2 Ward. [within]. Whoe'er he be, you may not be let in. 1 Serv. Answer you so the lord protector, villains? 1 Ward. [within]. The Lord protect him! so we answer him: We do no otherwise than we are will'd. Glo. Who will'd you? or whose will stands but mine? Break up the gates, I'll be your warrantize : SERVANTS rush at the Tower gates. Enter, to the gates, Wood. [within]. What noise is this? what traitors have we here? Glo. Lieutenant, is it you, whose voice I hear? Open the gates; here's Gloster that would enter. Wood. [within]. Have patience, noble duke: I may not open; The cardinal of Winchester forbids: From him I have express commandment, That thou, nor none of thine, shall be let in. Glo. Faint-hearted Woodville, prizest him 'fore me ? Whom Henry, our late sovereign, ne'er could brook? Open the gates, or I'll shut thee out shortly. 1 Serv. Open the gates unto the lord protector; Or we'll burst them open, if that you come not quickly. Enter WINCHESTER, attended by a Train of Servants in tawny coats. Win. How now, ambitious Humphrey? what means this? Glo. Piel'd priest,† dost thou command me to be shut out? Win. I do, thou most usurping proditor,+ And not protector of the king or realm. Glo. Stand back, thou manifest conspirator; Thou, that contriv'dst to murder our dead lord; Thou, that giv'st whores indulgences to sin: If thou proceed in this thy insolence. Win. 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. Glo. I will not slay thee, but I'll drive thee back: Thy scarlet robes, as a child's bearing-cloth I'll use, to carry thee out of this place. Win. Do what thou dar'st; I beard thee to thy face. * Break open. ↑ Traitor. + Alluding to his shaven crown. Cain is said to have slain Abe on an eminence four miles from Damascus. Draw, men, for all this privileged place; Blue-coats to tawny-coats. Priest, beware your beard; [GLOSTER and his men attack the Bishop. I mean to tug it, and to cuff you soundly: Here a great tumult. _ In the midst of it, Enter the MAYOR of May. Fie, lords! that you, being supreme magistrates, Glo. Peace, mayor; thou know'st little of my wrongs: Win. Here's Gloster, too, a foe to citizens; And would have armour here out of the Tower, Come, officer; as loud as e'er thou canst. Off. All manner of men, assembled here in arms this day, against God's peace and the king's, we charge and command you, in his highness' name, to repair to your several dwelling-places; and not to wear, handle, or use, any sword, weapon, or dagger, henceforward, upon pain of death. Glo. Cardinal, I'll be no breaker of the law: But we shall meet, and break our minds at large. Win. Gloster, we'll meet; to thy dear cost, be sure : Thy heart-blood I will have for this day's work. May. I'll call for clubs,† if you will not away : This cardinal is more haughty than the devil. Glo. Mayor, farewell: thou dost but what thou mayst. For I intend to have it,'ere long. May. See the coast clear'd, and then we will depart.- *An allusion to the bishop's licentious manners. + That is, for peace-officers armed with clubs or staves. [Exit. [Exeunt. SCENE IV.-France. Before Orleans. Enter, on the walls, the MASTER GUNNER and his SON. M. Gun. Sirrah, thou know'st how Orleans is besieged; And how the English have the suburbs won. Son. Father, I know; and oft have shot at them, Howe'er, unfortunate, I miss'd my aim. M. Gun. But now thou shalt not. Be thou ruled by me: Chief master-gunner am I of this town; Something I must do to procure me grace: The prince's espials* have informed me, How the English, in the suburbs close intrench'd, And thence discover, how, with most advantage, A piece of ordnance 'gainst it I have placed; If thou spy'st any, run and bring me word; Son. Father, I warrant you; take you no care; I'll never trouble you, if I may spy them. LExit. Enter, in an upper chamber of a tower, the Lords SALISBURY and TALBOT, SIR WILLIAM GLANSDALE, SIR THOMAS GARGRAVE, and others. Sal. Talbot, my life, my joy, again return'd! Tal. The duke of Bedford had a prisoner, Once, in contempt, they would have barter'd me: But, O! the treacherous Fastolfe wounds my heart! If I now had him brought into my power. Sal. Yet tell'st thou not, how thou wert entertain❜d. Tal. With scoffs, and scorns, and contumelious taunts. In open market-place produced they me, To be a public spectacle to all; Here, said they, is the terror of the French, The scare-crow, that affrights our children so. My grisly countenance made others fly; So great fear of my name 'mongst them was spread, Ready they were to shoot me to the heart. Sal. I grieve to hear what torments you endured; But we will be revenged sufficiently. Now it is supper-time in Orleans: Here, through this grate, I can count every one, Where is best place to make our battery next. Gar. I think at the north gate; for there stand lords. Or with light skirmishes enfeebled. [Shot from the town. SALISBURY and SIR THO. Sal. O Lord, have mercy on us, wretched sinners! Tal. What chance is this, that suddenly hath cross'd us- How far'st thou, mirror of all martial men? One of thy eyes, and thy cheek's side struck off !— That have contrived this woeful tragedy! Henry the fifth he first train'd to the wars; Whilst any trump did sound, or drum struck up, Yet liv'st thou, Salisbury? though thy speech doth fail, He beckons with his hand, and smiles on me: Remember to avenge me on the French.- Play on the lute, beholding the towns burn: [Thunder heard; afterwards an alarum. What stir is this? What tumult 's in the heavens ? Enter a MESSENGER. Mess. My lord, my lord, the French have gather'd head: The Dauphin, with one Joan la Pucelle join'd, A holy prophetess, new risen up, Is come with a great power to raise the siege. [SALISBURY Tal. Hear, hear, how dying Salisbury doth groan! * Your hearts I'll stamp out with my horse's heels, groans. And then we'll try what these dastardly Frenchmen dare. [Exeunt, bearing out the bodies. SCENE V.-The same. Before one of the Gates. Alarum. Skirmishings. TALBOT pursueth the DAUPHIN, and driveth him in: then enter JOAN LA PUCELLE, driving English men before her. Then enter TALBOT. Tal. Where is my strength, my valour, and my force? Our English troops retire, I cannot stay them; A woman, clad in armour, chaseth them. Enter LA PUCELLE. Here, here she comes: -I'll have a bout with thee; Blood will I draw on thee, † thou art a witch, Tal. Heavens, can you suffer hell so to prevail? O'ertake me, if thou canst; I scorn thy strength. * Dirty wench. [They fight. + The superstition of those times taught, that he who could draw a witch's blood was free from her power. |