Before Angiers
Alarum, excursions. Enter LA PUCELLE 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
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
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
In earnest of a 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
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
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. Enter French and English, fighting. LA PUCELLE and YORK fight hand to hand; LA PUCELLE is taken. The French fly YORK 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 witch doth bend her brows
As if, with Circe, she would change my shape!
PUCELLE Chang'd 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.
PUCELLE A plaguing mischief fight on Charles and thee!
And may ye both be suddenly surpris'd
By bloody hands, in sleeping on your beds!
YORK Fell banning hag; enchantress, hold thy tongue.
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.
[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.
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.
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!
[Aside] 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.
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 thy prisoner?
Wilt thou be daunted at a woman's sight?
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 [Aside] 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 [Aside] 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?
SUFFOLK [Aside] Fond man, remember that thou hast a
wife;
Then how can Margaret be thy paramour?
MARGARET I were best leave him, for he will not hear.
SUFFOLK [Aside] There all is marr'd; there lies a cooling
card.
MARGARET He talks at random; sure, the man is mad.
SUFFOLK [Aside] And yet a dispensation may be had.
MARGARET And yet I would that you would answer me.
SUFFOLK [Aside] 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.
SUFFOLK [Aside] 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,
And our nobility will scorn the match.
MARGARET Hear ye, Captain--are you not at leisure?
SUFFOLK [Aside] It shall be so, disdain they ne'er so much.
Henry is youthful, and will quickly yield.
Madam, I have a secret to reveal.
MARGARET [Aside] 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 [Aside] Perhaps I shall be rescu'd by the French;
And then I need not crave his courtesy.
SUFFOLK Sweet madam, give me hearing in a cause--
MARGARET [Aside] 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
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,
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,
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
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!
And, madam, at your father's castle walls
We'll crave a parley to confer with him.
Sound a parley. Enter REIGNIER on the walls See, Reignier, see, thy daughter prisoner!
REIGNIER To whom?
SUFFOLK 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.
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 gain'd thy daughter princely liberty.
REIGNIER 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 REIGNIER from the walls SUFFOLK 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.
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,
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 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] 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 solemniz'd.
So, farewell, Reignier. Set this diamond safe
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.
[She is going] SUFFOLK 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 plac'd and modestly directed.
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 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.
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 com'st to kneel at Henry's feet,
Thou mayst bereave him of his wits with wonder.
Exit