’Twas Falstaff, with his minions at his back,

High primed with valour, turbulence, and sack,

Aping the monarch to a wondr’ing crowd.

While Bedford proud his lesson to rehearse,

With studious labours urged the bold reply:

Shouts of applause ran rattling through the sky:

And he, the hero of the day,

Right glad their servile suffrage to repay,

Shook golden bounty from his swelling purse.

O, England! heav’n-defended land!