The First Part of Henry the Sixth

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 honours;
Drive them from Orleans, and be immortaliz'd.

CHARLES. Presently we'll try. Come, let's away about it.
No prophet will I trust if she prove false. Exeunt

SCENE 3

London. Before the Tower gates

Enter the DUKE OF GLOUCESTER, with his serving-men 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?
Open the gates; 'tis Gloucester that calls.

FIRST WARDER. [Within] Who's there that knocks so
imperiously?

FIRST SERVING-MAN. It is the noble Duke of Gloucester.

SECOND WARDER. [Within] Whoe'er he be, you may not be
let in.

FIRST SERVING-MAN. Villains, answer you so the Lord
Protector?

FIRST WARDER. [Within] The Lord protect him! so we
answer him.
We do no otherwise than we are will'd.

GLOUCESTER. Who willed you, or whose will stands but
mine?
There's none Protector of the realm but I.
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, and
WOODVILLE the Lieutenant speaks within]

WOODVILLE. [Within] 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] Have patience, noble Duke, I may
not open;
The Cardinal of Winchester forbids.
From him I have express commandment
That thou nor none of thine shall be let in.

GLOUCESTER. Faint-hearted Woodville, prizest him fore me?
Arrogant Winchester, that haughty prelate
Whom Henry, our late sovereign, ne'er could brook!
Thou art no friend to God or to the King.
Open the gates, or I'll shut thee out shortly.

SERVING-MEN. Open the gates unto the Lord Protector,
Or we'll burst them open, if that you come not quickly.

Enter to the PROTECTOR at the Tower gates WINCHESTER and his men in tawny coats

WINCHESTER. How now, ambitious Humphry! What means
this?

GLOUCESTER. Peel'd priest, dost thou command me to be
shut out?

WINCHESTER. I do, thou most usurping proditor,
And not Protector of the King or realm.

GLOUCESTER. Stand back, thou manifest conspirator,
Thou that contrived'st to murder our dead lord;