Henry VI, part 1, Act 3 Scene 2 runs 138 lines of dialogue, spoken by 12 speakers. That is longer than the play’s average scene length of about 102 lines. This scene is part of Act 3 of Henry VI, part 1.
Full Dialogue
Joan La Pucelle ♀
These are the city gates, the gates of Rouen,
Through which our policy must make a breach:
Take heed, be wary how you place your words;
Talk like the vulgar sort of market men
That come to gather money for their corn.
If we have entrance, as I hope we shall,
And that we find the slothful watch but weak,
I'll by a sign give notice to our friends,
That Charles the Dauphin may encounter them.
Through which our policy must make a breach:
Take heed, be wary how you place your words;
Talk like the vulgar sort of market men
That come to gather money for their corn.
If we have entrance, as I hope we shall,
And that we find the slothful watch but weak,
I'll by a sign give notice to our friends,
That Charles the Dauphin may encounter them.
First Soldier ♂
Our sacks shall be a mean to sack the city,
And we be lords and rulers over Rouen;
Therefore we'll knock.
And we be lords and rulers over Rouen;
Therefore we'll knock.
Watch ♂
[Within] Qui est la?
Joan La Pucelle ♀
Paysans, pauvres gens de France;
Poor market folks that come to sell their corn.
Poor market folks that come to sell their corn.
Watch ♂
Enter, go in; the market bell is rung.
Joan La Pucelle ♀
Now, Rouen, I'll shake thy bulwarks to the ground.
Charles ♂
Saint Denis bless this happy stratagem!
And once again we'll sleep secure in Rouen.
And once again we'll sleep secure in Rouen.
Bastard Of Orleans ♂
Here enter'd Pucelle and her practisants;
Now she is there, how will she specify
Where is the best and safest passage in?
Now she is there, how will she specify
Where is the best and safest passage in?
Reignier ♂
By thrusting out a torch from yonder tower;
Which, once discern'd, shows that her meaning is,
No way to that, for weakness, which she enter'd.
Which, once discern'd, shows that her meaning is,
No way to that, for weakness, which she enter'd.
Joan La Pucelle ♀
Behold, this is the happy wedding torch
That joineth Rouen unto her countrymen,
But burning fatal to the Talbotites!
That joineth Rouen unto her countrymen,
But burning fatal to the Talbotites!
Bastard Of Orleans ♂
See, noble Charles, the beacon of our friend;
The burning torch in yonder turret stands.
The burning torch in yonder turret stands.
Charles ♂
Now shine it like a comet of revenge,
A prophet to the fall of all our foes!
A prophet to the fall of all our foes!
Reignier ♂
Defer no time, delays have dangerous ends;
Enter, and cry 'The Dauphin!' presently,
And then do execution on the watch.
Enter, and cry 'The Dauphin!' presently,
And then do execution on the watch.
Talbot ♂
France, thou shalt rue this treason with thy tears,
If Talbot but survive thy treachery.
Pucelle, that witch, that damned sorceress,
Hath wrought this hellish mischief unawares,
That hardly we escaped the pride of France.
If Talbot but survive thy treachery.
Pucelle, that witch, that damned sorceress,
Hath wrought this hellish mischief unawares,
That hardly we escaped the pride of France.
Joan La Pucelle ♀
Good morrow, gallants! want ye corn for bread?
I think the Duke of Burgundy will fast
Before he'll buy again at such a rate:
'Twas full of darnel; do you like the taste?
I think the Duke of Burgundy will fast
Before he'll buy again at such a rate:
'Twas full of darnel; do you like the taste?
Burgundy ♂
Scoff on, vile fiend and shameless courtezan!
I trust ere long to choke thee with thine own
And make thee curse the harvest of that corn.
I trust ere long to choke thee with thine own
And make thee curse the harvest of that corn.
Charles ♂
Your grace may starve perhaps before that time.
Bedford ♂
O, let no words, but deeds, revenge this treason!
Joan La Pucelle ♀
What will you do, good grey-beard? break a lance,
And run a tilt at death within a chair?
And run a tilt at death within a chair?
Talbot ♂
Foul fiend of France, and hag of all despite,
Encompass'd with thy lustful paramours!
Becomes it thee to taunt his valiant age
And twit with cowardice a man half dead?
Damsel, I'll have a bout with you again,
Or else let Talbot perish with this shame.
Encompass'd with thy lustful paramours!
Becomes it thee to taunt his valiant age
And twit with cowardice a man half dead?
Damsel, I'll have a bout with you again,
Or else let Talbot perish with this shame.
Joan La Pucelle ♀
Are ye so hot, sir? yet, Pucelle, hold thy peace;
If Talbot do but thunder, rain will follow.
God speed the parliament! who shall be the speaker?
If Talbot do but thunder, rain will follow.
God speed the parliament! who shall be the speaker?
Talbot ♂
Dare ye come forth and meet us in the field?
Joan La Pucelle ♀
Belike your lordship takes us then for fools,
To try if that our own be ours or no.
To try if that our own be ours or no.
Talbot ♂
I speak not to that railing Hecate,
But unto thee, Alencon, and the rest;
Will ye, like soldiers, come and fight it out?
But unto thee, Alencon, and the rest;
Will ye, like soldiers, come and fight it out?
Alencon ♂
Signior, no.
Talbot ♂
Signior, hang! base muleters of France!
Like peasant foot-boys do they keep the walls
And dare not take up arms like gentlemen.
Like peasant foot-boys do they keep the walls
And dare not take up arms like gentlemen.
Joan La Pucelle ♀
Away, captains! let's get us from the walls;
For Talbot means no goodness by his looks.
God be wi' you, my lord! we came but to tell you
That we are here.
For Talbot means no goodness by his looks.
God be wi' you, my lord! we came but to tell you
That we are here.
Talbot ♂
And there will we be too, ere it be long,
Or else reproach be Talbot's greatest fame!
Vow, Burgundy, by honour of thy house,
Prick'd on by public wrongs sustain'd in France,
Either to get the town again or die:
And I, as sure as English Henry lives
And as his father here was conqueror,
As sure as in this late-betrayed town
Great Coeur-de-lion's heart was buried,
So sure I swear to get the town or die.
Or else reproach be Talbot's greatest fame!
Vow, Burgundy, by honour of thy house,
Prick'd on by public wrongs sustain'd in France,
Either to get the town again or die:
And I, as sure as English Henry lives
And as his father here was conqueror,
As sure as in this late-betrayed town
Great Coeur-de-lion's heart was buried,
So sure I swear to get the town or die.
Burgundy ♂
My vows are equal partners with thy vows.
Talbot ♂
But, ere we go, regard this dying prince,
The valiant Duke of Bedford. Come, my lord,
We will bestow you in some better place,
Fitter for sickness and for crazy age.
The valiant Duke of Bedford. Come, my lord,
We will bestow you in some better place,
Fitter for sickness and for crazy age.
Bedford ♂
Lord Talbot, do not so dishonour me:
Here will I sit before the walls of Rouen
And will be partner of your weal or woe.
Here will I sit before the walls of Rouen
And will be partner of your weal or woe.
Burgundy ♂
Courageous Bedford, let us now persuade you.
Bedford ♂
Not to be gone from hence; for once I read
That stout Pendragon in his litter sick
Came to the field and vanquished his foes:
Methinks I should revive the soldiers' hearts,
Because I ever found them as myself.
That stout Pendragon in his litter sick
Came to the field and vanquished his foes:
Methinks I should revive the soldiers' hearts,
Because I ever found them as myself.
Talbot ♂
Undaunted spirit in a dying breast!
Then be it so: heavens keep old Bedford safe!
And now no more ado, brave Burgundy,
But gather we our forces out of hand
And set upon our boasting enemy.
Then be it so: heavens keep old Bedford safe!
And now no more ado, brave Burgundy,
But gather we our forces out of hand
And set upon our boasting enemy.
Captain ♂
Whither away, Sir John Fastolfe, in such haste?
Fastolfe ♂
Whither away! to save myself by flight:
We are like to have the overthrow again.
We are like to have the overthrow again.
Captain ♂
What! will you fly, and leave Lord Talbot?
Fastolfe ♂
Ay,
All the Talbots in the world, to save my life!
All the Talbots in the world, to save my life!
Captain ♂
Cowardly knight! ill fortune follow thee!
Bedford ♂
Now, quiet soul, depart when heaven please,
For I have seen our enemies' overthrow.
What is the trust or strength of foolish man?
They that of late were daring with their scoffs
Are glad and fain by flight to save themselves.
For I have seen our enemies' overthrow.
What is the trust or strength of foolish man?
They that of late were daring with their scoffs
Are glad and fain by flight to save themselves.
Talbot ♂
Lost, and recover'd in a day again!
This is a double honour, Burgundy:
Yet heavens have glory for this victory!
This is a double honour, Burgundy:
Yet heavens have glory for this victory!
Burgundy ♂
Warlike and martial Talbot, Burgundy
Enshrines thee in his heart and there erects
Thy noble deeds as valour's monuments.
Enshrines thee in his heart and there erects
Thy noble deeds as valour's monuments.
Talbot ♂
Thanks, gentle duke. But where is Pucelle now?
I think her old familiar is asleep:
Now where's the Bastard's braves, and Charles his gleeks?
What, all amort? Rouen hangs her head for grief
That such a valiant company are fled.
Now will we take some order in the town,
Placing therein some expert officers,
And then depart to Paris to the king,
For there young Henry with his nobles lie.
I think her old familiar is asleep:
Now where's the Bastard's braves, and Charles his gleeks?
What, all amort? Rouen hangs her head for grief
That such a valiant company are fled.
Now will we take some order in the town,
Placing therein some expert officers,
And then depart to Paris to the king,
For there young Henry with his nobles lie.
Burgundy ♂
What wills Lord Talbot pleaseth Burgundy.
Talbot ♂
But yet, before we go, let's not forget
The noble Duke of Bedford late deceased,
But see his exequies fulfill'd in Rouen:
A braver soldier never couched lance,
A gentler heart did never sway in court;
But kings and mightiest potentates must die,
For that's the end of human misery.
The noble Duke of Bedford late deceased,
But see his exequies fulfill'd in Rouen:
A braver soldier never couched lance,
A gentler heart did never sway in court;
But kings and mightiest potentates must die,
For that's the end of human misery.
138 lines rendered verbatim from the dialogue corpus.
Who’s On Stage
Speaking characters in this scene
| Character | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Talbot | 56 | 40.6% |
| Joan La Pucelle | 30 | 21.7% |
| Bedford | 14 | 10.1% |
| Burgundy | 9 | 6.5% |
| Reignier | 6 | 4.3% |
| Bastard Of Orleans | 5 | 3.6% |
| Charles | 5 | 3.6% |
| Fastolfe | 4 | 2.9% |
| First Soldier | 3 | 2.2% |
| Captain | 3 | 2.2% |
Line distribution
The top speaker in this scene delivers 56 lines, while the scene’s average per speaker is about 12 lines.
Total speakers on stage
12 named characters speak in this scene.
Scene in Context
Position within Act 3
This is Scene 2 of 4 in Act 3 of Henry VI, part 1.
Scene length vs. play average
At 138 lines, this scene is longer than the Henry VI, part 1 average scene in Henry VI, part 1 (~102 lines).
Adjacent scenes
Previous: Act 3 Scene 1 · Next: Act 3 Scene 3
About Act 3 Scene 2 of Henry VI, part 1
Who carries Act 3 Scene 2 of Henry VI, part 1?
Talbot, with 56 lines — about 41% of the scene.
Is the scene a dialogue or a solo?
With 12 speakers and the lead holding 41% of the lines, this scene is a balanced multi-voice exchange.