| ACT V 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] |
| You speedy helpers, that are substitutes | 5 |
| 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. |
| Now, ye familiar spirits, that are cull'd | 10 |
| 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, |
| I'll lop a member off and give it you | 15 |
| 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] |
| Cannot my body nor blood-sacrifice | 20 |
| 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 |
| That France must vail her lofty-plumed crest | 25 |
| 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 | Damsel of France, I think I have you fast: | 30 |
| 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, |
| As if with Circe she would change my shape! | 35 |
| 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! |
| And may ye both be suddenly surprised | 40 |
| 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 | Be what thou wilt, thou art my prisoner. | 45 |
[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. |
| Who art thou? say, that I may honour thee. | 50 |
| 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, |
| Thou art allotted to be ta'en by me: | 55 |
| 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] |
| O, stay! I have no power to let her pass; | 60 |
| 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. |
| Fain would I woo her, yet I dare not speak: | 65 |
| 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? |
| Ay, beauty's princely majesty is such, | 70 |
| 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 | How canst thou tell she will deny thy suit, | 75 |
| 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 | Wilt thou accept of ransom? yea, or no. | 80 |
| 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 | He talks at random; sure, the man is mad. | 85 |
| 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 | He talks of wood: it is some carpenter. | 90 |
| 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, |
| Duke of Anjou and Maine, yet is he poor, | 95 |
| 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. |
| Madam, I have a secret to reveal. | 100 |
| 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; |
| And then I need not crave his courtesy. | 105 |
| 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 | Say, gentle princess, would you not suppose | 110 |
| 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 | And so shall you, | 115 |
| 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 |
| And set a precious crown upon thy head, | 120 |
| If thou wilt condescend to be my-- |
| MARGARET | What? |
| SUFFOLK | His love. |
| MARGARET | I am unworthy to be Henry's wife. |
| SUFFOLK | No, gentle madam; I unworthy am | 125 |
| 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 | Then call our captains and our colours forth. | 130 |
| 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 | To me. | 135 |
| 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: |
| Consent, and for thy honour give consent, | 140 |
| 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 | Speaks Suffolk as he thinks? | 145 |
| 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 | And here I will expect thy coming. | 150 |
| [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: |
| What answer makes your grace unto my suit? | 155 |
| 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, |
| Free from oppression or the stroke of war, | 160 |
| 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 | And I again, in Henry's royal name, | 165 |
| 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] |
| And yet, methinks, I could be well content | 170 |
| 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 |
| In golden palaces, as it becomes. | 175 |
| 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 | Farewell, sweet madam: but hark you, Margaret; | 180 |
| 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. |
| But madam, I must trouble you again; | 185 |
| 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 | That for thyself: I will not so presume | 190 |
| 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. |
| Solicit Henry with her wondrous praise: | 195 |
| 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, |
| Thou mayst bereave him of his wits with wonder. | 200 |
| [Exit] |
The Essential Student History Quiz (with answers and illustrations)