Here's Beaufort, that regards nor God nor king, | If thou spy'st any, run and bring me word; Win. Here's Gloster too, a foe to citizens; But to make open proclamation :- Offi. 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: Thy heart-blood I will have, for this day's work. Win. Abominable Gloster! guard thy head; Good God! that nobles should such stomachs bear! 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. And thou shalt find me at the governor's. [Exit. Son. Father, I warrant you; take you no care; Sal. Talbot, my life, my joy, again return'd! 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 en- Tal. With scoffs, and scorns, and contume- In open market-place produc'd they me, To hurl at the beholders of my shame. spread, That they suppos'd, I could rend bars of steel, Son. Father, I know; and oft have shot at Wherefore a guard of chosen shot I had, them, That walk'd about me every minute-while; Sal. I grieve to hear what torments you en dur'd; M. Gun. But now thou shalt not. Be thou Ready they were to shoot me to the heart. In yonder tower, to overpeer the city; A piece of ordnance 'gainst it I have plac'd; But we will be reveng'd sufficiently. Here, through this grate, I can count every one, Where is best place to make our battery next. stand lords. Glan. And I, here, at the bulwark of the bridge. Tal. For aught I see, this city must be fa- SCENE V.-The same. Before one of the gates. ACT II. mish'd, doth fail, 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 ? Enter a Messenger. Mess. My lord, my lord, the French have gather'd head: The Dauphin, with one Joan la Pucelle join'd, - Tal. Hear, hear, how dying Salisbury doth groan! It irks his heart, he cannot be reveng'd.- what these dastard French [Exeunt, bearing out the bodies. I must go victual Orleans forthwith. [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: stench, LA short alarum. Hark, countrymen! either renew the fight, Or tear the lions out of England's coat; Renounce your soil, give sheep in lions' stead : Sheep run not half so timorous from the wolf, Or horse, or oxen, from the leopard, As you fly from your oft-subdued slaves. [Alarum. Another skirmish It will not be :- Retire into your trenches: In spite of us, or aught that we could do. [Alarum. Retreat. Excunt Talbot and SCENE VI. -The same. Enter, on the walls, PUCELLE, CHARLES, REIGNIER, ALENCON, 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 daughter, How shall I honour thee for this success? next. France, triumph in thy glorious prophetess!Recover'd is the town of Orleans: More blessed hap did ne'er befal our state. Reig. Why ring not out the bells throughout the town? Dauphin, command the citizens make bonfires, Alen. All France will be replete with mirth and joy, When they shall hear how we have play'd the men. Char. "Tis Joan, not we, by whom the day in won; For which, I will divide my crown with her : [Flourish. Exeunt. SCENE I.-The same. 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, By whose approach, the regions of Artois, Bed. Coward of France! how much he wrongs his fame, Despairing of his own arm's fortitude, 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. Tal. Well, let them practise and converse with 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'll to yon corner. Bur. And I to this. Tal. And here will Talbot mount, or make his grave. Now, Salisbury! for thee, and for the right [The English scale the walls, crying Sent. [Within.] Arm, arm! the enemy doth make assault! The French leap over the walls in their shirts. Enter, several ways, Bastard, ALENCON, REIGNIER, half ready, and half unready. Alen. How now, my lords? what, all unready so? Bast. Unready? ay, and glad we 'scap'd se well. Reig. 'Twas time, I trow, to wake and leave | Whose pitchy mantle over-veil'd the earth. our beds, Alen. Here cometh Charles; I marvel how he sped. Enter CHARLES and LA PUCELLE. Bast. Tut! holy Joan was his defensive guard. Char. Is this thy cunning, thou deceitfuldame? Didst thou at first, to flatter us withal, Make us partakers of a little gain, That now our loss might be ten times so much? Puc. Wherefore is Charles impatient with his friend? At all times will you have my power alike? Char. Duke of Alençon, this was your default; Reig. And so was mine, my lord. Char. And, for myself, most part of all this night, Within her quarter, and mine own precinct, Then how, or which way, should they first break in? Puc. Question, my lords, no further of the case, How, or which way; 'tis sure, they found some place But weakly guarded, where the breach was made. And now there rests no other shift but this,To gather our soldiers, scatter'd and dispers'd, And lay new platforms to endamage them. Alarum. Enter an English Soldier, crying, a Talbot! a Talbot! They fly, leaving their clothes behind. Here sound retreat, and cease our hot pursuit. Retreat sounded. Tal. Bring forth the body of old Salisbury; And, that hereafter ages may behold I muse, we met not with the Dauphin's grace; Bed. 'Tis thought, lord Talbot, when the fight began, Rous'd on the sudden from their drowsy beds, They did, amongst the troops of armed men, Leap o'er the walls for refuge in the field. Bur. Myself (as far as I could well discern, For smoke, and dusky vapours of the night,) Am sure, I scar'd the Dauphin, and his trull; When arm in arm they both came swiftly running, Like to a pair of loving turtle-doves, Enter a Messenger. Mess. All hail, my lords! which of this princely train Call ye the warlike Talbot, for his acts Mess. The virtuous lady, countess of Au vergne, With modesty admiring thy renown, To visit her poor castle where she lies; Bur. Is it even so? Nay, then, I see, our wars And in submission will attend on her.- Bed. No, truly; it is more than manners will : [Exit. Count. The plot is laid: if all things fall out right, I shall as famous be by this exploit, Enter Messenger and TALBOT. Mess. Madam, According as your ladyship desir'd, By message crav'd, so is lord Talbot come. Wasted our country, slain our citizens, Count. Laughest thou, wretch? thy mirth shal turn to moan. Tal. I laugh to see your ladyship so fond, Count. Why, art not thou the man ? Count. Then have I substance too. Tal. No, no, I am but shadow of myself: Count. This is a riddling merchant for the nonce; He will be here, and yet he is not here : Tal. That will I show you presently. He winds a horn. Drums heard; then a peal How say you, madam? are you now persuaded, Count. And he is welcome. What! is this These are his substance, sinews, arms, and the man? Mess. Madam, it is. Count. Is this the scourge of France? Is this the Talbot, so much fear'd abroad, I thought, I should have seen some Hercules, Tal. Madam, I have been bold to trouble you: Count. What means he now?-Go ask him, Mess. Stay, my lord Talbot; for my lady craves To know the cause of your abrupt departure. Tal. Marry, for that she's in a wrong belief, I go to certify her, Talbot's here. Re-enter Porter, with keys. Count. If thou be he, then art thou prisoner. Count. To me, blood-thirsty lord; And for that cause I train'd thee to my house. strength, With which he yoketh your rebellious necks; Count. Victorious Talbot! pardon my abuse : Tal. Be not dismay'd, fair lady; nor mis |