Am sure I scar'd the Dauphin, and his trull; When arm in arm they both came swiftly running, Like to a pair of loving turtle-doves,

That could not live asunder day or night.

After that things are set in order here,

We'll follow them with all the power we have.

Enter a Messenger.

Mess. All hail, my lords! which of this princely train

Call ye the warlike Talbot, for his acts

So much applauded through the realm of France? Tal. Here is the Talbot; who would speak with him?

Mess. The virtuous lady, countess of Auvergne, With modesty admiring thy renown,

By me entreats, good lord, thou wouldst vouchsafe
To visit her poor castle where she lies 2;

That she may boast she hath beheld the man
Whose glory fills the world with loud report.
Bur. Is it even so? Nay, then, I see our wars
Will turn unto a peaceful comick sport,
When ladies crave to be encounter'd with.-
You may not, my lord, despise her gentle suit.

Tal. Ne'er trust me then; for, when a world of men Could not prevail with all their oratory,

Yet hath a woman's kindness overrul'd :—
And therefore tell her, I return great thanks;
And in submission will attend on her.-
Will not your honours bear me company?

Bed. No, truly; it is more than manners will:
And I have heard it said,-Unbidden guests
Are often welcomest when they are gone.
Tal. Well then, alone, since there's no remedy,

2 i. e. where she dwells.

I mean to prove this lady's courtesy.

Come hither, captain. [Whispers.]-You perceive my mind.

Capt. I do, my lord; and mean accordingly.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III. Auvergne. Court of the Castle.

Enter the Countess and her Porter.

Count. Porter, remember what I gave in charge; And, when you have done so, bring the keys to me. Port. Madam, I will.

[Exit. Count. The plot is laid: if all things fall out right, I shall as famous be by this exploit, As Scythian Thomyris by Cyrus' death. Great is the rumour of this dreadful knight, And his achievements of no less account: Fain would mine eyes be witness with mine ears, To give their censure1 of these rare reports.

Enter Messenger and TALBOT.

Mess. Madam,

According as your ladyship desir'd,

By message crav'd, so is Lord Talbot come.

Count. And he is welcome. What! is this the man? Mess. Madam, it is.

Count.

Is this the scourge of France?

Is this the Talbot, so much fear'd abroad,

That with his name the mothers still their babes??

I see report is fabulous and false:

I thought I should have seen some Hercules,

1 i. e. judgment, opinion. So in King Richard III. :'And give your censures in this weighty business.' Dryden has transplanted this idea into his Don Sebastian:'Nor shall Sebastian's formidable name

Be longer used, to lull the crying babe.?

A'second Hector, for his grim aspéct,
And large proportion of his strong-knit limbs.
Alas! this is a child, a silly dwarf :

It cannot be, this weak and writhled3 shrimp
Should strike such terror to his enemies.

Tal. Madam, I have been bold to trouble you:
But, since your ladyship is not at leisure,
I'll sort some other time to visit you.

Count. What means he now?-Go ask him, whither he goes.

Mess. Stay, my Lord Talbot; for my lady craves To know the cause of your abrupt departure. Tal. Marry, for that she's in a wrong belief, I go to certify her, Talbot's here.

Re-enter Porter, with Keys.

Count. If thou be he, then art thou prisoner.
Tal. Prisoner! to whom?

Count.

To me, blood-thirsty lord;
And for that cause I train'd thee to my house.
Long time thy shadow hath been thrall to me,
For in my gallery thy picture hangs;

But now the substance shall endure the like;
And I will chain these legs and arms of thine,
That hast by tyranny, these many years,
Wasted our country, slain our citizens,
And sent our sons and husbands captivate*.
Tal. Ha, ha, ha!

Count. Laughest thou, wretch? thy mirth shall

turn to moan.

3 Writhled for wrinkled. Thus Spenser: :

Her writhled skin as rough as maple rind.'

And Marston, in his fourth Satire :---

Cold writhled eld, his lives web almost spent.'

4 Thus in Solyman and Persida :

'If not destroy'd and bound and captivate,
If captivate, then forc'd from holy faith.'

Tal. I laugh to see your ladyship so fond5,
To think that you have aught but Talbot's shadow,
Whereon to practise your severity.

Count. Why, art not thou the man ?
Tal.

Count. Then have I substance too.

I am indeed.

Tal. No, no, I am but shadow of myself:
You are deceiv'd, my substance is not here;
For what you see, is but the smallest part
And least proportion of humanity:

I tell you, madam, were the whole frame here,
It is of such a spacious lofty pitch,

Your roof were not sufficient to contain it.

Count. This is a riddling merchant for the nonce 6; He will be here, and yet he is not here:

How can these contrarieties agree?

Tal. That will I show you presently.

He winds a Horn. Drums heard; then a Peal of The Gates being forced, enter Sol

Ordnance.

diers.

How say you, madam? are you now persuaded,
That Talbot is but shadow of himself?

These are his substance, sinews, arms, and strength,
With which he yoketh your rebellious necks;

5 i. e. foolish, silly, weak.

The term mer

6 This is a riddling merchant for the nonce.' chant, which was, and even now is, frequently applied to the lowest kind of dealers, seems anciently to have been used on these familiar occasions in contradistinction to gentleman; signifying that the person showed by his behaviour he was a low fellow. Thus in Romeo and Juliet, the nurse says I pray you, sir, what saucy merchant was this, that was so full of his ropery?' And in Churchyard's Chance, 1580 :—

'What saucie merchant speaketh now, said Venus in her rage.' The term chap, an abridgment of chapman, is still in use in vulgar speech, in speaking of any one with freedom or disrespect. For the nonce is for the purpose.

Razeth your cities, and subverts your towns,
And in a moment makes them desolate.

Count. Victorious Talbot! pardon my abuse:
I find, thou art no less than fame hath bruited",
And more than may be gather'd by thy shape.
Let my presumption not provoke thy wrath;
For I am sorry, that with reverence

I did not entertain thee as thou art.

Tal. Be not dismay'd, fair lady; nor misconstrue The mind of Talbot, as you did mistake

The outward composition of his body.

What you have done, hath not offended me:
No other satisfaction do I crave,

But only (with your patience) that we may
Taste of your wine, and see what cates you have;
For soldiers' stomachs always serve them well.

Count. With all my heart: and think me honoured To feast so great a warrior in my house. [Exeunt.

SCENE IV. London. The Temple Garden. Enter the Earls of SOMERSET, SUFFOLK, and WARWICK; RICHARD PLANTAGENET, VERNON, and another Lawyer1.

Plan. Great lords, and gentlemen, what means this silence?

Dare no man answer in a case of truth?

Suff. Within the Temple hall we were too loud: The garden here is more convenient.

7 Bruited is reported, loudly announced. So in Macbeth:one of great note

Seems bruited.'

The fame or bruite that one hath among the common people is lost or buried when he dieth.' Cooper.

1 We should read a lawyer. This lawyer was probably Roger Nevyle, who was afterwards hanged. See W. Wyrcester, p. 478.