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 deigned 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 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 astonished me with thy high terms.

Only this proof I’ll of thy valour make:

In single combat thou shalt buckle with me.

An if thou vanquishest, thy words are true;

Otherwise, I renounce all confidence.

JOAN

I am prepared. Here is my keen-edged sword,

Decked with five flower-de-luces on each side—

The which at Touraine, in Saint Katherine’s churchyard,

Out of a great deal of old iron I chose forth.

CHARLES

Then come a God’s name. I fear no woman.

JOAN

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.

JOAN

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.

JOAN

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.

RENÉ ⌈to the other lords apart⌉

My lord, methinks, is very long in talk.

ALENÇON

Doubtless he shrives this woman to her smock,

Else ne’er could he so long protract his speech.

RENÉ

Shall we disturb him, since he keeps no mean?

ALENÇON

He may mean more than we poor men do know.

These women are shrewd tempters with their tongues.

RENÉ (to Charles)

My lord, where are you? What devise you on?

Shall we give o’er Orléans, or no?

JOAN

Why, no, I say. Distrustful recreants,

Fight till the last gasp; I’ll be your guard.

CHARLES

What she says, I’ll confirm. We’ll fight it out.

JOAN

Assigned am I to be the English scourge.

This night the siege assuredly I’ll raise.

Expect Saint Martin’s summer, halcyon’s 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 naught.

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 bore at once.

CHARLES

Was Mohammed 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?

ALENÇON

Leave off delays, and let us raise the siege.

RENÉ

Woman, do what thou canst to save our honours.

Drive them from Orléans, and be immortalized.

CHARLES

Presently we’ll try. Come, let’s away about it.

No prophet will I trust, if she prove false. Exeunt

1.4 Enter the Duke of Gloucester, with his Servingmen in blue coats

GLOUCESTER

I am come to survey the Tower this day.

Since Henry’s death, I fear there is conveyance.

Where be these warders, that they wait not here?

⌈A Servingman⌉ knocketh on the gates

Open the gates: ’tis Gloucester that calls.

FIRST WARDER ⌈within the Tower⌉

Who’s there that knocketh so imperiously?

GLOUCESTER’S FIRST MAN

It is the noble Duke of Gloucester.

SECOND WARDER ⌈within the Tower⌉

Whoe’er he be, you may not be let in.

GLOUCESTER’S FIRST MAN

Villains, answer you so the Lord Protector?

FIRST WARDER ⌈within the Tower⌉

The Lord protect him, so we answer him.

We do no otherwise than we are willed.

GLOUCESTER

Who willèd you? Or whose will stands, but mine?

There’s none Protector of the realm but I.

(To Servingmen) Break up the gates. I’ll be your

warrantize.

Shall I be flouted thus by dunghill grooms?

Gloucester’s men rush at the Tower gates

WOODVILLE ⌈within the Tower⌉

What noise is this? What traitors have we here?

GLOUCESTER

Lieutenant, is it you whose voice I hear?

Open the gates! Here’s Gloucester, that would enter.

WOODVILLE ⌈within the Tower⌉

Have patience, noble duke: I may not open.

My lord of Winchester forbids.

From him I have express commandëment

That thou, nor none of thine, shall be let in.

GLOUCESTER

Faint-hearted Woodville! Prizest him fore me?—