By fair persuasions mix'd with sugar'd words We will entice the Duke of Burgundy To leave the Talbot and to follow us. CHARLES Ay, marry, sweeting, if we could do that, France were no place for Henry's warriors;Nor should that nation boast it so with us, But be extirped from our provinces. ALENCON For ever should they be expulsed from France And not have title of an earldom here. JOAN LA PUCELLE Your honours shall perceive how I will work To bring this matter to the wished end.
Drum sounds afar off Hark! by the sound of drum you may perceive Their powers are marching unto Paris-ward.
Here sound an English march. Enter, and pass over at a distance, TALBOT and his forces There goes the Talbot, with his colours spread, And all the troops of English after him.
French march. Enter BURGUNDY and forces Now in the rearward comes the duke and his:
Fortune in favour makes him lag behind.
Summon a parley; we will talk with him.
Trumpets sound a parley CHARLES A parley with the Duke of Burgundy! BURGUNDY Who craves a parley with the Burgundy? JOAN LA PUCELLE The princely Charles of France, thy countryman. BURGUNDY What say'st thou, Charles? for I am marching hence. CHARLES Speak, Pucelle, and enchant him with thy words. JOAN LA PUCELLE Brave Burgundy, undoubted hope of France!
Stay, let thy humble handmaid speak to thee. BURGUNDY Speak on; but be not over-tedious. JOAN LA PUCELLE Look on thy country, look on fertile France, And see the cities and the towns defaced By wasting ruin of the cruel foe.
As looks the mother on her lowly babe When death doth close his tender dying eyes, See, see the pining malady of France;Behold the wounds, the most unnatural wounds, Which thou thyself hast given her woful breast.
O, turn thy edged sword another way;
Strike those that hurt, and hurt not those that help.
One drop of blood drawn from thy country's bosom Should grieve thee more than streams of foreign gore:
Return thee therefore with a flood of tears, And wash away thy country's stained spots. BURGUNDY Either she hath bewitch'd me with her words, Or nature makes me suddenly relent. JOAN LA PUCELLE Besides, all French and France exclaims on thee, Doubting thy birth and lawful progeny.
Who joint'st thou with but with a lordly nation That will not trust thee but for profit's sake?
When Talbot hath set footing once in France And fashion'd thee that instrument of ill, Who then but English Henry will be lord And thou be thrust out like a fugitive?
Call we to mind, and mark but this for proof, Was not the Duke of Orleans thy foe?
And was he not in England prisoner?
But when they heard he was thine enemy, They set him free without his ransom paid, In spite of Burgundy and all his friends.
See, then, thou fight'st against thy countrymen And joint'st with them will be thy slaughtermen.
Come, come, return; return, thou wandering lord:
Charles and the rest will take thee in their arms. BURGUNDY I am vanquished; these haughty words of hers Have batter'd me like roaring cannon-shot, And made me almost yield upon my knees.
Forgive me, country, and sweet countrymen, And, lords, accept this hearty kind embrace:
My forces and my power of men are yours:
So farewell, Talbot; I'll no longer trust thee. JOAN LA PUCELLE [Aside] Done like a Frenchman: turn, and turn again! CHARLES Welcome, brave duke! thy friendship makes us fresh. BASTARD OF ORLEANS And doth beget new courage in our breasts. ALENCON Pucelle hath bravely play'd her part in this, And doth deserve a coronet of gold. CHARLES Now let us on, my lords, and join our powers, And seek how we may prejudice the foe.
Exeunt SCENE IV. Paris. The palace. Enter KING HENRY VI, GLOUCESTER, BISHOP OF WINCHESTER, YORK, SUFFOLK, SOMERSET, WARWICK, EXETER, VERNON BASSET, and others. To them with his Soldiers, TALBOT TALBOT My gracious prince, and honourable peers, Hearing of your arrival in this realm, I have awhile given truce unto my wars, To do my duty to my sovereign:
In sign, whereof, this arm, that hath reclaim'd To your obedience fifty fortresses, Twelve cities and seven walled towns of strength, Beside five hundred prisoners of esteem, Lets fall his sword before your highness' feet, And with submissive loyalty of heart Ascribes the glory of his conquest got First to my God and next unto your grace.
Kneels KING HENRY VI Is this the Lord Talbot, uncle Gloucester, That hath so long been resident in France? GLOUCESTER Yes, if it please your majesty, my liege. KING HENRY VI Welcome, brave captain and victorious lord!
When I was young, as yet I am not old, I do remember how my father said A stouter champion never handled sword.
Long since we were resolved of your truth, Your faithful service and your toil in war;Yet never have you tasted our reward, Or been reguerdon'd with so much as thanks, Because till now we never saw your face:
Therefore, stand up; and, for these good deserts, We here create you Earl of Shrewsbury;And in our coronation take your place.
Sennet. Flourish. Exeunt all but VERNON and BASSET VERNON Now, sir, to you, that were so hot at sea, Disgracing of these colours that I wear In honour of my noble Lord of York:
Darest thou maintain the former words thou spakest? BASSET Yes, sir; as well as you dare patronage The envious barking of your saucy tongue Against my lord the Duke of Somerset. VERNON Sirrah, thy lord I honour as he is. BASSET Why, what is he? as good a man as York. VERNON Hark ye; not so: in witness, take ye that.
Strikes him BASSET Villain, thou know'st the law of arms is such That whoso draws a sword, 'tis present death, Or else this blow should broach thy dearest blood.
But I'll unto his majesty, and crave I may have liberty to venge this wrong;When thou shalt see I'll meet thee to thy cost. VERNON Well, miscreant, I'll be there as soon as you;And, after, meet you sooner than you would.