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In that nook-shotten' isle of Albion.

[mettle?

Con. Dieu de batailles! where have they this
Is not their climate foggy, raw, and dull;
On whom, as in despight, the sun looks pale,
Killing their fruit with frowns? Can sodden water, 5
A drench for sur-reyn'd' jades, their barley broth,
Decoct their cold blood to such valiant heat?
And shall our quick blood, spirited with wine,
Seem frosty? Oh, for honour of our land,
Let us not hang like roping icicles
Upon the houses' thatch, whiles a more frosty peo-
Sweat drops of gallant youth in our rich fields;
Poor-we may call them, in their native lords.

Dau. By faith and honour,

Our madams mock at us; and plainly say,
Our mettle is bred out; and they will give
Their bodies to the lust of English youth,
To new store France with bastard warriors.

[ple 10

Bour. They bid us-to the English dancing-
schools,

And teach lavoltas' high, and swift corantos;
Saying, our grace is only in our heels,
And that we are most lofty run aways.

Fr.King. Where is Montjoy, the herald? speed
him hence;

Let him greet England with our sharp defiance.-
Up, princes; and, with spirit of honouredg'd,
More sharper than your swords, hie to the field:
Charles De-la-bret, high constable of France;
You dukes of Orleans, Bourbon, and of Berry,
Alençon, Brabant, Bar, and Burgundy;
Jaques Chatillion, Rambures, Vaudemont,
Beaumont, Grandpré, Roussi, and Fauconberg,
Foix, Lestrale, Bouciqualt, and Charolois;

Now, forth, lord constable, and princes all:
And quickly bring us word of England's fall.
[Exeunt.

SCENE VI.
The English Camp.

Enter Gower and Fluellen.

Gow. How now, captain Fluellen? come you from the bridge?

Flu. I assure you there is very excellent service committed at the pridge.

Gow. Is the duke of Exeter safe?

Flu. The duke of Exeter is as magnanimous as Agamemnon; and a man that I love and honour 15 with my soul, and my heart, and my duty, and my life, and my livings, and my uttermost powers: he is not (Got be praised and plessed!) any hurt in the 'orld; but keeps the pridge most valiantly, with excellent discipline. There is an ancient 20 lieutenant there at the pridge,-I think in my very conscience, he is as valiant a man as Mark Antony; and he is a man of no estimation in the 'orld; but I did see him do gallant services. Gow. What do you call him?

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High dukes, great princes, barons, lords, and 35
knights,

For your great seats, now quit you of great shames.
Bar Harry England, that sweeps through our land
With pennons painted in the blood of Harfleur:
Rush on his host, as doth the melted snow
Upon the vallies; whose low vassal seat
The Alps doth spit and void his rheum upon:
Go down upon him,-you have power enough,—
And in a captive-chariot, into Roan
Bring him our prisoner.

Con. This becomes the great.
Sorry am I, his numbers are so few,

His soldiers sick, and famish'd in their march;
For I am sure, when he shall see our army,
He'll drop his heart into the sink of fear,
And, for atchievement, offer us his ransom.
Fr. King. Therefore, lord constable, haste on
Montjoy;

And let him say to England, that we send
To know what willing ransom he will give.-
Prince Dauphin, you shall stay with us in Roan.
Dau. Not so, I do beseech your majesty.
Fr.King. Be patient, for you shall remain with

us.

40

Flu. He is call'd-ancient Pistol.
Gow. I know him not.

Enter Pistol.

Flu. Do you not know him? Here comes the

man.

Pist. Captain, I beseech thee to do me favours: The duke of Exeter doth love thee well.

Flu. Ay, I praise Got; and I have merited some love at his hands.

Pist. Bardolph, a soldier firm and sound at heart,
Of buxom valour, hath,-by cruel fate,
And giddy fortune's furious fickle wheel,
That goddess blind,

That stands upon the rolling restless stone,

Flu. By your patience, ancient Pistol. Fortune is painted plind, with a muffler before her eyes, to signify to you, that fortune is plind: And she is painted also with a wheel; to signify to you, which is the moral of it, that she is turning, and inconstant, and mutabilities, and variations; and 45 her foot, look you, is fixed upon a spherical stone, which rolls, and rolls, and rolls:-In good truth, the poet makes a most excellent description of fortune: fortune, look you, is an excellent moral.. Pist. Fortune is Bardolph's foe, and frowns on him;

50

For he hath stolen a pår, and hang'd must ’a be.
Damn'd death!

Let gallows gape for dog, let man go free,
And let not hemp his wind-pipe suffocate:
55 But Exeter hath given the doom of death,
For pix of little price.

Therefore, go speak, the duke will hear thy voice:
And let not Bardolph's vital thread be cut
With edge of penny-cord, and vile reproach:

› Shotten signifies any thing projected: so nook-shotten isle is an isle that shoots out into capes, promontories, and necks of land, the very figure of Great Britain. i. e. over-ridden horses. Hanmer observes, that in this dance there was much turning and much capering. * Pennons armorial were sinall flags, on which the arms, device, and motto of a knight were painted. Pennon means the same as pendant. i. e. valour under good command, obedient to its superiors.

Speak,

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Flu. The perdition of th' athversary hath been very great, very reasonable great: marry, for my part, I think the duke hath lost never a man, but one that is like to be executed for robbing a church, one Bardolph, if your majesty know the man: his face is all bubukles, and whelks, and knobs, and flames of fire: and his lips plows at his nose, and it is like a coal of fire, sometimes plue and sometimes red; but his nose is executed, and his

Pist. Die and be damn'd; and figo for thy 10 fire's out. friendship!

Flu. It is well.

Pist. The fig' of Spain!

Flu. Very good.

[Exit Pistol.

Gow. Why, this is an arrant counterfeit rascal: 15 I remember him now; a bawd, a cut-purse.

Flu. I'll assure you, 'a utter'd as prave 'ords at the pridge, as you shall see in a summer's day: But it is very well; what he has spoke to me, that is well, I warrant you, when time is serve.

20

Gow. Why, 'is a gull, a fool, a rogue; that now and then goes to the wars, to grace himself, at his return into London, under the form of a soldier. And such fellows are perfect in the great commanders' names: and they will learn you by 25 rote, where services were done;-at such and such a sconce, at such a breach, at such a convoy ;| who came off bravely, who was shot, who disgrac'd, what terms the enemy stood on; and this they con perfectly in the phrase of war, which they 30 trick up with new-tuned oaths: And what a beard of the general's cut, and a horrid suit' of the camp, will do among foaming bottles, and alewash'd wits, is wonderful to be thought on! But you must learn to know such slanders of the age, 35 or else you may be marvellously mistook.

Flu. I tell you what, captain Gower;-I do perceive, he is not the man that he would gladly make shew to the 'orld he is; if I find a hole in his coat, I will tell him my mind. Hear you, the 40 king is coming; and I must speak with him from the pridge.

Drum and colours. Enter the King, Gloster, and Soldiers.

Flu. Got pless your majesty!

K. Henry. How now, Fluellin? cam'st thou

from the bridge?

45

Flu. Ay, so please your majesty. The duke of Exeter has very gallantly maintain'd the pridge: the French is gone off, look you; and there is gal-50| lants and most prave passages: Marry, th'athversary was have possession of the pridge; but he is enforced to retire, and the duke of Exeter is master of the pridge: I can tell your majesty, the duke is a prave man.

K. Henry. What men have you lost, Fluellen

2

K. Henry. We would have all such offenders so cut off-and we give express charge, that, in our marches through the country, there be nothing compelled from the villages, nothing taken but paid for; none of the French upbraided, or abused in disdainful language; For when lenity and cruelty play for a kingdom, the gentlest gamester is the soonest winner.

Tucket sounds. Enter Montjoy.
Mont. You know me by my habit'.
K. Henry. Well then, I know thee; What shall
I know of thee?
Mont. My master's mind.
K. Henry. Unfold it.

Mont. Thus says my king:-Say thou to Harry of England, Though we seemed dead, we did but sleep; Advantage is a better soldier, than rashness. Tell him, we could have rebuk'd him at Harfleur; but that we thought not good to bruise an injury, till it were full ripe:--now we speak upon our cue", and our voice is imperial: England shall repent his folly, see his weakness, and admire our sufferance. Bid him, therefore, consider of his ransom; which must proportion the losses we have borne, the subjects we have lost, the disgrace we have digested; which, in weight to re-answer, his pettiness would bow under. For our losses, his exchequer is too poor; for the effusion of our blood, the muster of his kingdom too faint a number; and for our disgrace, his own person, kneeling at our feet, but a weak and worthless satisfaction. To this add-defiance: and tell him, for conclusion, he hath betray'd his followers, whose condemnation is pronounced. So far my king and master; so much my office.

K. Henry. What is thy name? I know thy
quality.
Mont. Montjoy.

K. Henry. Thou dost thy office fairly. Turn
thee back,

And tell thy king,-I do not seek him now; But could be willing to march on to Calais Without impeachment': for, to say the sooth, (Though 'tis no wisdom to confess so much 55 Unto an enemy of craft and vantage)

My people are with sickness much enfeebled;

This alludes to the custom of giving poison'd figs to those who were the objects either of Spanish or Italian revenge. A sconce appears to have been some hasty, rude, inconsiderable kind of fortification. The 4tos 1600, &c. read-a horrid shout of the camp. Montjoie is the title of the

first king at arms in France, as Garter is in our own country. "That is, by my herald's coat. our turn. This phrase the author learned among players, and has imparted it to kings. hindrance.

• In 'i. e.

My

My numbers lessen'd; and those few I have,
Alinost no better than so many French;
Who when they were in health, I tell thee, herald,
I thought, upon one pair of English legs
Did march three Frenchmen.-Yet, forgive me
God,

bour,

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10

That I do brag thus!-this your air of France
Hath blown that vice in me; I must repent.
Go, therefore, tell thy master,--here I am;
My ransom, is this frail and worthless trunk;
My army, but a weak and sickly guard;
Yet, God before', tell him we will come on,
Though France himself, and such another neigh-
[joy.
Stand in our way. There's for thy labour, Mont- 15
Go, bid thy master well advise himself:
If we may pass, we will; if we be hinder'd,
We shall your tawny ground with your red blood
Discolour: and so, Montjoy, fare you well.
The sum of all our answer is but this:
We would not seek a battle, as we are;
Nor, as we are, we say, we will not shun it;
So tell your master.

Mont. I shall deliver so. Thanks to your high

ness.

Orl. He's of the colour of the nutmeg. Dau. And of the heat of the ginger. It is a beast for Perseus: he is pure air and fire; and the dull elements of earth and water never appear in him, but only in patient stillness, while This rider mounts him: he is, indeed, a horse; and all other jades you may call-beasts'.

Con. Indeed, my lord, it is a most absolute and excellent horse.

Dau. It is the prince of palfreys; his neigh is like the bidding of a monarch, and his countenance enforces homage.

Orl. No more, cousin.

Dau. Nay, the man hath no wit, that cannot, from the rising of the lark to the lodging of the lamb, vary deserved praise on my palfrey: it is a theme as fluent as the sea: turn the sands into eloquent tongues, and my horse is argument for them all: 'tis a subject for a sovereign to reason 20 on, and for a sovereign's sovereign to ride on; and for the world (familiar to us, and unknown) to lay apart their particular functions, and wonder at him. I once writ a sonnet in his praise, and began thus, Wonder of nature*,

[Exit. 25

Glo. I hope, they will not come upon us now. K. Henry. We are in God's hand, brother, not in theirs.

March to the bridge; it now draws toward
night:

Beyond the river we'll encamp ourselves;
And on to-morrow bid them march away. [Exeunt.
SCENE VII.

The French Camp near Agincourt.
Enter the Constable of France, the Lord Ram-
bures,the Duke of Orleans, Dauphin,with others.
Con. Tut! I have the best armour of the world.-
Would it were day!

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35

Orl. You have an excellent armour; but let 40 my horse have his due.

Con. It is the best horse of Europe.

Orl. Will it never be morning? Dau. My lord of Orleans, and my lord high constable, you talk of horse and armour,

Orl. You are as well provided of both, as any prince in the world.

Orl. I have heard a sonnet begin so to one's mistress.

Dau. Then did they imitate that which I compos'd to my courser; for my horse is my mistress. Orl. Your mistress bears well.

Dau. Me well; which is the prescript praise and perfection of a good and particular mistress. Con. Ma foy! the other day, methought, your mistress shrewdly shook your back.

Dau. So, perhaps, did yours.

Con. Mine was not bridled.

Dau. O! then, belike, she was old and gentle; and you rode, like a kerne of Ireland, your French hose off, and in your strait trossers'.

Con. You have good judgement in horsemanship. Dau. Be warn'd by me, then: they that ride so, and ride not warily, fall into foul bogs; I had rather have my horse to my mistress.

Con. I had as lief have my mistress a jade. Dau. I tell thee, constable, my mistress wears 45 her own hair.

Dau. What a long night is this!--I will not change my horse with any that treads but on four pasterns. Ca, ha! He bounds' from the earth, as 50 if his entrails were hairs; le cheval volunt, the Pegasus, qui a les narines de feu! When I bestride him, I soar, I am a hawk: he trots the air; the earth sings when he touches it; the basest horn of his hoof is more musical than the 55 pipe of Hermes.

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This was an expression in that age for God being my guide, or, when used to another, God be thy guide. Alluding to the bounding of tennis-balls, which were stuff'd with hair, as appears from Much ado about Nothing: "And the old ornament of his cheek hath already stuff'd tennis-balls." Jade is sometimes used for a post-horse. Beast is always employed as a contemptuous distinction. 4 Here, probably, some foolish poem of our author's time is ridiculed. Trossers signifies a pair of breeches. Mr. Steevens observes, that the kerns, or peasants, of Ireland, anciently rode without breeches; and therefore strait trossers may mean only in their naked skin, which sits close to them.

Day.

my supe

fluously; and 'twere more honour, some were away.

Con. Even as your horse bears your praises: who would trot as well, were some of your brags dismounted.

the devil: have at the very ey 5with-A рох of the devil.

Dau. Would I were able to load him with his desert! Will it never be day? I will trot to-mor-10 row a mile, and my way shall be paved with English faces.

Con. I will not say so, for fear I should be fac'd out of my way: But I would it were morning, for I would fain be about the ears of the English. [15] Ram. Who will go to hazard with me for twenty English prisoners?

Con. You must first go yourself to hazard, ere you have them.

Dau. 'Tis midnight, I'll go arm myself. [Exit. 20
Orl. The Dauphin longs for morning.
Ram. He longs to eat the English.
Con. I think, he will eat all he kills.

Orl. By the white hand of my lady, he's a gallant prince.

Con. Swear by her foot, that she may tread out the oath.

Orl. He is simply the most active gentleman of France.

Orl. You are the better at much-A fool's bolt is soon sh Con. You have shot over. Orl. 'Tis not the first time y Enter a Messeng Mes. My lord high constabl within fifteen hundred paces of Con. Who hath measur'd the Mess. The lord Grandpré. Con. A valiant and most ex Would it were day!- -Alas, p land! he longs not for the dawn

Orl. What a wretched and this king of England, to mope v followers so far out of his knowl Con. If the English had any aj would run away.

Orl. That they lack; for if th intellectual armour, they could 25 heavy head-pieces.

Con. Doing is activity; and he will still be doing. 30
Orl. He never did harm, that I heard of.

Con. Nor will do none to-morrow; he will

keep that good man still.

Orl. I know him to be valiant.

Ram. That island of England ant creatures; their mastiffs ar courage.

Orl. Foolish curs! that run mouth of a Russian bear, and crush'd like rotten apples; you --that's a valiant flea, that dare on the lip of a lion.

Con. Just, just; and the mer

Con. I was told that, by one that knows him 35 with the mastiffs, in robustious a

better than you.

Orl. What's he?

Con. Marry, he told me so himself: and he said, he car'd hot who knew it.

Orl. He needs not, it is no hidden virtue in him. 40 Con. By my faith, sir, but it is; never any body saw it, but his lacquey: 'tis a hooded valour; and, when it appears, it will bate'.

Orl. Ill-will never said well.

Jon, leaving their wits with their give them great meals of beef, an they will eat like wolves, and fig Ŏrl. Ay, but these English are beef.

Con. Then we shall find to-mo only stomachs to eat, and none t is time to arm; Come, shall we a Orl. 'Tis two o'clock: but, let

Con. I will cap that proverb with-There is 45 We shall each have a hundred E flattery in friendship.

Enter Chorus.

ACT IV.

55

Chorus. NOW entertain conjecture of a time, When creeping murmur, and the poring dark,

Fills the wide vessel of the universe.

From camp to camp, through th
night,

The hum of either army stilly so
That the fix'd centinels alınost re
The secret whispers of each other
Fire answers fire; and through th

This alludes to falcons which are kept hooded when they are not to fly at game, the hood is off, bait or flap the wing. The meaning is, the Dauphin's valour has never upon an enemy; yet when he makes his first essay, we shall see how he will flutter. the practice of capping verses. 3 Pearish, in ancient language, signified--foolish, sill

Each battle sees the other's umber'd' face:-
Steed threatens steed, in high and boastful neighs
Piercing the night's dull ear and from the tents,
The armourers, accomplishing the knights,
With busy hammers closing rivets up,
Give dreadful note of preparation.

The country cocks do crow; the clocks do toll,
And the third hour of drowsy morning name.
Proud of their numbers, and secure in soul,
The confident and over-lusty French
Do the low-rated English play' at dice;
And chide the cripple tardy-gaited night,
Who, like a foul and ugly witch, doth limp

So tediously away. The poor condemned English,
Like sacritices, by their watchful fires

Sit patiently, and inly ruininate

The morning's danger; and their gesture sad, Investing lank-lean cheeks, and war-worn coats, Presented them unto the gazing moon

So many horrid ghosts. O, now, who will behold The royal captain of this ruin'd band, Walking from watch to watch, from tent to tent, Let him cry-Praise and glory on his head! For forth he goes, and visits all his host; Bids them good morrow, with a modest smile; And calls them-brothers, friends, and countrymen. Upon his royal face there is no note, How dread an army hath enrounded him; Nor doth he dedicate one jot of colour Unto the weary and all-watched night: But freshly looks, and over-bears attaint, With cheerful semblance, and sweet majesty; That every wretch, pining and pale before, Beholding him, plucks comfort from his looks: A largess universal, like the sun, His liberal eye doth give to every one, Thawing cold fear. Then, mean and gentle all, Behold, as may unworthiness define, A little touch of Harry in the night: And so our scene must to the battle fly; Where (O for pity!) we shall much disgrace,With four or five most vile and ragged foils, Right ill-dispos'd, in brawl ridiculous,The name of Agincourt: Yet, sit and see;

Besides, they are our outward consciences, And preachers to us all; admonishing, That we should dress us fairly for our end. Thus may we gather honey from the weed, 5 And make a moral of the devil himself. Enter Erpingham.

10

Good morrow, old Sir Thomas Erpingham: A good soft pillow for that good white head Were better than a churlish turf of France. [better Erping. Not so, my liege; this lodging likes m Since I may say-now lie I like a king. [sent pains K. Henry. 'Tis good for men to love their pre Upon example; so the spirit is eased: And, when the mind is quicken'd, out of doubt, 15 The organs, though defunct and dead before, Break up their drowsy grave, and newly move, With casted slough' and fresh legerity'.

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30

Lendme thy cloak, Sir Thomas.-Brothers both
Commend me to the princes in our camp;
Do my good morrow to them; and, anon,
Desire them all to my pavilion..

Glo. We shall, my lege.

Erping. Shall I attend your grace?

K. Henry. No, my good knight;

Go with my brothers to my lords of England: I and my bosom must debate a while,

And then I would no other company. [Harry

Erping. The Lord in heaven bless thee, nobl K.Henry. God-a-mercy, old heart! thou speak's cheerfully. [Exeunt

Pist. Qui va la?

Enter Pistol.

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parents good, of fist most valiant:

I kiss his dirty shoe, and from my heart-strings

Minding' true things by what their mockeries be. 45 I love the lovely bully. What's thy name?

SCENE. I.

Exit.

The English Camp at Agincourt.
Enter King Henry, Bedford, and Gloster.
K. Henry. Gloster, 'tis true, that we are in great 50
danger;

The greater therefore should our courage be.-
Good-morrow, brother Bedford.-God Almighty!)
There is some soul of goodness in things evil,
Would men observingly distil it out;

For our bad neighbour makes us early stirrers,
Which is both healthful, and good husbandry:

K. Henry, Ilarry le Roy.

[Cornish crew

Pist. Le Roy! a Cornish name: art thou o
K. Henry. No, I am a Welshman.
Pist. Know'st thou Fluellen?

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Umber is a brown colour: the distant visages of the soldiers would certainly appear of this hu when beheld through the light of midnight fires. Mr. Tollet observes that another interpretation o this phrase occurs, expressive of the preparation of both armies for an engagement, in Hamlet, Ao III. Mr. Steevens gives the following quotation from Stowe's Chronicle: "He brast up his umber thre times;" where umber means the vizor of the helmet, as umbriere doth in Spenser, trom the Frenc

ombre ombriere of ombraire a shadow an umbrella or any thing that hides of covers the food

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