Enter a Legate, and Two Ambassadors, with WINCHESTER, in a cardinal's habit.

Exe. What! is my lord of Winchester installed, And called unto a cardinal's degree!1 Then, I perceive, that will be verified, Henry the Fifth did sometime prophesy,If once he come to be a cardinal,

He'll make his cap co-equal with the crown.

K. Hen. My lords ambassadors, your several suits Have been considered and debated on.

Your purpose is both good and reasonable
And, therefore, are we certainly resolved
To draw conditions of a friendly peace;
Which, by my lord of Winchester, we mean
Shall be transported presently to France.

Glo. And for the proffer of my lord your master,-
I have informed his highness so at large,
As-liking of the lady's virtuous gifts,

Her beauty, and the value of her dower,

He doth intend she shall be England's queen.

K. Hen. In argument and proof of which contract, Bear her this jewel, [To the Amb.] pledge of my affection. And so, my lord protector, see them guarded,

And safely brought to Dover; where, inshipped,
Commit them to the fortune of the sea.

[Exeunt KING HENRY and Train; GLOSTER,
EXETER, and Ambassadors.

Win. Stay, my lord legate; you shall first receive The sum of money which I promised

Should be delivered to his holiness

For clothing me in these grave ornaments.

Leg. I will attend upon your lordship's leisure.
Win. Now, Winchester will not submit, I trow,

1 The Poet has here forgot himself. In the first act Gloster says:— "I'll canvas thee in thy broad cardinal's hat.”

And it is strange that Exeter should not know of his advancement. It appears that he would imply that Winchester obtained his hat only just before his present entry. He in fact obtained it in the fifth year of Henry's reign.

Or be inferior to the proudest peer.

Humphrey of Gloster, thou shalt well perceive,
That, neither in birth, or for authority,

The bishop will be overborne by thee;

I'll either make thee stoop, and bend thy knee,
Or sack this country with a mutiny.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II. France. Plains in Anjou.

Enter CHARLES, BURGUNDY, ALENÇON, LA PUCELLE, and Forces, marching.

Char. These news, my lords, may cheer our drooping spirits;

"Tis said, the stout Parisians do revolt,

And turn again unto the warlike French.

Alen. Then march to Paris, royal Charles of France,

And keep not back your powers in dalliance.

Puc. Peace be amongst them, if they turn to us; Else, ruin combat with their palaces !

Enter a Messenger.

Mess. Success unto our valiant general,

And happiness to his accomplices!

Char. What tidings send our scouts? I pr'ythee speak.

Mess. The English army, that divided was

Into two parts, is now conjoined in one;

And means to give you battle presently.

Char. Somewhat too sudden, sirs, the warning is;

But we will presently provide for them.

Bur. I trust the ghost of Talbot is not there;

Now he is gone, my lord, you need not fear.

Puc. Of all base passions, fear is most accursed; Command the conquest, Charles, it shall be thine; Let Henry fret, and all the world repine.

Char. Then on, my lords; and France be fortu[Exeunt.

nate!

SCENE III. The same. Before Angiers.

Alarums: Excursions. Enter LA PUCelle.

Puc. 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!
You speedy helpers, that are substitutes
Under the lordly monarch of the north,2
Appear, and aid me in this enterprise !

Enter Fiends.

This speedy, quick appearance argues proof
Of your accustomed diligence to me.
Now, ye familiar spirits, that are culled

3

Out of the powerful regions 3 under earth,

1

[Thunder.

Help me this once, that France may get the field. [They walk about, and speak not.

O, hold me not with silence over-long!

Where I was wont to feed 4

you with

I'll lop a member off, and give it you,
In earnest of a further benefit;

So

my blood,

[They hang their heads.

you do condescend to help me now.

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?

1 Periapts were certain written charms worn about the person as preservatives from disease and danger.

2 The monarch of the north was Zimimar, one of the four principal devils invoked by witches. The north was supposed to be the particular habitation of bad spirits. Milton assembles the rebel angels in the north. 3 Warburton thought that we should read legions here, the same mistake having occurred before in this play.

4 Where for whereas, a common substitution in old writers; whereas is also sometimes used for where.

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 vail1 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.

LA

Alarums. 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.
Puc. 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.

Puc. A plaguing mischief light on Charles, and thee!

And may ye both be suddenly surprised

By bloody hands, in sleeping on your beds!

York. Fell, banning hag! enchantress, hold thy

tongue.

Puc. I pr'ythee, give me leave to curse a while. York. Curse, miscreant, when thou comest to the stake. [Exeunt.

Alarums.

Enter SUFFOLK, leading in LADY Mar

GARET.

Suff. Be what thou wilt, thou art my prisoner.

fairest beauty, do not fear, nor fly;

[Gazes on her.

For I will touch thee but with reverent hands,
And lay them gently on thy tender side.

I kiss these fingers [Kisses her hand.] for eternal

peace:

Who art thou? say, that I may honor thee.

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

Suff. An earl I am, and Suffolk am I called.

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 prisoners underneath her wings.
Yet, if this servile usage once offend,

Go, and be free again as Suffolk's friend.

[She turns away as going.

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.
Fain would I woo her, yet I dare not speak;
I'll call for pen and ink, and write my mind:
Fie, De la Poole ! disable not thyself;

1

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.2

Mar. Say, earl of Suffolk,-if thy name be so,

What ransom must I pay before I pass?

For, I perceive, I am thy prisoner.

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

[Aside.

Mar. Why speak'st thou not? What ransom must

I pay?

Suff. She's beautiful; and therefore to be wooed: She is a woman; therefore to be won.

[Aside.

1 "Do not represent thyself so weak." To disable was to dispraise, or impeach.

2 The meaning of rough here is not very evident. Sir Thomas Hanmer reads crouch.