Thou shalt not die, whiles He beckons with his hand, and smiles on me; Play on the lute, beholding the towns burn: [Thunder heard; afterwards an alarum. What stir is this? What tumult's in the heavens ? Whence cometh this alarum, and the noise? Enter a Messenger. Mess. My lord, my lord, the French have gather'd head: The dauphin, with one Joan la Pucelle join'd,- Is come with a great power to raise the siege. Your hearts I'll stamp out with my horse's heels, And then we'll try what these dastard Frenchmen [Exeunt, bearing out the bodies. dare. SCENE V. The same. Before one of the gates. Alarums. Skirmishings. Talbot pursueth the Dauphin, and driveth him in: then enter Joan la Pucelle, driving Englishmen before her. Then enter Talbot. Tal. Where is my strength, my valour, and my force? * Dirty wench. Our English troops retire, I cannot stay them; Enter La Pucelle. Here, here she comes : -I'll have a bout with thee: Devil, or devil's dam, I'll conjure thee: Blood will I draw on thee*, thou art a witch, And straightway give thy soul to him thou serv'st. Puc. Come, come, 'tis only I that must disgrace [They fight. thee. Tal. Heavens, can you suffer hell so to prevail? My breast I'll burst with straining of my courage, And from my shoulders crack my arms asunder, But I will chastise this high-minded strumpet. Puc. Talbot, farewell; thy hour is not yet come: I must go victual Orleans forthwith. O'ertake me, if thou canst; I scorn thy strength. [Pucelle enters the town, with soldiers. Tal. My thoughts are whirled like a potter's wheel; I know not where I am, nor what I do: As you fly from your oft-subdued slaves. [Alarum. Another skirmish. The superstition of those times taught, that he who could draw a witch's blood was free from her power. It will not be :-Retire into your trenches: In spite of us, or aught that we could do. SCENE VI. The same. Enter, on the walls, Pucelle, Charles, Reignier, Alençon, and soldiers. Puc. Advance our waving colours on the walls; Rescu'd is Orleans from the English wolves :Thus Joan la Pucelle hath perform'd her word. Char. Divinest creature, bright Astræa's daughter, How shall I honour thee for this success? Thy promises are like Adonis' gardens, That one day bloom'd, and fruitful were the next.France, triumph in thy glorious prophetess !Recover'd is the town of Orleans: More blessed hap did ne'er befall our state. Reig. Why ring not out the bells throughout the town? Dauphin, command the citizens make bonfires, Alen. All France will be replete with mirth and joy, When they shall hear how we have play'd the men. Than Rhodope's, or Memphis', ever was: [Flourish. Exeunt. ACT II. SCENE I. The same. Enter, to the gates, a French Sergeant, and two Sentinels. Serg. Sirs, take your places, and be vigilant : If any noise, or soldier, you perceive, Near to the walls, by some apparent sign, Let us have knowledge at the court of guard*. 1 Sent. Sergeant, you shall. [Exit Serg.] Thus are poor servitors (When others sleep upon their quiet beds,) Constrain'd to watch in darkness, rain, and cold. Enter Talbot, Bedford, Burgundy, and forces, with scaling-ladders; their drums beating a dead march. Tal. Lord Regent, and redoubted Burgundy,By whose approach, the regions of Artois, Walloon, and Picardy, are friends to us,— This happy night the Frenchmen are secure, Having all day carous'd and banqueted : Embrace we then this opportunity; As fitting best to quittance their deceit, Contriv'd by art, and baleful sorcery. * The same as guard-room. Bed. Coward of France !-how much he wrongs his fame, Despairing of his own arm's fortitude, To join with witches, and the help of hell. Bed. A maid? and be so martial? Bur. Pray God, she prove not masculine ere long; If underneath the standard of the French, She carry armour, as she hath begun. Tal. Well, let them practise and converse with spirits: God is our fortress; in whose conquering name, Bed. Ascend, brave Talbot; we will follow thee. Bur. And I to this. Tal. And here will Talbot mount, or make his grave. Now, Salisbury! for thee, and for the right [The English scale the walls, crying St. George! a Talbot! and all enter by the town. Sent. [Within.] Arm, arm! the enemy doth make assault! The French leap over the walls in their shirts. Enter, several ways, Bastard, Alençon, Reignier, half ready, and half unready. Alen. How now, my lords? what, all unready* so? Bast. Unready? ay, and glad we 'scap'd so well. Reig. "Twas time, I trow, to wake and leave our beds, * Undressed. |