| ACT I SCENE II | France. Before Orleans. | |
| [
Sound a flourish. Enter CHARLES, ALENCON, and
REIGNIER, marching with drum and Soldiers
] |
| CHARLES | Mars his true moving, even as in the heavens |
| So in the earth, to this day is not known: |
| Late did he shine upon the English side; |
| Now we are victors; upon us he smiles. |
| What towns of any moment but we have? | 5 |
| At pleasure here we lie near Orleans; |
| Otherwhiles the famish'd English, like pale ghosts, |
| Faintly besiege us one hour in a month. |
| ALENCON | They want their porridge and their fat bull-beeves: |
| Either they must be dieted like mules | 10 |
| And have their provender tied to their mouths |
| Or piteous they will look, like drowned mice. |
| REIGNIER | Let's raise the siege: why live we idly here? |
| Talbot is taken, whom we wont to fear: |
| Remaineth none but mad-brain'd Salisbury; | 15 |
| And he may well in fretting spend his gall, |
| Nor men nor money hath he to make war. |
| CHARLES | Sound, sound alarum! we will rush on them. |
| Now for the honour of the forlorn French! |
| Him I forgive my death that killeth me | 20 |
| When he sees me go back one foot or fly. |
| [Exeunt] |
| [
Here alarum; they are beaten back by the English
with great loss. Re-enter CHARLES, ALENCON, and REIGNIER
] |
| CHARLES | 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. |
| REIGNIER | Salisbury is a desperate homicide; | 25 |
| He fighteth as one weary of his life. |
| The other lords, like lions wanting food, |
| Do rush upon us as their hungry prey. |
| ALENCON | Froissart, a countryman of ours, records, |
| England all Olivers and Rowlands bred, | 30 |
| During the time Edward the Third did reign. |
| More truly now may this be verified; |
| For none but Samsons and Goliases |
| It sendeth forth to skirmish. One to ten! |
| Lean, raw-boned rascals! who would e'er suppose | 35 |
| They had such courage and audacity? |
| CHARLES | Let's leave this town; for they are hare-brain'd slaves, |
| And hunger will enforce them to be more eager: |
| Of old I know them; rather with their teeth |
| The walls they'll tear down than forsake the siege. | 40 |
| REIGNIER | I think, by some odd gimmors or device |
| Their arms are set like clocks, stiff to strike on; |
| Else ne'er could they hold out so as they do. |
| By my consent, we'll even let them alone. |
| ALENCON | Be it so. | 45 |
| [Enter the BASTARD OF ORLEANS] |
| BASTARD OF ORLEANS | Where's the Prince Dauphin? I have news for him. |
| CHARLES | Bastard of Orleans, thrice welcome to us. |
| BASTARD OF ORLEANS | Methinks your looks are sad, your cheer appall'd: |
| Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence? |
| Be not dismay'd, for succor is at hand: | 50 |
| A holy maid hither with me I bring, |
| Which by a vision sent to her from heaven |
| Ordained is to raise this tedious siege |
| And drive the English forth the bounds of France. |
| The spirit of deep prophecy she hath, | 55 |
| Exceeding the nine sibyls of old Rome: |
| What's past and what's to come she can descry. |
| Speak, shall I call her in? Believe my words, |
| For they are certain and unfallible. |
| CHARLES | Go, call her in. | 60 |
[Exit BASTARD OF ORLEANS] |
| 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. |
| [Re-enter the BASTARD OF ORLEANS, with JOAN LA PUCELLE] |
| REIGNIER | Fair maid, is't thou wilt do these wondrous feats? | 65 |
| JOAN LA PUCELLE | Reignier, is't thou that thinkest to beguile me? |
| Where is the Dauphin? Come, come from behind; |
| I know thee well, though never seen before. |
| Be not amazed, there's nothing hid from me: |
| In private will I talk with thee apart. | 70 |
| Stand back, you lords, and give us leave awhile. |
| REIGNIER | She takes upon her bravely at first dash. |
| JOAN LA PUCELLE | Dauphin, I am by birth a shepherd's daughter, |
| My wit untrain'd in any kind of art. |
| Heaven and our Lady gracious hath it pleased | 75 |
| To shine on my contemptible estate: |
| Lo, whilst I waited on my tender lambs, |
| And to sun's parching heat display'd my cheeks, |
| God's mother deigned to appear to me |
| And in a vision full of majesty | 80 |
| Will'd me to leave my base vocation |
| And free my country from calamity: |
| Her aid she promised and assured success: |
| In complete glory she reveal'd herself; |
| And, whereas I was black and swart before, | 85 |
| With those clear rays which she infused on me |
| That beauty am I bless'd with which you see.
|
| Ask me what question thou canst possible, |
| And I will answer unpremeditated: |
| My courage try by combat, if thou darest, | 90 |
| And thou shalt find that I exceed my sex. |
| Resolve on this, thou shalt be fortunate, |
| If thou receive me for thy warlike mate. |
| CHARLES | Thou hast astonish'd me with thy high terms: |
| Only this proof I'll of thy valour make, | 95 |
| In single combat thou shalt buckle with me, |
| And if thou vanquishest, thy words are true; |
| Otherwise I renounce all confidence. |
| JOAN LA PUCELLE | I am prepared: here is my keen-edged sword, |
| Deck'd with five flower-de-luces on each side; | 100 |
| The which at Touraine, in Saint Katharine's |
| churchyard, |
| Out of a great deal of old iron I chose forth. |
| CHARLES | Then come, o' God's name; I fear no woman. |
| JOAN LA PUCELLE | And while I live, I'll ne'er fly from a man. | 105 |
| [Here they fight, and JOAN LA PUCELLE overcomes] |
| CHARLES | Stay, stay thy hands! thou art an Amazon |
| And fightest with the sword of Deborah. |
| JOAN LA PUCELLE | Christ's mother helps me, else I were too weak. |
| CHARLES | Whoe'er helps thee, 'tis thou that must help me: |
| Impatiently I burn with thy desire; | 110 |
| My heart and hands thou hast at once subdued. |
| Excellent Pucelle, if thy name be so, |
| Let me thy servant and not sovereign be: |
| 'Tis the French Dauphin sueth to thee thus. |
| JOAN LA PUCELLE | I must not yield to any rites of love, | 115 |
| For my profession's sacred from above: |
| When I have chased all thy foes from hence, |
| Then will I think upon a recompense. |
| CHARLES | Meantime look gracious on thy prostrate thrall. |
| REIGNIER | My lord, methinks, is very long in talk. | 120 |
| ALENCON | Doubtless he shrives this woman to her smock; |
| Else ne'er could he so long protract his speech. |
| REIGNIER | Shall we disturb him, since he keeps no mean? |
| ALENCON | He may mean more than we poor men do know: |
| These women are shrewd tempters with their tongues. | 125 |
| REIGNIER | My lord, where are you? what devise you on? |
| Shall we give over Orleans, or no? |
| JOAN LA PUCELLE | Why, no, I say, distrustful recreants! |
| Fight till the last gasp; I will be your guard. |
| CHARLES | What she says I'll confirm: we'll fight it out. | 130 |
| JOAN LA PUCELLE | Assign'd am I to be the English scourge. |
| This night the siege assuredly I'll raise: |
| Expect Saint Martin's summer, halcyon days, |
| Since I have entered into these wars. |
| Glory is like a circle in the water, | 135 |
| Which never ceaseth to enlarge itself |
| Till by broad spreading it disperse to nought. |
| With Henry's death the English circle ends; |
| Dispersed are the glories it included. |
| Now am I like that proud insulting ship | 140 |
| Which Caesar and his fortune bare at once. |
| CHARLES | Was Mahomet inspired with a dove? |
| Thou with an eagle art inspired then. |
| Helen, the mother of great Constantine, |
| Nor yet Saint Philip's daughters, were like thee. | 145 |
| Bright star of Venus, fall'n down on the earth, |
| How may I reverently worship thee enough? |
| ALENCON | Leave off delays, and let us raise the siege. |
| REIGNIER | Woman, do what thou canst to save our honours; |
| Drive them from Orleans and be immortalized. | 150 |
| CHARLES | Presently we'll try: come, let's away about it: |
| No prophet will I trust, if she prove false. |
| [Exeunt] |
The Essential Student History Quiz (with answers and illustrations)