Unto the Crown of France. That you may know, [Gives the French King a Paper. { Willing you over-look this pedigree; And when you find him evenly deriv'd Fr. King. Or else what follows ? Exe. Bloody constraint; for if you hide the Crown Ev'n in your hearts, there will he rake for it. And therefore in fierce tempeft is he coming, In thunder, and in earthquake, like a Jove : That, if requiring fail, he may compel. He bids you, in the bowels of the Lord, Deliver up the Crown; and to take mercy On the poor souls, for whom this hungry war Opens his vafty jaws; upon your head Turning the widows' tears, the orphans' cries, The dead mens' blood, the pining maidens' groans, For husbands, fathers, and betrothed lovers, That shall be swallow'd in this controversie. This is his claim, his threatning, and my message ; Unless the Dauphin be in presence here, To whom exprefly I bring Greeting too. Fr. King. For us, we will consider of this further : Dau. For the Dauphin, Exe, Scorn and defiance, slight regard, contempt, The The mighty fender, doth he prize you at. Shall chide your trespass, and return your mock Dau. Say, if my father render fair reply, Exe. He'll make your Paris Louvre shake for it, (Flourish. Exe. Dispatch us with all speed, lest that our King Come here himself to question our delay; For he is footed in this land already. Fr. KingYou shall be soon dispatch'd with fair conditions: A night is but small breath, and little pause, To answer matters of this consequence. [Exeunt. 8 Shall hide your trespass,-) Mr. Pope rightly corrected it, Shall CHID E ACT Chorus THY flies, I Act III. Scene I.] This whole act (and all the rest of the play) very much enlarged and improved by the author, fince the editions of 1600, and 1608. Mr. Pope. Tells Аа 3 Tells Harry, that the King doth offer him [Alarm, and Cannon go off. And down goes all before him. all before him. Still be kind, And eke out our performance with your mind. [Exit. S c E N N E II. Before HARFLEU R. Enter King Henry, Exeter, Bedford, and Gloucester; Soldiers, with scaling ladders. K.Henry. ONCE more unto the breach, dear friends, once more ; Or close the wall up with the English dead. In peace, there's nothing fo becomes a man As modeft stillness and humility : But when the blast of war blows in our ears, Then imitate the action of the Tyger ; Stiffen the finews, fummon up the blood, Disguise fair nature with hard-favour'd rage ; Then lend the eye a terrible aspect; Let it pry thro' the portage of the head, Like the brass cannon : let the brow o’erwhelm it, As fearfully, as doth a galled rock O'er-hang and jutty his confounded base, Swill'd with the wild and wasteful ocean. Now fet the teeth, and stretch the noftril wide Hold hard the breath, and bend up every spirit To his full height. Now on, you noblest English, Whole blood is fetcht from fathers of war-proof; Fathers, that, like so many Alexanders, Have in these parts from morn till even fought, And And sheath'd their swords for lack of argument. Dishonour not your mothers; now attest, That those, whom you callid fathers, did beget you. Be copy now to men of groffer blood, And teach them how to war; and you, good yeomen, Whose limbs were made in England, shew us here The mettle of your pasture : let us swear That you are worth your breeding, which I doubt not ; For there is none of you so mean and base, That hath not noble lustre in your eyes ; I see you stand like Greyhounds in the slips, Straining upon the start. The game's a-foot : Follow your spirit; and, upon this charge, Cry, God for Harry! England! and St. George! [Exeunt King, and Train. [ Alarm, and Cannon go off. S CE N E III. Enter Nim, Bardolph, Pistol, and Boy. Bard. On, on, on, on, on, to the breach, to the breach. Nim. '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 very plain song of it. Pift. 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 im mortal fame. Boy. Wou'd I were in an ale-house in London, I would give all my fame for a pot of ale and safety. Pit. ? And I; if wishes would prevail, I wou'd not stay, but thither would I hye. 2 And I; if wißes &c.] See the editions of 1600, and 1608. Mr. Pope. Enter Аа 4 |