The First Part of Henry the Sixth: ACT V , SCENE III. Before Angiers.

The First Part of Henry the Sixth: ACT V


	Introduction

	ACT I

	ACT II

	ACT III

	ACT IV

	ACT V

		SCENE I. London. The palace.

		SCENE II. France. Plains in Anjou.

		SCENE III. Before Angiers.

		SCENE IV. Camp of the YORK in Anjou.

		SCENE V. London. The palace.

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SCENE III. Before Angiers.

Alarum. Excursions. Enter JOAN LA PUCELLE

JOAN LA PUCELLE

      The regent conquers, and the Frenchmen fly.
      Now help, ye charming spells and periapts;
      And ye choice spirits that admonish me
      And give me signs of future accidents.

Thunder

5     You speedy helpers, that are substitutes
      Under the lordly monarch of the north,
      Appear and aid me in this enterprise.

Enter Fiends

      This speedy and quick appearance argues proof
      Of your accustom'd diligence to me.
10    Now, ye familiar spirits, that are cull'd
      Out of the powerful regions under earth,
      Help me this once, that France may get the field.

They walk, and speak not

      O, hold me not with silence over-long!
      Where I was wont to feed you with my blood,
15    I'll lop a member off and give it you
      In earnest of further benefit,
      So you do condescend to help me now.

They hang their heads

No hope to have redress? My body shall
Pay recompense, if you will grant my suit.

They shake their heads

20    Cannot my body nor blood-sacrifice
      Entreat you to your wonted furtherance?
      Then take my soul, my body, soul and all,
      Before that England give the French the foil.

They depart

      See, they forsake me! Now the time is come
25    That France must vail her lofty-plumed crest
      And let her head fall into England's lap.
      My ancient incantations are too weak,
      And hell too strong for me to buckle with:
      Now, France, thy glory droopeth to the dust.

Exit

Excursions. Re-enter JOAN LA PUCELLE fighting hand to hand with YORK JOAN LA PUCELLE is taken. The French fly

YORK

30    Damsel of France, I think I have you fast:
      Unchain your spirits now with spelling charms
      And try if they can gain your liberty.
      A goodly prize, fit for the devil's grace!
      See, how the ugly wench doth bend her brows,
35    As if with Circe she would change my shape!

JOAN LA PUCELLE

Changed to a worser shape thou canst not be.

YORK

O, Charles the Dauphin is a proper man;
No shape but his can please your dainty eye.

JOAN LA PUCELLE

      A plaguing mischief light on Charles and thee!
40    And may ye both be suddenly surprised
      By bloody hands, in sleeping on your beds!

YORK

Fell banning hag, enchantress, hold thy tongue!

JOAN LA PUCELLE

I prithee, give me leave to curse awhile.

YORK

Curse, miscreant, when thou comest to the stake.

Exeunt

Alarum. Enter SUFFOLK with MARGARET in his hand

SUFFOLK

45 Be what thou wilt, thou art my prisoner.

Gazes on her

      O fairest beauty, do not fear nor fly!
      For I will touch thee but with reverent hands;
      I kiss these fingers for eternal peace,
      And lay them gently on thy tender side.
50    Who art thou? say, that I may honour thee.

MARGARET

Margaret my name, and daughter to a king,
The King of Naples, whosoe'er thou art.

SUFFOLK

      An earl I am, and Suffolk am I call'd.
      Be not offended, nature's miracle,
55    Thou art allotted to be ta'en by me:
      So doth the swan her downy cygnets save,
      Keeping them prisoner underneath her wings.
      Yet, if this servile usage once offend.
      Go, and be free again, as Suffolk's friend.

She is going

60    O, 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 glassy streams,
      Twinkling another counterfeited beam,
      So seems this gorgeous beauty to mine eyes.
65    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! disable not thyself;
      Hast not a tongue? is she not here?
      Wilt thou be daunted at a woman's sight?
70    Ay, beauty's princely majesty is such,
      Confounds the tongue and makes the senses rough.

MARGARET

      Say, Earl of Suffolk--if thy name be so--
      What ransom must I pay before I pass?
      For I perceive I am thy prisoner.

SUFFOLK

75 How canst thou tell she will deny thy suit,
Before thou make a trial of her love?

MARGARET

Why speak'st thou not? what ransom must I pay?

SUFFOLK

She's beautiful, and therefore to be woo'd;
She is a woman, therefore to be won.

MARGARET

80 Wilt thou accept of ransom? yea, or no.

SUFFOLK

Fond man, remember that thou hast a wife;
Then how can Margaret be thy paramour?

MARGARET

I were best to leave him, for he will not hear.

SUFFOLK

There all is marr'd; there lies a cooling card.

MARGARET

85 He talks at random; sure, the man is mad.

SUFFOLK

And yet a dispensation may be had.

MARGARET

And yet I would that you would answer me.

SUFFOLK

I'll win this Lady Margaret. For whom?
Why, for my king: tush, that's a wooden thing!

MARGARET

90 He talks of wood: it is some carpenter.

SUFFOLK

      Yet so my fancy may be satisfied,
      And peace established between these realms
      But there remains a scruple in that too;
      For though her father be the King of Naples,
95    Duke of Anjou and Maine, yet is he poor,
      And our nobility will scorn the match.

MARGARET

Hear ye, captain, are you not at leisure?

SUFFOLK

      It shall be so, disdain they ne'er so much.
      Henry is youthful and will quickly yield.
100   Madam, I have a secret to reveal.

MARGARET

What though I be enthrall'd? he seems a knight,
And will not any way dishonour me.

SUFFOLK

Lady, vouchsafe to listen what I say.

MARGARET

Perhaps I shall be rescued by the French;
105 And then I need not crave his courtesy.

SUFFOLK

Sweet madam, give me a hearing in a cause--

MARGARET

Tush, women have been captivate ere now.

SUFFOLK

Lady, wherefore talk you so?

MARGARET

I cry you mercy, 'tis but Quid for Quo.

SUFFOLK

110 Say, gentle princess, would you not suppose
Your bondage happy, to be made a queen?

MARGARET

      To be a queen in bondage is more vile
      Than is a slave in base servility;
      For princes should be free.

SUFFOLK

115 And so shall you,
If happy England's royal king be free.

MARGARET

Why, what concerns his freedom unto me?

SUFFOLK

      I'll undertake to make thee Henry's queen,
      To put a golden sceptre in thy hand
120   And set a precious crown upon thy head,
      If thou wilt condescend to be my--

MARGARET

What?

SUFFOLK

His love.

MARGARET

I am unworthy to be Henry's wife.

SUFFOLK

125   No, gentle madam; I unworthy am
      To woo so fair a dame to be his wife,
      And have no portion in the choice myself.
      How say you, madam, are ye so content?

MARGARET

An if my father please, I am content.

SUFFOLK

130   Then call our captains and our colours forth.
      And, madam, at your father's castle walls
      We'll crave a parley, to confer with him.

A parley sounded. Enter REIGNIER on the walls

See, Reignier, see, thy daughter prisoner!

REIGNIER

To whom?

SUFFOLK

135 To me.

REIGNIER

      Suffolk, what remedy?
      I am a soldier, and unapt to weep,
      Or to exclaim on fortune's fickleness.

SUFFOLK

      Yes, there is remedy enough, my lord:
140   Consent, and for thy honour give consent,
      Thy daughter shall be wedded to my king;
      Whom I with pain have woo'd and won thereto;
      And this her easy-held imprisonment
      Hath gained thy daughter princely liberty.

REIGNIER

145 Speaks Suffolk as he thinks?

SUFFOLK

Fair Margaret knows
That Suffolk doth not flatter, face, or feign.

REIGNIER

Upon thy princely warrant, I descend
To give thee answer of thy just demand.

Exit from the walls

SUFFOLK

150 And here I will expect thy coming.

Trumpets sound. Enter REIGNIER, below

REIGNIER

Welcome, brave earl, into our territories:
Command in Anjou what your honour pleases.

SUFFOLK

      Thanks, Reignier, happy for so sweet a child,
      Fit to be made companion with a king:
155   What answer makes your grace unto my suit?

REIGNIER

      Since thou dost deign to woo her little worth
      To be the princely bride of such a lord;
      Upon condition I may quietly
      Enjoy mine own, the country Maine and Anjou,
160   Free from oppression or the stroke of war,
      My daughter shall be Henry's, if he please.

SUFFOLK

      That is her ransom; I deliver her;
      And those two counties I will undertake
      Your grace shall well and quietly enjoy.

REIGNIER

165   And I again, in Henry's royal name,
      As deputy unto that gracious king,
      Give thee her hand, for sign of plighted faith.

SUFFOLK

Reignier of France, I give thee kingly thanks,
Because this is in traffic of a king.

Aside

170   And yet, methinks, I could be well content
      To be mine own attorney in this case.
      I'll over then to England with this news,
      And make this marriage to be solemnized.
      So farewell, Reignier: set this diamond safe
175   In golden palaces, as it becomes.

REIGNIER

I do embrace thee, as I would embrace
The Christian prince, King Henry, were he here.

MARGARET

Farewell, my lord: good wishes, praise and prayers
Shall Suffolk ever have of Margaret.

Going

SUFFOLK

180 Farewell, sweet madam: but hark you, Margaret;
No princely commendations to my king?

MARGARET

Such commendations as becomes a maid,
A virgin and his servant, say to him.

SUFFOLK

      Words sweetly placed and modestly directed.
185   But madam, I must trouble you again;
      No loving token to his majesty?

MARGARET

Yes, my good lord, a pure unspotted heart,
Never yet taint with love, I send the king.

SUFFOLK

And this withal.

Kisses her

MARGARET

190 That for thyself: I will not so presume
To send such peevish tokens to a king.

Exeunt REIGNIER and MARGARET

SUFFOLK

      O, wert thou for myself! But, Suffolk, stay;
      Thou mayst not wander in that labyrinth;
      There Minotaurs and ugly treasons lurk.
195   Solicit Henry with her wondrous praise:
      Bethink thee on her virtues that surmount,
      And natural graces that extinguish art;
      Repeat their semblance often on the seas,
      That, when thou comest to kneel at Henry's feet,
200   Thou mayst bereave him of his wits with wonder.

Exit

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