Henry the Fifth! thy ghost I invocate; Enter a Messenger. Mess. My honourable lords, health to you all! corse? Speak softly; or the loss of those great towns These news would cause him once more yield the Eze. How were they lost? what treachery was us'd? Mess. No treachery; but want of men and money. Let not sloth dim your honours, new begot: Exe. Were our tears wanting to this funeral, Enter another Messenger. Retiring from the siege of Orleans, Durst not presume to look once in the face. Bed. Is Talbot slain? then I will slay myself, 3 Mess. O no, he lives; but is took prisoner, And Lord Scales with him, and Lord Hungerford Most of the rest slaughter'd, or took, likewise. Bed. His ransom there is none but I shall pay : I'll hale the Dauphin headlong from his throne, His crown shall be the ransom of my friend; Four of their lords I'll change for one of ours.Farewell, my masters; to my task will I; Bonfires in France forthwith I am to make, 2 Mess Lords, view these letters, full of bad To keep our great Saint George's feast withal: mischance, France is revolted from the English quite; The Dauphin Charles is crowned king in Rheims; Ten thousand soldiers with me I will take, The English army is grown weak and faint: And hardly keeps his men from mutiny, Exe. The Dauphin is crowned king! all fly to Since they, so few, watch such a multitude. him! O, whither shall we fly from this reproach? Glo. We will not fly, but to our enemies' throats; Bedford, if thou be slack, I'll fight it out. Bed. Gloster, why doubt'st thou of my forward- An army have I muster'd in my thoughts, Enter a third Messenger. 3 Mess. My gracious lords, to add to your laments, Wherewith you now bedew King Henry's hearse,I must inform you of a dismal fight, Betwixt the stout Lord Talbot and the French. Win. What! wherein Talbot overcame? is't so? 3 Mess. O, no; wherein Lord Talbot was o'er thrown: The circumstance I'll tell you more at large. 1 Pope conjectured that this blank had been supplied by the name of Francis Drake, which, though a glaring anachronism, might have been a popular, though not judicious, mode of attracting plaudits in the theatre. Part of the arms of Drake was two blazing stars. 2 Capel proposed to complete this defective verse by the insertion of Rouen among the places lost, as Gloster infers that it had been mentioned with the rest. 3 i. e. England's flowing tides. 4 i. e. their miseries which have only a short inter mission. Ere. Remember, lords, your oaths to Henry sworn; Either to quell the Dauphin utterly, Or bring him in obedience to your yoke. [Exit. [Exit. [Exit. Scene closes. 5 For an account of this Sir John Fastolfe, vide Biographia Britannica, by Kippis, vol. v. ; in which is his life, written by Mr. Gough. 6 The old copy reads send, the present reading was proposed by Mason, who observes that the king was not at this time in the power of the cardinal, but under the care of the duke of Exeter. The second article of accusation brought against the bishop by the duke of Glouces ter is that he purposed and disposed him to set hand on the king's person, and to have removed him from Eltham to Windsor, to the intent to put him in governance as him list' Holinshed vol. iii. p. 591 SCENE,II. France. Before Orleans. Enter Speak, shall I call her in? Believe my words, CHARLES, with his Forces; ALENCON, REIGNIER, and others. Char. Mars his true moving, even as in the So in the earth, to this day is not known: Alen. They want their porridge, and their fat bull- Either they must be dieted like mules, here? Talbot is taken, whom we wont to fear: others. Char. Go, call her in: [Exit Bastard.] But, first Reignier, stand thou as Dauphin in my place: [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 Where is the Dauphin ?--come, come from behind; Reig. She takes upon her bravely at first dash. Char. Who ever saw the like? what men have I?--In complete glory she reveal'd herself; Reig. Salisbury is a desperate homicide; Alen. Froissard, a countryman of ours, records, brain'd slaves, And hunger will enforce them to be more cager: Enter the Bastard of Orleans. Char. Bastards of Orleans, thrice welcome to us. Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence? Which, by a vision sent to her from heaven, And drive the English forth the bounds of France. I'You are as ignorant in the true movings of my 3 These were two of the most famous in the list of Charlemagne's twelve peers; and their exploits are the theme of the old romances. From the equally doughty and unheard of exploits of these champions, arose the saying of Giving a Rowland for an Oliver, for giving a erson as good as he brings. With those clear rays which she infus'd on me, Resolve on this: Thou shalt be fortunate, Char. Thou hast astonish'd me with thy high terms; Only this proof I'll of thy valour make,— Puc. I am prepar'd: here is my keen-edged sword, 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. 4 By gimmals, gimbols, gimmers, or gimowes, any kind of device or machinery producing motion was meant. Baret has 'the gimew 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 (enu merating them) and that they prophesied of Christ' 8 i. e. be convinced of it. Go Char. Mean tir e, look gracious on thy prostrate Servants rush at the Tinker Gilitia Enter, to the thrall. out. Puc. Assign'd am I to be the English scourge. Expect Saint Martin's summer,' halcyon days, Char. Was Mahomet inspired with a dove ?3 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? 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.— 1 i. e. expect prosperity after misfortune, like fair weather at Martlemas, after winter has begun. 2 This is a favourite image with poets. 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, 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 Se vants in tauny 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, Glo. Stand back, thou manifest conspirator; Win. Nay, stand thou back, I will not budge a foot; This be Damascus, be thou cursed Cain, Glo. I will not slay thee, but I'll drive thee back: 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 In spite of pope or dignities of church, my feet I stamp thy cardinal's hat; 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 scarlet13 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 sters in Southwark were under the jurisdiction of the bishop of Winchester. Upton had 3 Mahomet had a dove which he used to feed with seen the office book of the court leet, in which was enwheat out of his ear; which dove when it was hungry,tered the fees paid by, and the customs and regulations lighted on Mahomet's shoulder, and thrust its bill in to of these brothels. find its breakfast, Mahomet persuading the rude and imple Arabians that it was the Holy Ghost.' Raleigh's list. of the World, part i. c. vi. 4 Meaning the fo 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, distinguished by clothing of a sombre colour. 81. e. bald, alluding to his shaven crown. ་ 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. IVin. 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: Bit 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. 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: aim. 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 M. Gun. But now thou shalt not. Be thou rul'd by me: me, Chief master-gunner am I of this town; A piece of ordnance 'gainst it I have plac'd; If thou spy'st any, run and bring we word; 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? Tal. The duke of Bedford had a prisoner, In Sal. Yet tell'st thou not, how thou wert enter tain'd. Tal. With scoffs, and scorns, and contumelious taunts. open market-place produc'd they me, But we will be reveng'd sufficiently. Where is best place to make our battery next. 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; One of thy eyes, and thy cheek's side struck off!— One eye thou hast to look to heaven for grace: 8 Camden says, in his Remaines, that the French scarce knew the use of great ordnance till the siege of The old copy reads went; the emendation is Mr. Mans in 1455, when a breach was made in the walls of Tyrwhitt's 6 The old copy reads 'pil'd esteem'd.' that town by the English, under the conduct of this earl of Salisbury; and that he was the first English gentle 7This man [Talbot] was to the French people a man that was slain by a cannon ball. Salisbury, cheer thy spirit with this comfort; He beckons with his hand, and smiles on me; [Thunder heard; afterwards an Alarum. Mes. My lord, my lord, the French have gather'd head: The Dauphin, with one Joan la Pucelle join'd,— 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: Sheep run not half so timorous from the wolf, Or horse, or oxen, from the leopard, RNA As you fly from your oft subdued slaves. [Alarum. Another Skirmish. In spite of us, or aught that we could do. Puc. Advance our waving colours on the walls; Char. Divinest creature, bright Astrea's daughter, More blessed hap did ne'er befall our state. Dauphin, command the citizens make bonfires, Alen. All France will be replete with mirth and When they shall hear how we have play'd the men. -I'll have a bout with A statelier pyramis to her I'll rear, Enter LA PUCELLE. Here, here she comes: thee; thee. Devil, or devil's dam, I'll conjure thee: Puc. Talbot, farewell; thy hour is not yet come: me, O'ertake if thou canst; I scorn thy strength. [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 : 1 Puzzel means a dirty wench or a drab, 'from puzza, i. e. malus foetor,' says Minsheu. 2 The superstition of those times taught that he who could draw a witch's blood was free from her power. 3 Alluding to Hannibal's stratagem to escape, by fixing bundles of lighted twigs on the horns of oxen, recorded by Livy, lib. xxij. c. xvj. 4 Old copy treacherous. Corrected by Pope. 5 Wolves. Thus the second folio, the first omits that word, and the epithet bright prefixed to Astrea in the next line but one. Malone follows the reading of the first folio, and contends that by a licentious pronunciation a syllable was added, thus Engleish, Asterea. B Than Rhodope's, of Memphis, ever was:" ACT II. SCENE I. The same. Enter to the Gates, a French Serg. Sirs, take your places, and be vigilant: (When others sleep upon their quiet beds) Tal. Lord Regent,-and redoubted Burgundy,- 6 The Adonis horti were nothing but portable earthen Than Rhodophe's or Memphis ever was.' Rhodope, or Rhodopis, a celebrated courtezan, who was a slave in the same service with sop, at Samos 8 In what price the noble poems of Homer were holden by Alexander the Great, insomuch that everie night they were layd under his pillow, and by day were carried in the rich jewel coffer of Darius, lately before vanquished by him.' Puttenham's Arte of English Poesie, 1589. 9 The same as guard-room, |