The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)
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nor grieve that Rouen has been recaptured:
there's no sense in worrying about
things we can do nothing about.
Let mad Talbot enjoy his triumph for a while,
and flaunt his tail like a peacock;
we'll pull out his feathers and remove his tail,
if the Dauphin and his followers will do as I say.
CHARLES.
We have been guided by thee hitherto,
And of thy cunning had no diffidence:
One sudden foil shall never breed distrust.
We have been guided by you so far,
and had no doubts about your plans:
one setback won't unsettle our faith.
BASTARD.
Search out thy wit for secret policies,
And we will make thee famous through the world.
Use your intelligence to devise cunning plans,
and we will make you famous throughout the world.
ALENCON.
We'll set thy statue in some holy place,
And have thee reverenced like a blessed saint.
Employ thee then, sweet virgin, for our good.
We’ll put up your statue in some holy place,
and have you worshipped like a blessed saint.
Get to work then, sweet virgin, for our good.
PUCELLE.
Then thus it must be; this doth Joan devise:
By fair persuasions mix'd with sugar'd words
We will entice the Duke of Burgundy
To leave the Talbot and to follow us.
Then this is how it must be; this is what Joan advises:
with good offers mixed with sweet words
we shall persuade the Duke of Burgundy
to leave Talbot and follow us.
CHARLES.
Aye, 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 provinces.
Well, yes, sweetheart, if we could do that,
France would be no place for Henry's soldiers;
that country wouldn't keep up the fight with us,
they would be thrown out of our lands.
ALENCON.
For ever should they be expulsed from France,
And not have title of an earldom here.
They would be expelled from France forever,
and they would not have so much as an earldom left here.
PUCELLE.
Your honours shall perceive how I will work
To bring this matter to the wished end.
[Drum sounds afar off.]
Hark! by the sound of drum you may perceive
Their powers are marching unto Paris-ward.
Here sound an English march. Enter, and pass over
at a distance, Talbot and his forces.
There goes the Talbot, with his colors spread,
And all the troops of English after him.
[French march. Enter the Duke of Burgundy and forces.]
Now in the rearward comes the duke and his:
Fortune in favor makes him lag behind.
Summon a parley; we will talk with him.
[Trumpets sound a parley.]
Your Honours will see how I work
to bring this matter to its desired conclusion.
Listen–by the sound of the drum you can hear that
their forces are marching to Paris.
There goes Talbot with his banners flying,
and all the English forces following him.
Now behind him comes the Duke and his:
fortune favours us, making him fall behind.
Call a meeting. We shall talk to him.
CHARLES.
A parley with the Duke of Burgundy!
We wish to speak with the Duke of Burgundy!
BURGUNDY.
Who craves a parley with the Burgundy?
Who wants to speak with the Duke of Burgundy?
PUCELLE.
The princely Charles of France, thy countryman.
The royal Charles of France, your countryman.
BURGUNDY.
What say'st thou, Charles? for I am marching
hence.
What you have to say, Charles? I'm marching away.
CHARLES.
Speak, Pucelle, and enchant him with thy words.
Speak, Pucelle, and enchant him with your words.
PUCELLE.
Brave Burgundy, undoubted hope of France!
Stay, let thy humble handmaid speak to thee.
Brave Burgundy, the greatest hope in France!
Wait, let your humble servant speak to you.
BURGUNDY.
Speak on; but be not over-tedious.
Speak, but don't drag it out.
PUCELLE.
Look on thy country, look on fertile France,
And see the cities and the towns defaced
By wasting ruin of the cruel foe.
As looks the mother on her lowly babe
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.
Look at your country, look at fertile France,
see the cities and towns damaged
by the vicious attacks of the cruel enemy.
As a mother looks on her tiny baby
when death closes his sweet dying eyes,
see the terrible illness of France;
see the wounds, the most unnatural wounds,
which you yourself have inflicted on her.
Oh, turn your sharp sword in another direction;
attack those who are wounding, don't wound those who help you.
One drop of blood from your countrymen should give you
more grief than rivers of foreign blood:
so come back with a flood of tears,
and wash away the bloodstains on your country.
BURGUNDY.
Either she hath bewitch'd me with her words,
Or nature makes me suddenly relent.
Either she has bewitched me with her words,
or nature has suddenly made me change my mind.
PUCELLE.
Besides, all French and France exclaims on thee,
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 free 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 slaughtermen.
Come, come, return; return, thou wandering lord;
Charles and the rest will take thee in their arms.
Besides, all of France and the French cry out against you,
doubting your birth and legitimacy.
Who are you allied to but a haughty nation,
who will only use you for their own profit?
When Talbot has got a foothold here
in France,
using you to achieve that evil end,
who but English Henry will rule?
You will be thrown out like a fugitive.
Let's remember–just think of this–
wasn't the Duke of Orleans your enemy?
And wasn't he prisoner in England?
But when they heard he was your enemy
they set him free without asking for a ransom,
to spite Burgundy and his allies.
So you see, you are fighting your own countrymen,
and on the side of those who would like to kill you.
Come, come, come back; come back, you wandering lord.
Charles and the others will welcome you.
BURGUNDY.
I am vanquished; these haughty words of hers
Have batt'red me like roaring cannon-shot,
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.
I have been beaten; these proud words of hers
have battered me like shot from a cannon,
and made me surrender, almost down on my knees.
Forgive me, my country, and sweet countrymen,
and lords, except this happy sincere embrace:
my men and I are at your service:
so, farewell, Talbot; I shall no longer trust you.
PUCELLE.
[Aside] Done like a Frenchman: turn and turn
again!
[Aside] Done like a Frenchman: always changing sides!
CHARLES.
Welcome, brave duke; thy friendship makes us
fresh.
Welcome, brave Duke; your friendship rejuvenates us.
BASTARD.
And doth beget new courage in our breasts.
You've put new courage into our hearts.
ALENCON.
Pucelle hath bravely play'd her part in this,
And doth deserve a coronet of gold.
Pucelle has done her part well in this,
and deserves a golden crown.
CHARLES.
Now let us on, my lords, and join our powers,
And seek how we may prejudice the foe.
Now let's go on, my lords, and join our forces,
and see what harm we can do our enemies.
[Exeunt.]
[Enter the King, Gloucester, Bishop of Winchester, York,
Suffolk, Somerset, Warwick, Exeter: Vernon, Basset, and
others. To them with his soldiers, Talbot.]
TALBOT.
My gracious Prince, and honourable peers,
Hearing of your arrival in this realm,
I have awhile given truce unto my wars,
To do my duty to my sovereign:
In sign whereof, this arm, that hath reclaim'd
To your obedience fifty fortresses,
Twelve cities and seven walled towns of strength,
Beside five hundred prisoners of esteem,
Lets fall his sword before your highness' feet,
And with submissive loyalty of heart
Ascribes the glory of his conquest got
First to my God and next unto your grace. [Kneels.]
My gracious Prince, and honourable peers,
hearing of your arrival in this country,
I have suspended my military activities for a while,
to pay my respects to my Monarch:
as a symbol of this, this arm, that has captured
for your Highness fifty fortresses,
twelve cities and seven strong walled towns,
as well as five hundred noble prisoners,
lays his sword at the feet of your Highness,
and with a humble loyal heart
attributes the glory of his victories
firstly to God, and next to your Grace.
KING.
Is this the Lord Talbot, uncle Gloucester,
That hath so long been resident in France?
Uncle Gloucester, is this the Lord Talbot,
who has been living in France for so long?
GLOUCESTER.
Yes, if it please your majesty, my liege.
It is, my lord.
KING.
Welcome, brave captain and victorious lord!
When I was young, as yet I am not old,
I do remember how my father said
A stouter champion never handled sword.
Long since we were resolved of your truth,
Your faithful service and your toil in war;
Yet never have you tasted our reward,
Or been reguerdon'd with so much as thanks,
Because till now we never saw your face:
Therefore, stand up: and for these good deserts,
We here create you Earl of Shrewsbury;
And in our coronation take your place.
Welcome, brave captain and victorious lord!
When I was young–I'm still not old–
I can remember my father saying
that no braver man ever handled a sword.
For a long time I have known of your loyalty,
your faithful service and your military efforts;
but you have never been rewarded by me,
or even received my thanks in compensation,
because until now I had never met you:
so, stand up: for all your good efforts,
I declare you the Earl of Shrewsbury;
you shall take your place at my coronation.
[Sennet. Flourish. Exeunt all but Vernon and Basset.]
VERNON.
Now, sir, to you, that were so hot at sea,
Disgracing of these colors that I wear
In honor of my noble Lord of York:--
Dar'st thou maintain the former words thou spakest?
Now, sir, you who were so brave on board ship,
insulting these colours that I wear
in honour of my noble Lord of York:
do you stick by what you said before?
BASSET.
Yes, sir; as well as you dare patronage
The envious barking of your saucy tongue
Against my lord the Duke of Somerset.
Yes sir, just as much as you carry on
with your cheeky insults against
my lord the Duke of Somerset.
VERNON.
Sirrah, thy lord I honor as he is.
Sir, I honour your lord for what he is.
BASSET.
Why, what is he? as good a man as York.
Why, what is he? He's as good a man as York.
VERNON.
Hark ye; not so: in witness, take ye that.
You listen, that's not true: to show you that, take that.
[Strikes him.]
BASSET.
Villain, thou know'st the law of arms is such
That whoso draws a sword, 'tis present death,
Or else this blow should broach thy dearest blood.
But I 'll unto his majesty, and crave
I may have liberty to venge this wrong;
When thou shalt see I 'll meet thee to thy cost.
Villain, you know that military law is such
that whoever draws a sword will be executed at once,
or otherwise your blood would be spilt in return for this blow.
But I shall go to his Majesty, and beg him
to give me permission to take my revenge for this insult;
then you'll see I will fight you to your cost.
VERNON.
Well, miscreant, I 'll be there as soon as you;
And, after, meet you sooner than you would.
Well, you scoundrel, I'll get there at the same time as you;
and after that I'll be more willing to fight a duel than you.
[Exeunt.]
[Enter the King, Gloucester, Bishop of Winchester, York,
Suffolk, Somerset, Warwick, Talbot, Exeter, the Governor
of Paris, and others.]
GLOUCESTER.
Lord bishop, set the crown upon his head.
Lord Bishop, put the crown on his head.
WINCHESTER.
God save King Henry, of that name the sixth!
God save King Henry, the sixth of that name!
GLOUCESTER.
Now, Governor of Paris, take your oath,
That you elect no other king but him;
Esteem none friends but such as are his friends,
And none your foes but such as shall pretend
Malicious practices against his state:
This shall ye do, so help you righteous God!
Now, Governor of Paris, take your oath,
that you will choose no other king but him;
that you will not count anybody as allies except his allies,
and that your only enemies will be those
who undertake malicious actions against his position:
swear you shall do this, so help you righteous God!
[Enter Sir John Fastolfe.]
FASTOLFE.
My gracious sovereign, as I rode from Calais,
To haste unto your coronation,
A letter was deliver'd to my hands,
Writ to your Grace from the Duke of Burgundy.
My gracious sovereign, as I rode from Calais,
hurrying to your coronation,
a letter was put into my hands,
written to your grace from the Duke of Burgundy.
TALBOT.