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- Edition: Henry V
Henry V (Modern, Quarto)
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1448.1[Scene 9]
How now, Captain Flewellen, come you from 1452the bridge?
By Jesus, there's excellent service 1454committed at the bridge.
Is the Duke of Exeter safe?
The Duke of Exeter is 1457a man whom I love, and I honor, 712and I worship, with my soul, 1458and my heart, and my life, 713and my lands and my livings, 1459714and my uttermost powers. 715The duke is, look you, 716God be praised and 1460pleased for it, no harm in the worell. 717He is maintain the bridge 1461very gallantly. There is an 1462ensign 718there, I do not know how you call him, but by Jesus I think 1463719he is as valiant a man as Mark Antony. He doth maintain 720the bridge most gallantly. Yet 1464he is a man of no reckoning, 721but I did see 1465him do gallant service.
How do you call him?
His name is Ancient Pistol.
I know him not.
Do you not know him? Here comes the man.
Ay, and I praise God I have merited some love at 1474his hands.
Bardolph, a soldier, 1476one of buxom valor, 732hath, by furious fate 733and giddy 1477Fortune's fickle wheel, 734that goddess blind that 1478stands upon the rolling restless stone --
By your patience, Ancient Pistol, 737Fortune, look you, is 1480painted 738plind, with a muffler before her eyes, 739to signify 1481to you that fortune is plind; 740And she is moreover painted 1482with a wheel, 741which is the moral 1483that Fortune is turning, 742and inconstant, and variation, 1484and mutabilities; 743and her fate is fixed at a 1485spherical stone 744which rouls, and rouls, and rouls. 1486745Surely the poet is make an excellent 1487description of Fortune. 746Fortune, look you, is an excellent moral.
Fortune is Bardolph's foe and frowns on him, 1489748for he hath stolen a pax, and hanged must he be, 749a damnèd 1490death. Let gallows gape for dogs; 750let man go free, 1491and let not death his windpipe stop. 751But Exeter 1492hath given the doom of death, 752for pax of petty price, 1493753therefore go speak -- the duke will hear thy voice -- 1494754and let not Bardolph's vital thread be cut 755with edge of 1495penny-cord and vile approach. 756Speak, captain, for 1496his life, and I will thee requite.
Ancient Pistol, I partly understand your 1498meaning.
Why then, rejoice therefore!
Certainly, Ancient Pistol, 'tis not a thing to rejoice 1501at. 760For if he were my own brother, I would wish 1502the duke 761to do his pleasure, and put him to 1503executions; for look you, 762disciplines ought to be kept. They ought to be kept.
Die and be damned, and figa for thy friendship!
That is good.
The fig of Spain within thy jaw!
That is very well.
I say the fig within thy bowels and thy dirty maw.
Captain Gower, cannot you hear it lighten and thunder?
By Jesus, he is utter as prave words upon the bridge 1511773as you shall desire to see in a summer's day. But it's all 1512one; 774what he hath said to me, look you, is all one.
Why this is a gull, a fool, a rogue that 1515goes to the wars 776only to grace himself at his return 1516to London, 777and such 1517fellows as he 778are perfect in great commanders' names. 1518779They will learn by rote where services were done: 780at such and such a sconce, at such a breach, 781at such a 1520convoy; who came off bravely, who was shot, 782who 1521disgraced; what terms the enemy stood on. 783And this they 1522con perfectly in phrase of war, 784which they trick 1523up with new-tuned oaths. And what a beard 785of the 1524general's cut and a horrid shout of the camp 786will do 1525among the foaming bottles and ale-washed wits 787is 1526wonderful to be thought on. But you must learn 788to know such 1527slanders of this age, 789or else you may marvelously be 1528mistook.
Certain, Captain Gower, 1530it is not the man, look you, 791that I did take him to be, but when time shall serve, 792I shall tell 1532him a little of my desires. Here comes his majesty.
How now, Flewellen, come you from the bridge?
What men have you lost, Flewellen?
An it shall please your majesty, 1546799the partition of the adversary hath been 1547great, 800very reasonable great, but for our own parts, like you now, 801I think 1548we have lost never a man, unless it be one 1549802for robbing of a church: one Bardolph, if your 1550majesty 803know the man. His face is full of whelks, 1551and knubs, 804and pumples, and his breath blows at his 1552nose 805like a coal, sometimes red, 1553sometimes plue. 806But, God be praised, now his nose is executed and his fire 1554out.
We would have all offenders so cut off, 1556808and we here give express commandment 1557809that there be nothing taken from the 1558villages but paid for, 810none of the French 1559abused 811or upbraided with disdainful language. 812For when 1560cruelty and lenity play for a kingdom, 813the gentlest 1561gamester is the sooner winner.
You know me by my habit.
Well then, we know thee. What should we know of 1565thee?
My master's mind.
Unfold it.
"Go thee unto Harry of England, and tell him 1570820advantage is a better soldier than rashness. 1569821Although we did seem dead, we did but slumber. 1573822Now we speak upon our cue, and our voice is 1574imperial. 823England shall repent her folly, see her 1575rashness, 824and admire our sufferance, 1576which to ransom, 825his 1579pettiness would bow under. 1580826For the effusion of our blood, his army is too weak; 1581827for the disgrace we have borne, himself 1582828kneeling at our feet a weak and 1583worthless satisfaction. 829To this, add defiance." 1585So much from the king my master.
What is thy name? We know thy quality.
Montjoy.
Thou dost thy office fair. Return thee back
[Gives money]
There is for your pains.
I shall deliver so: thanks to your 1618majesty.
My liege, I hope they will not come upon us now.
We are in God's hand, brother, not in theirs.