Char.
Mars his true moving, even as in the heavens
So in the earth, to this day is not known:
Late did he shine upon the English side;

Now we are victors; upon us he smiles.
What towns of any moment but we have?
At pleasure here we lie near Orleans;
Otherwhiles ^note the famish'd English, like pale ghosts,
Faintly besiege us one hour in a month.

Alen.
They want their porridge and their fat bull-beeves:
Either they must be dieted like mules
And have their provender tied to their mouths
Or piteous they will look, like drowned mice ^note.

Reig.
Let's raise the siege: why live ^note we idly here? ^note
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 money hath he to make war.

Char.
Sound, sound alarum! we will rush on them.
Now for the honour of the forlorn ^note French!
Him I forgive my death that killeth me
When he sees me go back one foot or fly ^note. [Exeunt. Here Alarum; they are beaten back by the English with great loss. ^note Re-enter ^note Charles, Alençon, and Reignier ^note.

Char.
Who ever saw the like? what men have I!
Dogs! cowards! dastards! I would ne'er have fled,
But that they left me 'midst my enemies.

Reig.
Salisbury is a desperate homicide;
He fighteth as one weary of his life.
The ^note other lords, like lions wanting food,
Do rush upon us as their hungry ^note prey.

Alen.
Froissart ^note, a countryman of ours, records,
England all Olivers and Rowlands bred ^note
During the time Edward the Third did reign.
More truly now may this be verified;
For none but Samsons and Goliases ^note
It sendeth forth to skirmish. One to ten!
Lean raw-boned rascals! who would e'er suppose
They had such courage and audacity?

Char.
Let's leave this town; for they are hare-brain'd slaves ^note,
And hunger will enforce them to ^note be more eager:
Of old I know them; rather with their teeth
The walls they'll tear down than forsake the siege.

Reig.
I think, by some odd gimmors ^note or device
Their arms are set like clocks, still to strike on;
Else ne'er could they hold out so as they do.
By my consent, we'll even let them alone.

Alen.
Be it so. Enter the Bastard of Orleans.

Bast.
Where's the Prince Dauphin? I have news for him.

Char.
Bastard of Orleans, thrice welcome to us.

Bast.
Methinks your looks are sad, your cheer appall'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 vision sent to her from heaven
Ordained is to raise this tedious siege
And drive the English forth the bounds of France.
The spirit of deep prophecy she hath,
Exceeding the nine sibyls of old Rome:
What's past and what's to come she can descry.
Speak, shall I call her in? Believe my ^note words,

For they are certain and unfallible ^note.

Char.
Go, call her in. [Exit Bastard. ^note] But first, to try her skill,
Reignier, stand thou as Dauphin in my place:
Question her proudly; let thy looks be stern: ^note
By this means shall we sound what skill she hath. ^noteRe-enter the Bastard of Orleans, with Joan La Pucelle. ^note

Reig.
Fair maid, is't thou wilt ^note do these wondrous feats? ^note

Puc.
Reignier, is't thou that thinkest to beguile me?
Where is the Dauphin? Come, come from behind;
I know thee well, though never seen before.
Be not amazed, 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.

Puc.
Dauphin, I am by birth a shepherd's daughter,
My wit untrain'd in any kind of art.
Heaven and our Lady gracious ^note hath it pleased
To shine on my contemptible estate:
Lo, whilst I waited on my tender lambs,
And to sun's parching heat display'd my cheeks,
God's mother deigned to appear to me
And in a vision full of majesty
Will'd me to leave my base vocation
And free my country from calamity:
Her aid she promised and assured success:
In complete glory she reveal'd herself;
And, whereas I was black and swart before,
With those clear rays which she infused on me
That beauty am I bless'd with which you see ^note.

Ask me what question thou canst possible,
And I will answer unpremeditated:
My courage try by combat, if thou darest,
And thou shalt find that I exceed my ^note sex.
Resolve on this, thou shalt be fortunate,
If thou receive me for thy warlike mate.

Char.
Thou hast astonish'd me with thy high terms:
Only this proof I'll of thy valour make,
In single combat thou shalt buckle with me,
And if thou vanquishest, thy words are true;
Otherwise I ^note renounce all confidence ^note.

Puc.
I am prepared: here is my keen-edged sword,
Deck'd with five ^note flower-de-luces on each side;
The which at Touraine, in Saint Katharine's churchyard ^note,
Out of a great ^note deal of ^note old iron I chose forth ^note.

Char.
Then come ^note, o' ^note God's name; I fear ^note no woman.

Puc.
And while I live, I'll ne'er fly from a man ^note. [Here they fight, and Joan La Pucelle ^note overcomes.

Char.
Stay, stay thy hands! thou art an Amazon,
And fightest with the sword of Deborah.

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

Char.
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 ^note.

Puc.
I must not yield to any rites ^note 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.

Char.
Meantime look gracious on thy prostrate thrall.

Reig.
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.

Reig.
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.

Reig.
My lord, where are you? what devise you on?
Shall we give over ^note Orleans, or no?

Puc.
Why, no, I say, distrustful recreants!
Fight till the last gasp; I will ^note be your guard.

Char.
What she says I'll confirm: we'll fight it out.

Puc.
Assign'd am I ^note to be the English scourge.
This night the siege assuredly I'll raise:
Expect Saint Martin's summer, halcyon ^note days,
Since I have entered ^note into these wars.
Glory is like a circle in the water,
Which never ceaseth to enlarge itself
Till by broad spreading it disperse to nought.
With Henry's death the English circle ends;
Dispersed are the glories it included.
Now am I like that proud insulting ^note ship
Which Cæsar and his fortune ^note bare ^note at once.

Char.
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, were like thee.
Bright star of Venus, fall'n ^note down on the earth,

How may I reverently ^note worship thee enough?

Alen. ^note
Leave off delays, and let us raise the siege.

Reig.
Woman, do what thou canst to save our honours;
Drive them from Orleans ^note and be immortalized.

Char.
Presently we'll ^note try: come, let's away about it:
No prophet will I trust, if she prove ^note false. [Exeunt. ^note

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