And in fubmiflion 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 welcomeft when they are gone.

Tal. Well then, alone, fince there's no remedy, I mean to prove this lady's courtesy.

Come hither, Captain. [Whispers.]-You perceive my mind.

Capt. I do, my Lord, and mean accordingly.

[Exeunt

The Countess of Auvergne's Cafte

Enter the Countess, and her Porter.

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

[ExitoCount. The plot is laid. If all things fall out right, I fhall as famous be by this exploit

As Scythian Tomyris by Cyrus' death.

Great is the rumour* of this dreadful knight,
And his atchievements of no lefs account.

Fain would mine eyes be witnefs with mine ears,
To give their cenfure of thefe rare reports.

Enter Mellenger and Talbot.

Meff Madam, according as your Ladyfhip By meffage crav'd, fo is Lord Talbot come. Count. And he is welcome. What! is this the man?

Meff. Madam, it is.

Count. as mufing.] Is this the fcourge of France? Is this the Talbot fo much fear'd abroad

That with his name the mothers ftill their babes?
I fee report is fabulous and falfe:

I thought I fhould have seen fome Hercules;.
A fecond Hector,-for his grim afpect

* Reputation.

And large proportion of his ftrong-knit limbs.
Alas! this is a child, a filly dwarf.

It cannot be, this weak and writhled fhrimp
Should ftrike fuch terror in his enemies.

Tal. Madam, I have been bold to trouble you;
But fince your Ladyfhip is not at leisure,
I'll fort fome other time to vifit you.

Count. What means he now? Go ask him, whither he goes.

Me. Stay, my Lord Talbot; for my Lady craves To know the caufe of your abrupt departure. Tal. Marry, for that fhe's in a wrong belief, I go to certify her Talbot's here.

Enter Porter with keys.

Gount. If thou be he, then art thou prisoner.
Tal. Pris'ner? to whom?

Count. To me, blood-thirsty Lord;

And for that caufe I train'd thee to my houfer
Long time thy fhadow hath been thrall to me,
For in my gallery thy picture hangs,

But now the fubftance fhall endure the like,
And I will chain thefe legs and arms of thine,
That haft by tyranny these many years
Wafted our country, flain our citizens,
And fent our fons and hufbands captivate.
Tal. Ha, ha, ha!

Count. Laughest thou, wretch? thy mirth fhall

turn to moan.

Tal. I laugh to fee your Ladyfhip fo fond, To think that you have aught but Talbot's fhadow Whereon to practise your severity.

Count. Why, art not thou the man?

Tal. I am, indeed.

Count. Then have I fubftance too.

Tal. No, no, I am but shadow of myself; You are deceiv'd, my fubftance is not here; For what you fee, is but the fmallest part And leaft proportion of humanity.

I tell you, Madam, were the whole frame here, It is of fuch a fpacious lofty pitch,

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 fhew you prefently.

Winds his horn; drums strike up; a peal of ordi· nance. Enter Soldiers.

How fay you, Madam? are you now perfuaded
That Talbot is but fhadow of himfelf?

These are his fubftance, finews, arms and ftrength,
With which he yoketh your rebellious necks,
Razeth your cities, and fubverts 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 fhape. -
Let my prefumption not provoke thy wrath;
For I am forry that with reverence.

I did not entertain thee as thou art,

Tal. Be not difmay'd, fair Lady; nor mifconftrue
The mind of Talbot, as you did mistake
The outward compofition of his body.

What you have done, hath not offended me,
Nor other fatisfaction do I crave,

But only with your patience that we may

Taste of your wine, and fee what cates you have; For foldiers' ftomachs always ferve them well.

Count. With all my heart, and think me honoured To feaft fo great a warrior in my houfe. [Exeunt.

SCENE V..

Changes to London, in the Temple Garden.

Eater Richard Plantagenet, Warwick, Somerset, Suffolk, and others.

Plan. Great Lords and gentlemen, what means this filence?

Dare no man answer in a cafe of truth?

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; 3.

And was not 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 therefore frame the law unto my will.

Som. Judge you, my Lord of Warwick, then be

tween us.

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 horfes, which doth bear him beft,
Between two girls, which hath the merriest eye,
I have, perhaps, fome fhallow fpirit of judgment;
But in these nice fharp quillets of the law,
Good faith I am no wifer than a daw.

Plan. Tut, tut, here is a mannerly forbearance.
The truth appears fo naked on my fide,
That any pur-blind eye may find it out.

Som. And on my fide it is fo well apparell'd,

So clear, fo fhining, and fo evident,

That it will glimmer thro' a blind man's eye.
Plan. Since you are tongue-ty'd, and fo loth to
fpeak,

In dumb fignificants proclaim your thoughts.
Let him that is a true-born gentleman,
And ftands upon the honour of his birth,
If he fuppofe 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 rofe from off this thorn with me.

War. I love no colours; and without all colour Of base infinuating flattery,

I pluck this white rofe with Plantagenet.

Suf I pluck this red rofe with young Somerfet, And fay, withal, I think he held the right.

Ver. Stay, Lords and gentlemen, and pluck no

more,

ill you conclude, that he, upon whose side The feweft roses are crop'd from the tree, Shall yield the other in the right opinion. Som. Good Mafter Vernon, it is well objected;

If I have feweft, I fubfcribe in filence.

Plan. And I.

Ver. Then for the truth and plainnefs of the cafe, I pluck this pale and maiden bloffom here, Giving my verdict on the white rose fide.

Som. Prick not your finger as you pluck it off,. Left, bleeding, you do paint the white rofe red; And fall on my fide fo against your will.

Ver. If I, my Lord, for my opinion bleed,
Opinion fhall be furgeon to my hurt,
And keep me on the fide where still I am.
Som. Well, well, come on; who else?

Lawyer. Unleis my study and my books be false, The argument you held was wrong in you;

[To Somerfet. In fign whereof I pluck a white rose too. Plan. Now, Somerfet, where is your argument? Som. Here in my fcabbard, meditating that Shall dye your white rofe to a bloody red.

Plan. Mean time your cheeks do counterfeit our For pale they look with fear, as witnefling [rofes;. The truth on our fide.

Som. No, Plantagenet,

'Tis not for fear, but anger, that thy cheeks
Blush for pure fhame to counterfeit our roles;
And yet thy tongue will not confefs thy error.
Plan. Hath not thy rofe a canker, Somerset ?
Som. Hath not thy rofe a thorn, Plantagenet?
Plan. Ay, fharp and piercing to maintain his truth;
Whiles thy confuming canker eats his falfehood,
Som. Well, I'll find friends to wear my bleeding
rofes,

That fhall maintain what I have faid is true,
Where falfe Plantagenet dare not be feen.

· Plan. Now by this maiden bloffom in my hand, I fcorn thee and thy fathion *, peevish boy. Suf. Turn not thy fcorns this way, Plantagenet. Plan. Proud Pool, I will; and fcorn both him and thee.

Theobald reads, "thy faction;" to which reads ing the author of the Revifal affents.