Welcome to PhiloLogic  
   home |  the ARTFL project |  download |  documentation |  sample databases |   
James Boswell [1821], The plays and poems of William Shakspeare, with the corrections and illustrations of various commentators: comprehending A Life of the Poet, and an enlarged history of the stage, by the late Edmond Malone. With a new glossarial index (J. Deighton and Sons, Cambridge) [word count] [S10201].
To look up a word in a dictionary, select the word with your mouse and press 'd' on your keyboard.

Previous section

Next section

SCENE III. The Same. The Plains near the City. Enter Charles, the Bastard, Alençon, La Pucelle, and Forces.

Puc.
Dismay not, princes, at this accident,
Nor grieve that Roüen is so recovered:
Care is no cure, but rather corrosive3 note,
For things that are not to be remedied.
Let frantick Talbot triumph for a while,
And like a peacock sweep along his tail;
We'll pull his plumes, and take away his train,
If Dauphin, and the rest, will be but rul'd.

Char.
We have been guided by thee hitherto,
And of thy cunning had no diffidence;
One sudden foil shall never breed distrust.

Bast.
Search out thy wit for secret policies,
And we will make thee famous through the world.

Alen.
We'll set thy statue in some holy place,
And have thee reverenc'd like a blessed saint;
Employ thee then, sweet virgin, for our good.

Puc.
Then thus it must be; this doth Joan devise:

-- 97 --


By fair persuasions, mix'd with sugar'd words,
We will entice the duke of Burgundy
To leave the Talbot, and to follow us.

Char.
Ay, marry, sweeting, if we could do that,
France were no place for Henry's warriors;
Nor should that nation boast it so with us,
But be extirped from our provinces4 note
.

Alen.
For ever should they be expuls'd from France5 note




,
And not have title to an earldom here.

Puc.
Your honours shall perceive how I will work,
To bring this matter to the wished end. [Drums heard.
Hark! by the sound of drum, you may perceive
Their powers are marching unto Paris-ward. An English March. Enter, and pass over at a distance, Talbot and his Forces.
There goes the Talbot, with his colours spread;
And all the troops of English after him. A French March. Enter the Duke of Burgundy and Forces.
Now, in the rearward, comes the duke, and his;
Fortune, in favour, makes him lag behind.
Summon a parley, we will talk with him.
[A Parley sounded.

-- 98 --

Char.
A parley with the duke of Burgundy.

Bur.
Who craves a parley with the Burgundy?

Puc.
The princely Charles of France, thy countryman.

Bur.
What say'st thou, Charles? for I am marching hence.

Char.
Speak, Pucelle; and enchant him with thy words.

Puc.
Brave Burgundy, undoubted hope of France!
Stay, let thy humble handmaid speak to thee.

Bur.
Speak on; but be not over-tedious.

Puc.
Look on thy country, look on fertile France,
And see the cities and the towns defac'd
By wasting ruin of the cruel foe!
As looks the mother on her lowly babe6 note

,
When death doth close his tender dying eyes,
See, see, the pining malady of France;
Behold the wounds, the most unnatural wounds,
Which thou thyself hast given her woful breast!
O, turn thy edged 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 stained spots!

Bur.
Either she hath bewitch'd me with her words,
Or nature makes me suddenly relent.

Puc.
Besides, all French and France exclaims on thee,

-- 99 --


Doubting thy birth and lawful progeny.
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 fashion'd 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 but 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 free7 note, without his ransom paid,
In spite of Burgundy, and all his friends.
See then! thou fight'st against thy countrymen,
And join'st with them will be thy slaughter-men.
Come, come, return; return, thou wand'ring lord;
Charles, and the rest, will take thee in their arms.

Bur.
I am vanquished; these haughty words of hers
Have batter'd me like roaring cannon-shot8 note






,

-- 100 --


And made me almost yield upon my knees.—
Forgive me, country, and sweet countrymen!
And, lords, accept this hearty kind embrace:
My forces and my power of men are yours;—
So, farewell, Talbot: I'll no longer trust thee.

Puc.
Done like a Frenchman; turn, and turn again9 note




!

Char.
Welcome, brave duke! thy friendship makes us fresh.

Bast.
And doth beget new courage in our breasts.

Alen.
Pucelle hath bravely played her part in this,
And doth deserve a coronet of gold.

Char.
Now let us on, my lords, and join our powers;
And seek how we may prejudice the foe.
[Exeunt.

-- 101 --

Previous section

Next section


James Boswell [1821], The plays and poems of William Shakspeare, with the corrections and illustrations of various commentators: comprehending A Life of the Poet, and an enlarged history of the stage, by the late Edmond Malone. With a new glossarial index (J. Deighton and Sons, Cambridge) [word count] [S10201].
Powered by PhiloLogic