Like captives bound to a triumphant car.
What? shall we curse the planets of mishap,
That plotted thus our glory's overthrow ?
Or shall we think the subtle-witted French
Conjurers and sorcerers, that, afraid of him,
By magick verses have contriv'd his end?
Win. He was a king bless'd of the King of kings.
The battles of the Lord of hosts he fought :
The church's prayers made him so prosperous.

Glo. None do you like but an effeminate prince,
Whom, like a school-boy, you may over-awe.

Win. Gloster, whate'er we like, thou art protector;
And lookest to command the prince, and realm.
Thy wife is proud; she holdeth thee in awe,
More than religion or than churchmen may.

Glo. Name not religion, for thou lov'st the flesh,
And ne'er throughout the year to church thou go'st,
Except it be to pray against thy foes.

Bed. Cease, cease, these jars, and rest your minds in peace!

Let's to the altar : Heralds, wait on us :

Instead of gold, we'll offer up our arms;
Since arms avail not, now that Henry's dead.
Posterity, await for wretched years,

When at their mothers' moist eyes babes shall suck;
Our isle be made a nourish of salt tears,
And none but women left to wail the dead.
Henry the Fifth! thy ghost I invocate;
Prosper this realm, keep it from civil broils!
Combat with adverse planets in the heavens!
A far more glorious star thy soul will make,
Than Julius Cæsar, or bright-

Enter a Messenger.

Mess. My honourable lords, health to you all!
Sad tidings bring I to you out of France,
Of loss, of slaughter, and discomfiture:
Guienne, Champaigne, Rheims, Orleans,
Paris, Guysors, Poictiers, are all quite lost.

Bed. What say'st thou, man, before dead Henry's
corse?

Speak softly; or the loss of those great towns
Will make him burst his lead, and rise from death.
Glo. Is Paris lost? is Rouen yielded up?
If Henry were recall'd to life again,
These news would cause him once more yield the ghost.
Ere. How were they lost? what treachery was us'd?
Mess. No treachery; but want of men and money.
Among the soldiers this is muttered,
That here you maintain several factions;
And, whilst a field should be despatch'd and fought,
You are disputing of your generals.

One would have ling'ring wars with little cost;
Another would fly swift, but wanteth wings;
A third man thinks, without expence at all,
By guileful fair words peace may be obtain'd.
Awake, awake, English nobility!

Let not sloth dim your honours, new-begot :
Cropp'd are the flower-de-luces in your arms;
Of England's coat one half is cut away.

Ere. Were our tears wanting to this funeral,
These tidings would call forth her flowing tides.

Bed. Me they concern; regent I am of France: Give me my steeled coat, I'll fight for France. Away with these disgraceful wailing robes! Wounds I will lend the French, instead of eyes, To weep their intermissive miseries. 3

3 Mess. My gracious lords,―to add to your laments, Wherewith you now bedew king Henry's hearse, — I must inform you of a dismal fight,

Betwixt the stout lord Talbot and the French.

Win. What! wherein Talbot overcame? is't so?
3 Mess. O, no; wherein lord Talbot was o'er-
thrown;

The circumstance I'll tell you more at large.
The tenth of August last, this dreadful lord,
Retiring from the siege of Orleans,
Having full scarce six thousand in his troop,
By three and twenty thousand of the French
Was round encompassed and set upon;
No leisure had he to enrank his men ;
He wanted pikes to set before his archers;
Instead whereof, sharp stakes, pluck'd out of hedges,
They pitched in the ground confusedly,
To keep the horsemen off from breaking in.
More than three hours the fight continued;
Where valiant Talbot, above human thought,
Enacted wonders with his sword and lance.
Hundreds he sent to death, and none durst stand him;
Here, there, and every where, enrag’d he slew :
The French exclaim'd, the devil was in arms;
All the whole army stood agaz'd on him:
His soldiers, spying his undaunted spirit,
A Talbot! a Talbot! cried out amain,
And rush'd into the bowels of the battle.
Here had the conquest fully been sealed up,
If sir John Fastolfe had not play'd the coward
| He being in the vaward (plac'd behind
With purpose to relieve and follow them,)
Cowardly fled, not having struck one stroke.
Hence grew the general wreck and massacre;
Enclosed were they with their enemies :
A base Walloon, to win the dauphin's grace,
Thrust Talbot with a spear into the back;
Whom all France, with their chief assembled strength,
Durst not presume to look once in the face.

Bed. Is Talbot slain? then I will slay myself,
For living idly here, in pomp and ease,
Whilst such a worthy leader, wanting aid,
Unto his dastard foe-men is betray'd.

3 Mess. O no, he lives; but is took prisoner, And lord Scales with him, and lord Hungerford; Most of the rest slaughter'd, or took likewise.

Bed. His ransome there is none but I shall pay :

1 There was a notion long prevalent, that life might be taken I'll hale the dauphin headlong from his throne,

away by metrical charms.

2 Nurse was anciently so spelt.

3i.e. Their miseries which have had only a short intermission.

His crown shall be the ransome 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 saint George's feast withal:
Ten thousand soldiers with me I will take,
Whose bloody deeds shall make all Europe quake.
3 Mess. So you had need; for Orleans is besieg'd;
The English army is grown weak and faint:
The earl of Salisbury craveth supply,
And hardly keeps his men from mutiny,
Since they, so few, watch such a multitude.

Ere. Remember, lords, your oaths to Henry sworn;
Either to quell the dauphin utterly,
Or bring him in obedience to your yoke.

Bed. I do remember it; and here take leave,
То go about my preparation.

[Exit.

Glo. I'll to the Tower, with all the haste I can,
To view the artillery and munition;
And then I will proclaim young Henry king. [Exit.
Ere. To Eltham will I, where the young king is,
Being ordain'd his special governor ;
And for his safety there I'll best devise.

[Exit.

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 send,
And sit at chiefest stern of public weal.

[Exit.

SCENE 11. - 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;
Thewhiles, the famish'd English, like pale ghosts,
Faintly besiege us one hour in a month.

Alen. They want their porridge, and their fat
bull-beeves:

Either they must be dieted like mules,
And have their provender tyed to their mouths,
Or piteous they will look, like drowned mice.
Reig. Let's raise the siege: 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, sound alarum; we will rush on them.
Now for the honour of the forlorn French:
Him I forgive my death, that killeth me,
When he sees me go back one foot, or fly. [Exeunt.

Alarums; Excursions; afterwards a Retreat.
Re-enter CHARLES, ALENÇON, REIGNIER, and others.
Char. Who ever saw the like? what men have I?.

Lean raw-bon'd rascals! who would e'er suppose
They had such courage and audacity?

Char. Let's leave this town; for they are hair-
brain'd slaves,

5

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 farsake the siege.
Reig. I think by some odd gimmals or device,
Their arms are set, like clocks, still to strike on;
Else ne'er could they hold out sɔ, as they do.
By my consent, we'll e'en let them alone.
Alen. Be it so.

Enter the Bastard of Orleans.

Bast. Where's the prince dauphin? I have news
for him.

Char. Bastard 6 of Orleans, thrice welcome to us.
Bast. Methinks, your looks are sad, your cheer 7

appall'd;

Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence?
Be not dismay'd, for succour is at hand:
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.
The spirit of deep prophecy she hath,

Exceeding the nine sibyls of old Rome;

What's past, and what's to come, she can descry.
Speak, shall I call her in? Believe my words,
For they are certain and unfallible.

Char. Go, call her in:

first, to try her skill,

[Exit Bastard.] But,

Reignier, stand thou as dauphin in my place :
Question her proudly, let thy looks be stern: -
By this means shall we sound 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 thinkest 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 a while.
Reig. She takes upon her bravely at first dash.
Puc. Dauphin, I am by birth a shepherd's
daughter,

My wit untrain'd in any kind of art.
Heaven, and our lady gracious, hath it pleas'd
To shine on my contemptible estate:
Lo, whilst I waited on my tender lambs,
And to sun's parching heat display'd my cheeks,
Our lady deigned to appear to me;
And, in a vision full of majesty,

Dogs! cowards! dastards! I would ne'er have fled, Will'd me to leave my base vocation,

But that they left me 'midst my enemies.
Reig. Salisbury is a desperate homicide;

He fighteth as one weary of his life.
The other lords, like lions wanting food,
Do rush upon us as their hungry prey. 4

Alen. Froissard, 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 Samsons, and Goliasses,
It sendeth forth to skirmish. One to ten!
4ie. The prey for which they are hungry.

And free my country from calamity :
Her aid she promis'd and assur'd success:
In complete glory she reveal'd herself';
And, whereas I was black and swart before,
With those clear rays which she infus'd on me,
That beauty am I bless'd with, which you see.
Ask me what question thou canst possible,
And I will answer unpremeditated:

5 A gimmal is a piece of jointed work, where one piece moves within another; here it is taken at large for an engine. 6 This was not in former times a term of reproach.

7 Countenance.

My courage try by combat, if thou dar'st,
And thou shalt find that I exceed my sex.
Resolve on this 8: Thou shalt be fortunate,
If thou receive me for thy warlike mate.
Char. Thou hast astonish'd me with thy high
terms;

Only this proof I'll of thy valour make,
In single combat thou shalt buckle with me:
And, if thou vanquishest, thy words are true;
Otherwise, I renounce all confidence.

Puc. I am prepared: here is my keen-edg'd sword,
Deck'd with five flower-de-luces on each side;
The which at Touraine, in saint Katharine's church-
yard,

Out of a deal of old iron I chose forth.

Char. Then come on, damsel, 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 :

My heart and hands thou hast at once subdu'd.
Excellent Pucelle, if thy name be so,

Let me thy servant, and not sovereign, be;
'Tis the French dauphin sueth to thee thus.

Puc. I must not yield to any thoughts of love,

For my profession's sacred from above:

When I have chased all thy foes from hence,
Then will I think upon a recompence.

1 Ward. [Within.] Who is there that knocks so
imperiously?

1 Serv. It is the noble duke of Gloster.
2 Ward. [Within.] Whoe'er he be, you may not
be let in.

Serv. Answer you so the lord protector, villains?
1 Ward. [Within.] The Lord protect him! so we
answer him:

We do no otherwise than we are will'd.
Glo. Who willed you? or whose will stands, but
mine?

There's none protector of the realm but I. —
Break up the gates, I'll be your warrantize :
Shall I be flouted thus by dunghill grooms?

Servants rush at the Tower Gates. Enter, to the
Gates, WOODVILLE, the Lieutenant.
Wood. [Within.] What noise is this? what trai-
tors have we here?

Glo. Lieutenant, is it you, whose voice I hear?
Open the gates; here's Gloster, that would enter.
Wood. [Wuhin.] Have patience, noble duke; I
may not open;

Char. Meantime, look gracious on thy prostrate The cardinal of Winchester forbids:

thrall.

Reig. My lord, methinks, is very long in talk. Alen. He may mean more than we poor men do know.

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. Assign'd am I to be the English scourge.
This night the siege assuredly I'll raise :
Expect saint Martin's summer 9 halcyon days,
Since I have entered into these wars,
Glory is like a circle in the water,
Which never ceaseth to enlarge itself,
Till, by broad spreading, it disperse to nought.
With Henry's death, the English circle ends;
Dispersed are the glories it included.
Now am I like that proud insulting ship,
Which Cæsar and his fortune bare at once.

Char. Was Mahomet inspired with a dove?
Thou with an eagle art inspired then.
Helen, the mother of great Constantine,
Nor yet saint Philip's daughters', were like thee.
Bright star of Venus, fall'n down on the earth,
How may I reverently worship thee?

Alen. Leave off delays, and let us raise the siege.
Reig. Woman, do what thou canst to save our
honours;

Drive them from Orleans, and be immortaliz'd.
Char. Presently we'll try: - Come, let's away

From him I have express commandment,
That thou, nor none of thine, shall be let in.

Glo. Faint-hearted Woodville, prizest him 'fore me?
Arrogant Winchester? that haughty prelate,
Whom Henry, our late sovereign, ne'er could brook?
Thou art no friend to Heaven, or to the king:
Open the gates, or I'll shut thee out shortly.

1 Serv. Open the gates unto the lord protector; Or we'll burst them open, if that you come not quickly. Enter WINCHESTER, attended by a Train of Servants in tawny Coats.

Win. How now, ambitious Humphrey? what means this?

Glo. Piel'd priest 3, dost thou command me to be

shut 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'dst to murder our dead lord:
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.
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:
Under my feet I stamp thy cardinal's hat;
In spite of pope or dignities of church.
Win. Gloster, thou'lt answer this before the pope.

Glo. Now beat them hence, Why do you let them | If I could see them. Now, boy, do thou watch, stay?. Thee I'll chase hence, thou wolf in sheep's array. – Out, tawny coats!-out, scarlet 6 hypocrite!