So will this base and envious discord breed.
And now I fear that fatal prophecy
Which in the time of Henry named the fifth
Was in the mouth of every sucking babe;
That Henry born at Monmouth should win all
And Henry born at Windsor lose all:
Which is so plain, that Exeter doth wish 200
His days may finish ere that hapless time.

[Exit.

SCENE II

France. Before Rouen.

Enter La Pucelle disguised, with four Soldiers with sacks upon their backs.

Puc. These are the city gates, the gates of Rouen,
Through which our policy must make a breach:
Take heed, be wary how you place your words;
Talk like the vulgar sort of market men
That come to gather money for their corn.
If we have entrance, as I hope we shall,
And that we find the slothful watch but weak,
I'll by a sign give notice to our friends,

That Charles the Dauphin may encounter them. First Sol. Our sacks shall be a mean to sack the

city,

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[Knocks.

And we be lords and rulers over Rouen;
Therefore we 'll knock.

Watch. [Within] Qui est là?
Puc. Paysans, pauvres gens de France;

Poor market folks that come to sell their corn.

Watch. Enter, go in; the market bell is rung. Puc. Now, Rouen, I'll shake thy bulwarks to the [Exeunt.

ground.

Enter Charles, the Bastard of Orleans, Alençon, Reignier, and forces.

Char. Saint Denis bless this happy stratagem!

And once again we'll sleep secure in Rouen. Bast. Here enter'd Pucelle and her practisants; 20 Now she is there, how will she specify Where is the best and safest passage in?

Reign. By thrusting out a torch from yonder

tower;

Which, once discern'd, shows that her meaning is,

No way to that, for weakness, which she enter'd.

Enter La Pucelle on the top, thrusting out a torch burning.

Puc. Behold, this is the happy wedding torch
That joineth Rouen unto her countrymen,
But burning fatal to the Talbotites!

[Exit.

Bast. See, noble Charles, the beacon of our friend; The burning torch in yonder turret stands.

30

Char. Now shine it like a comet of revenge,
A prophet to the fall of all our foes!
Reign. Defer no time, delays have dangerous ends:
Enter, and cry, 'The Dauphin!' presently,
And then do execution on the watch.

[Alarum. Exeunt.

An alarum. Enter Talbot in an excursion.

Tal. France, thou shalt rue this treason with thy tears,

If Talbot but survive thy treachery.
Pucelle, that witch, that damned sorceress,
Hath wrought this hellish mischief unawares,
That hardly we escaped the pride of France. 40
[Exit.

An alarum: excursions. Bedford, brought in sick in a chair. Enter Talbot and Burgundy without: within La Pucelle, Charles, Bastard, Alençon, and Reignier, on the walls.

Puc. Good morrow, gallants! want ye corn for bread?

I think the Duke of Burgundy will fast
Before he 'll buy again at such a rate:
'Twas full of darnel; do you like the taste?

Bur. Scoff on, vile fiend and shameless courtezan!
I trust ere long to choke thee with thine own,
And make thee curse the harvest of that corn.

Char. Your grace may starve perhaps before that

time.

Bed. O, let no words, but deeds, revenge this treason!

Puc. What will you do, good graybeard? break a lance,

50

And run a tilt at death within a chair? Tal. Foul fiend of France, and hag of all despite, Encompass'd with thy lustful paramours! Becomes it thee to taunt his valiant age, And twit with cowardice a man half dead? Damsel, I'll have a bout with you again, Or else let Talbot perish with this shame. Puc. Are ye so hot? yet, Pucelle, hold thy peace; If Talbot do but thunder, rain will follow.

60

[The English whisper together in council. God speed the parliament! who shall be the speaker? Tal. Dare ye come forth and meet us in the field? Puc. Belike your lordship takes us then for fools,

To try if that our own be ours or no.
Tal. I speak not to that railing Hecate,
But unto thee, Alençon, and the rest;
Will ye, like soldiers, come and fight it out?
Alen. Signior, no.

Tal. Signior, hang! base muleters of France!

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Like peasant foot-boys do they keep the walls, And dare not take up arms like gentlemen. Puc. Away, captains! let's get us from the walls; For Talbot means no goodness by his looks. God be wi' you, my lord! we came but to tell

you

That we are here. [Exeunt from the walls. Tal. And there will be we too, ere it be long,

Or else reproach be Talbot's greatest fame!
Vow, Burgundy, by honor of thy house,
Prick'd on by public wrongs sustain'd in

France,

Either to get the town again or die:
And I, as sure as English Henry lives,

And as his father here was conquerer,

As sure as in this late-betrayed town

80