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 be flack, I'll fight it out.

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

SCENE IV.

Enter a Third Meffenger.

.

3 Meff. My gracious lords, to add to your laments Wherewith you now bedew King Henry's hearse, I must inform you of a difmal fight

Betwixt the ftout lord Talbot and the French.

Win. What! wherein Talbot overcame? is't fo?
3 Meff. Ono; wherein lord Talbot was o'erthrown.
The circumftance I'll tell you more at large.
The tenth of Auguft laft, this dreadful lord
Retiring from the fiege of Orleans,

Having scarce full fix thousand in his troop,
By three and twenty thousand of the French
Was round encompaffed and fet upon.
No leifure had he to enrank his men;
He wanted pikes to fet before his archers;
Inftead whereof fharp ftakes plucks 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 fword and lance.
Hundreds he sent to hell, and none durft stand him,
Here, there, and every where, enrag'd he flew.
The French exclaim'd, the devil was in arms,
All the whole army ftood agaz'd on him.
His foldiers fpying his undaunted fpirit,
A Talbot Talbot! cried out amain,
And rush'd into the bowels of the battel,
Here had the conqueft fully been feal'd up,

A-S

If Sir John Falstaff had not play'd the coward,
He being in the vaward, (plac'd behind
With purpofe to relieve and follow them)
Cowardly fled, not having ftruck one stroak.
Hence grew the gen'ral wrack and massacre;
Enclofed were they with their enemies.
A bafe Walloon, to win the Dauphin's grace,
Thrust Talbot with a fpear into the back,
Whom all France with her chief affembled strength
Durft not prefume to look once in the face.

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

3 Meff. O no, he lives, but is took prisoner, And lord Scales with him, and lord Hungerford; Moft of the rest flaughter'd or took likewise.

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.
Farewel my mafters, to my task will I;
Bonfires in France forthwith I am to make,
To keep our great St. George's feast withal.
Ten thousand foldiers with me. I will take,
Whose 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 fworn :

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.

Glow.

+ See the note on the fifth Scene of Act 3.

Glou. I'll to the Tower with all the haste I can,. To view th' artillery and amunition,

And then I will proclaim young Henry King.

[Ex. Gloucefter.Exe. To Eltam will I, where the young King is, Being ordain'd his fpecial governor, And for his fafety there I'll beft devife,

[Exit.. Win. Each hath his place and function to attend : I am left out; for me nothing remains : But long I will not be thus out of office :: The King from Eltam I intend to fend, And fit at chiefeft ftern of publick weal.

[Exit:.

SCENE V..

FRANCE..

Enter Charles, Alanfon, and Reignier, marching with a drum and Soldiers.

Char. MS in the earth to this day is not known..

FARS his true moving, ev'n as in the heav'ns

Late did he shine upon the English fide:
Now we are victors, upon us he fmiles.
What towns of any moment but we have?

At pleasure here we lye near Orleans:

b Tho ftill the famifh'd English like pale ghofts

Faintly befiege us one hour in a month.

Alan. 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.
Talbot is taken, whom we wont to fear:
Remaineth none but mad-brain'd Salisbury,

Other whiles:

Andi

And he may well in fretting spend his gall,

Nor men nor mony hath he to make war.

Char. 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 fees me go back one foot or fly.

[Exeunt

[Here alarm, they are beaten back by the English, with great loss.

Enter Charles, Alanson, 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 'midst enemies.
my

Reig. Salisbury is a defp'rate homicide,

He fighteth as one weary of his life:

Two other lords, like Lions wanting food,

Do rush upon us as their hungry prey.

Alan. Froyfard 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 Goliafes

It fendeth forth to skirmish; one to ten!
Lean raw-bon'd rafcals! who would e'er suppose
They had fuch courage and audacity!

Char. Let's leave this town, for they are hair-brain'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 forfake the fieges
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

Gimmals, are rings of double rounds, from gemelli. Wheels one within another..

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 chear appal'd
Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence.?
Be not dismay'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 fpirit of deep prophefie fhe hath,
Exceeding the nine Sibyls of old Rome:
What's paft and what's to come she can descry..
Speak, Thall 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;
Queftion 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 thefe wond'rous feats?

Pucel. Reignier, is't thou that thinkeft to beguile me?
Where is the Dauphin ?. come, come from behind,
I know thee well, tho 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 dash.

Pucel. Dauphin, I am by birth a fhepherd's daughter, My wit untrained in any kind of art:

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

To bine on my contemptible eftate.

Log