That come to gather money for their corn,
If we have entrance (as I hope we shall),
And that we find the slothful watch but weak,
I'll by a sign give notice to our friends,

That Charles the Dauphin may encounter them.
1 Sold. Our sacks shall be a mean to sack the city,
And we be lords and rulers over Rouen;
Therefore we'll knock.

Guard. [Within.] Qui est là?

[Knocks.

Puc. Paisans, pauvres gens de France: Poor market-folks, that come to sell their corn. Guard. Euter, go in; the market-bell is rung. [Opens the gates. Puc. Now, Rouen, I'll shake thy bulwarks to the ground.

[Pucelle, &c. enter the city.

Enter Charles, Bastard of Orleans, Alençon, and

forces.

Char. Saint Dennis bless this happy stratagem! And once again we'll sleep secure in Roüen.

Bast. Here enter'd Pucelle, and her practisants*; Now she is there, how will she specify Where is the best and safest passage in?

Alen. By thrusting out a torch from yonder tower; Which, once discern'd, shows, that her meaning is, No way to thatt, for weakness, which she enter'd.

Enter La Pucelle on a battlement: holding out u torch burning.

Puc. Behold, this is the happy wedding torch,
That joineth Rouen unto her countrymen :
But burning fatal to the Talbotites.

Bast. See, noble Charles! the beacon of our friend, The burning torch in yonder turret stands.

*Confederates in stratagems.

VOL. V.

i. e. No way equal to that.

D

Char. Now shine it like a comet of revenge,

A prophet to the fall of all our foes!

Alen. Defer no time, Delays have dangerous ends; Enter, and cry-The Dauphin!-presently,

And then do execution on the watch. [They enter.

Alarums. Enter Talbot, and certain English.

Tal. France, thou shalt rue this treason with thy tears,

If Talbot but survive thy treachery.-
Pucelle, that witch, that damned sorceress,
Hath wrought this hellish mischief unawares,
That hardly we escap'd the pride* of France.

[Exeunt to the town.

Alarum: Excursions. Enter from the town, Bedford, brought in sick, in a chair, with Talbot, Burgundy, and the English forces. Then, enter on the walls, La Pucelle, Charles, Bastard, Alençon, and others.

Puc. Good morrow, gallants! want ye corn for bread?

I think, the duke of Burgundy will fast

Before he'll buy again at such a rate:
'Twas full of darnel; Do you like the taste?

Bur. Scoff on, vile fiend, and shameless courtezan.
I trust, ere long, to choke thee with thine own,
And make thee curse the harvest of that corn.

Char. Your grace may starve, perhaps, before that time.

Bed. O, let no words, but deeds, revenge this treason!

Puc. What will you do, good grey-beard? break

a lance,

And run a tilt at death within a chair?

Tal. Foul fiend of France, and hag of all despite,

Haughty power.

3

Encompass'd with thy lustful paramours!
Becomes it thee to taunt his valiant age,
And twit with cowardice a man half dead?
Damsel, I'll have a bout with you again,
Or else let Talbot perish with this shame.

Puc. Are you so hot, sir?-Yet, Pucelle, hold thy peace;

If Talbot do but thunder, rain will follow.

[Talbot, and the rest, consult together. God speed the parliament! who shall be the speaker? Tal. Dare ye come forth, and meet us in the field? Puc. Belike, your lordship takes us then for fools, To try if that our own be ours, or no.

Tal. I speak not to that railing Hecaté,

But unto thee, Alençon, and the rest:

Will ye, like soldiers, come and fight it out?
Alen. Signior, no.

Tal. Signior, hang!-base muleteers of France !
Like peasant foot-boys do they keep the walls,
And dare not take up arms like gentlemen.

Puc. Captains, away: let's get us from the walls; For Talbot means no goodness, by his looks. God be wi' you, my lord! we came, sir, but to tell you That we are here.

[Exeunt La Pucelle, &c. from the walls. Tal. And there will we be too, ere it be long, Or else reproach be Talbot's greatest fame!Vow, Burgundy, by honour of thy house (Prick'd on by publick wrongs, sustain'd in France), Either to get the town again, or die:

And I, as sure as English Henry lives,
And as his father here was conqueror;
As sure as in this late-betrayed town
Great Cœur-de-lion's heart was buried;
So sure I swear to get the town, or die.

Bur. My vows are equal partners with thy vows,
Tal. But, ere we go, regard this dying prince,
The yaliant duke of Bedford:-Come, my lord,
We will bestow you in some better place,
Fitter for sickness, and for crazy age.,

Bed. Lord Talbot, do not so dishonour me:
Here will I sit before the walls of Rouen,
And will be partner of your weal, or woe.

Bur. Courageous Bedford, let us now persuade you.

Bed. Not to be gone from hence; for once I read That stout Pendragon, in his litter, sick, Came to the field, and vanquished his foes: Methinks, I should revive the soldiers' hearts, Because I ever found them as myself.

Tal. Undaunted spirit in a dying breast!— Then be it so:-Heavens keep old Bedford safe!— And now uo more ado, brave Burgundy, But gather we our forces out of hand,

And set upon our boasting enemy.

[Exeunt Burgundy, Talbot, and forces, leaving Bedford, and others.

Alarum: Excursions. Enter Sir John Fastolfe, and a Captain.

Capt. Whither away, sir John Fastolfe, in such haste?

Fast. Whither away? to save myself by flight; We are like to have the overthrow again.

Capt. What! will you fly, and leave lord Talbot ? Fast.

Ay,

All the Talbots in the world to save my life. [Exit. Capt. Cowardly knight! ill fortune follow thee!

[Exit.

Retreat: Excursions. Enter from the town, La Pucelle, Alençon, Charles, &c.; and Exeunt, flying.

Bed. Now, quiet soul, depart when heaven please; For I have seen our enemies' overthrow. What is the trust or strength of foolish man? They, that of late were daring with their scoffs, Are glad and fain by flight to save themselves.

[Dies, and is carried off in his chair.

Alarum: Enter Talbot, Burgundy, and others.

Tal. Lost, and recover'd in a day again!
This is a double honour, Burgundy:
Yet, heavens have glory for this victory!
Bur. Warlike and martial Talbot, Burgundy
Enshrines thee in his heart; and there erects
Thy noble deeds, as valour's monument.

Tal. Thanks, gentle duke. But where is Pucelle now?

I think, her old familiar is asleep:

Now where's the Bastard's braves, and Charles his gleeks* ?

What, all a-mortt? Roüen hangs her head for grief,
That such a valiant company are fled.

Now will we take some order in the town,
Placing therein some expert officers;

And then depart to Paris, to the king;
For there young Harry, with his nobles, lies.
Bur. What wills lord Talbot, pleaseth Burgundy.
Tal. But yet, before we go, let's not forget
The noble duke of Bedford, late deceas'd,
But see his exequies § fulfill'd in Roüen;
A braver soldier never couched lance,
A gentler heart did never sway in court:
But kings, and mightiest potentates, must die;
For that's the end of human misery.

* Scoffs.

+ Quite dispirited.

Make some necessary dispositions.
Funeral rites.

[Exeunt.