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Henry VI part one

Act V, Scene 3

 

Before Angiers.
 
[Alarum. Excursions. Enter JOAN LA PUCELLE]
 
JOAN LA PUCELLE
           ,       ,          ,           ,        ,
      The reg|ent con|quers, and | the French|men fly.
            ,         ,          ,          ,     ,
      Now help | ye charm|ing spells | and per|iapts,
                  ,     ,        ,       ,       ,
      And ye / choice spir|its that | admon|ish me,
            ,         ,         ,       ,     ,
      And give | me signs | of fu|ture ac|cidents.
 
[Thunder]
            ,      ,          ,         ,       ,
      You spee|dy help|ers, that | are sub|stitutes
       ,            ,      ,        ,         ,
      Under | the lord|ly mon|arch of | the north,
          ,         ,        ,         ,      ,
      Appear,| and aid | me in | this ent|erprise.
 
[Enter Fiends]
             ,    2      ,         ,        ,        ,
      This spee|dy and quick | appear|ance arg|ues proof
           ,       ,         ,     ,         ,
      Of your | accust|omed dil|igence | to me.
       ,          ,        ,         ,           ,
      Now ye | famil|iar spir|its, that | are culled
       ,             x        ,        ,       ,
      Out of | the power|ful reg|ions und|er earth,
        ,              ,            ,          ,          ,
      Help me | this^once,| that France | may get | the field.
 
[They walk, and speak not]
           ,        ,          ,       ,       ,
      Oh hold | me not | with sil|ence ov|er-long:
            ,         ,         ,          ,         ,
      Where I | was wont | to feed | you with | my blood,
            ,       ,       ,          ,        ,
      I'll lop | a mem|ber off,| and give | it you,
       ,  ,             ,         ,   ___
      In earn/est of | further | bene|fit:
          ,        ,      ,          ,        ,
      So you | do con|descend | to help | me now.
 
[They hang their heads]
           ,         ,        ,      ,  ,      
      No hope | to have | redress?| My bo/dy shall
       T   T .   T         ,           ,          ,
      Pay recompense,| if you | will grant | my suit.
 
[They shake their heads]
          ,        ,            ,    ,      ,
      Cannot | my bo|dy nor / blood-sac|rifice,
          ,          ,         ,       ,       ,
      Entreat | you to | your wont|ed furth|erance?
             ,         ,         ,      ,         ,
      Then take | my soul;| my bod|y, soul,| and all,
          ,          ,         ,           ,           ,
      Before | that Eng|land give | the French | the foil.
 
[They depart]
       ,               ,        ,          ,         ,
      See, they | forsake| me. Now | the time | is come,
              ,            ,         ,       ,       ,
      That France | must vail | her lof|ty-plum|ed crest,
           ,          ,      ,         ,          ,
      And let | her head | fall in|to Eng|land's lap.
          ,        ,     ,              ,    ,
      My an|cient in|canta|tions are / too weak,
       .    T   T     T          ,        ,       ,
      And hell too strong | for me | to buck|le with:
              ,          ,       ,        ,         ,
      Now* France,| thy glo|ry droop|eth to | the dust.
 
[Exit. Excursions. Enter JOAN LA PUCELLE fighting hand to hand with YORK. JOAN LA PUCELLE is taken. The French fly.]
 
YORK
       ,             ,         ,         ,          ,
      Damsel | of France,| I think | I have | you fast,
          ,            ,       ,           ,          ,
      Unchain | your spir|its now | with spel|ling charms,
           ,         ,          ,          ,     ,
      And try | if they | can gain | your lib|erty.
          ,       ,      ,             ,         ,
      A good|ly prize,| fit for | the dev|il's grace.
       ,             ,      ,            ,          ,
      See how | the ug|ly wench | doth^bend | her brows,
          ,         ,      ,             ,          ,
      As if | with Cir|ce she | would change | my shape.
 
JOAN LA PUCELLE
         ,      2     ,         ,            T    T   T
      Changed to a | worser | shape thou | canst not be:
 
YORK
       T     T     .    T       ,      ,       ,
      Oh, Charles the Dauph|in is | a prop|er man,
            ,          ,           ,            ,      ,
      No* shape | but his | can please | your dain|ty eye.
 
JOAN LA PUCELLE
          ,        ,          ,           ,            ,
      A plag|uing mis|chief light | on Charles,| and thee,
           ,         ,        ,      ,         ,
      And may | ye both | be sud|denly | surprised
           ,       ,          ,        ,          ,
      By blood|y hands,| in sleep|ing on | your beds.
 
YORK
        T     Tx    T        ,          ,           ,
      Fell banning hag,| enchant|ress hold | thy tongue.
 
JOAN LA PUCELLE
          ,        ,         ,          ,        ,
      I prith|ee give | me leave | to curse | awhile.
 
YORK
        ,    ,             ,          ,               ,
      Curse mis/creant,| when thou | comst to | the stake.
 
[Exeunt. Alarum. Enter SUFFOLK with MARGARET in his hand]
 
SUFFOLK
           ,           ,          ,         ,    ,
      Be what | thou wilt,| thou art | my pris|oner.
 
[Gazes on her]
           ,        ,       ,         ,         ,
      Oh fair|est beaut|y, do | not fear,| nor fly:
          ,          ,           ,           ,         ,
      For I | will touch | thee but | with reve|rent hands,
          ,      ,    ,                ,       ,
      I kiss | these fing/ers for | etern|al peace,
           ,          ,       ,        ,        ,
      And lay | them gen|tly on | thy tend|er side.
           ,           ,         ,        ,       ,
      Who art | thou, say?| That I | may hon|or thee.
 
MARGARET
       ,              ,          ,        ,       ,
      Margaret | my name,| and daught|er to | a king,
            ,        ,        ,     ,          ,
      The King | of Nap|les, who|soere | thou art.
 
SUFFOLK
           ,       ,        ,        ,        ,
      An earl | I am,| and Suf|folk am | I called.
          ,       ,       ,         ,    ,
      Be not | offend|ed na|ture's mir|acle,
            ,       ,       ,        ,        ,
      Thou art | allot|ted to | be tane | by me:
           ,          ,          ,     ,         ,
      So doth | the swan | her down|y cyg|nets save,
        ,              ,   2    ,      ,           ,
      Keeping | them pris|oner und|erneath | her wings:
           ,          ,       ,       ,        ,
      Yet if | this serv|ile us|age once | offend,
       ,             ,       ,        ,            ,
      Go, and | be free | again,| as Suf|folk's friend.
           ,        ,         x         ,          ,
      Oh stay:| I have | no power | to let | her pass,
           ,            ,          ,         ,           ,
      My hand | would free | her, but | my heart | says^no,
           ,          ,       ,         ,        ,
      As plays | the sun | upon | the glass|y streams,
        ,           ,        ,       ,       ,
      Twinkling | anoth|er count|erfeit|ed beam,
           ,           ,          ,      ,          ,
      So seems | this gor|geous beaut|y to | mine^eyes.
        ,             ,          ,        ,           ,
      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,| disab|le not | thyself:
            ,         ,         ,          ,    oo
      Hast not | a tongue?| Is she | not here?|
             ,         ,       ,      ,         ,
      Wilt thou | be daunt|ed at | a wom|an's sight?
       T     T   .    T        ,     ,        ,
      Aye: beauty's^prince|ly maj|esty | is such,  ??
            ,            ,           ,          ,        ,
      Confounds | the tongue,| and makes | the sens|es rough.
 
MARGARET
            ,        ,         ,         ,        ,
      Say^Earl | of Suf|folk, if | thy name | be so,
            ,        ,       ,        ,        ,
      What rans|om must | I pay | before | I pass?
          ,        ,        ,         ,    ,
      For I | perceive | I am | thy pris|oner.
 
SUFFOLK
            ,            ,          ,       ,         ,
      How canst | thou tell | she will | deny | thy suit,
          ,           ,       ,      ,         ,
      Before | thou make | a tri|al of | her love?
 
MARGARET
             ,            ,          ,        ,       ,
      Why speakst | thou not?| What rans|om must | I pay?
 
SUFFOLK
              ,     ,          ,         ,        ,
      She's beaut|iful;| and there|fore to | be wooed:
           ,      ,        ,         ,       ,
      She is | a wom|an; there|fore to | be won.
 
MARGARET
             ,        ,        ,        ,        ,
      Wilt thou | accept | of rans|om, yea | or no?
 
SUFFOLK
        T   T    . T        ,           ,        ,
      Fond man, remem|ber that | thou hast | a wife,
            ,          ,   2    ,        ,     ,
      Then how | can Marg|aret be | thy par|amour?
 
MARGARET
      ,          ,         ,            2     ,          ,
      I were | best to | leave him,| for he will | not hear.
 
SUFFOLK
             ,          ,       T     T  .   T        ,
      There^all | is marred:| there lies a cool|ing card.
 
MARGARET
           ,         ,         ,         ,        ,
      He talks | at ran|dom: sure | the man | is mad.
 
SUFFOLK
           ,       ,      ,       ,        ,
      And yet | a dis|pensa|tion may | be had.
 
MARGARET
           ,        ,           ,           ,       ,
      And yet | I would | that you | would ans|wer me:
 
SUFFOLK
            ,          ,     ,     ,          ,
      I'll win | this La|dy Marg|aret.| For whom?
            ,         ,      ,                ,        ,
      Why* for | my king:| tush, that's*| a wood|en thing.
 
MARGARET
           ,          ,        ,         ,      ,
      He talks | of wood:| it is | some carp|enter.
 
SUFFOLK
           ,       ,      ,        ,      ,
      Yet so | my fan|cy may | be sat|isfied,
            ,        ,      ,        ,              ,
      And peace | estab|lished | between | these^realms.
            ,         ,         ,             ,   ,
      But there | remains | a scrup|le in / that too:
             ,          ,       ,         ,        ,      ->
      For though | her fath|er be | the King | of Nap||les,
        ,        ,    2      ,          ,        ,
      Duke | of An|jou and Maine,| yet is | he poor,
           ,       ,    ,          ,           ,
      And our | nobil|ity | will scorn | the match.
 
MARGARET
        ,        ,         ,         ,        ,
      Hear ye | captain?| Are you | not at | leisure?
 
SUFFOLK
           ,         ,        ,           ,         ,
      It shall | be so,| disdain | they nere | so much:
       ,           ,         ,           ,        ,
      Henry | is youth|ful, and | will quick|ly yield.
       ,          ,       ,       ,       ,
      Madam,| I have | a sec|ret to | reveal.
 
MARGARET
              ,        ,         ,           ,          ,
      What^though | I be | enthralled,| He seems | a knight
            ,        ,     ,        ,      ,
      And will | not an|y way | dishon|or me.
 
SUFFOLK
       ,       T   T    .  T        ,       ,
      Lady,| vouchsafe to list|en what | I say.
 
MARGARET
           ,        ,         ,        ,          ,
      Perhaps | I shall | be res|cued by | the French,
            ,        ,           ,           ,     ,
      And then | I need | not* crave | his court|esy.
 
SUFFOLK
              ,        ,      2    ,       ,       ,
      Sweet* mad|am, give | me a hear|ing in | a cause.
 
MARGARET
        ,    ,              ,   ,                ,
      Tush, wom/en have | been cap/tivate | ere now.
 
SUFFOLK
       ,       ,           ,        __   oo
      Lady,| wherefore | talk you | so?|
 
MARGARET
         ,         ,        ,          ,         ,
      I cry | you mer|cy, 'tis | but Quid | for Quo.
 
SUFFOLK
           ,        ,          ,          ,         ,
      Say gent|le prin|cess, would | you not | suppose
            ,        ,       ,        ,        ,
      Your bon|dage hap|py, to | be made | a queen?
 
MARGARET
          ,       ,         ,               ,    ,
      To be | a queen | in bond|age, is / more vile,
            ,       ,          ,        ,    ,
      Than is | a slave,| in base | servil|ity:
            ,         ,          ,
      For prin|ces should | be free.
 
SUFFOLK
                                         ,          ,
                                    And so | shall you,
          ,      ,          ,       ,         ,
      If hap|py Eng|land's roy|al king | be free.
 
MARGARET
            ,         ,           ,       ,     ,
      Why what | concerns | his free|dom un|to me?
 
SUFFOLK
            ,      ,         ,          ,         ,
      I'll und|ertake | to make | thee Hen|ry's queen,
          ,       ,        ,       ,         ,
      To put | a gold|en scep|ter in | thy hand,
           ,       ,          ,        ,         ,
      And set | a pre|cious crown | upon | thy head,
           ,          ,       ,        ,
      If thou | wilt con|descend | to be | my--
 
MARGARET
                                                   ,
                                                 What?
 
SUFFOLK
            ,
      His love.
 
MARGARET
                ,   2    ,         2    ,         ,
                I am un|worthy | to be Hen|ry's wife.
 
SUFFOLK
       T   Tx    T      ,      ,       ,
      No gentle mad|am, I | unworth|y am
          ,         ,        ,        ,         ,
      To woo | so fair | a dame | to be | his wife,
       .    T   T  T        ,          ,         ,
      And have no por|tion in | the choice | myself.
           ,         ,       ,        ,        ,
      How say | you mad|am, are | ye so | content?
 
MARGARET
           ,       ,         ,        ,        ,
      And if | my fath|er please,| I am | content.
 
SUFFOLK
             ,         ,         ,         ,        ,
      Then call | our cap|tains and | our col|ors forth,
           ,       ,         ,         ,        ,
      And mad|am, at | your fath|er's cas|tle walls
              ,        ,        ,       ,          ,
      We'll crave | a par|ley, to | confer | with him.
 
[A parley sounded. Enter REIGNIER on the walls]
            ,        ,          ,         ,    ,
      See Reign|ier see,| thy daught|er pris|oner.
 
REIGNIER
           ,
      To whom?
 
SUFFOLK
                  ,
              To me.
 
REIGNIER
                      ,              ,    ,
                     Suffolk,| what rem|edy?
      ,         ,         ,       ,         ,
      I am | a sol|dier, and | unapt | to weep,
       ,          ,         ,           ,      ,
      Or to | exclaim | on for|tune's fick|leness.
 
SUFFOLK
       ,               ,    ,      ,          ,
      Yes, there | is rem|edy | enough | my lord,
           ,         ,         ,       ,         ,
      Consent,| and for | thy hon|or give | consent,
            ,         ,         ,       ,        ,
      Thy daught|er shall | be wed|ded to | my king,
           ,          ,           ,          ,          ,
      Whom I | with pain | have wooed | and won | thereto:
            ,         ,      ,        ,      ,
      And this | her ea|sy-held | impris|onment,
              ,           ,         ,        ,     ,
      Hath gained | thy daught|er prince|ly lib|erty.
 
REIGNIER
         ,    ,                  ,
      Speaks Suf/folk as | he thinks?
 
SUFFOLK
                                            ,    2     ,
                                     Fair* Marg|aret knows,
            ,         ,          ,         ,         ,
      That Suf|folk doth | not flat|ter, face,| or feign.
 
REIGNIER
         ,         ,        ,        ,       ,
      Upon | thy prince|ly war|rant, I | descend,
           ,          ,       ,         ,        ,
      To give | thee ans|wer of | thy just | demand.
 
[Exit from the walls]
 
SUFFOLK
            ,        ,        ,         ,      o
      And here | I will | expect | thy com|ing.
 
[Trumpets sound. Enter REIGNIER, below]
 
REIGNIER
       ,          T     T   T   2     ,       x
      Welcome | brave earl in|to our ter|ritories,
           ,        ,       ,          ,       ,      ->
      Command | in An|jou what | your hon|or pleas||es.
 
SUFFOLK
         ,       ,         ,   2           ,         ,
      Thanks | Reignier,| happy for | so sweet | a child,
       ,            ,        ,        ,        ,
      Fit to | be made | compan|ion with | a king:
            ,        ,            ,        ,        ,
      What ans|wer makes | your grace | unto | my suit?
 
REIGNIER
              ,           ,         ,         ,        ,
      Since thou | dost deign | to woo | her lit|tle worth,
          ,         ,         ,          ,        ,
      To be | the prince|ly bride | of such | a lord:
         ,       ,      ,        ,     ,
      Upon | condi|tion I | may qui|etly
         ,          ,          ,        ,          ,      ->
      Enjoy | mine^own,| the count|ry Maine | and An||jou,
        ,        2    ,         ,          ,         ,
      Free | from oppres|sion, or | the stroke | of war,
           ,         ,         ,         ,         ,
      My daught|er shall | be Hen|ry's, if | he please.
 
SUFFOLK
        ,            ,       ,      ,      ,
      That is | her rans|om, I | deliv|er her,
       .    T    T    T       ,         ,      ,
      And those two count|ies I | will und|ertake
             ,             ,         ,     ,      ,
      Your grace | shall well | and qui|etly | enjoy.
 
REIGNIER
          ,      ,        ,        ,       ,
      And I | again | in Hen|ry's roy|al name,
          ,    ,      ,         ,          ,
      As dep|uty | unto | that gra|cious king,
        ,               ,          ,         ,         ,
      Give thee | her hand | for sign | of plight|ed faith.
 
SUFFOLK
        ,              ,         ,           ,        ,
      Reignier | of France,| I give | thee king|ly thanks,
          ,           ,        ,       ,       ,
      Because | this is | in traf|fic of | a king.
           ,         ,         ,          ,         ,
      And yet | methinks | I could | be well | content
          ,         ,       ,       ,          ,
      To be | mine^own | attor|ney in | this case.
           ,       ,        ,         ,           ,
      I'll ov|er then | to Eng|land with | this news,
            ,          ,         ,       ,       ,
      And make | this mar|riage to | be sol|emnized:
           ,         ,         ,          ,   2     ,
      So fare|well Reign|ier, set | this di|amond safe
          ,       ,    ,        ,       ,
      In gold|en pal|aces | as it | becomes.
 
REIGNIER
         ,       ,            ,       ,         ,
      I do | embrace | thee, as | I would | embrace
            ,           ,           ,       ,         ,
      The Chris|tian prince | King^Hen|ry were | he here.
 
MARGARET
           ,          ,            ,         ,           ,
      Farewell | my lord,| good* wish|es, praise, and prayers,
             ,       ,       ,        ,     ,
      Shall Suf|folk ev|er have | of Marg|aret.
 
SUFFOLK
           ,             ,              ,   ,     ,   2
      Farewell | sweet* mad|am: but / hark you | Margaret,
           ,        ,      ,        ,        ,
      No prince|ly com|menda|tions to | my king?
 
MARGARET
            ,      ,        ,       ,         ,
      Such com|menda|tions as | becomes | a maid,
         ,       ,         ,         ,        ,
      A vir|gin and | his serv|ant, say | to him.
 
SUFFOLK
        T     T   .    T          ,      ,      ,      ->
      Words sweetly placed,| and mod|estly | direc||ted.
       ,     ,      ,         ,           2   ,
      But | madam,| I must | trouble | you again,
          ,       ,      ,        ,    ,
      No lov|ing tok|en to | his maj|esty?
 
MARGARET
       T    .   T    T        ,        ,        ,
      Yes, my good lord,| a pure | unspot|ted heart,
       ,            ,            ,        ,          ,
      Never | yet^taint | with love,| I send | the king.
 
SUFFOLK
            ,        ,
      And this | withal.  \\
 
[Kisses her]
 
MARGARET
        ,             ,    ,         ,            ,
      That for | thyself,| I will | not so | presume,
           ,           ,       ,       ,       ,
      To send | such peev|ish tok|ens to | a king.
 
[Exeunt REIGNIER and MARGARET]
 
SUFFOLK
          ,          ,        ,        ,         ,
      O wert | thou for | myself: but Suf|folk stay,
             ,          ,       ,         ,     ,
      Thou mayst | not wand|er in | that lab|yrinth,
             ,     ,          ,      ,         ,
      There Min|otaurs | and ug|ly treas|ons lurk,
         ,      ,       ,         ,           ,
      Solic|it Hen|ry with | her wond|rous praise.
          ,           ,        ,         ,         ,
      Bethink | thee on | her vir|tues that | surmount,
           ,    2    ,       ,        ,        ,
      And nat|ural grac|es that | exting|uish art,
          ,           ,          ,      ,         ,
      Repeat | their sem|blance of|ten on | the seas,
             ,           ,          ,         ,         ,
      That when | thou comst | to kneel | at Hen|ry's feet,
        ,       2     ,          ,         ,          ,
      Thou mayst^be|reave him | of his | wits with | wonder.
 
[Exit]

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