Reig.
Fair maid, is't thou wilt do these wond'rous feats?

Pucel.
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 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:
Heav'n, and our Lady gracious hath it pleas'd
To shine on my contemptible estate.
Lo, whilst I waited on my tender lambs,
And to suns 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 promis'd, and assur'd success.
In compleat glory she reveal'd her self;
And whereas I was black and swart before,
With those clear rays which she infus'd on me,
That beauty am I blest with which you see.
Ask me what question thou canst possible,
And I will answer unpremeditated.
My courage try by combat, if thou dar'st,
And thou shalt find that I exceed my sex.
Resolve on this, thou shalt be fortunate
If thou receive me for thy warlike mate.

Dau.
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 renounce all confidence.

Pucel.
I am prepar'd; here is my keen-edg'd sword,
Deck'd with fine Flow'r-de-luces on each side,
The which at Tourain in St. Katharine's church
Out of a deal of old iron I chose forth.

Dau.
Then come a God's name, for I fear no woman.

Pucel.
And while I live, I'll ne'er fly from a man.

Here they fight, and Joan de Pucelle overcomes.

Dau.
Stay, stay thy hands, thou art an Amazon,
And fightest with the sword of Debora.

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

Dau.
Who-e'er helps thee, 'tis thou that must help me:
Impatiently I burn with thy desire,
My heart and hands thou hast at once subdu'd,
Excellent Pucelle, if thy name be so,
Let me thy servant and not Soveraign be,
'Tis the French Dauphin sueth to thee thus.

Pucel.
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 recompence.

Dau.
Mean time look gracious on thy prostrate thrall.

Reig.
My lord methinks is very long in talk.

Alan.
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?

Alan.
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 Orleans or no?

Pucel.
Why no, I say; distrustful recreants.
Fight 'till the last gasp; for I'll be your guard.

Dau.
What she says I'll confirm; we'll fight it out.

Pucel.
Assign'd I am to be the English scourge.
This night the siege assuredly I'll raise:
Expect Saint Martin's summer, Halcyon days,
Since I have enter'd thus into these wars.
&plquo;Glory is like a circle in the water;
&plquo;Which never ceaseth to enlarge it self,
&plquo;'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 ship,
Which Cæsar and his fortune bore at once.

Dau.
Was Mahomet inspired with a Dove?
Thou with an Eagle art inspired then.
Helen the mother of great Constantine,
Nor yet St. Philip's daughters, were like thee.
Bright star of Venus fall'n down on the earth,
How may I reverently worship thee?

Alan.
Leave off delays, and let us raise the siege.

Reig.
Woman, do what thou canst to save our honours,
Drive them from Orleans, and be immortaliz'd.

Dau.
Presently try: come, let's away about it.
No prophet will I trust if she proves false. [Exeunt.

Previous section

Next section