Alen. Froifard, 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 fkirmifh. One to ten!

Lean raw-bon'd rafcals! who would e'er suppose

They had fuch courage and audacity?

Char. Let's leave this town; for they are hair-brain'd flaves,

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 fiege.

Reig. I think, by fome odd 'gimmals or device,
Their arms are fet, like clocks, still to strike on;
Elfe they could ne'er hold out fo, as they do.
By my confent, we'll e'en 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 appall'd;

Hath the late overthrow 'wrought this offence?

Be not difmay'd, for fuccour is at hand:

A holy maid hither with me I bring,

• Olivers and Rowlands]-Two peers of Charlemagne, fo famous in romance for equally prodigious exploits, as to have given rife to the proverb, "I'll give you a Rowland for your Oliver.”— as good as you bring. gimmals]-machinery, engines whereof one part moves within the other; vulgarly gimcracks.

1

your chear appall'd;]-your spirits funk.
wrought this offence ?]-caufed this chagrin.
K 2.

Which

Which, by a vision sent to her from heaven,
Ordained is to raise this tedious fiege,

And drive the English forth the bounds of France,
The spirit of deep prophecy fhe hath,
Exceeding "the nine fibyls of old Rome;
What's past, and what's to come, she can descry.
Speak, fhall I call her in? Believe 'my words,
For they are certain and unfallible.

Dau. Go, call her in: But firft, to try her skill,
Reignier, ftand thou as Dauphin in my place :
Question her proudly, let thy looks be ftern ;-
By this means fhall we found what fkill 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 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 awhile. Reig. She takes upon her bravely at first dash. Pucel. Dauphin, I am by birth a shepherd's daughter, My wit untrain❜d in any kind of art.

Heaven, and our Lady gracious, hath it pleas'd

To fhine on my contemptible eftate:

Lo, whilst 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,

"the nine fibyls]-the nine books of the Cumaan Sibyl. ber words.

And,

And free my country from calamity:
Her aid fhe promis'd, and affur'd fuccefs:
In compleat glory the reveal'd herself;
And, whereas I was black and fwart before,
With those clear rays which fhe 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'st,
And thou shalt find that I exceed my sex.
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 shall buckle with me;
And, if thou vanquisheft, thy words are true;
Otherwise, I renounce all confidence.

Pucel. I am prepar'd: here is my keen-edg'd fword, Deck'd with fine flower-de-luces on each fide;

The which, at Touraine in faint Katharine's church-yard,
Out of a deal of old iron I chose forth.

Dau. Then come o'God's name, I fear no woman.
Pucel. And, whlle I live, I'll never fly no 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,

Pucel. Chrift's mother helps me, elfe I were too weak. Dau. Whoe'er helps thee, 'tis thou that must help me : Impatiently I burn with "thy defire;

My heart and hands thou haft at once subdu’d.

Excellent Pucelle, if thy name be so,

Let me thy fervant, and not fovereign, be;

thy defire ;]-the defire of thee.

K 3

'Tis

'Tis the French Dauphin fueth to thee thus.
Pucel. I must not yield to any rites of love,
For my profeffion's facred from above:

When I have chafed all thy foes from hence,
Then will I think upon a recompence.

Dau. Mean time, look gracious on thy proftrate thrall.
Reig. My lord, methinks, is very long in talk.
Alen. Doubtless, he fhrives this woman to her smock;
Elfe ne'er could he fo long protract his fpeech.

Reig. Shall we difturb him, fince he keeps no mean? Alen. He may mean more than we poor men do know: These women are fhrewd tempters with their tongues. Reig. My lord, where are you? what devise you on? Shall we give over Orleans, or no?

Pucel. Why, no, I fay, diftruftful recreants! Fight 'till the laft gafp; I will be your guard.

Dau. What fhe fays, I'll confirm; we'll fight it out.
Pucel. Affign'd I am to be the English scourge.

This night the fiege affuredly I'll raise :
Expect 'faint Martin's fummer, halcyon days,
Since I have enter'd thus into thefe wars.
Glory is like a circle in the water,
Which never ceafeth to enlarge itself,

Till, by broad fpreading, it difperfe to nought.
With Henry's death, the English circle ends;
Difperfed are the glories it included.
Now am I like that proud infulting hip,
Which Cæfar and his fortune bare at once.

Dau. Was Mahomet infpired with a dove?
Thou with an eagle art infpired then.

Helen, the mother of

thrall.]-flave.

great Conftantine,

y faint Martin's fummer,]-good luck after bad, fair weather after clouds, after the commencement of winter.

Nor

Nor yet faint 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 fiege.

Reig. Woman, do what thou canft to fave our honours; Drive them from Orleans, and be immortaliz’d.

Dau. Presently we'll try :-Come, let's away about it:No prophet will I trust, if she prove falfe.

SCENE III.

Tower-gates, in London.

Enter Glofter, with his ferving-men.

[Exeunt.

Glo. I am come to furvey 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; it is Glofter that calls.

1 Ward. Who's there, that knocketh fo imperiously? I Man. It is the noble duke of Glofter.

2 Ward. Whoe'er he be, you may not be let in.

1 Man. Villains, answer you fo the lord protector?

1 Ward. The Lord protect him! fo we answer him : We do no otherwife than we are will'd.

a

Glo. Who willed you? or whofe 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

?

Glofter's men rush at the Tower gates, and Woodvile, the lieutenant, fpeaks within.

Wood. What noife is this? what traitors have we here? Glo. Lieutenant, is it you, whofe voice I here?

is conveyance.]-theft, part of the flores clandeftinely taken away. Break up]-Force up the portcullis; blow them up.-Break ope.

K 4

Open