The king from Eltham I intend to steal,1 And sit at chiefest stern of public weal. [Exit. Scene closes. SCENE II. France. Before Orleans. Enter CHARLES, with his Forces; ALENÇON, REIGNIER, and others. Char. Mars his true moving, even as in the heavens, So in the earth, to this day is not known. Late did he shine upon the English side; Now we are victors, upon us he smiles. What towns of any moment, but we have? At pleasure here we lie, near Orleans; Otherwhiles, the famished English, like pale ghosts, Faintly besiege us one hour in a month. Alen. They want their porridge, and their fat bullbeeves. Either they must be dieted like mules, And have their provender tied to their mouths, Reig. Let's raise the siege; why live we idly here? Char. Sound, sound alarum; we will rush on them. Now for the honor of the forlorn French.— Him I forgive my death, that killeth me, When he sees me go back one foot, or fly. [Exeunt. 1 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 Gloucester 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. 2 “You are as ignorant in the true movings of my muse as the astronomers are in the true movings of Mars, which to this day they could never attain to."—Gabriel Harvey's Hunt is up, by Nash, 1596, Preface. Alarums; Excursions; afterwards a Retreat. Re-enter CHARLES, ALENÇON, REIGNIER, and others. Char. Who ever saw the like? what men have I ?———— Dogs! cowards! dastards!-I would ne'er have fled, But that they left me 'midst my enemies. Reig. Salisbury is a desperate homicide; Alen. Froissard, a countryman of ours, records, It sendeth forth to skirmish. One to ten! Char. Let's leave this town; for they are hair. brained slaves, 2 And hunger will enforce them to be more eager. Enter the Bastard of Orleans. Bast. Where's the prince dauphin? I have news for him. 1 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 person as good as he brings. 2 By gimmals, gimbols, gimmers, or gimowes, any kind of device or machinery producing motion was meant. Baret has "the grimew or hinge of a door." Char. Bastard1 of Orleans, thrice welcome to us. Bast. Methinks your looks are sad, your cheer appalled. Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence? A holy maid hither with me I bring, Which, by a vision sent to her from Heaven, Ordained is to raise this tedious siege, And drive the English forth the bounds of France. Char. Go, call her in. [Exit Bastard.] But, first to try her skill, Reignier, stand thou as dauphin in my place. 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 me? Where is the dauphin ?—Come, come from behind d; Stand back, you lords, and give us leave a while. Heaven, and our Lady gracious, hath it pleased 1 Bastard was not in former times a title of reproach. 2 Warburton says that "there were no nine sibyls 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 sibyls were women that had the spirit of prophecy (enumerating them), and hat they prophesied of Christ." To shine on my contemptible estate. Char. Thou hast astonished me with thy high terms; Only this proof I'll of thy valor make.— In single combat thou shalt buckle with me; Puc. I am prepared; here is my keen-edged sword, Decked with five flower-de-luces on each side; The which at Touraine, in Saint Katharine's church yard, 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 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. Char. Whoe'er helps thee, 'tis thou that must help me. Impatiently I burn with thy desire; 1 i. e. be convinced of it. My heart and hands thou hast at once subdued. 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: These women are shrewd tempters with their tongues. Reig. My lord, where are you? what devise you 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. Assigned 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, Char. Was Mahomet inspired with a dove ?? 1 i. e. expect prosperity after misfortune, like fair weather at Martlemas, after winter has begun. 2 Mahomet had a dove "which he used to feed with wheat out of his ear; which dove, when it was hungry, lighted on Mahomet's shoulder, and |