FIRST PART OF KING HENRY VI. DRAMATIS PERSONE. Charles, Dauphin, and afterwards King of France. Reignier, Duke of Anjou, and King of Naples. Dukes of Burgundy and Alençon." Bastard of Orleans. Governor of Paris. Master Gunner of Orleans, and his Son. General of the French Forces in Bordeaux. A French Sergeant. A Porter. An old Shep- Joan la Pucelle, commonly called Joan of Arc. Fiends appearing to La Pucelle, Lords, Warders of the Tower, Heralds, Officers, Soldiers, Messengers, and several Attendants both on the English and French. SCENE, partly in England, and partly in Winchester. KING HENRY VI. He was a king, bless'd of the King of kings. The church! where is it? Had not church men pray'd, His thread of life had not so soon decay'd: Gloster, whate'er we like, thou art protector, Gloster. Name not religion, for thou lov'st the flesh; And ne'er throughout the year to church thou Except it be to pray against thy foes. [go'st, Bedford. Cease, cease these jars, and rest your minds Let's to the altar: Heralds, wait on us. - When at their mother's moist eyes babes shall Enter a Messenger. My honourable lords, health to you all. What say'st thou, man, before dead Henry's corse? Speak softly, or the loss of those great towns Will make him burst his lead, and rise from death. Gloster. Is Paris lost? is Rouen yielded up? If Henry were recall'd to life again, The Dauphin crowned king! all fly to him! O! whither shall we fly from this reproach? Gloster. We will not fly, but to our enemies' throats.— Gloster, why doubt'st thou of my forwardness? Enter a third Messenger. Third Messenger. My gracious lords, to add to your laments, Betwixt the stout lord Talbot and the French. What! wherein Talbot overcame? is't so? Third Messenger. O, no! wherein lord Talbot was o'erthrown: By three-and-twenty thousand of the French They pitched in the ground confusedly, These news would cause him once more yield More than three hours the fight continued; the ghost. Exeter. How were they lost? what treachery was us'd? Messenger No treachery; but want of men and money. Let not sloth dim your honours new-begot: Here, there, and every where, enrag'd he slew. Durst not presume to look once in the face. M M Bedford. Is Talbot slain? then, I will slay myself, For living idly here in pomp and ease, Whilst such a worthy leader, wanting aid, Unto his dastard foe-men is betray'd. Third Messenger. O, no! he lives; but is took prisoner, And lord Scales with him, and lord Hungerford: Most of the rest slaughter'd, or took, likewise. Bedford. His ransom there is none but I shall pay. So you had need; for Orleans is besieg'd. Remember, lords, your oaths to Henry sworn, Who ever saw the like? what men have I!Dogs! cowards! dastards!-I would ne'er have fled, But that they left me 'midst my enemies. Salisbury is a desperate homicide; Froissart, a countryman of ours, records, [Exit. Be it so. Each hath his place and function to attend: I am left out; for me nothing remains. But long I will not be Jack-out-of-office: The king from Eltham I intend to send, And sit at chiefest stern of public weal." [Exit. SCENE II. France. Before Orleans. Flourish. Enter Charles, with his Forces; Alençon, Reignier, and others. Charles Mars his true moving, even as in the heavens, So in the earth, to this day is not known. Late did he shine upon the English side; Now we are victors, upon us he smiles. What towns of any moment but we have? At pleasure here we lie near Orleans; [ghosts, Otherwhiles, the famish'd English, like pale Faintly besiege us one hour in a month. Alencon. They want their porridge, and their fat bullbeeves: Either they must be dieted like mules, Reignier Alençon. Enter the Bastard of Orleans. Where's the prince Dauphin? I have news for him. Charles. Bastard of Orleans, thrice welcome to us. Bastard. Methinks, your looks are sad, your cheer appall'd: Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence? Pucelle. Dauphin, I am by birth a shepherd's daughter, My wit untrain'd in any kind of art. Heaven and our Lady gracious hath it pleas'd To shine on my contemptible estate: Lo! whilst I waited on my tender lambs, And to sun's parching heat display'd my cheeks, God's Mother deigned to appear to me; And, in a vision full of majesty, Will'd me to leave my base vocation, And free my country from calamity. Her aid she promis'd, and assured success: In complete glory she reveal'd herself; And, whereas I was black and swart before, With those clear rays which she infus'd on me, That beauty am I bless'd with, which you may see. Pucelle I am prepar'd. Here is my keen-edg'd sword, Deck'd with five flower-de-luces on each side; The which at Touraine, in Saint Katharine's churchyard, Out of a great deal of old iron I chose forth. Charles. Then, come o' God's name: I fear no woman. Pucelle. And, while I live, I'll ne'er fly from a man. Charles. Pucelle. Christ's Mother helps me, else I were too weak. Charles. Whoe'er helps thee, 'tis thou that must help Impatiently I burn with thy desire; [me. My heart and hands thou hast at once subdued. Alençon. 531 Doubtless he shrives this woman to her smock, Else ne'er could he so long protract his speech. Reignier. Shall we disturb him, since he keeps r.o mean? Alençon. He may mean more than we poor men do know: These women are shrewd tempters with their tongues. Reignier. My lord, where are you? what devise you on? Shall we give over Orleans, or no? Pucelle. Why, no, I say: distrustful recreants! Fight till the last gasp; I will be your guard. Charles. What she says, I'll confirm: we'll fight it out. Pucelle. Assign'd am I to be the English scourge. This night the siege assuredly I'll raise: Expect Saint Martin's summer, halcyon days, Since I have entered into these wars. Glory is like a circle in the water, Which never ceaseth to enlarge itself, With Henry's death the English circle ends, Till by broad spreading it disperse to nought. Dispersed are the glories it included. Now am I like that proud insulting ship, Which Cesar and his fortune bare at once. Charles. Was Mahomet inspired with a dove? Leave off delays, and let us raise the siege. Drive them from Orleans, and be immortaliz'd. Charles. Second Warder, Whoe'er he be, you may not be let in. First Servant. [Within. Villains, answer you so the lord protector? The Lord protect him! so we answer him; We do no otherwise than we are will'd. Gloster Who willed you? or whose will stands but mine ? There's Lieutenant, is it you whose voice I hear? Open the gates! here's Gloster that would enter. Woodville. [Within. Have patience, noble duke; I may not open; The cardinal of Winchester forbids: From him I have express commandement, That thou, nor none of thine, shall be let in. Gloster. Faint-hearted Woodville, prizest him 'fore me? Arrogant Winchester, that haughty prelate, Whom Henry, our late sovereign, ne'er could brook? Thou art no friend to God, or to the king; Thee I'll chase hence, thou wolf in sheep's array. Out, tawney coats!— out, scarlet hypocrite! Hero Gloster's Men beat out the Cardinal's Men, and enter in the hurly-burly the Mayor of London and his Officers. Mayor. Fie, lords that you, being supreme magistrates, Thus contumeliously should break the peace! Gloster. Peace, mayor! thou know'st little of my wrongs. Here's Beaufort, that regards nor God nor king, Hath here distrain'd the Tower to his use. Winchester. Here's Gloster too, a foe to citizens; One that still motions war, and never peace, O'ercharging your free purses with large fines; That seeks to overthrow religion, Because he is protector of the realm; And would have armour, here, out of the Tower, To crown himself king, and suppress the prince. Glostor. I will not answer thee with words, but blows. [Here they skirmish again. Mayor. Nought rests for me, in this tumultuous strife, But to make open prociamation.Come, officer: as loud as e'er thou canst cry. Officer. Gloster, we'll meet, to thy dear cost be sure: Thy heart-blood I will have for this day's work. Mayor. I'll call for clubs, if you will not away. Nay, stand thou back; I will not budge a foot: This cardinal's more haughty than the devil. This be Damascus, be thou cursed Cain, To slay thy brother, Abel, if thou wilt. Gloster. I will not slay thee, but I'll drive thee back. Thy scarlet robes, as a child's bearing-cloth I'll use to carry thee out of this place. Winchester. Do what thou dar'st; I'll beard thee to thy face. Gloster. What! am I dar'd, and bearded to my face?Draw, men, for all this privileged place; Blue coats to tawney coats. Priest, beware your beard; [Gloster and his Men attack the Bishop. I mean to tug it, and to cuff you soundly. Under my feet I stamp thy cardinal's hat, In spite of pope or dignities of church; Here by the cheeks I'll drag thee up and down. Winchester. Gloster, thou'lt answer this before the pope. Gloster. Winchester goose! I cry a rope! a rope! Now beat them hence, why do you let them. stay? Gloster. Mayor, farewell: thou dost but what thou may'st. Winchester. Sirrah, thou know'st how Orleans is besieg'd, And how the English have the suburbs won. Son. Father, I know; and oft have shot at them, Howe'er unfortunate I miss'd my aim. Master-Gunner. But now thou shalt not. Be thou rul'd by me: |