Jaques Chatillon, Rambures, Vaudemont, High dukes, great princes, barons, lords and knights, Bring him our prisoner. CON. This becomes the great. His soldiers sick and famish'd in their march, FR. KING. Therefore, lord constable, haste on Mont joy, And let him say to England that we send 45 Foix] Capell's correction of the Folio reading Loys. 46 knights] Theobald's correction of the Folio reading Kings. 47 For your great seats .. you] For (the protection of) your noble castles now acquit yourselves. 50 the melted snow] the torrential streams proceeding from the mountains when the snow melts in early summer. 59 He'll drop his heart... fear] A strong expression for vomiting, for being overcome by nausea. 60 for achievement] instead of achieving victory over us, of conquering us. 50 60 To know what willing ransom he will give. FR. KING. Be patient, for you shall remain with us. [Exeunt. SCENE VI-THE ENGLISH CAMP IN PICARDY Enter GOWER and FLUELLEN, meeting Gow. How now, Captain Fluellen! come you from the bridge? FLU. I assure you, there is very excellent services committed at the bridge. Gow. Is the Duke of Exeter safe? FLU. The Duke of Exeter is as magnanimous as Agamemnon; and a man that I love and honour with my soul, and my heart, and my duty, and my life, and my living, and my uttermost power: he is not - God be praised and blessed! — any hurt in the world; but 10 keeps the bridge most valiantly, with excellent discipline. There is an aunchient lieutenant there at the pridge, I think in my very conscience he is as valiant a man as Mark Antony; and he is a man of no estimation in the world; but I did see him do as gallant service. 4 the bridge] According to Holinshed, the bridge over the river Ternoise, which lay on the road of Henry's march to Calais. The French attempt to demolish it was defeated by the English. 12 aunchient lieutenant] a confused reference to Pistol, whose rank was that of "ancient," i. e., ensign, not "lieutenant." Gow. What do you call him? Enter PISTOL FLU. Here is the man. PIST. Captain, I thee beseech to do me favours: 20 The Duke of Exeter doth love thee well. FLU. Ay, I praise God; and I have merited some love at his hands. PIST. Bardolph, a soldier, firm and sound of heart, And giddy Fortune's furious fickle wheel, That stands upon the rolling restless stone — FLU. By your patience, Aunchient Pistol. Fortune is painted blind, with a muffler afore her eyes, to signify 30 to you that Fortune is blind; and she is painted also with a wheel, to signify to you, which is the moral of it, that she is turning, and inconstant, and mutability, and variation: and her foot, look you, is fixed upon a spherical stone, which rolls, and rolls, and rolls: in good truth, the poet makes a most excellent description of it: Fortune is an excellent moral. PIST. Fortune is Bardolph's foe, and frowns on him; For he hath stolen a pax, and hanged must a' be: 27-28 That goddess blind. . . rolling restless stone] Fortune is thus pictured in late classical as well as in Elizabethan authors. Cf. Kyd's Spanish Tragedy, lines 316-17, "Fortune is blind Whose foot is standing on a rolling stone.” 39, 44 pax] a small piece of plate, sometimes engraved with the picture of the crucifixion, which was offered by the priest, during the A damned death! Let gallows gape for dog; let man go free Therefore, go speak; the duke will hear thy voice; PIST. Why then, rejoice therefore. FLU. Certainly, aunchient, it is not a thing to rejoice at: for if, look you, he were my brother, I would desire the duke to use his good pleasure, and put him to execution; for discipline ought to be used. PIST. Die and be damn'd! and figo for thy friendship! 40 50 FLU. It is well. PIST. The fig of Spain! FLU. Very good. [Exit. Holin celebration of the mass, to be kissed by the congregation. shed and earlier chroniclers agree that a pyx, i. e., the box in which the consecrated wafer was kept in Roman Catholic churches, was stolen by a dishonest English soldier. 56 figo] a fig, any contemptible trifle, a snap of the fingers; an old form of the Spanish "higo," fig. Cf. IV, i, 60, infra, "The figo for thee, then!" 58 The fig of Spain] Pistol here repeats "figo" of line 56, with some allusion to a Spanish contortion of the fingers expressive of scorn specifically known as "fig" which Pistol has already mentioned, 2 Hen. IV, V, iii, 117-118: "and fig me like the bragging Spaniard" (see note). Gow. Why, this is an arrant counterfeit rascal; I 60 remember him now; a bawd, a cutpurse. FLU. I'll assure you, a' uttered as prave words at the pridge as you shall see in a summer's day. But it is very well; what he has spoke to me, that is well, I warrant you, when time is serve. Gow. Why, 't is a gull, a fool, a rogue, that now and then goes to the wars, to grace himself at his return into London under the form of a soldier. And such fellows are perfect in the great commanders' names: and they will learn you by rote where services were done; at such 70 and such a sconce, at such a breach, at such a convoy; who came off bravely, who was shot, who disgraced, what terms the enemy stood on; and this they con perfectly in the phrase of war, which they trick up with new-tuned oaths: and what a beard of the general's cut and a horrid suit of the camp will do among foaming bottles and ale-washed wits, is wonderful to be thought on. But you must learn to know such slanders of the age, or else you may be marvellously mistook. FLU. I tell you what, Captain Gower; I do perceive 80 he is not the man that he would gladly make show to the world he is: if I find a hole in his coat, I will tell him my mind. [Drum heard.] Hark you, the king is coming, and I must speak with him from the pridge. 71 sconce] outwork, earthwork. 76 horrid suit] war-stained uniform. Cf. V, ii, 61, infra, "diffused attire." 78 slanders] disgraces, slanderers. 84 speak... pridge] tell him what has happened at the bridge. |