TPTT The Life of Henry the Fifth: ACT III
Introduction
ACT I
ACT II
ACT III
PROLOGUE.
SCENE I. France. Before Harfleur.
SCENE II. The same.
SCENE III. The same. Before the gates.
SCENE IV. The FRENCH KING's palace.
SCENE V. The same.
SCENE VI. The English camp in Picardy.
SCENE VII. The French camp, near Agincourt:
ACT IV
ACT V
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SCENE II. The same.
Enter NYM, BARDOLPH, PISTOL, and Boy
BARDOLPH
      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 of lives:
      the humour of it is too hot, that is the very
5     plain-song of it.
PISTOL
      The plain-song is most just: for humours do abound:
      Knocks go and come; God's vassals drop and die;
      And sword and shield,
      In bloody field,
10    Doth win immortal fame.
Boy
      Would I were in an alehouse in London! I would give
      all my fame for a pot of ale and safety.
PISTOL
      And I:
      If wishes would prevail with me,
15    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
FLUELLEN
      Up to the breach, you dogs! avaunt, you cullions!
Driving them forward
PISTOL
20    Be merciful, great duke, to men of mould.
      Abate thy rage, abate thy manly rage,
      Abate thy rage, great duke!
      Good bawcock, bate thy rage; use lenity, sweet chuck!
NYM
      These be good humours! your honour wins bad humours.
Exeunt all but Boy
Boy
25    As young as I am, I have observed these three
      swashers. 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 white-livered and
30    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
35    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
40    any thing, and call it purchase. Bardolph stole a
      lute-case, bore it twelve leagues, and sold it for
      three half pence. Nym and Bardolph are sworn
      brothers in filching, and in Calais they stole a
      fire-shovel: I knew by that piece of service the
45    men would carry coals. They would have me as
      familiar with men's pockets as their gloves or their
      handkerchers: which makes much against my manhood,
      if I should take from another's pocket to put into
      mine; for it is plain pocketing up of wrongs. I
50    must leave them, and seek some better service:
      their villany goes against my weak stomach, and
      therefore I must cast it up.
Exit
Re-enter FLUELLEN, GOWER following
GOWER
      Captain Fluellen, you must come presently to the
      mines; the Duke of Gloucester would speak with you.
FLUELLEN
55    To the mines! tell you the duke, it is not so good
      to come to the mines; for, look you, the mines is
      not according to the disciplines of the war: the
      concavities of it is not sufficient; for, look you,
      the athversary, you may discuss unto the duke, look
60    you, is digt himself four yard under the
      countermines: by Cheshu, I think a' will plough up
      all, if there is not better directions.
GOWER
      The Duke of Gloucester, to whom the order of the
      siege is given, is altogether directed by an
65    Irishman, a very valiant gentleman, i' faith.
FLUELLEN
      It is Captain Macmorris, is it not?
GOWER
      I think it be.
FLUELLEN
      By Cheshu, he is an ass, as in the world: I will
      verify as much in his beard: be has no more
70    directions in the true disciplines of the wars, look
      you, of the Roman disciplines, than is a puppy-dog.
Enter MACMORRIS and Captain JAMY
GOWER
      Here a' comes; and the Scots captain, Captain Jamy, with him.
FLUELLEN
      Captain Jamy is a marvellous falourous gentleman,
      that is certain; and of great expedition and
75    knowledge in th' aunchient wars, upon my particular
      knowledge of his directions: by Cheshu, he will
      maintain his argument as well as any military man in
      the world, in the disciplines of the pristine wars
      of the Romans.
JAMY
80    I say gud-day, Captain Fluellen.
FLUELLEN
      God-den to your worship, good Captain James.
GOWER
      How now, Captain Macmorris! have you quit the
      mines? have the pioneers given o'er?
MACMORRIS
      By Chrish, la! tish ill done: the work ish give
85    over, the trompet sound the retreat. By my hand, I
      swear, and my father's soul, the work ish ill done;
      it ish give over: I would have blowed up the town, so
      Chrish save me, la! in an hour: O, tish ill done,
      tish ill done; by my hand, tish ill done!
FLUELLEN
90    Captain Macmorris, I beseech you now, will you
      voutsafe me, look you, a few disputations with you,
      as partly touching or concerning the disciplines of
      the war, the Roman wars, in the way of argument,
      look you, and friendly communication; partly to
95    satisfy my opinion, and partly for the satisfaction,
      look you, of my mind, as touching the direction of
      the military discipline; that is the point.
JAMY
      It sall be vary gud, gud feith, gud captains bath:
      and I sall quit you with gud leve, as I may pick
100   occasion; that sall I, marry.
MACMORRIS
      It is no time to discourse, so Chrish save me: the
      day is hot, and the weather, and the wars, and the
      king, and the dukes: it is no time to discourse. The
      town is beseeched, and the trumpet call us to the
105   breach; and we talk, and, be Chrish, do nothing:
      'tis shame for us all: so God sa' me, 'tis shame to
      stand still; it is shame, by my hand: and there is
      throats to be cut, and works to be done; and there
      ish nothing done, so Chrish sa' me, la!
JAMY
110   By the mess, ere theise eyes of mine take themselves
      to slomber, ay'll de gud service, or ay'll lig i'
      the grund for it; ay, or go to death; and ay'll pay
      't as valourously as I may, that sall I suerly do,
      that is the breff and the long. Marry, I wad full
115   fain hear some question 'tween you tway.
FLUELLEN
      Captain Macmorris, I think, look you, under your
      correction, there is not many of your nation--
MACMORRIS
      Of my nation! What ish my nation? Ish a villain,
      and a bastard, and a knave, and a rascal. What ish
120   my nation? Who talks of my nation?
FLUELLEN
      Look you, if you take the matter otherwise than is
      meant, Captain Macmorris, peradventure I shall think
      you do not use me with that affability as in
      discretion you ought to use me, look you: being as
125   good a man as yourself, both in the disciplines of
      war, and in the derivation of my birth, and in
      other particularities.
MACMORRIS
      I do not know you so good a man as myself: so
      Chrish save me, I will cut off your head.
GOWER
130   Gentlemen both, you will mistake each other.
JAMY
      A! that's a foul fault.
A parley sounded
GOWER
      The town sounds a parley.
FLUELLEN
      Captain Macmorris, when there is more better
      opportunity to be required, look you, I will be so
135   bold as to tell you I know the disciplines of war;
      and there is an end.
Exeunt
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