Char. Bastard1 of Orleans, thrice welcome to us. Bast. Methinks your looks are sad, your cheer appalled. Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence ? Be not dismayed, for succor is at hand. A holy maid hither with me I bring, Char. Go, call her in. [Exit Bastard.] But, first to try her skill, Reignier, stand thou as dauphin in my place. [Retires. Enter LA PUCELLE, Bastard of Orleans, and others. 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; Heaven, and our Lady gracious, hath it pleased 1 Bastard was not in former times a title of reproach. 2 Warburton says that "there were no nine sibyls of Rome; it is a mistake for the nine Sibylline Oracles brought to one of the Tarquins." But the Poet followed the popular books of his day, which say that "the ten sibyls were women that had the spirit of prophecy (enumerating them), and that they prophesied of Christ." To shine on my contemptible estate. Lo, whilst I waited on my tender lambs, God's mother deigned to appear to me; And, in a vision full of majesty, Willed me to leave my base vocation, In complete glory she revealed herself; Char. Thou hast astonished me with thy high terms; Puc. I am prepared; here is my keen-edged sword, Decked with five flower-de-luces on each side; The which at Touraine, in Saint Katharine's church yard, Out of a great deal of old iron I chose forth. 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 ; 1 i. e. be convinced of it. My heart and hands thou hast at once suodued. Let me thy servant, and not sovereign, be; 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. Mean time, 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 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. This night the siege assuredly I'll raise: Char. Was Mahomet inspired with a dove?2 1 i. e. expect prosperity after misfortune, like fair weather at Martlemas, after winter has begun. 2 Mahomet had a dove "which he used to feed with wheat out of his ear; which dove, when it was hungry, lighted on Mahomet's shoulder, and thrust its bill in to find its breakfast, Mahomet persuading the rude and simple Arabians that it was the Holy Ghost." -Raleigh's Hist. of the World, part i. c. vi. Thou with an eagle art inspired then. 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 honors; Drive them from Orleans, and be immortalized. Char. Presently we'll try: -Come, let's away about it: 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 Glo. I am come to survey the tower this day; [Servants knock. 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. 1 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 willed. Glo. Who willed you? or whose will stands, but mine? 1 Meaning the four daughters of Philip mentioned in Acts xxi. 9. 2 Conveyance anciently signified any kind of furtive knavery, or privy stealing. ! There's none protector of the realm, but I.- Servants rush at the tower gates. Enter, to the gates, Wood. [Within.] What noise is this? what traitors have we here? Glo. Lieutenant, is it you, whose voice I hear? Wood. [Within.) Have patience, noble duke; I may not open: The cardinal of Winchester forbids; Glo. Faint-hearted Woodville, prizest him 'fore me? 1 Serv. Open the gates unto the lord protector ; Enter WINCHESTER, attended by a train of Servants in tawny coats. Win. How now, ambitious Humphry? what means this? Glo. Pieled priest,1 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 giv'st whores indulgences to sin; 2 1 i. e. bald; alluding to his shaven crown. 2 The public stews in Southwark were under the jurisdiction of the bishop of Winchester. |