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In private will I talk with thee apart;
Stand back you Lords, and give us leave

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awhile.

Reig. She takes upon her bravely at first dash. Puc Dauphin, I am by birth a shepherd's daughter,

1

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:
In complete glory she reveal'd herself; .
And, whereas was black and swart before,
With those clear rays which she iufus'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

terms;

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Only this proof I'll of thy valour make,
In single combat thou shalt buckle with me;
And, if thou vanquishest, thy words are true;
Otherwise, I renounce all confidence.

Puc. I am prepar'd; here is my keen-edg'd

sword,

Deck'd with five flower-de-luces on each side;

The which, at Touraine, in saint Katharine's church-yard,

Out of a 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 [They fight. Char. Stay, stay thy hands; thou art

man.

Amazon,

And fightest with the sword of Deborah.

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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 to thee thus.
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.

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 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 Caesar and his fortune bare at once.
Char. Was Mahomet inspired with a dove?
Thou with an eagle art inspired then.
Helen, the mother of great Constantine
Nor yet saint Philip's daughter, 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.

Exeunt.

SCENE III.

London. Hill before the Tower.

Enter, at the Gates, the Duke of GLOSTER, with his Servingmen 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: it is Gloster 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. Villains, answer you so the lord

1. Ward. [Within.]

Protector?

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 no Protector of the realm, but I. Break up the gates, I'll be your warrantize : Shall I be flouted thus by dunghill grooms?

Servants rush at the Tower gates. Enter, to the 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 commandement, That thou, nor none of thiue, 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?

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 the in thy broad Cardinal's hat, If thou proceed in this thy insolence.

Win. Nay, stand thou back, I will budge a foot; This be Damascus, be thou cursed Cain, To slay thy brother Abel, if thou wilt.

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