France. Before Orleans.
 Sound a flourish.
 Enter CHARLES the Dauphin, the Duke of ALENON, 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?
	At pleasure here we lie near Orleans,
	Otherwhiles the famished English, like pale ghosts,
	Faintly besiege us one hour in a month.

Alenon	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 drownd mice.

Reignier	Let's raise the siege. Why live we idly here?
	Talbot is taken, whom we wont to fear.
	Remaineth none but madbrained Salisbury,
	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
	When he sees me go back one foot or fly.
													[Exeunt.
                               Here alarum.
                      Enter SOLDIERS of both armies.
        The FRENCH are beaten back by the ENGLISH with great loss.

                 Re-enter CHARLES, ALENON, 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;
	He fighteth as one weary of his life.
	The other lords, like lions wanting food,
	Do rush upon us as their hungry prey.

Alenon	Froissart, a countryman of ours, records
	England all Olivers and Rolands bred
	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
	They had such courage and audacity?

Charles	Let's leave this town, for they are hare-brained 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.

Reignier	I think by some odd gimmals or device
	Their arms are set like clocks, still to strike on;
	Else ne'er could they hold out so as they do.
	By my consent, we'll even let them alone.

Alenon	Be it so.

                      Enter the BASTARD OF ORLEANS.

Bastard	Where's the Prince Dauphin? I have news for him.

Charles	Bastard of Orleans, thrice welcome to us.

Bastard	Methinks your looks are sad, your cheer appalled.
	Hath the late overthrow wrought this offence?
	Be not dismayed, for succour is at hand.
	A holy maid hither with me I bring,
	Which, by a vision sent to her from heaven,
	Ordaind is to raise this tedious siege
	And drive the English forth the bounds of France.
	The spirit of deep prophecy she hath,
	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.
													[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.

          Re-enter the BASTARD OF ORLEANS with JOAN LA PUCELLE.

Reignier	Fair maid, is't thou wilt do these wondrous feats?

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.
	Stand back, you lords, and give us leave awhile.

Reignier	She takes upon her bravely at first dash.

La Pucelle	Dauphin, I am by birth a shepherd's daughter,
	My wit untrained in any kind of art.
	Heaven and our Lady gracious hath it pleased
	To shine on my contemptible estate.
	Lo, whilst I waited on my tender lambs,
	And to sun's parching heat displayed my cheeks,
	God's mother deignd to appear to me,
	And, in a vision full of majesty,
	Willed me to leave my base vocation
	And free my country from calamity.
	Her aid she promised, and assured success.
	In complete glory she revealed herself,
	And, whereas I was black and swart before,
	With those clear rays which she infused on me,
	That beauty am I blest with which you see.
	Ask me what question thou canst possible,
	And I will answer unpremeditated.
	My courage try by combat, if thou dar'st,
	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 astonished me with thy high terms.
	Only this proof I'll of thy valour make:
	In single combat thou shalt buckle with me,
	And if thou vanquishest, thy words are true;
	Otherwise I renounce all confidence.

La Pucelle	I am prepared: here is my keen-edged sword,
	Decked with five flower-de-luces on each side,
	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.

La Pucelle	And while I live, I'll ne'er fly from a man.
				 [Here they fight, and JOAN LA PUCELLE overcomes.

Charles	Stay, stay thy hands! Thou art an Amazon,
	And fightest with the sword of Deborah.

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;
	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.

La Pucelle	I must not yield to any rites of love,
	For my profession's sacred from above.
	When I have chasd 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.

Alenon	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?

Alenon	He may mean more than we poor men do know:
	These women are shrewd tempters with their tongues.

Reignier	My lord, where are you? What devise you on?
	Shall we give over Orleans, or no?

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.

La Pucelle	Assigned am I to be the English scourge.
	This night the siege assurdly I'll raise:
	Expect Saint Martin's summer, halcyon's days,
	Since I have enterd into these wars.
	Glory is like a circle in the water,
	Which never ceaseth to enlarge itself,
	Till, by broad spreading, it disperse to nought.
	With Henry's death the English circle ends;
	Dispersd are the glories it included.
	Now am I like that proud insulting ship
	Which Caesar and his fortune bare at once.

Charles	Was Mohammed inspird with a dove?
	Thou with an eagle art inspird then.
	Helen, the mother of great Constantine,
	Nor yet Saint Philip's daughters, were like thee.
	Bright star of Venus, fallen down on the earth,
	How may I reverently worship thee enough?

Alenon	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.

Charles	Presently we'll try. Come, let's away about it.
	No prophet will I trust if she prove false.
													[Exeunt.
