And, madam, at your father's castle walls
We'll crave a parley to confer with him.

[Troops come forward. A Parley sounded. Enter REIGNIER, on the Walls. Suff. See, Reignier,see, thydaughter prisoner. Reig. To whom?

Suff Reig.

To me.

Suffolk, what remedy? I am a soldier, and unapt to weep, Or to exclaim on fortune's fickleness.

Suff. 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 bave woo'd and won thereto;
And this her easy-held imprisonment
Hath gain'd thy daughter princely liberty.
Reig. Speaks Suffolk as he thinks?
Suff
Fair Margaret knows,
That Suffolk doth not flatter, face, or feign.
Reig. Upon thy princely warrant, I descend,
To give thee answer of thy just demand.
[Exit, from the Walls.
Suff. And here I will expect thy coming.
Trumpets sounded. Enter REIGNIER, below.
Reig. Welcome,brave earl, into our territories:
Command in Anjou what your honour pleases.
Suff. Thanks, Reignier, happy for so sweet a
Fit to be made companion with a king: [child,
What answer makes your grace unto my suit?
Reig. 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 county Maine, and Anjou,
Free from oppression, or the stroke of war,
My daughter shall be Henry's, if he please.
Suff. That is her ransome, I deliver her;
And those two counties, I will undertake,
Your grace shall well and quietly enjoy.

Reig. And I again, in Henry's royal name,
As deputy unto that gracious king,
Give thee her hand, for sign of plighted faith.
Suff. Reignier of France, I give thee kingly
Because this is in traffick of a king: [thanks,
And yet, methinks, I could be well content
To be mine own attorney in this case. [Aside.
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.

Reig. I do embrace thee, as I would embrace The Christian prince, King Henry,were he here. Mar. Farewell, my lord! Good wishes, praise, and prayers,

Shall Suffolk ever have of Margaret. [Going.
Suff. Farewell, sweet madam! But hark you,
Margaret;

No princely commendations to my king?
Mar. Such commendations as become a maid,
A virgin, and his servant, say to him. [rected.
Suff Words sweetly plac'd, and modestly di-
But madam, I must trouble you again-
No loving token to his majesty? [heart,
Mar. Yes, my good lord; a pure unspotted
Never yet taint with love, I send the king.
Suff. And this withal.
[Kisses her.
Mar. That for thyself;-I will not so presume,
To send such peevish tokens to a king.
[Exeunt REIGNIER and MARGARET.
Suff. O, wert thou for myself!-But, Suffolk,
stay;

Thou may'st not wander in that labyrinth;
There Minotaurs, and ugly treasons, lurk.
Solicit Henry with her wondrous praise:

Wicked and vile; and so her death concludes.
Shep. Fye, Joan! that thou wilt be so obstacle!
God knows, thou art a collop of my flesh;
And for thy sake have I shed many a tear:
Deny me not, I pr'ythee, gentle Joan,

Puc. Peasant, avaunt!-You have suborn'd this man,

Of purpose to obscure my noble birth.

Shep. 'Tis true, I gave a noble to the priest, The morn that I was wedded to her mother.Kneel down and take my blessing, good my girl. Wilt thou not stoop? Now cursed be the time Of thy nativity! I would the milk [breast, Thy mother gave thee, when thou suck'dst her Had been a little ratsbane for thy sake! Or else, when thou didst keep my lambs a-field, I wish some ravenous wolf had eaten thee! Dost thou deny thy father, cursed drab? O, burn her, burn her; hanging is too good.

Not one begotten of a shepherd swain,
But issu'd from the progeny of kings;
Virtuous, and holy; chosen from above,
By inspiration of celestial grace,
To work exceeding miracles on earth.
I never had to do with wicked spirits:
But you,-that are polluted with your lusts,
Stain'd with the guiltless blood of innocents,
Corrupt and tainted with a thousand vices,-
Because you want the grace that others have,
You judge it straight a thing impossible
To compass wonders, but by help of devils.
No, misconceived? Joan of Arc hath been
A virgin from her tender infancy,
Chaste and immaculate in very thought;
Whose maiden blood, thus rigorously effus'd,
Will cry for vengeance at the gates of heaven.
York. Ay, ay-away with her to execution.
War. And hark ye, sirs; because she is a maid,
Spare for no fagots, let there be enough:
Place barrels of pitch upon the fatal stake,

Then Joan, discover thine infirmity;
That warranteth by law to be thy privilege.
I am with child, ye bloody homicides;
Murder not then the fruit within my womb,
Although ye hale me to a violent death.
York. Now heaven forefend! the holy maid
with child!
[wrought;
War. The greatest miracle that e'er ye
Is all your strict preciseness come to this?
York. She and the Dauphin have been jug-
I did imagine what would be her refuge. [gling;
War. Well, go to; we will have no bastards
Especially, since Charles must father it. [live::
Puc. You are deceived; my child is none of his;
It was Alençon, that enjoy'd my love.

York. Alençon! that notorious Machiavel? It dies, an if it had a thousand lives.

Puc. O, give me leave, I have deluded you; 'Twas neither Charles, nor yet the duke I nam'd, But Reignier, king of Naples, that prevail'd. War. A married man! that's most intolerable. York. Why, here's a girl! I think, she knows not well,

There were so many, whom she may accuse. War. It's sign she hath been liberal and free. York. And, yet, forsooth, she is a virgin pure. Strumpet, thy words condemn thy brat, and Use no entreaty, for it is in vain. [thee: Pac. Then lead rne hence;-with whom 1 leave my curse:

May never glorious sun reflex his beams Upen the country where you make abode! But darkness and the gloomy shade of death Environ you; till mischief and despair, Drive you to break your necks, or hang yourselves! [Exit, guarded. York. Break thou in pieces, and consume to Thou foul accursed minister of hell! [ashes, Enter CARDINAL BEAUFORT, attended. Car. Lord regent, I do greet your excellence With letters of commission from the king. For know, my lords, the states of Christendom, Moy'd with remorse of these outrageous broils, Have earnestly implor'd a general peace Betwixt our nation and the aspiring French: And here at hand the Dauphin, and his train, Approacheth to confer about some matter. York. Is all our travail turn'd to this effect? After the slaughter of so many peers, So many captains, gentlemen, and soldiers, That in this quarrel have been overthrown, And sold their bodies for their country's benefit, Shall we at last conclude effeminate peace? Have we not lost most part of all the towns, By treason, falsehood, and by treachery, Our great progenitors had conquer'd?O, Warwick, Warwick! I foresee with grief The utter loss of all the realm of France.

War. Be patient, York; if we conclude a peace, It shall be with such strict and severe covenants, As little shall the Frenchmen gain thereby. Eater CHARLES, attended; ALENCON, Bastard, REIGNIER, and Others.

Char. Since, lords of England, it is thus agreed, That peaceful truce shall be proclaim'd in France,

We come to be informed by yourselves
What the conditions of that league must be.
York. Speak, Winchester; for boiling choler
chokes

The hollow passage of my poison'd voice,
By sight of these our baleful enemies.

Win. Charles, and the rest, it is enacted thus: That-in regard King Henry gives consent, Of mere compassion, and of lenity,

To ease your country of distressful war,
And suffer you to breathe in fruitful peace,---
You shall become true liegemen to his crown:
And, Charles, upon condition thou wilt swear
To pay him tribute, and submit thyself,
Thou shalt be plac'd as viceroy under him,
And still enjoy thy regal dignity.

Alen. Must he be then as shadow of himself?
Adorn his temples with a coronet;
And yet, in substance and authority,
Retain but privilege of a private man?
This proffer is absurd and reasonless.

Char. 'Tis known, already, that I am possess'd With more than half the Gallian territories, And therein reverenc'd for their lawful king: Shall I, for lucre of the rest unvanquish'd, Detract so much from that prerogative, As to be call'd but viceroy of the whole? No, lord ambassador: I'll rather keep That which I have, than, coveting for more, Pe cast from possibility of all. [means

York. Insulting Charles! hast thou by secret Used intercession to obtain a league; And, now the matter grows to compromise, Stand'st thou aloof upon comparison? Either accept the title thou usurp'st, Of benefit proceeding from our king, And not of any challenge of desert, Or we will plague thee with incessant wars. Reig. My lord, you do not well in obstinacy To cavil in the course of this contract: If once it be neglected, ten to one, We shall not find like opportunify.

Alen. To say the truth, it is your policy, To save your subjects from such massacre, And ruthless slaughters, as are daily seen By our proceeding in hostility: And therefore take this compact of a truce, Although you break it when your pleasure [Aside to CHARLES. War. How say'st thou, Charles? shall our Char. It shall: [condition stand? Only reserv'd, you claim no interest In any of our towns of garrison.

serves.

GG

And, which is more, she is not so divine,
So full replete with choice of all delights,
But, with as humble lowliness of mind,
She is content to be at your command;
Command, I mean, of virtuous chaste intents,
To love and honour Henry as her lord. [sume.
K. Hen. And otherwise will Henry ne'er pre-
Therefore, my lord protector, give consent,
That Margaret may be England's royal queen.
Glo. So should I give consent to flatter sin.
You know, my lord, your highness is betroth'd
Unto another lady of esteem;

How shall we then dispense with that contract,
And not deface your honour with reproach?

Suff. As doth a ruler with unlawful oaths;
Or one, that, at a triumph having vow'd
To try his strength, forsaketh yet the lists
By reason of his adversary's odds:
A poor earl's daughter is unequal odds:
And therefore may be broke without offence.
Glo. Why, what, I pray, is Margaret more
than that?

Her father is no better than an earl,
Although in glorious titles he excel.

Suff. Yes, my good lord, her father is a king,
The king of Naples, and Jerusalem;
And of such great authority in France,
As his alliance will confirm our peace,
And keep the Frenchmen in allegiance.

Glo. And so the earl of Armagnac may do, Because he is near kinsman unto Charles. Exe. Beside his wealth doth warrant liberal dower;

While Reignier sooner will receive than give. Suff. A dower, my lords? disgrace not so your king,

That he should be so abject, base, and poor,
To choose for wealth, and not for perfect love.
Henry is able to enrich his queen,
And not to seck a queen to make him rich:
So worthless peasants bargain for their wives,
As market-men for oxen, sheep, or horse.
Marriage is a matter of more worth.
Than to be dealt in by attorneyship:
Not whom we will, but whom his grace affects,
Must be companion of his nuptial bed:
And therefore, lords, since he affects her most,
It most of all these reasons bindeth us,
In our opinions she should be preferr'd.
For what is wedlock forced, but a hell,
An age of discord and continual strife?

Whereas the contrary bringeth forth bliss,
And is a pattern of celestial peace.
Whom should we match with Henry, being a
king,

But Margaret, that is daughter to a king?
Her peerless feature, joined with her birth,
Approves her fit for none, but for a king?
Her valiant courage, and undaunted spirit
(More than in women commonly is seen),
Will answer our hope in issue of a king;
For Henry, son unto a conqueror,
Is likely to beget more conquerors,
If with a lady of so high resolve,
As is fair Margaret, he be link'd in love. [me,
Then yield, my lords; and here conclude with
That Margaret shall be queen, and none but she.
K. Hen. Whether it be through force of your
report,

My noble lord of Suffolk; or for that
My tender youth was never yet attaint
With any passion of inflaming love,
I cannot tell; but this I am assur'd,

I feel such sharp dissension in my breast,
Such fierce alarums both of hope and fear,
As I am sick with working of my thoughts.
Take, therefore, shipping: post, my lord to
France;

Agree to any covenants: and procure
That Lady Margaret do vouchsafe to come
To cross the seas to England, and be crown'd
King Henry's faithful and anointed queen:
For your expenses and sufficient charge,
Among the people gather up a tenth.
Be gone, I say; for, till you do return,
I rest perplexed with a thousand cares.-
And you, good uncle, banish all offence:
If you do censure me by what you were,
Not what you are, I know it will excuse
This sudden execution of my will.
And so conduct me, where from company,
I may revolve and ruminate my grief. [Erit.
Glo. Ay, grief, I fear me, both at first and last.
[Exeunt GLOSTER and EXETER.
Suff. Thus Suffolk hath prevail'd: and thus

he goes,

As did the youthful Paris once to Greece;
With hope to find the like event in love,
But prosper better than the Trojan did.
Margaret shall now be queen, and rule the king;
But I will rule both her, the king, and realm.

[Exit.