Page:Henry VI Part 1 (1918) Yale.djvu/23

King Henry the Sixth, I. ii

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 question 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 warlike mate.

Char. Thou hast astonish'd me with thy high terms.

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.

Joan. 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.

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

Joan. And, while I live, I'll ne'er fly from a man.

 93 high terms: lofty language

95 buckle: contend

99 Deck'd: adorned 