Whom all France, with their chief assembled | Alarums; Excursions; afterwards a Retreat. Re-enter CHARLES, ALENÇON, REIGNIER, and strength, Durst not presume to look once in the face. Bed. Is Talbot slain? then I will slay myself, 3 Mess. O no, he lives; but is took prisoner, And lord Scales with him, and lord Hungerford: Most of the rest slaughter'd, or took, likewise. I'll hale the Dauphin headlong from his throne, our's. of Farewell, my masters; to my task will I; 3 Mess. So you had need; for Orleans is be- The English army is grown weak and faint: sworn: Either to quell the Dauphin utterly, Or bring him in obedience to your yoke. Bed. I do remember it; and here take leave, To go about my preparation. [Erit. Glo. I'll to the Tower, with all the baste I can, To view the artillery and munition; And then I will proclaim young Henry king. others. Char. Who ever saw the like? what men have 17 Dogs! cowards! dastards, fled, would ne'er have But that they left me midst my enemies. Reig. Salisbury is a desperate homicide; England all Olivers and Rowlands+ bred, For none but Samsons and Goliasses, They had such courage and audacity? Char. Let's leave this town; for they are hair. brain'd slaves, And hunger will enforce them to be more ea ger: Of old I know them; rather with their teeth Reig. I think, by some odd gimmals or de- Their arms are set, like clocks, still to strike on; Enter the BASTARD of Orleans. Char. Bastard § of Orleans, thrice welcome to us. Bast. Methinks, your looks are sad, your cheer appall'd; Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence? And drive the English forth the bounds of The spirit of deep prophecy she hath, Speak, shall I call her in? Believe my words, 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 bath. [Retires. Enter LA PUCELLE, BASTARD of Orleans, and others. Reig. Fair maid, is't thou wilt do these wond'rous feats ? Puc. Reignier, is't thou that thinkest to beguile me? Where is the Dauphin ?-come, come from behind; know thee well, though never seen before. Be not amaz'd, there's nothing hid from me: In private will I talk with thee apart : 1. e. The prey for which they are hungry. These were two of the most famous in Charlemagne's list of peers. A gimmal is a piece of jointed work, where one piece moves within another; here it is taken at large for an engine. This was not in former times a term of reproach. [Exeuntaire Sybils. 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 My wit untrain’d ́in any kind of art. Only this proof I'll of thy valour make,- Puc. I am prepar'd: here is my keen-edg’d sword, Deck'd with five Alour-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 [They fight. Char. Stay, stay thy hands 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, 'tis thou that must help me : 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 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: Which never ceaseth to enlarge itself, Char. Was Mahomet inspired with a dove ?* Alen. Leave off delays, and let us raise the siege. Reig. Woman, do what thou can'st to save our honours; Drive them from Orleans, and be immortaliz'd. Char. Presently we'll try :-Come let's away about it: SCENE IH.-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: Gloster it is that calls. [SERVANTS knock. 1 Ward. [Within.] Who is there that knocks so imperiously? 1 Serv. It is the noble Duke of Gloster. 2 Ward. [Within.] Whoe'er he be you may not be let in. 1 Serv. Answer you so the lord protector, villains? I Ward. [Within.] The Lord protect him! so we answer 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, 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 bear? Open the gates: here's Gloster that would enter. The cardinal of Winchester forbids: Glo. Faint-hearted Woodville, prizest him 'fore me? Arrogant Winchester? that haughty prelate, Whom Harry, 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. 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. 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 wheu 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. Win. I do, thou most usurping proditor,* Glo. Stand back, thou manifest conspirator; Win. Nay, stand thou back, I will not budge This be Damascus, be thou cursed Cain, Glo. I will not slay thee, but I'll drive thee back: Thy scarlet robes, as a child's bearing-cloth Win. Do what thou dar'st; I beard thee to M. Gun. Sirrah, thou know'st how Orleans Howe'er, unfortunate, I miss'd my aim. Glo. What am I dar'd, and bearded to my Chief master-gunner am I of this town ; face? Draw, men, for all this privileged place ; your beard ; Priest, beware [GLOSTER and his Men attack the Bishop. pope. rope! Glo. Winchester goose, § I cry-a rope! a [stay?Now beat them hence. Why do you let them Thee I'll chase hence, thou wolf in sheep's array. Out, tawny coats !-oat, scarlet || hypocrite ! Thus contumeliously should break the peace! Here's Beaufort that regards nor God nor king, Win. Here's Gloster too a foe to citizens: But to make open proclamation :- Be thou Something I must do, to procure ine grace : t In yonder tower, to overpeer the city; They may vex us, with shot or with assault. And fully even these three days have I watch'd, care; [Exit. Son. Father, I warrant you; take you no Sal. Talbot, my life, my joy, again retur.'d ? [me Tal. The duke of Bedford bad a prisoner, Off. All manner of men assembled here in Tal. With scoffs, and scorns, and contume- Here, said they, is the terror of the French, Glo. Cardinal, I'll be no breaker of the law : But we shall meet, and break our minds at And with my nails digg'd stones out of the large. ground, Win. Gloster, we'll meet; to thy dear coast | To hurt at the beholders of my shame. be sure: Thy heart-blood I will have, for this day's work. Sal. I grieve to hear what torments you | SCENE V.-The same.-Before one of the endur'd ; But we will be reveng'd sufficiently. Here, through this grate, I can count every And view the Frenchmen how they fortify; Sir Thomas Gargrave, and Sir William dale, Gates. Alarum. Skirmishings. TALBOT pursueth the DAUPHIN, and driveth him in: then enter JOAN LA PUCELLE, driving Englishmen before her. Then enter TALBOT. Tal. Where is my strength, my valour, and Glans-Our English troops retire, I cannot stay them; Let me have your express opinions, Glan. And I, here, at the bulwark of the Tal. For aught I see, this city must be famish'd, Or with light skirmishes enfeebled, [Shot from the Town. SALISBURY and Sir THO. 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 cross'd us ? Speak, Salisbury; at least, if thou canst speak; off! Accursed tower! accursed fatal hand, His sword did ne'er leave striking in the field. 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 ; come : I 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 And make a quagmire of your mingled brains.-Thy And then we'll try what these dastardly French- [Exeunt, bearing out the Bodies. A dirty wench. next. The superstition of those times taught, that he who could draw a witch's blood was free from her power. France, triumph in thy glorious prophetess ! Dauphin, command the citizens make bonfires, When they shall hear how we have play'd the men. Char. 'Tis Joan, not we, by whom the day is won; 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 arm's fortitude, he But what's that Pucelle, whom they term so pure? Tal. A maid, they say. Bed. A maid! and be so martial! guess, Tal. Not all together: better far, Tal. And here will Talbot mount, or make Now Salisbury! for thee, and for the right [The English scale the Walls, crying S 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 More venturous, or desperate than this. hell. 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 mine, my lord. Char. And, for myself, most part of all this night, Bur. Pray God, she prove not masculine ere 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 pyramids from the profits of her trade. When Alex ander took Gaza, he found an exceeding rich and beau ful casket, in which he ordered to be placed a copy of Homer's Iliad. The same as guard room." |