O, too much folly is it, well I wot, To hazard all our lives in one small boat! John. The sword of Orleans hath not made me smart; 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. Tal. Then follow thou thy desperate sire of Crete, Thou Icarus; thy life to me is sweet: If thou wilt fight, fight by thy father's side; [Exeunt. SCENE VII. Another part of the field. Alarums: excursions. Enter TALBOT wounded, supported 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, (121) (122) Young Talbot's valour makes me smile at thee :- Rough deeds of rage and stern impatience; Serv. O my dear lord, lo, where your son is borne ! Enter Soldiers, bearing the body of JOHN TALBOT. Tal. Thou antic death, which laugh'st us here to scorn, Anon, from thy insulting tyranny, Coupled in bonds of perpetuity, Two Talbots, wingèd through the lither sky,(128) O thou whose wounds become hard-favour'd death, Poor boy! he smiles, methinks, as who should say, Now my old arms are young John Talbot's grave. [Dies. Alarums. Exeunt Soldiers and Servant, leaving the two bodies. Enter CHARLES, ALENÇON, BURGUNDY, the Bastard of Orleans, 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, Did flesh his puny sword in Frenchmen's blood! So, rushing in the bowels of the French, Bur. Doubtless he would have made a noble knight : See, where he lies inhearsèd in the arms Of the most bloody nurser of his harms. Bast. Hew them to pieces, hack their bones asunder, Whose life was England's glory, Gallia's wonder. Char. O, no, forbear! for that which we have fled During the life, let us not wrong it dead. Enter Sir WILLIAM LUCY, attended; a French Herald preceding. Lucy. Herald, (124) Conduct me to the Dauphin's tent, to know Who hath obtain'd the glory of the day. Char. On what submissive message art thou sent? Lucy. Submission, Dauphin! 'tis a mere French word; We English warriors wot not what it means. 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. Where is the great Alcides of the field," Valiant Lord Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury,Created, for his rare success in arms, Great Earl of Washford, Waterford, and Valence; Lord Talbot of Goodrig and Urchinfield, (125) Lord Strange of Blackmere, Lord Verdun of Alton, Lord Cromwell of Wingfield, Lord Furnival of Sheffield, The thrice-victorious Lord of Falconbridge; Knight of the noble order of Saint George, Worthy Saint Michael, and the Golden Fleece; Great Marshal to Henry the Sixth (126) Of all his wars within the realm of France ? Lucy. Is Talbot slain,-the Frenchmen's only scourge, Your kingdom's terror and black Nemesis? VOL. V. F O, were mine eyeballs into bullets turn'd, That I, in rage, might shoot them at your faces! It were enough to fright the realm of France: Puc. I think this upstart is old Talbot's ghost, Char. Go, take their bodies hence. I'll bear them hence: But doubt not from their ashes shall be rear'd(128) A phoenix that shall make all France afeard. Char. So we be rid of them, do what(129) thou wilt. And now to Paris, in this conquering vein : [Exeunt. ACT V. SCENE I. London. A room in the palace. Enter King HENRY, GLOSTER, and EXETER. K. Hen. Have you perus'd the letters from the Pope, The emperor, and the Earl of Armagnac ? Glo. I have, my lord: and their intent is this,They humbly sue unto your excellence To have a godly peace concluded of Between the realms of England and of France. K. Hen. How doth your grace affect their motion? K. Hen. Ay, marry, uncle; for I always thought It was both impious and unnatural Glo. Beside, my lord, the sooner to effect The Earl of Armagnac-near kin to Charles, (130) Proffers his only daughter to your grace In marriage, with a large and sumptuous dower. (131) I shall be well content with any choice Tends to God's glory and my country's weal. Enter a Legate and two Ambassadors, with WINCHESTER, Now Cardinal BEAUFORT, and habited accordingly. Exe. [aside] What! is my Lord of Winchester install'd, And call'd unto a cardinal's degree 232) Then I perceive that will be verified Henry the Fifth did sometime prophesy, 66 'If once he come to be a cardinal, He'll make his cap co-equal with the crown.' K. Hen. My lords ambassadors, your several suits 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. Glo. And for the proffer of my lord your master, I have inform'd his highness so at large, He doth intend she shall be England's queen. K. Hen. [to the Amb.] In argument and proof of which contráct, Bear her this jewel, pledge of my affection. |