Orl. What's he? Con. Marry, he told me so himself; and he said he car'd not who knew it. 115 Orl. He needs not; it is no hidden virtue in him. Con. By my faith, sir, but it is; never anybody 120 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." 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." 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. 125 130 Mess. My Lord High Constable, the English lie 135 within fifteen hundred paces of your tents. Con. Who hath measur'd the ground? Mess. The Lord Grandpré. Con. A valiant and most expert gentleman. Would it were day! Alas, poor Harry of Eng- 140 land, 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-brain'd followers so far out of his knowledge! Con. If the English had any apprehension, they 145 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 valiant 150 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, 155 that's a valiant flea that dare eat his breakfast on the lip of a lion. 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 165 stomachs to eat and none to fight. Now is the time to arm. Come, shall we about it? Orl. It is now two o'clock; but, let me see, by ten Exeunt. ACT FOURTH [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 5 The secret whispers of each other's watch; Fire answers fire, and through their paly flames Steed threatens steed, in high and boastful neighs 10 With busy hammers closing rivets up, Give dreadful note of preparation. The country cocks do crow, the clocks do toll, 15 The confident and over-lusty French 20 Who, like a foul and ugly witch, doth limp So tediously away. The poor condemned English, Like sacrifices, by their watchful fires Sit patiently and inly ruminate The morning's danger; and their gesture sad, 25 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, 31 Bids them good morrow with a modest smile, And calls them brothers, friends, and countrymen. Upon his royal face there is no note 35 How dread an army hath enrounded him ; His liberal eye doth give to every one, 40 Thawing cold fear, that mean and gentle all 45 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 50 With four or five most vile and ragged foils, The name of Agincourt. Yet sit and see, SCENE I [The English camp at Agincourt.] Enter King Henry, Bedford, and Gloucester. Exit. K. Hen. Gloucester, 'tis true that we are in great danger; The greater therefore should our courage be. 5 For our bad neighbour makes us early stirrers, That we should dress us fairly for our end. 10 Enter Erpingham Good morrow, old Sir Thomas Erpingham. 15 |