JOAN OF ARC

Joan of Arc is represented in the First Part of King Henry VI as a sorceress and as having superphysical powers. In Scene II, Act I, the attempt by the French army to raise the siege of Orleans has been abandoned after a consultation following an attack; but at that moment the Dauphin's ally appears and introduces a new factor:

Methinks your looks are sad, your cheer appall'd:
Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence?
Be not dismay'd, for succour is at hand:

A holy maid hither with me I bring,

Which by a vision sent to her from heaven

Ordained is to raise this tedious siege,

And drive the English forth the bounds of France.

The spirit of deep prophecy she hath,

Exceeding the nine sibyls of old Rome;

What's past and what's to come she can descry.

Speak, shall I call her in?

Believe my words,

For they are certain and infallible.

The Dauphin orders her called in and before she comes arranges a little trap for her.

* * * But first, to try her skill,
Reignier, stand thou as Dauphin in my place:
Question her proudly; let thy looks be stern:
By this means shall we sound what skill she hath.

The Dauphin retires behind the curtains and Joan of Arc is brought in. Reignier, pretending to be the Dauphin, says:

Joan:

Fair maid, is't thou wilt do these wondrous feats?

Reignier, is't thou that thinkest to beguile me?
Where is the Dauphin? Come, come from be-
hind;

I know thee well, though never seen before.
Be not amaz'd, there's nothing hid from me:
In private will I talk with thee apart.

Stand back, you lords, and give us leave a while. Reignier:

Joan:

She takes upon her bravely at first dash.

Dauphin, I am by birth a shepherd's daughter,
My wit untrain'd in any kind of art.

Heaven and our Lady gracious hath it pleas'd
To shine on my contemptible estate:
Lo! whilst I waited on my tender lambs,

And to sun's parching heat display'd my cheeks,
God's mother deigned to appear to me,
And in a vision full of majesty

Will'd me to leave my base vocation
And free my country from calamity:
Her aid she promis'd and assur'd success;
In complete glory she reveal'd herself;
And, whereas I was black and swart before,
With those clear rays which she infus'd on me,
That beauty am I bless'd with which you see.
Ask me what questions thou canst possible
And I will answer unpremeditated:
My courage try by combat, if thou dar'st,
And thou shalt find that I exceed my sex.
Resolve on this, thou shalt be fortunate
If thou receive me for thy war-like mate.
Charles:

Thou hast astonish'd me with thy high terms.

Joan:

Only this proof I'll of thy valour make,
In single combat thou shalt buckle with me,
And if thou vanquishest, thy words are true;
Otherwise I renounce all confidence.

I am prepar'd: here is my keen-edg'd sword.
Deck'd with five flower-de-luces on each side;
The which at Touraine, in Saint Katharine's
churchyard,

Out of a great deal of old iron I chose forth.
Charles:

Joan:

Then come, o' God's name: I fear no woman.

And, while I live, I'll never fly from a man.

Charles:

[They fight, and Joan La Pucelle overcomes.

Stay, stay thy hands! thou art an Amazon,
And fightest with the sword of Deborah.

A little later Joan of Arc says:

Assign'd am I to be the English scourge.
This night the siege assuredly I'll raise:
Expect Saint Martin's summer, halcyon days,
Since I have entered into these wars.

Glory is like a circle in the water,
Which never ceaseth to enlarge itself,

Till by broad spreading it disperse to nought.
With Henry's death the English circle ends;
Dispersed are the glorys it included.
Now am I like that proud insulting ship
Which Caesar and his fortune bare at once.

Charles:

Was Mahomet inspired with a dove?
Thou with an eagle art inspired then.
Helen, the mother of great Constantine,
Nor yet Saint Philip's daughters were like thee.
Bright star of Venus, fall'n down on the earth,
How may I reverently worship thee enough?

Alencon:

Leave off delays and let us raise the siege.
Reignier:

Woman, do what thou canst to save our honours;
Drive them from Orleans and be immortalis'd.

It is in Scene IV, Act I, that old Talbot, having been released through an exchange of prisoners, is welcomed back; and in which Salisbury, his close friend, is killed. Talbot is the most fearless warrior of the invading hosts and his ferocity is brought out by the conversation.

Salisbury:

Yet tell'st thou not how thou wert entertain'd. Talbot:

With scoffs and scorns and contumelious taunts.
In open market-place produc'd they me,
To be a public spectacle to all:

Here, said they, is the terror of the French,
The scarecrow that affrights our children so.
Then broke I from the officers that led me,
And with my nails digg'd stones out of the
ground

To hurl at the beholders of my shame.
My grisly countenance made others fly.

None durst come near for fear of sudden death.
In iron walls they deem'd me not secure ;
So great fear of my name 'mongst them was
spread

That they suppos'd I could rend bars of steel
And spurn in pieces posts of adamant:
Wherefore a guard of chosen shot I had,
That walk'd about me every minute-while;
And if I did but stir out of my bed

Ready they were to shoot me to the heart.

Notwithstanding Talbot's great valor and the

fact that he has just sworn vengeance on the French for the death of Salisbury, he is not able to vanquish Joan. In Scene V, Act I, we have this:

Talbot:

Joan:

Where is my strength, my valour, and my force?
Our English troops retire, I cannot stay them;
A woman clad in armor chaseth them;

Re-enter Joan La Pucelle.

Here, here she comes. I'll have a bout with thee:
Devil, or devil's dam, I'll conjure thee:
Blood will I draw on thee, thou art a witch,
And straightway give thy soul to him thou serv'st.

Come, come; 'tis only I that must disgrace thee.
[They fight.

Talbot:

Joan:

Heavens, can you suffer hell so to prevail?
My breast I'll burst with straining of my courage,
And from my shoulders crack my arms asunder,
But I will chastise this high-minded strumpet.
[They fight again.

Talbot, farewell; thy hour is not yet come;
I must go victual Orleans forthwith.

[A short alarum; then La Pucelle enters the
town with soldiers.
O'ertake me if thou canst; I scorn thy strength.
Go, go, cheer up thy hunger-starved men;
Help Salisbury to make his testament:

This day is ours, as many more shall be. [Exit. Talbot:

My thoughts are whirled like a potter's wheel;
I know not where I am, nor what I do;

A witch, by fear, not force, like Hannibal,
Drives back our troops and conquers as she lists:
So bees with smoke, and doves with noisome
stench,