Shakespeare Portal

Act 4, Scene 5

The English camp near Bordeaux.

  1. [Enter Talbot and John his son.]
  2. Lord Talbot
  3. 1938 O young John Talbot! I did send for thee
  4. 1939 To tutor thee in stratagems of war,
  5. 1940 That Talbot's name might be in thee revived
  6. 1941 When sapless age and weak unable limbs
  7. 1942 Should bring thy father to his drooping chair.
  8. 1943 But, O malignant and ill-boding stars!
  9. 1944 Now thou art come unto a feast of death,
  10. 1945 A terrible and unavoided danger:
  11. 1946 Therefore, dear boy, mount on my swiftest horse;
  12. 1947 And I'll direct thee how thou shalt escape
  13. 1948 By sudden flight: come, dally not, be gone.
  14. John Talbot
  15. 1949 Is my name Talbot? and am I your son?
  16. 1950 And shall I fly? O, if you love my mother,
  17. 1951 Dishonor not her honorable name,
  18. 1952 To make a bastard and a slave of me!
  19. 1953 The world will say, he is not Talbot's blood,
  20. 1954 That basely fled when noble Talbot stood.
  21. Lord Talbot
  22. 1955 Fly, to revenge my death, if I be slain.
  23. John Talbot
  24. 1956 He that flies so will ne'er return again.
  25. Lord Talbot
  26. 1957 If we both stay, we both are sure to die.
  27. John Talbot
  28. 1958 Then let me stay; and, father, do you fly;
  29. 1959 Your loss is great, so your regard should be;
  30. 1960 My worth unknown, no loss is known in me.
  31. 1961 Upon my death the French can little boast;
  32. 1962 In yours they will, in you all hopes are lost.
  33. 1963 Flight cannot stain the honor you have won;
  34. 1964 But mine it will, that no exploit have done;
  35. 1965 You fled for vantage, every one will swear;
  36. 1966 But, if I bow, they 'll say it was for fear.
  37. 1967 There is no hope that ever I will stay,
  38. 1968 If the first hour I shrink and run away.
  39. 1969 Here on my knee I beg mortality,
  40. 1970 Rather than life preserved with infamy.
  41. Lord Talbot
  42. 1971 Shall all thy mother's hopes lie in one tomb?
  43. John Talbot
  44. 1972 Aye, rather than I 'll shame my mother's womb.
  45. Lord Talbot
  46. 1973 Upon my blessing, I command thee go.
  47. John Talbot
  48. 1974 To fight I will, but not to fly the foe.
  49. Lord Talbot
  50. 1975 Part of thy father may be saved in thee.
  51. John Talbot
  52. 1976 No part of him but will be shame in me.
  53. Lord Talbot
  54. 1977 Thou never hadst renown, nor canst not lose it.
  55. John Talbot
  56. 1978 Yes, your renowned name: shall flight abuse it?
  57. Lord Talbot
  58. 1979 Thy father's charge shall clear thee from that stain.
  59. John Talbot
  60. 1980 You cannot witness for me, being slain.
  61. 1981 If death be so apparent, then both fly.
  62. Lord Talbot
  63. 1982 And leave my followers here to fight and die;
  64. 1983 My age was never tainted with such shame.
  65. John Talbot
  66. 1984 And shall my youth be guilty of such blame?
  67. 1985 No more can I be sever'd from your side,
  68. 1986 Than can yourself yourself in twain divide:
  69. 1987 Stay, go, do what you will, the like do I;
  70. 1988 For live I will not, if my father die.
  71. Lord Talbot
  72. 1989 Then here I take my leave of thee, fair son,
  73. 1990 Born to eclipse thy life this afternoon.
  74. 1991 Come, side by side together live and die;
  75. 1992 And soul with soul from France to heaven fly.
  76. [Exeunt.]