Lords, Warders of the Tower, Heralds, Officers, Soldiers, Messengers, and Attendants. Fiends appearing to Joan la Pucelle. SCENE.--Partly in England, and partly in France. ACT I. SCENE I.- Westminster Abbey. Dead March. Enter the Funeral of King HENRY the Fifth; attended on by the Dukes of BED. FORD, GLOUCESTER, and EXETER; the Earl of WARWICK, the Bishop of WINCHESTER, Heralds, etc. Bed. Hung be the heavens with black, yield day to night! Comets, importing change of times and states, Glou. England ne'er had a king until his time. His arms spread wider than a dragon's wings; His sparkling eyes, replete with wrathful fire, More dazzled and drove back his enemies 10 What should I say? his deeds exceed all speech: He ne'er lift up his hand but conquered. Exe. We mourn in black: why mourn we not Henry is dead and never shall revive. Unto the French the dreadful judgment-day His thread of life had not so soon decay'd: Than mid-day sun fierce bent against their faces. | Whom, like a school-boy, you may over-awe. Win. Gloucester, whate'er we like, thou art | Except some petty towns of no import: And lookest to command the prince and realm. More than God or religious churchmen may. 40 And ne'er throughout the year to church thou go'st W. Except it be to pray against thy foes. Bed. Cease, cease these jar and rest your Let's to the altar: heralds, wait on us. Instead of gold we'll offer up our arms, When at their mothers' moist eyes babes shall Our isle be made a marish of salt tears, Enter a Messenger. 50 The Dauphin Charles is crowned king in Rheims; Exe. The Dauphin crowned king! all fly to him! Bedford, thou be slack, I'll fight it out. An army have I muster'd in my thoughts, Enter a third Messenger. 100 Third Mess. My gracious lords, to add to your Wherewith you now bedew King Henry's hearse, The circumstance I'll tell you more at large. Mess. My honourable lords, health to you all! Having full scarce six thousand in his troop, 60 fought, You are disputing of your generals. Let not sloth dim your honours new begot: Exe. Were our tears wanting to this funeral Enter another Messenger. bad mischance. By three-and-twenty thousand of the French He, being in the vaward, plac'd behind strength, 140 Durst not presume to look once in the face. Third Mess. O, no! he lives; but is took prisoner, Bed. His ransom there is none but I shall pay: Second Mess. Lords, view these letters full of I'll hale the Dauphin headlong from his throne; France is revolted from the English quite, 90 His crown shall be the ransom of my friend; 150 Farewell, my masters; to my task will I; The English army is grown weak and faint; sworn, Either to quell the Dauphin utterly, Or bring him in obedience to your yoke. 160 Bed. I do remember it; and here take my leave, To go about my preparation. Exit. Glou. I'll to the Tower with all the haste I can, To view the artillery and munition; 171 And then I will proclaim young Henryking. Exit. I am left out; for me nothing remains. SCENE II.-France. Before Orleans. He fighteth as one weary of his life: 30 Alen. Froissart, a countryman of ours, records, Cha. Let's leave this town; for they are hare- And hunger will enforce them to be more eager: Reig. I think, by some odd gimmals or device Enter the Bastard of ORLEANS. Bast. Where's the Prince Dauphin? I have news for him. Cha. Bastard of Orleans, thrice welcome to us, Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence! Cha. Mars his true moving, even as in the The spirit of deep prophecy she hath, Exceeding the nine sibyls of old Rome; Cha. Go, call her in. Exit Bastard. But first, to try her skill, So in the earth, to this day is not known. ghosts, Faintly besiege us one hour in a month. Alen. They want their porridge and their fat bull-beeves : 10 Either they must be dieted like mules Talbot is taken, whom we wont to fear: Nor men nor money hath he to make war. Question her proudly; let thy looks be stern: Re-enter the Bastard of ORLEANS, with JOAN LA Reig. Fair maid, is't thou wilt do these Joan. Reignier, is't thou that thinkest to beguile me? Where is the Dauphin? Come, come from behind; I know thee well, though never seen before. Cha. Sound, sound alarum! we will rush on Be not amaz'd, there's nothing hid from me: them. In private will I talk with thee apart. Stand back, you lords, and give us leave awhile. My wit untrain'd in any kind of art. Will'd me to leave my base vocation 80 Dispersed are the glories it included. 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: 90 Cha. Was Mahomet inspired with a dove? 140 Thou with an eagle art inspired 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 immortaliz'd. Cha. Presently we'll try. Come, let's away about it: No prophet will I trust if she prove false. 150 Exeunt. SCENE III.-London. Before the Tower. Enter, at the gates, the Duke of GLOUCESTER, with his Servingmen, in blue coats. Glou. 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! 'Tis Gloucester that calls. First Ward. Within. Who's there that knocks so imperiously? First Serv. It is the noble Duke of Gloucester. Second Ward. Within. Whoe'er he be, you may not be let in. Cha. Stay, stay thy hands! thou art an Amazon, And fightest with the sword of Deborah. Joan. Christ's mother helps me, else I were too weak. Impatiently I burn with thy desire; Cha. Whoe'er helps thee, 'tis thou that must help me. My heart and hands thou hast at once subdued. We do no otherwise than we are will'd. First Serv. Villains, answer you so the lord protector? First Ward. Within. The Lord protect him! so we answer him: 10 [ACT 1. Glou. Peel'd priest, dost thou command me to | Thy heart-blood I will have for this day's work. be shut out? Win. I do, thou most usurping proditor, And not protector, of the king or realm. 30 Glou. Stand back, thou manifest conspirator, Win. Nay, stand thou back; I will not budge This be Damascus, be thou cursed Cain, 40 May. I'll call for clubs if you will not away. This cardinal 's more haughty than the devil. Glou. Mayor, farewell: thou dost but what thou may'st. Win. Abominable Gloucester! guard thy head; Excunt severally, GLOUCESTER and WIN. May. See the coast clear'd, and then we will Good God! these nobles should such stomachs bear; Glou. I will not slay thee, but I'll drive thee I myself fight not once in forty year. Exeunt. 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 Glou. What! am I dar'd and bearded to my face? beard; GLOUCESTER and his Men attack the Cardinal. 50 Glou. 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 GLOUCESTER'S Men beat out the Cardinal's Men, and enter in the hurly-burly the Mayor of London and his Officers. 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. 79 SCENE IV.- France. Before Orleans. Enter, on the walls, the Master-Gunner and his Boy. M. Gun. Sirrah, thou know'st how Orleans is besieg'd, And how the English have the suburbs won. Boy. 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 rul'd by me: 10 Something I must do to procure me grace. If thou spy'st any, run and bring me word; 19 Sal. Talbot, my life, my joy! again return'd! 30 Called the brave Lord Ponton de Santrailles; heart: Whom with my bare fists I would execute Tal. With scoffs and scorns and contumelious taunts. Glou. Cardinal, I'll be no breaker of the law; be sure: Here, said they, is the terror of the French, 40 |