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And Lord Scales with him, and Lord Hungerford:

Most of the rest slaughter'd or took likewise.

BEDFORD.

His ransom there is none but I shall pay:

I'll hale the Dauphin headlong from his throne:

His crown shall be the ransom of my friend;

Four of their lords I'll change for one of ours.

Farewell, my masters; to my task will I;

Bonfires in France forthwith I am to make

To keep our great Saint George's feast withal:

Ten thousand soldiers with me I will take,

Whose bloody deeds shall make an Europe quake.

MESSENGER.

So you had need; for Orleans is besieg'd;

The English army is grown weak and faint:

The Earl of Salisbury craveth supply,

And hardly keeps his men from mutiny,

Since they, so few, watch such a multitude.

EXETER.

Remember, lords, your oaths to Henry sworn,

Either to quell the Dauphin utterly,

Or bring him in obedience to your yoke.

BEDFORD.

I do remember it, and here take my leave

To go about my preparation.

[Exit.]

GLOUCESTER.

I'll to the Tower with all the haste I can,

To view the artillery and munition;

And then I will proclaim young Henry king.

[Exit.]

EXETER.

To Eltham will I, where the young King is,

Being ordain'd his special governor;

And for his safety there I'll best devise.

[Exit.]

WINCHESTER.

Each hath his place and function to attend:

I am left out; for me nothing remains.

But long I will not be Jack out of office:

The King from Eltham I intend to steal,

And sit at chiefest stern of public weal.

[Exeunt.]

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?

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,

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;

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 flee.

[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;

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