Page 190 - Shakespeare - Vol. 1

ALENÇON

They want their porridge and their fat bull-beeves:
Either they must be dieted like mules [10]
And have their provender tied to their mouths,
Or piteous they will look, like drownèd mice.

REIGNIER

Let’s raise the siege; why live we idly here?
Talbot is taken, whom we wont to fear;
Remaineth none but mad-brained Salisbury, [15]
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 [20]
When he sees me go back one foot or fly.

Exeunt.

Here alarum; they are beaten back by the English with great loss. Enter
Charles, Alençon, 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: [25]
He fighteth as one weary of his life.
The other lords, like lions wanting food,
Do rush upon us as their hungry prey.

ALENÇON

Froissart, a countryman of ours, records
England all Olivers and Rolands bred [30]
During the time Edward the Third did reign.
More truly now may this be verified,
For none but Samsons and Goliases