would trot as well, were some of your brags dismounted. Dau. 'Would, I were able to load him with his desert! Will it never be day? I will trot to-morrow a mile, and my way shall be paved with English faces. Con. I will not say so, for fear I should be faced 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? Con. You must first go yourself to hazard, ere you have them. Dau. "Tis midnight, I'll go arm myself. [Exit. Con. I think, he will eat all he kills. Orl. By the white hand of my lady, he's a gallant prince. Con. Swear by her foot, that she may tread out the oath. Orl. He is, simply, the most active gentleman of France. Con. Doing is activity; and he will still be doing. Orl. He never did harm, that I heard of. Con. Nor will do none to-morrow: he will keep that good name still. Orl. I know him to be valiant. Con. I was told that, by one that knows him better than you. Orl. What's he? Con. Marry, he told me so himself; and he said, he cared not who knew it. 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 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 placed; 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. Mess. My lord high constable, the English lie within fifteen hundred paces of your tent. Con. Who hath measured the ground? Mess. The lord Grandpré. 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. Orl. What a wretched and peevish fellow is this king of England, to mope with his fat-brained followers so far out of his knowledge! Con. If the English had any apprehension, they would run away. 'tis a hooded valour; and, when it appears, it will bate.] This is a poor pun, taken from the terms used in falconry. The whole sense and sarcasm depends upon the equivoque of one word, viz. bate, in sound, but not in orthography, answering to the term bate in faulconry. When the hawk is unhooded, her first action is baiting, that is flapping her wings, as a preparation to her flying at the game. The hawk wants no courage, but invariably baits upon taking off the hood. peevish] In ancient language, signified-foolish. 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 creatures; their mastiffs are of unmatchable courage. Orl. Foolish curs! that run winking into the mouth of a Russian bear, and have their heads crushed like rotten apples: You may as well say,that's a valiant flea, that dare cat 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 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 we shall find to-morrow-they have only stomachs to eat, and none to fight. Now is it time to arm: Come, shall we about it? Orl. It is now two o'clock: but, let me see,-by ten, We shall have each a hundred Englishmen. ACT IV. [Exeunt. 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," Steed threatens steed, in high and boastful neighs The country cocks do crow, the clocks do toll, Sit patiently, and inly ruminate The morning's danger; and their gesture sad, So many horrid ghosts. horrid ghosts. O, now, who will behold The royal captain of this ruin'd band, Walking from watch to watch, from tent to tent, 6 stilly sounds.] i. e. gently, lowly, 7 the other's umber'd face:] Umber'd means here dise coloured by the gleam of the fires. Umber is a dark yellow earth, brought from Umbria in Italy, which, being mixed with water, produces such a dusky yellow colour as the gleam of fire by night gives to the countenance. 8 over-lusty] i. e. over-saucy. 9 Do the low-rated English play at dice;] i. e. do play them away at dice. And calls them-brothers, friends, and country men. Upon his royal face there is no note, His liberal eye doth give to every one, A little touch of Harry in the night: [Exit. SCENE I. The English Camp at Agincourt. Enter King HENRY, BEDFORD, and GLOSTER. K. Hen. Gloster, 'tis true, that we are in great danger; The greater therefore should our courage be. 1 Minding true things,-] To mind is the same as to call to remembrance. 12 |