Glo. Piel'd priest, dost thou command me to be shut out? Win. I do, thou most usurping proditor,t 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 canvast 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: 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 dar'd, and bearded to my face? Draw, men, for all this privileged 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 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: [king, Here's Beaufort, that regards nor God nor 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, 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. 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. Alluding to his shaven crown. + Traitor. ↑ Sift. § A strumpet." An allusion to the Bishop's habit. M. Gun. Sirrah, thou know'st how Orleans is besieg'd; And how the English have the suburbs won. Son. Father, I know; and oft have shot at them, Howe'er, unfortunate, I miss'd my aim. Chief master-gunner am I of this town; Wont, through a secret gate of iron bars If thou spy'st any, run and bring me word; [Erit. Son. Father, 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 WILLIAN GLANSDALE, Sir THOMAS GARGRAVE, and others. Sal. Talbot, my life, my joy, again return'd! How wert thou handled, being prisoner? Or by what means got'st thou to be releas'd? Discourse, I pr'ythee, on this turret's top. Tal. The duke of Bedford had a prisoner, Called the brave lord Ponton de Santrailles; For him I was exchang'd and ransomed. But with a baser man of arms by far, [me: Once, in contempt, they would have barter'd Which I, disdaining, scorn'd; and craved death Rather than I would be so pil'd esteemed.]] In fine, redeem'd I was as desir'd. [heart! But, O! the treacherous Fastolfe wounds my If I now had him brought into my power. Whom with my bare fists I would execute, Sul. Yet tell'st thou not, how thou wert entertain❜d. Tal. With scoffs, and scorns, and contume In open market-place produc'd they me, That is, for peace-officers armed with clubs or staves + Pride. ↑ Favour. Spies So stripped of honours. To hurl at the beholders of my shame. In iron walls they deem'd me not secure; So great fear of my name 'mongst them was spread, That they suppos'd, 1 could rend bars of steel, But we will be reveng'd sufficiently. 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! Accursed tower! accursed fatal hand, That have contriv'd this woeful tragedy! In thirteen battles Salisbury o'ercame; Henry the fifth he first train'd to the wars; Whilst any trump did sound, or drum struck up, [field. His sword did ne'er leave striking in the Yet liv'st thou, Salisbury? though thy speech doth fail, One eye thou hast, to look to heaven for grace: He beckons with his hand, and smiles on me; Whence cometh this alarum, and the noise? Mess. My lord, my lord, the French have gather'd head: [join'd,The Dauphin, with one Joan la Pucelle A holy prophetess, new risen up, Is come with a great power to raise the siege. [SALISBURY groans. Tul. Hear, hear, how dying Salisbury doth groan! It irks his heart, he cannot be reveng❜d.- And make a quagmire of your mingled brains.— [Exeunt, beuring 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 PECELLE, 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; A woman, clad in armour, chaseth them. Enter LA PUCELLE. Here, here she comes:—I'll have a bout with Devil, or devil's dam, I'll conjure thee: thee; Blood will I draw on thee,t thou art a witch, And straightway give thy soul to him thou serv'st. Puc. Come, come, 'tis only I that must disgrace thee; [They fight. Tal. Heavens, can you suffer hell so to pre [age, vail? And from my shoulders crack my arms asunMy breast I'll burst with straining of my courder, But I will chastise this high-minded strumpet. Puc. Talbot, farewell; thy hour is not yet come: I must go victual Orleans forthwith. [PUCELLE enters the Town, with Soldiers. Tal. My thoughts are whirled like a potter's I know not where I am, nor what I do: wheel; A witch, by fear, not force, like Hannibal, Drives back our troops, and conquers, as she [stench, So bees with smoke, and doves with noisome Are from their hives, and houses, driven away. They call'd us, for our fierceness, English lists: dogs; Now, like to whelps, we crying run away. [Alarum. Another Skirmish. In spite of us, or aught that we could do. The shame hereof will make me hide my head. | Despairing of his own arm's fortitude, [Alarum. Retreat. Exeunt TALBOT and his Forces, &c. Dauphin, command the citizens make bonfires, For which, I will divide my crown with her : ACT II. [Flourish. Exeunt. SCENE I.-The same. Enter to the Gates, a French SERGEANT, and two SENTINELS. Serg. Sirs, take your places, and be vigilant: If any noise, or soldier, you perceive, Near to the walls, by some apparent sign, Let us have knowledge at the court of guard.* 1 Sent. Sergeant, you shall. [Exit SERGEANT.] Thus are poor servitors (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, Bed. Coward of France!-how much he wrongs his fame, The same as guard-room. To join with witches, and the help of hell. Bur. Traitors have never other company.But what's that Pucelle, whom they term so pure? Tal. A maid, they say. Bed. A maid! and be so martial! Bur. Pray God, she prove not masculine ere 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, Let us resolve to scale their flinty bulwarks. Bed. Ascend, brave Talbot; we will follow thee. Tal. And here will Talbot mount, or make his grave. Now, Salisbury! for thee, and for the right Of English Henry, shall this night appear How much in duty I am bound to both. [The English scale the Walls, crying St. George! a Talbot! and all enter by the Town. Sent. [Within.] Arm, arm! the enemy doth make assault! The French leap over the Walls in their Shirts. Enter, several ways, BASTARD, ALENÇON, REIGNIER, half ready, and half unready. Alen. How now, my lords? what, all unready so? 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 Ne'er heard I of a warlike enterprize [armis, More venturous, or desperate than this. Bast. I think, this Talbot be a fiend of hell. Reig. If not of hell, the heavens, sure, favour him. Alen. Here cometh Charles; I marvel, how he sped. Enter CHARLES, and LA PUCELLE. Bast. Tut! holy Joan was his defensive guard. Chur. Is this thy cunning, thou deceitful dame? Didst thou at first, to flatter us withal, his friend? The cry of Talbot serves me for a sword; Bed. The day begins to break, and night is fled, Whose pitchy mantle over-veil'd the earth. Bed. 'Tis thought, lord Talbot, when the Rous'd on the sudden from their drowsy beds, 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, For smoke, and dusky vapours of the night,) Am sure, I scar'd the Dauphin, and his trull; When arm in arm they both came swiftly runLike to a pair of loving turtle-doves, [ning, That could not live asunder day or night. After that things are set in order here, We'll follow them with all the power we have. Enter a MESSENGER. Mess. All hail, my lords! which of this Call ye the warlike Talbot, for his acts To visit her poor castle where she lies ;* Bur. Is it even so? Nay, then, I see, our wars Could not prevail with all their oratory, Bed. No, truly; it is more than manners will: And I have heard it said,-Unbidden guests Are often welcomest when they are gone. Tal. Well then, alone, since there's no remeI mean to prove this lady's courtesy. [dy, Come hither, captain. [Whispers.]-You perceive my mind. Capt. I do, my lord; and mean accordingly. [Exeunt. SCENE III.-Auvergne.~Court of the Castle. [to me. [Exit. [right, Count. The plot is laid: if all things fall out I shall as famous be by this exploit, As Scythian Thomyris by Cyrus' death." Great is the rumour of this dreadful knight, And his achievements of no less account: Fain would mine eyes be witness with mine ears, To give their censuret of these rare reports. According as your ladyship desir'd, Mess. Madam, it is. Count. Is this the scourge of France? Is this the Talbot, so much fear'd abroad, That with his name the mothers still their I see, report is fabulous and false: [babes? I thought, I should have seen some Hercules, A second Hector, for his grim aspéct, And large proportion of his strong-knit limbs. Alas! this is a child, a silly dwarf: It cannot be, this weak and writhled‡ shrimp Should strike such terror to his enemies. Tal. Madam, I have been bold to trouble you: But, since your ladyship is not at leisure, Count. What means he now?-Go ask him, whither he goes. Mess. Stay, my lord Talbot; for my lady C Re-enter PORTER, with Keys. Count. If thou be he, then art thou prisoner. Tal. Prisoner! to whom? Count. To me, blood-thirsty lord; But now the substance shall endure the like; Count. Laughest thou, wretch? thy mirth shall turn to moan. strength, With which he yoketh your rebellious necks; Razeth your cities, and subverts your towns, And in a moment makes them desolate. Count. Victorious Talbot! pardon my abuse: I find, thou art no less than fame hath bruited, And more than may be gather'd by thy shape. Let my presumption not provoke thy wrath; For I am sorry, that with reverence I did not entertain thee as thou art. Tul. Be not dismay'd, fair lady; nor misconThe mind of Talbot, as you did mistake [strue The outward composition of his body. What you have done, hath not offended me: No other satisfaction do I crave, But only (with your patience,) that we may Taste of your wine, and see what cates you have; For soldiers' stomachs always serve them well. Count. With all my heart: and think me To feast so great a warrior in my house. honoured truth; Plan. Then say at once, If I maintain'd the Or, else, was wrangling Somerset in the error? Suff. 'Faith, I have been a truant in the law; And never yet could frame my will to it; And, therefore, frame the law unto my will. Som. Judge you, my lord of Warwick, then between us. War. Between two hawks, which flies the higher pitch, [mouth, Between two dogs, which hath the deeper Between two blades, which bears the better eye, [best, temper, Between two horses, which doth bear him Between two girls, which hath the merriest [ment: I have, perhaps, some shallow spirit of judgeBut in these nice sharp quillets of the law, Good faith, I am no wiser than a daw. Plan. Tut, tut, here is a mannerly forbear ance: The truth appears so naked on my side, Som. And on my side it is so well apparell'd, to speak, In dumb significants proclaim your thoughts: Pluck a red rose from off this thorn with me. I pluck this white rose, with Plantagenet. Suff. I pluck this red rose, with young Somerset ; And say withal, I think he held the right. off; Lest, bleeding, you do paint the white rose red, Opinion shall be surgeon to my hurt, In sign whereof, I pluck a white rose too. ment? Som. Here, in my scabbard; meditating that, Shall die your white rose in a bloody red. Plan. Meantime, your cheeks do counterfeit our roses; * I. e. Regulate his motions most adroitly. Tints and deceits: a play on the word. * Justly proposed. |