Question her prowdly, let thy Lookes be sterne,
By this meanes shall we sound what skill she hath.

Enter [Bast. with] Joane Puzel.

Reigneir. Faire Maid, is't thou wilt doe these wondrous feats?

Puzel. Reignier, is't thou that thinkest to beguile me? Where is the Dolphin? Come, come from behinde, I know thee well, though never seene before. Be not amaz'd, there's nothing hid from me; In private will I talke with thee apart:

80

Stand back you Lords, and give us leave a while. Reigneir. She takes upon her bravely at first dash. Puzel. Dolphin, I am by birth a Shepheards Daughter, My wit untrayn'd in any kind of Art:

Heaven and our Lady gracious hath it pleas'd

To shine on my contemptible estate.

Loe, whilest I wayted on my tender Lambes,

And to Sunnes parching heat display'd my cheekes,
Gods Mother deigned to appeare to me,
And in a Vision full of Majestie,

Will'd me to leave my base Vocation,
And free my Countrey from Calamitie:
Her ayde she promis'd, and assur'd successe.
In compleat Glory shee reveal'd her selfe:
And whereas I was black and swart before,

With those cleare Rayes, which shee infus'd on me,
That beautie am I blest with, which you may see.
Aske me what question thou canst possible,
And I will answer unpremeditated:
My Courage trie by Combat, if thou dar'st,
And thou shalt finde that I exceed my Sex.

73. Puzel: La Pucelle, and so throughout-CAPell.
97. you may see: you see-2-4F.

90*

100

Resolve on this, thou shalt be fortunate,

If thou receive me for thy Warlike Mate.

Dolph. Thou hast astonisht me with thy high termes: Onely this proofe Ile 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.

110

Puzel. I am prepar'd: here is my keene-edg'd Sword, Deckt with fine Flower-de-Luces on each side, The which at Touraine, in S. Katherines Church-yard, Out of a great deale of old Iron, I chose forth.

Dolph. Then come a Gods name, I-feare no woman. Puzel. And while I live, Ile ne're flye from a man. Here they fight, and Joane de Puzel overcomes. Dolph. Stay, stay thy hands, thou art an Amazon, And fightest with the Sword of Debora.

Puzel. Christs Mother helpes me, else I were too weake.

me:

Dolph. Who e're helps thee, 'tis thou that must help

Impatiently I burne with thy desire,

My heart and hands thou hast at once subdu'd.
Excellent Puzel, if thy name be so,

Let me thy servant, and not Soveraigne be,
'Tis the French Dolphin sueth to thee thus.
Puzel. I must not yeeld to any rights of Love,
Profession's sacred from above:

my

For
When I have chased all thy Foes from hence,
Then will I thinke upon a recompence.

120

Dolph. Meane time looke gracious on thy prostrate Thrall.

131

Reigneir. My Lord me thinkes is very long in talke.

110. fine: five-STEEVENS. 126. rights: rites-POPE.

113. a: o'-THeobald.

Alans. Doubtlesse he shrives this woman to her smock, Else ne're could he so long protract his speech.

Reigneir. Shall wee disturbe him, since hee keepes no

meane?

Alan. He may meane more then we poor men do know, These women are shrewd tempters with their tongues. Reigneir. My Lord, where are you? what devise you on? |

Shall we give o're Orleance, or no?

Puzel. Why no, I say: distrustfull Recreants, Fight till the last gaspe: Ile be your guard.

140

Dolph. What shee sayes, Ile confirme: wee'le fight it out.

Puze. Assign'd am I to be the English Scourge. This night the Siege assuredly Ile rayse:

Expect Saint Martins Summer, Halcyons dayes,
Since I have entred into these Warres.

Glory is like a Circle in the Water,
Which never ceaseth to enlarge it selfe,

Till by broad spreading, it disperse to naught.
With Henries death, the English Circle ends,
Dispersed are the glories it included:
Now am I like that prowd insulting Ship,
Which Caesar and his fortune bare at once.
Dolph. Was Mahomet inspired with a Dove?
Thou with an Eagle art inspired then.
Helen, the Mother of Great Constantine,
Nor yet S. Philips daughters were like thee.

150

Bright Starre of Venus, falne downe on the Earth, 160 How may I reverently worship thee enough?

Alanson. Leave off delayes, and let us rayse the Siege.

147. Halcyons: halcyon-3-4F.

Reigneir. Woman, do what thou canst to save our honors, |

Drive them from Orleance, and be immortaliz'd.

Dolph. Presently wee' le try: come, let's away about it, No Prophet will I trust, if shee prove false.

[Scene iii.

Exeunt.

London. Before the Tower.]

Enter Gloster, with his Serving-men [in blue coats].

Glost. I am come to survey the Tower this day; Since Henries death, I feare there is Conveyance:1 Where be these Warders, that they wait not here? Open the Gates, 'tis Gloster that calls.

1

thievery 1. Warder. [Within] Who's there, that knocks so imperiously? |

Glost. 1. Man. It is the Noble Duke of Gloster. 2. Warder. [Within] Who ere he be, you may not be let in. |

1. Man. Villaines, answer you so the Lord Protector? 1. Warder. [Within] The Lord protect him, so we answer him,

We doe no otherwise then wee are will'd.

Glost. Who willed you? or whose will stands but mine? There's none Protector of the Realme, but I: Breake up the Gates, Ile be your warrantize; Shall I be flowted thus by dunghill Groomes?

Glosters men rush at the Tower Gates, and Woodvile the Lieutenant speakes within.

Woodvile. What noyse is this? what Traytors have wee here?

Glost. Lieutenant, is it you whose voyce I heare?20 1. Gloster: Gloucester, and so throughout-Rowe.

Open the Gates, here's Gloster that would enter.
Woodvile. Have patience Noble Duke, I may not open,
The Cardinall of Winchester forbids:

From him I have expresse commandement,
That thou nor none of thine shall be let in.

Glost. Faint-hearted Woodvile, prizest him' fore me?
Arrogant Winchester, that haughtie Prelate,
Whom Henry our late Soveraigne ne're could brooke?
Thou art no friend to God, or to the King:
Open the Gates, or Ile shut thee out shortly.

30

Servingmen. Open the Gates unto the Lord Protector, Or wee'le burst them open, if that you come not quickly. Enter to the Protector at the Tower Gates, Winchester and his men in Tawney Coates.

Winchest. How now ambitious Umpheir, what meanes

this?

Glost. Piel'd1 Priest, doo'st thou command me to be shut out? 1 shaven Winch. I doe, thou most usurping Proditor,2 And not Protector of the King or Realme. 2 traitor 40 Glost. Stand back thou manifest Conspirator, Thou that contrived'st to murther our dead Lord, Thou that giv'st Whores Indulgences to sinne, Ile canvas3 thee in thy broad Cardinalls Hat, If thou proceed in this thy insolence.

3 toss

Winch. 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.

Cloth,

50

Glost. I will not slay thee, but Ile drive thee back: Thy Scarlet Robes, as a Childs bearing Ile use, to carry thee out of this place.

35. Umpheir: Humphry-THEobald. 37. Piel'd: Peel'd-CAMBRIDGE.

4 christening