Henry V — Act 3, Scene 2 · Shakespeare for Bharat

BARDOLPH

On, on, on, on, on! to the breach, to the breach!

NYM

Pray thee, corporal, stay: the knocks are too hot;and, for mine own part, I have not a case of lives:the humour of it is too hot, that is the veryplain-song of it.

PISTOL

The plain-song is most just: for humours do abound:Knocks go and come; God's vassals drop and die;And sword and shield,In bloody field,Doth win immortal fame.

Boy

Would I were in an alehouse in London! I would giveall my fame for a pot of ale and safety.

PISTOL

And I:If wishes would prevail with me,My purpose should not fail with me,But thither would I hie.

Boy

As duly, but not as truly,As bird doth sing on bough.

FLUELLEN

Up to the breach, you dogs! avaunt, you cullions!

PISTOL

Be merciful, great duke, to men of mould.Abate thy rage, abate thy manly rage,Abate thy rage, great duke!Good bawcock, bate thy rage; use lenity, sweet chuck!

NYM

These be good humours! your honour wins bad humours.

Boy

As young as I am, I have observed these threeswashers. I am boy to them all three: but all theythree, though they would serve me, could not be manto me; for indeed three such antics do not amount toa man. For Bardolph, he is white-livered andred-faced; by the means whereof a' faces it out, butfights not. For Pistol, he hath a killing tongueand a quiet sword; by the means whereof a' breakswords, and keeps whole weapons. For Nym, he hathheard that men of few words are the best men; andtherefore he scorns to say his prayers, lest a'should be thought a coward: but his few bad wordsare matched with as few good deeds; for a' neverbroke any man's head but his own, and that wasagainst a post when he was drunk. They will stealany thing, and call it purchase. Bardolph stole alute-case, bore it twelve leagues, and sold it forthree half pence. Nym and Bardolph are swornbrothers in filching, and in Calais they stole afire-shovel: I knew by that piece of service themen would carry coals. They would have me asfamiliar with men's pockets as their gloves or theirhandkerchers: which makes much against my manhood,if I should take from another's pocket to put intomine; for it is plain pocketing up of wrongs. Imust leave them, and seek some better service:their villany goes against my weak stomach, andtherefore I must cast it up.

GOWER

Captain Fluellen, you must come presently to themines; the Duke of Gloucester would speak with you.

FLUELLEN

To the mines! tell you the duke, it is not so goodto come to the mines; for, look you, the mines isnot according to the disciplines of the war: theconcavities of it is not sufficient; for, look you,the athversary, you may discuss unto the duke, lookyou, is digt himself four yard under thecountermines: by Cheshu, I think a' will plough upall, if there is not better directions.

GOWER

The Duke of Gloucester, to whom the order of thesiege is given, is altogether directed by anIrishman, a very valiant gentleman, i' faith.

FLUELLEN

It is Captain Macmorris, is it not?

GOWER

I think it be.

FLUELLEN

By Cheshu, he is an ass, as in the world: I willverify as much in his beard: be has no moredirections in the true disciplines of the wars, lookyou, of the Roman disciplines, than is a puppy-dog.

GOWER

Here a' comes; and the Scots captain, Captain Jamy, with him.

FLUELLEN

Captain Jamy is a marvellous falourous gentleman,that is certain; and of great expedition andknowledge in th' aunchient wars, upon my particularknowledge of his directions: by Cheshu, he willmaintain his argument as well as any military man inthe world, in the disciplines of the pristine warsof the Romans.

JAMY

I say gud-day, Captain Fluellen.

FLUELLEN

God-den to your worship, good Captain James.

GOWER

How now, Captain Macmorris! have you quit themines? have the pioneers given o'er?

MACMORRIS

By Chrish, la! tish ill done: the work ish giveover, the trompet sound the retreat. By my hand, Iswear, and my father's soul, the work ish ill done;it ish give over: I would have blowed up the town, soChrish save me, la! in an hour: O, tish ill done,tish ill done; by my hand, tish ill done!

FLUELLEN

Captain Macmorris, I beseech you now, will youvoutsafe me, look you, a few disputations with you,as partly touching or concerning the disciplines ofthe war, the Roman wars, in the way of argument,look you, and friendly communication; partly tosatisfy my opinion, and partly for the satisfaction,look you, of my mind, as touching the direction ofthe military discipline; that is the point.

JAMY

It sall be vary gud, gud feith, gud captains bath:and I sall quit you with gud leve, as I may pickoccasion; that sall I, marry.

MACMORRIS

It is no time to discourse, so Chrish save me: theday is hot, and the weather, and the wars, and theking, and the dukes: it is no time to discourse. Thetown is beseeched, and the trumpet call us to thebreach; and we talk, and, be Chrish, do nothing:'tis shame for us all: so God sa' me, 'tis shame tostand still; it is shame, by my hand: and there isthroats to be cut, and works to be done; and thereish nothing done, so Chrish sa' me, la!

JAMY

By the mess, ere theise eyes of mine take themselvesto slomber, ay'll de gud service, or ay'll lig i'the grund for it; ay, or go to death; and ay'll pay't as valourously as I may, that sall I suerly do,that is the breff and the long. Marry, I wad fullfain hear some question 'tween you tway.

FLUELLEN

Captain Macmorris, I think, look you, under yourcorrection, there is not many of your nation--

MACMORRIS

Of my nation! What ish my nation? Ish a villain,and a bastard, and a knave, and a rascal. What ishmy nation? Who talks of my nation?

FLUELLEN

Look you, if you take the matter otherwise than ismeant, Captain Macmorris, peradventure I shall thinkyou do not use me with that affability as indiscretion you ought to use me, look you: being asgood a man as yourself, both in the disciplines ofwar, and in the derivation of my birth, and inother particularities.

MACMORRIS

I do not know you so good a man as myself: soChrish save me, I will cut off your head.

GOWER

Gentlemen both, you will mistake each other.

JAMY

A! that's a foul fault.

GOWER

The town sounds a parley.

FLUELLEN

Captain Macmorris, when there is more betteropportunity to be required, look you, I will be sobold as to tell you I know the disciplines of war;and there is an end.