Bur. My felf, as far as I could well difcern For fmoak and dusky vapours of the night, Am fure, I fcar'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 afunder day or night. After that things are fet in order here, We'll follow them with all the pow'r we have, Enter a Messenger.

Mess. All hail, my lords; which of this princely train Call ye the warlike Talbot, for his acts

So much applauded through the realm of France? Tal. Here is the Talbot, who would speak with him? Mel. The virtuous lady, Countefs of Auvergne, With modefty, admiring thy renown,

By me intreats, great lord, thou would'ft vouchfafe
To vifit her poor Castle where the lies;

That she may boast she hath beheld the man,
Whofe glory fills the world with loud report.

Bur. Is it ev'n fo? nay, then, I fee, our wars
Will turn into a peaceful comick fport;
When ladies crave to be encounter'd with.
You can't, my lord, despise her gentle fuit.

Tal. Ne'er trust me then; for when a world of men Could not prevail with all their oratory,

Yet hath a woman's kindness over-rul'd:
And therefore tell her, I return great thanks;
And in fubmiffion will attend on her.

Will not your honours bear me company?

Bed. No, truly, that is more than manners will:
And I have heard it said, unbidden guests
Are often welcomeft when they are gone.

Tal. Well then, alone, fince there's no remedy,

I mean to prove this lady's courtesy.

Come hither,captain; you perceive my mind. [Whifpers, Capt. I do, my lord, and mean accordingly. [Exeunt

SCENE

The Countess of Auvergne's Caftle.

Enter the Countefs, and ber Porter.

Count. Pind, when you've done fo, bring the keys Orter, remember what I gave in charge;

to me.

Port. Madam, I will.

[Exit.

Count. The plot is laid: if all things fall out right, I fhall as famous be by this exploit,

As Scythian Tomyris by Cyrus' death.

'Great is the rumour of this dreadful Knight,
And his atchievements of no lefs account:

Fain would mine eyes be witness with mine ears,
To give their cenfure of these rare reports.
Enter Meffenger, and Talbot.

Meff. Madam, according as your ladyship

By meffage crav'd, fo is lord Talbot come.

Count. And he is welcome; what! is this the man?
Meff. Madam, it is.

Count. Is this the fcourge of France?

Is this the Talbot fo much fear'd abroad,

That with his name the mothers ftill their babes?

I fee, report is fabulous and false,

I thought, I fhould have feen fome Hercules
A fecond Hector, for his grim afpect,
And large proportion of his ftrong-knit limbs.
Alas! this is a child, a filly dwarf:

It cannot be, this weak and writhled Shrimp
Should ftrike fuch terror in his enemies.

Tal. Madam, I have been bold to trouble you:

1 Great is the rumour2 To give their cenfure

] Rumour, for reputation.
Cenfure, for judgment fimply.

But

But fince your ladyship is not at leisure,

I'll fort fome other time to vifit you.

Count. What means he now? Go ask him, whither he goes.

Meff. Stay, my lord Talbot; for my lady craves To know the cause of your abrupt departure. Tal. Marry, for that she's in a wrong belief, I go to certifie her, Talbot's here.

Enter Porter with keys.

Count. If thou be he, then art thou prisoner.
Tal. Pris'ner? to whom?

Count. To me, blood-thirsty lord:

And for that cause I train'd thee to my house.
Long time thy fhadow hath been thrall to me,
For in my gallery thy picture hangs :

But now the fubitance fhall endure the like,
And I will chain these legs and arms of thine,
That haft by tyranny these many years

Wasted our country, flain our citizens,
And fent our fons and husbands captivate.
Tal. Ha, ha, ha.

Count. Laughest thou, wretch? thy mirth shall

turn to moan.

Tal. I laugh to fee your ladyfhip fo fond, To think, that you have aught but Talbot's fhadow Whereon to practise your severity.

Count. Why? art not thou the man?

Tal. I am, indeed.

Count. Then have I fubftance too.

Tal. No, no, I am but fhadow of my felf: You are deceiv'd, my fubftance is not here;

For what you fee, is but the smallest

And leaft proportion of humanity:

part

I tell you, Madam, were the whole frame here,
It is of fuch a fpacious lofty pitch,

Your roof were not fufficient to contain it.

Count.

Count. This is a riddling merchant for the nonce; He will be here, and yet he is not here:

How can these contrarieties agree?

Tal. That will I fhew you prefently.

Winds bis born; drums ftrike up; a peal of Ordnance.
Enter Soldiers.

How fay you, Madam? are you now perfuaded,
That Talbot is but shadow of himfelf?

These are his fubftance, finews, arms and ftrength,
With which he yoaketh your rebellious necks;
Razeth your cities, and fubverts your towns;
And in a moment makes them defolate.

Count. Victorious Talbot, pardon my abuse;
I find, thou art no less than fame hath bruited,
And more than may be gather'd by thy fhape.
Let my prefumption not provoke thy wrath;
For, I am forry, that with reverence

I did not entertain thee as thou art.

Tal. Be not difmay'd, fair lady; nor misconftrue
The mind of Talbot, as you did mistake
The outward compofition of his body.

What you have done, hath not offended me:
Nor other fatisfaction do I crave,

But only with your patience that we may

Taste of your wine, and fee what cates you have;
For foldiers' ftomachs always ferve them well.

Count. With all my heart, and think me ho-
noured

To feast so great a warrior in my house.

[Exeunt.

SCENE

SCENE V.

Changes to London, in the Temple garden.

Enter Richard Plantagenet, Warwick, Somerset, Suffolk, and others.

Plan.

GR

Reat lords and gentlemen, what means this filence?

Dare no man answer in a cafe of truth?

Suf. Within the Temple-hall we were too loud, The garden here is more convenient.

Plan. Then fay at once, if I maintain❜d the truth: Or else was wrangling Somerset in th' error?

Suf. Faith, I have been a truant in the law;

I never yet could frame my will to it,

And therefore frame the law unto my will.

Som. Judge you, my lord of Warwick, then be

tween us.

War. Between two hawks, which flies the higher pitch,

Between two dogs, which hath the deeper mouth,
Between two blades, which bears the better temper,
Between two horses, which doth bear him best,
Between two girls, which hath the merrieft eye;
I have, perhaps, fome fhallow fpirit of judgment:
But in these nice fharp quillets of the law,
Good faith, I am no wiser than a daw.

Plan. Tut, tut, here is a mannerly forbearance.
The truth appears fo naked on my fide,
That any pur-blind eye may find it out.

Som. And on my fide it is fo well apparell'd,

So clear, fo fhining, and fo evident,

That it will glimmer through a blind man's eye.
Plan. Since you are tongue-ty'd, and fo loth to speak,
In dumb fignificants proclaim your thoughts:
Let him, that is a true-born gentleman,

And