Alarums; Excursions; afterwards a Retreat. Re-enter CHARLES, ALENCON, REIGNIER, and others.

Char. Who ever saw the like? what men have I!

Dogs, cowards, dastards!-I would ne'er have fled,

But that they left me 'midst my enemies.
Reig. Salisbury is a desperate homicide;
He fighteth as one weary of his life.
The other lords, like lions wanting food,
Do rush upon us as their hungry prey.

Alen. Froissart, a countryman of ours, records,
England all Olivers and Rowlands bred
During the time Edward the Third did reign.
More truly now may this be verified;
For none but Samsons and Goliasses

It sendeth forth to skirmish. One to ten;
Lean rawboned rascals! who would e'er suppose
They had such courage and audacity?

Char. Let's leave this town; for they are hair-brained slaves,

And hunger will enforce them to be more eager.
Of old I know them: rather with their teeth
The walls they'll tear down, than forsake the siege.
Reig. I think, by some odd gimmals or device,
Their arms are set like clocks, still to strike on;
Else ne'er could they hold out so as they do.
By my consent we'll e'en let them alone.

Alen. Be it so.

Enter the BASTARD of ORLEANS. Bast. Where's the Prince Dauphin? I have

news for him.

Char. Bastard of Orleans, thrice welcome to us. Bast. Methinks your looks are sad, your cheer appalled:

Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence?
Be not dismayed, for succour is at hand:
A holy maid hither with me I bring,
Which, by a vision sent to her from heaven,
Ordained is to raise this tedious siege,
And drive the English forth the bounds of France.
The spirit of deep prophecy she hath,
Exceeding the nine sibyls of old Rome:
What's past and what's to come she can descry.
Speak, shall I call her in? Believe my words,
For they are certain and unfallible.

Char. Go, call her in. [Exit BASTARD.]-But
first, to try her skill,

Reignier, stand thou as Dauphin in my place :
Question her proudly, let thy looks be stern.
By this means shall we sound what skill she hath.
[Retires.

Enter LA PUCELLE, BASTARD of ORLEANS, and others.

Reig. Fair maid, is't thou wilt do those wondrous feats?

Puc. Reignier, is 't thou that thinkest to be-
guile me?-

Where is the Dauphin?-come, come from behind:
I know thee well, though never seen before.
Be not amazed; there's nothing hid from me.
In private will I talk to thee apart :—
Stand back, you lords, and give us leave awhile.

Reig. She takes upon her bravely at first dash.
Puc. Dauphin, I am by birth a shepherd's
daughter;

My wit untrained in any kind of art.
Heaven and our Lady gracious hath it pleased
To shine on my contemptible estate.
Lo, whilst I waited on my tender lambs,
And to sun's parching heat displayed my cheeks,
God's mother deignéd to appear to me,
And, in a vision full of majesty,
Willed me to leave my base vocation.
And free my country from calamity :
Her aid she promised, and assured success.
In cómplete glory she revealed herself:
And, whereas I was black and swart before,
With those clear rays which she infused on me
That beauty am I blessed 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 astonished me with thy high

Char. Stay, stay thy hand! Thou art an Amazon,

And fightest with the sword of Deborah.

Puc. Christ's mother helps me, else I were too weak.

Char. Whoe'er helps thee, 't is thou that must help me.

Impatiently I burn with thy desire:

My heart and hands thou hast at once subdued.
Excellent Pucelle, if thy name be so,
Let me thy servant, and not sovereign, be:
'Tis the French Dauphin sueth to thee thus.
Puc. I must not yield to any rites of love,
For my profession's sacred from above.
When I have chaséd all thy foes from hence,
Then will I think upon a recompense.

Char. Meantime look gracious on thy prostrate thrall.

Reig. My lord, methinks, is very long in talk.

Alen. Doubtless he 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?

Alen. He may mean more than we poor men

do know :

These women are shrewd tempters with their tongues.

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 confirm: we'll fight it out.

Puc. Assigned am I to be the English scourge. This night the siege assuredly I'll raise : Expect Saint Martin's summer, halcyon days, Since I have entered into these wars. Glory is like a circle in the water, Which never ceaseth to enlarge itself, Till, by broad spreading, it disperse to nought. With Henry's death the English circle ends; Disperséd are the glories it included. Now am I like that proud insulting ship Which Cæsar and his fortune bare at once.

Char. Was Mahomet inspiréd with a dove? Thou with an eagle art inspiréd, then. Helen, the mother of great Constantine, Nor yet Saint Philip's daughters, were like thee! Bright star of Venus, fall'n down on the earth, How may I reverently worship thee enough? Alen. Leave off delays, and let us raise the siege.

Reig. Woman, do what thou canst to save our honours:

Drive them from Orleans, and be immortalised. Char. Presently we'll try.-Come, let's away about it:

No prophet will I trust, if she prove false.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-London. Hill before the Tower. Enter, at the gates, the DUKE OF GLOSTER, with

his Serving-men, in blue coats.

Glo. I am come to survey the Tower this day: Since Henry's death I fear there is conveyance.Where be these warders, that they wait not here? Open the gates: it is Gloster that calls.

[Servants knock. 1st Ward. [within.] Who's there that knocks so imperiously?

1st Serv. It is the noble Duke of Gloster. 2nd Ward. [within.] Whoe'er he be, we may not let him in.

1st Serv. Villains, answer you so the lord protector?

1st Ward. [within.] The Lord protect him! So we answer him.

We do no otherwise than we are willed.

Glo. Who willed you; or whose will stands
but mine?

There's none protector of the realm but I.—
Break up the gates; I'll be your warrantize:
Shall I be flouted thus by dunghill grooms?

Servants rush at the Tower gates. Enter to the gates WOODVILLE, the Lieutenant. Wood. [within.] What noise is this? what traitors have we here?

Glo. Lieutenant, is it you whose voice I hear? Open the gates: here's Gloster that would enter. Wood. [within.] Have patience, noble duke; I may not open :

The Cardinal of Winchester forbids.
From him I have express commandment
That thou, nor none of thine, shall be let in.
Glo. Faint-hearted Woodville, prizest him
'fore me?

Arrogant Winchester, that haughty prelate, Whom Henry, our late sovereign, ne'er could brook?

Thou art no friend to God or to the King: Open the gates, or I'll shut thee out shortly. 1st Serv. Open the gates unto the lord protector,

Or we'll burst them open if that you come not quickly.

Enter WINCHESTER, attended by a Train of Servants in tawny coats.

Win. How now, ambitious Humphrey: what means this?

Glo. Peeled priest, dost thou command me to be shut out?

Win. I do, thou most usurping proditor, And not protector of the King or realm.

Glo. Stand back, thou manifest conspirator: Thou that contriv'dst to murder our dead lord; Thou that giv'st whores indulgences to sin. I'll canvas thee in thy broad cardinal's hat, If thou proceed in this thy insolence.

Win. Nay, stand thou back; I will not budge
a foot.

This be Damascus: be thou cursed Cain,
To slay thy brother Abel, if thou wilt.

Glo. I will not slay thee, but I'll drive thee
back.

Thy scarlet robes, as a child's bearing-cloth,
I'll use to carry thee out of this place.

Win. Do what thou dar'st: I beard thee to
thy face.

Glo. What! am I dared and bearded to my face?

Draw, men, for all this privilegéd place: Blue-coats to tawny-coats. Priest, beware your beard:

[GLOSTER and his men attack the Bishop. I mean to tug it, and to cuff you soundly. Under my feet I stamp thy cardinal's hat: In spite of pope or dignities of church, Here by the cheeks I'll drag thee up and down. Win. Gloster, thou 'lt answer this before the pope.

Glo. Winchester goose, I cry: a rope! a rope!

Now beat them hence: why do you let them stay?—

Thee I'll chase hence, thou wolf in sheep's array.

Out, tawny coats! out, scarlet hypocrite!

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 distrained 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 rests for me, in this tumultuous

strife,

But to make open proclamation :—

Come, officer; as loud as e'er thou canst.

Officer reads.

'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, and break our minds at large.

Win. Gloster, we'll meet to thy dear cost, be

SCENE IV.-France. Before Orleans. Enter, on the walls, the Master-Gunner and his Son.

M. Gun. Sirrah, thou know'st how Orleans is besieged,

And how the English have the suburbs won.

Son. Father, I know; and oft have shot at them,
Howe'er, unfortunate, I missed my aim.
M. Gun. But now thou shalt not: be thou ruled
by me.

Chief master-gunner am I of this town:
Something I must do to procure me grace.
The prince's espials have informéd me
How the English, in the suburbs close intrenched,
Wont, through a secret grate of iron bars
In yonder tower, to overpeer the city,
And thence discover how, with most advantage,
They may vex us with shot or with assault.
To intercept this inconvenience,

A piece of ordnance 'gainst it I have placed ;
And fully even these three days have I watched
If I could see them:

Now do thou watch, for I can stay no longer.
If thou spy'st any, run and bring me word,
And thou shalt find me at the governor's. [Exit.
Son. Fatner, i warrant you; take you no care:
I'll never trouble you if I may spy them.

Enter, in an upper Chamber of a Tower, the Lords SALISBURY and TALBOT, SIR WILLIAM GLANSDALE, SIR THOMAS GARGRAVE, and others.

Sal. Talbot, my life, my joy, again returned! How wert thou handled, being prisoner; Or by what means gott'st thou to be released? Discourse, I pr'y thee, on this turret's top.

Tal. The Duke of Bedford had a prisoner Called the brave Lord Ponton de Santrailles : For him I was exchanged and ransoméd. But with a baser man of arms by far, Once, in contempt, they would have bartered ne: Which I disdaining scorned, and cravéd dea h Rather than I would be sc pil'd esteemed. In fine, redeemed I was as I desired. But O the treacherous Fastolfe wounds my Whom with my bare fists I would execute, If now had him brought into my power. Sal. Yet tell'st thou not how thou wert entertained.

heart!

Tal. With scoffs, and scorns, and contumelious tants.

In open market-place produced they me,
To be a public spectacle to all :
"Here," said they, "is the terror of the French;
The scarecrow that affrights our children so!"
Then broke I from the officers that led me,

And with my nails digged stones out of the ground

To hurl at the beholders of my shame.
My grisly countenance made others fly;

None durst come near for fear of sudden death.
In iron walls they deemed me not secure :

So great fear of my name 'mongst them was spread,

That they supposed I could rend bars of steel,
And spurn in pieces posts of adamant:
Wherefore a guard of chosen shot I had,
That walked about me every minute-while;
And if I did but stir out of my bed,
Ready they were to shoot me to the heart.

Sal. I grieve to hear what torments you endured;

But we will be revenged sufficiently.
Now it is supper-time in Orleans :

Here, thorough this grate, I count each one,
And view the Frenchmen how they fortify;

Let us look in, the sight will much delight thee.

Sir Thomas Gargrave, and Sir William Glansdale,

Let me have your express opinions
Where is best place to make our battery next.
Gar. I think at the north gate; for there stand
lords.

Glan. And I here, at the bulwark of the
bridge.

Tal. For aught I see this city must be famished, Or with light skirmishes enfeebled.

[Shot from the Town, SALISBURY and SIR THOMAS GARGRAVE fall. Sal. O Lord have mercy on us, wretched sinners!

Gar. O Lord have mercy on me, woeful

man!

Tal. What chance is this that suddenly hath crossed us?

Speak, Salisbury; at least if thou canst speak:
How far'st thou, mirror of all martial men?
One of thy eyes, and thy cheek's side struck
off!-

Accurséd tower! accurséd fatal hand
That hath contrived this woeful tragedy!
In thirteen battles Salisbury o'ercame :
Henry the fifth he first trained to the wars:
Whilst any trump did sound, or drum struck up,
His sword did ne'er leave striking in the
field.-

Yet liv'st thou, Salisbury though thy speech doth fail,

eye

One thou hast to look to heaven for grace: The sun with one eye vieweth all the world.Heaven, be thou gracious to none alive,

If Salisbury wants mercy at thy hands!

Bear hence his body, I will help to bury it.— Sir Thomas Gargrave, hast thou any life? Speak unto Talbot; nay, look up to him.Salisbury, cheer thy spirit with this comfort: Thou shalt not die whiles

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."-
Plantagenet, I will; and Nero-like,

Play on the lute beholding the towns burn:
Wretched shall France be only in my name.

[Thunder heard; afterwards an alarum. What stir is this? what tumult's in the heavens ? Whence cometh this alarum and the noise?

Enter a Messenger.

Mess. My lord, my lord, the French have gathered head:

The Dauphin, with one Joan la Pucelle joined (A holy prophetess new risen up),

Is come with a great power to raise the siege. [SALISBURY groans.

Tal. Hear, hear, how dying Salisbury doth groan!

It irks his heart he cannot be revenged.-
Frenchmen, I'll be a Salisbury to you:
Pucelle or puzzle, dolphin or dogfish,
Your hearts I'll stamp out with my horse's heels,
And make a quagmire of your mingled brains.-
Convey me Salisbury into his tent,

And then we 'll try what these dastard Frenchmen dare. [Exeunt, bearing out the bodies.