Char. Go, call her in: [Exit Bastard.] But, first, to try her skill, Reignier, stand thou as dauphin in my place: 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; My wit untrain'd in any kind of art. Alarums: excursions; afterwards a retreat. Re-And to sun's parching heat display'd my cheeks, enter Charles, Alençon, Reignier, and others. God's mother deigned to appear to me; Char. Whoever saw the like? what men have I?-And, in a vision full of majesty, Reig. Salisbury is a desperate homicide; He fighteth as one weary of his life. Char. Let's leave this town; for they are hairbrain'd slaves, And hunger will enforce them to be more eager: Alen. Be it so. Enter the Bastard of Orleans. Bast. Where's the prince dauphin? I have news for him. Char. Bastard3 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 France. (1) i. c. The prey for which they are hungry. (2) A gimmal is a piece of jointed work, where one piece moves within another; here it is taken at large for an engine.. Will'd me to leave my base vocation, 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 flower-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. Puc. And, while I live, I'll ne'er fly from a man. [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, (3) This was not in former times a term of re proach. (4) Countenance. (5) Be firmly persuaded of it. 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. Assign'd 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; Dispersed are the glories it included. Now am I like that proud insulting ship, Which Cæsar and his fortune bare at once. Char. Was Mahomet inspired with a dove? Thou with an eagle art inspired then. Helen, the mother of great Constantine, Nor yet Saint Philip's daughters,2 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. Char. Presently we'll try :-Come, let's away about it: No prophet will I trust, if she prove false. [Exe. 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.3— 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. 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? (1) Expect prosperity after misfortune. (2) Meaning the four daughters of Philip, mentioned in Acts xxi. 9. 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: Arrogant Winchester? that haughty prelate, Whom Henry, our late sovereign, ne'er could brook? Thou art no friend to God, or to the king: 1 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. Piel'd priest,5 dost thou command me to be shut out? Win. I do, thou most usurping proditor,6 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 canvass 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, Glo. I will not slay thee, but I'll drive thee back: Win. Do what thou dar'st; I beard thee to thy face. Glo. What? am I dar'd, and bearded to my face? Draw, men, for all this privileged place; 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. Thus contumeliously should break the peace! wrongs: Here's Beaufort, that regards nor God nor king, Hath here distrain'd 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, (3) Theft. (4) Break open. (5) Alluding to his shaven crown. (6) Traitor (7) Sift. (8) A strumpet. (9) An allusion to the bishop's habit Because he is protector of the realm; But to make open proclamation:-- 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. 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 sure: Thy heart-blood I will have, for this day's work. Win. Abominable Gloster! guard thy head; For I intend to have it, ere long. [Exeunt. May. See the coast clear'd, and then we will depart. Good God! that nobles should such stomachs2 bear! I myself fight not once in forty year. [Exeunt. SCENE IV.—France. Before Orleans. Enter on the walls, the Master-Gunner and his Son. M. Gun. Sirrah, thou know'st how Orleans is besieg'd; And how the English have the suburbs won. M. Gun. But now thou shalt not. Be thou rul'd by me: Chief master-gunner am I of this town; A piece of ordnance 'gainst it I have plac'd; If thou spy'st any, run and bring me word; Sal. Talbot, my life, my joy, again return'd! Tal. The duke of Bedford had a prisoner, Once, in contempt, they would have barter'd me: That is, for peace-officers armed with club or staves. Which I, disdaining, scorn'd; and craved death, Sal. Yet tell'st thou not, how thou wert entertain'd. Tal. With scoffs, and scorns, and contumelious taunts. In open market-place produc'd they me, Here, said they, is the terror of the French, Sal. I grieve to hear what torments you endur'd, 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 famish'd, Or with slight 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, woful man! Tal. What chance is this, that suddenly hath cross'd us? Speak, Salisbury; at least, if thou canst speak; One eye thou hast, to look to heaven for grace: He beckons with his hand, and smiles on me; (2) Pride. (4) Spies. Play on the lute, beholding the towns burn: [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 gather'd head: The dauphin, with one Joan la Pucelle join'd,— dare. [Exeunt, bearing out the bodies. SCENE V-The same. Before one of the 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 my force? Our English troops retire, I cannot stay them; Enter La Pucelle. Here, here she comes:- thee. Puc. Talbot, farewell; thy hour is not yet come : I must go victual Orleans forthwith. O'ertake me, if thou canst; I scorn thy strength. Go, go; cheer up thy hunger-starved men; Help Salisbury to make his testament: This day is ours, as many more shall be. [Pucelle enters the town, with soldiers. Tal. My thoughts are whirled like a potter's wheel; I know not where I am, nor what I do: [A short alarum. [Alarum. Another skirmish. It will not be :-Retire into your trenches: You all consented unto Salisbury's death, In spite of us, or aught that we could do. SCENE VI.-The same. Enter, on the walls, Pucelle, Charles, Reignier, Alençon, and soldiers. Puc. Advance our waving colours on the walls; Rescu'd is Orleans from the English wolves:Thus Joan la Pucelle hath perform'd her word. Char. Divinest creature, bright Astræa's daughter, More blessed hap did ne'er befall our state. Alen. All France will be replete with mirth and joy, When they shall hear how we have play'd the men. ACT II. SCENE I-The same. Enter, to the gates, a (When others sleep upon their quiet beds,) Constrain'd to watch in darkness, rain, and cold. Enter Talbot, Bedford, Burgundy, and forces, with scaling-ladders; their drums beating a dead march. Tal. Lord regent, and redoubted Burgundy,By whose approach, the regions of Artois, Walloon, and Picardy, are friends to us,-This happy night the Frenchmen are secure, Having all day carous'd and banqueted: Embrace we then this opportunity; As fitting best to quittance their deceit, Contriv'd by art, and baleful sorcery. (3) The same as guard-room. Bed. Coward of France!-how much he wrongs I was employ'd in passing to and fro, his fame, Despairing of his own arm's fortitude, To join with witches, and the help of hell. A maid? and be so martial? About relieving of the sentinels: Then how, or which way, should they first break in? But weakly guarded, where the breach was made. Tal. Well, let them practise and converse with Alarum. Enter an English Soldier, crying, A spirits: God is our fortress; in whose conquering name, And I to this. Tal. And here will Talbot mount, or make his Now, Salisbury! for thee, and for the right [The English scale the walls, crying St. George! Sent. [Within.] Arm, arm! the enemy doth make assault! The French leap over the walls in their shirts. Alen. How now, my lords? what, all unready1 so? Hearing alarums at our chamber-doors. Talbot! a Talbot! They fly, leaving their Sold. I'll be so bold to take what they have left. [Exit. SCENE II-Orleans. Within the town. Enter Bed. The day begins to break, and night is fled, Tal. Bring forth the body of old Salisbury; Alen. Of all exploits, since first I follow'd arms, I muse,3 we met not with the dauphin's grace; Ne'er heard I of a warlike enterprise Bast. I think, this Talbot be a fiend of hell. Enter Charles and La Pucelle. That now our loss might be ten times so much? At all times will you have my power alike? Char. Duke of Alençon, this was your default; Alen. Had all your quarters been as safely kept, His new-come champion, virtuous Joan of Arc; Bed. 'Tis thought, lord Talbot, when the fight began, Rous'd on the sudden from their drowsy beds, Bur. Myself (as far as I could well discern, Mess. All hail, my lords! which of this princely train |