Pucel. Will nothing turn your unrelenting hearts?
Then, Joan, difcover thine infirmity;

That warranteth by law to be thy privilege.
I am with child, ye bloody homicides,
Murder not then the fruit within my womb,
Although ye hale me to a violent death.

York. Now heav'n forefend! the holy maid with
child!

War. The greateft miracle that ere you wrought. Is all your strict precifenefs come to this?

York. She and the Dauphin have been juggling; I did imagine, what would be her refuge.

War. Well, go to; we will have no baftards live; Efpecially, fince Charles muft father it,

Pucel. You are deceiv'd, my child is none of his; It was Alanfon that enjoy'd my love.

York. Alanfon! that notorious Machiavel!

It dies, an if it had a thousand lives.

Fucel. O, give me leave; I have deluded you; 'Twas neither Charles, nor yet the Duke I nam'd, But Reignier, King of Naples, that prevail'd.

War. A married man! that's most intolerable.
York. Why, here's a girl.-I think, fhe knows not
well,

There were fo many, whom she may accuse.

War. It's a fign, fhe hath been liberal and free. York. And yet, forfooth, fhe is a virgin pure. Strumpet, thy words condemn thy brat and thee; Ufe no intreaty, for it is in vain.

Pucel. Then lead me hence; with whom I leave my
curfe.

May never glorious fun reflect his beams
Upon the country where you make abode!
But darkness and the gloomy fhade of death

7 A'anfon! that notorious Machiavel.] Machiavel being mentioned fomewhat before his

time, this line is by fome of the
editors given to the players, and
ejected from the text.

J

1

8

Inviron you, 'till mischief and defpair Drive you to break your necks, or hang yourselves! [Exit guarded.

York. Break thou in pieces, and confume to aihes, Thou foul accurfed minifter of hell!

Enter Cardinal of Winchester.

Car. Lord Regent, I do greet your Excellence
With letters of Commiffion from the King.
For know, my Lords, the ftates of Christendom,
Mov'd with remorse of these outragious broils,
Have earnestly implor'd a gen'ral Peace
Betwixt our nation and th' afpiring French;
And fee at hand the Dauphin, and his train,
Approaching to confer about fome matters

York. Is all our travel turn'd to this effect?
After the flaughter of fo many Peers,
So many Captains, gentlemen and foldiers,
That in this quarrel have been overthrown,
And fold their bodies for their country's benefit,
Shall we at laft conclude effeminate Peace?
Have we not loft most part of all the towns,
By treason, falfhood, and by treachery,
Our great progenitors had conquered?
Oh, Warwick, Warwick! I forefee with grief

8-'till mischief and defpair Drive you to break your necks,-] Perhaps Shakespeare intended to remark in this execration, the frequency of fuicide among the English, which has been commonly imputed to the gloominefs of their air.

9 Betwixt our nation and th' ASPIRING French; ] But would an Ambaffador, who came to perfuade peace with France, ufe it as an argument, that France

was afpiring. Shakespeare without doubt wrote,

th' RESPIRING French. i. e. who had but just got into breath again, after having been almolt hunted down by the Engif. WARBURTON.

The ambaffadour yet ufes no argument, but if he did, refpiring would not much help the caufe. Shakespeare wrote what might be pronounced, and therefore did not write th'rejpiring. PP 4

The

The utter lofs of all the realm of France.

War. Be patient, York; if we conclude a Peace, It fhall be with fuch ftrict and fevere covenants, As little fhall the Frenchmen gain thereby.

Enter Charles, Alanfon, Baftard, and Reignier. Char. Since, Lords of England, it is thus agreed, That peaceful Truce fhall be proclaim'd in France; We come to be informed by yourselves,

What the conditions of that league must be.

York. Speak, Winchester; for boiling choler chokes The hollow paffage of my prifon'd voice,

By fight of thefe our baleful enemies. 1

Win. Charles and the reft, it is enacted thus:
That in regard King Henry gives confent,
Of meer compaffion and of lenity,
To ease your Country of diftrefsful war,
And fuffer you to breathe in fruitful Peace ;
You fhall become true liegemen to his Crown.
And Charles, upon condition thou wilt fwear
To pay him tribute and fubmit thyself,
Thou shalt be plac'd as Viceroy under him;
And ftill enjoy thy regal dignity.

Alan. Muft he be then a fhadow of himfelf?
Adorn his temples with a Coronet,
And yet in fubftance and authority
Retain but privilege of a private man?
This proffer is abfurd and reafonless.

Char. 'Tis known, already that I am poffeft
Of more than half the Gallian Territories,
And therein rev'renc'd for their lawful King.
Shall I, for lucre of the reft un-vanquifh'd,
Detract so much from that prerogative,
As to be call'd but Viceroy of the whole?
No, Lord Ambaffador, I'll rather keep

baleful enemies.] Baleful is forrowful; I therefore rather imagine that we fhould read

baneful, hurtful, or mischievous. with a Coronet,] Ca

2

ranet is here used for a crown.

That

That which I have, than, coveting for more,

Be caft from poffibility of all.

York. Infulting Charles, haft thou by fecret means Us'd interceffion to obtain a League;

And now the matter grows to compromife,
Standft thou aloof upon comparison ? 3
Either accept the title thou ufurp'ft,
Of benefit proceeding from our King,
And not of any challenge of defert,
Or we will plague thee with inceffant wars.
Reig. My Lord, you do not well in obftinacy
To cavil in the courfe of this Contract:
If once it be neglected, ten to one,
We shall not find like opportunity.

Alan. To fay the truth, it is your policy,
To fave your Subjects from fuch maffacre,
And ruthless flaughters, as are daily feen
By our proceeding in hoftility.

And therefore take this compact of a Truce,
Although you break it, when your pleasure serves.

Afide, to the Dauphin.

War. How fay'ft thou, Charles? fhall our Condition

stand?

Char. It fhall:

Only referv'd, you claim no interest

In any of our towns of garrison.

York. Then fwear allegiance to his Majefty.

As thou art Knight, never to difobey,

Nor be rebellious to the Crown of England,

Thou, nor thy Nobles, to the Crown of England.
[Charles and the reft give tokens of fealty.
-So now difmifs your army, when you please;
Hang up your enfigns, let your drums be still,

For here we entertain a folemn Peace.

3 upon comparison?] Do you ftand to compare your prefent ftate, a ftate which you have neither right or power to maintain, with the terms which we offer?

[Exeunt.

4 accept the title thou ufurp'ft, Of benefit] Benefit is here a term of law. Be content to live as the beneficiary of our king.

SCENE

Enter Suffolk, in Conference with King Henry;
Gloucester, and Exeter.

K.Henry. You
YOUR

OUR wondrous rare defcription, noble
Earl,

Of beauteous Marg'ret hath aftonish'd me;
Her virtues, graced with external gifts,
Do breed love's fettled paffions in my heart.
And, like as rigour of tempeftuous gufts
Provokes the mightiest hulk against the tide,
5 So am I driv'n by breath of her renown,
Either to fuffer fhipwreck, or arrive
Where I may have fruition of her love.

Suf. Tufh, my good Lord, this fuperficial tale
Is but a preface to her worthy praise.
The chief perfections of that lovely dame,
Had I fufficient fkill to utter them,
Would make a volume of inticing lines,
Able to ravish any dull conceit.

And, which is more, she is not fo divine,
So full replete with choice of all delights,
But with as humble lowliness of mind
She is content to be at your command,
Command, I mean, of virtuous chafte intent,
To love and honour Henry as her Lord.

K. Henry. And otherwife will Henry ne'er prefume,
Therefore, my lord Protector, give consent,
That Margret may be England's Royal Queen.
Glou. So fhould I give confent to flatter fin.
You know, my Lord, your Highness is betroth'd