Being ordain'd his fpecial governor;
And for his fafety there I'll best devise.

[Exit.

Win. Each hath his place and function to attend: I am left out for me nothing remains: But long I will not be thus out of office: The King from Eltam I intend to send, And fit at chiefeft ftern of public weal.

SCENE V.

Before Orleans in France.

[Exit.

Enter Charles, Alanfon, and Reignier, marching with a drum and Soldiers.

Char.

MARS his true moving, even

heav'ns,

as in the

So in the earth to this day is not known.
Late, did he fhine upon the English fide:
Now we are victors, upon us he fmiles.
What towns of any moment, but we have?
At pleasure here we lie near Orleans :

Tho' ftill the famifh'd English, like pale ghosts,
Faintly befiege us one hour in a month. [beeves;
Alan. They want their porridge, and their fat Bull-
Either they must be dieted, like mules,

And have their provender ty'd to their mouths;
Or piteous they will look like drowned mice.

Reig. Let's raife the fiege: why live we idly here?
Talbot is taken, whom we wont to fear:
Remaineth none but mad-brain'd Salisbury,
And he may well in fretting spend his gall;
Nor men, nor money, hath he to make war.

Char. Sound, found alarum: we will rufh on them: Now for the honour of the forlorn French: Him I forgive my death, that killeth me;

When he fees me go back one foot, or fly. [Exeunt. [Here Alarm, they are beaten back by the English

with great lofs.

Re-enter Charles, Alanson, and Reignier.

Char. Who ever faw the like? what men have I?
Dogs, cowards, daftards! I would ne'er have fled,
But that they left me 'midst my enemies.
Reig. Salisbury is a defp'rate homicide,
He fighteth as one weary of his life:
The other lords, like lions wanting food.
Do rush upon us as their hungry prey.

Alan. Froyfard, a countryman of ours, records,
England all Olivers and Rowlands bred,
During the time Edward the Third did reign:
More truly now may this be verified;
For none but Sampfons and Goliaffes

It fendeth forth to fkirmish; one to ten!
Lean raw-bon'd rafcals! who would e'er fuppofe,
They had fuch courage and audacity!

Char. Let's leave this town, for they are hair-brain'd flaves,

And hunger will enforce them be more eager:
Of old I know them; rather with their teeth
The walls they'll tear down, than forfake the fiege.
Reig. I think, by fome odd gimmals or device
Their arms are fet like clocks, ftill to ftrike on;
Elfe they could ne'er hold out fo, as they do:
By my
confent we'll e'en let them alone.

Alan. Be it fo.

Enter the Bastard of Orleans.

Baft. Where's the Prince Dauphin? I have news for him.

Dau. Baftard of Orleans, thrice welcome to us.
Baft. Methinks, your looks are fad, your chear
appall'd.

Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence?
Be not difmay'd, for fuccour is at hand:
A holy maid hither with me I bring,
Which by a vifion, fent to her from heav'n,

Ordained

Ordained is to raise this tedious fiege;
And drive the English forth the bounds of France.
The fpirit of deep prophecy fhe hath,
Exceeding the nine Sibyls of old Rome:
What's paft, and what's to come, she can descry.
Speak, shall I call her in? believe my words,
For they are certain and infallible.

Dau. Go, call her in; but first, to try her skill,
Reignier, ftand thou as Dauphin in my place;
Queftion her proudly, let thy looks be ftern:
By this means fhall we found what skill she hath.

Reig.

FA

'A IR maid, is't thou wilt do these wond'rous feats ?

Pucel. Reignier, is't thou that thinkest to beguile mè?
Where is the Dauphin; come, come from behind,
I know thee well, tho' never seen before.

Be not amaz'd: there's nothing hid from me:
In private will I talk with thee apart:

Stand back, you lords, and give us leave awhile.
Reig. She takes upon her bravely at first dash.
Pucel. Dauphin, I am by birth a shepherd's daughter.
My wit untrain'd in any kind of art:

Heav'n, and our Lady gracious hath it pleas'd
To shine on my contemptible estate.

Lo, whilft I waited on my tender lambs,
And to fun's parching heat display'd my cheeks,
God's mother deigned to appear to me;
And, in a vifion full of majefty,
Will'd me to leave my bafe vocation,
And free my country from calamity:
Her aid fhe promis'd, and assur'd success.
In complete glory fhe reveal'd herself;
And, whereas I was black and fwart before,
With thofe clear rays which the infus'd on me,

That beauty am I bleft with, which you fee.
Afk me what question thou canft possible,
And I will answer unpremeditated.
My courage try by combat, if thou dar'ft,
And thou fhalt find that I exceed my fex.
Refolve on this, thou fhalt be fortunate,
If thou receive me for thy warlike mate.
Dan. Thou haft aftoniíh'd me with thy high terms:
Only this proof I'll of thy valour make,
In fingle combat thou fhalt buckle with me;
And, if thou vanquifheft, thy words are true;
Otherwife, I renounce all confidence.

Pucel. I am prepar'd; here is my keen-edg'd sword,
Deck'd with fine Flow'r-de-luces on each fide;
The which, at Tourain in St. Catharine's church,
Out of a deal of old iron I chofe forth.

Dau. Then come o'God's name, for I fear no woman. Pucel. And while I live, I'll ne'er fly from a man.

[Here they fight, and Joan la Pucelle overcomes. Dau. Stay, ftay thy hands, thou art an Amazon; And fighteft with the fword of Debora.

[weak. Pucel. Chrift's mother helps me, elfe I were too Dau. Who-c'er helps thee, 'tis thou that must Impatiently I burn with thy defire; [help me: My heart and hands thou haft at once subdu'd; Excellent Pucelle, if thy name be fo,

Let me thy fervant and not Sovereign be,
'Tis the French Dauphin fueth to thee thus.
Pucel. I must not yield to any rites of love,
For my profeffion's facred from above:
When I have chafed all thy foes from hence,
Then will I think upon a recompence.

Dau. Mean time, look gracious on thy proftrate

thrall.

Reig. My lord, methinks, is very long in talk. Alan. Doubtlefs, he fhrives this wonian to her fmock; Elfe ne'er could he fo long protract his fpeech. Reig. Shall we difturb him, fince he keeps no mean?

Alan.

Alan. He may mean more than we poor men do

know:

These women are fhrewd tempters with their tongues. Reig. My lord, where are you? what devise you on? Shall we give over Orleans or no?

Pucel. Why, no I say; distrustful recreants! Fight till the laft gafp, for I'll be your guard. Dau. What she fays, I'll confirm; we'll fight it out. Pucel. Affign'd I am to be the English fcourge. This night the fiege affuredly I'll raife: Expect Saint Martin's fummer, Halcyon days, Since I have enter'd thus into these wars. Glory is like a circle in the water; Which never ceaseth to enlarge itself, Till by broad fpreading it disperse to nought. With Henry's death the English circle ends; Difperfed are the glories it included : Now am I like that proud infulting ship, Which Cafar and his fortune bore at once. Dau. Was Mahomet inspired with a Dove? Thou with an Eagle art infpired then. Helen the mother of great Conftantine, Nor yet St. Philip's daughters, were like thee. Bright flar of Venus, fall'n down on the earth, How may I reverently worship thee?

Alan. Leave off delays, and let us raise the fiege. Reig. Woman, do what thou canft to fave our honours;

Drive them from Orleans, and be immortaliz'd.

Dau. Presently try: come, let's away about it. No prophet will I truft, if the proves falfe. [Exeunt.

The Tower-gates, in LONDON.

Enter Gloucester, with his Serving-men.

Am this day come to furvey the Tower;

Glou. Since Henry's death, I fear, there is con

veyance.

P 4

Where