Bur. My felf, as far as I could well difcern
For fmoak and dufty vapours of the night,
Am fure I fear'd the Dauphin and his trul
When arm in arm they both
came fwiftly running,
Like to a pair of loving Turtle Doves,
That could not live afunder day or night.
After that things are fet in order here,
We'll follow them with all the pow'r we have.

Enter a Messenger. wet wa

Meff. All hail, my lords; which of this princely train Call ye the warlike Talbot, for his acts

So much applauded through the realm of France?

Tal. Here is the Talbot, who would speak with him?
Meff. The virtuous lady, Countefs of Auvergne,
With modefty, admiring thy renown,

By me intreats, great lord, thou would'st vouchsafe
To vifit her poor caftle where the lyes;
That he may boast she hath beheld the man
Whofe glory fills the world with loud report.

Bur. Is it ev'n fo? nay, then I fee our wars
Will turn into a peaceful comick sport,
When ladies crave to be encounter'd with.
You can't, my lord, defpife her gentle fuit.

Tal. Ne'er truft me then; for when a world of man Could not prevail with all their oratory,

Yet hath a woman's kindness over-rul'd:

And therefore tell her, I return great thanks,
And in fubmiffion will attend on her.

Will not your honours bear me company?
Bed. No, truly that is more than manners will:
And I have heard it faid, unbidden guests
Are often welcomeft when they are gone.
Tal. Well then, alone, fince there's no remedy,.
I mean to prove this lady's courtefy.

Come hither captain, you perceive my mind. [Whispers..
Capt. I do, my lord, and mean accordingly. [Exeunt..

SCENE

Count.

SCENE IV.

The Countess of Auvergne's Castle.

Enter the Countess and her Porter.

ORTER, remember what I gave in charge,
And when you've done fo, bring the keys

Po

to me.

Port. Madam, I will.

[Exit.

Count. The plot is laid: if all things fall out right, I fhall as famous be by this exploit,

As Scythian Tomyris by Cyrus' death.

Great is the rumour of this dreadful Knight,
And his atchievements of no lefs account:
Fain would mine eyes be witness with mine ears,
To give their cenfure of these rare reports.

Enter Messenger and Talbot..

Meff. Madam, according as your lady ship
By meffage crav'd, fo is lord Talbot come.
Count. And he is welcome; what? is this the man
Meff. Madam, it is.

Count. Is this the fcourge of France ?

Is this the Talbot fo much fear'd abroad,

That with his name the mothers ftill their babes ?

1 fee report is fabulous and falfe.

I thought I fhould have feen fome Hercules,
A fecond Hector, for his grim aspect,
And large proportion of his ftrong-knit limbs.
Alas! this is a child, a filly dwarf:

It cannot be, this weak and writhled Shrimp.
Should ftrike fuch terror in his enemies.

Tal. Madam, I have been bold to trouble you
But fince your ladyship is not at leisure,

fort fome other time to vifit you.

Countin

Count. What means he now? Go ask whither he

goes.

Meff. Stay, my lord Talbot, for my lady craves
To know the caufe of your abrupt departure.
Tal. Marry, for that she's in a wrong belief,
I go to certifie her, Talbot's here,

Enter Porter with keys.

Count. If thou be he, then art thou prifoner.
Tal. Pris'ner? to whom?

Count. To me, blood-thirsty lord:

And for that caufe I train'd thee to my houfe.
Long time thy fhadow hath been thrall to me,
For in my gallery thy picture hangs :

But now the fubftance fhall endure the like,
And I will chain thefe legs and arms of thine,
That haft by tyranny thefe many years
Wafted our country, flain our citizens,
And fent our fons and husbands captivate.-
Tal. Ha, ha, ha.

Count. Laughest thou wretch? thy mirth shall turn to

moan.

Tal. I laugh to fee your ladyfhip fo fond,

To think that you have ought but Talbot's fhadow
Whereon to practife your feverity.

Count. Why? art not thou the man?

Tal. I am indeed.

Count. Then have I fubftance too.

Tal. No, no, I am but shadow of my

felf:

You are deceiv'd, my fubftance is not here;
For what you fee is but the smallest part
And leaft proportion of humanity:

I tell you, Madam, were the whole frame here,
It is of fuch a fpacious lofty pitch,

Your roof were not fufficient to contain it.

Count. This is a riddling merchant for the nonce,
He will be here, and yet he is not here:
How can thefe contrarieties agree?

Tal. That will I fhew you presently.

B 4

Wind's

L

Winds his horn, drums ftrike up, a peal of Ordnance.
Enter Soldiers.

How fay you, Madam? are you now perfuaded
That Talbot is but fhadow of himself?

These are his fubftance, finews, arms and ftrength,
With which he yoaketh your rebellious necks,
Razeth your cities and fubverts your towns,
And in a moment makes them defolate.

Count. Victorious Talbot, pardon my abufe
I find thou art no less than fame hath bruited,
And more than may be gather'd by thy fhape.
Let my prefumption not provoke thy wrath,
For I am forry that with reverence

I did not entertain thee as thou art.

Tal. Be not difmay'd, fair lady, nor mifconftrue The mind of Talbot, as you did mistake

The outward compofition of his body.

What you have done hath not offended me:
Nor other fatisfaction do I crave,

But only with your patience that we may

Tafte of your wine, and fee what cates you have,
For foldiers ftomachs always ferve them well.

Count. With all my heart, and think me honoured To feaft fo great a warrior in my houfe.

[Exeunt.

Changes to London, in the Temple garden.

Enter Richard Plantagenet, Warwick, Somerfet,
Suffolk, and others.

Plan.

Reat lords and gentlemen, what means this filence?

GR

Dare no man anfwer in a cafe of truth?

Suf. Within the Temple-hall we were too loud, The garden here is more convenient: 1 24

Plan,

Plan. Then fay at once if I maintain'd the truth Or elfe was wrangling Somerfet in th' error?

Suf. Faith I have been a truant in the law, I never yet could frame my will to it,

And therefore frame the law unto my will.

Som. Judge you, my lord of Warwick, then bes

tween us.

War. Between two hawks, which flies the higher pitch;

Between two dogs, which hath the deeper mouth;
Between two blades, which bears the better temper
Between two horses, which doth bear him beft;
Between two girls, which hath the merrieft eye,
I have perhaps fome fhallow fpirit of judgment ::
But in thefe nice harp quillets of the law,.
Good faith I am no wiser than a daw.

***Plan. Tut, tut, here is a mannerly forbearance:
The truth appears fo naked on my fide,
That any pur-blind eye may find it out? >
Som. And on my fide it is fo well apparell'd,.

So clear, fo fhining and fo evident,

That it will glimmer through a blind man's eye.

Plan. Since you are tongue-ty'd, and fo loth to speak,, In dumb fignificance proclaim your thoughts: Let him that is a true-born gentlemanw dow And ftands upon the honour of his birthshouldin If he fuppofe that I have pleaded truth, From off this briar pluck a white rofe with me. Som. Let him that is no coward, and no flatterer,, But dare maintain the party of the truth, Pluck a red rofe from off this thorn with me.

War. I love no colours; and without all colour: Of base infinuating flattery,

I pluck this white rofe with Plantagenet.

Suf. I pluck this red rofe with young Somerfet,. And fay withal, I think he held the right.

Ver. Stay, lords and gentlemen, and pluck no more, 'Till you conclude that he upon whofe fide The feweft roles are crop'd from the tree, Shall yield the other in the right opinion.

3172.