Orleans, and a Messenger.
Mess.
My lord high constable, the English lie within
fifteen hundred paces of your tents.
Con.
Who hath measur'd the ground?
Mess.
The Lord Grandpree.
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-brain'd followers so
far out of his knowledge?
-- 46 --
Con.
If the English had any apprehension, they
would run away.
Orl.
That they lack; for if their heads had any intellectual
armour, they could never wear such heavy
headpieces.
Ram.
That island of England breeds very valiant
creatures; their mastifs are of unmatchable courage.
Orl.
Foolish curs, that run winking into the mouth
of a Russian bear, and have their heads crush'd like rotten
apples. You may as well say, that's a valiant flea
that dares eat 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 shall we find, to-morrow, they have only
stomachs to eat, and none to fight. Now it is time to
arm; come, shall we about it?
Orl.
'Tis two o'clock; but (let me see) by ten,
We shall have each a hundred Englishmen.* note
[Exeunt.† note
End of the Third Act.
-- 47 --
John Bell [1774], Bell's Edition of Shakespeare's Plays, As they are now performed at the Theatres Royal in London; Regulated from the Prompt Books of each House By Permission; with Notes Critical and Illustrative; By the Authors of the Dramatic Censor (Printed for John Bell... and C. Etherington [etc.], York) [word count] [S10401].
