Only this proof I'll of thy valor make ;—

In single combat thou shalt buckle with me;
And, if thou vanquishest, thy words are true;
Otherwise, I renounce all confidence.

Pu. I am prepared: here is my keen-edged sword,
Deck'd 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.

Charles. Then come, o' God's name; I fear no

woman.

Pu. And, while I live, I'll ne'er fly from a man. [they fight. Charles. Stay, stay thy hands; thou art an Ama

zon,

And fightest with the sword of Deborah.

Pu. Christ's mother helps me, else I were too weak.

Charles. Whoe'er helps thee, 'tis thou that must help me :

Impatiently I burn with thy desire;

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.
Pu. 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.

Charles. Meantime, look gracious on thy prostrate
thrall.

Rei. 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.

Rei. 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.

Rei. My lord, where are you? what devise you on?

Shall we give over Orleans, or no?

Pu. Why, no, I say, distrustful recreants!
Fight till the last gasp; I will be your guard.
Charles. What she says, I'll confirm; we'll fight
it out.

Pu. Assign'd am I to be the English scourge.
This night the siege assuredly I'll raise :
Expect saint Martin's summer,1 halcyon days,
Since I have entered into these wars.
Glory is like a circle in the water,
Which never ceaseth to enlarge itself,

Till, by broad spreading, it disperse to naught.
With Henry's death the English circle ends;
Dispersed are the glories it included.

Now am I like that proud insulting ship,

1 Expect prosperity after misfortune, like fair weather after winter has begun.

Which Cæsar and his fortune bare at once.

Charles. Was Mahomet inspired with a dove?
Thou with an eagle art inspired then.
Helen, the mother of great Constantine,
Nor yet saint Philip's daughters,1 were like thee.
Bright star of Venus, fallen down on the earth,
How may I reverently worship thee enough?

Alen. Leave off delays, and let us raise the siege. Rei. Woman, do what thou canst to save our honors:

Drive them from Orleans, and be immortalised. Charles. Presently we'll try.-Come, let 's away about it:

No prophet will I trust, if she prove false. [Exeunt.

SCENE III.

London. Hill before the Tower.

Enter, at the gates, the DUKE of gloster, with his serving-men in blue coats.

Glos. I am come to survey the Tower this day : Since Henry's death, I fear, there is conveyance.2 Where be these warders, that they wait not here? Open the gates; Gloster it is that calls.

[Servants knock. 1 War. [within.] Who is there that knocks so imperiously?

1 Meaning the four daughters of Philip, mentioned Acts xxi. 9.

2 Theft.

1 Ser. It is the noble duke of Gloster.

2 War. [within.] Whoe'er he be, you may not be let in.

1 Ser. Answer you so the lord protector, villains? 1 War. [within.] The Lord protect him! so we answer him:

We do no otherwise than we are will'd.

Glos. 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 warrantise:
Shall I be flouted thus by dunghill grooms?

Servants rush at the Tower gates. Enter, to the gates, WOODVILLE, the lieutenant.

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

Glos. 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 commandement,
That thou, nor none of thine, shall be let in.

Glos. Faint-hearted Woodville, 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.

1 Ser. 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 Humphrey? what means this?

Glos. Peel'd priest,1 dost thou command me to be shut out?

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

Glos. Stand back, thou manifest conspirator;
Thou, that contrivedst to murder our dead lord;
Thou, that givest whores indulgences to sin:
I'll canvas 3 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.

Glos. I will not slay thee, but I'll drive thee

back:

Thy scarlet robes, as a child's bearing-cloth,

I'll use, to carry thee out of this place.

Win. Do what thou darest; I beard thee to thy

face.

In allusion to his shaven crown. 2.Traitor.

3 Sift.