Wounds' will I lend the French instead of Eyes,
To weep their intermiffive Miseries.

Enter to them another Meffenger.
2 Mel. Lords, view these Letters, full of bad Mischance,
France is revolted from the English quite,
Except some petty Towns of no import,
The Dauphin Charles is crowned King in Rhen
The Bastard of Orleans with him is join'd ;
Reignier, Duke of Anjou, doth his Part,
The Duke of Alenfon Aieth to his fide.

[Exit, Exe. The Dauphin crowned King? all fly to him? O, whither shall we fly from this Reproach?

Glo. We will not fly, but to our Enemies Throats. Bedford, if thou be sack, I'll fight it out.

Bedi Gloster, why doubt'st thou of my forwardness? An Army aave I mufter'd in my Thoughts, Wherewich already France is over-run.

Enter a Third Messenger. 3 Mel. My Gracious Lords, to add to your Laments Wherewith you now bedew King Henry's Hea: se, I must inform you of a dismal bight Betwixt the ftout Lord Talbot and the French.

Win. What! wherein Talbot overcame, is't fo? 3 Mej. O no; wherein Lord Talbot was o’erthrown, The Circumstance I'll tell you more at large. The tenth of August laft, this dreadful Lord, Retiring from the Siege of Orleans, Having scarce full fix thousand in his Troop, By three and twenty thousand of the French Was round encompassed, and set upon; No leisure had he to enrank his Men. He wanted Pikes to fer before his Archers; Instead whereof, Aharp Stakes pluckt out of Hedges They pitched in the Ground confufedly, To keep the Horsemen off from breaking in. More than three hours the Fighe continued ; Where valiant Talbot, above human Thought, Enacted Wonders with his Sword and Lance. Hundreds he sent to Hell, and none durft ftand him : Here, there, and every where enrag'd he flew.

The

a

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! cry'd out amain.
And rush'd into the Bowels of the Battel:
Here, had the Conquest fully been feald up,
If Sir John Falstaff 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 stroak.
Hence

grew the general Wrack and Massaere;
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,
Durft not presume to look once in the Face.

Bed. Is Talbot flain then? I will slay my self,
For living idly here in pomp and cafe,
Wbi At such a worthy Leader, wanting Aid,
Unto his daftard Foe-men is betray'd.

3 Mef. Ono, he lives, but is took Prisoner, And Lord Scales with him, and Lord Hungerford; Most of the reft slaughter'd, or took likewise.

Bed. His Ransom there is none but I shall pay.
l'u hale the Dauphin headlong from his Throne,
His Crown fhall be the Ransomn 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 Soldiers with me I will take,
Whose bloody Deeds shall make all Europe quake.

3 Mej. So you had need, for Orleans is belieg'd,
The English Army is grown weak and faint:
The Earl of Salisbury craveth Supply,
And hardly keeps his Men from Mutiny,
Since they fo 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 Yoak.

Bed.

Bed. I do remember it, and here take leave, To go about my Preparation.

[Exit Bedford Glo. I'll to the Tower with all the hafte 1 can, To view the Artillery and Munition, And then I will proclaim young Henry King:

[Exit Gloucester Exe. To Eltam 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 Eltam I intend to fend, And sit at chiefest ftern of publick Weal. (Exit, Enter Charles, Alenfon, and Reignier, marching with a

Drum and Soldiers, Char. Mars his trụe moving, even as in the Heav'ns, . So in the Earth, to this Day is not known. Late did he line upon the English fide: Now we are Victors, upon us he smiles. What Towns of any moment, but we have? At pleasure here we lye, near Orleans: Otherwhiles, the familh'd English, like pale Ghosts, Faintly beliege ús one Hour in a Month,

Alen. They want their Porredge, and their fat Bull- Beevese Either they must be dieted like Mules, And have their Provender tyd to their Mouchs, Or piteous they will look like drowned Mice. 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 Mony hath he to make War.

Char. Sound, sound Alarum, we will rufa 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 Ay. [Exeunt. (Here Alarm, they are beaten back by the English, wiele

great Lofs

Enter

Enter Charles, Alenson, And Reignier. Char. Who ever saw the like? What Men bave 1? Dogs, Cowards, Dastards: I would ne'er have fled, But that they left me 'midit ну

Enemies. Reig. Salisbury is a desperate Homicide, Hc fighteth as one weary of his Life:

Two other Lords, like Lions wanting Food,
Do rush upon us as their hungry Prey.

Alen. Froylard, a Countryman of ours, records,
England all õlivers and Rowlands bred,
During the time Edward the Third did Reiga:
More truly now may this be verified ;
For none but Sampsons and Goliaffes
It sendeth forth to Skirmish; one to ten!
Lean raw-bon'd Rascals, who would e'er fuppose
They had such Courage and Audacity ?

Char. Let's leave this Town,
For they are 'hair-braio'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 Gimmals or Device
Their Arms are set, like Clocks, still to Atrike-on;
Else ne'er could they hold out so as they do:
By my Consent, we'll even let them alone,
Alen. Be it fo.

Enter the Bastard of Orleans.
Baft. Where's the Prince Daupliin? I have News for him.
Dau. Bastard of Orleans, thrice welcome to us.

Baft. Methinks your Looks are fad, your Chear appald. 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 Vifion sent to her from Hear'n, Ordained is to raise this tedious Siege, And drive the English forth the bounds of France : The Spirit of deep Prophesie she hath, Exceeding the nine Sibyls of old Rome: What's past, and what's to come, she can descry.

Spek

Speak, thall I call her in? Believe my Words,
For they are certain and infallible.

Dáu. Go, call her in; but first, to try.lier Skill,
Reignier stand thou as Dauphin in my Place;
Question her proudly, let thy Looks be stern,
By this means shall we found what Skill she hathi

Enter Joan la Pucelle,
Reig. Fair Maid, is't thou wilt do these wondrous Feats?

Pucet. Reignier, is't thou that thinkest to beguile me? Where is the Dauphin? Come, come from behind, I know thee well, though 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 a while.

Reig. She takeş upon her bravely at first Dash.

Pucel. Dauphin, I am by Birth a Shepherd's Daughter, My Wit untraind in any kind of Art: Heav'n and our Lady gracious hath it pleas'd To shine on my contemptible Efate. Lo, whilft I waited on my tender Lambs, And to Suns parching heat display'd my Cheeks, God's Mother deigned to appear to me. And in a Vifion full of Majesty, Willd me to leave my base Vocation, And free my Country from Calamity : Her Aid the promis'd, and aflur'd Success. In compleat Glory the reveals her felf; And whereas I was black and swart before, With those clear Rays which she infus'd on me, That Beauty am I blest with, which you see. Ask me what question thou canst possible, And I will answer unpremeditated: My Courage try by Combat, if thou dar'it, And thou shalt find that I exceed my Sex. Resolve on this, thou shalt be fortunate, If thou receive me for thy warlike Mate.

Dau. Thou hast aftonish'd me with thy high terms: Only this proof I'll of thy Valour make, In single Combat thou shalt buckle with me; And if thou vanquishest, thy Words are true,