Whom all France, with her chiefaffembled ftrength, Durft not prefume to look once in the face.

Bed. Is Talbot flain? then I will flay myself, For living idly here, in pomp and ease, Whilft fuch a worthy leader, wanting aid, Unto his daftard foe-men is betray'd.

3 Me. O no, he lives; but is took prisoner, And lord Scales with him, and lord Hungerford: Most of the rest flaughter'd, or took, likewife.

Bed. His ranfom there is none but I fhall pay : I'll hale the dauphin headlong from his throne; His crown fhall be the ranfom 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 faint George's feaft withal: Ten thoufand foldiers with me I will take, Whofe bloody deeds fhall make all Europe quake.

3 Meff. So you had need; for Orleans is befieg'd; The English army is grown weak and faint: The earl of Salisbury craveth fupply;

And hardly keeps his men from mutiny,
Since they, fo few, watch fuch a multitude.

Exe. Remember, lords, your oaths to Henry Either to quell the dauphin utterly,

[fworn;

Or bring him in obedience to your yoke.
Bed. I do remember it; and here take leave,

To go about my preparation.

[Exit. Glo. I'll to the Tower with all the hafte I can,

To view the artillery and munition;

And then I will proclaim young Henry king.

[Exit.

Exe. To Eltham will I, where the young king is, Being ordain'd his fpecial governor;

And

[Exit

And for his fafety there I'll beft devife.
Win. Each hath his place and function to attend;
I am left out; for me nothing remains.
But long I will not be Jack-out-of-office;
The king from Eltham I intend to fend,
And fit at chiefeft ftern of public weal.

SCENE II. Before Orleans in France.

[Exit,

Enter CHARLES, ALENÇON, and REIGNIER, marching with a Drum and Soldiers.

Char. Mars his true moving, even as in the heavens,

So in the earth, to this day is not known;
Late did he thine upon the English fide;
Now we are victors, upon us he fmiles.
What towns of any moment, but we have?
At pleasure here we lie, near Orleans;
Otherwhiles, the famifh'd English, like pale ghofts,
Faintly befiege us one hour in a month.

Alen. They want their porridge, and their fat
bull-beeves:

Either they must be dieted, like mules,

And have their provender ty'd to their mouths, Or piteous they will look, like drowned mice.

Reig. Let's raife the fiege; Why live we idly here!
Talbot is taken, whom we wont to fear :
Remaineth none, but mad-brain'd Salisbury:
And he may well in fretting spend his gall,
Nor men, nor money, hath he to make war.
Char. Sound, found, alarum; we will rufh on
them.

Now for the honour of the forlorn French :-
Him I forgive my death, that killeth me,

B 3

When

When he fees me go back on foot, or fly. [Exeunt. [Here Alarum, they are beaten back by the English, with great lofs.

Re-enter CHARLES, ALENÇON, and REIGNIER.

Char. Who ever faw the like? what men have I?-Dogs! cowards! daftards!-I would ne'er have fled, But that they left me 'midft my enemies.

Reig. Salisbury is a defperate homicide;
He fighteth as one weary of his life.
The other lords, like lions wanting food,
Do ruth upon us as their hunger prey.

Alen. Froifard, a countryman of ours, records,
England all Olivers and Rowland's bred,
During the time Edward the third did reign.
More truly now may this be verified;
For none but Sampfons, and Goliaffes,
It fendeth forth to fkirmith. One to ten!
Lean raw-bon'd rafcals who would e'er fuppofe
They had fuch courage and audacity?

Char. Let's leave this town; for they are hair

brain'd flaves,

And hunger will enforce them to be more eager
Of old I know them; rather with their teeth
The walls they'll tear down, than forfake the fiege.

Reig. I think, by fome odd gimmais or device,
Their arms are fet, like clocks, fill to strike on;
Elfe they could ne'er hold out fo, as they do.
By my confent, we'll e'en let them alone.
Alen. Be it fo.

Enter the Baftard of Orleans.

Baft. Where's the prince Dauphin: I have news

for him.

Dalt

Dau. Baftard of Orleans, thrice welcome to us. Baft. Methinks, your looks are fad, your cheer appall'd;

Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence?
Be not difmay'd, for fuccour is at hand:
A holy maid hither with me I bring,
Which, by a vifion, fent to her from heaven,
Ordained is to raife this tedious fiege,

And drive the English forth the bounds of France.
The fpirit of deep prophecy the hath,
Exceeding the nine fibyls of old Rome;
What's paft, and what's to come the can defery.
Speak, fhall I call her in? Believe my words,
For they are certain and infallible.

Dau. Go, call her in: But firit, to try her skill, Reignier, ftand thou as dauphin in my place: Queition her proudly, let thy looks be ftern ;By this means fhall we found what kill the hath. Enter JOAN LA PUCELLE.

Reig. Fair maid, is't thou wilt do thefe wondrous feats?

Pucel. Reignier, is't thou that thinkeft to beguile me?

Where is the dauphin?-come, come from behind;
I know thee well, though never feen 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 dafh.
Pucel. Dauphin, I am by birth a thepherd's
daughter,

My wit untrain'd in any kind of art.

Heaven, and our Lady gracious, hath it pleas'd

Το

To fhine on my contemptible eftate:

Lo, whilft I waited on my tender lambs,
And to fun's parching heat difplay'd my cheeks,
God's mother deigned to appear to me ;
And, in a vifion full of majefty,

Will'd me to leave my bafe vocation,
And free my country from calamity :
Her aid the promis'd, and affur'd fuccefs:
In complete glory fhe reveal'd herself;
And, whereas I was black and swart before,
With thofe clear rays which the infus'd on me,
That beauty am I bleft with, which you fee.
Ask me what question thou canst possible,
And I will anfwer unpremeditated:
My courage try by combat, if thou dar'ft,
And thou fhalt find that I exceed my sex.
Refolve on this: Thou fhalt be fortunate,
If thou receive me for thy warlike mate.
Dau. Thou haft astonish'd me with thy high

terms:

Only this proof I'll of thy valour make-
In fingle combat thou fhalt buckle with me;
And, if thou vanquifheft, thy words are true;
Otherwife, I renounce all confidence.

Pucel. I am prepar'd: here is my keen-edg'd fword,

Deck'd with fine fleur-de-luces on each fide; The which, at Touraine in faint Katharine's churchyard,

Out of a deal of old iron I chose forth.

Dau. Then come o’God's name, Ifear nowoman. Pucel. And, while I live, I'll never fly no man. [Here they fight, and JOAN LA PUCELLE overcomes, Dau. Stay, ftay thy hands; thou art an Amazon,

And