Here's Beaufort, that regards nor God nor king, Win. Here's Gloster too, a foe to citizens; Glo. I will not answer thee with words, but blows. May. Nought rests for me, in this tumultuous Off. All manner of men, assembled here in arms this Glo. Cardinal, I'll be no breaker of the law: But we shall meet, and break our minds at large. sure: by me: Chief master-gunner am I of this town; A piece of ordnance 'gainst it I have plac'd; If thou spy'st any, run and bring we word; [Exit: Son. Father, I warrant you; take you no care: Enter, in an upper Chamber of a Tower, the LORDS others. Sal. Talbot, my life, my joy, again return'd! How wert thou handled, being prisoner? 1 Malone erroneously thinks the mayor cries out for peace-officers armed with clubs or staves. The practice of calling out Clubs! clubs! to call out the London apprentices upon the occasion of any affray in the streets, has been before explained, see As You Like It, Act v. Sc. 2. Or by what means gott'st thou to be releas'd? Tal. The duke of Bedford had a prisoner, Sal. Yet tell'st thou not, how thou wert enter Tal. With scoffs, and scorns, and contumelious taunts. In open market-place produc'd they me, To be a Here, said they, is the terror of the French," Sal. I grieve to hear what torments you endur'd: Gar. I think, at the north gate, for there stand Glan. And I, here, at the bulwark of the bridge. Tal. For aught I see, this city must be famish'd, Or with light skirmishes enfeebled. [Shot from the Town. SALISBURY and SIR Sal. O Lord, have mercy on us, wretched sinners. cross'd us? Speak, Salisbury: at least, if thou canst speak; fail, One eye thou hast to look to heaven for grace: very scourge and a daily terror, insomuch that as his 2 Stomach is pride, a haughty spirit of resentment 3 Favour. 4 Spies. Vide note on Hamlet, Act iii. Sc. 1. 5 The old copy reads went; the emendation is Mr. Mans in 1455, when a breach was made in the walls of 8 Camden says, in his Remaines, that the French scarce knew the use of great ordnance till the siege of Tyrwhitt's 6 The old copy reads 'pil'd esteem'd.' that town by the English, under the conduct of this earl of Salisbury; and that he was the first English gentle This man [Talbot] was to the French people a man that was slain by a cannon ball. Salisbury, cheer thy spirit with this comfort; 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. Sheep run not half so timorous from the wolf, [Alarum. Another Skirmish. It will not be:-Retire into your trenches: Mes. My lord, my lord, the French have gather'd SCENE VI. The same. Enter, on the Walls, 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. [SALISBURY groans. Tal. Hear, hear, how dying Salisbury doth groan! And then we'll try what these dastard Frenchmen Alarum. Skirmishings. TALBOT pursueth the Tal. Where is my strength, my valour, and my force? Here, here she comes. thee; PUCELLE, CHARLES, REIGNIER, ALENGON, and Puc. Advance our waving colours on the walls; Char. Divinest creature, bright Astrea's daughter, More blessed hap did ne'er befall our state. town? Dauphin, command the citizens make bonfires, Alen. All France will be replete with mirth and joy, I'll have a bout with A statelier pyramis to her I'll rear, Devil, or devil's dam, I'll conjure thee: thee. Tal. Heavens, can you suffer hell so to prevail? Puc. Talbot, farewell; thy hour is not yet come: [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 short Alarum. 1 Puzzel means a dirty wench or a drab, 'from puzza, i. e. malus foetor,' says Minsheu. 2 The superstition of those times taught that he who could draw a witch's blood was free from her power. 3 Alluding to Hannibal's stratagem to escape, by fixing bundles of lighted twigs on the horns of oxen, recorded by Livy, lib. xxij. c. xvj. 4 Old copy treacherous. Corrected by Pope. 5 Wolves. Thus the second folio, the first omits that word, and the epithet bright prefixed to Astrea in the next line but one. Malone follows the reading of the first folio, and contends that by a licentious pronunciation a syllable was added, thus Engleish, Asterea. B Than Rhodope's, of Memphis, ever was:" But Joan la Pucelle shall be France's saint. After this golden day of victory. [Flourish. Exeunt. ACT II. SCENE I. The same. Enter to the Gates, a French Serg. Sirs, take your places, and be vigilant: (When others sleep upon their quiet beds) Tal. Lord Regent, and redoubted Burgundy, By whose approach, the regions of Artois, 6 The Adonis horti were nothing but portable earthen Than Rhodophe's or Memphis ever was.' Rhodope, or Rhodopis, a celebrated courtezan, who was a slave in the same service with Esop, at Samos. 8 'In what price the noble poems of Homer were holden by Alexander the Great, insomuch that everie night they were layd under his pillow, and by day were carried in the rich jewel coffer of Darius, lately before vanquished by him. Puttenham's Arte of English Poesie, 1589. 9 The same as guard-room. Embrace we then this opportunity; As fitting best to quittance their deceit, Contriv'd by art, and baleful sorcery. How, or which way: 'tis sure, they found some place But weakly guarded, where the breach was made, Bed. Coward of France?-how much he wrongs And now there rests no other shift but this, his fame, Despairing of his own arm's fortitude, To join with witches, and the help of hell. Bur. Traitors have never other company.But what's that Pucelle, whom they term so pure? Tal. A maid, they say. 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 atmour 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 St. George! The French leap over the Walls in their shirts. Enter, several ways, BASTARD, ALENGON, REIGNIER, half ready, and half unrealy. Alen. How now, my lord what all unready1 so? Bast. Unready? ay, and glad we 'scap'd so well. Reig. 'Twas time, I trow, to wake and leave our beds, Hearing alarums at our chamber doors. To gather our soldiers, scatter'd and dispers'd, And lay new platforms to endamage them. Alarum. Enter an English Soldier, crying a Tal bot! a Talbot! They fty, leaving their Clothes behind. Sold. I'll be so bold to take what they have left, The cry of Talbot serves me for a sword; For I have loaden me with many spoils, Using no other weapon but his name. [Exit. SCENE II. Orleans. Within the Town. Enter TALBOT, BEDFORD, BURGUNDY, a Captain, and others. Bed. The day begins to break, and night is filed, Whose pitchy mantle over-veil'd the earth. Here sound retreat, and cease our hot pursuit, [Retreat sounded. Tal. Bring forth the body of old Salisbury; And here advance it in the market-place, But, lords, in all our bloody massacre, Bed. "Tis thought, Lord Talbot, when the fight began, Rous'd on the sudden from their drowsy beds, Alen. Of all exploits, since first I follow'd arms, Leap o'er the walls for refuge in the field. Never heard I of a warlike enterprise More venturous, or desperate than this. Bast. I think, this Talbot be a fiend of hell. Reig. If not of hell, the heavens, sure, favour him. 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 deceitful dame? 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? Or will you blame and lay the fault on me?- This sudden mischief never could have fall'n. Char. Duke of Alençon, this was your default; That, being captain of the watch to-night, Did look no better to that weighty charge. 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, That could not live asunder day or night. After that things are set in order here, We'll follow them with all the power we have. 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 Auvergne, When ladies crave to be encounter'd with. Alen. Had all your quarters been as safely kept, You may not, my lord, despise her gentle suit. As that whereof I had the government, We had not been thus shamefully surpris'd, Bast. Mine was secure. Reig. And so was mine, my lord. Char. And for myself, most part of all this night, Within her quarter, and mine own precinct, I was employ'd in passing to and fro, About relieving of the sentinels: Then how, or which way, should they first break in? Puc. Question, my lords, no further of the case, Tal. Ne'er trust me then; for, when a world of men Could not prevail with all their oratory, 1 Unready is undressed. 2 Plans, schemes. 3 Wonder. 4 i. e. where she dwells Tul. Well then, alone, since there's no remedy, Capt. I do, my lord; and mean accordingly. SCENE III. Auvergne. Court of the Castle. Count. Porter, remember what I gave in charge; I shall as famous be by this exploit, Mess. Madam, Count. And he is welcome. What! is this the man? Mess. Madam, it is. Is this the scourge of France? Is this the Talbot, so much fear'd abroad, I thought I should have seen some Hercules, It cannot be, this weak and writhled3 shrimp Tal. Madam, I have been bold to trouble you: Count. What means he now?-Go ask him, whither he goes. Mess. Stay, my Lord Talbot; for my lady craves Re-enter Porter, with Keys. Count. If thou be he, then art thou prisoner. To me, blood-thirsty lord; Tal. Ha, ha, ha! Count. Laughest thou, wretch? thy mirth shall turn to moan. Tal. I laugh to see your ladyship so fond, Count. Why, art not thou the man? Tal. I am indeed. Count. Then have I substance too. 1 i. e. judgment, opinion. You are deceiv'd, my substance is not here; Count. This is a riddling merchant for the nonce;* Tal. That will I show you presently. Count. Victorious Talbot! pardon my abuse: Tal. Be not dismay'd, fair lady; nor misconstrue Count. With all my heart: and think me honoured To feast so great a warrior in my house. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. London. The Temple Garden. Enter the Earls of SOMERSET, SUFFOLK, and WARWICK; RICHARD PLANTAGENET, VERNON, and another Lawyer. Plan. Great lords, and gentlemen, what means this silence? Dare no man answer in a case of truth? Suff. Within the Temple hall we were too loud: The garden here is more convenient. Plan. Then say at once, if I maintain'd the truth; And never yet could frame my will to it; Som. Judge you, my lord of Warwick, then be tween us. War. Between two hawks, which flies the higher pitch, Plan. Tut, tut, here is a mannerly forbearance: Som. And on my side it is so well apparell'd, In dumb significants11 proclaim your thoughts: tinction to gentleman; signifying that the person showed 7 Bruited is reported, loudly announced. 2 Dryden has transplanted this idea into his Don Se- by his behaviour he was a low fellow. bastian :- 'Nor shall Sebastian's formidable name Be longer used, to lull the crying babe." 8 We should read a lawyer. This lawyer was pro bably Roger Nevyle, who was afterwards hanged. See W. Wyrcester, p. 478. 3 Writhled for wrinkled. 4 Thus in Solyman and Persida : 'If not destroy'd and bound and captivate, If captivate, then forced from holy faith." 5 i. e. foolish, silly, weak. 9 Johnson observes that 'there is apparently a want of opposition between the two questions here, but there is no reason to suspect that the text is corrupt. 10 i. e. regulate his motions most adroitly. We stil. say that a horse carries himself well. 6 This is a riddling merchant for the nonce. The term merchant, which was, and even now is, frequently applied to the lowest kind of dealers, seems anciently to have been used on these familiar occasions in contradis-token. 11 Dumb significants, which Malone would have changed to significance, is nothing more than signs or |