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النشر الإلكتروني

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 my tender lambs,
And to sun's parching heat display'd my 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 cómplete glory she reveal'd herself;
And, whereas I was black and swart before,
With those clear rays which she infus'd on me,
That beauty am I bless'd 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 if 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 five flower-de-luces on each side; The which, at Touraine, in Saint Katharine's churchyard,

Out of a great deal of old iron I chose forth. Char. Then come o' God's name, I fear no

woman.

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.

• Resolve-be firmly persuaded

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 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.

a

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 fortune bare at once.2 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

about it:

No prophet will I trust, if she prove false.

[Exeunt.

a Saint Martin's summer-fine weather in November -prosperity after misfortune.

SCENE III.-London. Hill before the Tower. Enter WINCHESTER, attended by a train of Servants in tawny coats.

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 convey

ance.a

Where be these warders, that they wait not here?

Open the gates; 't is 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 be let in.

1 Serv. Villains, answer you so the lord protector?

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?

There's none protector of the realm but I.
Break up
b the gates, I'll be your warrantize :
Shall I be flouted thus by dunghill grooms?

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Wood. [Within.] Have patience, noble duke;
I 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 Ser. Open the gates unto the lord protector; Or we'll burst them open, if that you come not

quickly.

Conveyance-theft.

Break up. So in Hall's Chronicle:- The lusty Kentishmen, hoping on more friends, brake up the gates of the King's Bench and Marshalsea."

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 face.

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 my feet I stamp thy cardinal's hat; In spite of pope, or dignities of church, 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 rope!

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

wrongs.

• Peel'd—an allusion to the shaven crown of the priest. b The old travellers believed that Damascus was the scene of the first murder. Maundevile says, "And in that place where Damascus was founded Kaym slew Abel his brother."

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 can'st 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' 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.

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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,b be sure:

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 may'st.

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.

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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 in-
trench'd,

Wont, through a secret grate of iron bars
In yonder tower, to overpeer 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.

[Exit.

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 Ponton de Santrailles;
For him was I exchang'd and ransomed.
But with a baser man of arms by far,

Once, in contempt, they would have barter'd

me;

Which I, disdaining, scorn'd; and craved death,
Rather than I would be so pil'd-esteem'd.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 enter-
tain'd.

a

Espials-spies.

Wont. The old copies read went. The correction, which is a very judicious one, was made by Tyrwhitt. Wont-are accustomed-accords with the construction of the remainder of the sentence.

We follow the reading of the second folio. In the first the passage stands thus:

"And even these three days have I watch'd

If I could see them. Now do thou watch."

a Pil'd esteem'd in the original. Malone's correction to vile-esteem'd is natural and unforced. It has been suggested nauci, nihili, pili.”

to us that pil'd is from pili-" Flocci,

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 scare-crow 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 reveng'd sufficiently.
Now it is supper-time in Orleans:

Here, thorough this grate, I count each one,"
And view the Frenchmen how they fortify;
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 lords.

Glan. And I, here, at the bulwark of the

bridge.

Accursed tower! accursed fatal hand,
That hath contriv'd this woeful tragedy!
In thirteen battles Salisbury o'ercame;
Henry the fifth he first train'd 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 should 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's in the heavens? Whence cometh this alarum, and the noise?

Enter a Messenger.

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. [SALISBURY groans.

Tal. Hear, hear, how dying Salisbury doth groan!

It irks his heart he cannot be reveng'd.--

Tal. For aught I see, this city must be fa- Frenchmen, I'll be a Salisbury to you:

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SCENE V. The same. Before one of the Gates.

Alarum. Skirmishings. TALBOT pursueth the Dauphin, and driveth him in; then enter JOAN LA PUCELLE, driving Englishmen before her. Then enter TALBOT.

Tal. Where is my strength, my valour, and my force?

Our English troops retire, I cannot stay them; A woman, clad in armour, chaseth them.

Enter LA PUCELLE.

Here, here she comes:-I'll have a bout with thee;

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, 't is only I that must dis-
grace 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:

So bees with smoke, and doves with noisome stench,

Are from their hives and houses driven away.
They call'd 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,

The superstitious belief was, that to draw blood from a witch was to destroy her power.

b An allusion to Hannibal's stratagem, recorded in Livy, of fixing lighted twigs on the horns of oxen,

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