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Henry VI, Part 1 - Act 4, scene 5
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Henry VI, Part 1 - Act 4, scene 5Act 4, scene 5
⌜Scene 5⌝
Synopsis:
Talbot has been joined by his son John Talbot, whom he urges to flee certain death. John Talbot refuses to leave.
Enter Talbot and ⌜John Talbot,⌝ his son.TALBOT
1937 O young John Talbot, I did send for thee
1938 To tutor thee in stratagems of war,
1939 That Talbot’s name might be in thee revived
1940 When sapless age and weak unable limbs
1941 5 Should bring thy father to his drooping chair.
1942 But—O, malignant and ill-boding stars!—
1943 Now thou art come unto a feast of Death,
1944 A terrible and unavoided danger.
1945 Therefore, dear boy, mount on my swiftest horse,
1946 10 And I’ll direct thee how thou shalt escape
1947 By sudden flight. Come, dally not, be gone.
p.
171
JOHN TALBOT 1948 Is my name Talbot? And am I your son?
1949 And shall I fly? O, if you love my mother,
1950 Dishonor not her honorable name
1951 15 To make a bastard and a slave of me!
1952 The world will say “He is not Talbot’s blood,
1953 That basely fled when noble Talbot stood.”
TALBOT
1954 Fly, to revenge my death if I be slain.
JOHN TALBOT
1955 He that flies so will ne’er return again.
TALBOT
1956 20 If we both stay, we both are sure to die.
JOHN TALBOT
1957 Then let me stay and, father, do you fly.
1958 Your loss is great; so your regard should be.
1959 My worth unknown, no loss is known in me.
1960 Upon my death, the French can little boast;
1961 25 In yours they will; in you all hopes are lost.
1962 Flight cannot stain the honor you have won,
1963 But mine it will, that no exploit have done.
1964 You fled for vantage, everyone will swear;
1965 But if I bow, they’ll say it was for fear.
1966 30 There is no hope that ever I will stay
1967 If the first hour I shrink and run away.⌜He kneels.⌝
1968 Here on my knee I beg mortality,
1969 Rather than life preserved with infamy.
TALBOT
1970 Shall all thy mother’s hopes lie in one tomb?
JOHN TALBOT
1971 35 Ay, rather than I’ll shame my mother’s womb.
TALBOT
1972 Upon my blessing I command thee go.
JOHN TALBOT
1973 To fight I will, but not to fly the foe.
p.
173
TALBOT 1974 Part of thy father may be saved in thee.
JOHN TALBOT
1975 No part of him but will be shame in me.
TALBOT
1976 40 Thou never hadst renown, nor canst not lose it.
JOHN TALBOT
1977 Yes, your renownèd name; shall flight abuse it?
TALBOT
1978 Thy father’s charge shall clear thee from that stain.
JOHN TALBOT
1979 You cannot witness for me, being slain.
1980 If death be so apparent, then both fly.
TALBOT
1981 45 And leave my followers here to fight and die?
1982 My age was never tainted with such shame.
JOHN TALBOT
1983 And shall my youth be guilty of such blame?
⌜He rises.⌝
1984 No more can I be severed from your side
1985 Than can yourself yourself in twain divide.
1986 50 Stay, go, do what you will; the like do I,
1987 For live I will not, if my father die.
TALBOT
1988 Then here I take my leave of thee, fair son,
1989 Born to eclipse thy life this afternoon.
1990 Come, side by side, together live and die,
1991 55 And soul with soul from France to heaven fly.
⌜They⌝ exit.