He, being in the vaward,—plac'd behind,(11) Bed. Is Talbot slain? then I will slay myself, Whilst such a worthy leader, wanting aid, Third Mess. O, no, he lives; but is took prisoner, Bed. His ransom there is none but I shall pay . Ten thousand soldiers with me I will take, Whose bloody deeds shall make all Europe quake. Third Mess. So you had need; for Orleans is besieg'd; The English army is grown weak and faint: The Earl of Salisbury craveth supply, And hardly keeps his men from mutiny, Since they, so few, watch such a multitude. Exe. Remember, lords, your oaths to Henry sworn, Either to quell the Dauphin utterly, Or bring him in obedience to your yoke. (11) He, being in the vaward,-plac'd behind,] Here Hanmer and Mr. Collier's Ms. Corrector alter "vaward" to "rearward" (Theobald's conjecture).-Steevens, in defence of the old reading, observes, "Some part of the van must have been behind the foremost line of it. We often say the back front of a house." Bed. I do remember't;(12) and here take my leave, To go about my preparation. [Exit. Glo. I'll to the Tower, with all the haste I can, To view th' artillery and munition; And then I will proclaim young Henry king. [Exit. Exe. To Eltham will I, where the young king is, Being ordain'd his special governor; And for his safety there I'll best devise. [Exit. Win. Each hath his place and function to attend : I am left out; for me nothing remains. [Exit. Scene closes. SCENE II. France. Before Orleans. Flourish. Enter CHARLES, with his Forces; ALENÇON, REIGNIER, and others. Char. Mars his true moving, even as in the heavens, So in the earth, to this day is not known: The whiles (14) the famish'd English, like pale ghosts, (12) Exe. Remember, lords, your oaths to Henry sworn, Bed. I do remember't;] "Qu. ‘oath'? yet does not the old grammar demand 'oaths'?" Walker's Crit. Exam., &c., vol. i. p. 254.-See note 1 on Love's Labour's Lost. (15) The king from Eltham I intend to steal, And sit at chiefest stern of public weal.] The folio has " · I intend to send," an error occasioned by the transcriber's or printer's eye having caught the preceding "intend."-Mason saw that "steal" was the true reading, and so did Mr. Collier's Ms. Corrector. (14) The whiles] So Capell and Mr. Collier's Ms. Corrector.-The folio has "Otherwhiles." Faintly besiege us one hour in a month. Alen. They want their porridge and their fat bull-beeves: Either they must be dieted like mules, And have their provender tied to their mouths, Or piteous they will look, like drowned mice. Reig. Let's raise the siege: why lie we idly here ?(15) Char. Sound, sound alarum! we will rush on them. When he sees me go back one foot or flee. (17) Alarums; excursions; afterwards a retreat. [Exeunt. Re-enter CHARLES, ALENÇON, REIGNIER, and others. Char. Who ever saw the like? what men have I!— Dogs! cowards dastards !—I would ne'er have fled, But that they left me midst my enemies. Reig. Salisbury is a desperate homicide; He fighteth as one weary of his life. Alen. Froissart, a countryman of ours, records, For none but Samsons and Goliases It sendeth forth to skirmish. One to ten! (15) why lie we idly here?] The folio has "why liue we," &c.—On "Lie and live confounded see Walker's Crit. Exam., &c., vol. ii. p. 210. And compare, in the preceding speech but one, "At pleasure here we lie, near Orleans." (16) forlorn] "Qu. 'forward'? At any rate 'forlorn' is ill adapted to the place (though Collier says the reverse), as the French had just been gaining great advantages. Collier's Corrector's 'forborne' is nonsense; and Staunton's explanation (previously lost') would be little better, even if the word could be so interpreted." W. N. LETTSOM. (7) flee.] The folio has "flve." (18) bred] The folio has "breed." Lean raw-bon'd rascals! who would e'er suppose They had such courage and audacity? Char. Let's leave this town; for they are hare-brain'd slaves, And hunger will enforce them be (19) more eager: Of old I know them; rather with their teeth The walls they'll tear down than forsake the siege. Enter the Bastard of Orleans. Bast. Where's the Prince Dauphin? I have news for him. Char. Bastard of Orleans, thrice welcome to us. Bast. Methinks your looks are sad, your cheer appall'd: Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence? Be not dismay'd, for succour is at hand: A holy maid hither with me I bring, Which, by a vision sent to her from heaven, And drive the English forth the bounds of France. What's past and what's to come she can descry. For they are certain and unfallible. Char. Go, call her in. [Exit Bastard.] But first, to try her skill, Reignier, stand thou as Dauphin in my place : Question her proudly; let thy looks be stern: By this means shall we sound what skill she hath. [Retires. Re-enter the Bastard of Orleans, with LA PUCELLE. Reig. Fair maid, is't thou wilt do these wondrous feats? Puc. Reignier, is't thou that thinkest to beguile me ?— (19) them be] The folio has "them to be." (20) on;] Read ‘one.' "Walker's Crit. Exam., &c., vol. ii. p. 6. Where is the Dauphin ?-Come, come from behind; Heaven and our Lady gracious (21) hath it pleas'd Lo, whilst I waited on my tender lambs, My courage try by combat, if thou dar'st, Char. Thou hast astonish'd me with thy high terms: In single combat thou shalt buckle with me; And if thou vanquishest, thy words are true; Puc. I am prepar'd: here is my keen-edg'd sword, (21) our Lady gracious] "Surely 'our gracious Lady.'" Walker's Crit. Exam., &c., vol. ii. p. 247. And so too Mr. Collier's Ms. Corrector. (22) you see.] The folio has "you may see."-Corrected in the second folio. (23) five] The folio has "fine."-Corrected by Steevens (from Holinshed). |