Than is a slave in base servility,

For princes should be free.

Suf.

And so shall you,

If happy England's royal king be free.

Mar. Why, what concerns his freedom unto me? Suf. I'll undertake to make thee Henry's queen; To put a golden sceptre in thy hand,

And set a precious crown upon thy head,

If thou wilt condescend to be my-3

Mar.
Suf.

3

What?

Mar. I am unworthy to be Henry's wife.
Suf. No, gentle madam; I unworthy am
To woo so fair a dame to be his wife,
And have no portion in the choice myself.
How say you, madam; are you so content?

His love.

Mar. An if my father please, I am content. Suf. Then, call our captains, and our colours forth! 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.
Suf. See, Reignier, see thy daughter prisoner.
Reig. To whom?

Suf.

Reig.

To me.

Suffolk, what remedy?

I am a soldier, and unapt to weep,

Or to exclaim on fortune's fickleness.

Suf. 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 have woo'd and won thereto,

3 If thou wilt condescend to BE MY-] Steevens with plausibility supposed that the words "be my," in all the folios, were an interpolation, and that the incomplete sentence of Suffolk ended at to." The change is certainly an improvement of the measure, and gives a more delicate turn to the sense. In our text, however, we adhere to the old copies.

And this her easy-held imprisonment
Hath gain'd thy daughter princely liberty.
Reig. Speaks Suffolk as he thinks?
Suf.
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. Suf. 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.

Suf. Thanks, Reignier, happy for so sweet a child, Fit to be made companion with a king:

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.
Suf. That is her ransom, 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.

Suf. Reignier of France, I give thee kingly thanks, Because this is in traffic of a king:

And yet, methinks, I could be well content

To be mine own attorney in this case.

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.

Suf. Farewell, sweet madam! But hark you, Mar

garet;

No princely commendations to my king?

Mar. Such commendations as become a maid,

A virgin, and his servant, say to him.

Suf. Words sweetly plac'd, and modestly directed. But, madam, I must trouble you again,—

No loving token to his majesty?

Mar. Yes, my good lord; a pure unspotted heart,

Never yet taint with love, I send the king.

Suf. 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.

Suf. 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 wond'rous praise: Bethink thee on her virtues that surmount,

6

Mad, natural graces that extinguish art;

Repeat their semblance often on the seas,
That when thou com'st to kneel at Henry's feet,
Thou may'st bereave him of his wits with wonder.

[Exit.

4 modestly-] First folio, modesty. Corrected by the editor of the second folio.

5 - such PEEVISH tokens-] i. e. Such silly or trifling tokens. See Vol. ii. p. 150. 162; Vol. iii. p. 348; Vol. iv. p. 286. 523.

MAD, natural graces-] So the old copies; and Steevens explains "mad" as wild, with appearance of probability. Monck Mason would convert "mad" into and; but surely, if change be required, Mid is much nearer the letters and the sense then, the passage would run,

"Bethink thee on her virtues, that surmount,

Mid natural graces that extinguish art."

However, as a clear meaning is to be collected from the text of the folios, we are not warranted in introducing the alteration. The Rev. Mr. Barry prefers Made, the reading of the folio 1632, to "Mad."

SCENE IV.

Camp of the Duke of YORK, in Anjou.

Enter YORK, WARWICK, and Others.

York. Bring forth that sorceress, condemn'd to burn. Enter LA PUCELLE, guarded; and a Shepherd.

Shep. Ah, Joan! this kills thy father's heart outright.

Have I sought every country far and near,

And, now it is my chance to find thee out,

Must I behold thy timeless cruel death?

Ah, Joan! sweet daughter Joan, I'll die with thee.
Puc. Decrepit miser'! base ignoble wretch!

I am descended of a gentler blood:

Thou art no father, nor no friend, of mine.

Shep. Out, out!-My lords, an please you, 'tis not

so;

I did beget her, all the parish knows:

Her mother liveth yet, can testify,

She was the first fruit of my bachelorship.

War. Graceless! wilt thou deny thy parentage? York. This argues what her kind of life hath been; Wicked and vile; and so her death concludes.

Shep. Fie, Joan! that thou wilt be so obstacles!
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.

7 Decrepit MISER!] "Miser" is of course here employed in its etymological sense, and it was not uncommon so to use it at the period.

81

that thou wilt be so OBSTACLE !] In various writers of the time of Shakespeare, and earlier, "obstacle" was used for obstinate. Steevens produces instances from Chapman's " May-Day," 1611, and Chettle's "Hoffman," printed in 1631, but written about 30 years earlier: other proofs might be found without much difficulty.

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

Thy mother gave thee, when thou suck'dst her breast,
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.

[Exit.

York. Take her away; for she hath lived too long,

To fill the world with vicious qualities.

Puc. First, let me tell you whom you have condemn'd;

Not me 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,

9 No; misconceived Joan of Arc hath been

A virgin from her tender infancy,] Malone, Steevens, and other modern editors, strangely point this passage as follows:

"No, misconceived! Joan of Arc hath been," &c.

and add in a note, that "misconceived" is to be understood misconceivers; when in fact the meaning merely and clearly is, that Joan asserts that she has herself been mistaken and "misconceived," as she is not what she has been supposed to be. Capell boldly inserted misconceivers, as if it were Shakespeare's text.

VOL. V.

H