Here found retreat, and cease our hot pursuit. [Retreat.

Tal. Bring forth the body of old Salisbury,
And here advance it in the market-place,
The middle centre of this cursed town.
Now have I paid my vow unto his soul;
For every drop of blood was drawn from him,
There have at least five Frenchmen dy'd to-night.
And that hereafter ages may behold
What ruin happen'd in revenge of him,
Within their chiefest temple I'll erect
A tomb, wherein his corpse fhall be interr'd:
Upon the which, that every one may read,
Shall be ingrav'd the fack of Orleans ;
The treach'rous manner of his mournful death,
And what a terror he had been to France.
But, Lords, in all our bloody massacre,
I muse we met not with the Dauphin's Grace,
His new-come champion, virtuous Joan of Arc,
Nor any of his false confederates.

Bed.'Tis thought, Lord Talbot, when the fight began,
Rous'd on the fudden from their drowsy beds,
They did amongit the troops of armed men
Leap o'er the walls, for refuge in the field.

Bur. My self, as far as I cou'd well discern For fmoak and dusky vapours of the night, Am sure I scar'd the Dauphin and his trull; When, arm in arm, they both came fwiftly running, Like to a pair of loving turtle doves, That cou'd not live afunder day or night. After that things are set in order here, We'll follow them with all the power we have.

Enter a Messenger. Mel. All hail, niy Lords; which of this princely train Call ye the warlike Talbot, for his acts So much applauded through the realm of France?

Tul. Here is the Talbot, who would speak with him?

Mel. The virtuous Lady, Countess of Auvergne, With modesty admiring thy renown, By me intreats, great Lord, thio' would'st vouchsafe To visit her poor cattle where ihe lies ; That the may boast the hath beheld the man Y y 2

Whose

Whose glory fills the world with loud report.

Bur. Is it even fo? nay, then, I fee our wars
Will turn into a peaceful comic sport,
When ladies crave to be encounter'd with. "
You can't, my Lord, deipise her gentle fuit.

Tal. Ne'er truft me then; for when a world of men
Cou'd not prevail with all their oratory,
Yet hath a woman's kindness over-ruld:
And therefore tell her I return great thanks ;
And in submission will attend on her.
Will not your honours bear me company?

Bed. No, truly; that is more than manners will: And I have heard it said, unbidden guests Are often welcomest when they are gone.

Tal. Well then, alone, since there is no remedy, I mean to prove this lady's courtesy. Come hither, Captain; you perceive my mind. [Whispers.

Capt. I do, my Lord, and mean accordingly. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. The Countess of Auvergne's cafile.

Enter the Countess, and her Porter. Count. Porter, remember what I gave in charge; And when you've done so, bring the keys to me. Port. Madam, I will.

[Exit. Count. The plot is laid: if all things fall out right, I shall as famous be by this exploit, As Scythian Tonnyris by Cyrus' death. Great is the rumour * of this dreadful knight, And his atchievements of no less account: Fain would mine eyes be witness with mine ears, To give their censure t of these rare reports.

Enter Mefjenger, and Talbot.
Mel. Madam, according as your Ladyship
By message crav’d, fo is Lord Talbot come.
Count. And he is welcome. What! is this the man?
Mel: Madam, it is.

Gount. Is this the scourge of France ?
Is this the Talbot lo much fear'd abroad,
That with his name the mothers still their babes?

* Rumour, for reputariun.
# Cenjare, för juegment fimply.

1

I see report is fabulous and false.
I thought I should have seen some Hercules ;
A second Hector, for his grim aspect,
A large proportion of his strong knit limbs.
Alas! this is a child, a filly dwarf:
It cannot be this weak and writhled shrimp
Should strike such terror in his enemies.

Tal. Madam, I have been bold to trouble you:
But since your Ladythip is not at leisure,
I'll fort some other time to visit you.

[goes, Count. What means he now! Go ask him, whither be - Mes. Stay, my Lord Talbot; for my Lady craves To know the cause of your abrupt departure.

Tal. Marry, for that she's in a wrong belief,
I go to certify her Talbot's here.

Enter Porter with keys.
Count. If thou be he, then art thou prisoner.
Tal. Pris'ner! to whom ?

Count. To me, blood-thirsty Lord :
And for that cause I train’d thee to my house.
Long time thy shadow hath been thrall to me,
For in my gallery thy picture hangs:
But now the substance shall endure the like,
And I will chain these legs and arms of thine,
That hast by tyranny these many years
Waited our country, slain our citizens,
And sent our sons and husbands captivate.

Tal. Ha, ha, ha.
Count. Laughest thou, wretch ? thy mirth shall turn

Tal. I laugh to see your Ladyship fo fond,
To think that you have aught but Talbot's shadow
Whereon to practise your severity.

Count. Why? art not thou the man?
Tal. I am, indeed.
Count. Then have I fubstance too.

Tal. No, no; I am but shadow of my self:
You are deceiv’d, my substance is not here;
For what you see, is but the smallest part
And least proportion of humanity.
I tell you, Madam, were the whole frame here,
It is of such a spacious lofty pitch,

Your

[to moan, Your roof were not fufficient to contain it.

Count. This is a riddling merchant for the nonce; He will be here, and yet he is not here : How can these contrarieties agree?

Tal. That will I ihew you presently. Winds his horn; drums ftrike up; à peal of ordnance,

Enter Soldiers.
How fay you, Madam? are you now persuaded,
'I hat Talbot is but thadow of himself?
These are his fubitance, finews, arms, and strength,
With which he yoketh your rebellious necks;
Raseth your cities, and subverts your towns ;
And in a moment makes them defolate.

Count. Victorious Talbot, pardon my abuse;
I find thou art no less than fame hath bruited,
And more than may be gather'd by thy shape.
Let my presumption not provoke thy wrath ;
For I am sorry, that with reverence
I did not entertain thee as thou art.

Tal. Be not dismay'd, fair Lady; nor misconstruc
The mind of Talbot, as you did mistake
The outward composition of his body.
What

you

have done, hath not offended me:
Nor other satisfaction do I crave,
But only with your patience that we may
Taste of your wine, and see what cates you have;
For soldiers' stomachs always serve them well.

Gount. With all my heart, and think me honoured To fealt so great a warrior in my

house. [Exeunt. SCENE V. Changes to London in the Temple-garden. Enter Richard Plantagenet, Warwick, Somerset, Suf

folk, Vernon, and others. Plan. Great Lords and Gentlemen, what means this Dare no man answer in a case of truth? [filence?

Suf. Within the Temple-hall we were too loud, The garden here is more convenient.

Plan. Then fay at once, if I maintain’d the truth; Or else was wrangling Somerset in th'error ?

Suf. ?Faith, I have been a truant in the law; I never yet could frame my will to it,

And

And therefore frame the law unto

my
will.

[us. Som. Judge you, my Lord of Warwick, then between War. Between two hawks, which flies the higher

pitch,
Between two dogs, which hath the deeper mouth,
Between two blades, which bears the better temper,
Between two horses, which doth bear him beit,
Between two girls, which hath the merrieft eye,
I have, perhaps, fome shallow spirit of judgment:
But in these nice sharp quillets of the law,
Good faith I am no wifer than a daw.

Plan. Tut, tut, here is a mannerly forbearance;
The truth appears so naked on my fide,
That any purblind eye may find it out.

Som. And on my fide it is fo welt apparellid,
So clear, fo fhining, and so evident,
That it will glimmer through a blind man's eye.

Plan. Since you are tongue-ty'd, and fo loth to speak,
In dumb fignificants proclaim your thoughts:
Let him that is a true-born gentleman,
And stands upon the honour of his birth,
If he fuppose that I have pleaded truth,
From off this briar pluck a white rose with me *.

Som. Let him that is no coward, and no flatterer,
But dare maintain the party of the truth,
Pluck a red rose from off this thorn with me.

War. I love no colours; and without all colour
Of base infinuating fattery,
I pluck this white rose with Plantagenet.

Suf. I pluck this red rose with young Somerset,
And say, withal, I think he held the right.

Ver. Stay, Lords and Gentlemen, and pluck no more, 'Till you conclude, that he upon whose side

* This is given as the original of the two badges of the bouse of York and Lancaster; wheil.er tiuiy, or not, is no great matter. But the

roverbial expression of laying a ibing under the role, I am peal ded came from thence. When the nation had ranged itself isto two great factions, under the white and red rose, and were perpeiually plotting and counterplotting againit one another, then when a macier of faction was communicated by either party to bis frierd in the same quarrel, it was natural for him to add, that he said it under the rose; meaning, that as it cuncern'd the faction, it was religiuully to te kept secret. Mr. Har.“

burton.

The