Two other lords, like lions wanting food,
Do rush upon us as their hungry prey.

a

Alan. Froyfard, a countryman of ours, records,
England all Olivers and Rowlands bred,
During the time Edward the third did reign:
More truly now may this be verified;
For none but Sampfons and Goliahs now

It fendeth forth to fkirmish; one to ten!

Lean rawbon'd rafcals! who would e'er fuppofe,

They had fuch courage and audacity!

Dau. Let's leave this town, for they are harebrain'd flaves, 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 fome odd gimmals or device
Their arms are fet like clocks, ftill to ftrike on;
Elfe they could ne'er hold out fo as they do:
By my confent, we'll e'en let them alone.
Alan. Be it fo.

Enter the Baftard of Orleans.

Baft. Where's the prince dauphin? I have news for him.
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 heav'n,
Ordained is to raise this tedious fiege,

And drive the English forth the bounds of France.
The spirit of deep prophefy fhe hath,

Oliver and Rowland were two of the most famous worthies in the lift of the twelve peers of Charlemagne, and their exploits are celebrated by the old romantick writers to that height of ridiculous extravagance, and fo equally, that it is hard to jay from those accounts which of the two was the most wonderful hero: and from thence arofe the old English faying of a Rowland for your Oliver to fignify, the being even with one in a tale, or the matching one extraordinary thing with another.

Exceeding

Exceeding the nine 'Sibyls of old Rome :
What's past, and what's to come, she can descry.
Speak, fhall I call her in? believe my words,
For they are certain and infallible.

Dau. Go, call her in: but first to try her skill,
Reignier, ftand thou as dauphin in my place;
Question her proudly, let thy looks be ftern:
By this means fhall we found what skill she hath.

SCENE VI.

Enter Joan la Pucelle.

Reig. Fair maid, is't thou wilt do these 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 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 a while.
Reig. She takes upon her bravely at first dash.

Pucel. Dauphin, I am by birth a fhepherd's daughter,

My wit untrain❜d in any kind of art:

Heav'n, and our lady gracious, hath it pleas'd

To shine on my contemptible estate.

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 majesty,
Will'd me to leave my bafe vocation,
And free my country from calamity :
Her aid fhe promis'd, and affur'd fuccefs:
In complete glory fhe reveal'd herself;
And, whereas I was black and fwart before,
With those clear rays which the infus'd on me,

Though the Sibyls were reckon'd more than mine, yet the books of their oracles which were brought to Rome were but nine.

That

That beauty am I bleft with which
you fee.
Afk me what question thou canst poffible,
And I will answer unpremeditated.
My courage try by combat, if thou dar'st,
And thou shalt 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 shalt buckle with me ;
And, if thou vanquifheft, thy words are true;
Otherwise, I renounce all confidence.

Pucel. I am prepar'd: here is my keen-edg'd sword,
Deck'd with fine flow'r-de-luces on each fide,
The which at Tourain, in faint Catharine's church,
Out of a deal of old iron I chose forth.

Dau. Then come o' god's name, for I fear no woman.
Pucel. And, while I live, I'll ne'er fly from a man.

Here they fight, and Joan la Pucelle overcomes.
Dau. Stay, ftay thy hands; thou art an Amazon,
And fighteft with the fword of Debora.

Pucel. Chrift's mother helps me, elfe I were too weak.
Dau. Whoe'er helps thee, 'tis thou that must help me:
Impatiently I burn with thy defire ;

My heart and hands thou haft at once fubdu'd:
Excellent Pucelle, if thy name be so,

Let me thy fervant, and not fovereign, be,
'Tis the French dauphin fueth to thee thus,

Pucel. I must not yield to any rites of love,

For my profeffion's facred from above:
When I have chafed all thy foes from hence,

Then will I think upon a recompense.

Dau. Mean time, look gracious on thy proftrate thrall.
Reig. My lord, methinks, is very long in talk.

Alan. Doubtlefs, he fhrives this woman to her smock,

Elfe ne'er could he fo long protract his speech.

Reig. Shall we disturb him, fince he keeps no mean ?
Alan. He may mean more than we poor men do know:
These women are fhrewd tempters with their tongues.
Reig. My lord, where are you? what devise
Shall we give over Orleans, or no?

you on?

Pucel. Why, no, I fay: diftrustful recreants!
Fight till the laft gafp; for I'll be your guard.
Dau. What the fays I'll confirm; we'll fight it out.
Pucel. Affign'd I am to be the English scourge.

This night the fiege affuredly I'll raife:
Expect faint Martin's fummer, Halcyon days,
Since I have enter'd thus into thefe wars.
Glory is like a circle in the water;
Which never ceaseth to enlarge itself,
Till by broad spreading it difperfe 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 Cafar and his fortune bore at once.
Dau. Was Mahomet inspired with a dove?
Thou with an eagle art infpired then.
Helen the mother of great Conftantine,

Nor yet faint Philip's daughters, were like thee.
Bright ftar of Venus fall'n down on the earth,

How may I reverently worship thee?

Alan. Leave off delays, and let us raise the fiege.
Reig. Woman, do what thou canft to fave our honours,
Drive them from Orleans, and be immortaliz'd.

Dau. Presently try: come, let's away about it.

No prophet will I trust, if fhe proves false.

a

[Exeunt.

Meaning the four daughters of Philip, mention'd in the 21ft chap. of the acts of the apofiles, who had all the gift of prophefying: he being there alfo called Philip the Evangelift.

SCENE

I

SCENE VII.

Before the Tower Gates in London.
Enter Gloucefter, with his ferving-men.

Am this day come to furvey the Tower;

Glou.
Since Henry's death, I fear, there is conveyance.-
Where be these warders, that they wait not here?
Open the gates: 'tis Gloucester that calls.

I Ward. Who's there that knocketh fo imperiously?
I Man. It is the noble duke of Gloucefter.

2 Ward. Whoe'er he be, you may not be let in.

1 Man. Villains, anfwer you so the lord protector?

I Ward. The lord protect him! fo we answer him :

We do no otherwise than we are will'd.

Glou. Who willed you? or whose will stands but mine? There's none protector of the realm but I.

Break up the gates, I'll be your warrantize :

Shall I be flouted thus by dunghill grooms?

Gloucester's men rush at the Tower gates, and Woodvile the Lieutenant speaks within.

Wood. What noife is this? what traitors have we here?

Glou. Lieutenant, is it you whose voice I hear?

Open the gates; here's Glofter that would enter.

Wood. Have patience, noble duke; I may not open; The cardinal of Winchester forbids:

From him I have exprefs commandment,

That thou, nor none of thine fhall be let in.

Glou. Fainthearted Woodvile, prizeft him 'fore me?
Arrogant Winchester, the haughty prelate,

Whom Henry our late fovereign ne'er could brook?
Thou art no friend to god, or to the king:

Open the gate, or I'll fhut thee out shortly.