You stand upon the rivage,1 and behold Holding due course to Harfleur. Follow, follow! With fatal mouths gaping on girded Harfleur: Suppose, the ambassador from the French comes back; Tells Harry--that the king doth offer him The offer likes not; and the nimble gunner Bank or shore. [Exit. The staff to which the match is fixed when ordnance is Sred. 3 Small pieces of ordnance. Alarums. SCENE I. The same. Before Harfleur. Enter KING HENRY, EXETER, BEDFORD, GLOSTER, and Soldiers, with scaling-ladders. K. Hen. Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more; Or close the wall up with our English dead! But when the blast of war blows in our ears, 1 Let it pry through the portage 1 of the head, Like the brass cannon; let the brow o'erwhelm it, As fearfully, as doth a galled rock O'erhang and jutty 2 his confounded 3 base, 1 Open space, from porta, a gate. 2 A jutty is a mole to withstand the encroachments of the tide. 3 Worn, wasted. 4 Fetched. Have, in these parts, from morn till even fought, And sheathed their swords for lack of argument; 1 Dishonor not your mothers; now attest, That those, whom you call'd fathers, did beget you! Be copy now to men of grosser blood, And teach them how to war!-And you, good yeo men, Whose limbs were made in England, show us here The mettle of your pasture; let us swear That you are worth your breeding, which I doubt not; For there is none of you so mean and base, [Exeunt. SCENE II. The same. Forces pass over; then enter NYM, BARDOLPH, pistol, and BOY. Bar. On, on, on, on, on! to the breach, to the breach! Nym. 'Pray thee, corporal, stay; the knocks are too hot; and, for mine own part, I have not a case? Matter or subject. 2 A pair or brace. of lives the humor of it is too hot, that is the very plain song of it. Pis. The plain song is most just; for humors do abound; Knocks go and come; God's vassals drop and die; Boy. Would I were in an alehouse in London! I would give all my fame for a pot of ale, and safety. My purpose should not fail with me; But thither would I hie.' Boy. As duly, but not as truly, as bird doth sing on bough. Enter FLUELlen. Flu. Got's plood!-Up to the preaches, you rascals! will you not up to the preaches ? [driving them forward. Pis. Be merciful, great duke,1 to men of mould! 2 Abate thy rage, abate thy manly rage! Abate thy rage, great duke! Good bawcock,3 bate thy rage! use lenity, sweet chuck! 1 Commander. 2 To poor mortal men A corruption of beau coq, jolly cock. Nym. These be good humors!-your honor wins bad humors. [Exeunt Nym, Pistol, and Bardolph, followed by Fluellen. Boy. As young as I am, I have observed these three swashers.1 I am boy to them all three: but all they three, though they would serve me, could not be man to me; for, indeed, three such antics do not amount to a man. For Bardolph,-he is whitelivered and red-faced; by the means whereof, 'a faces it out, but fights not. For Pistol, he hath a killing tongue and a quiet sword; by the means whereof 'a breaks words, and keeps whole weapons. For Nym, he hath heard, that men of few words are the best men; and therefore he scorns to say his prayers, lest a' should be thought a coward: but his few bad words are matched with as few good deeds; for 'a never broke any man's head but his own; and that was against a post when he was drunk. They will steal any thing, and call it,purchase. Bardolph stole a lute-case; bore it twelve leagues, and sold it for three halfpence. Nym and Bardolph are sworn brothers in filching; and in Calais they stole a fire-shovel: I knew, by that piece of service, the men would carry coals. They would have me as familiar with men's pockets as their gloves or their handkerchiefs; which makes much against my manhood, if I should take from 1 Braggarts. 2 Bravest. 3 Pocket affronts. |