1 smock; me? 1 3 T ។ Char. Mean time, look gracious or thy prostrate Glo. Lieutenant, is it you, whose voice I hear? thrall. Open the gates; here's Gloster, that would enter. The cardinal of Winchester forbids : Glo. Foint-hearted Woodville, prizest him 'fore Arrogant Winchester ? that haughty prelate, These women are shrewd tempters with their Whom Henry, our late sovereign, ne'er could tongues. brook Reig. My lord, where are you? what devise you Thou art no friend to God, or to the king : on? Open the gates, or I'll shut thce out shortly. Shall we give over Orleans, or no? 1 Serv. Open the gates unto the lord protector; Puc. Why, no, I say, distri!stful recreants! Or we'll burst them open, if that you come not Fight till the last gasp; I will be your guard. quickly. Char. What she says, I'll confirm; we'll fight Enter Winchester, attended by a train of servants, it out. Pue. Assign'd am I to be the English scourge. in tawny-coats. This night the siege assuredly I'll raise : Win. How now, ambitious Humphrey ? what Expect Saint Martin's summer,' halcyon days, means this? Since I have entered into these wars. Glo. Pield pricst, dost thou command me to be Glory is like a circle in the water, shut out? Which never ceascth to enlarge itself, Win. I do, thou most usurping proditore, Thou that contriv’dst to murder our deau lord; Thou, that giv’st v hores indulgences to sin: Which Cæsar and his fortune bare at once. I'll canvass thee in thy broad cardinal's hat, Char. Was Mahomet inspired with a dove? Ir thou proceed in this thy insolence. Though with an eagle art inspired then. Win. Nay, stand thou back, I will not budge a foot; Glo. I will not slay thee, but I'll drive thee back: Win. Do what thou dar’st; 'I beard thee to thy face. Char. Presently we'll try:-Come, let's away Glo. What? am I dar'd, and bearded to my about it: face? No prophet will I trust, if she prove false. (Exe. Draw, men, for all this privileged place; SCENE III.--London. Hill before the Tower. Blue-coats to tawny-coats. Priest, beware your Enter, at the gates, the Duke of Gloster, with [Gloster and his men attack the bishop. his serving-men in blue coats. I mean to tug it, and to cuff you soundly : Win. Gloster, thou'lt answer this before the pope. (Servants knock. Glo. Winchestergoose, I cry—a rope ! a rope ! 1 Ward. [Within.) Who is there that knocks so Now beat them hence, why do you let them stay?imperiously? Thee I'll chase hence, thou wolf in sheep's array,1 Serv. It is the noble duke of Gloster. Out, tawney-coats !-out, scarlet hypocrite! 2 Ward. (Within.) Whoe'er he be, you may Here a great tumult. In the midst of it, enter not be let in. I Serv. Answer you so the lord protector, villains ? the Mayor of London, and officers. 1 Ward. (Within.) The Lord protect him! so May. Fie, lords ! that you, being supreme mawe answer him : gistrates, We do no otherwise than we are willid. Thus contumeliously should break the peace ! Glo. Who willed you ? or whose will stands but Glo. Peace, mayor ; thou knowest little of my mine? There's none protector of the realm, but I. Here's Beaufort, that regards nor God nor king Break up the gates, I'll be vour warrantize: Hath here distrain'd the Tower to his use, Shall I be fouted thus by dunghill grooms ? Win. Here's Gloster too, a foe to citizens : Servants rush at the Tower gates. Enter, to the one that still motions war, and never peace, gates, Woodville, the lieutenant. O’ercharging your free purses with large fines; Wood. (Within.) What noise is this ? what trai- That seeks to overthrow religion, tors have we here? (3) Thert. (4) Break open. (1) Expect prosperity after misfortune. (5) Alluding to his shaven crown. (6) Traitor, (2) Meaning the four daughters of Philip, men (7) Sift. (8) A strumpet Lions in Acts xxi, 9. (9) An allusion to the bishop's habit. beard ; wrongs: sure: Because he is protector of the realm; Which I, disdaining, scorn'd; and craved death, And would have armour here out of the Tower, Rather than I would be so pil'd esteem'd. To crown himself king, and suppress the prince. In fine, redeem'd I was as I desir'd. Glo. I will not answer thee with words, but blows. But, O! the treacherous Fastolfe wounds my heart! (Here they skirmish again. Whom with my bare fists I would execute, May. Nought rests for me, in this tumultuous If I now had him brought into my power. strife, Sal. Yet tell'st thou not, how thou wert enterBut to make open proclamation: tain'd. Come, Officer; as loud as e'er thou canst. Tal. With scoffs, and scorns, and contumelious Of. Au manner of men, assembled here in arms in open market-place produc'd they me, taunts. this day, againsi God's peace and the king's, we To be a public spectacle to all ; charge and command you, in his highness' name, Here, said they, is the terror of the French, to repair to your several dwelling-places; and not to wear, handle, or use, any şirord, weapon, Then broke I from the officers that led me; The scarc-crow that aflrights our children so. or dagger, hence forward, upon pain of death. And with my nails digg'd stones out of the ground, Glo. Cardinal, I'll be no breaker of the law: To hurl at the beholders of my shame. But we shall meet, and break our minds at large. My grisly countenance made others fly; Win. Gloster, we'll meet; to thy dear cost, be None durst come near for fear of sudden death. In iron walls they deem'd me not secure; Thy heart-blood I will have for this day's work. So great fear of my name 'mongst them was spread, May. I'll call for clubs,' if you will not away:- That they supposed, I could rend bars of steel, That walk'd about me every minute-while; [Exeunt. Ready they were to shoot me to the heart. May. See the coast clear'd, and then we will Sal. I grieve to hear what torments you endur'd, depart. — But we will be reveng'd sufficiently. Good God!' that nobles should such stomachs bear! Now it is supper-time in Orleans : I myself fight not once in forty year. (Exeunt. Here, through this grate, I can count every one, And view the Frenchmen how they fortify; SCENE IV.-France. Before Orleans. Enter Let us look in, the sight will much delight thee.on the walls, the Master-Gunner and his Son. Sir Thomas Gargrave, and sir William Glansdale, M. Gun. Sirrah, thou know'st how Orleans is Let me have your express opinions, besieg'd: Where is best place to make our battery next. And how the English have the suburbs won. Gar. I think, at the north gate ; for there stand Son. Father, I know; and oft have shot at them, lords. Howe'er, unfortunate, I miss'd my aim. Glan. And I, here, at the bulwark of the bridge. M. Gun. But now thou shalt not. Be thou rul'd Tal. For aught I see, this city must be famishd, by me: Or with slight skirmishes enfeebled. Chief master-gunner am I of this town; [Shot from the toucn. Salisbury and Sir Something I must do, to procure me grace:3 Thomas Gargrave fall. The prince's espials have inform'd me, Sal. O Lord, have mercy on us, wretched sinners! How the English, in the suburbs close entrench'd, Gar. O Lord, have mercy on me, woful man! Wont, through a secret grate of iron bars Tal. What chance is this, that suddenly hath In yonder tower, to overpeer the city; cross'd us? And thence discover, how, with most advantage, Speak, Salisbury; at least, if thou canst speak; They may vex us, with shot, or with assault. How far'st thou, mirror of all martial men! To intercept this inconvenience, One of thy eyes, and thy cheek's side struck off!-A piece of ordnance 'gainst it I have plac'd; Accursed tower! accursed fatal hand, And fully even these three days have I watch'd, That hath contrived this woful tragedy ! If I could see them. Now, boy, do thou watch, In thirteen battles Salisbury o'ercame; For I can stay no longer. Henry the Filth he first trained to the wars; If thou spy'st any, run and bring me word; Whilst any trump did sound, or drum struck up, And thou shalt find me at the governor's. [Exit. His sword did ne'er leave striking in the field.- Son. Father, I warrant you; take you no care; Yet liv'st thou, Salisbury ? though thy speech doth I'll never trouble you, if I may spy them. fail, One eve thou hast to look to heaven for grace: Ir Salisbury want mercy at thy hands! Sir Thomas Gargrave, hast thou any life? look ир. to him. Discourse, I pr’ythee, on this turret's top. Salisbury, cheer thy spirit with this comfort ; Tal. The duke of Bedford had a prisoner, | Thou shalt not die, whiles Called the brave lord Ponton de Santrailles; He beckons with his hand, and smiles on me; For him I was exchang'd and ransomed. As who should say, When I am dead and goné, But with a baser man of arms by far, Remember to avenge me on the French, Once, in contempt, they would have barter'd me: Plantaganet, I will; and Nero-like, (1) That is, for peace-officers armed with clubs (2) Pride. (3) Favour. (4) Spies or staves. (5) So stripped of honours. 1 Play on the lute, beholding the towns burn : You all consented unto Salisbury's death, Wretched shall France be only in my name. For none would strike a stroke in his revenge. [Thumder heard: afterwards an alarum. Pucelle is enter'd into Orleans, What stir is this? what tumuli's in the heavens ? In spite of us, or aught that we could do. Whence cometh this alarum, and the noise ? O, would I were wo die with Salisbury ! The shanse hereof will make me hide my head. Enter a Messenger. (.Harum. Retreat. Exeunt Talbot and his Mess. My lord, my lord, the French have gather'd forces, fic. head: The Dauphin, with one Joan la Pucelle join'd, - SCENE VI. The same. Enter, on the walls, PuA holy prophetess new risen up,-. celle, Charles, Reignier, Alençon, and soldiers. Is come with a great power to raise the siege. Puc. Advance our waving colours on the walls; (Salisbury groans. Rescu'd is Orleans from the English wolves:Tal. Hear, hear, how dying Salisbury doth groan! Thus Joan la Pucelle hath perform'u her word. It irks his heart he cannot be reveng'd. Char. Divinest creature, bright Astræa's daughter, Frenchmen, I'll be a Salisbury to you ; How shall I honour thee for this success ? Pucelle or puzzel,' dolphin or dogfish, Thy promises are like Adonis' gardens, Your hearts I'll stamp out with my horse's heels, That one day bloom’d, and fruitsul were the next.And make a quagmire of your mingled brains.- France, triumph in thy glorious prophetess ! Convey me Salisbury into his tent, Recover'd is the town of Orleans : And then we'll try what these dastard Frenchmen More blessed hap did ne'er befall our state. dare. [Exeunt, bearing out the bodies. Reig. Why ring not out the bells throughout the town? SCENE V.-The same. Before one of the gates: Dauphin, command the citizens make bonfires, Alarum. Skirmishings. Talbot pursueth the And feast and banquet in the open streets, la Pucelle, driving Englishmen before her. Then Alen. All France will be replete with mirth and enter Talbot. joy, Tal. Where is my strength, my valour, and my When they shall hear how we have played the men, force? Char. 'Tis Joan, not we, by whom the day is won; And all the priests and friars in my realm Shall, in procession, sing her endless praise. A statelier pyramis to her l'll rear, In memory of' her, when she is dead, (They fight. Before the kings and queens of France. Puc. Talbot, farewell; thy hour is not yet come: ACT II. SCENE I.-The same. Enter, to the gates, a [Pucelle enters the town, wilh soldiers. Tal. My thoughts are whirled like a potter's French Sergeant, and two Sentinels. wheel; Serg. Sirs, take your places, and be vigilant: I know not where I am, nor what I do: If any noise, or soldier, you perceive, A witch, by fear, not force, like Hannibal, Near to the walls, by some apparent sign, Drives back our troops, and conquers as she lists; Let us have knowledge at the court of guard.' So bees with smoke, and doves with noisome stench, 1 Sent. Sergeant, you shall. [Exit Serg.) Thus Are from their hives, and houses, driven away. are poor servitors They called us, for our fierceness, English dogs; (When others sleep upon their quiet beds,), Now, like to whelps, we crying run away. Constrain'd to watch in darkness, rain, and cold. (A short alarum. Hark, countrymen! cither renew the fight, Enter Talbot, Bedford, Burgundy, and forces, Or tear the lions out of England's coat; with scaling-ladders; their drums beating a Renounce your soil, give sheep in lions' stead : dead march. Sheep run not half so timorous from the wolf, Tal. Lord regent,-and redoubted Burgundy, Or horse, or oxen, from the leopard, By whose approach, the regions of Artois, As you fly from your oft-subdued slaves. Walloon, and Picardy, are friends to us,(Alarum. Another skirmish. This happy night the Frenchmen are secure, It will not be :--retire into your trenches : Having all day carous'd and banqueted: Embrace we then this opportunity; (1) Dirty wench. As fitting best to quittance their deceit, The superstition of those times taught, that Contrivă by art, and baleful sorcery. he who could draw a witch's bloud was free from (3) The same as guard-room. her power. Bed. Coward of France !-how much he wrongs (I was employ'd in passing to and fro, his fame, About relieving of the sentinels : Despairing of his own arm's fortitude, Then how, or which way, should they first break in To join with witches, and the help of hell. Puc. Question, my lords, no further of the case, Bur. Traitors have never other company.- How, or which way ; 'uis sure, they found some But what's that Pucelle, whom they terın so pure ? place Tal. A maid, they say. But weakly guarded, where the breach was made, Bed. A maid ? and be so martial ? And now there rests no other shift but this,Bur. Pray God, she prove not masculine ere long: To gather our soldiers, scatter'd and dispers’d, If underneath the standard of the French, And lay new platforms to endamage them. She carry armour, as she hath begun. Alarum. Enter an English Soldier, crying, A Tal. Well, let them practice and converse with Talbot ! a Talbot! They fly, Leaving their spirits : clothes behind. God is our fortress; in whose conquering name, Let us resolve to scale their flinty bulwarks. Sold. I'll be so bold to take what they have left. Bed. Ascend, brave Talbot; we will follow thee. The cry of Talbot serves me for a sword; Tal. Not altogether: better far, I guess, For I have loaden me with many spoils, That we do make our entrance several ways; Using no other weapon but his name. (Exit. That, if it chance the one of us do fail, SCENE II.-Orleans. Within the tonon. Enler The other yet may rise against their force. Talbot, Bedford, Burgundy, a Captain, and Bed. Agreed ; I'll to yon corner. others. Bur. And I to this. Tal. And here will Talbot mount, or make his Bed. The day begins to break, and night is filed, Whose pitchy mantle over-veil'd the earth. grave.Now, Salisbury! for thee, and for the right Here sound retreat, and cease our hot pursuit. Of English Henry, shall this night appear (Retreat sounded, How much in duty I am bound to both. Tal. Bring forth the body of old Salisbury; And here advance it in the market-place, [The English scale the walls, crying St. George! The middle centre of this cursed town. a Talbot ! and all enter by the town. Now have I paid my vow unto his soul; Sent. (Within. ) Arm, arm! the enemy doth make For every drop of blood was drawn from him, assault! There hath at least five Frenchmen died to-night. The French leap over the walls in their shirts. What ruin happen'd in revenge of hin, And, that hereafter ages may behold Enter, several ways, Bastard, Alençon, Reignier, Within their chiefest temple l’ll erect half ready, and half unready. A tomb, wherein his corpse shall be interr'd: Alen. How now, my lords! what, all unready' so? Upon the which, that every one may read, Bast. Unready? ay, and glad we scap'd so well. Shall be engravd the sack of Orleans ; Reig. 'Twas time, I trow, to wake and leave our The treacherous manner of his mournful death, beds, And what a terror he had been to France. Hearing alarums at our chamber-doors. But, lords, in all our bloody massacre, Alen. of all exploits, since first I follow'd arms, I muse,' we met not with the dauphin's grace; Ne'er heard I of a warlike enterprise His new-come champion, virtuous Joan of Arc; More venturous, or desperate, than this. Nor any of his false confederates. Bast. I think, this Talbot be a fiend of hell. Bed. 'Tis thought, lord Talbot, when the fight Reig. If not of hell, the heavens, sure, favour him. began, Alen. Here cometh Charles ; Í marvel, how he Rous'd on the sudden from their drowsy beds, sped. 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, Bast. Tut! holy Joan was his defensive guard. For smoke, and dusky vapours of the night) Char. Is this thy cunning, thou deceitful dame? Am sure, I scar’d the dauphin and his trull; Didst thou at first, to flatter us withal, When arm in arm they both came swiftly running, Make us partakers of a little gain, Like to a pair of loving turtle-doves, That now our loss might be ten times so much? That could not live asunder day or night. Puc. Wherefore is Charles impatient with his After that things are set in order here, friend? We'll follow them with all the power we have. At all times will you have my power alike? Sleeping, or waking, must I still prevail, Enter a Messenger. Or will you blame and lay the fault on me? Mess. All hail, my lords ! which of this princely Improvident soldiers ! had your watch been good, train This sudden mischief never could have fall'n. Call ye the warlike Talbot, for his acts Char. Duke of Alençon, this was your default; So much applauded through the realm of France ? That, being captain of the watch to-night, Tal. Here is the Talbot; who would speak with Did look no better to that weighty charge. him? Alen. Had all your quarters been as safely kept, Mess. The virtuous lady, countess of Auvergne, As that whereof I had the government, With modesty admiring thy renown, We had not been thus shamefully surpris'd. By me entreats, good lord, thou would'st vouchsafe Bast. Mine was secure. To visit her poor castle where she lies ;* Reig. And so was mine, my lord. That she may boast, she hath beheld the man Char. And, for myself, most part of all this night, Whose glory fills the world with loud report. Within her quarter, and mine own precinct, Bur. Is it even so ? Nay, then, I see, our wars (1) Undressed. (2) Plans, schemes. (3) Wonder. (4) i. e. Where she dwello. 3 men Will turn unto a peaceful comic sport, And sent our sons and husbands captivate. When ladies crave to be encounter'd with. Tal. Ha, ha, ha! You may not, my lord, despise her gentle suit. Count. Laughest thou, wretch ? thy mirth shall Tal. Ne'er trust me then; for, when a world of turn to moan. Tal. I laugh to see your ladyship so fond, Could not prevail with all their oratory, To think that you huve augbt but Talbot's shadow, Yet hath a woman's kindness over-ruld: Whereon to practise your severity. Tal. I am indeed. Will not your honours bear me company? Count. Then have I substance too. For what you see, is but the smallest part I tell you, inadam, were the whole frame here, Come hither, captain. (Whispers:]-You perceive It is of such a spacious losiy pitch, my mind. Your roof were not sufficient to cintain it. Cap. I do, my lord; and mean accordingly. Count. This is a riddling merchant for the (Ereunt. nonce ; He will be here, and yet he is not here: SCENE III.Auvergne. Court of the castle. How can these contrarieties agree? Enter the Countess and her Porter. Tal. That will I show you presently. Count. Porter, remember what I gave in charge ; He winds a horn. Drums heard; then a peal of And, when you have done so, bring the keys to me. Port. Madam, I will. ordnance. The gates being forced, enter soldiers. [Exit. Count. The plot is laid: if all things fall out right, That Talbot is but shadow of himselt"? How say you, madam? are you now persuaded, I shall as famous be by this exploit, As Scythian Thomyris by Cyrus' death. These are his substance, sinews, arms, and strength, Great is the rumour of this dreadful knight, With which he yoketh your rebellious necks; And his achievements of no less account; Razeth your cities, and subverts your towns, Fain would mine eyes be witness with mine ears, And in a moment makes them desolate. To give their censure' of these rare reports. Count. Victorious Talbot ! pardon my abuse : I find, thou art no less than fame hath bruited ;s Enter Messenger and Talbot. And more than may be gather'd by thy shape. Mess. Madam, Let my presumption not provoke thy wrath ; According as your ladyship desir'd, For I am sorry, that with reverence I did not entertain thee as thou art. Tal. Be not dismay'd, fair lady ; nor misconstrue man? The mind of Talbot, as you did mistake The outward composition of his body. No other satisfaction do I crave, But only (with your patience,) that we may Taste of your winc, and see what cates you have; I thought, I should have seen some Hercules, For soldiers' stomachs always serve them well. A second Hector, for his grim aspect, Count. With all my heart: and think me honoured And large proportion of his strong-knit limbs. To feast so great a warrior in my house. (Exeunt. Alas! this is a child, a silly dwart": It cannot be, this weak and writhled? shrimp, SCENE IV.-London. The Temple Garden. Should strike such terror to his enemies. Enter the Earls of Somerset, Suffolk, and Tal. Madam, I have been bold to trouble you: Warwick; hard Plantagenet, Vernon, and But since your ladyship is not at leisure, another Lawyer. I'll sort some other time to visit you. Plan. Great lords, and gentlemen, what means Count. What means he now?-Go ask him this silence ? Dare no man ajiswer in a case of truth? Tal. Marry, for that she's in a wrong belief, Plan. Then say at once, if I maintain'd the truth; I go to certifý' her, Talbot's here. Or else was wrangling Somerset in the error ? Suff. 'Faith, I have been a truant in the law; Re-enter Porter, with keys. And never yet could frame my will to it; Count. If thou be he, then art thou prisoner. And, therefore, frame the law unto my will. Tal. Prisoner! to whom? Som. Judge you, ny lord of Warwick, then Count. To me, blood-thirsty lord; between us. And for that cause I train'd thee to my house. War. Between two hawks, which flies the higher Long time thy shadow hath been thrall to me, pitch; For in my gallery thy picture hangs : Between two dogs, which hath the deeper mouth; But now the substance shall endure the like; Between two blades, which bears the better temper; And I will chain these legs and arms of thine, Between two horses, which doth bear him last ; That hast by tyranny, these many years, Between two girls, which hath the merriest eve; Wasted our country, slain our citizens, I have, perhaps, some shallow spirit of judginent, (1) For opinion. (2) Wrinkled. (5) Announced loudly. (3) Foolisn. (4) For a purpose. (6) i. e. Regulate his niotions most adroitly, |