What towns of any moment but we have? Alen. They want their porridge and their fat Either they must be dieted like mules And have their provender tied to their mouths Reig. Let's raise the siege: why live we idly here? Talbot is taken, whom we wont to fear: Now for the honour of the fórlorn French! Here alarum; they are beaten back by the ALENÇON, and REIGNIER. 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. 7. Otherwhiles, at other times. wonen, 'be accustomed.' · IO 20 14. wont, were wont. Wont' 19. forlorn, desperate, miseris originally the preterite of able. VOL. V 33 D Alen. Froissart, a countryman of ours, records, It sendeth forth to skirmish. One to ten! Char. Let's leave this town; for they are harebrain'd slaves, 30 And hunger will enforce them to be more eager : 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, And drive the English forth the bounds of France. ་ 29. Froissart. This record' of Froissart's was probably known to the writer only as quoted by Holinshed. 33. Goliases, Goliaths. 35. rascals; with a play upon the technical sense: 'lean deer, not fit for hunting.' 50 41. gimmors, contrivance ; here of the mechanism by which artificial figures, with uplifted hammers, were made to strike the hours. 54. forth, out of, The spirit of deep prophecy she hath, What's past and what's to come she can descry. Believe my words, For they are certain and unfallible. Char. Go, call her in. [Exit Bastard.] But first, to try her skill, Re-enter the BASTARD of Orleans, with JOAN Reig. Fair maid, is 't thou wilt do these wondrous feats? Puc. Reignier, is 't thou that thinkest to beguile Where is the Dauphin? Come, come from behind; Reig. She takes upon her bravely at first dash. My wit untrain'd in any kind of art. Heaven and our Lady gracious hath it pleased Lo, whilst I waited on my tender lambs, 56. the nine sibyls; ancient tradition variously enumerated four or ten sibyls, none of whom were literally of old Rome.' 60 70 There is probably a confusion with the nine 'Sibylline books' offered to Tarquinius by the Sibyl of Cumæ. Will'd me to leave my base vocation Char. Thou hast astonish'd me with thy high terms: Only this proof I'll of thy valour make, Puc. I am prepared: here is my keen-edged Deck'd with five flower-de-luces on each side; churchyard, Out of a great deal of old iron I chose forth. Char. Then come, o' God's name; I fear no woman. Puc. And while I live, I'll ne'er fly from a man. [Here they fight, and Joan La Pucelle Overcomes. Char. Stay, stay thy hands! thou art an Amazon 100. at Touraine. The writer seems to regard Touraine as a town. Holinshed has from Saint Katherine's church at And fightest with the sword of Deborah. Puc. Christ's mother helps me, else I were too weak. Char. Whoe'er helps thee, 'tis thou that must help me : Impatiently I burn with thy desire; My heart and hands thou hast at once subdued. Char. Meantime look gracious on thy prostrate Reig. My lord, methinks, is very long in talk. Alen. Doubtless he shrives this woman to her smock; Else ne'er could he so long protract his speech. Reig. Shall we disturb him, since he keeps no mean? Alen. He may mean more than we poor men do know : These women are shrewd tempters with their tongues. Reig. My lord, where are you? what devise you on? Shall we give over Orleans, or no? Puc. Why, no, I say, distrustful recreants! Fight till the last gasp; I will be your guard. Char. What she says I'll confirm: we'll fight it out. Puc. Assign'd am I to be the English scourge. 108. thy desire, desire for thee. III. servant, lover. ΙΙΟ 120 121. keeps no mean, observes no measure. |