushing cheeks,
[p]When stubbornly he did repugn the
truth
[p]About a certain question in the law
[p]Argued betwixt the
Duke of York and him;
[p]With other vile and ignominious terms:
[p]In
confutation of which rude reproach
[p]And in defence of my lord's
worthiness,
[p]I crave the benefit of law of arms.
Basset : Confirm it so, mine honourable lord.
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Next: Act 4 - Scene 2
