Since arms avail not, now that Henry's dead.
Posterity, await for wretched years,
When at their mothers' moisten'd eyes babes shall
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-
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
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.
Exe. How were they lost? what treachery was
us'd?
Mess. No treachery; but want of men and
money.
Amongst the soldiers this is muttered,-
That here you maintain several factions;
Wherewith you now bedew King Henry s
I must inform you of a dismal fight
Detwixt the stout Lord Talbot and the French.
Win. What! wherein Talbot overcame? is't so?
3 Mess. O, no; wherein Lord Talbot was
o'erthrown:
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, sharpstakes, 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 hell, and none durst stand bim;
Here, there, and everywhere, 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 seal'd 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),
And, whilst a field should be despatch'd and Cowardly fled, not having struck one stroke.
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 expense 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.
Exe. 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 will I lend the French, instead of eyes,
To weep their intermissive miseries.
Enter another Messenger.
Hence grew the general wrack 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
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 foemen 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 ransom there is none but I shall pay : I'll hale the dauphin headlong from his throne,His crown shall 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;
2 Mess. Lords, view these letters, full of bad Bonfires in France forthwith I am to make,
France is revolted from the English quite;
Except some petty towns of no import:
The Dauphin Charles is crowned king in Rheims;
The Bastard of Orleans with him is join'd;
Reignier, duke of Anjou, doth take his part;
The Duke of Alençon flieth to his side.
Exe. The dauphin crowned king! all fly to him!
O, whither shall we fly from this reproach?
Glo. We will not fly, but to our enemies'
throats:-
Bedford, if thou be slack, I'll fight it out.
Bed. Gloster, why doubt'st thou of my forward-
ness?
An army have I muster'd in my thoughts,
Wherewith already France is overrun.
Enter a third Messenger.
8 Mess. My gracious lords,-to add to your
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.
Exe. Remember, lords, your oaths to Henry
Bast. Methinks your looks are sad, your cheer ap; all'd;
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.
SCENE II. France. Before Orleans. Enter CHARLES, with his Forces; ALENÇON, REIGNIER, and others.
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,
Char. Mars his true moving, even as in the For they are certain and unfallible,
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;
Otherwhiles, 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 tied 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.
Alarums. They are beaten back by the English, with great loss. Re-enter CHARLES, ALENÇON, REIGNIER, and others.
Char. Who ever saw the like? what men have 1?
Dogs! cowards! dastards!--I would ne'er have fled,
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.
Alen. Froissart, 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.
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,
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 siege.
Reig. I think, by some odd gimmers or device,
Their arms are set like clocks, still to strike on;
Else ne'er could they hold out so as they do.
By my consent, we'll even 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 of Orleans, thrice welcome to us.
Char. Go, call her in [Exit Bastard]: But, first to try her skill,
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
Reig. Fair maid, is't thou wilt do these wondrous feats?
Lune?
Puc. Reignier, is't thou that thinkest to beguile
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 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 iny tender lambs,
And to sun's parching heat displayed iny cheeks,
God's mother deigned to appear to me;
And, in a vision full of majesty,
Will'd me to leave my base vocation,
And free my country from calamity:
Her aid she promis'd and assur'd success.
In complete glory she revealed herself;
And, whereas I was black and swart before,
With those clear rays which she intus'd on me,
That beauty am I blessed with which you may see.
Ask me what question thou canst possible,
And I will answer unpremeditated:
My courage try by combat, if thou dar'st,
And thou shalt find that I exceed my sex.
Resolve on this: 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 it thou vanquishest thy words are true;
Otherwise I renounce all confidence.
Puc. I am prepar'd: here is my keen-edg'd sword,
Deck'd with fine flower-de-luces on each side; The which, at Touraine, in St. Katharine's churchyard,
Out of a great deal of old iron I chose forth. Char. Then come, o' God's name, I fear no
Puc. And, while I live, I'll ne'er fly from a man. [They fight, and LA PUCELLE overcomes. 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
Char. Whoe'er helps thee, 'tis thou that must help me:
Impatiently I burn with thy desire:
My heart and hands thou hast at once subdued
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 rites of love,
For my profession's sacred from above:
When I have chased all thy foes from hence,
Then will I think upon a recompense.
Char. Meantime, look gracious on thy prostrate thrall.
Reig. My lord, methinks, is very long in talk. Alen. Doubtless, he shrives this woman to her smock;
Else ne'er could he so long protract his speech. Reig. Shall we disturb him, since he keeps no mean?
Alen. He may mean more than we poor men do know:
These women are shrewd tempters with their tongues.
Reig. My lord, where are you? what devise you
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, 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 fortunes 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 enough?
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
No prophet will I trust, if she prove false.
[Exeunt. SCENE III.-London. Hill before the Tower. Enter, at the gates, the Duke of GLOSTER, with his Serving-men in blue coats.
Glo. I am come to survey the Tower this day: Since Henry's death, I fear there is conveyance. Where be these warders, that they wait not here? Open the gates; 'tis Gloster that calls.
[Servants knock. 1 Ward. [Within.] Who's there that knocks so imperiously?
1 Serv. It is the noble Duke of Gloster. 2 Ward. [Within.] Whoe'er he be, you may not [tor?
1 Serv. Villains, answer you so the lord protec1 Ward. Within.] The Lord protect him so we answer him:
We do no otherwise than we are will'd.
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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 traitors have we here?
Glo. Lieutenant, is it you whose voice I hear? Open the gates; here's Gloster that would enter. Wood. [Within.] Have patience, noble duke; 1 may not open;
The Cardinal of Winchester forbids:
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 God, 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. Peel'd priest, 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; 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.
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
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 In spite of pope, or dignities of church, my feet I stamp thy cardinal's hat; Here by the cheeks I'll drag thee up and down.
Win. Gloster, thou'lt answer this before the pope. Glo. Winchester goose! I cry-a rope! a lope! Now beat them hence: Why do you let them stay? Thee I'll chase hence, thou wolf in sheep's array.Out, tawny-coats!-out, scarlet hypocrite! Here a great tumult. In the midst of it, enter the Mayor of London and Officers.
May. Fie, lords! that you, being supreme magistrates,
Thus contumeliously should break the peace.
Glo. Peace, mayor; thou know'st little of my
Here's Beaufort, that regards nor God nor king
Hath here distrain'd the Tower to his use.
Win. Here's Gloster, too, a foe to citizens;
One that still motions war and never peace,
O'ercharging your free purses with large fines;
That seeks to overthrow religion,
Because he is protector of the realm;
And would have armour here out of the Tower,
To crown himself king, and suppress the prince.
Glo. I will not answer thee with words, but
blows.
[Here they skirmish again.
May. Nought rests for me, in this tumultuous
strife,
But to make open proclamation:-
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's 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
Thy heart-blood I will have for this day's work.
May. I'll call for clubs, if you will not away-
This cardinal is more haughty than the devil.
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! I myself fight not once in forty year. [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 missed my aim.
M. Gun. But now thou shalt not.
Chief master-gunner am I of this town;
Something I must do to procure me grace.
The prince's espials have informed me
How the English, in the suburbs close intrench'd,
Wont, through a secret grate of iron bars
In yonder tower, to over-peer the city;
And thence discover how, with most advantage,
They may vex us, with shot, or with assault.
To intercept this inconvenience,
A piece of ordnance gainst it I have plac'd;
And fully even these three days have I watch'd
If I could see them. Now, boy, do thou watch,
For I can stay no longer.
If thou spy'st any, run and bring me word;
And thou shalt find me at the governor's.
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 SALISBURY and TALBOT, Sir WILLIAM GLANSDALE, Sir THOMAS GARGRAVE, and others. Sal. Talbot, my life, my joy, again return'd! How wert thou handled, being prisoner? Or by what means gott'st thou to be releas'd? Discourse. I prithee, on this turret's top
Tal. The Duke of Bedford had a prisoner,
Called the brave Lord Pontron de Santrailles :
For him was I exchanged and ransomed.
But with a baser man of arms by far,
Once, in contempt, they would have barter'd mo
Which I, disdaining, scorned; and craved death,
Rather than I would be so pil'd-esteem'd.
In fine, redeem'd I was as I desir'd.
But, O the treacherous Fastolfe wounds my
heart!
Whom with my bare fists I would execute,
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
In open market-place produc'd they me,
To be a public spectacle to all:
Here, said they, is the terror of the French,
The scarecrow that affrights our children so.
Then broke I from the officers that led me;
And with my nails digg'd stones out of the ground,
To hurl at the beholders of my shame.
My grisly countenance made others fly;
None durst come near, for fear of sudden death.
In iron walls they deem'd me not secure;
So great fear of my name 'mongst them was spread,
That they suppos'd I could rend bars of steel,
And spurn in pieces posts of adamant:
Wherefore a guard of chosen shot I had,
That walk'd about me every minute-while;
And if I did but stir out of my bed,
Ready they were to shoot me to the heart.
Sal. I grieve to hear what torments you endur'd,
But we will be revenged sufficiently.
Now it is supper-time in Orleans:
Here, through this grate, I count each one,
And view the Frenchmen how they fortity;
Let us look in, the sight will much delight thee.
Sir Thomas Gargrave and Sir William Glansdale,
Let me have your express opinions.
Where is best place to make our battery next.
Gar. I think, at the north gate; for there stand
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Speak, Salisbury; at least, if thou canst speak;
How far'st thou, mirror of all martial men?
One of thy eyes, and thy cheek's side struck off!—
Accursed tower! accursed fatal hand,
That hath contrived this woeful tragedy!
In thirteen battles Salisbury o'ercame;
Henry the Fifth he first trained to the wars;
Whilst any trump did sound, or drum struck up,
His sword did ne'er leave striking in the field.
Yet liv'st thou, Salisbury? though thy speech
doth fail,
One eye thou hast, to look to Heaven for grace ·
The sun with one eye vieweth all the world.
Heaven, be thou gracious to none alive,
If Salisbury wants mercy at thy hand!'
Bear hence his body, I will help to bury it.
Sir Thomas Gargrave, hast thou any life?
Speak unto Talbot; nay, look up to him.
Salisbury, cheer thy spirit with this comfort;
Thou shalt not die, whiles-
He beckons with his hand, and smiles on me:
As who would say, "When I am dead and gone,
Remember to avenge me on the French."—
Plantagenet, I will; and like thee, Nero,
Play on the lute, beholding the towns burn:
Wretched shall France be only in my name.
[Thunder heard; afterwards an alarum. What stir is this? what tumult in the heavens? Whence cometh this alarum, and the noise?
Mess. My lord, my lord, the French have
gather'd head:
The dauphin, with one Joan La Pucelle join'd,-
A holy prophetess, new risen up,-
Is come with a great power to raise the siege.
[SAL. groans.
Tal. Hear, hear, how dying Salisbury doth
groan!
It irks his heart he cannot be reveng'd.-
Frenchmen, I'll be a Salisbury to you :-
Pucelle or puzzel, dolphin or dogfish,
Your hearts I'll stamp out with my horse's heels,
And make a quagmire of your mingled brains.
Convey me Salisbury into his tent,
And then we'll try what these dastard Frenchmen
dare. [Exeunt, bearing out the bodies.
SCENE V.-The same. Before one of the Gates.
Alarum. Skirmishings. TALBOT pursueth the Dau-
phin, and driveth him in; then enter JOAN LA
PUCELLE, driving Englishmen before her. Then
So bees with smoke, and doves with noisome stench,
Are from their hives and houses driven away.
They called us, for our fierceness, English dogs;
Now, like to whelps, we crying run away.
[A 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 ski mish.
It will not be :-Retire into your trenches:
You all consented unto Salisbury's death,
For none would strike a stroke in his revenge.-
Pucelle is entered into Orleans,
In spite of us, or aught that we could do.
O, would I were to die with Salisbury!
The shame hereof will make me hide my head!
[Alarum. Retreat. Exeunt TAL. and his forces, &c
Enter, on the walls, PUCELLE, CHarles, Reignier,
ALENÇON, and Soldiers.
Puc. Advance our waving colours on the walls;
Rescued 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?
Thy promises are like Adonis' gardens,
That one day bloom'd, and fruitful were the next,-
France, triumph in thy glorious prophetess!-
Recover'd is the town of Orleans:
More blessed hap did ne'er befall our state.
Reig. Why ring not out the bells aloud throughout the town?
Dauphin, command the citizens make bonfires,
To celebrate the joy that God hath given us.
Alen. All France shall be replete with mirth
When they shall hear how we have play'd the men.
Char. 'Tis Joan, not we, by whom the day is
Here, here she comes:-I'll have a bout with thee; And feast and banquet in the open streets,
Devil, or devil's dam, I'll conjure thee:
Blood will I draw on thee, thou art a witch,
And straightway give thy soul to him thou serv'st.
Puc. Come, come, 'tis only I that must disgrace
thee.
[They fight.
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,
Drives back our troops, and conquers as she lists:
For which, I will divide my crown with her :
And all the priests and friars of the realin
Shall, in procession, sing her endless praise.
A statelier pyramid to her I'll rear,
Than Rhodope's, or Memphis', ever was:
In memory of her, when she is dead,
Her ashes, in an urn more precious
Than the rich jewell d coffer of Darius,
Transported shall be at high festivals
Before the kings and queens of France.
No longer on Saint Dennis will we cry,
But Joan La Pucelle shall be France's saint.
Come in and let us banquet royally,
After this golden day of victory.
|