TALBOT France, thou shalt rue this treason with thy tears,
If Talbot but survive thy treachery.
Pucelle, that witch, that damned sorceress,
Hath wrought this hellish mischief unawares39,
That hardly40 we escaped the pride of France.
Exit
An alarum: excursions. Bedford brought in sick in a chair. Enter Talbot and Burgundy without: within, [Joan la] Pucelle, Charles, Bastard of Orleans, [Alencon] and Reignier on the walls
PUCELLE Good morrow, gallants41: want ye corn for bread?
I think the Duke of Burgundy will fast
Before he'll buy again at such a rate43.
'Twas full of darnel44: do you like the taste?
BURGUNDY Scoff on, vile fiend and shameless courtesan:
I trust ere long to choke thee with thine own
And make thee curse the harvest of that corn.
CHARLES Your grace may starve, perhaps, before that time.
BEDFORD O, let no words, but deeds, revenge this treason.
PUCELLE What will you do, good grey-beard? Break a lance
And run a-tilt at death within51 a chair?
TALBOT Foul fiend of France, and hag of all despite52,
Encompassed with53 thy lustful paramours,
Becomes it thee to taunt his valiant age
And twit55 with cowardice a man half dead?
Damsel, I'll have a bout56 with you again,
Or else let Talbot perish with this shame.
PUCELLE Are ye so hot58, sir? Yet, Pucelle, hold thy peace:
If Talbot do but thunder, rain will follow.
[The English] whisper together in counsel
God speed the parliament: who shall be the speaker60?
TALBOT Dare ye come forth and meet us in the field61?
PUCELLE Belike62 your lordship takes us then for fools,
To try if that our own be ours or no.
TALBOT I speak not to that railing Hecate64,
But unto thee, Alencon, and the rest.
Will ye, like soldiers, come and fight it out?
ALENCON Seigneur67, no.
TALBOT Seigneur, hang! Base muleteers68 of France,
Like peasant footboys do they keep69 the walls,
And dare not take up arms like gentlemen.
PUCELLE Away, captains, let's get us from the walls,
For Talbot means no goodness by his looks.
Goodbye, my lord: we came but to tell you
That we are here.
Exeunt from the walls
TALBOT And there will we be too, ere it be long,
Or else reproach be Talbot's greatest fame.
Vow, Burgundy, by honour of thy house,
Pricked78 on by public wrongs sustained in France,
Either to get the town again or die.
And I, as sure as English Henry lives,
And as his father here was conqueror81,
As sure as in this late betrayed town
Great Coeur-de-lion's83 heart was buried,
So sure I swear to get the town or die.
BURGUNDY My vows are equal partners with thy vows.
TALBOT But ere we go, regard86 this dying prince,
To Bedford
The valiant Duke of Bedford.-- Come, my lord,
We will bestow you in some better place,
Fitter for sickness and for crazy89 age.
BEDFORD Lord Talbot, do not so dishonour me:
Here will I sit before the walls of Rouen
And will be partner of your weal92 or woe.
BURGUNDY Courageous Bedford, let us now persuade you.
BEDFORD Not to be gone from hence: for once I read
That stout Pendragon, in his litter95 sick,
Came to the field and vanquished his foes.
Methinks I should revive the soldiers' hearts,
Because I ever98 found them as myself.
TALBOT Undaunted spirit in a dying breast!
Then be it so: heavens keep old Bedford safe.
And now no more ado101, brave Burgundy,
But gather we our forces out of hand102,
And set upon our boasting enemy.
Exit [with Burgundy and forces]
An alarum: excursions. Enter Sir John Falstaff and a Captain
CAPTAIN Whither away, Sir John Falstaff, in such haste?
FALSTAFF Whither away? To save myself by flight:
We are like to have the overthrow106 again.
CAPTAIN What? Will you fly, and leave Lord Talbot?
FALSTAFF Ay, all the Talbots in the world, to save my life.
Exit
CAPTAIN Cowardly knight, ill fortune follow thee!
Exit
Retreat: excursions. [Joan la] Pucelle, Alencon and Charles fly
BEDFORD Now, quiet soul, depart when heaven please,
For I have seen our enemies' overthrow.
What is the trust or strength of foolish man?
They that of late were daring113 with their scoffs
Are glad114 and fain by flight to save themselves.
Bedford dies, and is carried in by two in his chair. An alarum. Enter Talbot, Burgundy and the rest [of the English soldiers]
TALBOT Lost, and recovered in a day again!
This is a double honour, Burgundy:
Yet heavens have glory for this victory.
BURGUNDY Warlike and martial Talbot, Burgundy
Enshrines thee in his heart, and there erects
Thy noble deeds as valour's monuments.
TALBOT Thanks, gentle121 duke. But where is Pucelle now?
I think her old familiar122 is asleep.
Now where's the Bastard's braves, and Charles his gleeks123?
What, all amort124? Rouen hangs her head for grief
That such a valiant company are fled.
Now will we take some order126 in the town,
Placing therein some expert127 officers,
And then depart to Paris, to the king,
For there young Henry with his nobles lie129.
BURGUNDY What wills Lord Talbot pleaseth Burgundy.
TALBOT But yet, before we go, let's not forget
The noble Duke of Bedford late deceased,
But see his exequies133 fulfilled in Rouen.
A braver soldier never couched lance134,
A gentler heart did never sway135 in court.
But kings and mightiest potentates136 must die,
For that's the end137 of human misery.
Exeunt
Act 3 Scene 3
running scene 11
Enter Charles, [the] Bastard [of Orleans], Alencon, [Joan la] Pucelle [and French soldiers]
PUCELLE Dismay not, princes, at this accident1,
Nor grieve that Rouen is so recovered2:
Care is no cure3, but rather corrosive,
For things that are not to be remedied.
Let frantic Talbot triumph for a while
And like a peacock sweep along his tail:
We'll pull his plumes and take away his train7,
If Dauphin and the rest will be but ruled8.
CHARLES We have been guided by thee hitherto,
And of thy cunning had no diffidence10:
One sudden foil11 shall never breed distrust.
BASTARD Search out thy wit for secret policies12,
And we will make thee famous through the world.
ALENCON We'll set thy statue in some holy place,
And have thee reverenced like a blessed saint.
Employ thee then, sweet virgin, for our good.
PUCELLE Then thus it must be: this doth Joan devise:
By fair18 persuasions, mixed with sugared words,
We will entice the Duke of Burgundy
To leave the Talbot and to follow us.
CHARLES Ay, marry, sweeting21, if we could do that,
France were no place for Henry's warriors,
Nor should that nation boast it so
with us,
But be extirped24 from our provinces.
ALENCON For ever should they be expulsed25 from France
And not have title of an earldom here.
PUCELLE Your honours shall perceive how I will work
To bring this matter to the wished end.
Drum sounds afar off
Hark! By the sound of drum you may perceive
Their powers are marching unto Paris-ward30.
Here sound an English march
There goes the Talbot, with his colours spread31,
And all the troops of English after him.
[Here sound a] French march
Now in the rearward comes the duke and his:
Fortune in34 favour makes him lag behind.
Summon a parley35: we will talk with him.
Trumpets sound a parley
CHARLES A parley with the Duke of Burgundy.
[Enter Burgundy with soldiers]
BURGUNDY Who craves a parley with the Burgundy?
PUCELLE The princely Charles of France, thy countryman.
BURGUNDY What say'st thou, Charles? For I am marching hence.
CHARLES Speak, Pucelle, and enchant40 him with thy words.
PUCELLE Brave Burgundy, undoubted hope of France,
Stay, let thy humble handmaid speak to thee.
BURGUNDY Speak on, but be not over-tedious43.
PUCELLE Look on thy country, look on fertile France,
And see the cities and the towns defaced
By wasting46 ruin of the cruel foe,
As looks the mother on her lowly47 babe
When death doth close his tender-dying48 eyes.
See, see the pining malady of France49:
Behold the wounds, the most unnatural50 wounds,
Which thou thyself hast given her woeful breast.
O turn thy edged52 sword another way:
Strike those that hurt, and hurt not those that help:
One drop of blood drawn from thy country's bosom
Should grieve thee more than streams of foreign gore.
Return thee therefore with a flood of tears,
And wash away thy country's stained57 spots.
BURGUNDY Either she hath bewitched me with her words,
Or nature59 makes me suddenly relent.
PUCELLE Besides, all French and France exclaims on60 thee,
Doubting thy birth and lawful progeny61.
Who join'st thou with, but with a lordly nation
That will not trust thee but for profit's sake?
When Talbot hath set footing once in France
And fashioned thee that instrument of ill,
Who then but English Henry will be lord
And thou be thrust out like a fugitive?
Call we to mind, and mark but68 this for proof:
Was not the Duke of Orleans thy foe?
And was he not in England prisoner?
But when they heard he was thine enemy,
They set him free without his ransom paid,
In spite of Burgundy and all his friends.
See, then, thou fight'st against thy countrymen,
And join'st with them75 will be thy slaughtermen.
Come, come, return; return, thou wandering76 lord:
Charles and the rest will take thee in their arms.
Aside
BURGUNDY I am vanquished: these haughty78 words of hers
Have battered me like roaring cannon-shot,
And made me almost yield upon my knees.
Forgive me, country, and sweet countrymen:
And, lords, accept this hearty82 kind embrace.
My forces and my power83 of men are yours.
So farewell, Talbot: I'll no longer trust thee.
Aside
PUCELLE Done like a Frenchman: turn and turn again.
CHARLES Welcome, brave duke: thy friendship makes us fresh86.
BASTARD And doth beget87 new courage in our breasts.
ALENCON Pucelle hath bravely88 played her part in this,
And doth deserve a coronet89 of gold.
CHARLES Now let us on, my lords, and join our powers,
And seek how we may prejudice91 the foe.
Exeunt
Act 3 Scene 4
running scene 12
Enter King [Henry VI], Gloucester, [Bishop of] Winchester, [Richard Plantagenet, now Duke of] York, Suffolk, Somerset, Warwick, Exeter, [Vernon, Basset and others]. To them, with his Soldiers, Talbot
TALBOT My gracious prince, and honourable peers,
Hearing of your arrival in this realm,
I have awhile given truce unto my wars,
To do my duty4 to my sovereign:
In sign whereof, this arm, that hath reclaimed5
To your obedience fifty fortresses,
Twelve cities and seven walled towns of strength,
Beside five hundred prisoners of esteem8,
Lets fall his sword before your highness' feet,
And with submissive loyalty of heart
Ascribes the glory of his conquest got
He kneels
First to my God and next unto your grace.
KING HENRY VI Is this the lord Talbot, uncle Gloucester,
That hath so long been resident in France?
GLOUCESTER Yes, if it please your majesty, my liege.
To Talbot
KING HENRY VI Welcome, brave captain and victorious lord.
When I was young, as yet I am not old,
I do remember how my father said
A stouter champion19 never handled sword.
Long since we were resolved of your truth20,
Your faithful service and your toil in war,
Yet never have you tasted our reward,
Or been reguerdoned23 with so much as thanks,
Because till now we never saw your face.
Talbot rises
Therefore stand up, and for these good deserts25
We here create you Earl of Shrewsbury,
And in our coronation take your place.
Sennet. Flourish
Exeunt all but Vernon and Basset
VERNON Now sir, to you that were so hot28 at sea,
Disgracing of these colours29 that I wear
In honour of my noble lord of York,
Dar'st thou maintain the former words thou spak'st?
BASSET Yes, sir, as well as you dare patronage32
The envious barking of your saucy33 tongue
Against my lord the Duke of Somerset.
VERNON Sirrah, thy lord I honour as he is35.
BASSET Why, what is he? As good a man as York.
VERNON Hark ye, not so: in witness, take ye that.
Strikes him
BASSET Villain, thou know'st the law of arms38 is such
That whoso draws a sword 'tis present39 death,
Or else this blow should broach40 thy dearest blood.
But I'll unto his majesty, and crave41
I may have liberty42 to venge this wrong,
When thou shalt see I'll meet thee to thy cost.
VERNON Well, miscreant44, I'll be there as soon as you,
And after45 meet you sooner than you would.
Exeunt
Act 4 Scene 1
running scene 13
Enter King [Henry VI], Gloucester, [Bishop of] Winchester, York, Suffolk, Somerset, Warwick, Talbot, and [the] Governor [of Paris and] Exeter
GLOUCESTER Lord Bishop, set the crown upon his head.
Crowns King Henry
WINCHESTER God save King Henry, of that name the sixth!
GLOUCESTER Now, Governor of Paris, take your oath,
That you elect4 no other king but him;
Esteem5 none friends but such as are his friends,
And none your foes but such as shall pretend6
Malicious practices against his state:
This shall ye do, so help you righteous God.
Enter Falstaff
FALST
AFF My gracious sovereign, as I rode from Calais
To haste unto your coronation,
He shows the letter
A letter was delivered to my hands,
Writ to your grace from th'Duke of Burgundy.
TALBOT Shame to the Duke of Burgundy and thee!
I vowed, base knight, when I did meet thee next,
Plucks it off
To tear the Garter from thy craven's15 leg,
Which I have done, because unworthily
Thou wast installed in that high degree.
Pardon me, princely Henry, and the rest:
This dastard19, at the battle of Patay,
When but in all I was six thousand strong
And that the French were almost ten to one,
Before we met or that a stroke was given,
Like to a trusty squire did run away:
In which assault we lost twelve hundred men.
Myself and divers25 gentlemen beside
Were there surprised and taken prisoners.
Then judge, great lords, if I have done amiss:
Or whether that such cowards ought to wear
This ornament of knighthood: yea or no?
GLOUCESTER To say the truth, this fact30 was infamous
And ill beseeming any common31 man,
Much more a knight, a captain32 and a leader.
TALBOT When first this order was ordained, my lords,
Knights of the Garter were of noble birth,
Valiant and virtuous, full of haughty courage35,
Such as were grown to credit36 by the wars:
Not fearing death, nor shrinking for37 distress,
But always resolute in most extremes.
He then that is not furnished in this sort39
Doth but usurp the sacred name of knight,
Profaning this most honourable order,
And should, if I were worthy to be judge,
Be quite degraded, like a hedge-born swain43
That doth presume to boast of gentle44 blood.