1 Char. Bastard of Orleans, thrice welcome to us. Bast. Methinks your looks are sad, your cheer appalled. Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence? A holy maid hither with me I bring, Which, by a vision sent to her from Heaven, And drive the English forth the bounds of France. 2 What's past, and what's to come, she can descry. Char. Go, call her in. [Exit Bastard.] But, first to try her skill, Reignier, stand thou as dauphin in my place. Enter LA PUCELLE, Bastard of Orleans, and others. Reig. Fair maid, is't thou wilt do these wondrous feats? Puc. Reignier, is't thou that thinkest to beguile me? Where is the dauphin ?-Come, come from behind; Stand back, you lords, and give us leave a while. Heaven, and our Lady gracious, hath it pleased 1 Bastard was not in former times a title of reproach. 2 Warburton says that "there were no nine sibyls of Rome; it is a mistake for the nine Sibylline Oracles brought to one of the Tarquins." But the Poet followed the popular books of his day, which say that "the ten sibyls were women that had the spirit of prophecy (enumerating them), and that they prophesied of Christ." To shine on my contemptible estate. In single combat thou shalt buckle with me; Puc. I am prepared; here is my keen-edged sword, Decked with five flower-de-luces on each side; The which at Touraine, in Saint Katharine's church yard, 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. [They fight. Char. Stay, stay thy hands; thou art an Amazon, 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; 1 i. e. be convinced of it. My heart and hands thou hast at once suodued. Char. Mean time, look gracious on thy prostrate thrall. 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. Assigned am I to be the English scourge. This night the siege assuredly I'll raise: Expect saint Martin's summer,' halcyon days, Glory is like a circle in the water, Char. Was Mahomet inspired with a dove?? 1 i. e. expect prosperity after misfortune, like fair weather at Martlemas, after winter has begun. 2 Mahomet had a dove "which he used to feed with wheat out of his ear; which dove, when it was hungry, lighted on Mahomet's shoulder, and Thou with an eagle art inspired then. our Drive them from Orleans, and be immortalized. about it: No prophet will I trust, if she prove false. SCENE III. London. [Exeunt. London. Hill before the Tower. Enter, at the gates, the Duke of GLOSTER, with his Serving-men in blue coats. Glo. I am come to survey the tower this day; Since Henry's death, I fear there is conveyance. Where be these warders, that they wait not here? Open the gates; Gloster it is that calls. [Servants knock. 1 Ward. [Within.] Who is there that knocks so imperiously? 1 Serv. It is the noble duke of Gloster. 2 Ward. [Within.] Whoe'er he be, you may not be let in. 1 Serv. Answer you so the lord protector, villains? 1 Ward. [Within.] The Lord protect him! so we answer him: We do no otherwise than we are willed. Glo. Who willed you? or whose will stands, but mine? thrust its bill in to find its breakfast, Mahomet persuading the rude and simple Arabians that it was the Holy Ghost."-Raleigh's Hist. of the World, part i. c. vi. 1 Meaning the four daughters of Philip mentioned in Acts xxi. 9. 2 Conveyance anciently signified any kind of furtive knavery, or privy stealing. There's none protector of the realm, but 1.— Servants rush at the tower gates. Enter, to the gates, WOODVILLE, the Lieutenant. Wood. [Within.] What noise is this? what traitors have we here? Glo. Lieutenant, is it you, whose voice I hear? Open the gates; here's Gloster, that would enter. Wood. [Within.] Have patience, noble duke; I may not open: The cardinal of Winchester forbids; From him I have express commandment, Glo. Faint-hearted Woodville, prizest him 'fore me? 1 Serv. Open the gates unto the lord protector; Or we'll burst them open, if that you come not quickly. Enter WINCHESTER, attended by a train of Servants in tawny coats. Win. How now, ambitious Humphry? what means this? Glo. Pieled priest,' dost thou command me to be shut out? Win. I do, thou most usurping proditor, And not protector of the king or realm. Glo. Stand back, thou manifest conspirator: Thou, that contriv'dst to murder our dead lord; Thou, that giv'st whores indulgences to sin;2 1 i. e. bald; alluding to his shaven crown. 2 2 The public stews in Southwark were under the jurisdiction of the bishop of Winchester. |