READ STUDY GUIDE: Act I, Scenes i-iii |
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Act I, Scene iii
| 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; |
| 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 |
| 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-bon'd rascals! who would e'er suppose |
| 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. |
| REIGNIER.: |
| I think by some odd gimmors 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. |
| ALENCON.: |
| 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 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 |
| Ordained 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? |
| 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. |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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, |
| With those clear rays which she infused on me |
| That beauty am I bless'd with which you may 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 astonish'd 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. |
| PUCELLE.: |
| I am prepared: here is my keen-edg'd sword, |
| Deck'd with five flower-de-luces on each side, |
| The which at Touraine, in Saint Katharine's church-yard, |
| Out of a great deal of old iron I chose forth. |
| CHARLES.: |
| Then come, o' God's name; I fear no woman. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| PUCELLE.: |
| I must not yield to any rites of love, |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| REIGNIER.: |
| My lord, where are you? what devise you on? |
| Shall we give over Orleans, or no? |
| 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: |
| 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, |
| 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 |
| 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. |
| 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 honors; |
| 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.] |
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