a man as Mark Antony, and he is a man of no estimation in the world, but I did fee him do gallant services. Gower. What do you call him? Flu. He is call'd Ancient Pistol. Enter Piftol. Flu. Here is the man. Pift. Captain, I thee befeech to do me favours: The Duke of Exeter doth love thee well. Flu. I, I praise God, and I have merited fome love at his hands. Pift. Bardolph, a foldier firm and found of heart, And buxom valour, hath by cruel fate. And giddy fortune's furious fickle wheel, That Goddefs blind that ftands upon the rolling restless ftone Flu. By your patience, Ancient Piftol: Fortune is painted with a muffler before her eyes, to fignify to you that fortune is plind; and the is painted alfo with a wheel, to fignify to you, which is the moral of it that she is turning and inconftant, and mutabilities and variations; and her foot, look you, is fixed upon a fpherical ftone, which rowles, and rowles, and rowles; in good truth, the Poet makes a most excellent defcription of it.: fortune is an excellent moral. Pift. Fortune is Bardolph's foe, and frowns on him; *for he bath ftolen a Pax, and hanged muft a' be; damned death! Let gallows gape for dog, let man go free, And let not Bardolph's vital thread be cut for he hath foln a Pax.] This is conformable to Hiftory. A Soldier (Hall tells us, Henry V. year 3. fol. 14.) being hanged at this Time for fuch a Fac, Nr. Pope. With edge of penny-cord, and vile reproach. Pift. Why then rejoice therefore. Flu. Certainly, Ancient, it is not a thing to rejoice at; for if, look you, he were my brother, I would defire the Duke to use his good pleasure, and put him to executions; for difciplines ought to be used. Pift. Die and be damn'd, and Figo for thy friendship! Flu. It is well. Pift: The fig of Spain Flu. Very good. [Exit Pift. Gower. Why, this is an arrant counterfeit rascal, I remember him now; a bawd, a cut-purse. Flu. I'll affure you, he utter'd as prave words at the pridge, as you fhall fee in a fummer's day: but it is very well; what he has fpoke to me, that is well, I warrant you, when time is ferve. Gower. Why, 'tis 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 foldier. Such fellows are perfect in the great commanders' names, and they will learn you by rote where fervices were done; at fuch and such a sconce, at such a breach, at such a convoy; who came off bravely, who was fhot, who difgrac'd, what terms the enemy flood on; and this they con perfectly in the phrafe of war, which they trick with new-turned oaths: And what a beard of the general's cut, and a horrid fuit of the camp, will do among foaming bottles and ale-wafh'd wits, is wonderful to be thought on! But you must learn to know fuch flanders of the age, or else you may be marvelously mistook. up Flu. I tell you what, captain Gower; I do perceive, he is not the man that he would gladly make fhew to the world he is; if I find a hole in his coat, I will tell him my mind; hear you, the King is coming, and I muft fpeak with him from the pridge. Drum and Colours. Enter the King, and his poor soldiers. OD pless your Majefty. Flu. GR. K. Henry. How now, Fluellen, cam'st thou from the bridge? Flu. I, fo please your Majefty: the Duke of Exeter has very gallantly maintain'd the pridge; the French is gone off, look you, and there is gallant and most prave paffages; marry, th' athverfary was have poffeffion of the pridge, but he is enforced to retire, and the Duke of Exeter is mafter of the pridge: I can tell your Majefty, the Duke is a prave man. K. Henry. What men have you lost, Fluellen ? Flu. The perdition of th' athversary hath been very great, very reasonable great; marry, for my part, I think, the Duke hath loft never a man but one that is like to be executed for robbing a church, one Bardolph, if your Majefty know the man: his face is all bubukles, and whelks, and knobs, and flames of fire; and his lips blows at his nose, and it is like a coal of fire; fometimes plue, and fometimes red; but his nofe is executed, and his fire's out. K Henry. We would have fuch offenders fo cut off; When lenity and cruelty play for kingdoms, Tucket founds. Enter Mountjoy. Mount. You know me by my habit. K. Henry. Well then, I know thee; what fhall I know of thee? Mount. Mount. My mafter's mind. K. Henry. Unfold it. Mount. Thus fays my King: fay thou to Harry Although we feemed dead, we did but sleep: His folly, fee his weakness, and admire Our fuff'rance. Bid him therefore to confider, To this, defiance add; and for conclufion, Whofe condemnation is pronounc'd. So far K. Henry. What is thy name? I know thy quality, K. Henry. Thou doft thy office fairly. Turn thee back, And tell thy King, I do not feek him now; Who, when they were in health, I tell thee, herald, I thought, upon one pair of English legs If we may pafs, we will; if we be hinder'd, : The fum of all our anfwer is but this; We would not feek a battle as we are, Mount. I fhall deliver fo: thanks to your Highness. Exit. Glou. I hope, they will not come upon us now. theirs: March to the bridge; it now draws toward night; And on to-morrow bid them march away. [Exeunt. The French Camp near Agincourt. Enter the Conftable of France, the Lord Rambures, Orleans, Dauphin, with others. Con. UT, I have the beft armour of the world. Orl. You have an excellent armour; but let my horfe have his due. Con. It is the best horse of Europe. Dau. |