These tidings would call forth a her flowing tides.

Bed. Me they concern, Regent I am of France; Give me my steeled coat, I'll fight for France. Away with these disgraceful, wailing robes; Wounds I will lend the French, instead of eyes, To weep

their intermislive miseries.

SCENE III.

S

Enter to them another Messenger. 2 Mel. Lords, view these letters, full of bad mifFrance is revolted from the English quite, [chance. Except some petty towns of no import. The Dauphin Charles is crowned King in Rheims, The bastard Orleans with him is join'd: Reignier Duke of Anjou s'takes his

part, The Duke of Alanson fies to his side.

[Exit. Exe. The Dauphin crowned King? all fly to him? O, whither shall we fly from this reproach?

Glou. We will not fly but to our enemies throats. Bedford, if thou bė Nack, I'll fight it out.

Bed. Gloʻster, why doubt'st thou of my forwardness ? An army have I muster'd in my thoughts, Wherewith already France is over-run.

a

SCENE IV.

Enter a third Messenger. 3 Mel. My gracious Lords, to add to your laments Wherewith you now bedew 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 Mel. O, no; wherein Lord Talbot was o'er-thrown. The circumstance I'll tell you more at large.

The (a) England's.

Pope 5 doth take

The tenth of August last, this dreadful Lord
Retiring from the siege of Orleans,
Having scarce full fix thousand in his troop,
By three and twenty thousand of the French
Was round encompassed and set upon.
No leisure had he to enrank his men ;
He wanted pikes to set before his archers;
Instead whereof sharp stakes pluckt 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 durft stand him,
Here, there, and every where, enrag'd he few.
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! Talbot ! cried out amain,
And rush'd into the bowels of the battel.
Here had the conquest fully been seal'd up,
• If Sir John Falstaff had not play'd the coward;
He being in the 'rereward,' (plac'd behind
With purpose to relieve and follow them)
Cowardly fed, not having struck one stroak.
Hence grew the gen’ral wreck and massacre;
Enclosed were they with their enemies.
A base Walloon, to win the Dauphin's grace,
Thrust Talbot with a spear into the back,
Whom all France with their chief assembled strength
Durst not presume to look once in the face.

Bed. Is Talbot Nain then? I will nay my self,
For living idly here in pomp and ease;
Whilft such a worthy leader wanting aid,
Unto his daftard foe-men is betray’d.
3 Mej. O, no, he lives, but is took prisoner,

And (a) See the note on the fifth Scene of Al 3. 6 vaward

Pope.

7

And Lord Scales with him, and Lord Hungerford;
Most of the rest Naughter'd or took likewise:
Bed. His ransom there is none but I shall

pay
I'll hale the Dauphin headlong from his throne,
His crown shall be the ranfom of my friend:
Four of their Lords l’ll change for one of ours.
Farewel, my masters, to my task will I';
Bonfires in France forthwith I am to make,
To keep our great St. George's feast withal.
Ten thousand soldiers with me I will take,
Whose bloody deeds shall make all Europe quake.
3 Mel. So you had need ;. 7 'fore Orleans' befieg'a

/'
The English army is grown weak and faint:
The Earl of Salisbury craveth supply,
And hardly keeps his men from mutiny,
Since they so few watch such a multitude.

Exe. Remember, Lords, your oaths to Henry sworn:
Either to quell the Dauphin utterly,
Or bring him in obedience to your yoak.

Bed. I do remember it, and here take leave, To go about my preparation.

[Exit Bedford. Glou. I'll to the Tower with all the haste I can, To view th' artillery and ammunition, And then I will proclaim young Henry King.

[Exit Gloucester.
Exe. To Eltbam will I, where the young King is,
Being ordain'd his special governor,
And for his fafety there I'll beft devise.

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

[Exit.

a

[Exit.

SCENE V. Before ORLEANS in FRANCE. Enter Dauphing. Alanson, and Reignier, marching with

a drum and Soldiers,
Dau. MARS his true moving, ev'n as in the heav'ns

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 siniles.
What towns of any moment but we have?
At pleasure here we lye near Orleans :
Tho' still the famishd English like pale ghosts
Faintly besiege us one hour in a month.

Alan. They want their porridge, and their fat Ball-beevesz.
Either they must be dieted like mules
And have their provender ty’d to their mouths,
Or piteous they will look like drawned mice,
Talbot is taken, whom we wont to fear:
Remaineth none but mad-brain’d Salisbury,
And he may well in fretting spend his galt,
Nor men nør mony hath he to make war.

Dau. Sound, found alarum: we will rush on them: Now for the honour of the forlorn French : Him I forgive my death that killeth me, When he sees me go back one foot 'to fly. [Exeunt.

[Here alarum, they are beaten back by the English, with

great loss.

Enter Dauphin, Alanson, and Reignier. Dau, Who ever saw the like? what men have I ? Dogs, cowards, daftards! I would ne'er have fled, But that they left me 'midst my enemies.

Reig. Salisbury is a desp'rate homicide, He fighteth as one weary of his life:

Two,

Two other Lords, like Lions wanting food,
Do rush upon us as their hungry prey.

Ala. Froysard a countryman of ours records,
England all Olivers and Rowlands a bred,
During the time Edward the Third did reign:
More truly now may this be verified;
For none but Sampsons and 9 'Goliahs now!
It fendeth forth to skirmish; one to ten!
Lean raw-bon'd rascals! who would e'er suppose
They had such courage and audacity!

Dau. Let's leave this town, for they are hair-brain'd Naves,
And hunger will enforce them 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 they could ne'er hold out so as they do:
By my consent we'll e'en let them alone.
Alan. Be it fo.

Enter the Bastard of Orleans.
Baft. Where's the Prince Dauphin? I have news for him.
Dau. Bastard 'of Orleans, thrice welcome to us.

Baft. Methinks your looks are fad, your chear appald. 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 heav'n Ordained is to raise this tedious siege, And drive the English forth the bounds of France. The spirit of deep prophesie she hath,

Exceeding (a) Oliver and Rowland were two of the most famous Worthies in the lif of the twelve Peers of Charlemagne, and their exploits are celebrated by the old Romantick Writers to that height of ridiculous extravagance, and so equally, that it is hard to say from those accounts which of the two was the most wonderful Hero: and from thence arose the old English saying of a Rowland for your Oliver to fignife, the being even with one in a tale, or the matching one extraordinary thing with another.

Warburton. 9 Goliajes