leaving their wits with their wives; and then give "them great meals of beef, and iron and fteel, they will eat like wolves, and fight like devils.

Orl. Ay; but thefe English are fhreudly out of beef. Con. Then fhall we find to morrow, they have only tomachs to eat, and none to fight. Now is it time to arm; come, fhall we about it?

Orl. 'Tis two o'clock; but (let me fee) by ten, We shall have each a hundred Englishmen.

[Exeunt.

ACT IV.

SCENE I.

AGINCOURT.

Enter CHOR us.

OW entertain conjecture of a time,

When creeping murmur, and the poring dark, Fills the wide veffel of the universe.

"From camp to camp,through the foul womb of night, "The hum of either army ftilly founds

"That the fixt centinels almoft receive

2

"The fecret whispers of each other's watch. "Fire answers fire; and through their paly flames "Each battel fees the other's umber'd face, "Steed threatens fteed, in high and boaftful neighs "Piercing the night's dull ear; and from the tents, "The armourers accomplishing the knights,

1 Fills the wide veffel of the univerfe.] Univerfe for horizon: for we are not to think Shakespear fo ignorant as to imagine it was night over the whole globe at once. He intimates he knew otherwife, by that fine line in Mid-fummer Night's Dream.

-following darkness like a dream.

Befides, the image he employs fhews he meant but half the globe; the horizon round which has the shape of a vefiel or goblet. the other's umber'd face.] Umber'd or umbred, is a

2

term in blazonry, and fignifies fhadowed.

"With bufie hammers clofing rivets up, "Give dreadful note of preparation.

"The country cocks do crow, the clocks do toll: "And (the third hour of droufie morning nam'd) Proud of their numbers and fecure in foul, The confident and over-lufty French 3 Do the low-rated English play at dice; And chide the cripple tardy-gated night, Who, like a foul and ugly witch, does limp So tediously away. "The poor condemned English, "Like facrifices, by their watchful fires "Sit patiently, and inly ruminate

"The morning's danger: and their gefture fad,
❝ 4 Invest in lank-lean cheeks and war-worn coats,
"Prefented them unto the gazing moon
"So many horrid ghosts. Who now beholds
"The royal captain of this ruin'd band
"Walking from watch to watch, from tent to tent,
"Let him cry, Praise and glory on his head!
For forth he goes and vifits all his host,
Bids them good morrow with a modest smile,
And calls them brothers, friends, and countrymen.
Upon his royal face there is no note,

How dread an army hath enrounded him;
Nor doth he dedicate one jot of colour
Unto the weary and all-watched night :
But freshly looks and over-bears attaint,
With chearful femblance and fweet majefty:
That ev'ry wretch, pining and pale before,
Beholding him, plucks comfort from his looks.

3 Do the low-rated English play at dice ;] i. e. do play them away at dice.

4 INVESTING lank-lean cheeks &c.] A gefture investing cheeks and coats is nonfenfe. We should read,

INVEST IN lank lean cheeks, which is fenfe, i. e. their fad gefture was cloath'd, or fet off, in lean-cheeks and worn. coats. The image is strong and picturesque.

A

A largefs univerfal, like the fun,

His lib'ral eye doth give to ev'ry one,
Thawing cold fear. Then, mean and gentle, all
Behold, (as may unworthiness define)
A little touch of Harry in the night.
And fo our scene muft to the battle fly:
Where, O for pity! we shall much disgrace,
With four or five moft vile and ragged foils,
(Right ill difpos'd, in brawl ridiculous)
The name of Agincourt. Yet fit and fee,
Minding true things by what their mock'ries be. [Exit.

SCENE II.

The English Camp, at Agincourt.
Enter King Henry, Bedford and Gloucester.

G

King HENRY.

Lou'fter, 'tis true, that we are in great danger; The greater therefore fhou'd our courage be. Good morrow, brother Bedford: God Almighty! "There is fome foul of goodness in things evil, "Would men obfervingly diftil it out.

For our bad neighbour makes us early stirrers;
Which is both healthful, and good husbandry.
Befides, they are our outward confciences,
And preachers to us all; admonishing,
"That we should 'drefs us fairly for our end.
Thus may we gather honey from the weed,
And make a moral of the devil himself.

Enter Erpingham.

Good morrow, old Sir Thomas Erpingham:

5

There is fome foul of goodness-] Soul, for spirit.
That we should drefs us fairly-1 i. e. addrefs.

A

A good foft pillow for that good white head
Were better than a churlish turf of France.

Erping. Not fo, my Liege; this lodging likes me
better;

Since I may fay, now lye I like a King.

K. Henry.'Tis good for men to love their prefent pain Upon example; fo the fpirit is eased:

And when the mind is quicken'd, out of doubt,
The organs, though defunct and dead before,
Break up their drowfie grave, and newly move
With cafted flough and fresh legerity.

Lend me thy cloak, Sir Thomas: brothers both,
Commend me to the Princes in our camp:
Do my good morrow to them, and anon
Defire them all to my pavillion.

Glou. We fhall, my Liege.

Erping. Shall I attend your grace?

K. Henry. No, my good knight;
Go with my brothers to my lords of England:
I and my bofom must debate a while,

And then I would no other company.

Erping. The Lord in heaven bless thee, noble Harry!

[Exeunt. K. Henry. God-a-mercy, old heart, thou speak'st chearfully.

SCENE III

Pift. Qui va là?

Enter Pistol.

K. Henry. A friend.

Pift. Difcufs unto me, art thou officer,
Or art thou base, common and popular?
K. Henry. I am a gentleman of a company.
Pift. Trail'ft thou the puiffant pike?
K. Henry. Even fo: what are you?

Pift. As good a gentleman as the Emperor. K. Henry. Then you are a better than the King. Pift. The King's a bawcock, and a heart of gold, A lad of life, an imp of fame,

Of parents good, of fift most valiant :

I kifs his dirty fhoe, and from my heart-ftring
I love the lovely bully. What's thy name?

K. Henry. Harry le Roy.

Pift. Le Roy! a Cornish name: art thou of Cornish crew?

K. Henry. No, I am a Welbman.

Pift. Know'st thou Fluellen ?

K. Henry. Yes.

Pift. Tell him, I'll knock his leek about his pate, Upon St. David's day.

K. Henry. Do not you wear your dagger in your cap that day, left he knock that about yours. Pift. Art thou his friend?

K. Henry. And his kinfman too.
Pift. The Figo for thee then!

K. Henry. I thank you: God be with you.
Pift. My name is Pistol call'd.

K. Henry. It forts well with your fiercenefs.

[Exit.

[Manet King Henry.

Enter Fluellen, and Gower, feverally.

Gow. Captain Fluellen.

Flu. So, in the name of Jefu Chrift, fpeak fewer; it is the greatest admiration in the univerfal world, when the true and auncient prerogatifes, and laws of the wars is not kept: if you would take the pains but to examine the wars of Pompey the great, you fhall find, I warrant you,, that there is no tiddle taddle, nor pibble pabble, in Pompey's camp: I warrant you, you hall find the ceremonies of the wars, and the cares of it, and the forms of it, and the fobrieties of it, and the modefty of it to be otherwife,

Gow.