Page images
PDF
EPUB
[blocks in formation]

LORD TALBOT, afterwards Earl of Shrewsbury.
JOHN TALBOT, his Son.

EDMUND MORTIMER, Earl of March.

SIR JOHN FASTOLFE, SIR WILLIAM LUCY, SIR
WILLIAM GLANSDALE, SIR THOMAS GAR-
GRAVE.

Mayor of London.

WOODVILE, Lieutenant of the Tower.
VERNON, of the White-Rose or York Faction.
BASSET, of the Red-Rose or Lancaster Faction.
A Lawyer. Mortimer's Keepers.

CHARLES, Dauphin, and afterwards King of
France.

REIGNIER, Duke of Anjou, and titular King of
Naples.

DUKE OF BURgundy.
DUKE OF ALENÇON.

BASTARD OF ORLEANS.

Governor of Paris.

Master-Gunner of Orleans, and his Son.
General of the French Forces in Bourdeaux.
A French Sergeant. A Porter.

An old Shepherd, Father to Joan la Pucelle.
MARGARET, Daughter to Reignier; afterwards
married to King Henry.

COUNTESS OF AUVERGNE.

JOAN LA PUCELLE, commonly called Joan of
Arc.

Lords, Warders of the Tower, Heralds, Officers, Soldiers, Messengers, and Attendants.

Fiends appearing to Joan la Pucelle.

SCENE.-Partly in England, and partly in France.

ACT I.

SCENE I. Westminster Abbey.

Dead March. Enter the Funeral of King HENRY the Fifth; attended on by the Dukes of BED. FORD, GLOUCESTER, and EXETER; the Earl of WARWICK, the Bishop of WINCHESTER, Heralds, etc.

Bed. Hung be the heavens with black, yield
day to night!

Comets, importing change of times and states,
Brandish your crystal tresses in the sky,

And with them scourge the bad revolting stars
That have consented unto Henry's death!
King Henry the Fifth, too famous to live long!
England ne'er lost a king of so much worth.
Glou. England ne'er had a king until his time.
Virtue he had, deserving to command:
His brandish'd sword did blind men with his
beams;

10

His arms spread wider than a dragon's wings;
His sparkling eyes, replete with wrathful fire,
More dazzled and drove back his enemies
Than mid-day sun fierce bent against their faces.

What should I say? his deeds exceed all speech:
He ne'er lift up his hand but conquered.
Exe. We mourn in black: why mourn we not
in blood?

456

Henry is dead and never shall revive.
Upon a wooden coffin we attend,
We with our stately presence glorify,
And death's dishonourable victory
What! shall we curse the planets of mishap
Like captives bound to a triumphant car.
That plotted thus our glory's overthrow?
Or shall we think the subtle-witted French
Conjurers and sorcerers, that, afraid of him,
By magic verses have contriv'd his end?

Win. He was a king bless'd of the King of
kings.

So dreadful will not be as was his sight.
Unto the French the dreadful judgment-day
The church's prayers made him so prosperous.
The battles of the Lord of hosts he fought :
Glou. The church! where is it? had not
churchmen pray'd

His thread of life had not so soon decay'd:
Whom, like a school-boy, you may over-awe.
None do you like but an effeminate prince,

Win. Gloucester, whate'er we like, thou art
protector,

And lookest to command the prince and realm.
Thy wife is proud; she holdeth thee in awe,
More than God or religious churchmen may. 40
Glou. Name not religion, for thou lov'st the
flesh,

And ne'er throughout the year to church thou
go'st

Except it be to pray against thy foes.

Bed. Cease, cease these jar and rest your
minds in peace!

Let's to the altar: heralds, wait on us.
Instead of gold we 'll offer up our arms,
Since arms avail not now that Henry's dead.
Posterity, await for wretched years,

When at their mothers' moist eyes babes shall
suck,

Our isle be made a marish of salt tears,

And none but women left to wail the dead.
Henry the Fifth! thy ghost I invocate:
Prosper this realm, keep it from civil broils !
Combat with adverse planets in the heavens!
A far more glorious star thy soul will make
Than Julius Cæsar or bright-

Enter a Messenger.

50

[ocr errors]

Except some petty towns of no import:
The Dauphin Charles is crowned king in Rheims;
The Bastard of Orleans with him is join'd;
Reignier, Duke of Anjou, doth take his part;
The Duke of Alençon flieth to his side.

Exe. The Dauphin crowned king! all fly to him!
O! whither shall we fly from this reproach?
Glou. We will not fly, but to our enemies'
threats.

Bedford, thou be slack, I'll fight it out.

Bed. Gloucester, why doubt'st thou of my
forwardness?

An army have I muster'd in my thoughts,
Wherewith already France is overrun.

Enter a third Messenger.

100

Third Mess. My gracious lords, to add to your
laments,

Wherewith you now bedew King Henry's hearse,
I must inform you of a dismal fight
Betwixt the stout Lord Talbot and the French.

Win. What! wherein Talbot overcame? is't so?
Third Mess. O, no! wherein Lord Talbot was
o'erthrown:

The circumstance I'll tell you more at large.
The tenth of August last this dreadful lord, 110
Retiring from the siege of Orleans,

By three-and-twenty thousand of the French
Was round encompassed and set upon.

Mess. My honourable lords, health to you all! Having full scarce six thousand in his troop,
Sad tidings bring I to you out of France,
Of loss, of slaughter, and discomfiture:
Guienne, Champagne, Rheims, Orleans,
Paris, Guysors, Poictiers, all are quite lost.
Bed. What say'st thou, man, before dead
Henry's corse?

60 No leisure had he to enrank his men ;
He wanted pikes to set before his archers;
Instead whereof sharp stakes pluck'd out of
hedges

Speak softly, or the loss of those great towns
Will make him burst his lead and rise from
death.

Glou. Is Paris lost? is Roan yielded up?
If Henry were recall'd to life again
These news would cause him once more yield
the ghost.

Exe. How were they lost? what treachery
was us'd?

120

They pitched in the ground confusedly,
To keep the horsemen off from breaking in.
More than three hours the fight continued;
Where valiant Talbot above human thought
Enacted wonders with his sword and lance.
Hundreds he sent to hell, and none durst stand
him;

Here, there, and every where, enrag'd he flew.
The French exclaim'd the devil was in arms;
All the whole army stood agazed on him.
His soldiers, spying his undaunted spirit,
70 A Talbot! a Talbot! cried out amain,
And rush'd into the bowels of the battle.

Mess. No treachery; but want of men and
money.

Amongst the soldiers this is muttered,
That here you maintain several factions;

And, whilst a field should be dispatch'd and Here had the conquest fully been seal'd up, fought,

You are disputing of your generals.

One would have lingering wars with little cost;
Another would fly swift, but wanteth wings;
A third man thinks, without expense at all,
By guileful fair words peace may be obtain❜d.
Awake, awake, English nobility!

Let not sloth dim your honours new begot:
Cropp'd are the flower-de-luces in your arms; 80
Of England's coat one half is cut away.

Exe. Were our tears wanting to this funeral
These tidings would call forth their flowing tides.
Bed. Me they concern. Regent I am of France.
Give me my steeled coat: I'll fight for France.
Away with these disgraceful wailing robes!
Wounds will I lend the French instead of eyes,
To weep their intermissive miseries.

Enter another Messenger.

130

If Sir John Fastolfe 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 stroke.
Hence grew the general wreck and massacre :
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,

Durst not presume to look once in the face. 140
Bed. Is Talbot slain? then I will slay myself,
For living idly here in pomp and ease
Whilst such a worthy leader, wanting aid,
Unto his dastard foemen is betray'd.

Third Mess. O, no! he lives; but is took prisoner,
And Lord Scales with him, and Lord Hungerford:
Most of the rest slaughter'd or took likewise.
Bed. His ransom there is none but I shall pay:

Second Mess. Lords, view these letters full of I'll hale the Dauphin headlong from his throne; bad mischance.

[blocks in formation]

His crown shall be the ransom of my friend; 150
Four of their lords I'll change for one of ours.

Farewell, my masters; to my task will I;
Bonfires in France forthwith I am to make,
To keep our great Saint George's feast withal:
Ten thousand soldiers with me I will take,
Whose bloody deeds shall make all Europe quake.
Third Mess. So you had need; for Orleans is
besieg'd;

The English army is grown weak and faint;
The Earl of Salisbury craveth supply,
And hardly keeps his men from mutiny,
Since they, so few, watch such a multitude.
Exe. Remember, lords, your oaths to Henry

sworn,

160

Either to quell the Dauphin utterly,
Or bring him in obedience to your yoke.
Bed. I do remember it; and here take my leave,
To go about my preparation.

Exit.
Glou. I'll to the Tower with all the haste I can,
To view the artillery and munition;
And then I will proclaim young Henry king. Exit.
Exe. To Eltham 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 :

171

I am left out; for me nothing remains.
But long I will not be Jack-out-of-office.
The king from Eltham I intend to steal,
And sit at chiefest stern of public weal. Exeunt.

SCENE II.-France. Before Orleans. Flourish. Enter CHARLES, with his Forces; ALENÇON, REIGNIER, and Others.

[blocks in formation]

It sendeth forth to skirmish. One to ten!
Lean raw-bon'd rascals! who would e'er suppose
They had such courage and audacity?

Cha. Let's leave this town; for they are hare-
brain'd slaves,

And hunger will enforce them to be more eager :
Of old I know them; rather with their teeth a
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 strike on;
Else ne'er could they hold out so as they do.
By my consent, we'll e'en let them alone.
Alen. Be it so.

Enter the Bastard of ORLEANS.
Bast. Where's the Prince Dauphin? I have
news for him.

Cha. Bastard of Orleans, thrice welcome to us. Bast. Methinks your looks are sad, your cheer appall'd:

50

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 vision sent to her from heaven
Ordained is to raise this tedious siege,
And drive the English forth the bounds of France.

Cha. Mars his true moving, even as in the The spirit of deep prophecy she hath,
heavens

So in the earth, to this day is not known.
Late did he shine upon the English side;
Now we are victors; upon us he smiles.
What towns of any moment but we have?
At pleasure here we lie near Orleans;

Exceeding the nine sibyls of old Rome;
What's past and what 's to come she can descry.
Speak, shall I call her in? Believe my words,
For they are certain and unfallible.
Cha. Go, call her in.

Exit Bastard.
But first, to try her skill,

Otherwhiles the famish'd English, like pale Reignier, stand thou as Dauphin in my place: ghosts, Question her proudly; let thy looks be stern: By this means shall we sound what skill she hath.

Faintly besiege us one hour in a month.

Alen. They want their porridge and their fat bull-beeves :

10

Either they must be dieted like mules
And have their provender tied to their mouths,
Or piteous they will look, like drowned mice.
Reig. Let's raise the siege: why live we idly
here?

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 money hath he to make war.
Cha. Sound, sound alarum! we will rush on
them.

Now for the honour of the forlorn French!
Him I forgive my death that killeth me
When he sees me go back one foot or fly.

20

[blocks in formation]

Retires. Re-enter the Bastard of ORLEANS, with JOAN LA PUCELLE and Others.

Reig. Fair maid, is 't thou wilt do these wondrous feats?

Joan. Reignier, is 't thou that thinkest to beguile me?

Where is the Dauphin?

behind;

Come, come from

I know thee well, though never seen 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 awhile.
Reig. She takes upon her bravely at first dash.
Joan. Dauphin, I am by birth a shepherd's
daughter,

My wit untrain'd in any kind of art.
To shine on my contemptible estate:
Heaven and our Lady gracious hath it pleas'd
Lo! whilst I waited on my tender lambs,
And to sun's parching heat display'd my cheeks,
God's mother deigned to appear to me,
And in a vision full of majesty
Will'd me to leave my base vocation
And free my country from calamity :

80

Her aid she promis'd and assur'd success;
In complete glory she reveal'd herself;
And, whereas I was black and swart before,
With those clear rays which she infus'd on me,
That beauty am I bless'd with which you see.
Ask me what question thou canst possible
And I will answer unpremeditated:
My courage try by combat, if thou dar'st,
And thou shalt find that I exceed my sex.
Resolve on this, thou shalt be fortunate
If thou receive me for thy war-like mate.
Cha. Thou hast astonish'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; Otherwise I renounce all confidence.

90

[blocks in formation]

110

My heart and hands thou hast at once subdued.
Excellent Pucelle, if thy name be so,
Let me thy servant and not sovereign be:
"Tis the French Dauphin sueth to thee thus.
Joan. I must not yield to any rites of love,
For my profession's sacred from above:
When I have chased all thy foes from hence,
Then will I think upon a recompense.

Cha. Meantime 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?

121

[blocks in formation]

Dispersed are the glories it included.
Now am I like that proud insulting ship
Which Cæsar and his fortune bare at once.
Cha. Was Mahomet inspired with a dove? 140
Thou with an eagle art inspired then.
Helen, the mother of great Constantine,
Nor yet Saint Philip's daughters were like thee.
Bright star of Venus, fall'n down on the earth,
How may I reverently worship thee enough?
Alen. Leave off delays and let us raise the siege.
Reig. Woman, do what thou canst to save
our honours;

Drive them from Orleans and be immortaliz'd.
Cha. Presently we'll try. Come, let's away

[blocks in formation]

SCENE III.-London. Before the Tower. Enter, at the gates, the Duke of GLOUCESTER, with his Servingmen, in blue coats. Glou. 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! 'Tis Gloucester that calls.

First Ward. Within. Who's there that knocks so imperiously?

First Serv. It is the noble Duke of Gloucester. Second Ward. Within. Whoe'er he be, you may not be let in.

First Serv. Villains, answer you so the lord protector?

First Ward. Within. The Lord protect him ! so we answer him:

10

We do no otherwise than we are will'd.
Glou. Who willed you? or whose will stands
but mine?

There's none protector of the realm but I.
Break up the gates, I'll be your warrantize.
Shall I be flouted thus by dunghill grooms?

GLOUCESTER'S Men rush at the Tower gates,
and WOODVILE the Lieutenant speaks
within.

Wood. What noise is this? what traitors have we here?

Glou. Lieutenant, is it you whose voice I hear? Open the gates! here's Gloucester that would enter.

Wood. Have patience, noble duke; I may not open;

20

The Cardinal of Winchester forbids:
From him I have express commandement
That thou nor none of thine shall be let in.
Glou. Faint-hearted Woodvile, prizest him
'fore me?

Arrogant Winchester, that haughty prelate, Whom Henry, our late sovereign, ne'er could brook ?

Thou art no friend to God or to the king:
Open the gates, or I'll shut thee out shortly.
First Serv. Open the gates unto the lord pro-
tector,

Or we'll burst them open, if that you come not quickly.

Enter WINCHESTER, attended by Servingmen in tawny coats.

Win. How now, ambitious Humphrey! what means this?

Glou. Peel'd priest, dost thou command me to Thy heart-blood I will have for this day's work. be shut out?

Win. I do, thou most usurping proditor, And not protector, of the king or realm.

30

Glou. Stand back, thou manifest conspirator,
Thou that contriv'dst to murder our dead lord;
Thou that giv'st whores indulgences to sin :
I'll canvass thee in thy broad cardinal's hat,
If thou proceed in this thy insolence.

Win. Nay, stand thou back; I will not budge
a foot:

This be Damascus, be thou cursed Cain,
To slay thy brother Abel, if thou wilt.

40

May. I'll call for clubs if you will not away. This cardinal's more haughty than the devil. Glou. Mayor, farewell: thou dost but what thou may'st.

Win. Abominable Gloucester! guard thy head; For I intend to have it ere long.

Exeunt severally, GLOUCESTER and WIN CHESTER, with their Servingmen. May. See the coast clear'd, and then we will depart.

Good God! these nobles should such stomachs bear;

Glou. I will not slay thee, but I'll drive thee I myself fight not once in forty year.
back:

Thy scarlet robes as a child's bearing-cloth
I'll use to carry thee out of this place.

Win. Do what thou dar'st; I beard thee to
thy face.

Glou. What am I dar'd and bearded to my face?
Draw, men, for all this privileged place;
Blue coats to tawny coats. Priest, beware your
beard;

GLOUCESTER and his Men attack the Cardinal.
I mean to tug it and to cuff you soundly.
Under my feet I stamp thy cardinal's hat,
In spite of pope or dignities of church;
Here by the cheeks I'll drag thee up and down.
Win. Gloucester, thou 'lt answer this before
the pope.

50

Glou. Winchester goose! I cry, a rope! a rope!
Now beat them hence; why do yon let them stay?
Thee I'll chase hence, thou wolf in sheep's array.
Out, tawny coats! out, scarlet hypocrite!
Here GLOUCESTER'S Men beat out the Cardinal's
Men, and enter in the hurly-burly the Mayor of
London and his Officers.

May. Fie, lords! that you, being supreme
magistrates,

Thus contumeliously should break the peace! Glou. Peace, mayor! thou know'st little of my wrongs.

Here's Beaufort, that regards nor God nor king,

Hath here distrain'd the Tower to his use.

61

Win. Here's Gloucester, a foe to citizens;
One that still motions war and never peace,
O'ercharging your free purses with large fines,
That seeks to overthrow religion
Because he is protector of the realm,
And would have armour here out of the Tower,
To crown himself king and suppress the prince.
Glou. I will not answer thee with words, but
blows.
Here they skirmish again.
May. Nought rests for me in this tumultuous
strife

But to make open proclamation.
Come, officer; as loud as e'er thou canst,
Cry.

70

[blocks in formation]

SCENE IV.-France.

Exeunt.

Before Orleans.

Enter, on the walls, the Master-Gunner and his Boy. M. Gun. Sirrah, thou know'st how Orleans is besieg'd,

And how the English have the suburbs won. Boy. Father, I know; and oft have shot at them,

Be thou

10

Howe'er unfortunate I miss'd my aim.
M. Gun. But now thou shalt not.
rul'd by me:
Chief master-gunner am I of this town;
Something I must do to procure me grace.
The prince's espials have informed me
How the English, in the suburbs close intrench'd,
Wont through a secret grate of iron bars
In yonder tower to overpeer the city,
And thence discover how with most advantage
They may vex us with shot or with assault.
A piece of ordnance 'gainst it I have plac'd;
To intercept this inconvenience,
And fully even these three days have I watch'd
If I could see them. Now, boy, do thou watch,
For I can stay no longer.

If thou spy'st any, run and bring me word; 19
And thou shalt find me at the governor's. Exit.

Boy. Father, I warrant you; take you no care;
I'll never trouble you if I may spy them. Exit.
Enter, on the turrets, the Lords SALISBURY and
TALBOT; Sir WILLIAM GLANSDALE, Sir
THOMAS GARGRAVE, and Others.

Sal. Talbot, my life, my joy! again return'd!
How wert thou handled being prisoner,
Or by what means gott'st thou to be releas'd,
Discourse, I prithee, on this turret's top.

Tal. The Duke of Bedford had a prisoner
Called the brave Lord Ponton de Santrailles;
For him I was exchang'd and ransomed.
But with a baser man of arms by far
Once in contempt they would have barter'd me:
Which I disdaining scorn'd, and craved death
Rather than I would be so vile-esteem'd.
In fine, redeem'd I was as I desir'd.
But, O the treacherous Fastolfe wounds my
heart:

Whom with my bare fists I would execute
If I now had him brought into my power.
Sal. Yet tell'st thou not how thou wert enter.
tain'd.

Tal. With scoffs and scorns and contumelious
taunts.

In open market-place produc'd they me,
To be a public spectacle to all:

Here, said they, is the terror of the French,

« PreviousContinue »