Alen. He may mean more than we poor men do know: 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: Arrogant Winchester? that haughty prelate, These women are shrewd tempters with their Whom Henry, our late, sovereign, ne'er could tongues. brook? Reig. My lord, where are you? what devise you Thou art no friend to God, or to the king: 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. Char. Was Mahomet inspired with a dove? Nor yet Saint Philip's daughters, were like thee. 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. [Exe. 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.3 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? I 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.- Shall I be flouted thus by dunghill grooms? gates, Woodville, the lieutenant. 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 Humphrey? 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 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 the pope. Glo. Winchester goose, I cry-a rope! a rope!-Now beat them hence, why do you let them stay?--Thee I'll chase hence, thou wolf in sheep's array.Out, tawney-coats!-out, scarlet hypocrite! Here a great tumult. In the midst of it, enter the Mayor of London, and officers. May. Fie, lords! that you, being supreme magistrates, Thus contumeliously should break the peace! wrongs: Here's Beaufort, that regards nor God nor king Servants rush at the Tower gates. Enter, to the One that still motions war, and never peace, Wood. [Within.] What noise is this? what trai-That seeks to overthrow religion, tors have we here? Because he is protector of the realm; But to make open proclamation:-, Which I, disdaining, scorn'd; and craved death, Sal. Yet tell'st thou not, how thou wert enter- Tal. With scoffs, and scorns, and contumelious Off. All manner of men, assembled here in arms In open market-place produc'd they me, sure: Here, said they, is the terror of the French, Thy heart-blood I will have for this day's work. Win. Abominable Gloster! guard thy head; [Exeunt. May. See the coast clear'd, and then we will depart. Good God! that nobles should such stomachs2 bear! And how the English have the suburbs won. M. Gun. But now thou shalt not. Be thou rul'd Chief master-gunner am I of this town; How the English, in the suburbs close entrench'd, A piece of ordnance 'gainst it I have plac'd; [Exit. If thou spy'st any, run and bring me word; Sal. Talbot, my life, my joy, again return'd! Tal. The duke of Bedford had a prisoner, (1) That is, for peace-officers armed with clubs or staves. Sal. I grieve to hear what torments you endur'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. [Shot from the town. Salisbury and Sir cross'd us? Speak, Salisbury; at least, if thou canst speak; One The sun with one eye vieweth all the world.- He beckons with his hand, and smiles on me; Play on the lute, beholding the towns burn: [Thunder heard: afterwards an alarum. Mess. My lord, my lord, the French have gather'd head: The Dauphin, with one Joan la Pucelle join'd,— Is come with a great power to raise the siege. 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; Enter La Pucelle. Here, here she comes:- -I'll have a bout with thee: Puc. Talbot, farewell; thy hour is not yet come I must go victual Orleans forthwith. O'ertake me, 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: [A short alarum. [Alarum. Another skirmish. It will not be:-retire into your trenches: You all consented unto Salisbury's death, In spite of us, or aught that we could do. SCENE VI. The same. Enter, on the walls, Pucelle, Charles, Reignier, Alençon, and soldiers. Puc. Advance our waving colours on the walls; Rescu'd is Orleans from the English wolves:Thus Joan la Pucelle hath perform'd her word. Char. Divinest creature, bright Astræa's daughter, How shall I honour thee for this success? Thy promises are like Adonis' gardens, That one day bloom'd, and fruitful were the next.France, triumph in thy glorious prophetess !Recover'd is the town of Orleans: More blessed hap did ne'er befall our state. Reig. Why ring not out the bells throughout the Dauphin, command the citizens make bonfires, town? To celebrate the joy that God hath given us. And feast and banquet in the open streets, Alen. All France will be replete with mirth and joy, When they shall hear how we have played the men. After this golden day of victory. [Flourish. Exe. ACT II. SCENE I.-The same. Enter, to the gates, a French Sergeant, and two Sentinels. Serg. Sirs, take your places, and be vigilant: If any noise, or soldier, you perceive, Near to the walls, by some apparent sign, Let us have knowledge at the court of guard. 1 Sent. Sergeant, you shall. [Exit Serg.] Thus are poor servitors (When others sleep upon their quiet beds,) Constrain'd to watch in darkness, rain, and cold. Enter Talbot, Bedford, Burgundy, and forces, with scaling-ladders; their drums beating a dead march. Tal. Lord regent,-and redoubted Burgundy,By whose approach, the regions of Artois, Walloon, and Picardy, are friends to us,-This happy night the Frenchmen are secure, Having all day carous'd and banqueted: Embrace we then this opportunity; As fitting best to quittance their deceit, Contriv'd by art, and baleful sorcery. (3) The same as guard-room. Bed. Coward of France!-how much he wrongs (I was employ'd in passing to and fro, his fame, Despairing of his own arm's fortitude, To join with witches, and the help of hell. A maid? and be so martial? Tal. Well, let them practice and converse with spirits: God is our fortress; in whose conquering name, Bed. Ascend, brave Talbot; we will follow thee. Bur. 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 town. Sent. [Within.] Arm, arm! the enemy doth make assault! The French leap over the walls in their shirts. Enter, several ways, Bastard, Alençon, Reignier, half ready, and half unready. Alen. How now, my lords! what, all unready1 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. About relieving of the sentinels: Then how, or which way, should they first break in? But weakly guarded, where the breach was made. Sold. I'll be so bold to take what they have left. [Exit. Enter SCENE II.-Orleans. Within the town. Talbot, Bedford, Burgundy, a Captain, and others. Bed. The day begins to break, and night is fled, Tal. Bring forth the body of old Salisbury; 3 Alen. Of all exploits, since first I follow'd arms, I muse, we met not with the dauphin's grace; Ne'er heard I of a warlike enterprise Bast. I think, this Talbot be a fiend of hell. 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; Alen. Had all your quarters been as safely kept, As that whereof I had the government, We had not been thus shamefully surpris'd. Bast. Mine was secure. Reig. And so was mine, my lord. Char. And, for myself, most part of all this night, Within her quarter, and mine own precinct, 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, That could not live asunder day or night. Will turn unto a peaceful comic sport, men Could not prevail with all their oratory, Bed. No, truly, it is more than manners will: Cap. I do, my lord; and mean accordingly. [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, As Scythian Thomyris by Cyrus' death. Great is the rumour of this dreadful knight, And his achievements of no less account; Fain would mine eyes be witness with mine ears, To give their censure1 of these rare reports. Enter Messenger and Talbot. Mess. Madam, According as your ladyship desir'd, By message crav'd, so is lord Talbot come. Count. And he is welcome. What! is this the man? Mess. Madam, it is. Count. Is this the scourge of France? I thought, I should have seen some Hercules, It cannot be, this weak and writhled2 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. turn to moan. Tal. I laugh to see your ladyship so fond, To think that you have aught but Talbot's shadow, Count. Why, art not thou the man? I am indeed. Tal. No, no, I am but shadow of myself: I tell you, madam, were the whole frame here, Your roof were not sufficient to contain it. How can these contrarieties agree? Tal. That will I show you presently. Count. Victorious Talbot! pardon my abuse: 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 between us. War. Between two hawks, which flies the higher pitch; Between two dogs, which hath the deeper mouth; (5) Announced loudly. (6) i. e. Regulate his motions most adroitly. |