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Henry VI part one

Act III, Scene 2

 

France, before Rouen.
 
[Enter JOAN LA PUCELLE disguised, with four Soldiers with sacks upon their backs]
 
JOAN LA PUCELLE
        ,              ,      ,           ,          ,
      These are | the ci|ty gates,| the gates | of Rouen,
                ,          ,    ,          ,         ,
      Through which | our pol|icy | must make | a breach.
             ,        ,     ,          ,            ,
      Take^heed,| be wa|ry how | you place | your words,
        ,              ,        ,        ,       ,
      Talk like | the vul|gar sort | of mark|et men,
             ,        ,       ,      ,            ,
      That come | to gat|her mon|ey for | their corn.
          ,         ,          ,       ,         ,
      If we | have en|trance, as | I hope | we shall,
            ,         ,          ,         ,           ,
      And that | we find | the sloth|ful watch | but weak,
            ,       ,          ,       ,          ,
      I'll by | a sign | give not|ice to | our friends,
              ,           ,        ,        ,        ,
      That Charles | the Dauph|in may | encount|er them.
 
FIRST SOLDIER
            ,            ,       ,         ,         ,    2->
      Our sacks | shall be | a mean | to sack | the ci||ty,
           ,        ,          ,      ,       ,
      And we | be lords | and rul|ers ov|er Rouen,
            ,             ,
      Therefore | we'll knock.  \\
 
[Knocks]
 
WATCH [Within]
           ,
      Qui la.
 
JOAN LA PUCELLE
                   ,        ,        ,          ,
              Paysans | la pau|vre gens | de France,
             ,        ,            ,         ,            ,
      Poor* mark|et folks | that come | to sell | their corn.
 
WATCH
       ,          ,        ,        ,         ,
      Enter,| go in,| the mark|et bell | is rung.
 
JOAN LA PUCELLE
            ,            ,          ,    ,               ,
      Now Rouen,| I'll shake | thy bul|warks to | the ground.
 
[Exeunt. Enter CHARLES, the BASTARD OF ORLEANS, ALENCON, REIGNIER, and forces]
 
CHARLES
             ,        ,           ,       ,     ,
      Saint^Den|nis bless | this hap|py stra|tagem,
            ,       ,            ,         ,         ,
      And once | again | we'll sleep | secure | in Rouen.
 
BASTARD OF ORLEANS
            ,            ,     ,          ,      ,
      Here^ent|ered Pu/celle, and | her prac|tisants:
       ,              ,          ,         ,     ,
      Now she | is there,| how will | she spe|cify?
        ,             ,         ,       ,        ,
      Here is | the best | and sa|fest pas|sage in.
 
REIGNIER
           ,         ,        ,           ,        ,
      By thrust|ing out | a torch | from yond|er tower,
              ,         ,        ,                ,       ,
      Which once | discerned,| shows that | her mean|ing is,
          ,         ,         ,          ,          ,       2->
      No way | to that (for weak|ness) which | she en||tered.
 
[Enter JOAN LA PUCELLE on the top, thrusting out a torch burning]
 
JOAN LA PUCELLE
          ,      ,            ,      ,         ,
      Behold,| this is | the hap|py wed|ding torch,
             ,        ,       ,         ,      ,
      That join|eth Rouen | unto | her count|rymen,
           ,        ,      ,        ,      ,
      But burn|ing fat|al to | the Tal|botites.
 
[Exit]
 
BASTARD OF ORLEANS
           ,        ,           ,       ,          ,
      See nob|le Charles | the bea|con of | our friend,
            ,        ,         ,       ,         ,
      The burn|ing torch | in yond|er tur|ret stands.
 
CHARLES
            ,          ,       ,      ,       ,
      Now shine | it like | a com|et of | revenge,
         ,        ,         ,        ,          ,
      A proph|et to | the fall | of all | our foes.
 
REIGNIER
         ,         ,        ,          ,     2     ,
      Defer | no time,| delays | have dang|erous ends,
       ,           ,          ,          ,     ,
      Enter | and cry, | The Dauph|in, pres|ently,
            ,        ,   ,       ,         ,
      And then | do ex|ecu|tion on | the watch.
 
[Alarum. Exeunt. An alarum. Enter TALBOT in an excursion]
 
TALBOT
         ,                  ,           ,        ,          ,
      France, thou | shalt rue | this treas|on with | thy tears,
          ,       ,         ,          ,      ,
      If Tal|bot but | survive | thy treach|ery.
           ,           ,            ,      ,      ,
      Pucelle | that witch,| that damn|ed sor|ceress,
              ,            ,        ,         ,     ,
      Hath wrought | this hel|lish mis|chief un|awares,
             ,      ,       ,           ,          ,
      That hard|ly we | escaped | the pride | of France.
 
[Exit. An alarum: excursions. BEDFORD, brought in sick in a chair. Enter TALBOT and BURGUNDY without: within JOAN LA PUCELLE, CHARLES, BASTARD OF ORLEANS, ALENCON, and REIGNIER, on the walls]
 
JOAN LA PUCELLE
            ,       ,           ,         ,          ,
      Good mor|row gal|lants, want | ye corn | for bread?
          ,           ,        ,      ,          ,
      I think | the Duke | of Burg|undy | will fast,
          ,           ,       ,         ,        ,
      Before | he'll buy | again | at such | a rate.
              ,        ,        ,         ,          ,
      'Twas full | of dar|nel: do | you like | the taste?
 
BURGUNDY
        T    T   T       ,           ,           ,   2
      Scoff on vile | fiend, and | shameless | courtesan,
          ,           ,         ,       ,                ,
      I trust | ere long | to choke | thee with | thine^own,
            ,           ,          ,        ,          ,
      And make | thee curse | the harv|est of | that corn.
 
CHARLES
             ,            ,          ,        ,           ,
      Your grace | may starve |(perhaps)| before | that time.
 
BEDFORD
          ,         ,           ,         ,            x
      Oh let | no words,| but deeds,| revenge | this treason.
 
JOAN LA PUCELLE
             ,         ,     T    T    T     oo
      What will | you do,| good grey-beard?|
        ,         ,           ,        ,         ,
      Break a | lance, and | run a | tilt at | Death,
      <-       ,       ,
        With||in a | chair.  \\
 
TALBOT
        T    T    .    T          ,        ,        ,
      Foul fiend of France,| and hag | of all | despite,
         ,           ,          ,       ,     ,
      Encomp|assed with | thy lust|ful par|amours,
          ,          ,         ,          ,    2   ,
      Becomes | it thee | to taunt | his val|iant age,
            ,          ,      ,       ,           ,
      And twit | with cow|ardice | a man | half dead?
       ,              ,        ,          ,       ,
      Damsel,| I'll have | a bout | with you | again,
           ,         ,       ,        ,           ,
      Or else | let Tal|bot per|ish with | this shame.
 
JOAN LA PUCELLE
       ,    2      ,                  ,     ,          ,
      Are ye so | hot, sir:| yet Pu/celle hold | thy peace,
          ,       ,         ,         ,          ,      ->
      If Tal|bot do | but thund|er, rain | will fol||low.
 
[The English whisper together in council.]
       ,      ,          ,    2       ,            2      ,       ->
      God | speed the | parliament:| who shall | be the speak||er?
 
TALBOT
        ,         ,      ,            ,         2      ,
      Dare | ye come | forth, and | meet us | in the field?
 
JOAN LA PUCELLE
          ,           ,         ,          ,          ,
      Belike | your lord|ship takes | us then | for fools,
          ,         ,         ,         ,        ,
      To try | if that | our own | be ours,| or no.
 
TALBOT
          ,      ,             ,        ,    ,
      I speak | not to | that rai|ling Hec|ate,
           ,      ,     ,    ,               ,
      But un|to thee | Alen|con, and | the rest.
        ,            ,           ,          ,         ,
      Will ye,| like sol|diers, come | and fight | it out?
 
ALENCON
           ,      2
      Signior | no.
 
TALBOT
                         ,      T     T    T      2      ,
                    Signior,| hang: base mule|ters of France,
             ,        ,     ,              ,          ,
      Like peas|ant foot-|boys do | they keep | the walls,
            ,          ,         ,          ,      ,
      And dare | not take | up arms,| like gent|lemen.
 
JOAN LA PUCELLE
         ,    ,                ,         ,          ,
      Away | captains,| let's get | us from | the walls,
           ,        ,          ,        ,         ,
      For Tal|bot means | no good|ness by | his looks.
           ,         ,         ,     ,         ,
      Goodbye | my lord,| we came | but to | tell you
            ,         ,
      That we | are here.  \\
 
[Exeunt from the walls]
 
TALBOT
            ,           ,       ,     ,            ,
      And there | will we | be too,| ere it | be long,
           ,         ,         ,          ,         ,
      Or else | reproach | be Tal|bot's great|est fame.
       ,   ,              ,      ,         ,
      Vow Bur/gundy,| by hon|or of | thy house,
         ,             ,        ,           ,            ,
      Pricked on | by pub|lic wrongs | sustained | in France,
       ,           ,          ,       ,        ,
      Either | to get | the town | again,| or die.
          ,        ,        ,        ,       ,
      And I,| as sure | as Eng|lish Hen|ry lives,
           ,        ,        ,         ,      ,
      And as | his fath|er here | was con|queror;
           ,        ,          ,       ,       ,
      As sure | as in | this late-|betray|ed town,
        T     T    .  T        ,          ,    ,
      Great Coeur-de-li|on's heart | was bur|ied,
           ,        ,         ,          ,        ,
      So sure | I swear,| to get | the town,| or die.
 
BURGUNDY
       T   T   .  T       ,                ,    ,
      My vows are e|qual part|ners with / thy vows.
 
TALBOT
           ,        ,       ,          ,        ,
      But ere | we go,| regard | this dy|ing prince,
           ,    2    ,        ,          ,         ,
      The val|iant Duke | of Bed|ford: Come | my lord,
           ,        ,         ,         ,        ,
      We will | bestow | you in | some bet|ter place,
       ,             ,         ,         ,      ,
      Fitter | for sick|ness, and | for cra|zy age.
 
BEDFORD
            ,        ,        ,       ,      ,
      Lord Tal|bot, do | not so | dishon|or me:
        ,            ,        ,          ,          ,
      Here will | I sit | before | the walls | of Rouen,
            ,        ,        ,          ,        ,
      And will | be part|ner of | your weal | or woe.
 
BURGUNDY
          ,        ,         ,        ,         ,         ->
      Coura|geous Bed|ford, let | us now | persuade || you.
 
BEDFORD
       ,      2     ,           ,           ,        ,
      Not | to be gone | from hence:| for once | I read,
             ,      ,   ,                ,        ,
      That stout | Pendrag/on, in | his lit|ter sick,
        ,             ,          ,       ,          ,
      Came to | the field,| and van|quished | his foes.
           ,          ,         ,         ,            ,
      Methinks | I should | revive | the sol|diers' hearts,
          ,       ,       ,           ,       ,
      Because | I ev|er found | them as | myself.
 
TALBOT
          ,         x       2   ,        ,
      Undaunt|ed spirit | in a dy|ing breast,
      <-      ,        ,    ,          T   T   T         ,
        Then be || it so:| heavens | keep old Bed|ford safe.
           ,         ,      ,     ,    ,
      And now | no more | ado,| brave Bur/gundy,
            ,      ,        ,       ,         ,
      But gath|er we | our for|ces out | of hand,
           ,      ,          ,        ,   ,
      And set | upon | our boast|ing en|emy.
 
[Exeunt all but BEDFORD and Attendants. An alarum: excursions. Enter FALSTAFF and a Captain]
 
CAPTAIN
        ,    2   ,          T   T   T       2       ,
      Whither a|way Sir | John Falstaff,| in such haste?
 
FALSTAFF
       ,           ,        ,        ,         ,
      Whither | away?| to save | myself | by flight,
        2      ,         ,        ,      ,        ,
      We are like | to have | the ov|erthrow | again.
 
CAPTAIN
        ,               ,          ,           ,
      What? will | you fly,| and leave | Lord^Tal|bot?
 
FALSTAFF
      <- ,      ,         ,          2      ,          ,         ,
        Aye,|| all the | Talbots | in the world,| to save | my life.
 
[Exit]
 
CAPTAIN
       ,  2         T     T   T        ,        ,
      Cowardly | knight, ill for|tune fol|low thee.
 
[Exit. Retreat: excursions. JOAN LA PUCELLE, ALENCON, and CHARLES fly]
 
BEDFORD
       T    Tx    T        ,           ,        ,
      Now quiet soul,| depart | when heav|en please,
          ,          ,         ,   2    ,      ,
      For I | have seen | our en|emies'^ov|erthrow.
        ,             ,            ,          ,        ,
      What is | the trust | or strength | of fool|ish man?
        ,              ,          ,        ,             ,
      They that | of late | were dar|ing with | their scoffs,
            ,          ,         ,           ,          ,
      Are glad | and fain | by flight | to save | themselves.
 
[BEDFORD dies, and is carried in by two in his chair. An alarum. Enter TALBOT, BURGUNDY, and the rest]
 
TALBOT
        ,            ,        ,      ,       ,
      Lost, and | recov|ered in | a day | again,
        ,          ,       ,       ,      ,
      This is | a doub|le hon|or, Burg|undy:
       ,    ,              ,       ,          ,  2
      Yet heav/ens have | glory | for this | victory.
 
BURGUNDY
       ,             ,        ,        ,      ,
      Warlike | and mar|tial Tal|bot, Burg|undy
           ,            ,         ,           ,        ,
      Enshrines | thee in | his heart,| and there | erects
           ,       ,         ,        ,      ,
      Thy nob|le deeds,| as val|or's mon|uments.
 
TALBOT
         T     Tx     T          ,             ,    ,
      Thanks gentle duke:| But where | is Pu/celle now?
          ,          ,       ,       ,       ,
      I think | her old | famil|iar is | asleep.
             ,           ,            ,            ,             ,
      Now where's | the bast|ard's braves,| and Charles | his gleeks?
            ,       ,      T     T    .    T          ,
      What all | amort?| Rouen hangs her head | for grief,
             ,       ,    2   ,     ,         ,
      That such | a val|iant comp|any | are fled.
       ,              ,          ,      ,         ,
      Now will | we take | some^ord|er in | the town,
        ,             ,         ,       ,     ,
      Placing | therein | some^ex|pert of|ficers,
            ,        ,        ,       ,         ,
      And then | depart | to Par|is, to | the king,
            ,       ,    ,                 ,       ,
      For there | young Hen/ry with | his nob|les lie.
 
BURGUNDY
             ,       T    Tx       T       ,      ,
      What wills | Lord Talbot, please|th Burg|undy.
 
TALBOT
           ,        ,        ,          ,        ,
      But yet | before | we go,| let's not | forget
           ,       ,        ,          ,         ,
      The nob|le Duke | of Bed|ford, late | deceased,
           ,         ,     ,          ,          ,
      But see | his ex|equies | fulfilled | in Rouen,
         ,       ,        ,       ,        ,
      A brav|er sol|dier nev|er couch|ed lance,
         ,         ,          ,       ,         ,
      A gent|ler heart | did nev|er sway | in court.
            ,           ,     2   ,      ,           ,
      But kings | and might|iest pot|entates | must die,
            ,           ,        ,      ,    ,
      For that's | the end | of hum|an mis|ery.
 
[Exeunt]

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