3 Meff. O, no; wherein lord Talbot was o'erthrown. The circumftance I'll tell you more at large. The tenth of Auguft laft, this dreadful lord Retiring from the fiege of Orleans, Having fcarce full fix thousand in his troop, By three and twenty thousand of the French Was round encompaffed and fet upon. No leisure had he to enrank his men ; He wanted pikes to fet before his archers; Inftead whereof, fharp ftakes, pluckt out of hedges, 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 fword and lance. Hundreds he fent 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 food agaz'd on him. His foldiers, fpying his undaunted fpirit, A Talbot! Talbot! cried out amain, And rufh'd into the bowels of the battle, Here had the Conqueft fully been feal'd up, If Sir John Faftolfe had not play'd the coward; (3) He being in the vaward, (plac'd behind, With purpofe to relieve and follow them) Cowardly fled, not having ftruck one ftroak. Hence grew the gen'ral wreck and maffacre; Enclosed were they with their enemies.

A bafe Walloon, to win the Dauphin's grace,

(3) If Sir John Falstaffe] Mr. Pope has taken Notice, in a Note upon the third Act of this Play, "That Falstaff is here introduc'd again, who was dead in Henry V; the Occafion whereof is, that this Play was written before Henry IV, or "Henry V." This seems to me but an idle piece of Criticism. It is the Historical Sir John Faßolfe, (for fo he is call'd by both our Chroniclers) that is here mention'd; who was a LieutenantGeneral in the Wars with France, Deputy Regent to the Duke of Bedford in Normandy, and a Knight of the Garter: and not the Comic Character afterwards introduced by our Author; and which was a Creature merely of his own Brain...

R.4

Thruft

Thruft Talbot with a fpear into the back;
Whom all France with her chief affembled ftrength
Durft not prefume to look once in the face.

Bed. Is Talbot flain then? I will flay my felf,
For living idly here in pomp and ease;
Whilft fuch a worthy leader, wanting aid,
Unto his daftard foe-men is betray'd.

3 Meff. O no, he lives, but is took prisoner, And lord Scales with him, and lord Hungerford; Moft of the reft flaughter'd, or took likewife.

Bed. His ranfom there is none but I fhall pay. I'll hale the Dauphin headlong from his throne, His Crown fhall be the ransom of my friend: Four of their lords I'll change for one of ours. Farewel, my mafters, to my task will I; Bonfires in France forthwith I am to make, To keep our great St. George's feaft withal. Ten thoufand foldiers with me I will take, Whofe bloody deeds fhall make all Europe quake. 3 Me. So you had need, for Orleans is befieg'd;" The English army is grown weak and faint: The Earl of Salisbury craveth fupply,

And hardly keeps his men from mutiny;

-Since they fo few watch fuch a multitude.

Exe. Remember, lords, your oaths to Henry fworn: Either to quell the Dauphin utterly,

Or bring him in obedience to your yoak.

Bed. I do remember it, and here take leave,

To go about my preparation.

[Exit Bedford.

Glou. I'll to the Tower with all the haste I can,

To view th' artillery and ammunition;

And then I will proclaim young Henry King.

[Exit Gloucefter.

Exe. To Eltam will I, where the young King is, Being ordain'd his fpecial governor

And for his fafety there I'll beft devise.

[Exit.

Win. Each hath his place and function to attend :

I am left out for me nothing remains:
But long I will not be thus out of office:
The King from Eltam I intend to fend,
And fit at chiefeft ftern of publick weal.

[Exit. SCENE

SCENE, before Orleans in France. Enter Charles, Alanfon, and Reignier, marching with a drum and Soldiers.

ARS his true moving, ev'n as in the

Char. M heav'ns,

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

Tho' ftill the famifh'd English, like pale ghofts,
Faintly befiege us one hour in a month.

Alan. They want their porridge, and their fat Bull-
beeves;

Either they must be dieted, like mules,

And have their provender ty'd to their mouths;
Or piteous they will look like drowned mice.

Reig. Let's raife the fiege: 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 mony, hath he to make war.

Char. Sound, found alarum: we will rush on them Now for the honour of the forlorn French : Him I forgive my death, that killeth me; When he fees me go back one foot, or fly.

[Exeunt,

[Here alarm, they are beaten back by the English with great lofs.

Re-enter Charles, Alanfon, and Reignier.

Char. Who ever faw the like? what men have I Dogs, cowards, daftards I would ne'er have fled, But that they left me 'midst my enemies.

Reig, Salisbury is a defp'rate homicide,

He fighteth as one weary of his life,
The other lords, like lions wanting food,
Do.rush upon us as their hungry prey.

Alan. Froyfard, a countryman of ours, records,,

England all Olivers and Rowlands bred,

R5

During

During the time Edward the Third did reign
More truly now may this be verified;
For none but Sampfons and Goliaffes.

It fendeth forth to skirmish; one to ten!

Lean raw-bon'd rafcals! who would e'er fuppofe,.
They had fuch courage and audacity!

Char. Let's leave this town, for they are hair-braind flaves,

And hunger will enforce them be more eager:
Of old I know them; rather with their teeth
The walls they'll tear down, than forfake the fiege.
Reig. I think, by fome odd gimmals or device
Their arms are fet like clocks, ftill to ftrike on ;
Elfe they could ne'er hold out fo as they do.
By my confent we'll e'en let them alone.
Alan. Be it fo.

Enter the Baftard of Orleans.

Baft.Where's the Prince Dauphin? I have news for him. Dau. Baftard of Orleans, thrice welcome to us. Baft. Methinks, your looks are fad, your chear appal'd. Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence? Be not dismay'd, for fuccour is at hand :

A holy maid hither with me I bring,

Which by a vifion, fent to her from heav'n,
Ordained is to raise this tedious fiege;

And drive the English forth the bounds of France.
The fpirit of deep prophecie fhe hath,
Exceeding the nine Sibyls of old Rome:
What's paft, and what's to come, she can defcry.
Speak, fhall I call her in? believe my words,
For they are certain and infallible.

Dau. Go call her in; but first, to try her skill,
Reignier, ftand thou as Dauphin in my place;
Queftion her proudly, let thy looks be ftern:
By this means fhall we found what skill fhe hath..
Enter Joan la Pucelle.

Reig Fair maid, is't thou wilt do these wond'rous:

feats?

Pucel. Reignier, is't thou that thinkeft to beguile me?

Where

Where is the Dauphin? come, come from behind,
I know thee well, tho' never feen 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 firft dafh.
Pucel. Dauphin, I am by birth a fhepherd's daughter.
My wit untrain❜d in any kind of art:

Heav'n, and our Lady gracious hath it pleas'd
To fhine on my contemptible estate.
Lo, whilft I waited on my tender lambs,
And to fun's parching heat difplay'd my cheeks,
God's mother deigned to appear to me;
And, in a vifion full of majefty,
Will'd me to leave my bafe vocation,
And free my country from calamity :
Her aid fhe promis'd, and affur'd fuccefs.
In compleat glory fhe reveal'd her felf;
And, whereas I was black and fwart before,
With those clear rays which the infus'd on me,
That beauty am I bleft with, which you fee.
Afk me what question thou canft poffible,
'And I will anfwer unpremeditated.
My courage try by combat, if thou dar'ft,
And thou fhalt find that I exceed my fex..
Refolve on this, thou fhalt be fortunate,
If thou receive me for thy warlike mate.

Dau. Thou haft aftonifh'd me with thy high terms
Only this proof I'll of thy valour make,

In fingle combat thou' fhalt buckle with me;
And, if thou vanquisheft, thy words are true;.
Otherwife, Frenounce all confidence.

Pucel. I am prepar'd; here is my keen-edg'd fword,
Deck'd with fine Flow'r-de-luces on each fide;
The which, at Tourain in St. Catharine's church,
Out of a deal of old iron I chofe forth..

Dau. Then come o' God's name, for I fear no woman.. Pucel. And while I live, I'll ne'er fly from a man. Here they fight, and Joan la Pucelle overcomes. Dau. Stay, ftay thy hands, thou art an Amazon ; And fighteft with the fword of Debora..

Pacel