Henry VI, Part I by William Shakespeare
Act 4 - Scene 6
A field of battle.
Lord Talbot/Earl of Shrewsbury : Saint George and victory! fight, soldiers, fight.
[p]The regent hath
with Talbot broke his word
[p]And left us to the rage of France his
sword.
[p]Where is John Talbot? Pause, and take thy breath;
[p]I gave
thee life and rescued thee from death.
Lord Talbot/Earl of Shrewsbury : O, twice my father, twice am I thy son!
[p]The life thou gavest me
first was lost and done,
[p]Till with thy warlike sword, despite of
late,
[p]To my determined time thou gavest new date.
Lord Talbot/Earl of Shrewsbury : When from the Dauphin's crest thy sword struck fire,
[p]It warm'd thy
father's heart with proud desire
[p]Of bold-faced victory. Then leaden
age,
[p]Quicken'd with youthful spleen and warlike rage,
[p]Beat down
Alencon, Orleans, Burgundy,
[p]And from the pride of Gallia rescued
thee.
[p]The ireful bastard Orleans, that drew blood
[p]From thee, my
boy, and had the maidenhood
[p]Of thy first fight, I soon
encountered,
[p]And interchanging blows I quickly shed
[p]Some of his
bastard blood; and in disgrace
[p]Bespoke him thus; 'Contaminated,
base
[p]And misbegotten blood I spill of thine,
[p]Mean and right
poor, for that pure blood of mine
[p]Which thou didst force from
Talbot, my brave boy:'
[p]Here, purposing the Bastard to
destroy,
[p]Came in strong rescue. Speak, thy father's care,
[p]Art
thou not weary, John? how dost thou fare?
[p]Wilt thou yet leave the
battle, boy, and fly,
[p]Now thou art seal'd the son of
chivalry?
[p]Fly, to revenge my death when I am dead:
[p]The help of
one stands me in little stead.
[p]O, too much folly is it, well I
wot,
[p]To hazard all our lives in one small boat!
[p]If I to-day die
not with Frenchmen's rage,
[p]To-morrow I shall die with mickle
age:
[p]By me they nothing gain an if I stay;
[p]'Tis but the
shortening of my life one day:
[p]In thee thy mother dies, our
household's name,
[p]My death's revenge, thy youth, and England's
fame:
[p]All these and more we hazard by thy stay;
[p]All these are
saved if thou wilt fly away.
Lord Talbot/Earl of Shrewsbury : The sword of Orleans hath not made me smart;
[p]These words of yours
draw life-blood from my heart:
[p]On that advantage, bought with such
a shame,
[p]To save a paltry life and slay bright fame,
[p]Before
young Talbot from old Talbot fly,
[p]The coward horse that bears me
fail and die!
[p]And like me to the peasant boys of France,
[p]To be
shame's scorn and subject of mischance!
[p]Surely, by all the glory
you have won,
[p]An if I fly, I am not Talbot's son:
[p]Then talk no
more of flight, it is no boot;
[p]If son to Talbot, die at Talbot's
foot.
Lord Talbot/Earl of Shrewsbury : Then follow thou thy desperate sire of Crete,
[p]Thou Icarus; thy life
to me is sweet:
[p]If thou wilt fight, fight by thy father's
side;
[p]And, commendable proved, let's die in pride.
Previous: Act 4 - Scene 5
Next: Act 4 - Scene 7
