The First Part Of Henry The Sixth

1 Sound a Flourish. Enter Charles, Alençon and Reignier, marching with
2 Drum and Soldiers.
3 CHARLES.
4 Mars his true moving, even as in the heavens
5 So in the earth, to this day is not known.
6 Late did he shine upon the English side;
7 Now we are victors; upon us he smiles.
8 What towns of any moment but we have?
9 At pleasure here we lie near Orleans,
10 Otherwhiles the famish’d English, like pale ghosts,
11 Faintly besiege us one hour in a month.
12 ALENÇON.
13 They want their porridge and their fat bull beeves.
14 Either they must be dieted like mules
15 And have their provender tied to their mouths,
16 Or piteous they will look, like drowned mice.
17 REIGNIER.
18 Let’s raise the siege. Why live we idly here?
19 Talbot is taken, whom we wont to fear.
20 Remaineth none but mad-brain’d Salisbury,
21 And he may well in fretting spend his gall;
22 Nor men nor money hath he to make war.
23 CHARLES.
24 Sound, sound alarum! We will rush on them.
25 Now for the honour of the forlorn French!
26 Him I forgive my death that killeth me
27 When he sees me go back one foot or fly.
28 [_Exeunt._]
29 Here alarum; they are beaten back by the English, with great loss.
30 Re-enter Charles, Alençon and Reignier.
31 CHARLES.
32 Who ever saw the like? What men have I!
33 Dogs, cowards, dastards! I would ne’er have fled
34 But that they left me ’midst my enemies.
35 REIGNIER.
36 Salisbury is a desperate homicide;
37 He fighteth as one weary of his life.
38 The other lords, like lions wanting food,
39 Do rush upon us as their hungry prey.
40 ALENÇON.
41 Froissart, a countryman of ours, records,
42 England all Olivers and Rowlands bred
43 During the time Edward the Third did reign.
44 More truly now may this be verified;
45 For none but Samsons and Goliases
46 It sendeth forth to skirmish. One to ten!
47 Lean raw-bon’d rascals! Who would e’er suppose
48 They had such courage and audacity?
49 CHARLES.
50 Let’s leave this town; for they are hare-brain’d slaves,
51 And hunger will enforce them to be more eager.
52 Of old I know them; rather with their teeth
53 The walls they’ll tear down than forsake the siege.
54 REIGNIER.
55 I think by some odd gimmers or device
56 Their arms are set like clocks, still to strike on;
57 Else ne’er could they hold out so as they do.
58 By my consent, we’ll even let them alone.
59 ALENÇON.
60 Be it so.
61 Enter the Bastard of Orleans.
62 BASTARD.
63 Where’s the Prince Dauphin? I have news for him.
64 CHARLES.
65 Bastard of Orleans, thrice welcome to us.
66 BASTARD.
67 Methinks your looks are sad, your cheer appall’d.
68 Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence?
69 Be not dismay’d, for succour is at hand.
70 A holy maid hither with me I bring,
71 Which, by a vision sent to her from heaven
72 Ordained is to raise this tedious siege
73 And drive the English forth the bounds of France.
74 The spirit of deep prophecy she hath,
75 Exceeding the nine sibyls of old Rome.
76 What’s past and what’s to come she can descry.
77 Speak, shall I call her in? Believe my words,
78 For they are certain and unfallible.
79 CHARLES.
80 Go, call her in.
81 [_Exit Bastard._]
82 But first, to try her skill,
83 Reignier, stand thou as Dauphin in my place;
84 Question her proudly; let thy looks be stern.
85 By this means shall we sound what skill she hath.
86 Re-enter the Bastard of Orleans, with Joan la Pucelle.
87 REIGNIER.
88 Fair maid, is ’t thou wilt do these wondrous feats?
89 PUCELLE.
90 Reignier is ’t thou that thinkest to beguile me?
91 Where is the Dauphin? Come, come from behind;
92 I know thee well, though never seen before.
93 Be not amazed, there’s nothing hid from me.
94 In private will I talk with thee apart.
95 Stand back, you lords, and give us leave awhile.
96 REIGNIER.
97 She takes upon her bravely at first dash.
98 PUCELLE.
99 Dauphin, I am by birth a shepherd’s daughter,
100 My wit untrain’d in any kind of art.
101 Heaven and our Lady gracious hath it pleased
102 To shine on my contemptible estate.
103 Lo, whilst I waited on my tender lambs,
104 And to sun’s parching heat display’d my cheeks,
105 God’s mother deigned to appear to me,
106 And in a vision full of majesty
107 Will’d me to leave my base vocation
108 And free my country from calamity.
109 Her aid she promised and assured success.
110 In complete glory she reveal’d herself;
111 And, whereas I was black and swart before,
112 With those clear rays which she infused on me
113 That beauty am I blest with which you may see.
114 Ask me what question thou canst possible,
115 And I will answer unpremeditated.
116 My courage try by combat, if thou dar’st,
117 And thou shalt find that I exceed my sex.
118 Resolve on this; thou shalt be fortunate
119 If thou receive me for thy warlike mate.
120 CHARLES.
121 Thou hast astonish’d me with thy high terms.
122 Only this proof I’ll of thy valour make:
123 In single combat thou shalt buckle with me,
124 And if thou vanquishest, thy words are true;
125 Otherwise I renounce all confidence.
126 PUCELLE.
127 I am prepared. Here is my keen-edg’d sword,
128 Deck’d with five flower-de-luces on each side,
129 The which at Touraine, in Saint Katharine’s churchyard,
130 Out of a great deal of old iron I chose forth.
131 CHARLES.
132 Then come, o’ God’s name; I fear no woman.
133 PUCELLE.
134 And while I live, I’ll ne’er fly from a man.
135 [_Here they fight, and Joan la Pucelle overcomes._]
136 CHARLES.
137 Stay, stay thy hands; thou art an Amazon,
138 And fightest with the sword of Deborah.
139 PUCELLE.
140 Christ’s Mother helps me, else I were too weak.
141 CHARLES.
142 Whoe’er helps thee, ’tis thou that must help me.
143 Impatiently I burn with thy desire;
144 My heart and hands thou hast at once subdued.
145 Excellent Pucelle, if thy name be so,
146 Let me thy servant and not sovereign be.
147 ’Tis the French Dauphin sueth to thee thus.
148 PUCELLE.
149 I must not yield to any rites of love,
150 For my profession’s sacred from above.
151 When I have chased all thy foes from hence,
152 Then will I think upon a recompense.
153 CHARLES.
154 Meantime look gracious on thy prostrate thrall.
155 REIGNIER.
156 My lord, methinks, is very long in talk.
157 ALENÇON.
158 Doubtless he shrives this woman to her smock;
159 Else ne’er could he so long protract his speech.
160 REIGNIER.
161 Shall we disturb him, since he keeps no mean?
162 ALENÇON.
163 He may mean more than we poor men do know.
164 These women are shrewd tempters with their tongues.
165 REIGNIER.
166 My lord, where are you? What devise you on?
167 Shall we give over Orleans, or no?
168 PUCELLE.
169 Why, no, I say. Distrustful recreants!
170 Fight till the last gasp; I will be your guard.
171 CHARLES.
172 What she says I’ll confirm. We’ll fight it out.
173 PUCELLE.
174 Assign’d am I to be the English scourge.
175 This night the siege assuredly I’ll raise.
176 Expect Saint Martin’s summer, halcyon’s days,
177 Since I have entered into these wars.
178 Glory is like a circle in the water,
179 Which never ceaseth to enlarge itself
180 Till by broad spreading it disperse to nought.
181 With Henry’s death the English circle ends;
182 Dispersed are the glories it included.
183 Now am I like that proud insulting ship
184 Which Caesar and his fortune bare at once.
185 CHARLES.
186 Was Mahomet inspired with a dove?
187 Thou with an eagle art inspired then.
188 Helen, the mother of great Constantine,
189 Nor yet Saint Philip’s daughters, were like thee.
190 Bright star of Venus, fall’n down on the earth,
191 How may I reverently worship thee enough?
192 ALENÇON.
193 Leave off delays, and let us raise the siege.
194 REIGNIER.
195 Woman, do what thou canst to save our honours;
196 Drive them from Orleans and be immortalized.
197 CHARLES.
198 Presently we’ll try. Come, let’s away about it.
199 No prophet will I trust if she prove false.
200 [_Exeunt._]