Win. What ! wherein Talbot overcame ? is't so ?
3 Mess. O, no ; wherein Lord Talbot was o'er-
thrown :
The circumstance I'U teR you more at large.
The tenth of August last, this dreadful lord.
Retiring from the siege of Orleans,
Having full scarce six thousand in his troop.
By three-and-twenty thousand of the French
Was round encompassed and set upon.
No leisure had he to enrank his men ;
He wanted pikes to set before his archers ;
Instead whereof, sharp stakes, pluck'd out of hedges.
They pitched in the ground confusedly.
To keep the horsemen off from breaking in.
More than three hours the fight continued ;
Where valiant Talbot, above human thought,
Enacted wonders with his sword and lance.
Hundreds he sent to Hell ; and none durst stand

him:
Here, there, and every where, enrag'd he flew.
The French exclaim'd, the Devil was in arms ;
AH the whole army stood agaz'd on him.
His soldiers, spying his undaunted spirit,
" A Talbot ! A Talbot ! " cried out amain.
And rush'd into the bowels of the battle.
Here had the conquest fuUy been seal'd up,
If Sir John Fastolfe had not play'd the coward:
He being in the vaward, (plac'd behind



156 FIRST PART OF act l.
With purpose to relieve and follow them,)
Cowardly fled, not having struck one stroke.
Hence grew the general wrack and massacre :
Enclosed were they with their enemies.
A base Walloon, to win the Dolphin's grace.
Thrust Talbot with a spear into the back ;
Whom all France, with their chief assembled strength,
Durst not presume to look once in the face.
Bed. Is Talbot slain ? then, I will slay myself.
For living idly here in pomp and ease.
