King Henry V | Page 7

unborn?That shall have cause to curse the Dauphin's scorn.?But this lies all within the will of God,?To whom I do appeal; and in whose name?Tell you the Dauphin I am coming on?To venge me as I may, and to put forth?My rightful hand in a well-hallow'd cause.?So get you hence in peace; and tell the Dauphin?His jest will savour but of shallow wit,?When thousands weep more than did laugh at it.--?Convey them with safe conduct.--Fare you well.
[Exeunt Ambassadors.]
EXETER.?This was a merry message.
KING HENRY.?We hope to make the sender blush at it.?Therefore, my lords, omit no happy hour?That may give furtherance to our expedition;?For we have now no thought in us but France,?Save those to God, that run before our business.?Therefore, let our proportions for these wars?Be soon collected, and all things thought upon?That may with reasonable swiftness add?More feathers to our wings; for, God before,?We'll chide this Dauphin at his father's door.?Therefore let every man now task his thought,?That this fair action may on foot be brought.
[Exeunt.]
ACT II.
PROLOGUE.
[Flourish. Enter Chorus.]
CHORUS.?Now all the youth of England are on fire,?And silken dalliance in the wardrobe lies.?Now thrive the armourers, and honour's thought?Reigns solely in the breast of every man.?They sell the pasture now to buy the horse,?Following the mirror of all Christian kings,?With winged heels, as English Mercuries.?For now sits Expectation in the air,?And hides a sword from hilts unto the point?With crowns imperial, crowns, and coronets,?Promis'd to Harry and his followers.?The French, advis'd by good intelligence?Of this most dreadful preparation,?Shake in their fear, and with pale policy?Seek to divert the English purposes.?O England! model to thy inward greatness,?Like little body with a mighty heart,?What mightst thou do, that honour would thee do,?Were all thy children kind and natural!?But see thy fault! France hath in thee found out?A nest of hollow bosoms, which he fills?With treacherous crowns; and three corrupted men,?One, Richard Earl of Cambridge, and the second,?Henry Lord Scroop of Masham, and the third,?Sir Thomas Grey, knight of Northumberland,?Have, for the gilt of France,--O guilt indeed!--?Confirm'd conspiracy with fearful France;?And by their hands this grace of kings must die,?If hell and treason hold their promises,?Ere he take ship for France, and in Southampton.?Linger your patience on, and we'll digest?The abuse of distance, force a play.?The sum is paid; the traitors are agreed;?The King is set from London; and the scene?Is now transported, gentles, to Southampton.?There is the playhouse now, there must you sit;?And thence to France shall we convey you safe,?And bring you back, charming the narrow seas?To give you gentle pass; for, if we may,?We'll not offend one stomach with our play.?But, till the King come forth, and not till then,?Unto Southampton do we shift our scene.
[Exit.]
SCENE I. London. A street.
[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 time 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.
BARDOLPH.?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 as 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 may 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.
[Enter Pistol and Hostess.]
BARDOLPH.?Here comes Ancient Pistol and his wife. Good Corporal, be?patient here. How now, mine host Pistol!
PISTOL.?Base tike, call'st thou me host??Now, by this hand, 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 thought we keep a bawdy house straight. [Nym and Pistol draw.] O well a day, Lady, if he be not drawn now! We shall see wilful adultery and murder committed.
BARDOLPH.?Good Lieutenant! good corporal! offer nothing here.
NYM.?Pish!
PISTOL.?Pish for thee, Iceland dog! thou prick-ear'd cur of Iceland!
HOSTESS.?Good Corporal Nym, show thy valour, and put up your sword.
NYM.?Will you shog off? I would have you solus.
PISTOL.?"Solus," egregious dog! O viper vile!?The "solus" in thy most