THE DRAMATIC WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

of a Russian bear, and have their heads crushed like rotten apples. You may as well say,+that’s a valiant flea, that dare eat his breakfast on the lip of a lion. Con. Just, just; and the men do sympathize with the mastiffs, in robustious and rough coming on, leaving their wits with their wives; and then give them great meals of beef, and iron and steel, they will eat like wolves, and fight like devils. Orl. Ay, but these English are shrewdly out of beef. Con. Then we shall find to-morrow—they have only stomachs to eat, and none to fight. Now is it time to arm. Come, shall we about it f Orl. It is now two o'clock: but, let me see,_by ten,

We shall have each a hundred Englishmen. [Eveunt.

ACT IV.

Enter CHORUs.

Chor. Now entertain conjecture of a time, When creeping murmur, and the poring dark, Fills the wide vessel of the universe." From camp to camp, through the foul womb of night, The hum of either army stilly sounds, That the fixed sentinels almost receive . The secret whispers of each other’s watch.”

1 “Fills the wide vessel of the universe.” Warburton says universe for horizon. Johnson remarks that, “however large in its philosophical sense, it may be poetically used for as much of the world as falls under observation.” .” -

2 “The secret whispers of each other's watch.” Holinshed says that the distance between the two armies was but two hundred and fifty paces: and again, “at their coming into the village, fires were made (by the English) to give light on every side, as there were likewise by the French hoste.”

Fire answers fire; and through their paly flames
Each battle sees the other’s umbered " face.
Steed threatens steed in high and boastful neighs,
Piercing the night’s dull ear: and from the tents,
The armorers, accomplishing the knights,
With busy hammers closing rivets up,”
Give dreadful note of preparation. -
The country cocks do crow, the clocks do toll,
And the third hour of drowsy morning name.
Proud of their numbers, and secure in soul,
The confident and over-lusty” French
Do the low-rated English play at dice;
And chide the cripple, tardy-gaited night,
Who, like a foul and ugly witch, doth limp
So tediously away. The poor, condemned English,
Like sacrifices, by their watchful fires
Sit patiently, and inly ruminate
The morning's danger; and their gestures sad,
Investing lank-lean cheeks, and war-worn coats,
Presenteth them unto the gazing moon
So many horrid ghosts. O, now, who will behold
The royal captain of this ruined band,
Walking from watch to watch, from tent to tent,
Let him cry—Praise and glory on his head'
For forth he goes, and visits all his host;
Bids them good morrow, with a modest smile;
And calls them—brothers, friends, and countrymen.
Upon his royal face there is no note,
How dread an army hath enrounded him;
Nor doth he dedicate one jot of color
Unto the weary and all-watched night;

1 Umbre for shadow is common in our elder writers.

2 “The armorers, accomplishing the knights,
With busy hammers closing rivets up.”

This does not solely refer to the riveting the plate armor before it was
put on, but as to part when it was on. The top of the cuirass had a little
projecting bit of iron that passed through a hole pierced through the bot-
tom of the casque. When both were put on, the Smith or armorer pre:
sented himself, with his riveting hammer, to close the rivet up ; so that the
party's head should remain steady, notwithstanding the force of any blow
that might be given on the cuirass or helmet.
3 Over-lusty, i.e. over-saucy.

But freshly looks, and over-bears attaint,
With cheerful semblance, and sweet majesty;
That every wretch, pining and pale before,
Beholding him, plucks comfort from his looks.
A largess universal, like the sun,
His liberal eye doth give to every one,
Thawing cold fear. Then, mean and gentle all,
Behold, as may unworthiness define,
A little touch of Harry in the night.
And so our scene must to the battle fly;
Where (O for pity!) we shall much disgrace—
With four or five most vile and ragged foils,
Right ill-disposed, in brawl ridiculous—
The name of Agincourt. Yet, sit and see;
Minding' true things, by what their mockeries be.
[Exit.

SCENE I. The English Camp at Agincourt.

Enter KING HENRY, BEDFORD, and GLosTER.

K. Hen. Gloster, 'tis true, that we are in great danger;

The greater therefore should our courage be.—
Good morrow, brother Bedford.—God Almighty!
There is some soul of goodness in things evil,
Would men observingly distil it out;
For our bad neighbor makes us early stirrers,
Which is both healthful, and good husbandry.
Besides, they are our outward consciences,
And preachers to us all ; admonishing,
That we should dress us fairly for our end.”
Thus may we gather honey from the weed,
And make a moral of the devil himself.

1 “JMinding true things.” To mind is the same as to call to remembrance. Such is the Scotch use of the word at this day. 2 “To dress is to make ready, to prepare (paro, Lat.).

Enter ERPINGHAM."

Good morrow, old sir Thomas Erpingham.
A good soft pillow for that good white head
Were better than a churlish turf of France.
Erp. Not so, my liege; this lodging likes me better,
Since I may say—now lie I like a king.
K. Hen. 'Tis good for men to love their present
pains,
Upon example ; so the spirit is eased ;
And, when the mind is quickened, out of doubt,
The organs, though defunct and dead before,
Break up their drowsy grave, and newly move
With casted slough and fresh legerity.”
Lend me thy cloak, sir Thomas.-Brothers both,
Commend me to the princes in our camp;
Do my good morrow to them; and, anon,
Desire them all to my pavilion.
Glo. We shall, my liege.
* [Eveunt GLosTER and BEDFord.
Erp. Shall I attend your grace P.
K. Hen. | No, my good knight;
Go with my brothers to my lords of England.
I and my bosom must debate awhile,
And then I would no other company. -
Erp. The Lord in heaven bless thee, noble Harry!
[Exit ERPINGHAM.
K. Hen. God-a-mercy, old heart; thou speakest
cheerfully.

Enter Pistol.

Pist. Qui va la 3

K. Hen. A friend.

Pist. Discuss unto me. Art thou officer; Or art thou base, common, and popular P.

1 Sir Thomas Erpingham came over with Bolingbroke from Bretagne, and was one of the commissioners to receive king Richard's abdication. He was at this time warden of Dover castle, and his arms are still visible on the side of the Roman Pharos. 2 Legerity is lightness, nimbleness. WOL. IV, 23

K. Hen. I am a gentleman of a company. Pist. Trailest thou the puissant pike P K. Hen. Even so. What are you? Pist. As good a gentleman as the emperor. K. Hen. Then you are a better than the king. Pist. The king’s a bawcock, and a heart of gold, A lad of life, an imp of fame; Of parents good, of fist most valiant. I kiss his dirty shoe, and from my heart-strings I love the lovely bully. What's thy name P K. Hen. Harry le Roy. Pist. Le Roy! a Cornish name; art thou of Cornish crew f R. Hen. No, I am a Welshman. Pist. Knowest thou Fluellen P K. Hen. Yes. Pist. Tell him, I’ll knock his leek about his pate, Upon Saint Davy's day. K. Hen. Do not you wear your dagger in your cap that day, lest he knock that about yours. Pist. Art thou his friend ? R. Hen. And his kinsman too. Pist. The figo for thee then K. Hen. I thank you. God be with you! Pist. My name is Pistol called. [Exit. K. Hen. It sorts well with your fierceness.

Enter FLUELLEN and Gower, severally.

Gow. Captain Fluellen!

Flu. So ! in the name of Cheshu Christ, speak lower. It is the greatest admiration in the universal 'orld, when the true and auncient prerogatifes and laws of the wars is not kept : if you would take the pains but to examine the wars of Pompey the Great, you shall find, I warrant you, that there is no tiddle taddle, or pibble pabble, in Pompey's camp; I warrant you, you shall find the ceremonies of the wars, and the cares of it, and the forms of it, and the sobriety of it, and the modesty of it, to be otherwise.

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