Stand back, you lords, and give us leave a-¡ Which never ceaseth to enlarge itself, while. Reig. She takes upon her bravely at first dash. Puc. 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 Only this proof I'll of thy valour make,- Puc. I am prepar'd; here is my keen-edg’d Deck'd with five flour-de-luces on each side; The which at Touraine, in Saint Katharine's church-yard, Out of a deal of old iron I chose forth. Char. Then come o'God's name, I fear no Woman. man. Puc. And, while I live, I'll ne'er fly from a And fightest with the sword of Deborah. Char. Whoe'er helps thee, 'tis thou that must Impatiently I burn with thy desire ; My heart and hands thou hast at once subdu'd. Puc. I must not yield to any rites of love, trate thrall. Reig. My lord, methinks, is very long in talk. Alen. Doubtless be shrives this woman to her smock: Else ne'er could he so long protract his speech. Reig. Shall we disturb him, since he keeps no mean? These women are shrewd tempters with tongues. Till by broad spreading, it disperse to nought. Char. Was Mahomet inspired with a dove?* Reig. Woman, do what thou can'st to save Drive them from Orleans, and be immortaliz'd. about it: No prophet will I trust, if she prove false. [Exeunt. SCENE III.-London.-Hill before the Enter, at the Gates, the Duke of GLOSTER, 1 Ward. [Within.] Who is there that knocks 1 Serv. It is the noble Duke of Gloster. not be let in. 1 Serv. Answer you so the lord protector, villains? 1 Ward. [Within.] The Lord protect him! We do no otherwise than we are will'd. but mine? There's none protector of the realm, but I.- SERVANTS rush at the Tower Gates. Enter, Glo. Lieutenant, is it you, whose voice I Open the gates: here's Gloster that would enter. From him I have express commandment, The cardinal of Winchester forbids: 'fore me? Arrogant Winchester? that haughty prelate, Whom Harry, our late sovereign, ne'er could brook ? Alen. He may mean more than we poor men Thou art no friend to God or to the king: do know: Open the gates, or I'll shut thee out shortly. their 1 Serv. Open the gates unto the lord protector; [quickly. Or we'll burst them open, if that you come not Enter WINCHESTER, Attended by a Train of Servants in tawny Coats. Reig. My lord, where are you? what devise you on? Shall we give over Orleans or no? Puc. Why, no, I say, distrustful recreants! Fight till the last gasp; I will be your guard. Char. What she says, I'll confirin; we'll fight it out. Puc. Assign'd am I to be the English scourge. Be firmly persuaded of it. Win. How now, ambitious Humphry? what means this? Glo. Piel'd priest, dost thou command me to be shut out? Mahomet persuaded his followers that a dove which he had taught when hungry to light upon his shoulder, and thrust its bill into his mouth, was the Holy Ghost! + Meaning the four daughters of Philip mentioned in Acts xxi. 9. 1 Theft. Break open. Alluding to his shaven crown. Out, tawny coats!-out, scarlet || bypocrite! Here a great Tumult. In the midst of it, Enter the MAYOR of London, and Officers. May. Fie, lords! that you, being supreme magistrates, Thus contumeliously should break the peace! Glo. Peace, mayor; thou know'st little of my wrongs: Here's Beaufort that regards nor God nor king, Hath here distrain'd the Tower to his use. Win. Here's Gloster too a foe to citizens: One that still motions war, and never peace, O'ercharging your free purses with large fines; That seeks to overthrow religion, Because he is protector of the realm; And would have armour here out of the Tower To crown himself king, and suppress the prince. Glo. I will not answer thee with words, but blows. [Here they skirmish again. May. Nought rest for me, in this tumultuous strife, But to make open proclamation :- Off. All manner of men assembled here in arms this day, against God's peace and the king's, we charge and command you, in his highness' name, to repair to your several dwelling-places; and not to wear, handle, or use any sword, weapon, or dagger, henceforward, upon pain of death. Glo. Cardinal, I'll be no breaker of the law: But we shall meet, aud break our minds at large. Win. Gloster, we'll meet; to thy dear coast be sure: Thy heart-blood I will have, for this day's work. May. I'll call for clubs, ¶ if you will not away: This cardinal is more haughty than the devil. Glo. Mayor, farewell: thou dost but what thou may'st. Win. Abominable Gloster! guard thy head; For I intend to have it ere long. . Traitor. [Exit. The public stews were formerly licensed by the Bishop of Winchester, and their inmates obtained the uame of Winchester geese. 1 Sift. 6 A strumpet. An allusion to the Bishop's habit. That is, for peace-officers armed with clubs or staves. M. Gun. Sirrah, thou know'st how Orleans And how the English have the suburbs won. is besieg'd; Son. Father, I know; and oft have shot, at them, Howe'er, unfortunate, I miss'd my aim. M. Gun. But now thou shalt not. Be thou Chief master-gunner am I of this town; rul'd by me : Something I must do, to procure me grace: + The prince's espials have informed me, How the English, in the suburbs close inWont, through a secret gate of iron bars trench'd, In yonder tower, to overpeer the city; They may vex us, with shot or with assault. A piece of ordnance 'gainst it I have plac'd ; [Exit, Son. Father, I warrant you; take you no care; I'll never trouble you, if I may spy them. Sal. Talbot, my life, my joy, again return'd ? Tal. The duke of Bedford had a prisoner, But on the treacherous Fastolfe wounds my heart: Sal. Yet tell'st thou not, how thou wert en tertain'd. Tal. With scoffs, and scorns, and contumelious taunts. In open market-place produc'd they me, Here, said they, is the terror of the French, And with my nails digg'd stones out of the ground, To hurl at the beholders of my shame. In iron walls they deem'd me not secure; That they suppos'd I could rend bars of steel, + Favour. So stripped of honours. Sal. I grieve to hear what torments you] SCENE V.-The same.-Before one of the Yet liv'st thou, Salisbury? though thy speech doth fail, One eye thou hast, to look to heaven for grace: The sun with one eye vieweth all the world.- He beckons with his hand, and smiles on me ; As who should say, When I am dead and gone, Remember to avenge me on the French.— Gates. Alarum. Skirmishings. the DAUPHIN, and driveth him in: then Our English troops retire, I cannot stay them;' come: must go victual Orleans forthwith. [PUCELLE enters the Town, with Soldiers. Tal. My thoughts are whirled like a potter's wheel; 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, Are from their hives and houses driven away. Now, like to whelps, we crying run away. As you fly from your oft subdued slaves. [Alarum. Another Skirmish. Play on the lute, beholding the towns burn: vens ? Whence cometh this alarum, and the noise? Enter a MESSENGER. Mess. My lord, my lord, the French have The Dauphin with one Joan la Pucelle join'd,- It irks his heart, he cannot be reveng'd.- Your hearts I'll stamp out with my horse's heels, O would I were to die with Salisbury! SCENE VI.-The same. Enter, on the Walls: PUCELLE, CHARLES, Rescu'd is Orleans from the English wolves:- How shall I honour thee for this success ? And make a quagmire of your mingled brains.-Thy promises are like Adonis' gardens, And then we'll try what these dastardly French men dare. [Exeunt, bearing out the Bodies. A dirty wench. France, triumph in thy glorious prophetess I Dauphin, comunand the citizens make boufires, When they shall hear how we have play'd the men. Char. 'Tis Joan, not we, by whom the day For which, I will divide my crown with her : [Flourish. Exeunt. Enter TALBOT, BEDFORD, BURGUNDY, and Tal. Lord regent, and redoubted Burgundy, Bed. Coward of France !-how much Despairing of his own arin's fortitude, he But what's that Pucelle, whom they term so pure? Tul. A maid, they say, Bed. A maid! and be so martial! Tal. Not all together: better far, I guess, Bur. And I to this. Tal. And here will Talbot mount, or make Now Salisbury! for thee, and for the right [The English scale the Walls, crying St. Sent. [Within.] Arm, arm! the enemy doth The French leap over the Walls in their Alen. How now, my lords? what, all un- Bast. Unready? ay, and glad we 'scap'd so well. Reig. 'Twas time, I trow, to wake and leave our beds, Hearing alarums at our chamber doors. Alen. Of all exploits, since first I follow'd arms, Ne'er heard I of a warlike enterprize bell. Reig. If not of hell, the heavens sure favour him. Alen. Here cometh Charles; I marvel, how he sped. Enter CHARLES, and LA PUCELLE. Bast. Tut! holy Joan was his defensive guard. Char. Is this thy cunning, thou deceitful Make us partakers of a little gain, That now our loss might be ten times so much? his friend? At all times will you have my power alike? This sudden mischief never could have fall'n. That, being captain of the watch to-night, As that whereof I had the government, We had not been thus shamefully surpriz'd. Reig. And so was nine, my lord. Char. And, for myself, most part of all this night, Bur. Pray God, she prove not masculine ere I was employ'd in passing to and fro, Within her quarter, and mine own precinct, long; If underneath the standard, of the French, Tal. Well, let them practise and converse with spirits, God is our fortress; in whose conquering name, thee. Rhodope, a famous strumpet, built one of the pyra-To gather our soldiers, scatter'd and dispers'd, mids from the profits of her trade. ander took Gaza, he found an exceeding rich and beau- Alarum. Enter an English SOLDIER, crying, I mean to prove this lady's courtesy. a Talbot! a Talbot ! They Дy, leaving their Clothes behind. Sold. I'll be so bold to take what they have The cry of Talbot serves me for a sword; [Exit. SCENE II.—Orleans.~Within the Town. Enter TALBOT, BEDFORD, BURGUNDY, a CAPTAIN, and others. Bed. The day begins to break, and night is fled, Whose pitchy mantle over-veil'd the earth. And, that hereafter ages may behold A tomb, wherein his corpse shall be interr'd: Bed. 'Tis thought, lord Talbot, when the fight began, Rons'd on the sudden from their drowsy beds, They did, amongst the troops of armed men, Leap o'er the walls for refuge in the field. Bur. Myself (as far as I could well discern, For smoke, and dusky vapours of the night,) Am sure I scar'd the Dauphin and his trull; When arm in arm they both came swiftly runLike to a pair of loving turtle-doves, [ning, That could not live asunder day or night. After that things are set in order here, We'll follow them wtih all the power we have. To visit her poor castle where she lies; + Bur. Is it even so? Nay, then, I see our wars Could not prevail with all their oratory, Come hither, captain. [Whispers.}~You per ceive my mind. Capt. I do, my lord; and mean accordingly. [Exeunt. SCENE III.-Auvergne.-Court of the Castle. Enter the COUNTESS and her PORTER. Count. Porter, remember what I gave in charge; And, when you have done so, bring the keys to me. Port. Madam, I will. [Erit. Count. The plot is laid if all things fall out right, I shall as famous be by this exploit, To give their censure of these rare reports. Enter MESSENGER and TALBOT. Mess. Madam, According as your ladyship desir'd, My message crav'd, so is lord Talbot come. Count. And he is welcome. What! is this the man ? Mess. Madam, it is. Count. Is this this the scourge of France ? Is this the Talbot, so much fear'd abroad, That with his name the mothers still their babes ? I see, report is fabulous and false : I thought, I should have seen some Hercules, It cannot be, this weak and writhled shrimp Tal. Madam, I have been bold to trouble you: But, since your ladyship is not at leisure, Mess. Stay, my lord Talbot; for my lady craves To know the cause of your abrupt departure. Tal. Marry, for that she's in a wrong belief, I go to certify her Talbot's here. Re-enter PORTER, with Keys. Count. If thou be he, then art thou prisoner. Tal. Prisoner! to whom? Count. To me, blood-thirsty lord; And for that cause I train'd thee to my house. Long time thy shadow hath been thrall to me, For in my gallery thy picture hangs : But now the substance shall endure the like; And I will chain these legs and arms of thine, That hast by tyranny, these many years, Wasted our country, slain our citizens, And sent our sons and husbands captivate. Tal. Ha, ha, ha! Count. Laughest thon, wretch? thy mirth shall turn to moan. Tal. I laugh to see your ladyship so fond To think that you have aught but Talbot's sha |