NYм. 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. BARD. It is certain, corporal, that he is married to Nell Quickly and, certainly, she did you wrong; for you were troth-plight to her. 15 NYM. I cannot tell: things must be as they may: men may sleep, and they may have their throats about them at 20 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. BARD. Here comes Ancient Pistol and his wife: good corporal, be patient here. How now, mine host Pistol! PIST. Pish for thee, Iceland dog! thou prick-ear'd cur of Iceland! HOST. Good Corporal Nym, show thy valour, and put up your sword. 25 NYM. Will you shog off? I would have you solus. 30 [Sheathing his sword.] I am not Barbason; you cannot conjure me. I have an humour to knock you indifferently well. If you grow foul with me, Pistol, I will scour you with my rapier, as I may, in fair terms. [They both draw. BARD. Hear me, hear me what I say: he that strikes the 35 first stroke, I'll run him up to the hilts, as I am a soldier. [Draws. PIST. An oath of mickle might; and fury shall abate. Give me thy fist, thy fore-foot to me give: Thy spirits are most tall. NYм. I will cut thy throat, one time or other, in fair 40 terms that is the humour of it. Enter the Boy. Boy. Mine host Pistol, you must come to my master, and you, hostess he is very sick, and would to bed. Good Bardolph, put thy face between his sheets, and do the office of a warming-pan. Faith, he's very ill. BARD. Away, you rogue! HOST. By my troth, he'll yield the crow a pudding one of these days. The king has killed his heart. Good husband, come home presently. [Exeunt Hostess and Boy. 45 BARD. Come, shall I make you two friends? We must to 50 France together: why should we keep knives to cut one another's throats? PIST. Let floods o'erswell, and fiends for food howl on! NYм. You'll pay me the eight shillings I won of you at betting? PIST. Base is the slave that pays. that's the humour of it. PIST. As manhood shall compound: push home. [They both draw. BARD. By this sword, he that makes the first thrust, I'll kill him; by this sword, I will. 55 [Draws. 60 PIST. Sword is an oath, and oaths must have their course. BARD. Corporal Nym, an thou wilt be friends, be friends: an thou wilt not, why, then, be enemies with me too. Prithee, put up. NYм. I shall have my eight shillings I won of you at 65 betting. PIST. A noble shalt thou have, and present pay; And liquor likewise will I give to thee, And friendship shall combine, and brotherhood: I'll live by Nym, and Nym shall live by me; Is not this just? for I shall sutler be Unto the camp, and profits will accrue. Give me thy hand. 70 NYм. I shall have my noble? PIST. In cash most justly paid. 75 NYм. Well, then, that's the humour of it. HOST. As ever you came of women, come in quickly to Sir John. Ah, poor heart! he is so shaked of a burning quotidian tertian, that it is most lamentable to behold. Sweet men, come to him. NYм. The king hath run bad humours on the knight; that's the even of it. PIST. Nym, thou hast spoke the right; His heart is fracted and corroborate. 80 NYм. The king is a good king: but it must be as it may; 85 he passes some humours and careers. PIST. Let us condole the knight; for, lambkins, we will live. [Exeunt. SCENE II. Southampton. A Council Chamber. Enter EXETER, BEDFORD and WESTMORELAND. BED. 'Fore God, his grace is bold, to trust these traitors. WEST. How smooth and even they do bear themselves! As if allegiance in their bosoms sat, Crowned with faith and constant loyalty. 5 BED. The king hath note of all that they intend, By interception which they dream not of. EXE. Nay, but the man that was his bedfellow, Whom he hath dull'd and cloy'd with gracious favours, 10 His sovereign's life to death and treachery! Trumpets sound. Enter KING HENRY, SCROOP, CAM- K. HEN. Now sits the wind fair, and we will aboard, 15 Doing the execution and the act For which we have in head assembled them ? SCROOP. No doubt, my liege, if each man do his best. K. HEN. I doubt not that; since we are well persuaded 20 We carry not a heart with us from hence That grows not in a fair consent with ours, Nor leave not one behind that doth not wish CAM. Never was monarch better fear'd and loved 25 GREY. True: those that were your father's enemies Have steep'd their galls in honey, and do serve you 30 With hearts create of duty and of zeal. K. HEN. We therefore have great cause of thankfulness; And shall forget the office of our hand, Sooner than quittance of desert and merit According to the weight and worthiness. 35 SCROOP. So service shall with steeled sinews toil, And labour shall refresh itself with hope, To do your grace incessant services. K. HEN. We judge no less. Uncle of Exeter, Enlarge the man committed yesterday, 40 That rail'd against our person: we consider And on his more advice we pardon him. SCROOP. That's mercy, but too much security: Let him be punish'd, sovereign, lest example 45 Breed, by his sufferance, more of such a kind. K. HEN. O, let us yet be merciful. CAM. So may your highness, and yet punish too. You show great mercy, if you give him life, 50 After the taste of much correction. |