The Complete Works of William Shakespeare · William Shakespeare
SCENE III. Plains in Gascony.
Enter a Messenger that meets York. Enter York with trumpet and many soldiers YORK. Are not the speedy scouts return’d again That dogg’d the mighty army of the Dauphin? MESSENGER. They are return’d, my lord, and give it out That he is march’d to Bordeaux 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, Which join’d with him and made their march for Bordeaux. [_Exit._] YORK. A plague upon that villain Somerset That thus delays my promised supply Of horsemen that were levied for this siege! Renowned Talbot doth expect my aid, And I am louted by a traitor villain And cannot help the noble chevalier. God comfort him in this necessity! If he miscarry, farewell wars in France. Enter Sir William Lucy. LUCY. Thou princely leader of our English strength, Never so needful on the earth of France, Spur to the rescue of the noble Talbot, Who now is girdled with a waist of iron, And hemm’d about with grim destruction. To Bordeaux, warlike Duke! To Bordeaux, York! Else farewell, Talbot, France, and England’s honour. YORK. O God, that Somerset, who in proud heart Doth stop my cornets, were in Talbot’s place! So should we save a valiant gentleman By forfeiting a traitor and a coward. Mad ire and wrathful fury makes me weep That thus we die while remiss traitors sleep.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.