Act 1 — aae SCENE V. The same.

Here an Alarum again: and TALBOT pursueth the DAUPHIN, and driveth him: then enter JOAN LA PUCELLE, driving Englishmen before her, and exit after them: then re-enter TALBOT.

♦ Tal. Where is my strength, my valour, and my force?

Our English troops retire, I cannot stay them;

♦A woman clad in armour chaseth them.

Re-enter LA PUCELLE.

Here, here she comes. I’ll have a bout with thee;

5Devil or devil’s dam, I’ll conjure thee:

Blood will I draw on thee, thou art a witch,

And straightway give thy soul to him thou servest.

Puc. Come, come, ’tis only I that must disgrace thee. [Here they fight.

♦ Tal. Heavens, can you suffer hell so to prevail?

10My breast I’ll burst with straining of my courage

And from my shoulders crack my arms asunder,

But I will chastise this high-minded strumpet. [They fight again.

Puc. Talbot, farewell; thy hour is not yet come:

♦ I must go victual Orleans forthwith. [A short alarum: then enter the town with soldiers.

15 O’ertake me, if thou canst; I scorn thy strength.

♦ Go, go, cheer up thy hungry-starved men;

Help Salisbury to make his testament:

This day is ours, as many more shall be. [Exit.

Tal. My thoughts are whirled like a potter’s wheel;

20I know not where I am, nor what I do:

A witch, by fear, not force, like Hannibal,

Drives back our troops and conquers as she lists:

So bees with smoke and doves with noisome stench

Are from their hives and houses driven away.

25They call’d us for our fierceness English dogs;

♦ Now, like to whelps, we crying run away. [A short alarum.

Hark, countrymen! either renew the fight,

Or tear the lions out of England’s coat;

Renounce your soil, give sheep in lions’ stead:

30Sheep run not half so treacherous from the wolf,

Or horse or oxen from the leopard,

As you fly from your oft-subdued slaves. [Alarum. Here another skirmish.

It will not be: retire into your trenches:

You all consented unto Salisbury’s death,

35For none would strike a stroke in his revenge.

Pucelle is enter’d into Orleans,

In spite of us or aught that we could do.

O, would I were to die with Salisbury!

The shame hereof will make me hide my head. [Exit Talbot. Alarum; retreat; flourish.