Will cry for vengeance at the gates of heav'n.
York. Ay, ay; away with her to execution.
War. And heark ye, Sirs; because she is a maid,
Spare for no faggots, let there be enow:

Place pitchy barrels on the fatal stake,
That fo her torture may be shortened.

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

York. Now heav'n forefend! the holy maid with child!
War. The greatest miracle that ere you wrought:
Is all your ftrict precifenefs come to this?

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

War. Well, go to; we will have no baftards live; Efpecially, fince Charles muft father it.

Pucel. You are deceiv'd, my child is none of his ; It was Alanfan that enjoy'd my love.

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

Pucel. 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, fhe knows not well,
(There were fo many) whom the may accufe.
War. It's fign, the hath been liberal and free.
York. And yet forfooth, fhe is a virgin pure.
Strumpet, thy words condemn thy brat and thee :
Ufe no intreaty, for it is in vain.

Pucel. Then lead me hence; with whom I leave my
curfe.

May never glorious fun reflex his beams
Upon the country where you make abode !
But darkness and the gloomy fhade of death
Inviron you, 'till mischief and despair

Drive you to break your necks, or hang your felves!
[Exit guarded.
York. Break thou in pieces, and confume to ashes,
Thou foul accurfed minifter of hell!

Enter Cardinal of Wincefter.

Car. Lord Regent, I do greet your Excellence
With letters of Commiffion from the King.
For know, my lords, the states of Christendom,
Mov'd with remorfe of these outrageous broils,
Have earnestly implor'd a gen'ral Peace
Betwixt our nation and th' afpiring French;
And fee at hand the Dauphin, and his train,
Approaching to confer about fome matters.

York. Is all our travel turn'd to this effect?
After the flaughter of fo many Peers,
So many Captains, gentlemen and foldiers,
That in this quarrel have been overthrown,
And fold their bodies for their country's benefit,
Shall we at laft conclude effeminate Peace?
Have we not loft most part of all the towns,
By treason, falfhood, and by treachery,
Our great progenitors had conquered?
Oh, Warwick, Warwick! I forefee with grief
The utter lofs of all the realm of France.

War. Be patient, York; if we conclude a Peace,
It fhall be with fuch ftrict and fevere covenants,
As little fhall the Frenchmen gain thereby.

Enter Charles, Alanfon, Baftard, and Reignier.
Char. Since, lords of England, it is thus agreed,
That peaceful Truce fhall be proclaim'd in France;
We come to be informed by your felves,
What the conditions of that league must be.

York. Speak, Winchester; for boiling choler chokes The hollow paffage of my prifon'd voice,

By fight of thefe our baleful enemies.

Win. Charles and the reft, it is enacted thus: That in regard King Henry gives confent,

Of meer compaffion and of lenity,

To ease your Country of distressful war,
And suffer you to breathe in fruitful Peace;
You fhall become true liegemen to his Crown.
And Charles, upon condition thou wilt fwear
To pay him tribute and submit thy felf,
Thou shalt be plac'd as Viceroy under him;
And ftill enjoy thy regal dignity.

Alan. Muft he be then a fhadow of himself?
Adorn his temples with a Coronet,
And yet in fubftance and authority
Retain but privilege of a private man?
This proffer is abfurd and reafonless.

Char. 'Tis known, already that I am poffeft
Of more than half the Gallian Territories,
And therein rev'renc'd for their lawful King.
Shall I, for lucre of the reft un-vanquifh'd,
Detract fo much from that prerogative,
As to be call'd but Viceroy of the whole ?
No, lord Ambaffador, I'll rather keep
That which I have, than, coveting for more,
Be caft from poffibility of all.

York. Infulting Charles, haft thou by fecret means
Us'd interceffion to obtain a League;

And now the matter grows to compromife,
Stand'ft thou aloof upon comparison ?
Either accept the title thou ufurp'ft,
Of benefit proceeding from our King,
And not of any challenge of defert,
Or we will plague thee with inceffant wars.
Reig. My lord, you do not well in obftinacy
To cavil in the courfe of this Contract:
If once it be neglected, ten to one,
We fhall not find like opportunity.

Alan. To fay the truth, it is your policy,
To fave your Subjects from fuch maffacre,
And ruthlefs flaughters, as are daily seen
By our proceeding in hoftility.

And therefore take this compact of a Truce,

Although

Although you break it, when your pleasure ferves. [Afide, to the Dauphin. War. How fay'ft thou, Charles? fhall our Condition

ftand?

Char. It fhall:

Only referv'd, you claim no interest

In any of our towns of garrifon.

York. Then fwear allegiance to his Majefty.
As thou art Knight, never to disobey,

Nor be rebellious to the Crown of England:
Thou, nor thy Nobles, to the Crown of England.
So now difmifs your army, when you please:
Hang up your enfigns, let your drums be ftill,
For here we entertain a folemn Peace.

SCENE changes to England.

[Exeunt

Enter Suffolk, in Conference with King Henry; Gloucester, and Exeter.

YOUR wondrous rare description, noble

K. Henry. Y Earl,

Of beauteous Margaret hath aftonish'd me:
Her virtues, graced with external gifts,
Do breed love's fettled paffions in my heart.
And, like as rigour of tempeftuous gufts
Provokes the mightieft hulk against the tide,
So am I driv'n by breath of her renown,
Either to fuffer fhipwreck, or arrive
Where I may have fruition of her love.
Suf. Tufh, my good lord, this fuperficial tale
Is but a preface to her worthy praise :
The chief perfections of that lovely dame,
(Had I fufficient skill to utter them,)
Would make a volume of inticing lines,
Able to ravish any dull conceit.
And, which is more, fhe is not fo divine,
So full replete with choice of all delights,
But with as humble lowlinefs of mind

She

She is content to be at your command:
Command, I mean, of virtuous 'chafte intents,
To love and honour Henry as her lord.

K. Henry. And otherwife will Henry ne'er prefume:
Therefore, my lord Protector, give confent,
That Margret may be England's Royal Queen.
Glou. So fhould I give confent to flatter fin.
You know, my lord, your Highness is betroth'd
Unto another lady of esteem:

How fhall we then dispense with that Contract,
And not deface your honour with reproach?
Suf. As doth a Ruler with unlawful oaths;
Or one, that at a triumph having vow'd
To try his ftrength, forfaketh yet the Lifts
By reafon of his adverfary's odds.

A poor Earl's daughter is unequal odds;
And therefore may be broke without offence.

Glou. Why, what, I pray, is Margret more than that? Her father is no better than an Earl,

Although in glorious titles he excel.

Suf. Yes, my good lord, her father is a King,

The King of Naples and Ferufalem;

And of fuch great Authority in France,

That his Alliance will confirm our Peace;

And keep the Frenchmen in allegiance.

Glou. And fo the Earl of Armagnac may do, Because he is near kinsman unto Charles.

Exe. Befide, his wealth doth warrant lib'ral Dow'r, While Reignier fooner will receive, than give.

Suf. A Dow'r, my lords! difgrace not fo your King, That he should be fo abject, bafe and poor,

To chufe for wealth, and not for perfect love.

Henry is able to enrich his Queen;

And not to feek a Queen, to make him rich.
So worthless peasants bargain for their wives,
As market-men for Oxen, Sheep or Horse.
But marriage is a matter of more worth,
Than to be dealt in by Attorneyship :

Not whom we will, but whom his Grace affects,

Muft