Discourse, I pr'ythee, on this turret's top. Tal. The duke of Bedford had a prisoner, Called the brave lord Ponton de Santrailles ; For him I was exchang'd and ransomed. But with a baser man of arms by far, Once, in contempt, they would have barter'd me: and craved death Which I, disdaining, scorn'd; Rather than I would be so pil'd esteem'd.' In fine, redeem'd I was as I desir'd. 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 produc'd 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; None durst come near for fear of sudden death. In iron walls they deem'd me not secure ; So great fear of my name 'mongst them was spread, endur'd: Here, through this grate, I can count every one, STEEVENS. [1] So pil'd, may mean-so pillag'd, so stripp'd of honour. [2] From Hall's Chronicle: "This man (Talbot) was to the French people a very Scourge and a daily terror, insomuch that as his person was fearful, and terrible to his adversaries present, so his name and fame was spiteful and dreadful to the common people absent; insomuch that women in France to feare their yong children. would crye, the Talbot commeth, the Talbot commeth." The same thing is said of King Richard I. when he was in the Holy Land. MALONE. Let me have your express opinions, Where is best place to make our battery next. Gar. I think, at the north gate; for there stand lords. Glan. And I, here, at the bulwark of the bridge. Tal. For aught I see, this city must be famish'd, Or with light skirmishes enfeebled. [Shot from the town. SALISBURY and Sir THOMAS GARGRAVE fall. Sal. O Lord, have mercy on us, wretched sinners! Tal. What chance is this, that suddenly hath cross'd us? 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 ? Enter a Messenger. Mess. My lord, my lord, the French have gather'd head: [3] Camden says that the French scarce knew the use of great ordnance, till the siege of Mans in 1455, when a breach was male in the walls of that town by the English, under the conduct of this earl of Salisbury; and that he was the first English gentleman that was slain by a cannon-ball. MALONE. The Dauphin, with one Joan la Pucelle join'd,— [SALISBURY groans. Tal. Hear, hear, how dying Salisbury doth groan! Your hearts I'll stamp out with my horse's heels, And then we'll try what these dastard Frenchmen 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? 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; [They fight. 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. Go, go, cheer up thy hunger-starved men ; This day is ours, as many more shall be. [PUCELLE enters the Town, with Soldiers. 4) Pussel means a dirty wench or a drab. TOLLET. at should be remembered, that in Shakespeare's time the word dauphin was always written dolphin. STEEVENS. [5] The superstition of those times taught, that he that could draw the witch's blood was free from her power. JOHNSON. Tal. My thoughts are whirled like a potter's wheel; I know not where I am, nor what I do : A witch, by fear, not force, like Hannibal, Drives back our troops, and conquers as she lists: [A short alarum. Hark, countrymen! either renew the fight, [Alarum. Another skirmish. It will not be :-Retire into your trenches: For none would strike a stroke in his revenge.- In spite of us, or aught that we could do. O, would I were to die with Salisbury! The same. [Alarum. Retreat. Exeunt TALBOT and his SCENE VI. Enter, on the walls, PUCELLE, CHARLES, REIG- Puc. Advance our waving colours on the walls; Thy promises are like Adonis' gardens, That one day bloom'd, and fruitful were the next.— 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, And feast and banquet in the open streets, To celebrate the joy that God hath given us. Alen. All France will be replete with mirth and joy, 1 When they shall hear how we have play'd the men. [Flourish. Exeunt. ACT II. SCENE I.-The same. Enter to the Gate, a French Ser geant, and two Centinels. 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 Cent. Sergeant, you shall. [Exit Sergeant.] Thus are poor servitors (When others sleep upon their quiet beds,) Constrain❜d to watch in darkness, rain, and cold. This happy night the Frenchmen are secure, [6] Rhodope was a famous strumpet, who acquired great riches by her trade. The least but most finished of the Egyptian pyramids (says Pliny, in the 36th Book of his Natural History, ch. xii.) was built by her. She is said afterwards to have married P sammetichus, king of Egypt. Dr. Johnson thinks that the Dauphin means to call Joan of Arc a strumpet, all the while he is making this loud praise of her. STEEVENS. [7] When Alexander the Great took the city of Gaza, the metropolis of Syria, amidst the other spoils and wealth of Darius treasured up there, he found an exceeding rich and beautiful little chest or casket, and asked those about him what they thought fittest to be laid up in it. When they had severally delivered their opinions, he told them, he esteemed nothing so worthy to be preserved in it as Hemer's Iliad. THEOBALD. |