Puc. Paisans, les pauvres gens de France: [Opens the gates. Puc. Now, Rouen, I'll shake thy bulwarks to the Enter CHARLES, Bastard of Orleans, ALENÇON, Char. Saint Denis bless this happy stratagem, Bast. Here enter'd Pucelle and her practisants; Reig. By thrusting out a torch from yonder tower; Which, once discern'd, shews that her meaning is, No way to that, for weakness, which she enter'd. Enter La Pucelle on a battlement, holding out a Puc. Behold! this is the happy wedding torch But burning fatal to the Talbotites. Bast. See, noble Charles, the beacon of our friend! The burning torch in yonder turret stands. ing. Folios, che la. Rowe suggested, Qui va là? (R) Cam 14 Paisans, les pauvres. bridge, Paysans, pauvres. Folios, peasauns la pouure. This use of French is possibly a touch of the older Talbot play. (R) 20 practisants [accomplices, plotters]. "Practice" was used to mean practice by treacherous arts especially. So 66 would'st 20 30 thou have practis'd on me for thy use, " Henry V., II. ii. 99. (w) 22 Where is. The folio, Here is, an obvious misprint corrected by Rowe. (w) 23, 33 Given by White to Alençon. (R) 25 to that, compared with that. "No way into the town is so illdefended as that by which she entered." (R) Char. Now shine it like a comet of revenge, A prophet to the fall of all our foes! Reig. Defer no time; delays have dangerous ends: Enter, and cry, "The Dolphin !" presently, And then do execution on the watch. [They enter. Alarums. Enter TALBOT and English Soldiers. Tal. France, thou shalt rue this treason with thy tears, If Talbot but survive thy treachery. Pucelle, that witch, that damned sorceress, [Exeunt to the town. Alarum: Excursions. Enter, from the town, BEDFORD, brought in sick in a chair, with TALBOT, BURGUNDY, and the English Forces. Then, enter on the walls, La Pucelle, CHARLES, Bastard, ALENÇON, REIGNIER, and others. Puc. Good morrow, gallants. Want ye corn for bread? I think the Duke of Burgundy will fast Before he 'll buy again at such a rate. "T was full of darnel; do you like the taste? Bur. Scoff on, vile fiend and shameless courtezan! 40 44 darnel. "Darnel hurteth the eyes, and maketh them dim, if it happen either in corne for bread or drink" (Gerarde's Herball). (R) (R) Char. Your Grace may starve, perhaps, before that time. Bed. O, let no words, but deeds, revenge this treason! Puc. What will you do, good grey-beard? break 50 a lance, And run a tilt at Death within a chair? Tal. Foul fiend of France, and hag of all despite, Or else let Talbot perish with this shame. Puc. Are you so hot, sir ?— Yet, Pucelle, hold thy peace: If Talbot do but thunder, rain will follow. [TALBOT and the rest consult together. God speed the Parliament! who shall be the speaker? 60 Dare ye come forth and meet us in the field? Tal. Puc. Belike your lordship takes us then for fools, To try if that our own be ours or no. Tal. I speak not to that railing Hecate, But unto thee, Alençon, and the rest. Will ye, like soldiers, come and fight it out? Alen. Signior, no. Tal. Signior, hang! - base muleteers of France! Puc. Away, captains! let's get us from the walls, 51 A reference to Bedford's age; cf. ll. 88-9, below. (R) 64 Hecate, one of the names given Diana; here used generally, as in Macbeth, to mean a witch. A trisyllable, but else 70 where in Shakespeare dissyllabic. (R) 67 Signior, used ironically, a fact which accounts for a part of the heat of Talbot's answer. (R) For Talbot means no goodness, by his looks. you [Exeunt La Pucelle, &c., from the walls. Bur. My vows are equal partners with thy vows. Bed. Lord Talbot, do not so dishonour me: Bur. Courageous Bedford, let us now persuade you. Bed. Not to be gone from hence; for once I read That stout Pendragon, in his litter, sick, 88 The heart of Richard Cœurde-lion was buried in the cathedral at Rouen. Holinshed tells of this and not Hall. (R) 89 crazy. An old, shaky building is still spoken of as crazy. (R) 95 stout Pendragon. Uther Pendragon was King Arthur's 80 90 father. It was Aurelius, the brother of Pendragon, who, as we read in Holinshed, caused himself to be carried forth in a litter, and by his presence so encouraged the Britons that they were victorious over the Saxons. (w) [Rolfe says that the story is found in Harding.] Came to the field and vanquished his foes. Tal. Undaunted spirit in a dying breast! Then, be it so:- Heavens keep old Bedford safe! - But gather we our forces out of hand, And set upon our boasting enemy. [Exeunt BURGUNDY, TALBOT, and Forces, leaving BEDFORD and others. Alarums: Excursions. Enter Sir JOHN FASTOLFE, and a Captain. Cap. Whither away, Sir John Fastolfe, in such haste? Fastolfe. Whither away? to save myself by flight: We are like to have the overthrow again. Cap. What! will you fly, and leave Lord Talbot? Ay, [Exit. [Exit. All the Talbots in the world, to save my life. Retreat: Excursions. Enter, from the town, La Pucelle, ALENÇON, CHARLES, &c., and exeunt, flying. 100 Bed. Now, quiet soul, depart when Heaven please, 110 For I have seen our enemies' overthrow. What is the trust or strength of foolish man? VOL. VIII. [Dies, and is carried off in his chair. 102 out of hand, immediately. (R) 6 |