Bed. Agreed : I'll to yond corner.
Bur.

And I to this. Tal. And here will Talbot mount, or make

his grave.

Now, Salisbury, for thee, and for the right
Of English Henry, shall this night appear
How much in duty I am bound to both.
Sent. Arm! arm ! the enemy doth make

assault! [Cry: ‘St. George,' 'A Talbot.'

un

40

The French leap over the walls in their shirts.

Enter, several ways, the BASTARD of Orleans,
ALENÇON, and REIGNIER, half ready, and half

unready.
Alen. How now, my lords ! what, all

ready so? Bast. Unready! ay, and glad we 'scaped so

well. Reig. 'Twas time, I trow, to wake and leave

our beds,
Hearing alarums at our chamber-doors.

Alen. Of all exploits since first I follow'd arms,
Ne'er heard I of a warlike enterprise
More venturous or desperate than this.

Bast. I think this Talbot be a fiend of hell.
Reig. If not of hell, the heavens, sure, favour

him. Alen. Here cometh Charles : I marvel how

he sped.

Bast. Tut, holy Joan was his defensive guard.

Enter CHARLES and LA PUCELLE. Char. Is this thy cunning, thou deceitful dame? 38. ready unready, dressed . . . undressed. 48. sped, came off, escapęd.

60

Didst thou at first, to flatter us withal,
Make us partakers of a little gain,
That now our loss might be ten times so much?
Puc. Wherefore is Charles impatient with his

friend?
At all times will you have my power

alike?
Sleeping or waking must I still prevail,
Or will you blame and lay the fault on me?
Improvident soldiers ! had your watch been good,
This sudden mischief never could have fall’n.

Char. Duke of Alençon, this was your default,
That, being captain of the watch to-night,
Did look no better to that weighty charge.
Alen. Had all your quarters been as safely

kept
As that whereof I had the government,
We had not been thus shamefully surprised.

Bast. Mine was secure.
Reig.

And so was mine, my lord.
Char. And, for myself, most part of all this

night,
Within her quarter and mine own precinct
I was employ'd in passing to and fro,
About relieving of the sentinels :
Then how or which way should they first

break in ?
Puc. Question, my lords, no further of the

case, How or which way: 'tis sure they found some

place But weakly guarded, where the breach was made. And now there rests no other shift but this; To gather our soldiers, scatter'd and dispersed, And lay new platforms to endamage them. 75. rests, remains.

77. platforms, plots.

70

Alarum. Enter an English Soldier, crying 'A

Talbot / a Talbot /' They fly, leaving their

clothes behind. Sold. I'll be so bold to take what they have

left. The cry

of Talbot serves me for a sword; For I have loaden me with many spoils, Using no other weapon but his name. [Exit.

SCENE II.

Orleans.

Within the town.

Enter TALBOT, BEDFORD, BURGUNDY, a Captain,

and others.
Bed. The day begins to break, and night is

fied,
Whose pitchy mantle over-veil'd the earth.
Here sound retreat, and cease our hot pursuit.

[Retreat sounded.
Tal. Bring forth the body of old Salisbury,
And here advance it in the market-place,
The middle centre of this cursed town,
Now have I paid my vow unto his soul;
For every drop of blood was drawn from him
There hath at least five Frenchmen died to-night.
And that hereafter ages may behold
What ruin happen'd in revenge of him,
Within their chiefest temple I'll erect
A tomb, wherein his corpse shall be interr'd:
Upon the which, that every one may read,
Shall be engraved the sack of Orleans,
The treacherous manner of his mournful death
And what a terror he had been to France.
But, lords, in all our bloody massacre,

10 20

I muse we met not with the Dauphin's grace,
His new-come champion, virtuous Joan of Arc,
Nor
any

of his false confederates. Bed. 'Tis thought, Lord Talbot, when the fight

began,
Roused on the sudden from their drowsy beds,
They did amongst the troops of armed men
Leap o'er the walls for refuge in the field.

Bur. Myself, as far as I could well discern
For smoke and dusky vapours of the night,
Am sure I scared the Dauphin and his trull,
When arm in arm they both came swiftly running,
Like to a pair of loving turtle doves
That could not live asunder day or night.
After that things are set in order here,
We'll follow them with all the power we have.

30

Enter a Messenger. Mess. All hail, my lords! Which of this

princely train Call

ye the warlike Talbot, for his acts So much applauded through the realm of France ? Tal. Here is the Talbot: who would speak

with him ? Mess. The virtuous lady, Countess of Auvergne, With modesty admiring thy renown, By me entreats, great lord, thou wouldst vouchsafe 4c To visit her poor castle where she lies, That she may boast she hath beheld the man Whose glory fills the world with loud report.

Bur. Is it even so ? Nay, then, I see our wars Will turn unto a peaceful comic sport, When ladies crave to be encounter'd with. You may not, my lord, despise her gentle suit.

Tal. Ne'er trust me then; for when a world

50

Could not prevail with all their oratory,
Yet hath a woman's kindness over-ruled :
And therefore tell her I return great thanks,
And in submission will attend on her.
Will not your honours bear me company?

Bed. No, truly ; it is more than manners will :
And I have heard it said, unbidden guests
Are often welcomest when they are gone.

Tal. Well then, alone, since there's no remedy,
I mean to prove this lady's courtesy.
Come hither, captain. [Whispers.) You perceive

my mind?

60

Capt. I do, my lord, and mean accordingly.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III. Auvergne. The Countess's castle.

Enter the COUNTESS and her Porter. Count. Porter, remember what I

gave

in charge; And when you have done so, bring the keys

to me. Port. Madam, I will.

[Exit. Count. The plot is laid : if all things fall out

right,
I shall as famous be by this exploit
As Scythian Tomyris by Cyrus' death.
Great is the rumour of this dreadful knight,
And his achievements of no less account:
Fain would mine eyes be witness with mine ears,
To give their censure of these rare reports.

6. Tomyris, queen of the vading force, and captured and Scythian tribe of the Massa- slew himself (B.C. 529). getæ, who defeated Cyrus' in