Reignier, duke of Anjou, doth take his part; Exe. The dauphin crowned king! all fly to him! Glo. We will not fly, but to our enemies' throats :Bedford, if thou be slack, I'll fight it out. Bed, Gloster, why doubt'st thou of my forwardness? An army have I muster'd in my thoughts, Wherewith already France is overrun. Enter a third Messenger. 3 Mess. My gracious lords, to add to your laments, Wherewith you now hedew king Henry's hearse,I must inform you of a dismal fight, Betwixt the stout lord Talbot and the French. Win. What! wherein Talbot overcame? is't so? 3 Mess. O, no; wherein lord Talbot was o'erthrown: The circumstance I'll tell you more at large. The tenth of August last, this dreadful lord, Retiring from the siege of Orleans, Having full scarce six thousand in his troop, By three and twenty thousand of the French Was round encompassed and set upon : No leisure bad he to enrank his men; He wanted pikes to set before his archers; Instead whereof, sharp stakes, pluck'd out of hedges, They pitched in the ground confusedly, To keep the horsemen off from breaking in. More than three hours the fight continued; Where valiant Talbot, above human thought, Enacted wonders with his sword and lance. Hundreds he sent to hell, and none durst stand kim; Here, there, and every where, enrag'd he slew : The French exclaim'd, The devil was in arms; All the whole army stood agaz'd on him: His soldiers, spying his undaunted spirit, A Talbot! a Talbot! cried out amaiu, And rush'd into the bowels of the battle. Here had the conquest fully been seal'd up, If sir John Fastolfe had not play'd the coward; He being in the vaward (plac'd behind, With purpose to relieve and follow them), Bed. Is Talbot slain? then I will slay myself, 3 Mess. O no, he lives; but is took prisoner, 3 Mess. So you had need; for Orleans is besieg'd; Since they, so few, watch such a multitude. Exe. Reinember, lords, your oaths to Henry sworn; Either to quell the dauphin utterly, Or bring him in obedience to your yoke. Bed. 1 do remember it; and here take leave, To go about my preparation. Glo. I'll to the Tower, with all the haste I can, To view the artillery and munition; [Exit. And then I will proclaim young Henry king. [Exit. Exe. To Eltham will 1, where the young king is, Being ordain'd his special governor; And for his safety there I'll best devise. [Exit. Win. Each hath his place and function to attend: I am left out; for me nothing remains. And sit at chiefest stern of public weal. [Exit. Scene closes. SCENE II. FRANCE. Before ORLEANS. Enter CHARLES, with his Forces; ALENÇON, REIGNIER, and others. Char. Mars his true moving, even as in the heavens, So in the earth, to this day is not known: Late did he shine upon the English side; Now we are victors, upon us he smiles. What towns of any moment, but we have? At pleasure here we lie, near Orleans; Otherwhiles, the famish'd English, like pale ghosts, Faintly besiege us one hour in a month. Alen. They want their porridge, and their fat bull[beeves: Either they must be dieted like mules, Talbot is taken, whom we wont to fear: Char. Sound, sound alarum; we will rush on them. Reig. Salisbury is a desperate homicide; Alen. Froissard, a countryman of ours, records, During the time Edward the third did reign. They had such courage and audacity? [slaves, Char. Let's leave this town; fer they are hair-brain'd 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 forsake the siege. Reig. I think, by some odd gimmals or device, Their arms are set, like clocks, still to strike on; Else ne'er could they hold out so, as they do. By my consent, we'll e'en let them alone. Alen. Be it so. Enter the BASTARD of ORLEANS. Bast. Where's the prince dauphin? I havenewsfor him. Char. Bastard of Orleans, thrice welcome to us. Bast. Methinks your looks are sad, your cheer appall'd; Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence? Be not dismay'd, for succour is at hand : A holy maid hither with me I bring, Which, by a vision sent to her from heaven, Ordained is to raise this tedious siege, And drive the English forth the bounds of France. The spirit of deep prophecy she hath, Exceeding the nine sibyls of old Rome: What's past, and what's to come, she can descry. Speak, shall I call her in? Believe my words, For they are certain and unfallible. [try her skill, Char. Go, call her in: [Exit Bastard] But, first, to Where is the dauphin?-come, come from behind; In private will I talk with thee apart :- My wit untrain'd in any kind of art. Char. Thou hast astonish'd me with thy high terms; 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 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. 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 helpme; Impatiently I burn with thy desire; |