Con. You must first go yourself to hazard, ere you have them. Dau. 'Tis midnight; I'll go arm myself. [Exit. Ram. He longs to eat the English. Con. I think he will eat all he kills. Orl. By the white hand of my lady, he's a gallant prince. Con. Swear by her foot, that she may tread out the oath. Orl. He is simply the most active gentleman of France. Con. Doing is activity; and he will still be doing. Orl. He never did harm, that I heard of. keep that good name still. Orl. I know him to be valiant. Con. I was told that by one that knows him better than you. Orl. What's he? Con. Marry, he told me so himself; and he said he cared not who knew it. Orl. He needs not; it is no hidden virtue in him. Con. By my faith, sir, but it is; never any 120 body saw it but his lackey: 'tis a hooded valour; and when it appears, it will bate. Orl. Ill will never said well. Con. I will cap that proverb with 'There is flattery in friendship.' 121. 'tis a hooded valour; and when it appears, it will bate. Both phrases are from falconry. His valour is compared to the hawk, which was 'hooded' until the game was in view, and then VOL. VII 81 'bated' or flapped its wings before flying. The Constable quibbles on the last word, meaning that the Dauphin's hidden valour, when exposed, will abate. G Orl. And I will take up that with 'Give the devil his due.' Con. Well placed: there stands your friend for the devil: have at the very eye of that proverb with 'A pox of the devil.' Orl. You are the better at proverbs, by how much 'A fool's bolt is soon shot.' Con. You have shot over. Orl. 'Tis not the first time you were overshot. Enter a Messenger. Mess. My lord high constable, the English lie within fifteen hundred paces of your tents. Con. Who hath measured the ground? Mess. The Lord Grandpré. 130 Con. A valiant and most expert gentleman. Would it were day! Alas, poor Harry of England !140 he longs not for the dawning as we do. Orl. What a wretched and peevish fellow is this king of England, to mope with his fat-brained followers so far out of his knowledge! Con. If the English had any apprehension, they would run away. Orl. That they lack; for if their heads had any intellectual armour, they could never wear such heavy head-pieces. Ram. That island of England breeds very 150 valiant creatures; their mastiffs are of unmatchable courage. Orl. Foolish curs, that run winking into the mouth 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. 153. winking, with their eyes shut. 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 160 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 shall we find to-morrow they have only stomachs to eat and none to fight. Now is it time to arm: come, shall we about it ? Orl. It is now two o'clock: but, let me see, by ten We shall have each a hundred Englishmen. [Exeunt. ACT IV. PROLOGUE. 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 fix'd sentinels almost receive The secret whispers of each other's watch : Fire answers fire, and through their paly flames Each battle sees the other's 158. sympathize with, corre spond to. 163. shrewdly, sorely. umber'd face; I. conjecture, imaginat on. 2. poring, purblind. 9. battle, army. Steed threatens steed, in high and boastful neighs The country cocks do crow, the clocks do toll, Sit patiently and inly ruminate The morning's danger, and their gesture sad ΣΟ 20 30 40 II. dull, drowsy. Ff 'nam'd.' 12. accomplishing the knights, 19. play, play for. completing their equipment. 38. all-watched, spent with 16. name. So Theobald, for watching. Beholding him, plucks comfort from his looks: His liberal eye doth give to every one, [Exit. SCENE I. The English camp at Agincourt. Enter KING HENRY, BEDFORD, and GLOUCESTER. K. Hen. Gloucester, 'tis true that we are in great danger; The greater therefore should our courage be. For our bad neighbour makes us early stirrers, 50 10 45. that, so that. 46. as may unworthiness deAne, as far as their unworthy natures permit. 53. Minding, recalled to the memory of. Sc. 1. Bedford. The historical Duke of Bedford, left as 'Custos' in England, was not at Agincourt. 10. dress, prepare. |