And then do execution on the watch.

[They enter.

Alarums. Enter Talbot, and certain English. Tal. 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 escap'd the pride of France.

[Exeunt to the town.

Alarum: Excursions. Enter from the Town, Bedford, brought in sick, in a Chair, with Talbot, Bur gundy, and the English Forces. Then enter on the Walls, La Pucelle, Charles, Bastard, Alencon, and others.

Puc. 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?

Bur. 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. Char. Your grace may starve, perhaps, before that time.

Bed. O, let no words, but deeds, revenge this treason! Puc. What will you do, good grey-beard? break a lance,

And run a tilt at death within a chair?

Tal. 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 his shame.

Puc. Are you so hot, sir?-Yet, Pucelle, hold thy

peace;

If Talbot do but thunder, rain will follow.➡

[Talbot, and the rest, consult together. God speed the parliament! who shall be the speaker? Tal. Dare ye come forth, and meet us in the field? Puc. Belike, your lordship takes us then for fools, To try if that our own be ours, or no.

Tal. I speak not to that railing Hecate,

But unto thee, Alencon, and the rest;

Will ye, like soldiers, come and fight it out?
Alen. Signior, no.

Tal. Signior, hang!-base muleteers of France!
Like peasant foot-boys do they keep the walls,
And dare not take up arms like gentlemen.

Puc. Captains, away: lets get us from the walls For Talbot means no goodness, by his looks.God be wi' you, my lord! we came, sir, but to tell you That we are here.

[Exeunt La Pucelle, &c. from the walls. Tal. 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.

Bur. My vows are equal partners with thy vows.
Tal. 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.

Bed. 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.

Bur. Courageous Bedford, let us now persuade you.

Bed. 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.

Tal. 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.

[Exeunt Burgundy, Talbot, and Forces, leav

ing Bedford, and others. Alarum: Excursions. Enter Sir John Fastolfe, and a Captain.

Cap. Whither away, sir John Fastolfe, in such haste?

Fast. Whither away? to save myself by flight; We are like to have the overthrow again.

Cap. What will you fly, and leave lord Talbot ? Fast. Ay, All the Talbots in the world, to save my life. [Exit. Cap. Cowardly knight! ill fortune follow thee!

[Exit.

Retreat: Excursions. Enter from the town La Pu⚫
celle, Alencon, Charles, &c. and exeunt flying.
Bed. 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.

[Dies, and is carried off in his chair.

Alarum: Enter Talbot, Burgundy, and others.
Tal. Lost, and recover'd in a day again!
This is a double honour, Burgundy :-
Yet, heavens have glory for this victory!
Bur. Warlike and martial Talbot, Burgundy
Vol. 4

E

Enshrines thee in his heart; and there erects

Thy noble deeds, as valour's monument.

Tal. 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 a-mort? 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 Harry, with his nobles, lies.
Bur. What wills lord Talbot, pleaseth Burgundy.
Tal. But yet, before we go, let's not forget
The noble duke of Bedford, late deceas'd,
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.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III-The same. The Plains near the city. Enter Charles, the Bastard, Alencon, La Pucelle, and Forces.

Puc. Dismay not, princes, at this accident,
Nor grieve that Rouen is so recovered:
Care is no cure, but rather corrosive,
For things that are not to be remedied.
Let frantic Talbot triumph for a while,
And like a peacock sweep along his tail;
We'll pull his plumes, and take away his train,
If dauphin, and the rest, will be but rul'd.
Char. We have been guided by thee hitherto,
And of thy cunning had no diffidence ;
One sudden foil shall never breed distrust.
Bast. Search out thy wit for sceret policies

And we will make thee famous through the world.
Alen. We'll set thy statue in some holy place,
And have thee reverenc'd like a blessed saint;
Employ thee then, sweet virgin, for our good.
Puc. Then thus it must be; this doth Joan devise:
By fair persuasions, mix'd with sugar'd words,
We will entice the duke of Burgundy,

To leave the Talbot, and to follow us.

Char. Ay, marry, sweeting, if we could do that,
France were no place for Henry's warriors;
Nor should that nation boast it so with us,
But be extirped from our provinces.

Alen. For ever should they be expuls'd from France, And not have title to an earldom here.

Puc. Your honours shall perceive how I will work, To bring this matter to the wished end. [Drums heard. Hark! by the sound of drum, you may perceive Their powers are marching unto Paris-ward. An English March. Enter, and pass over at a distance, Talbot and his forces.

There

goes the Talbot, with his colours spread; And all the troops of English after him..

A French March. Enter the Duke of Burgundy and

Forces.

Now, in the rearward, comes the duke, and his;
Fortune, in favour, makes him lag behind.

Summon a parley, we will talk with him.

[A parley sounded. Char. A parley with the duke of Burgundy. Bur. Who craves a parley with the Burgundy? Puc. The princely Charles of France, thy country

man.

Bur. What say'st thou, Charles? for I am marching hence.

Char. Speak, Pucelle; and enchant him with thy words.