1    Bring forth that sorceress condemn'd to burn.

2    Ah, Joan, this kills thy father's heart outright!
3    Have I sought every country far and near,
4    And, now it is my chance to find thee out,
5    Must I behold thy timeless cruel death?
6    Ah, Joan, sweet daughter Joan, I'll die with thee!

7    Decrepit miser! base ignoble wretch!
8    I am descended of a gentler blood:
9    Thou art no father nor no friend of mine.

10   Out, out! My lords, an please you, 'tis not so;
11   I did beget her, all the parish knows:
12   Her mother liveth yet, can testify
13   She was the first fruit of my bachelorship.

14   Graceless! wilt thou deny thy parentage?

15   This argues what her kind of life hath been,
16   Wicked and vile; and so her death concludes.

17   Fie, Joan, that thou wilt be so obstacle!
18   God knows thou art a collop of my flesh;
19   And for thy sake have I shed many a tear:
20   Deny me not, I prithee, gentle Joan.

21   Peasant, avaunt! You have suborn'd this man,
22   Of purpose to obscure my noble birth.

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

34   Take her away; for she hath lived too long,
35   To fill the world with vicious qualities.

36   First, let me tell you whom you have condemn'd:
37   Not me begotten of a shepherd swain,
38   But issued from the progeny of kings;
39   Virtuous and holy; chosen from above,
40   By inspiration of celestial grace,
41   To work exceeding miracles on earth.
42   I never had to do with wicked spirits:
43   But you, that are polluted with your lusts,
44   Stain'd with the guiltless blood of innocents,
45   Corrupt and tainted with a thousand vices,
46   Because you want the grace that others have,
47   You judge it straight a thing impossible
48   To compass wonders but by help of devils.
49   No, misconceived! Joan of Arc hath been
50   A virgin from her tender infancy,
51   Chaste and immaculate in very thought;
52   Whose maiden blood, thus rigorously effused,
53   Will cry for vengeance at the gates of heaven.

54   Ay, ay: away with her to execution!

55   And hark ye, sirs; because she is a maid,
56   Spare for no faggots, let there be enow:
57   Place barrels of pitch upon the fatal stake,
58   That so her torture may be shortened.

59   Will nothing turn your unrelenting hearts?
60   Then, Joan, discover thine infirmity,
61   That warranteth by law to be thy privilege.
62   I am with child, ye bloody homicides:
63   Murder not then the fruit within my womb,
64   Although ye hale me to a violent death.

65   Now heaven forfend! the holy maid with child!

66   The greatest miracle that e'er ye wrought:
67   Is all your strict preciseness come to this?

68   She and the Dauphin have been juggling:
69   I did imagine what would be her refuge.

70   Well, go to; we'll have no bastards live;
71   Especially since Charles must father it.

72   You are deceived; my child is none of his:
73   It was Alencon that enjoy'd my love.

74   Alencon! that notorious Machiavel!
75   It dies, an if it had a thousand lives.

76   O, give me leave, I have deluded you:
77   'Twas neither Charles nor yet the duke I named,
78   But Reignier, king of Naples, that prevail'd.

79   A married man! that's most intolerable.

80   Why, here's a girl! I think she knows not well,
81   There were so many, whom she may accuse.

82   It's sign she hath been liberal and free.

83   And yet, forsooth, she is a virgin pure.
84   Strumpet, thy words condemn thy brat and thee:
85   Use no entreaty, for it is in vain.

86   Then lead me hence; with whom I leave my curse:
87   May never glorious sun reflex his beams
88   Upon the country where you make abode;
89   But darkness and the gloomy shade of death
90   Environ you, till mischief and despair
91   Drive you to break your necks or hang yourselves!

92   Break thou in pieces and consume to ashes,
93   Thou foul accursed minister of hell!

94   Lord regent, I do greet your excellence
95   With letters of commission from the king.
96   For know, my lords, the states of Christendom,
97   Moved with remorse of these outrageous broils,
98   Have earnestly implored a general peace
99   Betwixt our nation and the aspiring French;
100  And here at hand the Dauphin and his train
101  Approacheth, to confer about some matter.

102  Is all our travail turn'd to this effect?
103  After the slaughter of so many peers,
104  So many captains, gentlemen and soldiers,
105  That in this quarrel have been overthrown
106  And sold their bodies for their country's benefit,
107  Shall we at last conclude effeminate peace?
108  Have we not lost most part of all the towns,
109  By treason, falsehood and by treachery,
110  Our great progenitors had conquered?
111  O Warwick, Warwick! I foresee with grief
112  The utter loss of all the realm of France.

113  Be patient, York: if we conclude a peace,
114  It shall be with such strict and severe covenants
115  As little shall the Frenchmen gain thereby.

116  Since, lords of England, it is thus agreed
117  That peaceful truce shall be proclaim'd in France,
118  We come to be informed by yourselves
119  What the conditions of that league must be.

120  Speak, Winchester; for boiling choler chokes
121  The hollow passage of my poison'd voice,
122  By sight of these our baleful enemies.

123  Charles, and the rest, it is enacted thus:
124  That, in regard King Henry gives consent,
125  Of mere compassion and of lenity,
126  To ease your country of distressful war,
127  And suffer you to breathe in fruitful peace,
128  You shall become true liegemen to his crown:
129  And Charles, upon condition thou wilt swear
130  To pay him tribute, submit thyself,
131  Thou shalt be placed as viceroy under him,
132  And still enjoy thy regal dignity.

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

138  'Tis known already that I am possess'd
139  With more than half the Gallian territories,
140  And therein reverenced for their lawful king:
141  Shall I, for lucre of the rest unvanquish'd,
142  Detract so much from that prerogative,
143  As to be call'd but viceroy of the whole?
144  No, lord ambassador, I'll rather keep
145  That which I have than, coveting for more,
146  Be cast from possibility of all.

147  Insulting Charles! hast thou by secret means
148  Used intercession to obtain a league,
149  And, now the matter grows to compromise,
150  Stand'st thou aloof upon comparison?
151  Either accept the title thou usurp'st,
152  Of benefit proceeding from our king
153  And not of any challenge of desert,
154  Or we will plague thee with incessant wars.

155  My lord, you do not well in obstinacy
156  To cavil in the course of this contract:
157  If once it be neglected, ten to one
158  We shall not find like opportunity.

159  To say the truth, it is your policy
160  To save your subjects from such massacre
161  And ruthless slaughters as are daily seen
162  By our proceeding in hostility;
163  And therefore take this compact of a truce,
164  Although you break it when your pleasure serves.

165  How say'st thou, Charles? shall our condition stand?

166  It shall;
167  Only reserved, you claim no interest
168  In any of our towns of garrison.

169  Then swear allegiance to his majesty,
170  As thou art knight, never to disobey
171  Nor be rebellious to the crown of England,
172  Thou, nor thy nobles, to the crown of England.
173  So, now dismiss your army when ye please:
174  Hang up your ensign, let your drums be still,
175  For here we entertain a solemn peace.