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 rearward (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 foemen is betray'd.

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;
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.

[Exeunt.

ACT II

SCENE I. Before Orleans. The French Camp.

Alarums.

Char.

Enter CHARLES, Alençon, REIGNIER, and others.

Who ever saw the like? what men have I? 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:

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 hare-brain'd slaves, And hunger will force them to be more eager :

Of old I know them: rather with their teeth

The walls they'll tear down than forsake the siege.

Dun.

Char.

Enter DUNOIS OF ORLEANS.

Where's the Prince Dauphin? I have news for him.
Dunois of Orleans, thrice welcome to us.

Dun. Methinks your looks are sad, your cheer 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 [Exit DUNOIS]. 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.

Enter LA PUCELLE, DUNOIS, and others.

[Retires.

Reig. Fair maid, is't thou wilt do these wondrous 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 awhile.
She takes upon her bravely at first dash.

Reig.

Puc.

[Exeunt all except JOAN and CHARLES. Dauphin, I am by birth a shepherd's daughter,

My wit untrain’d in any kind of art.

Heaven, and our gracious Lady, hath it pleas'd
To shine on my contemptible estate :

Lo, whilst I waited on my tender lambs,

And to sun's parching heat displayed my cheeks,
God's mother deignéd 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 infus'd on me,
That beauty am I blessed with which you 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 if thou vanquishest thy words are true;

I otherwise renounce all confidence.

Puc. I am prepar'd: here is my keen-edg'd sword,
Deck'd with five flower-de-luces on each side;
The which, at Touraine, in St. Katharine's church,
Out of a deal of iron I chose forth.

Char. Then come, o' God's name, I no woman fear.
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 weak. 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.

Reig.

Meantime, look gracious on thy prostrate thrall.

Re-enter REIGNIER and others.

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. Puc.

What she says I'll confirm; we'll fight it out.
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.

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, fallen down on earth,

How may I ever worship thee enough?

Alen. Reig.

Leave off delays, and let us raise the siege.

Do, woman, what thou canst to save our honour;

Drive them from Orleans, and be immortaliz❜d.

Char. Presently we'll try :—Come let's away about it : No prophet will I trust, if she prove false.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.—Before Orleans. Top of a Tower.

Enter SALISBURY, TALBOT, 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,
For him was I exchanged and ransomed.
But with a baser man of arms by far,

Once, in contempt, they would have barter'd me,
Which I, disdaining, scorned; and craved death,
Rather than I would be so vile esteem'd.

In fine, redeem'd I was as I desir'd.

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,
The scarecrow that affrights our children so.
In iron walls they deem'd me not secure ;
So great fear of my name amongst them 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 enemy,
And view the Frenchmen how they fortify;

Let us look in, the sight will much delight thee.

[He looks through embrasure. [Shot from the town. SALISBURY falls. O Lord, have mercy on us, wretched sinners!

Tal.

VOL. II

What chance is this that suddenly hath cross'd us?—

Speak, Salisbury; at least, if thou canst speak;

C