SCENE II. France. Before Orleans. CHARLES, with his Forces; ALENCON, REIGNIER, and others.

1

Char. Mars his true moving, even as in the

heavens,

So in the earth, to this day is not known:
Late did he shine upon the English side;
Now we are victors, upon us he smiles.
What towns of any moment, but we have?
At pleasure here we lie, near Orleans;
Otherwhiles, the famish'd English, like pale ghosts,
Faintly besiege us one hour in a month.

Alen. They want their porridge, and their fat bullbeeves:

Either they must be dieted like mules,
And have their provender tied to their mouths,
Or piteous they will look, like drowned mice.
Reig. Let's raise the siege; 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, sound alarum; we will rush on them.
Now for the honour of the forlorn French :--
Him I forgive my death, that killeth me,
When he sees me go back one foot, or fly. [Exeunt.
Alarums: Excursions: afterwards a Retreat.
Re-enter CHARLES, ALENCON, REIGNIER, and
others.

Char. Who ever saw the like? what men have I? Dogs! cowards! dastards!-I would ne'er have fled, But that they left me 'midst my enemies.

Reig. Salisbury is a desperate homicide;
He fighteth as one weary of his life.
The other lords, like lions wanting food,
Do rush upon us as their hungry prey.2

Alen. Froissard, 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 Samsons, and Goliasses
It sendeth forth to skirmish. One to ten!
Lean raw-bon'd rascals; who would e'er suppose
They had such courage and audacity?
Char. Let's leave this town; for they are hair-
brain'd slaves,

And hunger will enforce them to be more eager :
Of old I know them; rather with their teeth
The walls they'll tear down, than forsake the siege.
Reig. I think, by some odd gimmals or device,
Their arms are set, like clocks, still to strike on;
Else ne'er could they hold out so as they do.
By my consent, we'll e'en let them alone.
Alen. Be it so.

Enter the Bastard of Orleans.

Bast. Where's the prince Dauphin, I have news

appall'd:

Char. Go, call her in: [Exit Bastard.] But, first to try her skill,

Reignier, stand thou as Dauphin in my place:
Question her proudly, let thy looks be stern:-
By this mean shall we sound what skill she hath.

[Retires.

Enter LA PUCELLE, Bastard of Orleans, and others. Reig. Fair maid, is't thou wilt do these wondrous feats?

Puc, Reignier, is't thou that thinkest to beguile me?-

Where is the Dauphin ?--come, come from behind;
I know thee well, though 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 a while.

Reig. She takes upon her bravely at first dash.
Puc. Dauphin, I am by birth a shepherd's daughter.
My wit untrain'd in any kind of art.
Heaven, and our Lady gracious, hath it pleas'd
To shine on my contemptible estate:
Lo, whilst I waited on my tender lambs,
And to sun's parching heat display'd my cheeks,
God's mother deigned to appear to me;
And, in a vision full of majesty,
Will'd me to leave my base vocation,
And free my country from calamity:
Her aid she promis'd, and assur'd success:
And, whereas I was black and swart before,
In complete glory she reveal'd herself;
With those clear rays which she infus'd on me,
That beauty am I bless'd with, which you see.
Ask me what question thou canst possible,
And I will answer unpremeditated:
My courage try by combat, if thou dar'st,
And thou shalt find that I exceed my sex.
Resolve on this: Thou shalt be fortunate,
If thou receive me for thy warlike mate.

Char. Thou hast astonish'd me with thy high

yard,

Out of a great 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 figh.. 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.
Excellent Pucelle, if thy name be so,
Let me thy servant, and not sovereign, be;
'Tis the French Dauphin sueth thus to thee.
Puc. I must not yield to any rites of love,
For my profession's sacred from above:
When I have chased all thy foes from hence,
Then will I think upon a recompense.

4 By gimmals, gimbols, gimmers, or gimowes, any kind of device or machinery producing motion was meant. Baret has the gime or hinge of a door." 5 Bastard was not in former times a title of reproach. 6 Cheer in this instance means heart or courage, as in the expression 'be of good cheer.'

7 Warburton says that, 'there were no nine sybils of Rome, it is a mistake for the nine Sibylline Oracles brought to one of the Tarquins. But the poet followed the popular books of his day, which say that the ten sybils were women that had the spirit of prophecy (eau merating them) and that they prophesied of Christ' 8 i. e. be convinced of it.

thrall.

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.2
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?3
Thou 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 Or.eans, and be immortaliz'd. Char. Presently we'll try :-Come let's away

about it:

No prophet will I trust, if she prove false. [Exeunt. 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?

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?

1 i. e. expect prosperity after misfortune, like fair weather at Martlemas, after winter has begun. 2 This is a favourite image with poets.

3 Mahomet had a dove which he used to feed with wheat out of his ear; which dove when it was hungry, lighted on Mahomet's shoulder, and thrust its bill in to find its breakfast, Mahomet persuading the rude and simple Arabians that it was the Holy Ghost.' Raleigh's Hist. of the World, part i. c. vi.

4 Meaning the four daughters of Philip mentioned in Acts, xxi. 9.

5 Conveyance anciently signified any kind of furtive knavery, or privy stealing.

6 To break up was the same as to break open. 7 It appears that the attendants upon ecclesiastical courts, and a bishop's servants, were then, as now, disdinguished by clothing of a sombre colour.

L.e. bald, alluding to his shaven crown.

Gates, WOODVILLE, the Lieutenant." Wood. [Within.] What noise is this? what traitors have we here?

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 Humphry? what means this?

8

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 sing:10
I'll canvas 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,
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;

[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, 12 I cry-a rope! a rope! Thee I'll chase hence, thou wolf in sheep's array. Now beat them hence: Why do you let them stay? Out, tawny coats!-out scarlet'' hypocrite!

Here a great Tumult. In the midst of it, Enter the Mayor of London, 14 and Officers.

May. Fye, lords! that you, being supreme magistrates,

Thus contumeliously should break the peace!
Glo. Peace, mayor: thou know'st little of my

wrongs :

9 Traitor.

10 The public stews in Southwark were under the jurisdiction of the bishop of Winchester. Upton had seen the office book of the court leet, in which was entered the fees paid by, and the customs and regulations of these brothels.

11 To canvas was 'to toss in a sieve; a punishment (says Cotgrave) inflicted on such as commit gross ab surdities.'

12 A Winchester goose was a particular stage of the disease contracted in the stews, hence Gloucester bestows the epithet on the bishop in derision and scorn.

13 In King Henry VIII. the earl of Surrey, with a similar allusion to Cardinal Wolsey's habit, calls him scarlet sin.'

14 It appears from Pennant's London that this mayor was John Coventry, an opulent mercer, from whom the present earl of Coventry is descended.

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, 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 can'st. 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.
May. I'll call for clubs, if you will not away:
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 intrench'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 we 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.
Enter, 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?

1 Malone erroneously thinks the mayor cries out for peace-officers armed with clubs or staves. The practice of calling out Clubs! clubs! to call out the London apprentices upon the occasion of any affray in the streets, has been before explained, see As You Like It, Act v. Sc. 2.

2 Stomach is pride, a haughty spirit of resentment 3 Favour.

4 Spies. Vide note on Hamlet, Act iii. Sc. 1.

Or by what means gott'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.
Which I, disdaining, scorn'd; and craved death
Rather than I would be so vile 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.

In

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

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

To be a public spectacle to all;
open market-place produc'd they me,

Here, said they, is the terror of the French,"
The scare-crow that affrights our children so.
Then broke I from the officers that led me;
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,
That they suppos'd, I could rend bars of steel,
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.

But we will be reveng'd sufficiently.
Sal. I grieve to hear what torments you endur'd;
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 light skirmishes enfeebled.

[Shot from the Town. SALISBURY and SIR THO. GARGRAVE fall.

Sal. O Lord, have mercy on us, wretched sinners. Gar. O Lord, have mercy on me, woeful 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 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,
His sword did ne'er leave striking in the field.-
Yet liv'st thou, Salisbury" though thy speech doth
fail,

One eye 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 wants 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.
very scourge and a daily terror, insomuch that as his
person was fearful and terrible to his adversaries pre-
sent, so his name and fame was spiteful ond dreadful to
the common people absent; insomuch that women in
France, to feare their yong children, would crye the
Talbot cometh.' Hall's Chronicle.

8 Camden says, in his Remaines, that the French scarce knew the use of great ordnance till the siege of

6 The old copy reads 'pil'd esteem'd.'

Embrace we then this opportunity;

As fitting best to quittance their deceit, Contriv'd by art, and baleful sorcery.

his fame,

Despairing of his own arm's fortitude,

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,
She carry armour as she hath begun.

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. Not all together: better far, I guess,
That we do make our entrance several ways;
That, if it chance the one of us do fail,
The other yet may rise against their force.
Bed. Agreed; I'll to yon corner.

Bur.

And I to this. 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 unready1 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.

To gather our soldiers, scatter'd and dispers'd, And lay new platforms to endamage them. Alarum. Enter an English Soldier, crying a Tal bot! a Talbot! They fly, leaving their Clothes behind.

Sold. I'll be so bold to take what they have left, The cry of Talbot serves me for a sword; For I have loaden me with many spoils, Using no other weapon but his name. [Exit. SCENE II. Orleans. Within the Town. Enter TALBOT, BEDFord, Burgundy, a Captain, and others.

Bed. The day begins to break, and night is fled, Whose pitchy mantle over-veil'd the earth. Here sound retreat, and cease our hot pursuit. [Retreat sounded.

Tal. Bring forth the body of old Salisbury; And here advance it in the market-place, The middle centre of this cursed town.Now have I paid my vow unto his soul; For every drop of blood was drawn from him, There hath at least five Frenchmen died to-night. And, that hereafter ages may behold What ruin happen'd in revenge of him, Within their chiefest temple I'll erect A tomb, wherein his corpse shall be interr'd: Upon the which, that every one may read, Shall be engrav'd the sack of Orleans; The treacherous manner of his mournful death, And what a terror he had been to France.

But, lords, in all our bloody massacre,

I muse, we met not with the Dauphin's grace;
His new-come champion, virtuous Joan of Arc;
Nor any of his false confederates.

Bed. "Tis thought, Lord Talbot, when the fight
began,

Rous'd on the sudden from their drowsy beds,
They did amongst the troops of armed men,

friend?

1 Unready is undressed.

2 Plans, schemes.

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 running, Like to a pair of loving turtle-doves, 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 princely

Call

train

ye the warlike Talbot, for his acts

So much applauded through the realm of France? Tal. Here is the Talbot; who would speak with

him?

Mess. The virtuous lady, countess of Auvergne, With modesty admiring thy renown,

By me entreats, good lord, thou wouldst vouchsafe
To visit her poor castle where she lies;4
That she may boast she hath beheld the man
Whose glory fills the world with loud report.

Bur. Is it even so? Nay, then, I see our wars
Will turn unto a peaceful comic sport,
When ladies crave to be encounter'd with.-
You may not, my lord, despise her gentle suit.
Tal. Ne'er trust me then; for, when a world of