Lucy. Too late comes rescue. He is ta'en or slain;

For fly he could not, if he would have fled; And fly would Talbot never, though he might. Som. If he be dead, brave Talbot, then adieu !

Lucy. His fame lives in the world, his shame in you. [Exeunt. [SCENE V. The English camp near Bourdeaux.]

Enter TALBOT and [JOHN] his son.

Tal. O young John Talbot! I did send for thee

To tutor thee in stratagems of war,
That Talbot's name might be in thee reviv'd
When sapless age and weak unable limbs
Should bring thy father to his drooping chair. 5
But, O malignant and ill-boding stars!
Now thou art come unto a feast of death,
A terrible and unavoided danger.
Therefore, dear boy, mount on my swiftest
horse;

10

And I'll direct thee how thou shalt escape
By sudden flight. Come, dally not, be gone.
John. Is my name Talbot? and am I your
son?

15

And shall I fly? O, if you love my mother,
Dishonour not her honourable name,
To make a bastard and a slave of me!
The world will say, he is not Talbot's blood,
That basely fled when noble Talbot stood.
Tal. Fly, to revenge my death, if I be slain.
John. He that flies so will ne'er return again.
Tal. If we both stay, we both are sure to
die.

20

John. Then let me stay; and, father, do you fly.

Your loss is great, so your regard should be;
My worth unknown, no loss is known in me.
Upon my death the French can little boast;
In yours they will, in you all hopes are lost. 25
Flight cannot stain the honour you have won,
But mine it will, that no exploit have done.
You fled for vantage, every one will swear;
But, if I bow, they 'll say it was for fear.
There is no hope that ever I will stay,
If the first hour I shrink and run away.
Here on my knee I beg mortality,
Rather than life preserv'd with infamy.

30

Tal. Shall all thy mother's hopes lie in one tomb?

John. Ay, rather than I'll shame my mother's womb.

35

Born to eclipse thy life this afternoon.
Come, side by side together live and die;
And soul with soul from France to heaven fly. "
[Exeunt.

[SCENE VI. A field of battle.] Alarum: excursions, wherein JOHN TALBOT is hemmed about, and TALBOT rescues him. Tal. Saint George and victory! fight, soldiers, fight!

The Regent hath with Talbot broke his word And left us to the rage of France his sword. Where is John Talbot? Pause, and take thy breath;

I gave thee life and rescu'd thee from death. John. O, twice my father, twice am I thy son!

The life thou gav'st me first was lost and done, Till with thy warlike sword, despite of fate, To my determin'd time thou gav'st new date. Tal. When from the Dauphin's crest thy

Which thou didst force from Talbot, my brave boy."

Here, purposing the Bastard to destroy,
Came in strong rescue. Speak, thy father's

care,

Art thou not weary, John? How dost thou fare?

Wilt thou yet leave the battle, boy, and fly,
Now thou art seal'd the son of chivalry?
Fly, to revenge my death when I am dead; *
The help of one stands me in little stead.
O, too much folly is it, well I wot,
To hazard all our lives in one small boat!
If I to-day die not with Frenchmen's rage,

45

On that advantage, bought with such a shame,
To save a paltry life and slay bright fame,
Before young Talbot from old Talbot fly,
The coward horse that bears me fall and die!
And like me to the peasant boys of France,
To be shame's scorn and subject of mischance!
Surely, by all the glory you have won,
An if I fly, I am not Talbot's son.

Then talk no more of flight, it is no boot;
If son to Talbot, die at Talbot's foot.

50

Tal. Then follow thou thy desperate sire of Crete,

85

Thou Icarus. Thy life to me is sweet.
If thou wilt fight, fight by thy father's side;
And, commendable prov'd, let 's die in pride.
[Exeunt.

[SCENE VII. Another part of the field.] Alarum: excursions. Enter old TALBOT led [by a SERVANT].

Tal. Where is my other life? mine own is

gone.

O, where's young Talbot? where is valiant
John?

Triumphant Death, smear'd with captivity,
Young Talbot's valour makes me smile at thee.
When he perceiv'd me sink and on my knee, 5
His bloody sword he brandish'd over me,
And, like a hungry lion, did commence
Rough deeds of rage and stern impatience;
But when my angry guardant stood alone,
Tend'ring my ruin and assail'd of none,
Dizzy-ey'd fury and great rage of heart
Suddenly made him from my side to start
Into the clust'ring battle of the French;
And in that sea of blood my boy did drench
His over-mounting spirit, and there died,
My Icarus, my blossom, in his pride.

10

15

My spirit can no longer bear these harms. Soldiers, adieu! I have what I would have, Now my old arms are young John Talbot's grave. [Dies. Enter CHARLES, ALENÇON, BURGUNDY, BASTARD, LA PUCELLE [and forces].

Char. Had York and Somerset brought rescue in,

We should have found a bloody day of this.

Bast. How the young whelp of Talbot's, raging wood,

35

Did flesh his puny sword in Frenchmen's blood! Puc. Once I encount'red him, and thus I

To know who hath obtain'd the glory of the day. Char. On what submissive message art thou sent?

Lucy. Submission, Dauphin! 't is a mere French word;

We English warriors wot not what it means. 55 I come to know what prisoners thou hast ta'en And to survey the bodies of the dead.

Char. For prisoners ask'st thou? Hell our prison is.

But tell me whom thou seek'st.

Lucy. But where 's the great Alcides of the field,

Valiant Lord Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury,
Created, for his rare success in arms,

60

Great Earl of Washford, Waterford, and Va

lence;

Lord Talbot of Goodrig and Urchinfield,
Lord Strange of Blackmere, Lord Verdun of

Lord Cromwell of Wingfield, Lord Furnival of Sheffield,

Have been consider'd and debated on.
Your purpose is both good and reasonable;
And therefore are we certainly resolv'd
To draw conditions of a friendly peace;
Which by my Lord of Winchester we mean
Shall be transported presently to France.
Glou. And for the proffer of my lord your
master,

I have inform'd his Highness so at large;
As liking of the lady's virtuous gifts,
Her beauty, and the value of her dower,
He doth intend she shall be England's queen.
King. [To the Amb.] In argument and proof
of which contract,

Bear her this jewel, pledge of my affection.
And so, my Lord Protector, see them guarded
And safely brought to Dover; where inshipp'd
Commit them to the fortune of the sea.

[Exeunt [all but Winchester and Legate]. Win. Stay, my lord legate; you shall first receive

The sum of money which I promised
Should be delivered to his Holiness
For clothing me in these grave ornaments.
Leg. I will attend upon your lordship's
leisure.

Win. [Aside.] Now Winchester will not submit, I trow,

Or be inferior to the proudest peer.
Humphrey of Gloucester, thou shalt well per-
ceive

That, neither in birth or for authority,
The Bishop will be overborne by thee.
I'll either make thee stoop and bend thy knee,
Or sack this country with a mutiny. [Exeunt.

SCENE [II. France. Plains in Anjou.] Enter CHARLES, BURGUNDY, ALENÇON, BASTARD, REIGNIER, LA PUCELLE [and forces].

Char. These news, my lords, may cheer our drooping spirits.

'Tis said the stout Parisians do revolt And turn again unto the warlike French.

This speedy and quick appearance argues proof
Of your accustom'd diligence to me.
Now, ye familiar spirits, that are cull'd
Out of the powerful regions under earth,
Help me this once, that France may get the
field.
[They walk, and speak not.
O, hold me not with silence over-long!
Where I was wont to feed you with my blood,
I'll lop a member off and give it you
In earnest of a further benefit,

So you do condescend to help me now.

15

20

[They hang their heads. No hope to have redress? My body shall Pay recompense, if you will grant my suit. [They shake their heads. Cannot my body nor blood-sacrifice Entreat you to your wonted furtherance? Then take my soul, my body, soul, and all, Before that England give the French the foil. [They depart. See, they forsake me! Now the time is come That France must vail her lofty-plumed crest And let her head fall into England's lap. My ancient incantations are too weak,

26

My hand would free her, but my heart says no.
As plays the sun upon the glassy streams,
Twinkling another counterfeited beam,
So seems this gorgeous beauty to mine eyes.
Fain would I woo her, yet I dare not speak. 65
I'll call for pen and ink, and write my mind.
Fie, De la Pole! disable not thyself.
Hast not a tongue? Is she not here?
Wilt thou be daunted at a woman's sight?
Ay, beauty's princely majesty is such,
Confounds the tongue and makes the senses

rough.

70

Mar. Say, Earl of Suffolk - if thy name be

80

What ransom must I pay before I pass?

For I perceive I am thy prisoner.

Consent, and for thy honour give consent,
Thy daughter shall be wedded to my king,
Whom I with pain have woo'd and won
thereto;

And this her easy-held imprisonment

Hath gain'd thy daughter princely liberty. 10
Reig. Speaks Suffolk as he thinks?
Suf
Fair Margaret knows
That Suffolk doth not flatter, face, or feign.
Reig. Upon thy princely warrant, I descend
To give thee answer of thy just demand.
Exit from the walls.]
Suf. And here I will expect thy coming. 14
Trumpets sound. Enter REIGNIER [below].
Reig. Welcome, brave earl, into our terri-
tories!
Command in Anjou what your honour pleases.
Suf. Thanks, Reignier, happy for so sweet a
child,

Fit to be made companion with a king.
What answer makes your Grace unto my
suit?

150