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Charles Kean [1859], Shakespeare's play of King Henry the Fifth, arranged for representation at the Princess's Theatre, with historical and explanatory notes, by Charles Kean, F.S.A., as first performed On Monday, March 28th, 1859 (Printed by John K. Chapman and Co. [etc.], London) [word count] [S35800].
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Scene I. —FRANCE IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF TROYES. Enter Fluellen and Gower, L.H.

Gow.

Nay, that's right; but why wear you your leek today? Saint Davy's day is past.

Flu.

There is occasions and causes why and wherefore in all things: I will tell you, as my friend, Captain Gower: the rascally, scald, beggarly, lowsy, pragging knave, Pistol, —he is come to me, and prings me pread and salt yesterday, look you, and pid me eat my leek: it was in a place where I could not preed no contentions with him; but I will be so pold as to wear it in my cap till I see him once again, and then I will tell him a little piece of my desires.

Enter Pistol, R.H.

Gow.

Why, here he comes, swelling like a turkey-cock.

Flu.

'Tis no matter for his swellings nor his turkey-cocks. —Heaven pless you, ancient Pistol! you scurvy, lowsy knave, Heaven pless you!

Pist.
Ha! art thou Bedlam? dost thou thirst, base Trojan,
To have me fold up Parca's fatal web?1 note
Hence! I am qualmish at the smell of leek.
[Crosses to L.H.

Flu.

I peseech you heartily, scurvy, lowsy knave, at my desires, and my requests, and my petitions, to eat, look you, this leek: because, look you, you do not love it, nor your affections, and your appetites, and your digestions, does not agree with it, I would desire you to eat it.

Pist. (crosses to R.H.)
Not for Cadwallader and all his goats.

-- 87 --

Flu.
There is one goat for you. [Strikes him.
Will you be so goot, scald knave, as eat it?

Pist.
Base Trojan, thou shalt die.

Flu.

You say very true, scald knave, when Heaven's will is: I will desire you to live in the mean time, and eat your victuals: come, there is sauce for it. (Striking him again.) You called me yesterday mountain-squire; but I will make you to-day a squire of low degree.2 note; I pray you, fall to: if you can mock a leek, you can eat a leek.

Gow.

Enough, captain: you have astonished him.3 note

Flu.

I say, I will make him eat some part of my leek, or I will peat his pate four days.—Pite, I pray you; it is goot for you.

Pist.

Must I bite?

Flu.

Yes, certainly, and out of doubt, and out of questions too, and ambiguities.

Pist.

By this leek, I will most horribly revenge: I eat, and eke I swear—

Flu.

Eat, I pray you: Will you have some more sauce to your leek? there is not enough leek to swear by.

Pist.

Quiet thy cudgel; thou dost see I eat.

Flu.

Much goot do you, scald knave, heartily. Nay, 'pray you, throw none away; the skin is goot for your proken coxcomb. When you take occasions to see leeks hereafter, I pray you, mock at them; that is all.

Pist.

Good.

Flu.

Ay, leeks is goot:—Hold you, there is a groat to heal your pate.

Pist.

Me a groat!

Flu.

Yes, verily and in truth, you shall take it; or I have another leek in my pocket, which you shall eat.

Pist.

I take thy groat in earnest of revenge.

Flu.

If I owe you any thing, I will pay you in cudgels. Heaven be wi' you, and keep you, and heal your pate.

[Exit L.H.

Pist. (crosses to L.H.)

All hell shall stir for this.

[Crosses to R.H.

-- 88 --

Gow.

Go, go; you are a counterfeit cowardly knave. Will you mock at an ancient tradition,—begun upon an honourable respect, and worn as a memorable trophy of predeceased valour,—and dare not avouch in your deeds any of your words? I have seen you gleeking4 note and galling at this gentleman twice or thrice. You thought, because he could not speak English in the native garb, he could not therefore handle an English cudgel: you find it otherwise; and henceforth let a Welsh correction teach you a good English condition.5 note Fare ye well.

[Exit, L.H.

Pist.
Doth fortune play the huswife6 note with me now?
Old I do wax; and from my weary limbs
Honour is cudgell'd.
To England will I steal:
And patches will I get unto these scars,
And swear, I got them in the Gallia wars.
[Exit, R.H.

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Charles Kean [1859], Shakespeare's play of King Henry the Fifth, arranged for representation at the Princess's Theatre, with historical and explanatory notes, by Charles Kean, F.S.A., as first performed On Monday, March 28th, 1859 (Printed by John K. Chapman and Co. [etc.], London) [word count] [S35800].
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