Well met, Corporal Nym.

Good morrow, Lieutenant Bardolph.

What, are Ancient Pistol and you friends yet?

For my part, I care not. I say little, but when 510time shall serve, there shall be smiles. But that shall be as 511it may. I dare not fight, but I will wink and hold out 512mine iron. It is a simple one, but what though? It will 513toast cheese, and it will endure cold as another man's 514sword will, and there's an end.

I will bestow a breakfast to make you friends, 516and we'll be all three sworn brothers to France. Letʼt 517be so, good Corporal Nym.

Faith, I will live so long as I may, that's the 519certain 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.

It is certain, corporal, that he is married to 522Nell Quickly, and certainly she did you wrong, for you 523were troth-plight to her.

I cannot tell; things must be as they may. Men 525may sleep, and they may have their throats about them 526at that time, and some say knives have edges. It must 527be as it may. Though patience be a tired mare, yet she 528will plod. There must be conclusions. Well, I cannot 529tell.

Here comes Ancient Pistol and his wife. Good 532corporal, be patient here. -- How now, mine host 533Pistol?

Base tyke, call'st thou me host? Now by this 535hand I swear I scorn the term! Nor shall my Nell 536keep lodgers.

No, by my troth, not long, for we cannot lodge 538and board a dozen or fourteen gentlewomen that 539live honestly by the prick of their needles, but it will be 540thought we keep a bawdy house straight.

Oh, welladay, 541lady, if he be not hewn now, we shall see willful 542adultery and murder committed!

Good lieutenant, good corporal, offer nothing 544here.

Pish.

Pish for thee, Iceland dog, thou prick-eared cur 546of Iceland.

Good Corporal Nym, show thy valor and 548put up your sword.

Will you shog off? [To Pistol] I would have you solus.

"Solus," egregious dog? O viper vile! The "solus" 551in thy most marvelous face. The "solus" in thy teeth, and 552in thy throat, and in thy hateful lungs, yea in thy maw, 553perdy. And which is worse, within thy nasty mouth. I 554do retort the "solus" in thy bowels, for I can take, and 555Pistol's cock is up, and flashing fire will follow.

I am not Barbason; you cannot conjure me. I 557have an humor to knock you indifferently well. If you 558grow foul with me, Pistol, I will scour you with my 559rapier, as I may, in fair terms. If you would walk 560off, I would prick your guts a little in good terms, as 561I may, and that's the humor of it.

O braggart vile, and damnèd furious wight,

2.1.20563The grave doth gape, and doting death is near,

2.1.21564Therefore exhale.

Hear me, hear me what I say. [Draws his sword (?)] He that strikes 566the first stroke, I'll run him up to the hilts, as I am a 567soldier.

An oath of mickle might, and fury shall abate.

569Give me thy fist. Thy forefoot to me give. Thy spirits 570are most tall.

I will cut thy throat one time or other in fair 572terms. That is the humor of it.

Couple a gorge, that is the word. I defy thee 574again! O hound of Crete, think'st thou my spouse to get? 575No, to the Spital go, and from the powd'ring tub of 576infamy fetch forth the lazar kite of Cressid's kind, 577Doll Tearsheet, she by name, and her espouse. I have, and I 578will hold the quondam Quickly for the only she, and 579pauca, there's enough. Go to.

Mine host Pistol, you must come to 582my master, and your hostess. He is very sick and would to bed. 583-- Good Bardolph, put thy face between his sheets and do 584the office of a warming-pan. Faith, he's very ill.

Away, you rogue.

By my troth, he'll yield the crow a pudding one 587of these days. The king has killed his heart. Good 588husband, come home presently.

Come, shall I make you two friends? We must 590to France together. Why the devil should we keep knives 591to cut one another's throats?

Let floods o'erswell, and fiends for food howl 593on.

[To Pistol] You'll pay me the eight shillings I won of you 595at betting?

Base is the slave that pays.

That now I will have. That's the humor of it.

As manhood shall compound. Push home.

[Drawing his sword (?)] By this sword, he that makes the first thrust, 600I'll kill him. By this sword, I will.

Sword is an oath, and oaths must have their course.

Corporal Nym, an thou wilt be friends, be friends. 603An thou wilt not, why then be enemies with me, too. 604Prithee, put up.

A noble shalt thou have, and present pay. And 606liquor likewise will I give to thee, and friendship 607shall combine, and brotherhood. I'll live by Nym and 608Nym shall live by me. Is not this just? For I shall 609sutler be unto the camp, and profits will accrue. Give me 610thy hand.

I shall have my noble?

In cash most justly paid.

Well, then that's the humor of't.

As ever you come of women, come in quickly 616to Sir John. A poor heart, he is so shaked of a burning 617quotidian tertian that it is most lamentable to behold. 618Sweet men, come to him.

The king hath run bad humors on the knight. 620That's the even of it.

Nym, thou hast spoke the right. His heart is 622fracted and corroborate.

The king is a good king, but it must be as it 624may. He passes some humors and careers.

Let us condole the knight, for lambkins, we 626will live.