man.

2

20

A holy maid hitlier with me I bring,

Dau. Then comco'God's name, I fear no won Which, by a vision sent to her from heaven, Ordained is to raise this tedious siege,

Pucel. And, while I live, I'll never fy no man. And drivethe English forth the bounds of France. [Ilere they fight,and Joan la Pucelle orercomes. The spirit of deep prophecy she hath,

5 Dau. Stay, stav thy hands; thou art an Amazon, Exceeding the nine sibyls i of old Rome; And fightest with the sword of Deborah. What's past, and what's to come, she can descry. Pucel. Christ's mother helps me, else I were too Speak, shall I call her in? Believe my 2 words,

weak.

[help me; For they are certain and unfallible.

Dau. Whoe'er helps thee, 'tis thou that must Dau. Go, call her in: But first, to try her skill, 10 Impatiently I burn with thy desire; Reignier, stand thou as Dauphin in my place: My heart and hands thou hast at once subdu'd. Question her proudly, let thy looks be stern;- Excellent Pucelle, if thy name be so, By this means shall we sound what skill she hath. Let me thy servant, and not sovereign, be; Enter Joan la Pucelle.

'Tis the French Dauphin sueth to thee thus. Reig. Fairmaid, is't thou wiltdothesewond'rous 15 Purel. I must not yield to any rites of love, feats?

[me For my profession’s sacred from above: Pucel. Reignier,is't thou that thinkest to beguile When I have chased all thy foes from hence, Where is the Dauphin? come, come from behind; Then will I think upon a recompence. I know thee well, though never seen before. Dau. Mean time, look gracious on thy proBe not amaz'd, there's nothing hid from me:

strate thrall. In private will I talk with thee apart;

Reig. My lord, methinks, is very long in talk. Stand back, you lords, and give us leave awhile. Aten. Doubtless, he shrives this woman to her Reig. She takes upon her bravely at first dashı.

sinock; P’ucel. Dauphin, I am by birth a shepherd's Else ne'er could he so long protract his speech. daughter,

2: Reig. Shall we disturb him, since he keeps no My wit untrain'd in any kind of art.

mean? Heaven, and our Lady gracious, bath it pleas'd Alcn. He may mean more than we poor mendo To shine on my contemptible estate:

know:

(tongues. Lo, whilst I waited on my tender lambs, These women are shrewd tempters with their And to sun's parching heat display'd my cheeks, 30 Reig. My lord, where are you : what devise God's mother deigned to appear to me;

you on? And, in a vision full of inajesty,

Shall we give over Orleans, or no? Will’d me to leave my base vocation,

Pucel. Wly, no, I say, distrusttul recreants! And free my country from calamity:

Fight 'till the last gasp; I will be your guard. Her aid she promis'd, and assur'd success: 35 Dau. What she says, I'll confirm; we'll fight In complete glory she reyeal'd herself;

it out. And, whereas I was black and swart before, Pucel. Assigu'd I am to be the English scourge. With those clear rays which she intus'd on ine, This night the siege assuredly I'll raise: That beauty am I blest with, which you see. Expect St. Martin's summer 3, halcyon days, Ask me what question thou canst possible, 10 Since I have enter'd thus into these wars. And I will answer unpremeditated:

Glory is like a circle in the water, My courage try by combat, if thou dar'st, Which never ceas::th to enlarge itself, And thou shalt sind that I exceed my sex. ' Till

, by broad spreading, it disperse to nought. Resolve on this: Thou shalt be fortunate, With llenry's death the English circle ends; If thou receive me for thy warlike mate. 15 Dispersed are the glories it included. Duu. 'Thou hast astonishi’d me witii thy high Now am I like that proud insulting ship, terms:

Which Cæsar and his fortune bare at once. Doly this proof I'll of thy valour make,-- Dau. Was Mahomet inspired with a dove 4 ? In single combat thou shalt buckle with me; Thou with an eagle art inspired then. And, it thou vanquishest, thy words are true; folclen, the mother of great Constantine, Otherwise, I renounce all confidence.

Nor yet Saint Philip's daughters 5, were like thee. Pueel. I am prepar’d: here is my keen-edgid Bright star of Venus, fall in down on the earth, sword,

Now may I reverently worship thee enough? Deck'd with ine flower-de-laces on each side; Alen. Leave oti delays,and let us raisethesiege. Thewhich,atTouraineinSaintkatharine’schurch-53 Reig. Woman, do what thou canst to save our yard,

honours; Out of a deal of old iron I chosc forth.

Drive them from Orleans, and be immortaliz'd. There were no nine sibyls of Rome! but our author confounds things, and mistakes this for the nine books of Sibylline oracles, brought to one of the Tarquivs. 2 It should be read, believe her words. 3 That is, expect prosperity after misfortune, like fair weather at Martlemas, after winter has begun. 4 Juhomut 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 breaktast; Mahomet persuading the rude and simple Arabians, that it was the Iloly Ghost that gave him advice. 5 Meaning, the four daughters of Philip mentioned in the Acts.

Dau.

a

Dau. Presently we'll try:-Come, let's away Glo. Stand back, thou manifest conspirator; about it:

Thou, that contriv’dst to murder our deadlord; No prophet will I trust, if she prove false. Thou, that giv'st whores indulgences to sin + :

(Exeunt. I'll canvass thee in thy broad cardinal's hats, SCENE III.

5 If thou proceed in this thy insolence. [foot:

Win. Nay, stand thou back, I will not budgea Tower-Gates in London,

This be Damascus, be thou cursed Cain, Enter Gloster, with his Serring-men. To slay thy brother Abel, if thou wilt. Glo. I am come to survey the Tower this day; Glo. I will not slaythee, but I'll drive thee hack: Since Henry's death, I fear, there is convey-10 Thy scarlet robes, as a child's bearing-cloth ance'.

I'll use, to carry thee out of this place. [face. Where be these warders, that they wait not here: Win. Dowhát thou dar'st; I beard thee to thy Open the gates: it is Gloster that calls.

Glo. What? am I dar'd, and bearded to my 1 Ward. Who's there, that knocketh so im- Draw, men, for all this privileged place; (face? periously?

15 Blue-coats to tawny-coats. Priest, beware thy 1 Man. It is the noble duke of Gloster.

beard; 2 Ward. Whoe'er he be, you may not be let in. I mean to tug it, and to cuff you soundly: 1 Man. Villains, answer you so the lord pro- Under my feet I'll stamp thy cardipal's hat; tector?

In spite of pope, or dignities of church, I Ward. The Lord protect him! so we20 Here by the cheeks I'll drag thee up and down. answer hinı :

Min.Gloster, thou'lt answer this before thepope. We do no otherwise than we are will’d.

Glo. Winchester goose ? ! I cry A rope! a Glo. Who will'd you? or whose will stands,

rope!

stay? but mine?

Now beat them hence, Why do you let them There's none protector of the realm, but I.- 12:Theel'llchase hence, thou wolfinsheep's array. Break up the gates, I'll be your warrantize: Out, tawny-coats!-out, scarlet hypocrite! Shall I be flouted thus by dunghill grooms? Here Gloster's Men beat out the Cardinal's; and Gloster's Men rush at the Power-Gates, and Wood- enter in the hurly-burly, the Mayor of London vile, the Lieutenant, speaks within.

and his Officers. Wood. What noise is this? what traitors have 30 Mayor. Fic, lords! that you, being supreme we here?

magistrates, Glo. Lieutenant, is it you, whosc voice I hear? Thus contumeliously should break the peace! Open the gates; here's Gloster, that would enter. Glo. Peace, mayor; for thou know'st little of Wood. Have patience, noble duke; I may not

my wrongs: open;

135 Here's Beaufort, that regards nor God nor king, The cardinal of Winchester forbids:

Hath here distrain'd the Tower to his use. From him I have express commandment,

Win. Here's Gloster too, a foe to citizens; That thou, nor none of thine, shall be let in.[me: One that still motions war, and never peace,

Glo. Faint-hearted Woodvile, prizest him fore O'er-charging your free purses with large fincs ; Arrogant Winchester? that haughty prelate,

40 That seeks to overthrow religion, Whom Henry, our late sovereign, ne'er could Because he is protector of the realm; brook?

And would have armour here out of the Tower, Thou art no friend to God, or to the king:

Tocrown himself king, and suppress the prince. Open the gates, or I'll shut thee out shortly. Glo. I will not answer thee with words, but

Sert. Open the gates there to the lord protector:45 blows. [Here they skirmish again. We'll burst them open, if that you come not Mayor. Nought rests for me, in this tumulquickly.

tuous strife, Enter to the Protector, at the Tower-Gates, Win- But to make open proclamation: chester and his men in tawny coats :

Come, officer; as loud as e'er thou canst. Win. How now, ambitious Humphry? what|50 Of. All manner of men, assembled hereinarmsthis means this?

day, against God's peace and the king's, we Glo. Piel'd 3 priest, dost thou command me to charge and command you, in his highness' name be shut out?

to repair to your several dwelling places; and Win. I do, thou most usurping proditor, not wear, handle, or use, any sword, weapon, And not protector of the king or realm. 1551 or dagger, henceforward, upon pain of death

Conveyance means theft. ? A tawny coat was the dress of the officer whose business it was to summon offenders toan ecclesiastical court. These are the proper attendants therefore on the bishop of Winchester. Alluding to his shaven crown. In Weever's Funeral Monuments, p. 154, Robert Baldocke, bishop of London, is called a peeled priest, pilide clerk, seemingly in allusion to his shaven crown alone. So, bald-head was a term of scorn and mockery, 4 The public stews were formerly under the district of the bishop of Winchester. This means, I believe, P'll tumble thee into thy great hat, and shake thee, as branand meal are shakenina siete. O Maundrel, in his Travels, says, that about four miles from Damascus is a high hill, reported to be the same on which Cain slew his brother Abel, ? A strumpet, or the consequences of her love, was a Winchester ghose. Nn2

Gio,

sure:

IV.

dur'd;

Glo. Cardinal, I'll be no breaker of the law : Tal. With scoffs, and scorns, and contuinelious But we shall meet, and break our minds at large.

taunts.
Win. Gloster, we'll meet; to thy cost, be thou In open market-place produc'd they me,

To be a public spectacle to all,
Thy heart-blood I will have for this day's work. 5 Here, said they, is the terror of the French,

Mayor. I'll call for clubs, if you will not away: T'he scare-crow that affrights our children so.
This cardinal is more haughty tha the devil. Then broke I from the officers that led me;
Glo. Mayor, farewell: thou dost but what thou And with my nails digg'dstones out of the ground,
may'st.

To hurl at the beholders of my shame.
Win. Abominable Gloster! guard thy head; 10 My grisly countenance made others fly;,
For I intend to have it, c're long. [Ereunt. None durst come near, for fear of sudden death.
Mayor. See the coast clear'd, and then we will In iron walls they deem'd me not secure;
depart.--

So great fearoi myname'mongst themwas spread,
GoodGod!that nobles should such stomachs bear! That they suppos'd, I could rend bars of steel,
I'nıyself fight not once in forty year. [Exeunt. 15. Ind spurn in pieces posts of adamant:

Wherefore a guard of chosen shot I had,
SCENE

That walk'd about me every minute while;
Orleans in France.

And if I did but stir out of iny bed,
Enter the Master-Gunner of Orleans, and his Boy. Ready they were to shoot me to the heart.
M. Gun. Sirrah, thou know'st how Orleans is 20 Enter the Boy, with a linstock.
besieg'd;

Sal. I grieve to hear what torments you en-
And how the English have the suburbs won.

Boy. Father, I know; and oft have shot at them, But we will be reveng'd sufficiently.
Howe'er, unfortunate, I miss'd my aim. Now it is supper-time in Orleans:
M. Gun. But now thou shalt not. Be thou 25fere, through this grate, I can count every one,
rul'd by me:

Ind view the Frenchmen how they foruity;
Chief master-gunner ain I of this town; Let us look in, the sight will inuch delight thee.-
Something I must do to procure ine grace. Sir Thomas Gargrave, and Sir William Glansdale,
The prince's 'spials' have informed me, Let me have your express opinions,
How the English, in the suburbs close intrench’d, 30Where is best place to make our battery next.
2 Went, through a secret grate of iron bars Gar. I think, at the north gate: for there stand
In yonder tower, to over-peer the city;

lords.
And thence discover, how, with most advantage, Glan. And I here, at the bulwark of the bridge.
They may vex us, with shot, or with assault. Tal. F'oraught I see, this city must be famish’d,
To intercept this inconvenience,

35 Or with light skirmishes enfecbled. A piece of ordnance 'gainst it I have plac'd;

[Shot from the town. Salisbury and Sir Tho. And fully even these three days have I watch'd,

Gargrate fall down.
If I could see them: Now, boy, do thou watch; Sal. O Lord, have mercy on us, wretched
For I can stay no longer.

sinners! If thou spy'st any, run and bring me word; 140

Gar. O Lord, have mercy on me, woeful man! And thou shalt find me at the governor's. [Exit. Tal. What chance is this, that suddenly hath Boy. Father, I warrant you; take you no care;

cross'd us? I'll never trouble you, if I may spy them. Speak, Salisbury; at least, if thou canst speak; Enter the Lords Sulisbury and Talbot, with Sir W. How tar'st thou, inirror of all martial men?

Glansdale and Sir Tho. Gargrave, on the turrets. 15 Oneofthy eyes,and thycheek's side struck off!

Sal. Talbot, my life, iny joy, again return'd! Accursed tower! accursed fatal hand,
How wert thou handled, being prisoner? That hath contriv'd this woeful tragedy!
Or by what means gott'st thou to be releas'd ? In thirteen battles Salisbury o'ercame;
Discourse, I pry'thee, on this turret's top. Henry the fifth he first train'd to the wars:

Tal. The duke of Bedford had a prisoner, 50 Whilst any trump did sound, or drum struck up,
Called—the brave lord Ponton de Santrailles; Hissword did ne'er leave striking in the field.
For him was I exchang’d and ransoined. Yet liv'st thou, Salisbury though thy speech doth
But with a baser inan of arms by far,

fail,
Once,in contempt,they would have barter'd me: One eye thou hast to look to heaven for grace:
Which I, disdaining, scorn’d; and craved death The sun with one eye vieweth all the world.-
Rather than I would be so pill'd'esteemed. Heaven, be thou gracious to none alive,
In fine, redeem'd I was as I desir’d,

If Salisbury wants mercy at thy hands ! But, oh! the treacherous Fastolfe wounds my Bear hence his body, I will help to bury it. heart!

Sir Thomas Gargrave, hast thou any lite?
Whom with my bare fists I would execute, 60 Speak unto Talbot; nay, look up to him.
If I now had him brought into my power. Salisbury, chear thy spirit with this comfort;
Sal. Yet tell'st thou not, how thou wert en- Thou shalt not die, whiles-
tertain'd.

He beckons with his hand, and stniles on me; Espials are spies. 2 Wont, i. e, were accustomed. ? So pilld, means so pillaged, so stripp'd of honours.

As'

1

As who should say, When I am dead and gone, Tal. My thoughts are whirled like a potter's Remember to avenge me on the French.

wheel; Plantagenet, I will; and, Nero-like,

I know not where I am, nor what I do: Play on the lute, beholding the towns burn: A witch, by fear, not force, like Hannibal, Wretched shall France be only in my name. 5 Drives back our troops, and conquers as she lists:

[Here an alarum, and it thundersand lightens. So beeswith smoke,anddoveswithnoisomestench, What stir is this? What tumult's in the heavens ? Are from their hives, and houses, driven away. Whence cometh this alarum and this noise? They call'd us, for our fierceness, English dogs; Enter a Messenger.

Now, like their whelps, we crying run away. Mess. My lord, my lord, the French have 10

[A short alarum. gather'd head:

Hark, countrymen! either renew the fight, The Dauphin, with one Joan la Pucelle join'd,- Or tear the lions out of England's coat; A holy prophetess, new risen up,

Renounce your soil, give sheep in lions' stead: Is come with a great power to raise the siege. Sheep run not half so timorous from the wolf,

[Here Salisbury lifteth himself up, and grouns. 15 Or horse, or oxen, from the leopard,
Tal. Hear, hcar, how dying Salisbury doth As you fly from your oft-subdued slaves.-
groan!

[Ålarum. Here another skirmish.
It irks his heart, he cannot be reveng'd. It will not be :-Retire into your trenches:
Frenchmen, I'll be a Salisbury to you :- You all consented unto Salisbury's death,
Pucelle or puzzel', dolphin or dogtish, 20 For none would strike a stroke in his revenge.-
Your hearts I'll stamp out with my borse's heels, Pucelle is enter'd into Orleans,
And niake a quagmire of your mingled brains.- In spight of us, or aught that we could do.
Convey me Salisbury into his tent,

O, would I were to die with Salisbury ! And then we'll try what dastard Frenchmen dare. The shame hereof will inake me hide my head. [Alarum. Exeunt, bearing out the bodies. 25

(Exit Talbot. SCENE V.

[ Alarum, retreut, flourish. Here an alarum again; and Talbot pursueth the

SCENE VI. Dauphin, and driveth him: then enter Joan la Enter on the walls, Pucelle, Dauphin, Reignier, Pucelle, driring Englishmen before her. Then

Alençon, and Soldiers. enter Talbot.

30. Pucelle.Advanceourwavingcoloursonthewalls; Tal. Where is my strength, my valour, and my Rescu'd is Orleans from the English wolves:force?

Thus Joan la Pucelle hath perform'd her word. Our English troops retire, I cannot stay them; Dau. Divinestcreature,brightAstræa’sdaughter, A woman, clad in armour, chaseth them. How shall I honour thee for this success? Enter La Pucelle.

135 Thy promises are like Adonis' gardens, Here, here she comes:-I'll have a boutwith thee; l'hat one day bloom’d,and fruittul were the next. Devil, or devil's dam, I'll conjure thee: France, triumph in thy glorious prophetess! Blood will I draw on thee?, thou art a witch, Recover'd is the town of Orleans : And straightway give thy soul to him thou serv'st. More blessed hap did ne'er befall our state. Pucel.Come,come,'tísonlyl that must disgrace 10 Reig. Why ring not out the bells throughout thee.

[They right.

the town? Tal. Heavens, can you suffer hell so to prevail : Dauphin, command the citizens make bonfires, My breast I'll busst with straining of my courage, And feast and banquet in the open streets, And from my shoulders crack my arms asunder, To celebrate the joy that God hath given us. But I will chastise this high-minded strumpet. 45 Alen. All France will be replete with mirth and Pucel. Talbot, farewell; thy hour is not yet

joy, Į must go victual Orleans forthwith. (come: When theyshall hear howwe have play'd themen. [A short alarum. Then enters the town with Dau.'Tis Joan, not we,bywhom the day is won; soldiers.

For which, I will divide my crown with her: O’ertake me if thou canst; I scorn thy strength. 50.Ind all the priests and friars in my realm Go, go, chcer up thy hunger-starved men; shall, in procession, sing her endless praise. Help Salisbury to make his testament:

A statelier pyramis to her I'll rear, This day is ours, as many more shall be. Than Rhodope's', or Memphis', ever was:

[Exit Pucelle. In memory of her, when she is dead, · Mr. Tollet says, Pussel means a dirty wench or a drab, from puzza, i. e. malus fætor, says Minshew. In a translation from Stephens's Apology for Herodotus, in 1007, p. 98, we read," Some

a filthy queans, especially our puzzles of Paris, use this other theft.” 2 The superstition of those times taught, that he that could draw the witch’s blood, was free from her power. 3 Rhodope was a famous strumpet, who acquired great riches by her trade. The least but most finished of the Egyptian pyramíds was built by her. She is said afterwards to have married Psammetichus, king of Egypt. Nn 3

Her

1

Her ashes, in an urn more precious

No longer on Saint Denis will we cry, Than the rich-jewel'd coffer of Darius',

Rut Joan la Pucelle shall be France's saint. Transported shall be at high festivals

Come in; and let us banquet royally, Before the kings and queens of France. After this golden dayof victory [Flourish.Ereunt.

А ст ІІ.

II

SCENE I.

Of English Henry, shall this night appear
Before Orleans.

How much in duty I am bound to both.

15 The English, scaling the walls, cry, St. George! Enter a French Serjeant, with two Centinels.

A Talbot !
Serj.SIRS, take your places, and be vigilant: Cent. [Within.] Arm, arm! the enemy

doth If any noise, or soldier, you perceive,

make assault ! Near to the walls, by some apparent sign, The French leap over the walls in their shirts. Enter Let us have knowledge at the court of guard. 20 several ways, Bastard, Alençon, Reignier, half Cent. Serjeant, you shall. [Exit Serjeant.] Thus ready, and half unready. are poor servitors

Alen. How now,my lords? what all unready’so? (When others sleep upon their quiet beds) Bast. Unready? ay, and glad we 'scap'd so well. Constrain'd to watch in darkness, rain, and cold. Reig. 'Twas time, I trow, to wake, and leave Enter Tulbot, Bedford,and Burgundy, with scaling 25 Hearing alarums at our chamber doors. [our beds,

ladders; their drums beating a dead march. Alen. Of all exploits, since first I follow'd arms,

Tal. Lord regent--and redoubtedBurgundy, Ne'er heard I of a warlike enterprize
By whose approach, the regions of Artois, More venturous, or desperate, than this.
Walloon, and Picardy, are friends to us,-

Bast. I think, this Talbot is a fiend of hell. This happy night the Frenchien are secure, 30 Reig. If not of hell,theheavens,sure,favour him. Having all day carous’d and banqueted:

Alen. Here cometh Charles; I marvel how he Embrace we then this opportunity;

syed. As fitting best to quittance their deceit,

Enter Charles, and Pucelle. Contriv'd by art, and baleful sorcery:

Bast. Tut! holy Joan was his defensive guard. Bed. Coward of France !-- how much he wrongs 35 Char. Is this thị cunning, thou deceitful dame? his fame,

Didst thou at first, to flatter us withal, Despairing of his own arm's fortitude,

Make us partakers of a little gain, To join with witches, and the help of hell. That now our loss might be ten times so much?

Bur. Traitors have never other company.- Pucel. Wherefore is Charles impatient with But what's that Pucelle,whom they term so pure: 0

his friend? Tal. A maid, they say.

At all times will you have my power alike? Bed. A maid! and be so martial !

Sleeping, or waking, must I still prevail, Bur. Pray God,she provenot masculineerelong; Or will you blame and lay the fault on me?If underneath the standard of the French, Improvident soldiers! had your watch been good, She carry armour as she hath begun.

45 This sudden mischief never could have fall'n. Tul. Well, let them practise and converse with Char. Duke of Alençon, this was your default; spirits:

That, being captain of the watch to-night, God is our fortress; in whose conquering name, Did look no better to that weighty charge. Let us resolve to scale their flinty bulwarks. Alen. Had all your quarters been as safely kept,

Bed. Ascend, brave Talbot; we will follow thee. 50 As that whereof I had the government,

Tal. Not all together; better far, I guess, We had not been thus shamefully surpriz'd. That we do make our entrance several ways;

Bust. Mine was secure. That, if it chance the one of us do fail,

Reign. And so was mine, my lord. The other yet may rise against their force, Char. And, for myself,most part of all this night, Bed. Agreed; i'll to yon corner.

55Within her quarter, and mine own precinct, Bur. And I to this.

[grave. I was employ'd in passing to and fro, Tal. And here will Talbot mount, or make his About relieving of the centinels: Now, Salisbury! for thee, and for the right Then how,or which way,should theyfirst break in?

When Alexander the Great took the city of Gaza, the metropolis of Syria, amidst the spoils and wealth of Darius treasured up there, he found an exceeding rich and beautiful little chest or casket, and asked those about him what they thought fittest to be laid up in it. When they had severally delivered thuir opinions, he told them, he esteemed nothing so worthy to be preserved in it as Homer's Iliad. z Unready was the current word in those times for undress’d.

Pucel.