O give me leave, I have deluded you.

‘Twas neither Charles nor yet the Duke I named,

But René King of Naples that prevailed.

WARWICK

A married man?—That’s most intolerable.

RICHARD DUKE OF YORK

Why, here’s a girl; I think she knows not well—

There were so many—whom she may accuse.

WARWICK

It’s sign she hath been liberal and free.

RICHARD DUKE OF YORK

And yet forsooth she is a virgin pure!

(To joan) Strumpet, thy words condemn thy brat and

thee.

Use no entreaty, for it is in vain.

JOAN

Then lead me hence; with whom I leave my curse.

May never glorious sun reflex his beams

Upon the country where you make abode,

But darkness and the gloomy shade of death

Environ you till mischief and despair

Drive you to break your necks or hang yourselves.

Enter the Bishop of Winchester, now Cardinal

RICHARD DUKE OF YORK (to Joan)

Break thou in pieces, and consume to ashes,

Thou foul accursed minister of hell.

⌈Exit Joan, guarded⌉

WINCHESTER

Lord Regent, I do greet your excellence

With letters of commission from the King.

For know, my lords, the states of Christendom,

Moved with remorse of these outrageous broils,

Have earnestly implored a general peace

Betwixt our nation and the aspiring French,

And here at hand the Dauphin and his train

Approacheth to confer about some matter.

RICHARD DUKE OF YORK

Is all our travail turned to this effect?

After the slaughter of so many peers,

So many captains, gentlemen, and soldiers

That in this quarrel have been overthrown

And sold their bodies for their country’s benefit,

Shall we at last conclude effeminate peace?

Have we not lost most part of all the towns

By treason, falsehood, and by treachery,

Our great progenitors had conquered?

O Warwick, Warwick, I foresee with grief

The utter loss of all the realm of France!

WARWICK

Be patient, York. If we conclude a peace

It shall be with such strict and severe covenants

As little shall the Frenchmen gain thereby.

Enter Charles the Dauphin, the Duke of Alençon, the Bastard of Orléans, and René Duke of Anjou

CHARLES

Since, lords of England, it is thus agreed

That peaceful truce shall be proclaimed in France,

We come to be informed by yourselves

What the conditions of that league must be.

RICHARD DUKE OF YORK

Speak, Winchester; for boiling choler chokes

The hollow passage of my poisoned voice

By sight of these our baleful enemies.

WINCHESTER

Charles and the rest, it is enacted thus:

That, in regard King Henry gives consent,

Of mere compassion and of lenity,

To ease your country of distressful war

And suffer you to breathe in fruitful peace,

You shall become true liegemen to his crown.

And, Charles, upon condition thou wilt swear

To pay him tribute and submit thyself,

Thou shalt be placed as viceroy under him,

And still enjoy thy regal dignity.

ALENÇON

Must he be then as shadow of himself?—

Adorn his temples with a coronet,

And yet in substance and authority

Retain but privilege of a private man?

This proffer is absurd and reasonless.

CHARLES

’Tis known already that I am possessed

With more than half the Gallian territories,

And therein reverenced for their lawful king.

Shall I, for lucre of the rest unvanquished,

Detract so much from that prerogative

As to be called but viceroy of the whole?

No, lord ambassador, I’ll rather keep

That which I have than, coveting for more,

Be cast from possibility of all.

RICHARD DUKE OF YORK

Insulting Charles, hast thou by secret means

Used intercession to obtain a league

And, now the matter grows to compromise,

Stand‘st thou aloof upon comparison?

Either accept the title thou usurp’st,

Of benefit proceeding from our king

And not of any challenge of desert,

Or we will plague thee with incessant wars.

RENÉ (aside to Charles)

My lord, you do not well in obstinacy

To cavil in the course of this contract.

If once it be neglected, ten to one

We shall not find like opportunity.

ALENÇON (aside to Charles)

To say the truth, it is your policy

To save your subjects from such massacre

And ruthless slaughters as are daily seen

By our proceeding in hostility;

And therefore take this compact of a truce,

Although you break it when your pleasure serves.

WARWICK

How sayst thou, Charles? Shall our condition stand?

CHARLES It shall,

Only reserved you claim no interest

In any of our towns of garrison.

RICHARD DUKE OF YORK

Then swear allegiance to his majesty,

As thou art knight, never to disobey

Nor be rebellious to the crown of England,

Thou nor thy nobles, to the crown of England.

⌈They swear⌉

So, now dismiss your army when ye please.

Hang up your ensigns, let your drums be still;

For here we entertain a solemn peace. Exeunt