80
JOAN OF ARC.
The mother and her babes—and yet no lightning
Blasted this man!"
"Aye Lady," Bertram cried, 680
"And when we sent the herald to implore[1]
His mercy on the helpless, he relax'd
His stern face into savage merriment,
Scoffing their agonies. On the high wall
I stood and mark'd the miserable outcasts,685
And every moment thought that Henry's heart,
Hard as it was, must feel. All night I stood—
Their deep groans sounded on the midnight gale.
"Fainter
- ↑ Line 681 One of the deputed citizens shewing himself more rash than wise, more arrogant than learned, took upon him to shew wherein the glorie of victorie consisted; advising the King not to shew his manhood in famishing a multitude of poore simple and innocent people, but rather suffer such miserable wretches as laie betwixt the walls of the citie and the trenches of his siege, to passe through the camp, that theie might get their living in other places, then if he durst manfullie assault the place, and by force subdue it, he should win both worldlie fame, and merit great meed from the hands of almightie God, for having compassion of the poore needie and indigent people. When this orator had said, the King with a fierce countenance and bold spirit, reproved them for their malapert presumption, in that they should seeme to go about to teach him what belonged to the dutie of a conqueror, and therefore since it appeared that the same was unknown to them, he declared that the Goddesse of Battell called Bellona had three handmaidens, ever of necessitie attending upon her, as Blood, Fire, and Famine, and whereas it laie in his choice to use them all three, he had appointed onelie the meekest maid of those three damsels to punish them of that citie till they were brought to reason. This answer put the French ambassador in a great studie, musing much at his excellent wit and hawtinesse of courage.
