By this means shall we sound what skill she bath. [Retires. Re-enter the Bastard of Orleans, with La Pucelle.

Reig. Fair maid, is't thou wilt do these wondrous feats? [beguile me?

Puc. Reignier, is't thou that thinkest to 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. [while.
Stand back, you lords, and give us leave a
Reig. She takes upon her bravely at first
dash.
[daughter,
Puc. Dauphin, I am by birth a shepherd's
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
cheeks,

my

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 I was black and swart before,
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 terms:

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. [sword,
Puc. I am prepar'd: here is my keen-edg'd
Deck'd with five flower-de-luces on each side;
The which at Touraine, in Saint Katharine's
churchyard,

woman.

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: [tongues. These women are shrewd tempters with their Reig. My lord, where are you? what devise Shall we give over Orleans, or no? [you on? 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 Cæsar 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 St. 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 [our honours; Reig. Woman, do what thou canst to save Drive them from Orleans, and be immortaliz'd. Char. Presently we'll try :-come, let's

siege.

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: [ance. Since Henry's death, I fear, there is conveyWhere be these warders, that they wait not Open the gates; tis Gloster that calls. [here? [Servants knock.

1 Ward. [Within.] Who's 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. [protector?

1 Serv. Villains, answer you so the lord I Ward. [Within.] The Lord protect him! so we answer him :

We do not otherwise than we are will'd.

Or we'll burst them open, if that you come not quickly.

Enter Winchester, attended by Servants in tawny coats.

Win. How now, ambitious Humphrey ! what means this?

Glo. Peel'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 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. [back:
Glo. I will not slay thee, but I'll drive thee
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'll beard thee to thy face. [my face?Glo. What am I dar'd, and bearded to Draw, men, for all this privileged place; Blue coats to tawny coats.— - Priest, beware your beard;

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
[rope!

the pope.

Here a great tumult. Enter the Mayor of London and his officers.

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

Thus contumeliously should break the peace!
Glo. Peace, mayor! thou know'st little of
my wrongs:
[king,
Here's Beaufort, that regards nor God nor
Hath here distrain'd the Tower to his use.
Win. Here's Gloster too, a foe to citizens;
One that sti 1 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; [Tower,
And would have armour, here, out of the
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 tumultuBut to make open proclamation :- [ous strife, Come, officer: as loud as e'er thou canst. Off. [Reads.]

"

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. [be sure :

Win. Gloster, we'll meet, to thy dear cost, Thy heart-blood I will have for this day's work. May. I'll call for clubs, if you will not

[bear!

Good God! these nobles should such stomachs 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 Howe'er, unfortunate, I miss'd my aim. [them, M. Gun. But now thou shalt not. Be thou rul'd by me:

[array.

Thee I'll chase hence, thou wolf in sheep's Out, tawny coats !-out, scarlet hypocrite!

trench'd,

Wont, through a secret grate of iron bars

me,

Sal. Talbot, my life, my joy, again return'd! How wert thou handled, being prisoner? Or by what means got'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 [death, Which I, disdaining, scorn'd; and craved Rather than I would be so vile-esteem'd. In fine, redeem'd I was as I desir'd. [heart! But, O, the treacherous Fastolfe wounds my Whom with my bare fists I would execute, If I now had him brought into my power. Sal. Yet tell'st thou not how thou wert entertain'd. [lious taunts. Tal. With scoffs, and scorns, and contumeIn open market-place produced they me, To be a public spectacle to all:

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.
Sal. I grieve to hear what torments you en-
But we will be reveng'd sufficiently.
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 Glans-
Let me have your express opinions, [dale,

[dur'd,

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 famOr with light skirmishes enfeebled. [ish'd, [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, woful 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 woful 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; will help to bury it.-
Sir Thomas Gargrave, hast thou any life,
Speak unto Talbot; nay, look up to him.-
Salisbury, cheer thy spirit with this comfort;
Thou shalt not die, whiles-

He beckons with his hand, and smiles on me, As who should say, When I am dead and gone,

Remember to avenge me on the French."— Plantagenet, I will; and like thee, Nero, Play on the lute, beholding the towns burn: Wretched shall France be only in my name.

[Thunder heard; afterwards an alarum. What stir is this? What tumult's in the heavens? Whence cometh this alarum, and the noise? Enter a Messenger.

Mess. My lord, my lord, the French have gather'd head:

The Dauphin, with one Joan la Pucelle join'd,—
A holy prophetess, new risen up,-
Is come with a great power to raise the siege.
[Salisbury groans.

Tal. Hear, hear, how dying Salisbury doth

SCENE V. Orleans. Before one of the gates. Alarum. Skirmishings. Enter Talbot, pursuing the Dauphin; drives him in, and exit: then enter La Pucelle, driving Englishmen before her, and exit after them. Then re-enter Talbot.

Tal. Where is my strength, my valour, and my force?

Our English troops retire, I cannot stay them; A woman clad in armour chaseth them. Enter La Pucelle.

Here, here she comes.

I'll have a bout with thee; Devil, or devil's dam, I'll conjure thee: Blood will I draw on thee, thou art a witch, And straightway give thy soul to him thou

serv'st.

Puc. Come, come, 'tis only I that must disgrace thee. [They fight. Tal. Heavens, can you suffer hell so to prevail?

My breast I'll burst with straining of my courage,

And from my shoulders crack my arms asunder, But I will chastise this high-minded strumpet. Puc. Talbot, farewell; thy hour is not yet

come :

I inust go victual Orleans forthwith.
O'ertake me, if thou canst; I scorn thy strength.
Go, go, cheer up thy hunger-starved men;
Help Salisbury to make his testament;
This day is ours, as many more shall be.

[La 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 :
A witch by fear, not force, like Hannibal,
Drives back our troops, and conquers as she
lists:

So bees with smoke, and doves with noisome stench,

Are from their hives and houses driven away.
They call'd us, for our fierceness, English dogs;
Now, like to whelps, we crying run away.
[A short alarum.
Hark, countrymen ! either renew the fight,
Or tear the lions out of England's coat;
Renounce your soil, give sheep in lions' stead:
Sheep run not half so timorous from the wolf,
Or horse or oxen from the leopard,
As you fly from your oft-subdued slaves.

[Alarum. Another skirmish.
It will not be :-retire into your trenches:.
You all consented unto Salisbury's death,
For none would strike a stroke in his revenge.-
Pucelle is enter'd into Orleans,

In spite of us or aught that we could do. O, would I were to die with Salisbury! The shame hereof will make me hide my head. [Alarum. Retreat. Exeunt Talbot and his forces, &c.

For which I will divide my crown with her :
And all the priests and friars in my realm
Shall in procession sing her endless praise.
A statelier pyramis to her I'll rear,
Than Rhodope's of Memphis, ever was:
In memory of her, when she is dead,
Her ashes, in an urn more precious
Than the rich-jewel'd coffer of Darius,
Transported shall be at high festivals
Before the kings and queens of France.
No longer on Saint Dennis will we cry,
But Joan la Pucelle shall be France's saint.
Come in, and let us banquet royally,
After this golden day of victory.

[Flourish.

ACT II.

SCENE I.-Orleans.

Exeunt.