Serjeant.
Sirs take your places, and be vigilant:
If any noise or soldier you perceive
Near to the wall, by some apparent sign
Let us have knowledge at the court of guard.

Cent.
Serjeant, you shall. Thus are poor servitors
(When others sleep upon their quiet beds)
Constrain'd to watch in darkness, rain and cold. Enter Talbot, Bedford, and Burgundy, with scaling ladders. Their drums beating a dead march.

Tal.
Lord Regent, and redoubted Burgundy,
By whose approach the regions of Artois,
Walloon, and Picardy are friends to us:
This happy night the Frenchmen are secure,
Having all day carous'd and banquetted.

Embrace we then this opportunity,
As fitting best to quittance their deceit,
Contriv'd by art and baleful sorcery.

Bed.
Coward of France, how much he wrongs his fame,
Despairing of his own arms fortitude,
To join with witches and the help of hell!

Bur.
Traitors have never other company.
But what's that Pucelle whom they term so pure?

Tal.
A maid, they say.

Bed.
A maid? and be so martial?

Bur.
Pray God she prove not masculine ere long,
If underneath the standard of the French
She carry armour as she hath begun.

Tal.
Well, let them practise and converse with spirits,
God is our fortress, in whose conqu'ring name
Let us resolve to scale their flinty bulwarks.

Bed.
Ascend, brave Talbot, we will follow thee.

Tal.
Not all together: better far I guess,
That we do make our entrance several ways:
That if it chance the one of us do fail,
The other yet may rise against their force.

Bed.
Agreed; I'll to yon corner.

Bur.
I to this.

Tal.
And here will Talbot mount, or make his grave.
Now Salisbury! for thee and for the right
Of English Henry, shall this night appear
How much in duty I am bound to both.

Cent.
Arm, arm; the enemy doth make assault. [Cry, St. George! A Talbot!

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