Wounds will I lend the French, inftead of Eyes,
To weep their intermiffive Mileries.

Enter to them another Meffenger.

2 Melf. Lords, view thefe Letters, full of bad Mifchance, France is revolted from the English quite, Except fome petty Towns of no import. The Dauphin, Charles is crowned King in Rhen The Baftard of Orleans with him is join'd; Reignier, Duke of Anjou, doth his Part, The Duke of Alenfon flieth to his fide.

[Exit.

Exe. The Dauphin crowned King? all fly to him? O, whither fhall we fly from this Reproach?

Glo. We will not fly, but to our Enemies Throats. Bedford, if thou be flack, I'll fight it out.

Bed. Glofter, why doubt'ft thou of my forwardness ? An Army ave I mufter'd in my Thoughts, Wherewith already France is over-run.

Enter a Third Meffenger.

3 Meff. My Gracious Lords, to add to your Laments Wherewith you now bedew King Henry's Hear fe, I must inform you of a difmal Fight Betwixt the ftout Lord Talbot and the French.

Win. What! wherein Talbot overcame, is't fo? 3 Me. 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 Siege 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 leifure had he to enrank his Men. He wanted Pikes to fet before his Archers; Inftead whereof, fharp Stakes pluckt out of Hedges They pitched in the Ground confufedly, 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 fent to Hell, and none durft ftand him: Here, there, and every where enrag'd he flew.

The

The French exclaim'd, the Devil was in Arms,
All the whole Army stood agaz'd on him.
His Soldiers fpying his undaunted Spirit,
A Talbot! a Talbot! cry'd out amain.
And rufh'd into the Bowels of the Battel:
Here, had the Conqueft fully been feal'd up,
If Sir John Falstaff 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 ftruck one ftroak.
Hence grew the general Wrack and Maffacre;
Enclofed were they with their Enemies.
A bafe Walloon, to win the Dauphin's Grace,
Thruft Talbot with a Spear into the Back,
Whom all France, with their Chief affembled Strength,
Durft not prefume to look once in the Face.

Bed. Is Talbot flain then? I will flay my self,
For living idly here in pomp and ease,
Whift 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; Most of the reft slaughter'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 Ranfom 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 Soldiers with me I will take,
Whofe bloody Deeds fhall make all Europe quake.

3 Meff. So you had need, for Orleans is befieg'd,
The English Army is grown weak and faint:
The Earl of Salisbury craveth Supply,
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.

Bed. I do remember it, and here take leave,
To go about my Preparation.

Glo. I'll to the Tower with all the hafte I can,
To view the Artillery and Munition,
And then I will proclaim young Henry King,

[Exit Bedford

[Exit Gloucefter.

Exe. To Eltam will I, where the young King is,
Being ordain'd his special Governor,
And for his Safety there I'll beft devise.

Win. Each hath his Place and Function to attend:
I am left out; for me nothing remains :
But long I will not be Jack out of Office,
The King from Eltam I intend to fend,
And fit at chiefeft ftern of publick Weal.
Enter Charles, Alenfon, and Reignier, marching with a
Drum and Soldiers.

[Exit.

[Exit.

Char. Mars his true moving, even as in the 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 smiles. What Towns of any moment, but we have? At pleasure here we lye, near Orleans: Otherwhiles, the famith'd English, like pale Ghofts, Faintly befiege us one Hour in a Month.

Alen. They want their Porredge, 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. 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,

Enter

Enter Charles, Alenfon, and Reignier.

Char. Who ever faw the like? What Men have 1 ? Dogs, Cowards, Daftards: I would ne'er have fed, But that they left me 'midst my Enemies.

Reig. Salisbury is a defperate Homicide,
He fighteth as one weary of his Life:
Two other Lords, like Lions wanting Food,
Do rush upon us as their hungry Prey.

Alen. Froyfard, a Countryman of ours, records,'
England all Olivers and Rowlands bred,
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-brain'd Slaves,

And hunger will enforce them to be more eager:
Of old I know them; rather with their Teeth
The Walls they'll tear down, than forfake the Siege.
Reig. I think by fome odd Gimmals or Device
Their Arms are fet, like Clocks, ftill to strike on;
Elfe ne'er could they hold out fo as they do:
By my Confent, we'll even let them alone.

Alen. 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 Succour 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 Siege,

And drive the English forth the bounds of France:
The Spirit of deep Prophefie the hath,
Exceeding the nine Sibyls of old Rome:
What's paft, and what's to come, she can defcry.

Speck,

Speak, fhall I call her in? Believe my Words,
For they are certain and infallible.

Dáu. Go, call her in; but firft, to try lier Skill,
Reignier ftand thou as Dauphin in my Place;
Question her proudly, let thy Looks be ftern,
By this means fhall we found what Skill she hath
Enter Joan la Pucelle.

Reig. Fair Maid, is't thou wilt do these wondrous Feats?
Pucel, Reignier, is't thou that thinkeft to beguile me?
Where is the Dauphin? Come, come from behind,
I know thee well, though 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 a while.
Reig. She takes upon her bravely at first Dafh.
Pucel. Dauphin, I am by Birth a Shepherd'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 Eftate.
Lo, whilft I waited on my tender Lambs,
And to Suns 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 the promis'd, and affur'd Succefs.
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.
Ask me what queftion thou canft poffible,
And I will anfwer unpremeditated:
My Courage try by Combat, if thou dar'ft,
And thou shalt find that I exceed my Sex.
Refolve on this, thou fhalt bé 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,