We are but warriors for the working-day :1 ransom. Enter the Duke of York. York. My lord, most humbly on my knee I beg The leading of the vaward.4 K. Hen. Take it, brave York.-Now, soldiers, march away: And how thou pleasest, God, dispose the day! Pist. Yield, cur. Fr. Sol. Je pense, que vous estes le gentilhomme de bonne qualité. Pist. Quality, call you me?-Construe me, art thou a gentleman? What is thy name? discuss. Fr. Sol. O seigneur Dieu! | faites vous prest; car ce soldat icy est disposé tout à cette heure de couper vostre gorge. Pist. Ouy, couper gorge, par ma foy, peasant, Unless thou give me crowns, brave crowns; Or mangled shalt thou be by this my sword. Fr. Sol. O, je vous supplie pour l'amour de Dieu, me pardonner! Je suis gentilhomme de bonne maison: gardez ma vie, et je vous donneray deux cents escus. Pist. What are his words? Boy. He prays you to save his life: he is a gentleman of a good house; and for his ransom, he will give you two hundred crowns. Pist. Tell him,-my fury shall abate, and I The crowns will take. Fr. Sol. Petit monsieur, que dit-il? Boy. Encore qu'il est contre son jurement, de pardonner aucun prisonnier; neantmoins, pour les escus que vous l'avez promis, il est content de vous donner la liberté, le franchisement. Fr. Sol. Sur mes genoux, je vous donne mille remerciemens: et je m'estime heureux que je suis tombé entre les mains d'un chevalier, je pense, le plus brave, valiant, et tres distingué seigneur d'Angleterre. Pist. Expound unto me, boy. Boy. He gives you, upon his knees, a thousand thanks: and he esteems himself happy that he hath fallen into the hands of (as he thinks) the most brave, valorous, and thrice-worthy signieur of England. Pist. As I suck blood, I will some mercy show.Follow me, cur. [Exit Pistol. Boy. Suivez vous le grand capitaine. [Exit French Soldier. I did never know so full a voice issue from so empty a heart: but the saying is true,-The empty vessel makes the greatest sound. Bardolph, and Nym, had ten times more valour than this roaring devil Pist. O, signieur Dew should be a gentleman:-i'the old play, that every one may pare his nails Perpend my words, O signieur Dew, and mark; O signieur Dew, thou diest on point of fox,5 Except, O signieur, thou do give to me Egregious ransom. Fr. Sol. O, prennez misericorde! ayez pitié de moy! Pist. Moy shall not serve, I will have forty moys; For I will fetch thy rims out at thy throat, In drops of crimson blood. Fr. Sol. Est il impossible d'eschapper la force de ton bras? Pist. Brass, cur! Thou damned and luxurious? mountain goat, Fr. Sol. O pardonnez moy! Pist. Say'st thou me so? is that a ton of moys ?8 Come hither, boy; Ask me this slave in French, What is his name. Boy. Escoutez; Comment estes vous appellé ? Fr. Sol. Monsieur le Fer. Boy. He says, his name is-master Fer. Pist. Master Fer! I'll fer him, and firk? him, and, ferret him :-discuss the same in French unto him. Boy. I do not know the French for fer, and ferret, and firk. Pist. Bid him prepare, for I will cut his throat. Fr. Sol. Que dit-il, monsieur? Boy. Il me commande de vous dire que vous (1) We are soldiers but coarsely dressed. (5) An old cant word for a sword, so called from famous sword-cutler of the name of Fox. with a wooden dagger; and they are both hanged; and so would this be, if he durst steal any thing adventurously. I must stay with the lackeys, with the baggage of our camp: the French might have a good prey of us, if he knew of it; for there is none to guard it, but boys. [Exit. SCENE V-Another part of the field of battle. Alarums. Enter Dauphin, Orleans, Bourbon, Constable, Rambures, and others. His fairest daughter is contaminate. Gower: What call you the town's name where Gow. Alexander the great. Con. Disorder, that hath spoil'd us, friend us now! Alexander the pig was born? Orl. We are enough, yet living in the field, Bour. The devil take order now! I'll to the Let life be short; else, shame will be too long. ter, and others. [Exeunt. K. Hen. Well have we done, thrice-valiant countrymen : But all's not done, yet keep the French the field. Exe. The duke of York commends him to your majesty. Flu. Why, I pray you, is not pig, great? The pig, or the great, or the mighty, or the huge, or the magnanimous, are all one reckonings, save the phrase is a little variations. Gow. I think, Alexander the great was born in Macedon; his father was called-Philip of Macedon, as I take it. Flu. I think, it is in Macedon, where Alexander is porn. I tell you, captain,—If you look in the SCENE VI-Another part of the field.Alarums. Enter King Henry and forces; Exe-maps of the 'orld, I warrant, you shall find, in the comparisons between Macedon and Monmouth, that the situations, look you, is both alike. There is a river in Macedon; and there is also moreover a river at Monmouth; it is called Wye, at Monmouth: but it is out of my prains, what is the name of the other river; but 'tis all one, 'tis so like as my fingers is to my fingers, and there is salmons in both. If you mark Alexander's life well, Harry of Monmouth's life is come after it indifferent well; for there is figures in all things. Alexander (God knows, and you know,) in his rages, and his furies, and his wraths, and his cholers, and his moods, and his displeasures, and his indignations, and also being a little intoxicates in his prains, did, in his ales and his angers, look you, kill his pest friend, Clytus. Gow. Our king is not like him in that he never killed any of his friends. K. Hen. Lives he, good uncle? thrice, within I saw him down; thrice up again, and fighting; Exe. In which array (brave soldier) doth he lie, Suffolk first died; and York, all haggled over, The pretty and sweet manner of it forc'd Those waters from me, which I would have stopp'd; Flu. It is not well done, mark you now, to take tales out of my mouth, ere it is made an end and finished. I speak but in the figures and comparisons of it: As Alexander is kill his friend Clytus, being in his ales and his cups; so also Harry Monmouth, in right wits and his goot judgments, is turn away the fat knight with the great pelly-doublet: he was full of jests, and gipes, and knaveries, and mocks; I am forget his name. Gow. Sir John Falstaff. Flu. That is he: I can tell you, there is goot men porn at Monmouth. Gow. Here comes his majesty. Alarum. Enter King Henry, with a part of the English forces; Warwick, Gloster, Exeter, and others. K. Hen. I was not angry since I came to France Until this instant.-Take a trumpet, herald; Ride thou unto the horsemen on yon hill; If they will fight with us, bid them come down, Or void the field; they do offend our sight: If they'll do neither, we will come to them, And make them skirr2 away, as swift as stones Enforced from the old Assyrian slings: Besides, we'll cut the throats of those we have; And not a man of them, that we shall take, SCENE VII.—Another part of the field. Alar-Shall taste our mercy :-Go, and tell them so. I blame you not; [Exeunt. ums. Enter Fluellen and Gower. Flu. Kill the poys and the luggage! 'tis expressly against the law of arms: 'tis as arrant a piece of knavery, mark you now, as can be offered, in the 'orld: In your conscience now, is it not? Gow. 'Tis certain, there's not a boy left alive; and the cowardly rascals, that ran from the battle, have done this slaughter: besides, they have burned and carried away all that was in the king's tent; wherefore the king, most worthily, hath caused every soldier to cut his prisoner's throat. O, 'tis a gallant king! Flu. Ay, he was porn at Monmouth, captain (2) Scour. (1) Reached. Enter Montjoy. (So do our vulgar drench their peasant limbs K. Hen. tation is as arrant a villain, and a Jack sauce, as ever his plack shoe trod upon Got's ground and his earth, in my conscience, la. K. Hen. Then keep thy vow, sirrah, when thou king,meet'st the fellow. I tell thee truly, herald, I know not, if the day be ours, or no; For yet a many of your horsemen peer, And gallop o'er the field. Mont. The day is yours. K. Hen. Praised be God, and not our strength, for it! What is this castle call'd, that stands hard by? Mont. They call it-Agincourt. K. Hen. Then call we this-the field of Agin court, Fought on the day of Crispin Crispianus. Flu. Your grandfather of famous memory, an't please your majesty, and your great-uncle Edward the plack prince of Wales, as I have read in the chronicles, fought a most prave pattle here in France. K. Hen. They did, Fluellen. Flu. Your majesty says very true: if your majesties is remembered of it, the Welshman did goot service in a garden where leeks did grow, wearing leeks in their Monmouth caps; which, your majesty knows, to this hour is an honourable padge of the service; and, I do believe, your majesty takes no scorn to wear the leek upon Saint Tavy's day. K. Hen, I wear it for a memorable honour: For I am Welsh, you know, good countryman. Flu. All the water in Wye cannot wash your majesty's Welsh plood out of your pody, I can tell you that: Got pless it and preserve it, as long as it pleases his grace, and his majesty too! K. Hen. Thanks, good my countryman. Flu. By Cheshu, I am your majesty's countryman, I care not who know it; I will confess it to all the 'orld: I need not to be ashamed of your majesty, praised be Got, so long as your majesty is an honest man. K. Hen. God keep me so !-Our heralds go with him; Bring me just notice of the numbers dead [Points to Williams. Exe. Mont. and others. Exe. Soldier, you must come to the king. K. Hen. Soldier, why wear'st thou that glove in thy cap? Will. An't please your majesty, 'tis the gage of one that I should fight withal, if he be alive. K. Hen. An Englishman? Will. An't please your majesty, a rascal, that swaggered with me last night: who, if 'a live, and ever dare to challenge this glove, I have sworn to take him a box o'the ear: or, if I can see my glove in his cap (which he swore, as he was a soldier, he would wear, if alive,) I will strike it out soundly. K. Hen. What think you, captain Fluellen? is it fit this soldier keep his oath? Flu. He is a craven and a villain else, an't please your majesty, in my conscience. K. Hen. It may be, his enemy is a gentleman of great sort,2 quite from the answer of his degree. Flu. Though he be as goot a gentleman as the tevil is, as Lucifer and Belzebub himself, it is necessary, look your grace, that he keep his vow and his oath: if he be perjured, see you now, his repu(2) High rank. (1) Coward. Will. So I will, my liege, as I live. K. Hen. Who servest thou under? Will. Under captain Gower, my liege. Flu. Gower is a goot captain; and is goot knowledge and literature in the wars. for K. Hen. Call him hither to me, soldier. Will. I will, my liege. [Exit. K. Hen. Here, Fluellen; wear thou this favour me, and stick it in thy cap: When Alençon and myself were down together, I plucked this glove from his helm: if any man challenge this, he is a friend to Alençon and an enemy to our person; if thou encounter any such, apprehend him, an thou dost love me. Flu. Your grace does me as great honours, as can be desired in the hearts of his subjects: I would fain see the man, that has but two legs, that shall find himself aggriefed at this glove, that is all; but I would fain see it once; an please Got of his grace, that I might see it. K. Hen. Knowest thou Gower? Flu. He is my dear friend, an please you. K. Hen. Pray thee, go seek him, and bring him to my tent. Flu. I will fetch him. [Exit. K. Hen. My lord of Warwick,-and my brother Gloster, Follow Fluellen closely at the heels: Will. I warrant, it is to knight you, captain. Flu. Got's will and his pleasure, captain, I peseech you now, come apace to the king: there is more goot toward you, peradventure, than is in your knowledge to dream of. Will. Sir, know you this glove? Flu. Know the glove? I know, the glove is a glove. Will. I know this; and thus I challenge it. [Strikes him. Flu. 'Sblud, an arrant traitor, as any's in the universal 'orld, or in France, or in England. Gow. How now, sir? you villain! Will. Do you think I'll be forsworn? treason his payment into plows, I warrant you. Flu. Stand away, captain Gower; I will give Will. I am no traitor. Flu. That's a lie in thy throat.-I charge you in of the duke Alençon's. his majesty's name, apprehend him; he's a friend Enter Warwick and Gloster. War. How now, how now! what's the matter. (3) For saucy Jack. Flu. My lord of Warwick, here is (praised be Got || One hundred twenty-six: added to chese, for it!) a most contagious treason come to light, look you, as you shall desire in a summer's day. Here is his majesty. Enter King Henry and Exeter. Of knights, esquires, and gallant gentlemen, And gentlemen of blood and quality. K. Hen. How now! what's the matter? Flu. My liege, here is a villain and a traitor, that, look your grace, has struck the glove which your majesty is take out of the helmet of Alençon. Will. My liege, this was my glove; here is the fellow of it: and he, that I gave it to in change, promised to wear it in his cap; I promised to strike him, if he did: met this man with my glove in his сар, and I have been as good as my word. Flu. Your majesty hear now (saving your ma-John duke of Alençon; Antony duke of Brabant, jesty's manhood,) what an arrant, rascally, beg-The brother to the duke of Burgundy; garly, lowsy knave it is: I hope, your majesty is And Edward duke of Bar: of lusty earls, pear me testimony, and witness, and avouchments, Grandpré, and Roussi, Fauconberg, and Foix, that this is the glove of Alençon, that your majes-Beaumont, and Marle, Vaudemont, and Lestrale. ty is give me, in your conscience now. Here was a royal fellowship of death!Where is the number of our English dead? K. Hen. Give me thy glove, soldier: Look, here is the fellow of it. 'Twas I, indeed, thou promised'st to strike; and thou hast given me most bitter terms. Flu. An please your majesty, let his neck answer|| for it, if there is any martial law in the 'orld. K. Hen. How canst thou make me satisfaction? Will. All offences, my liege, come from the heart: never came any from mine, that might offend your majesty. K. Hen. It was ourself thou didst abuse. Will. Your majesty came not like yourself: you appeared to me but as a common man; witness the night, your garments, your lowliness; and what your highness suffered under that shape, I beseech you, take it for your own fault, and not mine: for had you been as I took you for, I made no offence; therefore, I beseech your highness, pardon me. K. Hen. Here, uncle Exeter, fill this glove with crowns, And give it to this fellow.-Keep it, fellow; you. Will. I will none of your money. Flu. It is with a goot will; I can tell you, it will serve you to mend your shoes: Come, wherefore should you be so pashful? your shoes is not so goot: 'tis a good silling, I warrant you, or I will change it. Enter an English Herald. K. Hen. Now, herald; are the dead number'd? Exe. Charles duke of Orleans, nephew to the king; K. Hen. This note doth tell me of ten thousand That in the field lie slain of princes, in this And nobles bearing banners, there lie dead (1) An officer who walks first in processions. [Herald presents another paper. 'Tis wonderful! Exe. And be it death proclaimed through our host, Flu. Is it not lawful, an please your majesty, to tell how many is killed? K. Hen. Yes, captain; but with this acknowledgement, That God fought for us. Flu. Yes, my conscience, he did us great goot. You may imagine him upon Blackheath : To welcome him? much more, and much more cause, Did they this Harry. Now in London place him; The interim, by remembering you-'tis past. [Exit. SCENE I-France. An English court of guard. Enter Fluellen and Gower. Gow. Nay, that's right; but why wear you your leek to-day? Saint Davy's day is past. Flu. There is occasions and causes why and wherefore in all things: I will tell you, as my friend, captain Gower; The rascally, scald, beggarly; lowsy, pragging knave, Pistol,-which you and yourself, and all the 'orld, know to be no petter than a fellow, look you now, of no merits, he is come to me, and prings me pread and salt yesterday, look you, and pid me eat my leek: it was in a place where I could not breed no contentions with him; but I will be so pold as to wear it in my cap till I see him once again, and then I will tell him a little piece of my desires. Enter Pistol. Gow. Why, here he comes, swelling like a turkey-cock. Flu. 'Tis no matter for his swellings, nor his turkey-cocks.-Got pless you, ancient Pistol! you scurvy, lowsy knave, Got pless you! Pist. Ha! art thou Bedlam? dost thou thirst, base Trojan, To have me fold up Parca's fatal web ?6 Hence! I am qualmish at the smell of leek. Flu. I peseech you heartily, scurvy lowsy knave, at my desires, and my requests, and my petitions, to eat, look you, this leek; because, look you, you do not love it, nor your affections, and your appetites, and your digestions, does not agree with it, I would desire you to eat it. (1) i. e. To order it to be borne. (2) Transferring all the honours of conquest from himself to God. (3) Similitude. (4) The earl of Essex in the reign of Elizabeth. Pist. Not for Cadwallader, and all his goats. Flu. There is one goat for you. [Strikes him. Will you be so goot, scald knave, as eat it? Pist. Base Trojan, thou shalt die. Flu. You say very true, scald knave, when Got's will is: I will desire you to live in the mean time, and eat your victuals; come, there is sauce for it. [Striking him again.] You called me yesterday, mountain-squire; but I will make you to-day a squire of low degree. I pray you, fall to; if you can mock a leek, you can eat a leek. Gow. Enough, captain; you have astonished? him. Flu. Yes, certainly; and out of doubt, and out of questions too, and ambiguities. Pist. By this leek, I will most horribly revenge; I eat, and eke I swear Flu. Eat, I pray you: Will you have some more sauce to your leek? there is not enough leek to swear by. Pist. Quiet thy cudgel; thou dost see, I eat. Flu. Much goot do you, scald knave, heartily. Nay, 'pray you, throw none away; the skin is goot for your proken coxcomb. When you take occasions to see leeks hereafter, I pray you, mock at them; that is all. Pist. Good. Flu. Ay, leeks is goot :-Hold you, there is a groat to heal your pate. Pist. Me a groat! Flu. Yes, verily, and in truth, you shall take it; shall eat. or I have another leek in my pocket, which you Pist. I take thy groat, in earnest of revenge. cudgels; you shall be a woodmonger, and buy Flu. If I owe you any thing, I will pay you in nothing of me but cudgels. God be wi' you, and keep you, and heal your pate. [Exit. Pist. All bell shall stir for this. knave. Will you mock at an ancient tradition,Gow. Go, go; you are a counterfeit cowardly begun upon an honourable respect, and worn as a memorable trophy of predeceased valour,-and have seen you gleekings and galling at this gendare not avouch in your deeds any of your words? I tleman twice or thrice. You thought, because he could not speak English in the native garb, he could not therefore handle an English cudgel: you find it otherwise; and, henceforth, let a Welsh cor rection teach you a good English condition. Fare ye well. [Exit. Pist. Doth fortune play the huswife10 with me now? News have I, that my Nell is dead i'the spital" And there my rendezvous is quite cut off. |