of lives: the humor of it is too hot, that is the very plain song of it.

Pis. The plain song is most just; for humors 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 give all my fame for a pot of ale, and safety.

Pis. 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.

Enter FLUEllen.

Flu. Got's plood!—Up to the preaches, you rascals! will you not up to the preaches?

[driving them forward.

Pis. Be merciful, great duke,1 to men of mould ! o Abate thy rage, abate thy manly rage!

Abate thy rage, great duke!

Good bawcock,3 bate thy rage! use lenity, sweet

chuck!

1 Commander.

2 To poor mortal men

A corruption of beau coq, jolly cock.

Nym. These be good humors!—your honor wins bad humors.

[Exeunt Nym, Pistol, and Bardolph, followed by Fluellen.

Boy. As young as I am, I have observed these three swashers.1 I am boy to them all three: but all they three, though they would serve me, could not be man to me; for, indeed, three such antics do not amount to a man. For Bardolph, he is whitelivered and red-faced; by the means whereof, 'a faces it out, but fights not. For Pistol, he hath a

killing tongue and a quiet sword; by the means whereof 'a breaks words, and keeps whole weapons. For Nym, he hath heard, that men of few words are the best men; and therefore he scorns to say his prayers, lest a' should be thought a coward: but his few bad words are matched with as few good deeds; for 'a never broke any man's head but his own; and that was against a post when he was drunk. They will steal any thing, and call it,— purchase. Bardolph stole a lute-case; bore it twelve leagues, and sold it for three halfpence. Nym and Bardolph are sworn brothers in filching; and in Calais they stole a fire-shovel: I knew, by that piece of service, the men would carry coals. They would have me as familiar with men's pockets as their gloves or their handkerchiefs; which makes much against my manhood, if I should take from

Braggarts.

2 Bravest.

3 Pocket affronts.

another's pocket, to put into mine; for it is plain pocketing up of wrongs. I must leave them, and seek some better service: their villany goes against my weak stomach, and therefore I must cast it up. [Exit Boy.

Re-enter FLUELLEN, GOWER following.

Gow. Captain Fluellen, you must come presently to the mines the duke of Gloster would speak with you.

Flu. To the mines! tell you the duke, it is not so good to come to the mines: for, look you, the mines is not according to the disciplines of the war; the concavities of it is not sufficient; for, look you, th' athversary (you may discuss unto the duke, look you) is dight1 himself four yards under the countermines by Cheshu, I think, 'a will plow up all, if there is not better directions.

:

Gow. The duke of Gloster, to whom the order of the siege is given, is altogether directed by an Irishman; a very valiant gentleman, i̇' faith.

Flu. It is captain Macmorris, is it not?

Gow. I think, it be.

Flu. By Cheshu, he is an ass, as in the 'orld: I will verify as much in his peard: he has no more directions in the true disciplines of the wars, look you, of the Roman disciplines, than is a puppy-dog.

1 Digged.

Enter MACMORRIS and JAMY, at a distance.

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

Flu. Captain Jamy is a marvellous falorous gentleman, that is certain; and of great expedition, and knowlege in the ancient wars, upon my particular knowlege of his directions: by Cheshu, he will maintain his argument as well as any military man in the 'orld, in the disciplines of the pristine wars of the Romans.

Jamy. I say, gud-day, captain Fluellen.

Flu. God-den1 to your worship, goot captain Jamy.

Gow. How now, captain Macmorris? have you quit the mines? have the pioneers given o'er?

Mac. By Chrish la, tish ill done; the work ish give over, the trumpet sound the retreat. By my hand, I swear, and by my father's soul, the work ish ill done; it ish give over: I would have blowed up the town, so Chrish save me, la, in an hour. 0, tish ill done, tish ill done; by my hand, tish ill done!

Flu. Captain Macmorris, I peseech you now, will you voutsafe me, look you, a few disputations with you, as partly touching or concerning the disciplines of the war, the Roman wars, in the way of argument, look you, and friendly communication; partly,

Good even.

to satisfy my opinion, and partly, for the satisfaction, look you, of my mind, as touching the direction of the military discipline; that is the point.

:

Jamy. It sall be very gud, gud feith, gud captains bath and I sall quit you1 with gud leve, as I may pick occasion; that sall I, marry.

Mac. It is no time to discourse, so Chrish save me: the day is hot, and the weather, and the wars, and the king, and the dukes; it is no time to discourse. The town is beseeched, and the trumpet calls us to the breach; and we talk, and, by Chrish, do nothing; 'tis shame for us all: so God sa' me, 'tis shame to stand still; it is shame, by my hand: and there is throats to be cut, and works to be and there ish nothing done, so Chrish sa'

done; me, la.

Jamy. By the mess, ere theise eyes of mine take themselves to slumber, aile do gude service, or aile ligge i' the grund for it; ay, or go to death; and aile pay it as valorously as I may, that sal I surely do, that is the breff and the long. Mary, I wad full fain heard some question 'tween you tway.

Flu. Captain Macmorris, I think, look you, under your correction, there is not many of your nation

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

ЗНАК.

Interpose with my argument.

VII.

Y