Som. Yorke set him on, Yorke should haue sent him ayde

Luc. And Yorke as fast vpon your Grace exclaimes, Swearing that you with-hold his leuied hoast, Collected for this expidition

Som. York lyes: He might haue sent, & had the Horse: I owe him little Dutie, and lesse Loue, And take foule scorne to fawne on him by sending

Lu. The fraud of England, not the force of France, Hath now intrapt the Noble-minded Talbot: Neuer to England shall he beare his life, But dies betraid to fortune by your strife

Som. Come go, I will dispatch the Horsemen strait: Within sixe houres, they will be at his ayde

Lu. Too late comes rescue, he is tane or slaine, For flye he could not, if he would haue fled: And flye would Talbot neuer though he might

Som. If he be dead, braue Talbot then adieu

Lu. His Fame liues in the world. His Shame in you.

Exeunt.

Enter Talbot and his Sonne.

Tal. O yong Iohn Talbot, I did send for thee To tutor thee in stratagems of Warre, That Talbots name might be in thee reuiu'd, When saplesse Age, and weake vnable limbes Should bring thy Father to his drooping Chaire. But O malignant and ill-boading Starres, Now thou art come vnto a Feast of death, A terrible and vnauoyded danger: Therefore deere Boy, mount on my swiftest horse, And Ile direct thee how thou shalt escape By sodaine flight. Come, dally not, be gone

Iohn. Is my name Talbot? and am I your Sonne? And shall I flye? O, if you loue my Mother, Dishonor not her Honorable Name, To make a Bastard, and a Slaue of me: The World will say, he is not Talbots blood, That basely fled, when Noble Talbot stood

Talb. Flye, to reuenge my death, if I be slaine

Iohn. He that flyes so, will ne're returne againe

Talb. If we both stay, we both are sure to dye

Iohn. Then let me stay, and Father doe you flye: Your losse is great, so your regard should be; My worth vnknowne, no losse is knowne in me. Vpon my death, the French can little boast; In yours they will, in you all hopes are lost. Flight cannot stayne the Honor you haue wonne, But mine it will, that no Exploit haue done. You fled for Vantage, euery one will sweare: But if I bow, they'le say it was for feare. There is no hope that euer I will stay, If the first howre I shrinke and run away: Here on my knee I begge Mortalitie, Rather then Life, preseru'd with Infamie

Talb. Shall all thy Mothers hopes lye in one Tombe? Iohn. I, rather then Ile shame my Mothers Wombe

Talb. Vpon my Blessing I command thee goe

Iohn. To fight I will, but not to flye the Foe

Talb. Part of thy Father may be sau'd in thee

Iohn. No part of him, but will be shame in mee

Talb. Thou neuer hadst Renowne, nor canst not lose it

Iohn. Yes, your renowned Name: shall flight abuse it? Talb. Thy Fathers charge shal cleare thee from y staine

Iohn. You cannot witnesse for me, being slaine. If Death be so apparant, then both flye

Talb. And leaue my followers here to fight and dye? My Age was neuer tainted with such shame

Iohn. And shall my Youth be guiltie of such blame? No more can I be seuered from your side, Then can your selfe, your selfe in twaine diuide: Stay, goe, doe what you will, the like doe I; For liue I will not, if my Father dye

Talb. Then here I take my leaue of thee, faire Sonne, Borne to eclipse thy Life this afternoone: Come, side by side, together liue and dye, And Soule with Soule from France to Heauen flye. Enter.

William Shakespeare
Classic Literature Library

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