Dau. Some of them will fall to-morrow, I hope.
Con. And yet my sky shall not want.

Duu. That may be, for you bear many superfluously; and 'twere more honour, some were

away.

Con. Even as your horse bears your praises; who would trot as well, were some of your brags dismounted.

Con. Swear by her foot, that she may tread out .the oath.

Orl. He is simply the most active gentleman of France.

Dau. Would I were able to load him with his desert! Will it never be day? I will trot to-mor-10 row a mile, and my way shall be paved with English faces.

Con. I will not say so, for fear I should be fac'd out of my way: But I would it were morning, for I would fain be about the ears of the English. Ram. Who will go to hazard with me for twenty English prisoners?

15

Con. A valiant and most expert gentleman.Would it were day!Alas, poor Harry of England! he longs not for the dawning, as we do.

Con. You must first go yourself to hazard, ere you have them.

Orl. What a wretched and peevish fellow is this king of England, to mope with his fat-brain'd followers so far out of his knowledge!

Dau. 'Tis midnight, I'll go arm myself. [Exit. 20
Orl. The Dauphin longs for morning.
Ram. He longs to eat the English.
Con. I think, he will eat all he kills.

Con. If the English had any apprehension, they would run away.

Orl. By the white hand of my lady, he's a gallant prince.

Orl. That they lack; for if their heads had any intellectual armour, they could never wear such 25 heavy head-pieces.

Ram. That island of England breeds very 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 crush'd 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

Con. I was told that, by one that knows him 35 with the mastiffs, in robustious and rough coming better than you.

Orl. What's he?

Con. Marry, he told me so himself: and he said, he car'd hot who knew it.

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.

40

Orl. He needs not, it is no hidden virtue in him. Con. By my faith, sir, but it is; never any body saw it, but his lacquey: 'tis a hooded valour; and, when it appears, it will bate'.

Orl. Ill-will never said well.

Orl. And I will take up that with--Give the devil his due.

Con. Well plac'd; there stands your friend for the devil: have at the very eye of that proverb, with-A pox of the devil.

5

Orl. You are the better at proverbs, by how much-A fool's bolt is soon shot.

Con. Doing is activity; and he will still be doing. 30
Orl. He never did harm, that I heard of.

Con. Nor will do none to-morrow; he will keep that good man still.

Orl. I know him to be valiant.

Enter Chorus.

Chorus. NOW entertain conjecture of a time,
When creeping murmur, and the
poring dark,
Fills the wide vessel of the universe.

Con. You have shot over.

Orl. 'Tis not the first time you were over-shot.
Enter a Messenger.

Mes. My lord high constable, the English lie
within fifteen hundred paces of your tent.
Con. Who hath measur'd the ground?
Mess. The lord Grandpré.

ACT

Con. I will cap that proverb with-There is 45 We shall each have a hundred Englishmen. flattery in friendship,

Con. Then we shall find to-morrow-they have only stomachs to eat, and none to fight. Now it is time to arm; Come, shall we about it? Orl. 'Tis two o'clock: but, let me see-by ten,

[Exeunt.

IV.

From camp to camp, through the foul womb of night,

55

The hum of either army stilly sounds,
That the fix'd centinels almost receive
The secret whispers of each other's watch:
Fire answers fire; and through their paly flames

This alludes to falcons which are kept hooded when they are not to fly at game, and, as soon as the hood is off, bait or flap the wing. The meaning is, the Dauphin's valour has never been let loose upon an enemy; yet when he makes his first essay, we shall see how he will flutter. Alluding to the practice of capping verses. Pesvish, in ancient language, signified--foolish, silly,

2

Each

Each battle sees the other's umber'd' face:
Steed threatens steed, in high and boastful neighs
Piercing the night's dull ear and from the tents,
The armourers, 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 sacritices, by their watchful fires
Sit patiently, and inly ruininate

The morning's danger; and their gesture sad,
Investing lank-lean cheeks, and war-worn coats,
Presented them unto the gazing moon
So many horrid ghosts. O, now, who will behold
The royal captain of this ruin'd 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 colour
Unto the weary and all-watched night:
But freshly looks, and over-bears attaint,
With cheerful semblance, and sweet majesty;
That every wretch, pining and pale betore,
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-dispos'd, in brawl ridiculous,—
The name of Agincourt: Yet, sit and see;
I kiss his dirty shoe, and from my heart-strings
Minding' true things by what their mockeries be. 451 love the lovely bully. What's thy name?
Exit.

Enter Pistol.
Pist. Qui ca la?
K. Henry. A friend.

Pist. Discuss unto me: Art thou officer?
35 Or art thou base, common, and popular?
K. Heury. I am a gentleman of a company.
Pist. Trail'st thou the puissant pike?
K. Ilen. Even so: What are you?

1401

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:

K. Inry, Harry le Roy. [Cornish crew?
Pist. Le Roy! a Cornish name: art thou of
K. Henry. No, I am a Welshman.
Pist. Know'st thou Fluellen?

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 neighbour 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,
5 And make a moral of the devil himself.
Enter Erpingham.

10

Good morrow, old Sir Thomas Erpingham:
A good soft pillow for that good white head
Were better than a churlish turf of France. [better,
Erping. Not so, my liege; this lodging likes me
Since I may say-now lie I like a king. [sent pains,
K. Henry. 'Tis good for men to love their pre-
Upon example; so the spirit is eased:
And, when the mind is quicken'd, out of doubt,
15 The organs, though defunct and dead before,
Break up their drowsy grave, and newly move,
With casted slough' and fresh legerity'.

SCENE. I.

The English Camp at Agincourt.
Enter King Henry, Bedford, and Gloster.
K. Henry. Gloster, 'tis true, that we are in great 50
danger;

Lend me thy cloak, Sir Thomas.--Brothers both,
Commend me to the princes in our camp;

20

Do my good morrow to them; and, anon,
Desire them all to my pavilion..

Glo. We shall, my lege.

Erping. Shall I attend your grace?
K. Henry. No, my good knight;

25 Go with my brothers to my lords of England:
I and my bosom must debate a while,
And then I would no other company. [Harry!
Erping. The Lord in heaven bless thee, noble
K. Henry. God-a-mercy, old heart! thou speak'st
[Exeunt.

30

cheerfully.

K. Henry. Yes.

Pist. Tell him, I'll knock his leek about his pate Upon saint David's day.

K. Henry. Do not you wear your dagger in your cap that day, lest he knock that about yours. [55] Pist. Art thou his friend?

K. Henry. And his kinsman too.
Pist. The figo for thee then!

Umber is a brown colour: the distant visages of the soldiers would certainly appear of this hue when beheld through the light of midnight fires. Mr. Tollet observes that another interpretation of this phrase occurs, expressive of the preparation of both armies for an engagement, in Hamlet, Act III. Mr. Steevens gives the following quotation from Stowe's Chronicle: "He brast up his umber three times;" where umber means the vizor of the helmet, as umbriere doth in Spenser, trom the French ombre, ombriere, or ombraire, a shadow, an umbrella, or any thing that hides or covers the face. Hence umber'd face inay denote a face arm'd with a helmet. i. e. do play them away at dice. mind is the same as to call to remembrance. 4 Slough is the skin which the serpent annually throws off, and by the change of which he is supposed to regain new vigour and fresh youth. lightness, nimbleness. See Note, p. 536.

To

5

Legerity is
X, Henry.

K. Henry. I thank you: God be with you!
Pist. My name is Pistol call'd.

[Exit.

K. Henry. It sorts' well with your fierceness.
Enter Fluellen, and Gower, severally.
Gow. Captain Fluellen,-

Flu. So in the name Cheshu Christ, speak fewer. 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 10 Pompey the great, you shall find, I warrant you, that there is no tittle tattle, nor 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.

15

Bates. He may shew what outward courage he will: but, I believe, as cold a night as 'tis, he could wish himself in the Thames up to the neck; and so I would he were, and I by him, at all ad5 ventures, so we were quit here.

Gow. Why, the enemy is loud; you heard him all night.

Flu. If the enemy is an ass and a fool, and a prating coxcomb, is it meet, think you, that we 20 should also, look you, be an ass and a fool, and a prating coxcomb; in your own conscience now? Gow. I will speak lower.

Flu. I pray you, and beseech you, that you

will.

[Exeunt. 25 K. Henry. Though it appear a little out of fashion, there is much care and valour in this Welshman.

Will. Under what captain serve you?
K Henry. Under Sir Thomas Erpingham.
Will. A good old commander, and a most kind
gentleman: I pray you, what thinks he of our

Enter three Soldiers; John Bates, Alexander
Court, and Michael Williams.

Court. Brother John Bates, is not that the morning which breaks yonder?

Bates. I think it be: but we have no great cause to desire the approach of day.

Will. We see yonder the beginning of the day, 35 but, I think, we shall never see the end of it.Who goes there?

K. Henry. A friend.

Bates. Ay, or more than we should seek after; for we know enough, if we know we are the king's subjects: If his cause be wrong, our obedience to the king wipes the crime of it out of us.

Will. But if the cause be not good, the king himself hath a heavy, reckoning to make; when all those legs, and arms, and heads, chopp'd off in Ja battle, shall join together at the latter day, and cry all,―We dy'd in such a place; some, swearing; some, crying for a surgeon; some, upon their wives left poor behind them; some, upon the 30 debts they owe; some, upon their children rawly3 left. I am afeard there are few die well, that die in a battle; for how can they charitably dispose of any thing, when blood is their argument? Now, if these men do not die well, it will be a black matter for the king that led them to it; whom to disobey, were against all proportion of subjection.

K. Henry. By my troth, I will speak my conscience of the king; I think, he would not wish himself any where but where he is.

Bates. Then, 'would he were here alone; so should he be sure to be ransom'd, and a many poor men's lives sav'd.

estate?

K. Henry. Even as men wreck'd upon the sand, that look to be wash'd off the next tide.

Butes. He hath not told his thought to the king?

K. Henry. No; nor it is not meet he should.For, though I speak it to you, I think, the king is but a man, as I am: the violet smells to him, 50 as it doth to me; the element shews to him, as it doth to me; all his senses have but human conditions: his ceremonies laid by, in his nakedness he appears but a man; and though his affections are higher mounted than ours, yet, when they stoop, 55 they stoop with the like wing; therefore, when he sees reason of fears, as we do, his fears, out of doubt, be of the same relish as ours are: Yet, in reason, no man should possess him with any appearance of fear, lest he, by shewing it, should dishearten his 60

army.

K. Henry. I dare say, you love him not so ill, to wish him here alone; howsoever you speak this, to feel other men's minds: Methinks, I could not die any where so contented, as in the king's company; his cause being just, and his quarrel honourable.

Will. That's more than we know.

K. Henry. So, if a son, that is by his father sent about merchandize, do sinfully miscarry upon the 40 sea, the imputation of his wickedness, by your rule, should be imposed upon his father that sent him; or, if a servant, under his master's command, transporting a sum of money, be assail'd by robbers, and die in many irreconcil'd iniquities, you may 45 call the business of the master the author of the servant's damnation:-But this is not so: the king is not bound to answer the particular endings of his soldiers, the father of his son, nor the master of his servant; for they purpose not their death, when they purpose their services. Besides, there is no king, be his cause never so spotless, if it come to the arbitrement of swords, can try it out with all unspotted soldiers. Some, peradventure, have on them the guilt of permeditated and contrived murder; some, of beguiling virgins with the broken seals of perjury; some, making the wars their bulwark, that have before gored the gentle bosom of peace with pillage and robbery. Now if these inan have defeated the law and outrun native punishment, though they can out-strip men, they have no wings to fly from God: war

That is, punishment

1i. e. it agrees. 2 Conditions means qualities. in their native country: or, such as they are born to if they offend.

'i. e. hastily, suddenly.

1. Sic. Go, call the people: [Exit Brutus.] in whose name, myself

Attach thee, as a traitorous innovator,

A foe to the public weal: Obey, I charge thee,
And follow to thine answer.

Cor. Hence, old goat!
All. We'll surety him.
Com. Aged sir, hands off.
Cor. Hence, rotten thing, or I shall shake thy
Out of thy garments.

[bones

Bru. Ediles, seize him.
All. Yield, Marcius, yield.
Men. Hear me one word.

Beseech you, tribunes, hear me but a word.
Ediles. Peace, peace.

[friends,
Men. Be that you seem, truly your country's
And temperately proceed to what you would'
Thus violently redress.

Bru. Sir, those cold ways,

10 That seem like prudent helps, are very poisonous
Where the disease is violent:-Lay hands upon
And bear him to the rock.
[him,
[Coriolanus draws his sword.
Cor. No; I'll die here.

15 There's some among you have beheld me fighting;`
Come,try upon yourselves whatyou have seen me.
Men. Down with that sword;-Tribunes, with-
Bru. Lay hands upon him. [draw a while.
Men. Help, Marcius! help,

2 Sen. Weapons, weapons, weapons!

[They all bustle about Coriolanus. 20 You that be noble; help him, young and old! Tribunes, patricians, citizens !-what, ho!— All. Down with him, down with him! [Exeunt. Sicinius, Brutus, Coriolanus, citizens! [In this mutiny, the Tribunes, the Ediles, and the People are beat in.

All. Peace, peace, peace: stay, hold, peace!
Men What is about to be?I am out of Men.Go, get you to your house; be gone,away,
breath;
[bunes 25 All will be naught else.
-You, tri-
2 Sen. Get you gone.
Cor. Stand fast;

We have as many friends as enemies.
Men. Shall it be put to that?

S.c. Help me, citizens.

Re-enter Brutus with a rabble of Citizens, with the Ediles.

Men. On both sides more respect.

Sic. Here's he, that would

Take from you all your power.

Bru. Seize him, ædiles.

All. Down with him, down with him!

Confusion's near; I cannot speak :-
To the people,-Coriolanus, patience :—
Speak, good Sicinius.

Sic. Hear me, people:-Peace.

All. Let's hear our tribunes:-Peace. Speak, 30 speak, speak.

I

Sic. You are at point to lose your liberties: Marcius would have all from you; Marcius, Whom late you nam'd for consul.

Men Fie, fie, fie!

This is the way to kindle, not to quench.

1 Sen. To unbuild the city, and to lay all flat.
Sic. What is the city, but the people?
All. True,

The people are the city.

Bru. By the consent of all, we were establish'd The people's magistrates.

All. You so remain.

Men. And so are like to do.

Cor. That is the way to lay the city flat;
To bring the roof to the foundation;
And bury all, which yet distinctly ranges,
In heaps and piles of ruin.

Sic. This deserves death.

Bru. Or let us stand to our authority,
Or let us lose it: We do here pronounce,
Upon the part o' the people, in whose power
We were elected theirs, Marcius is worthy
Of present death.

5

Sic. Therefore, lay hold of him;
Bear him to the rock Tarpeïan, and from thence
Into destruction cast him.

1 Sen. The gods forbid !

pr'ythee, noble friend, home to thy house; Leave us to cure this cause.

Men. For 'tis a sore upon us,

You cannot tent yourself: Be gone, 'beseech you.
Com. Come, sir, along with us.

35

Cor. I would they were barbarians, (as they are, Though in Rome litter'd;) not Romans, (as they [gone. Though calv'd i' the porch o' the Capitol.)-Be Men. Put not your worthy rage into your tongue; One time will owe another.

are not,

40

1 Dr. Johnson on this passage, remarks, that he knows not whether to owe in this place means to possess by right, or to be indebted. Either sense may be admitted. One time, in which the people are seditious, will give us power in some other time: or, this time of the people's predominance will run them in debt; that is, will lay them open to the law, and expose them hereafter to more servile subjection. The lowest of the populace are still denominated by those a little above them, Tag, rag, and bobtail. ЗА 1 Sen.

Sie. Speak briefly then;

For we are peremptory, to dispatch
This viperous traitor: to eject him hence,
Were but one danger; and, to keep him here,
Our certain death; therefore, it is decreed,
He dies to-night.

Men. The service of the foot

Being once gangren'd, is not then respected 10 For what before it was.

Bru. We'll hear no more:

151

Men. One word more, one word.
This tyger-footed rage, when it shall find
The harm of unscann'd swiftness, will, too late,
Tie leaden pounds to his heels. Proceed by process;
Lest parties (as he is belov'd) break out,
20 And sack great Rome with Romans.

Bru. If it were so

Sic. What do ye talk?

Have we not had a taste of his obedience?
Our ædiles smote? ourselves resisted?-Come-
Men. Consider this;-He hath been bred i' the

23

Pursue him to his house, and pluck him thence;
Lest his infection, being of catching nature,
Spread further.

wars

Since he could draw a sword, and is ill school'd In boulted language; meal and bran together He throws without distinction. Give me leave, 30 I'll go to him, and undertake to bring him Where he shall answer, by a lawful form, (In peace) to his utmost peril.

1 Sen. Noble tribunes,

It is the humane way: the other course 35 Will prove too bloody; and the end of it Unknown to the beginning.

Sic. Noble Menenius,

All. No, no, no, no, no.

[people,

Men. If, by the tribunes' leave, and yours, good 40
I may be heard, I'd crave a word or two;
The which shall turn you to no further harm,
Than so much loss of time.

Be you then as the people's officer:
Masters, lay down your weapons.
Bru. Go not home.

[you there:
Sic. Meet on the market-place:-We'll attend
Where, if you bring not Marcius, we'll proceed
In our first way.

Men. I'll bring him to

[must come,

45 Let me desireyour company. [To the Senators.]He Or what is worst will follow.

1 Sen. Pray you, let's to him.

[Exeunt.

Men. Now the good gods forbid,
That our renowned Ronie, whose gratitude
Towards her deserved children is enroll'd
In Jove's own book, like an unnatural dam
Should now eat up her own!

Sic. He's a disease that ust be cut away.
Men. O, he's a limb, that has but a disease;
Mortal, to cut it off; to cure it, easy.
What has he done to Rome, that's worthy death?
Killing our enemies? The blood he hath lost,
(Which, I dare vouch, is more than that he hath, 60

50

-:

you:

SCENE II.
Coriolanus's House.

Enter Coriolanus, with Patricians.

Cor. Let them pull all about mine ears; present

me

Death on the wheel, or at wild horses' heels; 55 Or pile ten hills on the Tarpeian rock,

That the precipitation might down stretch
Below the beam of sight, yet will I still
Be thus to them.

Enter Volumnia.
Pat. You do the nobler.

1i. e. Do not give the signal for unlimited slaughter, &c.-To cry havock, was, I believe, originally a sporting phrase, froin hafoc, which in Saxon signifies a hawk.-It was afterwards used in war, and seems to have been the signal for general slaughter. 2 i. e. Awry. Hence a kambrel for a crooked stick, or the bend in a horse's hinder leg.-The Welch word for crooked is kum,