CHARLES Go, take their bodies hence.
LUCY I’ll bear them hence;
But from their ashes shall be reared
A phoenix that shall make all France afeared.
205
CHARLES
So we be rid of them, do with him what thou wilt.
And now to Paris, in this conquering vein.
All will be ours, now bloody Talbot’s slain. Exeunt.
5.1 Sennet. Enter KING, GLOUCESTER and EXETER.
KING Have you perused the letters from the Pope,
The Emperor and the Earl of Armagnac?
GLOUCESTER I have, my lord, and their intent is this:
They humbly sue unto your excellence
To have a godly peace concluded of
5
Between the realms of England and of France.
KING How doth your grace affect their motion?
GLOUCESTER
Well, my good lord, and as the only means
To stop effusion of our Christian blood
And ’stablish quietness on every side.
10
KING Ay marry, uncle, for I always thought
It was both impious and unnatural
That such immanity and bloody strife
Should reign among professors of one faith.
GLOUCESTER Beside, my lord, the sooner to effect
15
And surer bind this knot of amity,
The Earl of Armagnac – near knit to Charles,
A man of great authority in France –
Proffers his only daughter to your grace
In marriage, with a large and sumptuous dowry.
20
KING Marriage, uncle? Alas, my years are young,
And fitter is my study and my books
Than wanton dalliance with a paramour.
Yet call th’ambassadors and, as you please,
So let them have their answers every one.
25
I shall be well content with any choice
Tends to God’s glory and my country’s weal.
Enter WINCHESTER and three Ambassadors among them the papal Legate and an ambassador from the Earl of Armagnac.
EXETER What, is my lord of Winchester installed
And called unto a cardinal’s degree?
Then, I perceive, that will be verified
30
Henry the Fifth did sometime prophesy:
‘If once he come to be a cardinal
He’ll make his cap co-equal with the crown’.
KING My lords ambassadors, your several suits
Have been considered and debated on.
35
Your purpose is both good and reasonable,
And therefore are we certainly resolved
To draw conditions of a friendly peace,
Which by my lord of Winchester we mean
Shall be transported presently to France.
40
GLOUCESTER [to the Ambassador of the Earl of Armagnac]
And for the proffer of my lord your master,
I have informed his highness so at large
As, liking of the lady’s virtuous gifts,
Her beauty and the value of her dower,
He doth intend she shall be England’s queen.
45
KING In argument and proof of which contract,
Bear her this jewel, pledge of my affection.
[Gives the Ambassador a ring.]
And so, my lord Protector, see them guarded,
And safely brought to Dover, wherein shipped,
Commit them to the fortune of the sea.
50
Exeunt all but Winchester,
who keeps back the papal Legate.
WINCHESTER
Stay, my lord legate. You shall first receive
The sum of money which I promised
Should be delivered to his holiness
For clothing me in these grave ornaments.
LEGATE I will attend upon your lordship’s leisure.
55
WINCHESTER Now Winchester will not submit, I trow,
Or be inferior to the proudest peer;
Humphrey of Gloucester, thou shalt well perceive
That neither in birth or for authority
The Bishop will be overborne by thee.
60
I’ll either make thee stoop and bend thy knee,
Or sack this country with a mutiny. Exeunt.
5.2 Enter CHARLES, BURGUNDY, ALENÇON, the BASTARD, REIGNIER and JOAN.
CHARLES
These news, my lords, may cheer our drooping spirits:
’Tis said the stout Parisians do revolt
And turn again unto the warlike French.
ALENÇON
Then march to Paris, royal Charles of France,
And keep not back your powers in dalliance.
5
JOAN Peace be amongst them if they turn to us;
Else ruin combat with their palaces.
Enter Scout.
SCOUT Success unto our valiant general
And happiness to his accomplices.
CHARLES
What tidings send our scouts? I prithee, speak.
10
SCOUT The English army, that divided was
Into two parties, is now conjoined in one
And means to give you battle presently.
CHARLES Somewhat too sudden, sirs, the warning is;
But we will presently provide for them.
15
BURGUNDY I trust the ghost of Talbot is not there.
Now he is gone, my lord, you need not fear.
JOAN Of all base passions, fear is most accursed.
Command the conquest, Charles, it shall be thine:
Let Henry fret, and all the world repine.
20
CHARLES
Then on, my lords, and France be fortunate. Exeunt.
Alarum. Excursions. Enter JOAN Puzel.
[5.3]
JOAN The regent conquers and the Frenchmen fly.
Now help, ye charming spells and periapts,
And ye, choice spirits that admonish me
And give me signs of future accidents. Thunder.
25
You speedy helpers, that are substitutes
Under the lordly monarch of the north,
Appear, and aid me in this enterprise.
Enter fiends.
This speedy and quick appearance argues proof
Of your accustomed diligence to me.
30
Now, ye familiar spirits, that are culled
[10]
Out of the powerful regions under earth,
Help me this once, that France may get the field.
[They walk, and speak not.]
O hold me not with silence over-long:
Where I was wont to feed you with my blood,
35
I’ll lop a member off and give it you
In earnest of a further benefit
So you do condescend to help me now.
[They hang their heads.]
No hope to have redress? My body shall
Pay recompense if you will grant my suit.
40
[They shake their heads.]
Cannot my body nor blood sacrifice
[20]
Entreat you to your wonted furtherance?
Then take my soul – my body, soul, and all –
Before that England give the French the foil.
They depart.
See, they forsake me. Now the time is come
45
That France must vail her lofty-plumed crest,
And let her head fall into England’s lap.
My ancient incantations are too weak,
And hell too strong for me to buckle with.
Now, France, thy glory droopeth to the dust. Exit.
50
Excursions: BURGUNDY and YORK enter and fight hand to hand. Fre
nch enter with JOAN and fly. York captures Joan Puzel.
YORK Damsel of France, I think I have you fast.
[30]
Unchain your spirits now with spelling charms
And try if they can gain your liberty.
A goodly prize, fit for the devil’s grace.
See how the ugly witch doth bend her brows
55
As if, with Circe, she would change my shape.
JOAN Changed to a worser shape thou canst not be.
YORK O, Charles the Dolphin is a proper man;
No shape but his can please your dainty eye.
JOAN A plaguing mischief light on Charles and thee,
60
And may ye both be suddenly surprised
[40]
By bloody hands, in sleeping on your beds.
YORK Fell banning hag, enchantress, hold thy tongue.
JOAN I prithee, give me leave to curse awhile.
YORK Curse, miscreant, when thou com’st to the stake.
65
Exeunt.
Alarum. Enter SUFFOLK with MARGARET in his hand.
SUFFOLK Be what thou wilt, thou art my prisoner.
Gazes on her.
O fairest beauty, do not fear nor fly,
For I will touch thee but with reverent hands;
I kiss these fingers for eternal peace
And lay them gently on thy tender side.
70
Who art thou? Say, that I may honour thee.
[50]
MARGARET
Margaret my name, and daughter to a king,
The King of Naples – whosoe’er thou art.
SUFFOLK An earl I am, and Suffolk am I called.
Be not offended, Nature’s miracle;
75
Thou art allotted to be ta’en by me.
So doth the swan her downy cygnets save,
Keeping them prisoner underneath his wings.
Yet, if this servile usage once offend,
Go, and be free again as Suffolk’s friend. [She is going.]
80
O stay: [to himself] I have no power to let her pass.
[60]
My hand would free her, but my heart says no.
As plays the sun upon the glassy streams,
Twinkling another counterfeited beam,
So seems this gorgeous beauty to mine eyes.
85
Fain would I woo her, yet I dare not speak.
I’ll call for pen and ink and write my mind.
Fie, de la Pole, disable not thyself:
Hast not a tongue? Is she not here?
Wilt thou be daunted at a woman’s sight?
90
Ay. Beauty’s princely majesty is such
[70]
Confounds the tongue, and makes the senses rough.
MARGARET Say, Earl of Suffolk – if thy name be so –
What ransom must I pay before I pass?
For I perceive I am thy prisoner.
95
SUFFOLK [to himself]
How canst thou tell she will deny thy suit
Before thou make a trial of her love?
MARGARET
Why speak’st thou not? What ransom must I pay?
SUFFOLK [to himself]
She’s beautiful, and therefore to be wooed:
She is a woman, therefore to be won.
100
MARGARET [to herself]
Wilt thou accept of ransom, yea or no?
[80]
SUFFOLK [to himself]
Fond man, remember that thou hast a wife.
Then how can Margaret be thy paramour?
MARGARET [to herself]
I were best to leave him, for he will not hear.
SUFFOLK [to himself]
There all is marred; there lies a cooling card.
105
MARGARET [to herself]
He talks at random: sure the man is mad.
SUFFOLK [to himself]
And yet a dispensation may be had.
MARGARET
And yet I would that you would answer me.
SUFFOLK [to himself]
I’ll win this Lady Margaret. For whom?
Why, for my king. Tush, that’s a wooden thing.
110
MARGARET
He talks of wood: it is some carpenter.
[90]
SUFFOLK [to himself]
Yet so my fancy may be satisfied,
And peace established between these realms.
But there remains a scruple in that too:
For though her father be the King of Naples,
115
Duke of Anjou and Maine, yet is he poor
And our nobility will scorn the match.
MARGARET Hear ye, captain? Are you not at leisure?
SUFFOLK [to himself]
It shall be so, disdain they ne’er so much.
Henry is youthful, and will quickly yield.
The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works Page 211
