Embrace we then this opportunity; As fitting best to quittance their deceit, Contrived by art, and baleful sorcery. How, or which way: 'tis sure, they found some place But weakly guarded, where the breach was made, Bed. Coward of France ?-how much he wrongs And now there rests no other shift but this, his fame, Despairing of his own arm's fortitude, To join with witches, and the help of hell. A maid! and be so martial! To gather our soldiers, scatter'd and dispers'd, Sold. I'll be so bold to take what they have left, Tal. Well, let them practise and converse with spirits: God is our fortress; in whose conquering naine, Bed. Ascend, brave Talbot; we will follow thee. 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 Toum. Sent. [Within.] Arm, arm! the enemy doth make assault! The French leap over the Walls in their shirts. Enter, several ways, BASTARD, ALENGON, REIGNIER, half ready, and half unready. Alen. How now, my lords? what all unready' 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. Alen. Of all exploits, since first I follow'd arms, Never heard I of a warlike enterprise More venturous, or desperate than this. Bast. I think, this Talbot be a fiend of hell. Reig. If not of hell, the heavens, sure, favour him. Alen. Here cometh Charles; I marvel how he sped. Enter CHARLES and LA PUCELLE. Bast. Tut! holy Joan was his defensive guard. Char. Is this thy cunning, thou deceitful dame? Didst thou at first, to flatter us withal, Make us partakers of a little gain, That now our loss might be ten times so much? Puc. Wherefore is Charles impatient with his friend? At all times will you have my power alike? Char. Duke of Alençon, this was your default; Reig. And so was mine, my lord. Char. And for myself, most part of all this night, Within her quarter, and mine own precinct, I was employ'd in passing to and fro, About relieving of the sentinels: Then how, or which way, should they first break in? Puc. Question, my lords, no further of the case, 1 Unready is undressed. 2 Plans, schemes 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, But, lords, in all our bloody massacre, And what a terror he had been to France. 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, Bur. Myself (as far as I could well discern, Mess. All hail, my lords! which of this princely train Mess. The virtuous lady, countess of Auvergne, With modesty admiring thy renown, By me entreats, good lord, thou wouldst vouchsafe Bur. Is it even so? Nay, then, I see our wars men Could not prevail with all their oratory, And I have heard it said,-Unbidden guests 3 Wonder. 4 i. e. where she dwells Tal. Well then, alone, since there's no remedy, I mean to prove this lady's courtesy. Come hither, captain. [Whispers.]-You perceive Capt. I do, my lord; and mean accordingly. my mind. [Exeunt. SCENE III. Auvergne. Court of the Castle. Enter the Countess and her Porter. Count. Porter, remember what I gave in charge; And, when you have done so, bring the keys to me. Port. Madam, I will. [Exit. Count. The plot is laid: if all things fall out right, I shall as famous be by this exploit, Fain would mine eyes be witness with mine ears, Mess. Madam, it is. Count. Is this the scourge of France? I thought I should have seen some Hercules, And large proportion of his strong-knit limbs. It cannot be, this weak and writhled' shrimp Tal. Madam, I have been bold to trouble you: Count. What means he now ?-Go ask him, whither he goes. Mess. Stay, my Lord Talbot; for my lady craves To know the cause of your abrupt departure. Tal. Marry, for that she's in a wrong belief, I go to certify her, Talbot's here. Re-enter Porter, with Keys. Count. If thou be he, then art thou prisoner. Count. Count. Laughest thou, wretch? thy mirth shall 1 i. e. judgment, opinion. You are deceiv'd, my substance is not here; I tell you, madam, were the whole frame here, Count. This is a riddling merchant for the nonce; He will be here, and yet he is not here: How can these contrarieties agree? Tal. That will I show you presently. He winds a Horn. Drums heard; then a Peal of Ordnance. The Gates being forced, enter Soldiers. How say you, madam? are you now persuaded, That Talbot is but shadow of himself? These are his substance, sinews, arms, and strength, With which he yoketh your rebellious necks; Razeth your cities, and subverts your towns, And in a moment makes them desolate. Count. Victorious Talbot! pardon my abuse: I find, thou art no less than fame hath bruited, And more than may be gather'd by thy shape. Let my presumption not provoke thy wrath; For I am sorry, that with reverence I did not entertain thee as thou art. Tal. Be not dismay'd, fair lady; nor misconstrue But only (with your patience) that we may Count. With all my heart: and think me honoured To feast so great a warrior in my house. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. London. The Temple Garden. Enter the Earls of SOMERSET, SUFFOLK, and WARWICK; RICHARD PLANTAGENET, VERNON, and another Lawyer." Plan. Great lords, and gentlemen, what means this silence? Dare no man answer in a case of truth? Suff. Within the Temple hall we were too loud: The garden here is more convenient. Plan. Then say at once, if I maintain'd the truth; Or, else, was wrangling Somerset in the error ?" Suff. 'Faith, I have been a truant in the law; And never yet could frame my will to it; And, therefore, frame the law unto my will. Som. Judge you, my lord of Warwick, then be tween us. War. Between two hawks, which flies the higher pitch, Between two dogs, which hath the deeper mouth, Plan. Tut, tut, here is a mannerly forbearance: Som. And on my side it is so well apparell'd, So clear, so shining, and so evident, That it will glimmer through a blind man's eye. Plan. Since you are tongue-ty'd, and so loath to speak, In dumb significants11 proclaim your thoughts: tinction to gentleman; signifying that the person showed 2 Dryden has transplanted this idea into his Don Se- by his behaviour he was a low fellow. 7 Bruited is reported, loudly announced. 8 We should read a lawyer. This lawyer was pro bably Roger Nevyle, who was afterwards hanged. See W. Wyrcester, p. 479. 9 Johnson observes that 'there is apparently a want of opposition between the two questions here,' but there is no reason to suspect that the text is corrupt. 10 i. e. regulate his motions most adroitly. We stil. say that a horse carries himself well. 11 Dumb significants, which Malone would have changed to significance, is nothing more than signs or token. 12 Let him, that is a true-born gentleman, War. I love no colours; and, without all colour I pluck this white rose with Plantagenet. Suff. I pluck this red rose, with young Somerset And say withal, I think he held the right. Ver. Stay, lords and gentlemen: and pluck no Ver. Then, for the truth and plainness pluck this pale, and maiden blossom here, Giving my verdict on the white rose side. ; [case, Som. Prick not your finger as you pluck it off; Ver. If I, my lord, for my opinion bleed, Som. Well, well, come on: Who else? Plan. Mean time, your cheeks do counterfeit our roses; For pale they look with fear, as witnessing Som. Plan. Hath not thy rose a canker, Somerset ? Whiles thy consuming canker eats his falsehood. 1 Colours is here used ambiguously for tints and deceits. 2 Well objected is properly proposed, properly thrown in our way 3 It is not for fear that my cheeks look pale, but for anger: anger produced by this circumstance-namely, that thy cheeks blush, &c. 4 Theobald altered fashion, which is the reading of the old copy, to faction. Warburton contends that by fashion is meant the badge of the red rose, which Somerset said that he and his friends would be distinguished by.' 6 The poet mistakes. Plantagenet's paternal grandfather was Edmund of Langley, duke of York. His maternal grandfather was Roger Mortimer, earl of March, who was the son of Philippa, the daughter of Lionel, duke of Clarence. The duke therefore was his maternal great great grandfather. 6 i. e. those who have no right to arms. 7 It does not appear that the temple had any privilege of sanctuary at this time, being then, as now, the residence of law students The author might imagine it to War. Now, by God's will, thou wrong'st him, His grandfather was Lionel, duke of Clarence ?s Plan. He bears him on the place's privilege," words On and plot of ground in Christendom: Plan. My father was attached, not attainted; Som. Ay, thou shalt find us ready for thee still: Suff. Go forward, and be chok'd with thy ambition! tious Richard. [Exit. Plan. How I am brav'd, and must perforce endure it! [house, War. This blot, that they object against your Plan. Good master Vernon, I am bound to you, Ver. In your behalf still will I wear the same Plan. Thanks, gentle sir. Come, let us four to dinner: I dare say, Mor. Kind keepers of my weak decaying age, 8 Exempt for excluded. 9 Partaker, in ancient language, signifies one who takes part with another; an accomplice, a confederate. A partaker, or coparcioner; particeps, consors, consocius.'-Baret. 10 So in Hamlet : Again : the table of my memory,' shall live Within the book and volume of my brain.' 11 Theobald changed this to reprehension: and Warburton explains it by opinion. It rather means concep tion, or a conceit taken that matters are different from what the truth warrants. 12 A cognizance is a badge. 13 This is at variance with the strict truth of history |