Divide our happy England into four,
Whereof take you one quarter into France;
And you withal fhall make all Gallia fhake:
If we, with thrice fuch powers left at home,
Cannot defend our own doors from the dog,
Let us be worried; and our Nation lofe
The name of hardiness and policy.

K. Henry. Call in the meffengers, fent from the
Dauphin.

Now are we well refolv'd; and by God's help
And yours, the noble finews of our power,
France being ours, we'll bend it to our awe,
Or break it all to pieces. There we'll fit,
Ruling in large and ample empery,

O'er France, and all her almoft kingly Dukedoms;
Or lay these bones in an unworthy urn,
Tomblefs, with no remembrance over them.
Either our Hiftory fhall with full mouth
Speak freely of our acts; or elfe our grave,
Like Turkish mute, fhall have a tongueless mouth;
Not worship, with a waxen epitaph.

Enter Ambaffadors of France.

Now are we well prepar'd to know the pleasure
Of our fair coufin Dauphin; for we hear,
Your greeting is from him, not from the King.
Amb. May't please your Majefty to give us leave
Freely to render what we have in charge:
Or fhall we fparingly fhew you far off
The Dauphin's meaning, and our embassy?

K. Henry. We are no tyrant, but a christian King,
Unto whofe grace our paffion is as subject,
As are our wretches fetter'd in our prifons:
Therefore, with frank and with uncurbed plainnefs,
Tell us the Dauphin's mind.

VOL. V.

L

Amb.

Amb. Thus then, in few.

Your Highnefs, lately fending into France,
Did claim fome certain Dukedoms in the right
Of your great predecessor, Edward the third.
In answer of which claim, the Prince our master
Says, that you favour too much of your youth;
And bids you be advis'd: there's nought in France,
That can be with a nimble galliard won;

You cannot revel into Dukedoms there:
He therefore fends you (meeter for your spirit)
This tun of treasure; and in lieu of this,
Defires you, let the Dukedoms, that you claim,
Hear no more of you. This the Dauphin speaks.
K. Henry. What treafure, uncle?

Exe. Tennis-balls, my Liege.

K. Henry. We're glad, the Dauphin is so pleasant with us.

His prefent, and your pains, we thank you for.
When we have match'd our rackets to these balls,
We will in France, by God's grace, play a fet,

Shall ftrike his father's Crown into the hazard.
Tell him, h'ath made a match with fuch a wrangler,
That all the Courts of France will be disturb'd
With chafes. And we understand him well,
How he comes o'er us with our wilder days;
Not measuring, what use we made of them.
We never valu'd this poor feat of England,
And therefore, living hence, did give ourfelf
To barb'rous licence; as 'tis ever common,
That men are merrieft, when they are from home.
But tell the Dauphin, I will keep my State,
Be like a King, and fhew my fail of Greatnefs;
When I do rouse me in my throne of France.
For that I have laid by my Majesty,
And plodded like a man for working days;
But I will rife there with fo full a glory,
That I will dazzle all the eyes of France;
Yea, frike the Dauphin blind to look on us.

And

And tell the pleasant Prince, this mock of his
Hath turn'd his balls to gun-ftones; and his foul
Shall ftand fore charged for the wafteful vengeance
That fhall fly with them: many thousand widows,
Shall this his Mock mock out of their dear husband;
Mock mothers from their fons, mock caftles down:
And some are yet ungotten and unborn,

That shall have cause to curfe the Dauphin's fcorn.
But this lies all within the will of God,
To whom I do appeal; and in whose name,
Tell you the Dauphin, I am coming on
To 'venge me as I may; and to put forth
My rightful hand in a well-hallow'd caufe.
So get you hence in peace; and tell the Dauphin,
His jeft will favour but of fhallow wit,

When thousands weep, more than did laugh at it.
Convey them with fafe conduct. Fare
Fare ye well.
[Exeunt Ambaffadors.
Exe. This was a merry message.

K. Henry. We hope to make the fender blufh at it:
Therefore, my lords, omit no happy hour,
That may give furth'rance to our expedition;
For we have now no thoughts in us but France,
Save those to God, that run before our business,
Therefore, let our porportions for these wars
Be foon collected, and all things thought upon,
That may with reasonable swiftness add
More feathers to our wings; for, God before,
We'll chide this Dauphin at his father's door.
Therefore let every man now task his thought,
That this fair action may on foot be brought. [Exeunt.

Before QUICKLY's House in East-cheap.

Enter Corporal Nim, and Lieutenant Bardolph.

BARDOLP H.

WE ELL met, Corporal Nim.

Nim. Good-morrow, Lieutenant Bardolph. Bard. What, are Ancient Piftol and you friends yet?

Nim. For my part, I care not: I fay little; but when time shall serve, there shall be. [+fmiles] But that fhall be as it may. I dare not fight, but I will wink and hold out mine iron; it is a fimple one; but what though? it will toaft cheese, and it will endure cold as another man's fword will; and there's an end.

Bard. I will beftow a breakfaft to make you friends, and we'll be all three fworn brothers to France: let it. be fo, good corporal Nim.

Nim. Faith, I will live fo long as I may, that's the certain of it; and when I cannot live any longer, I will do as I may; that is my reft, that is the ren

dezvous of it.

Bard. It is certain, corporal, that he is married to Nel Quickly; and certainly fhe did you wrong, for you were troth-plight to her.

Nim. I cannot tell, things must be as they may;

*SCENE IV.] Between this and the foregoing Scene, in all the Editions hitherto, is inferted the Chorus which I have poftponed. That Chorus manifeftly is intended to advertise the Spectators of the Change of the Scene to Southampton, and therefore ought to be placed juft before that Change, and not here, where the Scene is ftill continued in London.

there fhall be fmiles] I fufpe& smiles to be a marginal Direction crept into the Text. It is natural for a Man, when he threatens, to break off abruptly, and couclude, But that shall be as it may. But this fantaftical Fellow is made to fmile difdainfully while he threatens; which Circumftance was marked for the Player's Direction in the Margin. Mr. Warburton.

men

men may fleep, and they may have their throats about them at that time; and some say, knives have edges: it must be as it may; tho' patience be a tir'd Dame, yet she will plod; there must be conclufions; well, I cannot tell,

Enter Pistol and Quickly.

Bard. Here comes ancient Pistol and his wife; good corporal, be patient here. How now, mine hoft Piftol?

Pift. Bafe tyke, call'ft thou me hoft? now by this hand, I fwear, I fcorn the term; nor fhall my Nel keep lodgers.

Quick. No, by my troth, not long: for we cannot lodge and board a dozen or fourteen gentlewomen, that live honeftly by the prick of their needles, but it will be thought we keep a bawdy-houfe ftraight. O welliday lady, if he be not drawn! Now we shall fee wilful adultery, and murder committed.

Bard. Good lieutenant, good corporal, offer nothing here.

Nim. Pifh!

Pift. Pifh for thee, Iland dog; thou prick-ear'd cur of Island.

Quick. Good corporal Nim, fhew thy valour and put up thy fword."

Nim. Will you fhog off? I would have you folus.
Pift. Solus, egregious dog! O viper vile !

The folus in thy moft marvellous face,

The folus in thy teeth, and in thy throat,

And in thy hateful lungs; yea, in thy maw, perdy;

And, which is worse, within thy nafty mouth.
I do retort the folus in thy bowels;

For I can take, and Pistol's cock is up,

And flashing fire will follow.

Nim. I am not Barbafon, you cannot conjure me: I have an humour to knock you indifferently well; if you grow foul with me, Piftol, I will scour

you with