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Henry VI, Pt. 1: Act III, Scene 2

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Henry VI, Pt. 1
Act III, Scene 2

France. Before Rouen.

Charles VII of France

Charles VII of France

circa 1447

  1. Enter Pucelle, disguis’d, with four Soldiers with sacks upon
  2. their backs.

Joan de Pucelle

1 - 9
  1. These are the city-gates, the gates of Roan,
  2. Through which our policy must make a breach.
  3. Take heed, be wary how you place your words,
  4. Talk like the vulgar sort of market men
  5. That come to gather money for their corn.
  6. If we have entrance, as I hope we shall,
  7. And that we find the slothful watch but weak,
  8. I’ll by a sign give notice to our friends,
  9. That Charles the Dauphin may encounter them.

First Soldier

10 - 12
  1. Our sacks shall be a mean to sack the city,
  2. And we be lords and rulers over Roan,
  3. Therefore we’ll knock.
  1. Knock.

Soldier of the Watch

13
  1. Within.
  2. Qui là?

Joan de Pucelle

14 - 15
  1. Paysans, la pauvre gens de France,
  2. Poor market folks that come to sell their corn.

Soldier of the Watch

16
  1. Enter, go in, the market bell is rung.

Joan de Pucelle

17
  1. Now, Roan, I’ll shake thy bulwarks to the ground.
  1. Exeunt to the town.
  1. Enter Charles, Bastard, Alanson, Reignier, and forces.

Dauphin of France

18 - 19
  1. Saint Denis bless this happy stratagem!
  2. And once again we’ll sleep secure in Roan.

Bastard of Orléans

20 - 22
  1. Here ent’red Pucelle and her practisants.
  2. Now she is there, how will she specify
  3. Here is the best and safest passage in?

Duke of Anjou

23 - 25
  1. By thrusting out a torch from yonder tower,
  2. Which once discern’d, shows that her meaning is,
  3. No way to that, for weakness, which she ent’red.
  1. Enter Pucelle on the top, thrusting out a torch burning.

Joan de Pucelle

26 - 28
  1. Behold, this is the happy wedding torch
  2. That joineth Roan unto her countrymen,
  3. But burning fatal to the Talbonites!
  1. Exit.

Bastard of Orléans

29 - 30
  1. See, noble Charles, the beacon of our friend,
  2. The burning torch in yonder turret stands.

Dauphin of France

31 - 32
  1. Now shine it like a comet of revenge,
  2. A prophet to the fall of all our foes!

Duke of Anjou

33 - 35
  1. Defer no time, delays have dangerous ends,
  2. Enter and cry “The Dauphin!” presently,
  3. And then do execution on the watch.
  1. An alarum. Enter Talbot in an excursion.

Lord Talbot

36 - 40
  1. France, thou shalt rue this treason with thy tears,
  2. If Talbot but survive thy treachery.
  3. Pucelle, that witch, that damned sorceress,
  4. Hath wrought this hellish mischief unawares,
  5. That hardly we escap’d the pride of France.
  1. Exit.
  1. An alarum. Excursions. Bedford brought in sick in a chair.
  2. Enter Talbot and Burgundy without; within, Pucelle, Charles,
  3. Bastard, Alanson, and Reignier, on the walls.

Joan de Pucelle

41 - 44
  1. Good morrow, gallants, want ye corn for bread?
  2. I think the Duke of Burgundy will fast
  3. Before he’ll buy again at such a rate.
  4. ’Twas full of darnel; do you like the taste?

Duke of Burgundy

45 - 47
  1. Scoff on, vile fiend and shameless courtezan!
  2. I trust ere long to choke thee with thine own,
  3. And make thee curse the harvest of that corn.

Dauphin of France

48
  1. Your Grace may starve, perhaps, before that time.

Duke of Bedford

49
  1. O, let no words, but deeds, revenge this treason!

Joan de Pucelle

50 - 51
  1. What will you do, good greybeard? Break a lance,
  2. And run a-tilt at Death within a chair?

Lord Talbot

52 - 57
  1. Foul fiend of France, and hag of all despite,
  2. Encompass’d with thy lustful paramours!
  3. Becomes it thee to taunt his valiant age,
  4. And twit with cowardice a man half dead?
  5. Damsel, I’ll have a bout with you again,
  6. Or else let Talbot perish with this shame.
Alice Maud Mary Arcliffe as Joan of Arc

Alice Maud Mary Arcliffe as Joan of Arc

Gilbert Anthony Pownall, 1914

Joan de Pucelle

58 - 60
  1. Are ye so hot, sir? Yet, Pucelle, hold thy peace,
  2. If Talbot do but thunder, rain will follow.
  3. They, the English, whisper together in council.
  4. God speed the parliament! Who shall be the speaker?

Lord Talbot

61
  1. Dare ye come forth and meet us in the field?

Joan de Pucelle

62 - 63
  1. Belike your lordship takes us then for fools,
  2. To try if that our own be ours or no.

Lord Talbot

64 - 66
  1. I speak not to that railing Hecate,
  2. But unto thee, Alanson, and the rest.
  3. Will ye, like soldiers, come and fight it out?

Duke of Alanson

67
  1. Signior, no.

Lord Talbot

68 - 70
  1. Signior, hang! Base muleters of France!
  2. Like peasant footboys do they keep the walls,
  3. And dare not take up arms like gentlemen.

Joan de Pucelle

71 - 74
  1. Away, captains, let’s get us from the walls,
  2. For Talbot means no goodness by his looks.
  3. God buy, my lord, we came but to tell you
  4. That we are here.
  1. Exeunt from the walls.

Lord Talbot

75 - 84
  1. And there will we be too, ere it be long,
  2. Or else reproach be Talbot’s greatest fame!
  3. Vow, Burgundy, by honor of thy house,
  4. Prick’d on by public wrongs sustain’d in France,
  5. Either to get the town again, or die:
  6. And I, as sure as English Henry lives
  7. And as his father here was conqueror,
  8. As sure as in this late-betrayed town
  9. Great Coeur de Lion’s heart was buried,
  10. So sure I swear to get the town, or die.

Duke of Burgundy

85
  1. My vows are equal partners with thy vows.

Lord Talbot

86 - 89
  1. But ere we go, regard this dying prince,
  2. The valiant Duke of Bedford. Come, my lord,
  3. We will bestow you in some better place,
  4. Fitter for sickness and for crazy age.

Duke of Bedford

90 - 92
  1. Lord Talbot, do not so dishonor me:
  2. Here will I sit before the walls of Roan
  3. And will be partner of your weal or woe.

Duke of Burgundy

93
  1. Courageous Bedford, let us now persuade you.

Duke of Bedford

94 - 98
  1. Not to be gone from hence; for once I read
  2. That stout Pendragon in his litter sick
  3. Came to the field and vanquished his foes.
  4. Methinks I should revive the soldiers’ hearts,
  5. Because I ever found them as myself.

Lord Talbot

99 - 103
  1. Undaunted spirit in a dying breast!
  2. Then be it so. Heavens keep old Bedford safe!
  3. And now no more ado, brave Burgundy,
  4. But gather we our forces out of hand,
  5. And set upon our boasting enemy.
  1. Exit with Burgundy and forces into the town.
  1. An alarum. Excursions. Enter Sir John Falstaff and a
  2. Captain.

Captain

104
  1. Whither away, Sir John Falstaff, in such haste?

Falstaff

105 - 106
  1. Whither away? To save myself by flight.
  2. We are like to have the overthrow again.

Captain

107
  1. What? Will you fly, and leave Lord Talbot?

Falstaff

108 - 109
  1.                                            Ay,
  2. All the Talbots in the world, to save my life.
  1. Exit.
Study for La Pucelle

Study for La Pucelle

Edwin Austin Abbey, circa 1909

Captain

110
  1. Cowardly knight, ill fortune follow thee!
  1. Exit into the town.
  1. Retreat. Excursions. Pucelle, Alanson, and Charles enter
  2. from the town and fly.

Duke of Bedford

111 - 115
  1. Now, quiet soul, depart when heaven please,
  2. For I have seen our enemies’ overthrow.
  3. What is the trust or strength of foolish man?
  4. They that of late were daring with their scoffs
  5. Are glad and fain by flight to save themselves.
  1. Bedford dies, and is carried in by two in his chair.
  1. An alarum. Enter Talbot, Burgundy, and the rest.

Lord Talbot

116 - 118
  1. Lost, and recovered in a day again!
  2. This is a double honor, Burgundy;
  3. Yet heavens have glory for this victory!

Duke of Burgundy

119 - 121
  1. Warlike and martial Talbot, Burgundy
  2. Enshrines thee in his heart, and there erects
  3. Thy noble deeds as valor’s monuments.

Lord Talbot

122 - 130
  1. Thanks, gentle Duke. But where is Pucelle now?
  2. I think her old familiar is asleep.
  3. Now where’s the Bastard’s braves, and Charles his glikes?
  4. What, all amort? Roan hangs her head for grief
  5. That such a valiant company are fled.
  6. Now will we take some order in the town,
  7. Placing therein some expert officers,
  8. And then depart to Paris to the King,
  9. For there young Henry with his nobles lie.

Duke of Burgundy

131
  1. What wills Lord Talbot pleaseth Burgundy.

Lord Talbot

132 - 138
  1. But yet before we go, let’s not forget
  2. The noble Duke of Bedford late deceas’d,
  3. But see his exequies fulfill’d in Roan.
  4. A braver soldier never couched lance,
  5. A gentler heart did never sway in court;
  6. But kings and mightiest potentates must die,
  7. For that’s the end of human misery.
  1. Exeunt.
16th century map of Rouen

16th century map of Rouen

Georg Braun, Frans Hogenberg

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