Maz'd with a yelping kennel of French curs! And they shall find dear deer of us, my friends.God, and Saint George! Talbot, and England's right! Prosper our colours in this dangerous fight! [Exeunt. SCENE III. Plains in Gascony. Enter YORK, with Forces; to him a Messenger. York. Are not the speedy scouts return'd again, That dogg'd the mighty army of the Dauphin? Mess. They are return'd, my lord; and give it out, That he is march'd to Bourdeaux with his power, To fight with Talbot: As he march'd along, By your espials were discovered Two mightier troops than that the Dauphin led; York. A plague upon that villain Somerset; 9 be then in blood:] Be in high spirits, be of true mettle. 1 Not rascal-like,] A rascal deer is the term of chase for lean poor deer. 2 And I am lowted] i. e. treated with contempt like a lowt, or low country fellow. And cannot help the noble chevalier: Enter Sir WILLIAM LUCY. Lucy. Thou princely leader of our English strength, Never so needful on the earth of France, By forfeiting a traitor and a coward. Mad ire, and wrathful fury, makes me weep, Lucy. Then, God take mercy on brave Talbot's And on his son, young John; whom, two hours since, I met in travel toward his warlike father! This seven years did not Talbot see his son; And now they meet where both their lives are done.3 That sunder'd friends greet in the hour of death. 3 are done.] i. e. expended, consumed. The word is yet used in this sense in the Western counties. Lucy, farewell: no more my fortune can, Maine, Blois, Poictiers, and Tours, are won away, 'Long all of Somerset, and his delay. [Exit. Henry the fifth-Whiles they each other cross, [Exit. SCENE IV. Other Plains of Gascony. Enter SOMERSET, with his Forces; an Officer of TALBOT'S with him. Som. It is too late; I cannot send them now: This expedition was by York, and Talbot, Too rashly plotted; all our general force Might with a sally of the very town Be buckled with: the over-daring Talbot Hath sullied all his gloss of former honour, By this unheedful, desperate, wild adventure: York set him on to fight, and die in shame, That, Talbot dead, great York might bear the name. Off. Here is sir William Lucy, who with me Set from our o'er-match'd forces forth for aid. Enter Sir WILLIAM LUCY. Som. How now, sir William? whither were you sent? the vulture] Alluding to the tale of Prometheus. Lucy. Whither, my lord? from bought and sold Who, ring'd about with bold adversity, To beat assailing death from his weak legions. Drops bloody sweat from his war-wearied limbs, nour, Keep off aloof with worthless emulation. Let not your private discord keep away Som. York set him on, York should have sent him aid. Lucy. And York as fast upon your grace exclaims; Swearing that you withhold his levied host, Collected for this expedition. Som. York lies; he might have sent and had the horse: I owe him little duty, and less love; And take foul scorn, to fawn on him by sending. Lucy. The fraud of England, not the force of France, Hath now entrapp'd the noble-minded Talbot: 5 -from bought and sold Lord Talbot;] i. e. from one utterly ruined by the treacherous practices of others. 6 7 ring'd about ] Environed, encircled. in advantage ling'ring,] Protracting his resistance by the advantage of a strong post. 8 worthless emulation.] In this line, emulation signifies merely rivalry, not struggle for superior excellence. Never to England shall he bear his life; But dies, betraied to fortune by your strife. Som. Come, go; I will despatch the horsemen straight: Within six hours they will be at his aid. Lucy. Too late comes rescue; he is ta'en, or For fly he could not, if he would have fled; you. [Exeunt. SCENE V. The English Camp near Bourdeaux. Enter TALBOT and JOHN his Son. Tal. O young John Talbot! I did send for thee, To tutor thee in stratagems of war; That Talbot's name might be in thee reviv'd, Therefore, dear boy, mount on my swiftest horse; 9 a feast of death,] To a field where death will be feasted with slaughter. 1 unavoided-] for unavoidable. |