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? Or will you blame, and lay the fault on me ?— Alen. Had all your quarters been as safely kept, We had not been thus shamefully surpris'd. 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? Alarum. Enter an English Soldier, crying, a Talbot! 1 Plots, or plans. [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, [Retreat sounded. Tal. Bring forth the body of old Salisbury; What ruin happen'd in revenge of him, The treacherous manner of his mournful death, I muse, we met not with the Dauphin's grace, Bed. 'T is thought, lord Talbot, when the fight began, Bur. Myself, as far as I could well discern, That could not live asunder, day or night. After that things are set in order here, We'll follow them with all the power we have. Enter a Messenger. Which of this princely Mess. All hail, my lords! train Call ye the warlike Talbot, for his acts So much applauded through the realm of France ? Tal. Here is the Talbot; who would speak with him? Mess. The virtuous lady, countess of Auvergne, By me entreats, great lord, thou wouldst vouchsafe That she may boast she hath beheld the man Bur. Is it even so? Nay, then. I see, our wars When ladies crave to be encounter'd with.- Tal. Ne'er trust me then; for when a world of men Tal. Well then, alone, since there's no remedy, I mean to prove this lady's courtesy. [Exeunt. SCENE III.-Auvergne. Court of the Castle. [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, Fain would mine eyes be witness with mine ears, 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? Is this the Talbot, so much fear'd abroad, That with his name the mothers still their babes ? I see report is fabulous and false : 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; I'll sort some other time to visit you. Count. What means he now?—Go, ask him, whither he goes. Mess. Stay, my lord Talbot; for my lady craves Re-enter Porter, with Keys. Count. Wasted our country, slain our citizens, And sent our sons and husbands captivate. Tal. Ha, ha, ha! Count. Laughest thou, wretch? thy mirth shall 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? Count. Then have I substance too. I am indeed. Tal. No, no, I am but shadow of myself: You are deceiv'd, my substance is not here; For what you see, is but the smallest part And least proportion of humanity. I tell you, madam, were the whole frame here, Your roof were not sufficient to contain it. 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, lady2, presently. He winds his Horn. Drums strike up; a Peal of These are his substance, sinews, arms, and strength, Count. Victorious Talbot, pardon my abuse: I did not entertain thee as thou art. Tal. Be not dismay'd, fair lady; nor misconstrue The mind of Talbot, as you did mistake The outward composition of his body. What you have done hath not offended me: No other satisfaction do I crave, 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 a Lawyer. Plan. Great lords, and gentlemen, what means this Dare no man answer in a case of truth? [silence? Suf. 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? Suf. 'Faith, I have been a truant in the law, This word was often used as a term of contempt. 2 This word is not in f. e. |