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 wrongs: Here's Beaufort, that regards nor God nor king, Win. Here's Gloster, too, a foe to citizens; And would have armour here out of the Tower, But to make open proclamation: Off. 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 danger, 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. Win. Gloster, we'll meet; to thy dear cost, be sure: Thy heart-blood I will have, for this day's work. Win. Abominable Gloster! guard thy head; For I intend to have it, ere long. [Exeunt. May. See the coast clear'd, and then we will depart. Good God! that nobles should such stomachs bear! I myself fight not once in forty you. [Exeunt. ·France. Before Orleans. SCENE IV. 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 them, Howe'er, unfortunate, I missed my aim. M. Gun. But now thou shalt not. Be thou rul'd by me: Chief master gunner am I of this town; A piece of ordnance 'gainst it I have plac'd; If thou spy'st any, run and bring me word; [Exit. Son. Father, I warrant you; take you no care; I'll never trouble you, if I may spy them. Enter, in an upper chamber of a tower, the LORDS Tal. The duke of Bedford had a prisoner, Whom with my bare fists I would execute, Sal. Yet tell'st thou not, how thou wert enter tain'd. Tal. With scoffs, and scorns, and contumelious taunts. In open market-place produc'd they me, Here, said they, is the terror of the French, To hurl at the beholders of my shame. So great fear of my name 'mongst them was spread, That they suppos'd, I could rend bars of steel, And if I did out stir out of my bed, Here, through this grate, I can count every one, 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 famish'd, Or with light skirmishes enfeebled. [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, woeful inan! Tal. What chance is this, that suddenly hath cross'd us? Speak, Salisbury; at least, if thou canst speak; One eye thou hast, to look to heaven for grace: He beckons with his hand, and smiles on me ; [Thunder heard; afterwards an alarum. What stir is this? What tumult's in the heavens? Whence cometh this alarum, and the noise? Devil, or devil's dam, I'll conjure thee: thee. 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 must 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. [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, Hark, countrymen! either renew the fight, [Alarum. Another skirmish. In spite of us, or aught that we could do. 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 daugh ter, How shall I honour thee for this success? Thy promises are like Adonis' gardens, France, triumph in thy glorious prophetess ! Dauphin, command the citizens make bonfires, When they shall hear how we have play'd the men. won; For which, I will divide my crown with her : And all the priests and friars in my realm [Flourish. Exeunt. ACT II. 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 Sergeant.] 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,— As fitting best to quittance their deceit, Bed. Coward of France! - how much he wrongs his fame, Despairing of his own arm's fortitude, To join with witches, and the help of hell. Bur. Traitors have never other company. — But what's that Pucelle, whom they term so pure? Tal. A maid, they say. Bed. A maid and be so martial! Bur. Pray God, she prove not masculine ere long; If underneath the standard of the French, She carry armour, as she hath begun. Of English Henry, shall this night appear [The English scale the walls, crying St. George! The French leap over the walls in their shits. Enter, several ways, Bastard, ALENÇON, REIG NIER, half ready, and half unready. Alen. How now, my lords? what, all unready 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. Alen. Of all exploits, since first I follow'd arms, Ne'er heard I of a warlike enterprize More venturous, or desperate than this. Bast. I think, this Talbot be a fiend of hell. Reig. If not of hell, the heavens, sure, favour him. Alen. Here cometh Charles; I marvel, how he sped. Enter CHARLES and La Pucelle. Bast. Tut! holy Joan was his defensive guard. At all times will you have my power alike? Tal. Well, let them practise and converse with Improvident soldiers! had your watch been good, spirits: God is our fortress; in whose conquering name, Let us resolve to scale their flinty bulwarks. Bed. Ascend, brave Talbot; we will follow thee. Tal. Not all together: better far, I guess, That we do make our entrance several ways; That, if it chance the one of us do fail, The other yet may rise against their force. Bed. Agreed; I'lì to yon corner. Bur. This sudden mischief never could have fall'n. Reig. And I to this. 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, Bed. No, truly; it is more than manners will: And I have heard it said, — Unbidden guests Are often welcomest when they are gone. Tal. Well then, alone, since there's no remedy, [Exit. I mean to prove this lady's courtesy. Come hither, captain. [Whispers.] - You perceive my mind. Within the Town. SCENE II. . Orleans. Enter TALBOT, BEDFORD, BURGUNDY, a Captain, and others. Bed. The day begins to break, and night is fled, Whose pitchy mantle over-veil'd the earth. Here sound retreat, and cease our hot pursuit. [Retreat sounded. Tal. Bring forth the body of old Salisbury; A tomb, wherein his corpse shall be interr'd: Shall be engrav'd the sack of Orleans; The treacherous manner of his mournful death, I muse, we met not with the Dauphin's grace; His new-come champion, virtuous Joan of Arc; Nor any of his false confederates. Capt. do, my lord; and mean accordingly. SCENE III. [Exeunt. 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 censure of these rare reports. Enter Messenger and TALBOT. Bed. 'Tis thought, lord Talbot, when the fight Is this the Talbot, so much fear'd abroad, began, Rous'd on the sudden from their drowsy beds, Bur. Myself (as far as I could well discern, Enter a Messenger. That with his name the mothers still their babes? I see, report is fabulous and false : I thought, I should have seen some Hercules, A second Hector, for his grim aspéct, It cannot be, this weak and writhled shrimp Tal. Madam, I have been bold to trouble you : Go ask him, Mess. Stay, my lord Talbot; for my lady craves Mess. All hail, my lords! which of this princely To know the cause of your abrupt departure. 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, With modesty admiring thy renown, By me entreats, good lord, thou wouldst vouchsafe Tal. Marry, for that she's in a wrong belief, go to certify her, Talbot's here. Re-enter Porter, with keys. Count. If thou be he, then art thou prisoner Count. 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. 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 presently. He winds a Horn. Drums heard; then 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 Taste of your wine, and see what cates you have ; For soldiers' stomachs always serve them well. 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? 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; 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 bo Between two blades, which bears the better temper Plan. Tut, tut, here is a mannerly forbearance Som. And on my side it is so well apparell'd, In dumb significants proclaim your thoughts: Som. Let him that is no coward, nor no flatterer, I pluck this white rose, with Plantagenet. Ver. Stay, lords, and gentlemen; and pluck no more, Till you conclude-that he, upon whose side Som. Good master Vernon, it is well objected; Ver. Then, for the truth and plainness of the case, I pluck this pale and maiden blossom here, Som. Prick not your finger as you pluck it off; Lest, bleeding, you do paint the white rose red, And fall on my side so against your will. Ver. If I, my lord, for my opinion bleed, Opinion shall be surgeon to my hurt, And keep me on the side where still I am. Som. Well, well, come on; Who else? Law. Unless my study and my books be false, The argument you held, was wrong in you; [TO SOMERSET. In sign whereof, I pluck a white rose too. Whiles thy consuming canker eats his falsehood. Som. Well, I'll find friends to wear my bleeding roses, That shall maintain what I have said is true, Where false Plantagenet dare not be seen. |