Enter Talbot, Bedford, Burgundy, a Captain and Others. BEDFORD
The day begins to break and night is fled,
Whose pitchy mantle over-veiled the Earth.
Here sound retreat and cease our hot pursuit.
Retreat sounded. TALBOT
Bring forth the body of old Salisbury,
And here advance it in the marketplace, 5
The middle center of this cursèd town. Soldiers enter bearing the body of Salisbury,
Drums beating a dead march. Now have I paid my vow unto his soul:
For every drop of blood was drawn from him
There hath at least five Frenchmen died tonight.
And, that hereafter ages may behold 10
What ruin happened in revenge of him,
Within their chiefest temple I’ll erect
A tomb wherein his corpse shall be interred,
Upon the which, that everyone may read,
Shall be engraved the sack of Orleance, 15
The treacherous manner of his mournful death,
And what a terror he had been to France. Funeral exits. But, lords, in all our bloody massacre,
I muse we met not with the Dauphin’s grace,
His new-come champion, virtuous Joan of Arc, 20
Nor any of his false confederates. | Talbot, Bedford, and Burgundy come in. Bedford decides to give the French a break and stop chasing them for now. Talbot says he has revenged Salisbury, in no uncertain terms. He plans to build a tomb to Salisbury right in France, celebrating Salisbury's courage and rubbing it in for the French. Talbot notes that they didn't see the Dauphin, Joan of Arc, or the Dauphin's chief men in the battle. |
BEDFORD
’Tis thought, Lord Talbot, when the fight began,
Roused on the sudden from their drowsy beds,
They did amongst the troops of armèd men
Leap o’er the walls for refuge in the field. 25 BURGUNDY
Myself, as far as I could well discern
For smoke and dusky vapors of the night,
Am sure I scared the Dauphin and his trull,
When arm-in-arm they both came swiftly running,
Like to a pair of loving turtledoves 30
That could not live asunder day or night.
After that things are set in order here,
We’ll follow them with all the power we have. | Bedford says it's thought they leapt over the walls and hid in a field. Burgundy says he thinks he frightened the Dauphin and Jean. He's in little doubt that they're lovers—in fact, he describes Jean as a prostitute, or "trull" (2.2.28). This looks pretty bad for Charles's military reputation, in the view of the play's audience. Fun fact: The period wasn't so strong on the make love, not war theory of life. |
Enter a Messenger. MESSENGER
All hail, my lords. Which of this princely train
Call you the warlike Talbot, for his acts 35
So much applauded through the realm of France? TALBOT
Here is the Talbot. Who would speak with him? MESSENGER
The virtuous lady, Countess of Auvergne,
With modesty admiring thy renown,
By me entreats, great lord, thou wouldst vouchsafe 40
To visit her poor castle where she lies,
That she may boast she hath beheld the man
Whose glory fills the world with loud report. | A messenger turns up and asks Talbot to pay a visit to the Countess of Auvergne. |
BURGUNDY
Is it even so? Nay, then, I see our wars
Will turn unto a peaceful comic sport, 45
When ladies crave to be encountered with.
You may not, my lord, despise her gentle suit. TALBOT
Ne’er trust me, then; for when a world of men
Could not prevail with all their oratory,
Yet hath a woman’s kindness overruled.— 50
And therefore tell her I return great thanks,
And in submission will attend on her.—
Will not your Honors bear me company? BEDFORD
No, truly, ’tis more than manners will;
And I have heard it said unbidden guests 55
Are often welcomest when they are gone. TALBOT
Well then, alone, since there’s no remedy,
I mean to prove this lady’s courtesy.—
Come hither, captain. Whispers.
You perceive my mind? 60 CAPTAIN
I do, my lord, and mean accordingly. They exit. | Burgundy thinks that the chivalrous thing to do is to go and Talbot agrees then heads out to see her. |