Whilft fuch a worthy leader, wanting aid,
Unto his daftard foe-men is betray'd.
3 MESS. O no, he lives; but is took prifoner,
And lord Scales with him, and lord Hungerford:
Most of the rest flaughter'd, or took, likewise.
BED. His ranfom there is none but I fhall pay :
I'll hale the Dauphin headlong from his throne,
His crown fhall be the ransom of my friend;
Four of their lords I'll change for one of ours.-
Farewell, my masters; to my task will I;
Bonfires in France forthwith I am to make,
To keep our great faint George's feaft withal:
Ten thousand foldiers with me I will take,
Whofe bloody deeds fhall make all Europe quake.
3 MESS. SO you had need; for Orleans is befieg'd;
The English army is grown weak and faint:
The earl of Salisbury craveth fupply,
And hardly keeps his men from mutiny,
Since they, fo few, watch fuch a multitude.
EXE. Remember, lords, your oaths to Henry fworn ; Either to quell the Dauphin utterly,
Or bring him in obedience to your yoke.
BED. I do remember it; and here take leave,
To go about my preparation.
GLO. I'll to the Tower with all the hafte I can,
To view the artillery and munition;
And then I will proclaim young Henry king.
EXE. To Eltham will I, where the young king is,
Being ordain'd his special governor ;
And for his fafety there I'll beft devise.
WIN. Each hath his place and function to attend :
I am left out; for me nothing remains.
But long I will not be Jack-out-of-office;
The king from Eltham I intend to fend,
And fit at chiefeft ftern of publick weal.
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 fmiles.
What towns of any moment, but we have?
At pleasure here we lie, near Orleans ;
Otherwhiles, the famish'd English, like pale ghosts,
Faintly befiege us one hour in a month.
ALEN. They want their porridge, and their fat bull
Either they must be dieted, like mules,
And have their provender ty'd to their mouths,
Or piteous they will look, like drowned mice.
REIG. Let's raise the fiege; Why live we idly here?
Talbot is taken, whom we wont to fear:
Remaineth none, but mad-brain'd Salisbury;
And he may well in fretting spend his gall,
Nor men, nor money, hath he to make war.
CHAR. Sound, found alarum; we will rush on them.
Now for the honour of the forlorn French :-
Him I forgive my death, that killeth me,
When he fees me go back one foot, or fly.
Alarums; Excurfions; afterwards a Retreat. Re-enter CHARLES, ALENÇON, REIGNIER, and Others. CHAR. Who ever faw the like? what men have I?— Dogs! cowards! daftards!-I would ne'er have fled, But that they left me 'midst my enemies.
REIG. Salisbury is a defperate homicide;
He fighteth as one weary of his life.
The other lords, like lions wanting food,
Do rush upon us as their hungry prey.
ALEN. Froifard, a countryman of ours, records,
England all Olivers and Rowlands bred,
During the time Edward the third did reign.
More truly now may this be verified;
For none but Sampfons, and Goliaffes,
It fendeth forth to fkirmish. One to ten!
Lean raw-bon'd rafcals! who would e'er fuppofe
They had fuch courage and audacity?
[flaves,
CHAR. Let's leave this town; for they are hair-brain'd
And hunger will enforce them to be more eager :
Of old I know them; rather with their teeth
The walls they'll tear down, than forsake the fiege.
REIG. I think, by fome odd gimmals or device,
Their arms are fet, like clocks, ftill to ftrike on;
Elfe ne'er could they hold out fo, as they do.
By my confent, we'll e'en let them alone.
Enter the BASTARD of Orleans.
BAST. Where's the prince Dauphin? I have news for him. CHAR. Baftard of Orleans, thrice welcome to us. BAST. Methinks, your looks are fad, your cheer appal'd; Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence?
Be not difmay'd, for fuccour is at hand:
A holy maid hither with me I bring,
Which, by a vifion fent to her from heaven,
Ordained is to raife this tedious fiege,
And drive the English forth the bounds of France.
The spirit of deep prophecy she hath,
Exceeding the nine fibyls of old Rome;
What's paft, and what's to come, she can defcry.
Speak, fhall I call her in? Believe my words,
For they are certain and infallible.
CHAR. Go, call her in: [Exit BASTARD.] But, first, to try her skill,
Reignier, ftand thou as Dauphin in my place :
Question her proudly, let thy looks be stern ;—
By this means fhall we found what skill she hath.
[Retires.
Enter LA PUCELLE, BASTARD of Orleans, and Others.
REIG. Fair maid, is't thou wilt do these wond'rous feats?
Puc. Reignier, is't thou that thinkeft to beguile me?
Where is the Dauphin?—come, come from behind;
I know thee well, though never seen before.
Be not amaz'd, there's nothing hid from me:
In private will I talk with thee apart ;—
Stand back, you lords, and give us leave awhile.
REIG. She takes upon her bravely at first dash.
Puc. Dauphin, I am by birth a fhepherd's daughter,
My wit untrain❜d in any kind of art.
Heaven, and our Lady gracious, hath it pleas'd
To fhine on my contemptible estate:
Lo, whilst I waited on my tender lambs,
And to fun's parching heat display'd my cheeks,
God's mother deigned to appear to me;
And, in a vifion full of majesty,
Will'd me to leave my base vocation,
And free my country from calamity:
Her aid she promis'd, and affur'd fuccefs :
In complete glory fhe reveal'd herself;
And, whereas I was black and fwart before,
With thofe clear rays which the infus'd on me,
That beauty am I blefs'd with, which you fee.
Afk me what question thou canft poffible,
And I will answer unpremeditated:
My courage try by combat, if thou dar'ft,
And thou fhalt find that I exceed my fex.
Refolve on this: Thou fhalt be fortunate,
If thou receive me for thy warlike mate.
CHAR. Thou haft astonish'd me with thy high terms;
Only this proof I'll of thy valour make,—
In fingle combat thou shalt buckle with me;
And, if thou vanquisheft, thy words are true;
Otherwise, I renounce all confidence.
Puc. I am prepar'd: here is my keen-edg'd fword, Deck'd with five flower-de-luces on each fide; The which, at Touraine, in faint Katharine's church-yard, Out of a deal of old iron I chofe 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, ftay thy hands; thou art an Amazon, And fighteft with the fword of Deborah.
Puc. Chrift's mother helps me, elfe I were too weak. CHAR. Whoe'er helps thee, 'tis thou that must help me: Impatiently I burn with thy defire;
My heart and hands thou haft at once fubdu'd.
Excellent Pucelle, if thy name be fo,
Let me thy fervant, and not fovereign, be;
'Tis the French Dauphin fueth to thee thus.
Puc. I must not yield to any rites of love,
For my profeffion's facred from above:
When I have chafed all thy foes from hence,
Then will I think upon a recompenfe.
CHAR. Meantime, look gracious on thy proftrate thrall.
REIG. My lord, methinks, is very long in talk.
|