Henry VI, Pt. 1
Act IV, Scene 6
A field of battle.
Saint George and victory! Fight, soldiers, fight!
From: Cassell's Illustrated Shakespeare
Mary Cowden Clarke, Charles Cowden Clarke, 1870
- Alarum. Excursions, wherein Talbot’s son, John, is hemm’d
- about, and Talbot rescues him.
Lord Talbot
1 - 5- 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 Talbot
6 - 9- 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.
Lord Talbot
10 - 41- When from the Dauphin’s crest thy sword struck fire,
- It warm’d thy father’s heart with proud desire
- Of bold-fac’d victory. Then leaden age,
- Quicken’d with youthful spleen and warlike rage,
- Beat down Alanson, Orléans, Burgundy,
- And from the pride of Gallia rescued thee.
- The ireful Bastard Orléans, that drew blood
- From thee, my boy, and had the maidenhood
- Of thy first fight, I soon encountered,
- And interchanging blows I quickly shed
- Some of his bastard blood, and in disgrace
- Bespoke him thus: “Contaminated, base,
- And misbegotten blood I spill of thine,
- Mean and right poor, for that pure blood of mine
- 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 today die not with Frenchmen’s rage,
- Tomorrow I shall die with mickle age.
- By me they nothing gain and if I stay,
- ’Tis but the short’ning of my life one day.
- In thee thy mother dies, our household’s name,
- My death’s revenge, thy youth, and England’s fame:
- All these, and more, we hazard by thy stay;
- All these are sav’d if thou wilt fly away.
John Talbot
42 - 53- The sword of Orléans hath not made me smart;
- These words of yours draw life-blood from my heart.
- 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,
- And 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.
Lord Talbot
54 - 57- Then follow thou thy desp’rate sire of Crete,
- 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.