Henry VI, Part I by William Shakespeare
Act 4 - Scene 4
Other plains in Gascony.
Captain : Here is Sir William Lucy, who with me
[p]Set from our o'ermatch'd
forces forth for aid.
Sir William Lucy : Whither, my lord? from bought and sold Lord Talbot;
[p]Who, ring'd
about with bold adversity,
[p]Cries out for noble York and
Somerset,
[p]To beat assailing death from his weak legions:
[p]And
whiles the honourable captain there
[p]Drops bloody sweat from his
war-wearied limbs,
[p]And, in advantage lingering, looks for
rescue,
[p]You, his false hopes, the trust of England's
honour,
[p]Keep off aloof with worthless emulation.
[p]Let not your
private discord keep away
[p]The levied succors that should lend him
aid,
[p]While he, renowned noble gentleman,
[p]Yields up his life unto
a world of odds:
[p]Orleans the Bastard, Charles,
Burgundy,
[p]Alencon, Reignier, compass him about,
[p]And Talbot
perisheth by your default.
Sir William Lucy : And York as fast upon your grace exclaims;
[p]Swearing that you
withhold his levied host,
[p]Collected for this expedition.
Sir William Lucy : The fraud of England, not the force of France,
[p]Hath now entrapp'd
the noble-minded Talbot:
[p]Never to England shall he bear his
life;
[p]But dies, betray'd to fortune by your strife.
Sir William Lucy : Too late comes rescue: he is ta'en or slain;
[p]For fly he could not,
if he would have fled;
[p]And fly would Talbot never, though he
might.
Sir William Lucy : His fame lives in the world, his shame in you.
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Next: Act 4 - Scene 5
