The Dramatic Works of William Shakspeare

Char. Mean time, look gracious on thy prostrate thrall.

Reig. My lord, methinks, is very long in talk. Alen. Doubtless he shrives this woinan 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:

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?
Though with an eagle art inspired then.
Helen, the mother of great Constantine,

Nor vet Saint Philip's daughters, 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. 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? 1 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?

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:
From him I have express commandment,
That thou, nor none of thine, shall be let in.
Glo. Faint-hearted Woodville, prizest him 'fore
me?

Arrogant Winchester? that haughty prelate,
Whom Henry, 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; 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, dost thou command me to be shut out?

Win. I do, thou most usurping proditor,
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 brod 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,
To slay thy brother Abel, if thou wilt.

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;

Win. Gloster, thou'lt answer this before the pope. Glo. Winchester goose, I cry-a rope! a rope!Now beat them hence, why do you let them stay?Thee I'll chase hence, thou wolf in sheep's array.Out, tawney-coats!-out, sca: let 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 knowest little of my

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:

Servants rush at the Tower gates. Enter, to the One that still motions war, and never peace,

gates, Woodville, the lieutenant.

O'ercharging your free purses with large fines;

Wood. [Within.] What noise is this? what trai-That seeks to overthrow religion,

tors have we here?

(1) Expect prosperity after misfortune.

(2) Meaning the four daughters of Philip, mentioned in Acts xxi. 9.

(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;
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.

Which. I, disdaining, scorn'd; and craved death,
Rather than I would be so pil'd esteem'd.'
In fine, redeem'd I was as I desir'd.
But, O! the treacherous Fastolfe wounds my heart!
Whom with my bare fists I would execute,
If I now had him brought into my power.

Off All manner of men, assembled here in arms In

Sal. Yet tell'st thou not, how thou wert enter-
Lain'd.

Tal. With scoffs, and scorns, and contumelious
taunts.

Then broke I from the officers that led me;

this day, against God's peace and the king's, we To be a public spectacle to all
open market-place produc'd they me,
charge and command you, in his highness' name, Here, said they, is the terror of the French,
to repair to your several dwelling-places; and The scare-crow that affrights our children so.
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.

And with my nails digg'd stones out of the ground,
To hurl at the beholders of my shame.
My grisly countenance made others fly;
None durst come near for fear of sudden death.
In iron walls they deem'd me not secure ;
So great fear of my name 'mongst them was spread,

May. I'll call for clubs,' if you will not away:-That they supposed, I could rend bars of steel,

This cardinal is more haughty than the devil.
Glo. Mayor, farewell: thou dost but what thou
may'st.

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.

Son. Father, I know; and oft have shot at them, Howe'er, unfortunate, I miss'd my aim.

M. Gun. But now thou shalt not. Be thou rul'd
by me:

Chief master-gunner am I of this town;
Something I must do, to procure me grace:3
The prince's espials have inform'd me,

How the English, in the suburbs close entrench'd,
Wont, through a secret grate of iron bars
In yonder tower, to overpeer the city;

And thence discover, how, with most advantage,
They may vex us, with shot, or with assault.
To intercept this inconvenience,

A piece of ordnance 'gainst it I have plac'd;
And fully even these three days have I watch'd,
If I could see them. Now, boy, do thou watch,
For I can stay no longer.

[Exit.

If thou spy'st any, run and bring me word;
And thou shalt find me at the governor's.
Son. Father, I warrant you; take you no care;
I'll never trouble you, if I may spy them.
Eater, in an upper chamber of a tower, the Lords
Salisbury and Talbot, Sir William 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,
Once, in contempt, they would have barter'd me:

(1) That is, for peace-officers armed with clubs

or staves.

And spurn in pieces posts of adamant :
Wherefore a guard of chosen shot I had,
That walk'd about me every minute-while;
And if I did but stir out of my bed,
Ready they were to shoot me to the heart.

Sal. I grieve to hear what torments you endur'd,
But we will be reveng'd sufficiently.
Now it is supper-time in Orleans:
Here, through this grate, I can count every one,
And view the Frenchmen how they fortify;
Let us look in, the sight will much delight thee.-
Sir Thomas Gargrave, and sir William Glansdale,
Let me have your express opinions,

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;
How far'st thou, mirror of all martial men!
One of thy eyes, and thy cheek's side struck off!-
Accursed tower! accursed fatal hand,
That hath contrived this woful tragedy!
In thirteen battles Salisbury o'ercame;
Henry the Fifth he first trained to the wars;
Whilst any trump did sound, or drum struck up,
His sword did ne'er leave striking in the field.
Yet liv'st thou, Salisbury? though thy speech doth

fail,

One eve thou hast to look to heaven for grace:
The sun with one eye vieweth all the world.-
Heaven be thou gracious to none alive,
If Salisbury want mercy at thy hands!-
Bear hence his body; I will help to bury it.-
Sir Thomas Gargrave, hast thou any life?
Speak unto Talbot; nay, look up to him.
Salisbury, cheer thy spirit with this comfort;
Thou shalt not die, whiles-

He beckons with his hand, and smiles on me ;
As who should say, When I am dead and gone,
Remember to avenge me on the French.-
Plantaganet, I will; and Nero-like,

Char. Mean time, look gracious on thy prostrate 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:

These women tongues. Reig. My lord, where are you? what devise you on?

are shrewd tempters with their

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.

Char. Was Mahomet inspired with a dove?
Though with an eagle art inspired then.
Helen, the mother of great Constantine,

Nor yet Saint Philip's daughters, 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:

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:
From him I have express commandment,
That thou, nor none of thine, shall be let in.
Glo. Faint-hearted Woodville, prizest him 'fore
Die?

Arrogant Winchester? that haughty prelate, Whom Henry, 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; 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, dost thou command me to be shut out?

Win. I do, thou most usurping proditor,
And not protector of the king or realm.

Win. Nay, stand thou back, I will not budge a foot;

This be Damascus, be thou cursed Cain,
To slay thy brother Abel, if thou wilt.

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?

No prophet will I trust, if she prove false. [Exe. Draw, men, for all this privileged place;
SCENE III-London. Hill before the Tower. Blue-coats to tawny-coats. Priest, beware your

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? 1 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 dinghill grooms?

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. Glo. Winchester goose, I cry-a rope! a rope! Now beat them hence, why do you let them stay?. Thee I'll chase hence, thou wolf in sheep's array.Out, tawney-coats!-out, sca: let 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 knowest little of my

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:
O'ercharging your free purses with large fines;

Servants mish at the Tower gates. Enter, to the One that still motions war, and never peace,

gates, Woodville, the lieutenant.

Wood. [Within.] What noise is this? what trai-That seeks to overthrow religion,

tors have we here?

(1) Expect prosperity after misfortune. Meaning the four daughters of Philip, mentioned in Acts xxi. 9.

(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.

But to make open proclamation:-
Come, Officer; as loud as e'er thou canst.

Which. I, disdaining, seen'd; and craved death,
Rather than I would be so pil'd esteem'd.'
In fine, redeem'd I was as I desir'd.
But, O! the treacherous Fastolfe wounds my heart!
Whom with my bare fists I would execute,
If I now had him brought into my power.

Sal. Yet tell'st thou not, how thou wert enter-
Lain'd.

Tal. With scoffs, and scorns, and contumelious
taunts.

Off. All manner of men, assembled here in arms In open market-place produc'd they me, this day, against God's peace and the king's, we To be a public spectacle to all; charge and command you, in his highness' name, Here, said they, is the terror of the French, to repair to your several dwelling-places; and The scare-crow that affrights our children so. 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.

Then broke I from the officers that led me;

May. I'll call for clubs,' if you will not away:-That they supposed, I could rend bars of steel,

This cardinal is more haughty than the devil.
Glo. Mayor, farewell: thou dost but what thou
may'st.

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 stomachs 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.
Son. Father, I know; and oft have shot at them,
Howe'er, unfortunate, I miss'd my aim.

M. Gun. But now thou shalt not. Be thou rul'd
by me:

Chief master-gunner am I of this town;
Something I must do, to procure me grace:3
The prince's espials have inform'd me,

How the English, in the suburbs close entrench'd,
Wont, through a secret grate of iron bars
In yonder tower, to overpeer the city;

And thence discover, how, with most advantage,
They may vex us, with shot, or with assault.
To intercept this inconvenience,

A piece of ordnance 'gainst it I have plac'd;
And fully even these three days have I watch'd,
If I could see them. Now, boy, do thou watch,
For I can stay no longer.

[Exit.

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.

(1) That is, for peace-officers armed with clubs or staves.

And spurn in pieces posts of adamant:
Wherefore a guard of chosen shot I had,
That walk'd about me every minute-while;
And if I did but stir out of my bed,
Ready they were to shoot me to the heart.

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;
How far'st thou, mirror of all martial men!
One of thy eyes, and thy cheek's side struck off!-
Accursed tower! accursed fatal hand,
That hath contrived this woful tragedy!
In thirteen battles Salisbury o'ercame;
Henry the Fifth he first trained to the wars;
Whilst any trump did sound, or drum struck up,
His sword did ne'er leave striking in the field.-
Yet liv'st thou, Salisbury? though thy speech doth

fail,

He beckons with his hand, and smiles on me;
As who should say, When I am dead and gone,
Remember to avenge me on the French.-
Plantaganet, I will; and Nero-like,

(2) Pride. (3) Favour.
(5) So stripped of honours.

(4) Spies.

Play on the lute, beholding the towns burn :
Wretched shall France be only in my name.

[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,—
A holy prophetess new risen up,-
Is come with a great power to raise the siege.
Tal. Hear, hear, how dying Salisbury doth groan!
[Salisbury groans.
It irks his heart he cannot be reveng'd.-
Frenchmen, I'll be a Salisbury to you;-
Pucelle or puzzel,1 dolphin or dogfish,
Your hearts I'll stamp out with my horse's heels,
And make a quagmire of your mingled brains.—
Convey me Salisbury into his tent,
And then we'll try what these dastard Frenchmen
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;
A woman, clad in armour, chaseth them.

Enter La Pucelle.

Here, here she comes:- -I'll have a bout with thee:
Devil, or devil's dam, I'll conjure thee:
Blood will I draw on thee,2 thou art a witch,
And straightway give thy soul to him thou serv'st.
Puc. Come, come, 'tis only I that must disgrace
thee.
Tal. Heavens, can you suffer hell so to prevail?
[They fight.
My breast I'll burst with straining of my courage,
And from my shoulders crack my arms asunder,
But I will chastise this high-minded strumpet.

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 witch, by fear, not force, like Hannibal,
Drives back our troops, and conquers as she lists;
So bees with sinoke, and doves with noisome stench,
Are from their hives, and houses, driven away.
They called us, for our fierceness, English dogs;
Now, like to whelps, we crying run away.

Hark, countrymen! either renew the fight,
[A short alarum.
Or tear the lions out of England's coat;
Renounce your soil, give sheep in lions' stead:
Sheep run not half so timorous from the wolf,
Or horse, or oxen, from the leopard,
As you fly from your oft-subdued slaves.

[Alarum. Another skirmish. It will not be :-retire into your trenches:

Act II.

You all consented unto Salisbury's death,
For none would strike a stroke in his revenge.-
Pucelle is enter'd into Orleans,

In spite of us, or aught that we could do.
O, would I were to die with Salisbury!
The shame hereof will make me hide my head.
[Alarum. Retreat. Exeunt Talbot and his
forces, &c.

SCENE VI. The same. Enter, on the walls, Pucelle, Charles, Reignier, Alençon, and soldiers. Puc. Advance our waving colours on the walls; Thus Joan la Pucelle hath perform'd her word. Rescu'd is Orleans from the English wolves:

Char. Divinest creature, bright Astræa's daughter,
How shall I honour thee for this success?
Thy promises are like Adonis' gardens,
That one day bloom'd, and fruitful were the next.-
France, triumph in thy glorious prophetess !-
More blessed hap did ne'er befall our state.
Recover'd is the town of Orleans:

Dauphin, command the citizens make bonfires,
Reig. Why ring not out the bells throughout the
town?
To celebrate the joy that God hath given us.
And feast and banquet in the open streets,

Alen. All France will be replete with mirth and
joy,

When they shall hear how we have played the men. Char. "Tis Joan, not we, by whom the day is won; For which, I will divide my crown with her And all the priests and friars in my realm Shall, in procession, sing her endless praise., A statelier pyramis to her I'll rear, Than Rhodope's, or Memphis', ever was: In memory of her, when she is dead, Her ashes in an urn more precious Transported shall be at high festivals, Than the rich-jewel'd coffer of Darius, No longer on Saint Dennis will we cry, Before the kings and queens of France. But Joan la Pucelle shall be France's saint. Come in; and let us banquet royally, After this golden day of victory. [Flourish. Exe.

ACT II.

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 Serg.] 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
dead march.

Tal. Lord regent,-and redoubted Burgundy,-
By whose approach, the regions of Artois,
This happy night the Frenchmen are secure,
Walloon, and Picardy, are friends to us,→
Having all day carous'd and banqueted:
Embrace we then this opportunity;
Contriv'd by art, and baleful sorcery.
As fitting best to quittance their deceit,

(3) The same as guard-room.

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The Dramatic Works of William Shakspeare: Accurately Printed from the Text ...