Hundreds he sent to hell, and none durst stand him;

up,

Here, there, and every where, enrag'd he slew:
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, a Talbot! cried out amain,
And rush'd into the bowels of the battle.
Here had the conquest fully been seal'd
If sir John Fastolfe had not play'd the coward;
He being in the vaward, (plac'd behind,
With purpose to relieve and follow them,)
Cowardly fled, not having struck one stroke.
Hence grew the general 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 slain? then I will slay myself,
For living idly here, in pomp and ease,
Whilst such a worthy leader wanting aid,
Unto his dastard foe-men is betray'd.

3. Mess. O no, he lives; but is took prisoner, And lord Scales with him, and lord Hungerford:

Most of the rest slaughter'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 ransom of my friend; Four of their lords I'll change for one of

ours.

Farewell, my Masters; to my task will I;
Bonfires in France forthwith I am to make,
To keep our great saint George's feast withal:

Ten

Ten thousand soldiers with me I will take, Whose bloody deeds shall make all Europé

quake.

3. Mess. So you had need; for Orleans is

besieg'd;

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 yoke.
Bed. I do remember it; and here take leave,
To go about my préparation.

[Exit. 'Glo. I'll to the Tower with all the haste I can, To view the artillery and munition;

And then I will proclaim young Henry King.

[Exit. Exe. To Eltham will I, where the young King is,

Being ordain'd his special governor;

And for his safety there I'll best devise.

[Exit.

Win. Each hath his place and function to attend:

I am left out; for me nothing remains,
But long I will not be Jack-out-of-office;
The King from Eltham I intend to send,
And sit at chiefest stern of public weal.

[Exit. Scene closes.

VOL. X.

SCENE II.

France. Before Orleans.

Enter CHARLES, with his forces; ALENÇON, REIGNIER, and Others.

: Char. Mars his true moving, even as in the heavens,

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 smiles.
What towns of any moment, but we have;
At pleasure here we lie, near Orleans;
Otherwhiles, the famish'd English, like pale
ghosts,

Faintly besiege us one hour in a month.

Alen. 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.

Reig. Let's raise the siege; Why live we idly
here?

Talbot is taken, whom we wont to fear:
Remaineth none, but mad-brain'd Salisbury;
And he may well in fretting spend his gall,
Nor men, nor money, hath he to make war.
Char. Sound, sound 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, or fly.

[Exeunt.

Alarums; Excursions; afterwards a Retreat.

Re-enter CHARLES, ALENÇON, REIGNIER,
and Others.

Char. Who ever saw the like? what men have I?

Dogs! cowards! dastards! I would ne'er have fled,

But that they left me 'midst my enemies.
Reig. Salisbury is a desperate homicide,
He fighteth as one weary of his life.
The other lords, like lions wanting food,
Do rush upon us as their hungry prey.

Alen. Froisard, a countryman of ours
cords,

re

England all Olivers and Rowlands bred,
During the time Edward the third did reign.
More truely now may this be verified;
For none but Sampsons, and Goliasses,
It sendeth forth to skirmish. One to ten!
Lean raw-bon'd rascals! who would e'ér suppose
They had such courage and audacity?

Char. Let's leave this town! for they are hairbrain'd slaves,

And hunger will enforce them to 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

device,

gimmals or

Their arms are set, like clocks, still to strike on;'
Else ne'er could they hold out so, as they do.
By my consent, we'll e'en let them alone.

Alen Be it so..

Enter the Bastard of Orleans.

Bast. Where's the Prince Dauphin? I have news for him.

Char. Bastard of Orleans, thrice welcome

to us.

Bast. Methinks, your looks are sad, your cheer appall'd;

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 heaven,
Ordained is to raise this tedious siege,

And drive the English forth the bounds of
France.

The spirit of deep prophecy she hath,
Exceeding the nine sibyls of old Rome;
What's past, and what's to come, she can descry.
Speak, shall I call her in? Believe my words,
For they are certain and infallible.

Char. Go, call her in: [Exit Bastard.] But, first, to try her skill, Reignier, stand thou as Dauphin in my place; Question her proudly, let thy looks be stern; By this means shall we sound what skill she hath. [Retires. Enter LA PUCELLE, Bastard of Orleans,

and Others.

Reig. Fair maid, is't thou wilt do these wond'rous feats?

Puc. Reignier, is't thou that thinkest 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: