Henry V (Folio 1, 1623)

Editor: James Mardock
Peer Reviewed
Enter Nim, Bardolph, Pistoll, and Boy.
1120
Bard. On, on, on, on, on, to the breach, to the breach.
Nim. 'Pray thee Corporall stay, the Knocks are too
hot: and for mine owne part, I haue not a Case of Liues:
the humor of it is too hot, that is the very plaine-Song
of it.
1125
Pist. The plaine-Song is most iust: for humors doe a­
bound: Knocks goe and come: Gods Vassals drop and
dye: and Sword and Shield, in bloody Field, doth winne
immortall fame.
Boy. Would I were in a Ale-house in London, I
1130would giue all my fame for a Pot of Ale, and safetie.
Pist. And I: If wishes would preuayle with me, my
purpose should not fayle with me; but thither would I
high.
Boy. As duly, but not as truly, as Bird doth sing on
1135bough.
Enter Fluellen.
Flu. Vp to the breach, you Dogges; auaunt you
Cullions.
Pist. Be mercifull great Duke to men of Mould: a­
1140
bate thy Rage, abate thy manly Rage; abate thy Rage,
great Duke. Good Bawcock bate thy Rage: vse lenitie
sweet Chuck.
Nim. These be good humors: your Honor wins bad
humors.
Exit.
1145
Boy. As young as I am, I haue obseru'd these three
Swashers: I am Boy to them all three, but all they three,
though they would serue me, could not be Man to me;
for indeed three such Antiques doe not amount to a man:
for Bardolph, hee is white-liuer'd, and red-fac'd; by the
1150
meanes whereof, a faces it out, but fights not: for Pistoll,
hee hath a killing Tongue, and a quiet Sword; by the
meanes whereof, a breakes Words, and keepes whole
Weapons: for Nim, hee hath heard, that men of few
Words are the best men, and therefore hee scornes to say
1155
his Prayers, lest a should be thought a Coward: but his
few bad Words are matcht with as few good Deeds; for
a neuer broke any mans Head but his owne, and that was
against a Post, when he was drunke. They will steale any
thing, and call it Purchase. Bardolph stole a Lute-case,
1160
bore it twelue Leagues, and sold it for three halfepence.
Nim and Bardolph are sworne Brothers in filching: and
in Callice they stole a fire-shouell. I knew by that peece
of Seruice, the men would carry Coales. They would
haue me as familiar with mens Pockets, as their Gloues
1165
or their Hand-kerchers: which makes much against my
Manhood, if I should take from anothers Pocket, to put
into mine; for it is plaine pocketting vp of Wrongs.
I must leaue them, and seeke some better Seruice: their
Villany goes against my weake stomacke, and therefore
1170I must cast it vp.
Exit.
Enter Gower.
Gower. Captaine Fluellen, you must come presently to
the Mynes; the Duke of Gloucester would speake with
you.
1175
Flu. To the Mynes? Tell you the Duke, it is not so
good to come to the Mynes: for looke you, the Mynes
is not according to the disciplines of the Warre; the con­
cauities of it is not sufficient: for looke you, th'athuer­
sarie, you may discusse vnto the Duke, looke you, is digt
1180
himselfe foure yard vnder the Countermines: by Cheshu,
I thinke a will plowe vp all, if there is not better directi­
ons.
Gower. The Duke of Gloucester, to whom the Order
of the Siege is giuen, is altogether directed by an Irish
1185man, a very valiant Gentleman yfaith.
Welch. It is Captaine Makmorrice, is it not?
Gower. I thinke it be.
Welch. By Cheshu he is an Asse, as in the World, I will
verifie as much in his Beard: he ha's no more directions
1190
in the true disciplines of the Warres, looke you, of the
Roman disciplines, then is a Puppy-dog.
Enter Makmorrice, and Captaine Iamy.
Gower. Here a comes, and the Scots Captaine, Captaine
Iamy, with him.
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Welch. Captaine Iamy is a maruellous falorous Gen­
tleman, that is certain, and of great expedition and know­
ledge in th' aunchiant Warres, vpon my particular know­
ledge of his directions: by Cheshu he will maintaine his
Argument as well as any Militarie man in the World, in
1200the disciplines of the Pristine Warres of the Romans.
Scot. I say gudday, Captaine Fluellen.
Welch. Godden to your Worship, good Captaine
Iames.
Gower. How now Captaine Mackmorrice, haue you
1205quit the Mynes? haue the Pioners giuen o're?
Irish. By Chrish Law tish ill done: the Worke ish
giue ouer, the Trompet sound the Retreat. By my Hand
I sweare, and my fathers Soule, the Worke ish ill done:
it ish giue ouer: I would haue blowed vp the Towne,
1210
so Chrish saue me law, in an houre. O tish ill done, tish ill
done: by my Hand tish ill done.
Welch. Captaine Mackmorrice, I beseech you now,
will you voutsafe me, looke you, a few disputations with
you, as partly touching or concerning the disciplines of
1215
the Warre, the Roman Warres, in the way of Argument,
looke you, and friendly communication: partly to satisfie
my Opinion, and partly for the satisfaction, looke you, of
my Mind: as touching the direction of the Militarie dis­
cipline, that is the Point.
1220
Scot. It sall be vary gud, gud feith, gud Captens bath,
and I sall quit you with gud leue, as I may pick occasion:
that sall I mary.
Irish. It is no time to discourse, so Chrish saue me:
the day is hot, and the Weather, and the Warres, and the
1225
King, and the Dukes: it is no time to discourse, the Town
is beseech'd: and the Trumpet call vs to the breech, and
we talke, and be Chrish do nothing, tis shame for vs all:
so God sa'me tis shame to stand still, it is shame by my
hand: and there is Throats to be cut, and Workes to be
1230done, and there ish nothing done, so Christ sa'me law.
Scot. By the Mes, ere theise eyes of mine take them­
selues to slomber, ayle de gud seruice, or Ile ligge i'th'
grund for it; ay, or goe to death: and Ile pay't as valo­
rously as I may, that sal I suerly do, that is the breff and
1235
the long: mary, I wad full faine heard some question
tween you tway.
Welch. Captaine Mackmorrice, I thinke, looke you,
vnder your correction, there is not many of your Na­
tion.
1240
Irish. Of my Nation? What ish my Nation? Ish a
Villaine, and a Basterd, and a Knaue, and a Rascall. What
ish my Nation? Who talkes of my Nation?
Welch. Looke you, if you take the matter otherwise
then is meant, Captaine Mackmorrice, peraduenture I
1245
shall thinke you doe not vse me with that affabilitie, as in
discretion you ought to vse me, looke you, being as good
a man as your selfe, both in the disciplines of Warre, and
in the deriuation of my Birth, and in other particula­
rities.
1250
Irish. I doe not know you so good a man as my selfe:
so Chrish saue me, I will cut off your Head.
Gower. Gentlemen both, you will mistake each other.
Scot. A, that's a foule fault.
A Parley.
Gower. The Towne sounds a Parley.
1255
Welch. Captaine Mackmorrice, when there is more
better oportunitie to be required, looke you, I will be
so bold as to tell you, I know the disciplines of Warre:
and there is an end.
Exit.