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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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King Henry VI； Part 1
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 objected； If I have fewest； I subscribe in silence。
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PLANTAGENET。 And I。 VERNON。 Then； for the truth and plainness of
the case； I pluck this pale and maiden blossom here； Giving my verdict on
the white rose side。 SOMERSET。 Prick not your finger as you pluck it off；
Lest； bleeding； you do paint the white rose red； And fall on my side so；
against your will。 VERNON。 If I； my lord； for my opinion bleed； Opinion
shall be surgeon to my hurt And keep me on the side where still I am。
SOMERSET。 Well； well； come on； who else？ LAWYER。 ＇To Somerset＇
Unless my study and my books be false； The argument you held was
wrong in you； In sign whereof I pluck a white rose too。 PLANTAGENET。
Now； Somerset； where is your argument？ SOMERSET。 Here in my
scabbard； meditating that Shall dye your white rose in a bloody red。
PLANTAGENET。 Meantime your cheeks do counterfeit our roses； For
pale they look with fear； as witnessing The truth on our side。 SOMERSET。
No； Plantagenet； 'Tis not for fear but anger that thy cheeks Blush for pure
shame to counterfeit our roses； And yet thy tongue will not confess thy
error。 PLANTAGENET。 Hath not thy rose a canker； Somerset？
SOMERSET。 Hath not thy rose a thorn； Plantagenet？ PLANTAGENET。
Ay； sharp and piercing； to maintain his truth； Whiles thy consuming canker
eats his falsehood。 SOMERSET。 Well； I'll find friends to wear my
bleeding roses； That shall maintain what I have said is true； Where false
Plantagenet dare not be seen。 PLANTAGENET。 Now； by this maiden
blossom in my hand； I scorn thee and thy fashion； peevish boy。 SUFFOLK。
Turn not thy scorns thi