Lo, whilst I waited on my tender lambs, My courage try by combat, if thou dar'st, Only this proof I'll of thy valour make,— Puc. I am prepar'd: here is my keen-edg'd sword, Out of a 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 fight. 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. Resolve on this:] i. e. be firmly persuaded of it. Char. Whoe'er helps me, 'tis thou that must help me: Impatiently I burn with thy desire; My heart and hands thou hast at once subdu'd. Let me thy servant, and not sovereign, be; Char. Mean time, look gracious on thy prostrate 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. mean? Alen. He may mean more than we poor men do know: on? These women are shrewd tempters with their tongues. Reig. My lord, where are you? what devise you 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. This night the siege assuredly I'll raise: Expect Saint Martin's summer, halcyon days, Glory is like a circle in the water, Which never ceaseth to enlarge itself, Expect Saint Martin's summer,] That is, expect prosperity after misfortune, like fair weather at Martlemas, after winter has begun. Till, by broad spreading, it disperse to nought. Now am I like that proud insulting ship, 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. SCENE III. London. Hill before the Tower. [Exeunt. 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. Nor yet Saint Philip's daughters,] Meaning the four daughters of Philip mentioned in the Acts. there is conveyance.] Conveyance means theft. 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.- Servants rush at the Tower Gates. Enter, to the 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 commandement, Glo. Faint-hearted Woodville, prizest him 'fore me? Arrogant Winchester? that haughty prelate, Thou art no friend to God, or to the king: 1 Serv. Open the gates unto the lord protector; Or we'll burst them open, if that you come not quickly. 7 Break up the gates,] To break up in Shakspeare's age was the same as to break open. Enter WINCHESTER, attended by a Train of Servants in tawny Coats. Win. How now, ambitious Humphry? what means this? 9 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,3 To slay thy brother Abel, if thou wilt. Glo. I will not slay thee, but I'll drive thee back: 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 beard thee to thy face. Glo. What? am I dar'd, and bearded to my face? Draw, men, for all this privileged place; 8tawny coats.] Tawny was a colour worn for mourning, as well as black; and was therefore the suitable and sober habit of any person employed in an ecclesiastical court. 9 Piel'd priest,] Alluding to his shaven crown. 1 Thou, that giv'st whores indulgences to sin:] The public stews were formerly under the district of the bishop of Winches ter. 2 I'll canvas thee] i. e. I'll sift thee. This be Damascus, be thou cursed Cain,] About four miles from Damascus is a high hill, reported to be the same on which Cain slew his brother Abel. |