Glo. Peel'd priest, dost thou command me to bo •hut out? Win. I do, thou most usurping proditor, And not protector of the king or realm. Glo. Stand back, thou manifest conspirator; Thou that contriv'dat to murder our dead lord; Thou that giv'st whores indulgences to sin: I'll canvass thee in thy broad cardinal's hat, If thou proceed in this thy insolence. Win. Nay, stand thou back, I will not budge a foot; This be Damascus, be thou cursed Cain, To slay thy brother Abel, if thou wilt.b 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; 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: Here by the cheeks I 'll drag thee up and down. Here a great tumult. In the midst of it, enter the May. Fie, lords! that you, being supreme magistrates, Thus contumeliously should break the peace! a Peel'd—an allusion to the shaven crown of the priest. b The old travellers believed that Damascus was the scene of the first murder. Glo. Peace, mayor; thou know'st little of my wrongs. Here's Beaufort, that regards nor God nor king, Win. Here 's Gloster, loo, a foe to citizens; Because he is protector of the realm; And would have armour here out of the Tower, Come, officer, as loud as e'er thou canst cry. 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 dagger, 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. Glo. Mayor, farewell: thou dost but what thou mayst. 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! [Exeunt SCENE IV. France. Before Orleans. 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 miss'd my aim." M. Gun. But now thou shalt not. Be thou rul'd by me: Chief master-gunner am I of this town; And thence discover how, with most advantage, A piece of ordnance 'gainst it I have plac'd; If thou spy'st any, run and bring me word; I'll never trouble you if I may spy them. [Exit. Son. Father, I warrant you; take you no care; Enter, in an upper chamber of a tower, the Lords Sal. Talbot, my life, my joy, again return'd! a Espials—spies. Tal. The duke of Bedford had a prisoner, Once, in contempt, they would have harter'd me; But, O! the treacherous Fastolfe wounds my heart! If I now had him brought into my power. Sal. Yet tell'st thou not how thou wert entertain'd. Tal. With scoffs, and scorns, and contumelious taunts. In open market-place produc'd they me, To be a public spectacle to all: Here, said they, is the terror of the French, So great fear of my name 'mongst them was spread, Ready they were to shoot me to the heart. Sal. I grieve to hear what torments you endur'd; But we will be reveng'd sufficiently. Now it is supper-time in Orleans: Here, thorough this grate, I count each one, a Pil'd-esteem'd. It has been suggested to us that pil'd is from pili—" Flocel, nauci, u;hili, pili." And view the Frenchmen how they fortify; 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. Sal. and GAR. fall. Sal. O Lord, have mercy on us, wretched sinners! Gar. O Lord, have mercy on me, woeful man! Tal. What chance is this that suddenly hath cross'd us?— Speak, Salisbury; at least, if thou canst speak; One of thy eyes, and thy cheek's side, struck off!-- That hath contriv'd this woeful tragedy! Yet liv'st thou, Salisbury? though thy speech doth fail, He beckons with his hand, and smiles on me; |