Fluellen.
Gow.
How now, captain Fluellen, come you from
the bridge?
Flu.
I assure you, there is very excellent services
committed at the pridge.
Gow.
Is the Duke of Exeter safe?
Flu.
The Duke of Exeter is as magnanimous as
Agamemnon, and a man that I love and honour with
my soul, and my heart, and my duty, and my life,
and my living, and my uttermost power. He is not,
God be praised and plessed, any hurt in the world; he
is maintain the pridge most valiantly, with excellent
discipline. There is an Antient lieutenant there at the
pridge, I think, in my very conscience, he is as valiant
a man as Mark Antony, and he is a man of no
estimation in the world, but I did see him do gallant
services.
Gow.
What do you call him?
Flu.
He is call'd Ancient Pistol.
Gow.
I know him not.
Enter Pistol.
Flu.
Here is the man.
Pist.
Captain, I thee beseech to do me favours:
-- 420 --
The Duke of Exeter doth love thee well.
Flu.
I, I praise God, and I have merited some love
at his hands.
Pist.
Bardolph, a soldier firm and sound of heart,
And buxom valour, hath by cruel fate,
And giddy fortune's furious fickle wheel,
That Goddess blind that stands upon the rolling restless stone—
Flu.
By your patience, Ancient Pistol: Fortune is
painted plind, with a muffler before her eyes,7 note
to signify
to you that fortune is plind; and she is painted
also with a wheel, to signify to you, which is the moral
of it, that she is turning and inconstant, and mutabilities
and variations; and her foot, look you, is
fixed upon a spherical stone, which rowles, and rowles,
and rowles; in good truth, the Poet makes a most excellent
description of it. Fortune is an excellent moral.
Pist.
Fortune is Bardolph's foe, and frowns on him,
For he hath stol'n a8 note
Pix, and hanged must a' be,
Damned death!
-- 421 --
Let gallows gape for dog, let man go free,
And let not hemp his wind-pipe suffocate;
But Exeter hath given the doom of death,
For Pix of little price. Therefore, go speak,
The Duke will hear thy voice;
And let not Bardolph's vital thread be cut
With edge of penny-cord, and vile reproach.
Speak, Captain, for his life, and I will thee requite.
Flu.
Ancient Pistol, I do partly understand your
meaning.
Pist.
Why then rejoice therefore.
Flu.
Certainly, Ancient, it is not a thing to rejoice
at; for if, look you, he were my brother, I would
desire the Duke to use his good pleasure, and put him
to executions; for disciplines ought to be used.
Pist.
Die and be damn'd, and Figo for thy friendship!
Flu.
It is well.
Pist.
The fig of Spain—
[Exit Pist.
Flu.
Very good.
Gow.
Why, this is an arrant counterfeit rascal, I
remember him now; a bawd, a cut-purse.
Flu.
I'll assure you, he utter'd as prave words at the
pridge, as you shall see in a summer's day: but it is
very well; what he has spoke to me, that is well, I
warrant you, when time is serve.
Gow.
Why, 'tis a gull, a fool, a rogue, that now
and then goes to the wars, to grace himself at his return
-- 422 --
into London, under the form of a soldier. Such
fellows are perfect in the great commanders' names, and
they will learn you by rote where services were done;
at such and such a sconce, at such a breach, at such a
convoy; who came off bravely, who was shot, who
disgrac'd, what terms the enemy stood on; and
this they con perfectly in the phrase of war, which
they trick up with new-turn'd oaths; and what a
beard of the general's cut, and a horrid suite of the
camp, will do among foaming bottles and ale-wash'd
wits, is wonderful to be thought on! But you must
learn to know 9 notesuch slanders of the age, or else you
may be marvellously mistook.
Flu.
I tell you what, captain Gower; I do perceive,
he is not the man that he would gladly make shew to
the world he is; if I find a hole in his coat, I will tell
him my mind. Hear you, the King is coming, and I
must speak with him from the pridge.1 note
-- 423 --
Samuel Johnson [1765], The plays of William Shakespeare, in eight volumes, with the corrections and illustrations of Various Commentators; To which are added notes by Sam. Johnson (Printed for J. and R. Tonson [and] C. Corbet [etc.], London) [word count] [S11001].
