It will not be: retire into your trenches:
You all consented unto Salisbury's death,

For none would strike a stroke in his revenge.
Pucelle is enter'd into Orleans,

35

In spite of us or aught that we could do.

O, would I were to die with Salisbury!

The shame hereof will make me hide my head.

[Exit Talbot. Alarum; retreat; flourish.

SCENE VI. The same.

Enter, on the walls, LA PUCELLE, CHARLES, REIGNIER, ALENÇON, and Soldiers.

Puc. Advance our waving colours on the walls;

Rescued is Orleans from the English:

Thus Joan la Pucelle hath perform'd her word.

Char. Divinest creature, Astræa's daughter,

How shall I honour thee for this success?

Thy promises are like Adonis' gardens

That one day bloom'd and fruitful were the next.
France, triumph in thy glorious prophetess!

Recover'd is the town of Orleans:

More blessed hap did ne'er befall our state.

Reig. Why ring not out the bells aloud 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.

5

ΙΟ

Alen. All France will be replete with mirth and joy, 15 When they shall hear how we have play'd the men.

SCENE VI.] Capell. SCENE XI. Pope. om. Ff. Dyce and Staunton continue the scene.

2. Rescued] For rescu'd Keightley conj.

English] F. English wolves F2F3F4. English dogs Staunton conj.

4. Astræa's] F, bright Astræa's
F2F3F4.

6. gardens] Hanmer. garden Ff.
Why...town?] As two lines, the

II.

first ending aloud, in Ff.

out the] om. Steevens conj.
aloud] om. Pope.

Char. 'Tis Joan, not we, by whom the day is won;
For which I will divide my crown with her,
And all the priests and friars in my realm
Shall in procession sing her endless praise.
A statelier pyramis to her I'll rear
Than Rhodope's or Memphis' ever was:
In memory of her when she is dead,
Her ashes, in an urn more precious
Than the rich-jewel'd coffer of Darius,
Transported shall be at high festivals
Before the kings and queens of France.
No longer on Saint Denis will we cry,
But Joan la Pucelle shall be France's saint.
Come in, and let us banquet royally,

After this golden day of victory.

20

25

30

[Flourish. Excunt.

ACT II.

SCENE I. Before Orleans.

Enter a Sergeant of a band, with two Sentinels.

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.

21. pyramis] Ff. pyramid Rowe. 22. or Memphis'] Hanmer. or Memphis Ff. of Memphis Dyce (Capell conj.).

23. when] wen F2.

24. precious] gracious Rowe. 25. rich-jewel'd coffer] Ff. rich jewel'd coffer Pope. rich jewel-coffer Steevens conj.

25, 26. Darius, Transported] Darius Transported, Capell.

27. Before] Ever before Hanmer.

And borne before Anon. conj.

conj.

queens] queens and peers Dyce

France] France up-born Capell.
France for ever Keightley conj.

ACT II. SCENE I.] Actus Secundus.
Scæna Prima. Ff.

Before Orleans.] Theobald.
Continues in Orleans. Pope.

Enter...] Ff. Enter a French Ser-
jeant, and Sentinels, to the Gate. Ca-
pell.

First Sent. 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.

Enter TALBOT, BEDFORD, BURGUNDY, and forces, with scaling-
ladders, their drums beating a dead march.

Tal. Lord Regent, and redoubted Burgundy,
By whose approach the regions of Artois,
Wallon and Picardy are friends to us,

This happy night the Frenchmen are secure,
Having all day caroused and banqueted:
Embrace we then this opportunity

5

10

As fitting best to quittance their deceit

Contrived by art and baleful sorcery.

15

Bed. Coward of France! how much he wrongs his fame,

Despairing of his own arm's fortitude,

To join with witches and the help of hell!

Bur. Traitors have never other company.

But what's that Pucelle whom they term so pure?

Tal. A maid, they say.

Bed.

A maid! and be so martial!

Bur. Pray God she prove not masculine ere long,

If underneath the standard of the French

She carry armour as she hath begun.

20

Tal. Well, let them practise and converse with spirits: 25 God is our fortress, in whose conquering name

Let us resolve to scale their flinty bulwarks.

Bed. Ascend, brave Talbot; we will follow thee.
Tal. Not all together: better far, I guess,

That we do make our entrance several ways;
That, if it chance the one of us do fail,
The other yet may rise against their force.
Bed. Agreed: I'll to yond corner.
Bur.

7. and forces] Capell. om. Ff.

And I to this.

339

30

29. all together] Rowe. altogether Ff.

33. And] om. Pope.

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

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

35

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

40

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.

45

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?

50

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?

55

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,

60

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.
Reig.

Mine was secure.

And so was mine, my lord.

Char. And, for myself, most part of all this night, Within her quarter and mine own precinct

65

I was employ'd in passing to and fro,
About relieving of the sentinels:

70

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.

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.

63. your] F. our F2F3F4. quarters] F,F2F3. quarter F4.

76. our] om. Pope.

75

80

[Exit.

an English Soldier] Capell. a Souldier Ff.

78. SCENE III. Within the walls

77. [Exeunt. Ff. Omitted first by of Orleans. Pope. Capell.