ends, I knew there was but one way; for his nose was as sharp as a pen, and a' babbled of green fields. 'How now, Sir John!' quoth I; what, man! be o' good cheer.' So a' cried out 'God, God, God!' three or four times. Now I, to comfort him, bid him a' should not think of God; I hoped there was no need to trouble himself with any such thoughts yet. So a' bade me lay more clothes on his feet. I put my hand into the bed and felt them, and they were as cold as any stone; then I felt to his knees, and they were as cold as any stone, and so upward and upward, and all was as cold as any stone.

26

Nym. They say he cried out of sack.

Host. Ay, that a' did.

Bard.

And of women.

Host. Nay, that a' did not.

30

Boy. Yes, that a' did, and said they were devils incarnate.

Host. A' could never abide carnation; 'twas a colour he never liked.

34

Boy. A' said once, the devil would have him about women.

Host. A' did in some sort, indeed, handle women; but then he was rheumatic, and talked of the whore of Babylon.

39

Boy. Do you not remember, a' saw a flea stick upon Bardolph's nose, and a' said it was a black soul burning in hell-fire?

Bard. Well, the fuel is gone that maintained that fire; that's all the riches I got in his service.

Nym. Shall we shog? the king will be gone from Southampton.

46

Pist. Come, let's away. My love, give me thy

lips.

Look to my chattels and my movables.

Let senses rule; the word is 'Pitch and Pay.'

Trust none;

For oaths are straws, men's faiths are wafer-cakes, And hold-fast is the only dog, my duck.

Therefore, Caveto be thy counsellor.

Go, clear thy crystals.

50

Yoke-fellows in arms,

55

Let us to France; like horse-leeches, my boys,
To suck, to suck, the very blood to suck!

Boy. And that's but unwholesome food, they say.
Touch her soft mouth, and march.

Pist.

Bard.

Farewell, hostess.

[Kissing her. Nym. I cannot kiss, that is the humour of it; but, adieu.

61

Pist. Let housewifery appear; keep close, I thee

command.

Host. Farewell; adieu.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV. France. The KING's palace.

Flourish.

Enter the FRENCH KING, the DAUPHIN, the DUKES OF BERRI and BRETAGNE, the Constable, and others.

Fr. King. Thus comes the English with full

power upon us;

And more than carefully it us concerns

To answer royally in our defences.

Therefore the Dukes of Berri and of Bretagne,

Of Brabant and of Orleans, shall make forth, — 5
And you, Prince Dauphin, -with all swift dispatch.
To line and new repair our towns of war
With men of courage and with means defendant;
For England his approaches makes as fierce

As waters to the sucking of a gulf.

It fits us then to be as provident

As fear may teach us out of late examples
Left by the fatal and neglected English
Upon our fields.

Dau.

My most redoubted father,

It is most meet we arm us 'gainst the foe;

For peace itself should not so dull a kingdom,

10

15

Though war nor no known quarrel were in question,
But that defences, musters, preparations,

Should be maintain'd, assembled, and collected,
As were a war in expectation.

Therefore, I say 'tis meet we all go forth

And let us do it with no show of fear;

20

To view the sick and feeble parts of France.

No, with no more than if we heard that England
Were busied with a Whitsun morris-dance:

25

For, my good liege, she is so idly king'd,

Her sceptre so fantastically borne

By a vain, giddy, shallow, humourous youth,
That fear attends her not.

Con.

O peace, Prince Dauphin!

30

You are too much mistaken in this king.

Question your grace the late ambassadors,

With what great state he heard their embassy,
How well supplied with noble counsellors,

How modest in exception, and withal
How terrible in constant resolution,
And you shall find his vanities forespent
Were but the outside of the Roman Brutus,
Covering discretion with a coat of folly;
As gardeners do with ordure hide those roots
That shall first spring and be most delicate.
Dau. Well, 'tis not so, my lord high constable;
But though we think it so, it is no matter.
In cases of defence 'tis best to weigh
The enemy more mighty than he seems;

So the proportions of defence are fill'd,
Which of a weak and niggardly projection
Doth, like a miser, spoil his coat with scanting
A little cloth.

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40

45

50

Fr. King. Think we King Harry strong; And, princes, look you strongly arm to meet him. The kindred of him hath been flesh'd upon us; And he is bred out of that bloody strain That haunted us in our familiar paths. Witness our too much memorable shame When Cressy battle fatally was struck, And all our princes captived by the hand Of that black name Edward, Black Prince of

55

Wales;

Whiles that his mountain sire, on mountain stand

ing,

Up in the air, crown'd with the golden sun,
Saw his heroical seed, and smiled to see him,
Mangle the work of nature, and deface
The patterns that by God and by French fathers
Had twenty years been made. This is a stem
Of that victorious stock; and let us fear
The native mightiness and fate of him.

Enter a Messenger.

60

Mess. Ambassadors from Harry King of England Do crave admittance to your majesty.

66

Fr. King. We'll give them present audience. Go, and bring them.

[Exeunt Messenger and certain Lords.

You see this chase is hotly follow'd, friends.

Dau. Turn head, and stop pursuit; for coward

dogs

Most spend their mouths when what they seem to

threaten

Runs far before them. Good my sovereign,

Take up the English short, and let them know

Of what a monarchy you are the head.

Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin
As self-neglecting.

Re-enter Lords, with EXETER and train.

Fr. King.

Exe.

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75

From our brother England? From him; and thus he greets your majesty.

He wills you, in the name of God Almighty,