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 subdu'd. Let me thy servant, and not sovereign, be: Char. Meantime look gracious on thy prostrate thrall. 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 Orleans, or no? Puc. Why, no, I say, distrustful recreants! Fight till the last gasp; I will be your guard. Char. What she says, I'll confirm: we'll fight it out. Puc. Assign'd am I to be the English scourge. This night the siege assuredly I'll raise: (27) Expect Saint Martin's summer, halcyon days, Glory is like a circle in the water, Till, by broad spreading, it disperse to naught. Now am I like that proud-insulting ship Which Cæsar and his fortune bare at once. Char. Was Mahomet inspired with a dove? Thou with an eagle art inspirèd, then. Helen, the mother of great Constantine, Nor yet Saint Philip's daughters, were like thee. Bright. star of Venus, fall'n down on the earth, How may I reverent(28) worship thee enough? Alen. 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. Char. Presently we'll try :-come, let's away about it:No prophet will I trust, if she prove false. [Exeunt. SCENE III. London. Before the gates of the Tower. Enter the Duke of GLOSTER, with his Serving-men in blue coats.(29) First Serv. It is the noble Duke of Gloster. Second Warder. [within] Whoe'er he be, you(2) be let in. may not First Serv. Villains, answer you so the lord protector? swer him: We do no otherwise than we are will'd. Glo. Who willed you? or whose 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? [Gloster's Serving-men rush at the Tower-gates. Woodville. [within] What noise is this? what traitors have we here? Glo. Lieutenant, is it you whose voice I hear? Open the gates; here's Gloster that would enter. Woodville. [within] Have patience, noble duke; I may not open; The Cardinal of Winchester forbids: From him I have express commandment(33) That thou nor none of thine shall be let in. Glo. Faint-hearted Woodville, prizest him 'fore me,Arrogant Winchester, that haughty prelate, Whom Henry, our late sovereign, ne'er could brook? Serving-men. Open the gates unto the lord protector: [Gloster's Serving-men rush again at the Tower-gates. And not protector, of the king or realm. Glo. Stand back, thou manifest conspirator, Win. Nay, stand thou back; I will not budge a foot: To slay thy brother Abel, if thou wilt. Glo. I will not slay thee, but I'll drive thee back: Thy scarlet robes as a child's bearing-cloth I'll use to carry thee out of this place. Win. Do what thou dar'st; I beard thee to thy face. Blue-coats to tawny-coats.-Priest, beware your beard; Under my feet I'll stamp thy cardinal's hat; In spite of Pope or dignities of church, Here by the cheeks I'll drag thee up and down. (36) Win. Gloster, thou wilt answer this before the Pope. Here GLOSTER and his Serving-men attack the other party; and enter in the hurly-burly the Mayor of London and Officers. May. Fie, lords! that you, being supreme magistrates, Thus contumeliously should break the peace! Glo. Peace, mayor! thou know'st little of my wrongs : Here's Beaufort, that regards nor God nor king, Hath here distrain'd the Tower to his use. Win. Here's Gloster, a foe to citizens;(37) One that still motions war, and never peace, O'ercharging your free purses with large fines; That seeks to overthrow religion, Because he is protector of the realm; And would have armour here out of the Tower, Glo. I will not answer thee with words, but blows. Come, officer; as loud as e'er thou canst. (38) Off. [reads] "All manner of men assembled here in arms this day against God's peace and the king's, we charge and command you, in his highness' name, to repair to your several dwellingplaces; and not to wear, handle, or use any sword, weapon, or dagger, henceforward, upon pain of death." Glo. Cardinal, I'll be no breaker of the law: But we shall meet, and break our minds at large. Win. Gloster, we'll meet; to thy dear) cost, be sure: Thy heart-blood I will have for this day's work. May. I'll call for clubs, if you will not away :— This cardinal's more haughty than the devil. Glo. Mayor, farewell: thou dost but what thou mayst. For I intend to have it ere long.(40) [Exeunt, severally, Gloster and Winchester with May. See the coast clear'd, and then we will depart.- [Exeunt. SCENE IV. France. Before Orleans. Enter, on the walls, the Master-Gunner and his Son. M. Gun. Sirrah, thou know'st how Orleans is besieg'd, And how the English have the suburbs won. Son. Father, I know; and oft have shot at them, Howe'er, unfortunate, I miss'd my aim. M. Gun. But now thou shalt not. Be thou rul'd by me: Chief master-gunner am I of this town; Something I must do to procure me grace. The prince's 'spials have informèd me How th' English, in the suburbs close intrench'd, A piece of ordnance 'gainst it I have plac'd; Now do thou watch, for I can stay no longer. If thou spy'st any, run and bring me word; And thou shalt find me at the governor's. [Exit. Son. Father, I warrant you; take you no care; I'll never trouble you, if I may spy them. Enter, in an upper chamber of a tower, the Lords SALISBURY and TALBOT, Sir WILLIAM GLANSDALE, Sir THOMAS GARGRAVE, and others. Sal. Talbot, my life, my joy, again return'd! Tal. The Duke of Bedford had a prisoner Once, in contempt, they would have barter'd me: VOL. V. с |