| ACT IV SCENE IV | Other plains in Gascony. | |
| [
Enter SOMERSET, with his army; a Captain of
TALBOT's with him
] |
| SOMERSET | 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 | 5 |
| 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. |
| Captain | Here is Sir William Lucy, who with me | 10 |
| Set from our o'ermatch'd forces forth for aid. |
| [Enter Sir William LUCY] |
| SOMERSET | How now, Sir William! whither were you sent? |
| LUCY | Whither, my lord? from bought and sold Lord Talbot; |
| Who, ring'd about with bold adversity, |
| Cries out for noble York and Somerset, | 15 |
| To beat assailing death from his weak legions: |
| And whiles the honourable captain there |
| Drops bloody sweat from his war-wearied limbs, |
| And, in advantage lingering, looks for rescue, |
| You, his false hopes, the trust of England's honour, | 20 |
| Keep off aloof with worthless emulation. |
| Let not your private discord keep away |
| The levied succors that should lend him aid, |
| While he, renowned noble gentleman, |
| Yields up his life unto a world of odds: | 25 |
| Orleans the Bastard, Charles, Burgundy, |
| Alencon, Reignier, compass him about, |
| And Talbot perisheth by your default. |
| SOMERSET | York set him on; York should have sent him aid. |
| LUCY | And York as fast upon your grace exclaims; | 30 |
| Swearing that you withhold his levied host, |
| Collected for this expedition. |
| SOMERSET | 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. | 35 |
| LUCY | The fraud of England, not the force of France, |
| Hath now entrapp'd the noble-minded Talbot:
|
| Never to England shall he bear his life; |
| But dies, betray'd to fortune by your strife. |
| SOMERSET | Come, go; I will dispatch the horsemen straight: | 40 |
| Within six hours they will be at his aid. |
| LUCY | Too late comes rescue: he is ta'en or slain; |
| For fly he could not, if he would have fled; |
| And fly would Talbot never, though he might. |
| SOMERSET | If he be dead, brave Talbot, then adieu! | 45 |
| LUCY | His fame lives in the world, his shame in you. |
| [Exeunt] |
The Essential Student History Quiz (with answers and illustrations)