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American Shakespeare Center, Love's Labour's Lost. To Jun. 15, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, Twelfth Night. To Jun. 16, 2013.
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Henry V, Modern text based on the Folio

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: James D. Mardock
Not Peer Reviewed
504.1

[2.1]

505
Enter Corporal Nym and Lieutenant Bardolph.
Bardolph Well met, Corporal Nym.
Nym Good morrow, Lieutenant Bardolph.
Bardolph What, are Ancient Pistol and you friends yet?
Nym For my part, I care not. I say little, but when 510time shall serve, there shall be smiles. But that shall be as it may. I dare not fight, but I will wink and hold out mine iron. It is a simple one, but what though? It will toast cheese, and it will endure cold as another man's sword will, and there's an end.
515Bardolph I will bestow a breakfast to make you friends, and we'll be all three sworn brothers to France. Let it be so, good Corporal Nym.
Nym Faith, I will live so long as I may, that's the certain of it. And when I cannot live any longer, I will do 520as I may. That is my rest; that is the rendezvous of it.
Bardolph It is certain, corporal, that he is married to Nell Quickly, and certainly she did you wrong, for you were troth-plight to her.
Nym I cannot tell; things must be as they may. Men 525may sleep, and they may have their throats about them at that time, and some say knives have edges. It must be as it may. Though patience be a tired mare, yet she will plod. There must be conclusions. Well, I cannot tell.
530
Enter Pistol and [Hostess, formerly Mistress] Quickly.
Bardolph Here comes Ancient Pistol and his wife. Good corporal, be patient here. -- How now, mine host Pistol?
Pistol Base tyke, call'st thou me host? Now by this 535hand I swear I scorn the term! Nor shall my Nell keep lodgers.
Hostess No, by my troth, not long, for we cannot lodge and board a dozen or fourteen gentlewomen that live honestly by the prick of their needles, but it will be 540thought we keep a bawdy house straight. [Nym draws his sword.] Oh, welladay, lady, if he be not hewn now, we shall see willful adultery and murder committed!
Bardolph Good lieutenant, good corporal, offer nothing here.
Nym Pish.
545Pistol Pish for thee, Iceland dog, thou prick-eared cur of Iceland.
Hostess Good Corporal Nym, show thy valor and put up your sword.
Nym Will you shog off? [To Pistol] I would have you solus.
550Pistol "Solus," egregious dog? O viper vile! The "solus" in thy most marvelous face. The "solus" in thy teeth, and in thy throat, and in thy hateful lungs, yea in thy maw, perdy. And which is worse, within thy nasty mouth. I do retort the "solus" in thy bowels, for I can take, and 555Pistol's cock is up, and flashing fire will follow.
Nym I am not Barbason; you cannot conjure me. I have an humor to knock you indifferently well. If you grow foul with me, Pistol, I will scour you with my rapier, as I may, in fair terms. If you would walk 560off, I would prick your guts a little in good terms, as I may, and that's the humor of it.
Pistol O braggart vile, and damnèd furious wight,
The grave doth gape, and doting death is near,
Therefore exhale.
[Pistol draws his sword.]
565Bardolph Hear me, hear me what I say. [Draws his sword (?)] He that strikes the first stroke, I'll run him up to the hilts, as I am a soldier.
Pistol An oath of mickle might, and fury shall abate.
[They sheathe their swords.] Give me thy fist. Thy forefoot to me give. Thy spirits 570are most tall.
Nym I will cut thy throat one time or other in fair terms. That is the humor of it.
Pistol Couple a gorge, that is the word. I defy thee again! O hound of Crete, think'st thou my spouse to get? 575No, to the Spital go, and from the powd'ring tub of infamy fetch forth the lazar kite of Cressid's kind, Doll Tearsheet, she by name, and her espouse. I have, and I will hold the quondam Quickly for the only she, and pauca, there's enough. Go to.
580
Enter the Boy.
Boy Mine host Pistol, you must come to my master, and your hostess. He is very sick and would to bed. -- Good Bardolph, put thy face between his sheets and do the office of a warming-pan. Faith, he's very ill.
585Bardolph Away, you rogue.
Hostess By my troth, he'll yield the crow a pudding one of these days. The king has killed his heart. Good husband, come home presently.
Exeunt [Boy and Hostess.]
Bardolph Come, shall I make you two friends? We must 590to France together. Why the devil should we keep knives to cut one another's throats?
Pistol Let floods o'erswell, and fiends for food howl on.
Nym [To Pistol] You'll pay me the eight shillings I won of you 595at betting?
Pistol Base is the slave that pays.
Nym That now I will have. That's the humor of it.
Pistol As manhood shall compound. Push home.
[They] draw [their swords.]
Bardolph [Drawing his sword (?)] By this sword, he that makes the first thrust, 600I'll kill him. By this sword, I will.
Pistol Sword is an oath, and oaths must have their course.
[Sheathes his sword]
Bardolph Corporal Nym, an thou wilt be friends, be friends. An thou wilt not, why then be enemies with me, too. Prithee, put up.
[Nym and Bardolph sheathe their swords. (?)]
605Pistol A noble shalt thou have, and present pay. And liquor likewise will I give to thee, and friendship shall combine, and brotherhood. I'll live by Nym and Nym shall live by me. Is not this just? For I shall sutler be unto the camp, and profits will accrue. Give me 610thy hand.
Nym I shall have my noble?
Pistol In cash most justly paid.
Nym Well, then that's the humor of't.
[Pistol and Nym shake hands. (?)]
Enter Hostess.
615Hostess As ever you come of women, come in quickly to Sir John. A poor heart, he is so shaked of a burning quotidian tertian that it is most lamentable to behold. Sweet men, come to him.
[Exit.]
Nym The king hath run bad humors on the knight. 620That's the even of it.
Pistol Nym, thou hast spoke the right. His heart is fracted and corroborate.
Nym The king is a good king, but it must be as it may. He passes some humors and careers.
625Pistol Let us condole the knight, for lambkins, we will live.
[Exeunt.]