Fluellen.
Gow.
Nay, that's right; But why wear you your leek
to day? 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, lousy, pragging
knave, Pistol,—which you and yourself, and all the 'orld,
know to be no petter than a fellow, look you now, of
no merits,—he is come to me, and prings me pread
and salt yesterday, look you, and bid me eat my leek:
it was in a place where I could not breed no contentions note
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.
Gow.
Why, here he comes, note swelling like a turkey-cock.
Flu.
'Tis no matter for his swellings, nor his turkey-cocks.
-- 96 --
—Got pless you, ancient Pistol! you scurvy
lousy knave, Got pless you!
Pis.
Ha! art thou Bedlam? dost thou thirst, base Trojan,
To have me fold up Parca's fatal web?
Hence! I am qualmish at the smell of leek.
Flu.
I peseech you heartily, [taking the Leek from his
Cap.] scurvy lousy 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.
Pis.
Not for Cadwallader, and all his goats.
Flu.
There is one goat for you. [beating him.] Will
you be so goot, scald knave, as eat it?
Pis.
Base Trojan, thou shalt die.
Flu.
You say very true, scald knave, when Got's
will is: I will desire you to live in the mean time, and
eat your victuals; come, there is sauce for it. [beating
him again.] You call'd me yesterday, mountain 'squire;
but I will make you to-day a 'squire of low degree. I
pray you, fall to; [beating again.] if you can mock a leek,
you can eat a leek.
Gow.
Enough, captain, you have astonish'd him.
Flu.
I say, I will make him eat some part of my
leek, or I will peat his pate four days:—bite, I pray
you; [giving the Leek into his Hand.] it is goot for your
green wound, and your ploody coxcomb.
Pis.
Must I bite?
Flu.
Yes, certainly; and out of doubt, and out of
question too, and ambiguities.
Pis.
By this leek, [eating of it.] I will most horribly
revenge. I eat, and eat, I swear.
-- 97 --
Flu.
Eat, I pray you: Will you have some more sauce
to your leek? there is not enough leek to swear by.
Pis.
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.
Pis.
Good.
Flu.
Ay, leeks is goot:—Hold you, there is a groat
to heal your pate.
Pis.
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.
Pis.
I take † thy groat, in earnest of revenge. note
Flu.
If I owe you any thing, I will pay you in cudgels;
you shall be a woodmonger, and buy nothing of
me but cudgels. Got be wi' you, and keep you, and
heal your pate.
[Exit.
Pis.
All hell shall stir for this.
Gow.
Go, go; you are a counterfeit cowardly knave:
Will you mock at an antient 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 gleeking 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. Fare ye well.
[Exit.
Pis.
Doth fortune play the huswy' note with me now?
News have I, that my Nell note14Q0763 is dead i'the 'spital
Of malady note of France;
-- 98 --
And there my rendezvous is quite cut off.
Old I do wax; and from my weary limbs
Honour is cudgel'd. Well, bawd will I note turn,
And something lean to cut-purse of quick hand.
To England will I steal, and there I'll steal:
And patches will I get unto these scars note;
And swear note, I got them in the Gallia wars.
[Exit.
SCENE II.
The same. A Room in some Palace.
Enter, at one Door, King Henry, and Train of Nobles;
Exeter, amongst them, and Westmorland: at another,
the French King, and his Queen, the Lady Catharine,
Alice, and other Ladies, Lords, &c. Duke of Burgundy, and Train.
Kin.
Peace to this meeting, wherefore we are met!—
Unto our brother France,—and to our sister,—
Health and fair time of day;—joy and good wishes
To our most fair and princely cousin Catharine;—
And (as a branch and member of this royalty,
By whom this great assembly is contriv'd)
We do salute you, duke of Burgundy;—
And princes French, and peers, health to you all!
Fr. K.
Right joyous are we to behold your face,
Most worthy brother England; fairly met note:—
So are you, princes English, every one.
Fr. Q.
So happy be the issue, brother England,
Of this good day, and of this gracious meeting,
As we are now glad to behold your eyes;
Your eyes, which hitherto have born in them,
Against the French, that met them in their bent,
The fatal balls of murthering basilisks:
The venom of such looks, we fairly hope,
-- 99 --
Have lost their quality; and that this day
Shall change all griefs, and quarrels, into love.
Kin.
To cry amen to that, we thus appear.
Fr. Q.
You English princes all, I do salute you.
Bur.
My duty to you both, on equal note love,
Great kings of France and England! That I have labour'd,
With all my wits, my pains, and strong endeavours,
To bring your most imperial majesties
Unto this bar and royal interview,
Your mightiness on both parts best can witness.
Since then my office hath so far prevail'd,
That, face to face, and royal eye to eye,
You have congreeted; let it not disgrace me,
If I demand, before this royal view,—
What rub, or what impediment, there is,
Why that the naked, poor, and mangl'd peace,
Dear nurse of arts, plenties, and joyful births,
Should not, in this best garden of the world,
Our fertile France, put up her lovely visage?
Alas! she hath from France too long been chas'd;
And all her husbandry doth lie on heaps,
Corrupting in it's own fertility.
Her vine, the merry chearer of the heart,
Unpruned, dies: her hedges even-pleach'd,
Like prisoners wildly over-grown with hair,
Put forth disorder'd twigs: her fallow leas
The darnel, hemlock, and rank fumitory,
Doth root upon; while that the culter rusts,
That should deracinate such savag'ry:
The even mead, that erst brought sweetly forth
The freckl'd cowslip, burnet, and green clover,
Wanting the scythe, all note uncorrected, rank,
-- 100 --
Conceives by idleness; and nothing teems,
But hateful docks, rough thistles, kecksies, burs,
Losing both beauty and utility.
And as our note vineyards,14Q0764 fallows, meads, and hedges,
Defective in their natures, grow to wildness;
Even so our houses, and ourselves, and children,
Have lost, or do not learn, for want of time,
The sciences that should become our country;
But grow, like savages,—as soldiers will,
That nothing do but meditate on blood,—
To swearing, and stern looks, diffus'd attire,
And every thing that seems unnatural.
Which to reduce into our former favour,
You are assembl'd: and my speech entreats,
That I may know the let, why gentle peace
Should not expel these inconveniencies,
And bless us with her former qualities.
Kin.
If, duke of Burgundy, you would the peace,
Whose want gives growth to the imperfections
Which you have cited, you must buy that peace
With full accord to all our just demands;
Whose tenures note and particular effects
You have, enschedul'd briefly, in your † hands.
Bur.
The king hath heard them; to the which, as yet,
There is no answer made.
Kin.
Well then, the peace,
Which you before so urg'd, lies in his answer.
Fr. K.
I have but with a cursorary note eye
O'er-glanc'd the articles: pleaseth your grace
To appoint some of your council presently
To sit with us once more, with better heed
To re-survey them, we will, suddenly,
-- 101 --
Pass, or accept note, and peremptory answer.
Kin.
Brother, we shall.—Go, uncle Exeter,—
And brother Clarence,—and you note, brother Gloster,—
Warwick,—and Huntington,—go with the king:
And take with you free power, to ratify,
Augment, or alter, as your wisdoms best
Shall see advantageable for our dignity,
Any thing in, or out of, our demands;
And we'll consign thereto.—Will you, fair sister,
Go with the princes, or stay here with us?
Fr. Q.
Our gracious brother, I will go with them;
Haply note, a woman's voice may do some good,
When articles, too nicely urg'd, be stood on.
Kin.
Yet leave our cousin Catharine here with us;
She is our capital demand, compris'd
Within the fore-rank of our articles.
Fr. Q.
She hath good leave.
[Exeunt All but Hen. Cath. and her Gentlewoman.
Kin.
Fair Catharine, and most fair!
Will you vouchsafe to teach a soldier terms,
Such as will enter at a lady's ear,
And plead his love-suit to her gentle heart?
Cat.
Your majesty shall mock at me; I cannot speak
your England.
Kin.
O fair Catharine, if you will love me soundly
with your French heart, I will be glad to hear you confess
it brokenly with your English tongue. Do you like
me, Kate?
Cat.
Pardonnez moi, I cannot tell vat is—like me.
Kin.
An angel is like you, Kate; and you are like
an angel.
Cat.
Que dit-il? que je suis semblable á les anges?
-- 102 --
Ali.
Oui, vrayment, (sauf vostre grace) ainsi dit-il.
Kin.
I said so, dear Catharine; and I must not blush
to affirm it.
O bon Dieu! les langues des hommes sont pleines des tromperies.
Kin.
What says she, fair one? that the tongues of
men are full of deceits?
Ali.
Oui; dat de tongues of de mans is be full of
deceits: dat is de princess.
Kin.
The princess is the better English-woman.—
I'faith, Kate, my wooing is fit for thy understanding: I
am glad, thou canst speak no better English; for, if thou
could'st, thou would'st find me such a plain king, that
thou would'st think, I had sold my farm to buy my
crown. I know no ways to mince it in love, but directly
to say—I love you: then, if you urge me farther than
to say—Do you, in faith? I wear out my suit. Give
me your answer; i'faith, do; and so clap hands, and a
bargain: How say you, lady?
Cat.
Sauf vostre honneur, me understand vell.
Kin.
Marry, if you would put me to verses, or to
dance for your sake, Kate, why, you undid me: for the
one, I have neither words nor measure; and for the
other, I have no strength in measure, yet a reasonable
measure in strength. If I could win a lady at leap-frog,
or by vaulting into my saddle with my armour on my
back, under the correction of bragging be it spoken, I
should quickly leap into a wife: Or, if I might buffet
for my love, or bound my horse for her favours, I could
lay on like a butcher, and sit like a jack-an-apes, never
off: But, before God, Kate, I cannot look greenly, nor
gasp out my eloquence, nor I have no cunning in protestation;
-- 103 --
only downright oaths, which I never use 'till
urg'd, nor never break for urging. If thou canst love a
fellow of this temper, Kate, whose face is not worth
sun-burning, that never looks in his glass for love of
any thing he sees there, let thine eye be thy cook. I
speak to thee plain soldier: If thou canst love me for
this, take me: if not, to say to thee—that I shall die,
is true; but—for thy love, by the Lord, no; yet I love
thee too. And while thou liv'st, dear Kate, take a fellow
of plain and uncoined constancy; for he perforce
must do thee right, because he hath not the gift to woo
in other places: for these fellows of infinite tongue, that
can rhime themselves into ladies' favours,—they do always
reason themselves out again. What! a speaker is
but a prater; a rhime is but a ballad. A good leg will
fall; a strait back will stoop; a black beard will turn
white; a curl'd pate will grow bald; a fair face will
wither; a full eye will wax hollow: but a good heart,
Kate, is the sun and the moon; or (rather) the sun, and
not the moon; for it shines bright, and never changes,
but keeps his course truly. If thou would have such a
one, take me: And take me; take a soldier, take a soldier;
take a king. And what say'st thou then to my
love? speak, my fair, and fairly, I pray thee.
Cat.
Is it possible, dat I should note love de enemy of
France?
Kin.
No; it is not possible, you should love the enemy
of France, Kate: but, in loving me, you should love
the friend of France; for I love France so well, that I
will not part with a village of it; I will have it all
mine: And, Kate, when France is mine, and I am yours,
thine yours note is France note, and you are mine.
-- 104 --
Cat.
I cannot tell vat is dat.
Kin.
No, Kate? I will tell thee in French; which, I
am sure, will hang upon my tongue, like a new-marry'd
wife about her husband's neck, hardly to be shook off.
Quand j' ay la possession de France, et quand vous avez la
possession de moi,—let me see, What then? Saint Dennis be
my speed!—donc vostre est France, et vous estes mienne.
It is as easy for me, Kate, to conquer the kingdom, as
to speak so much more French: I shall never move thee
in French, unless it be to laugh at me.
Cat.
Sauf vostre honneur, le Francois que vous parlez,
est meilleur que l' Anglois lequel je parle.
Kin.
No, 'faith, is't not, Kate: but thy speaking of
my tongue, and I thine, most truly falsely, must needs
be granted to be much at one. But, Kate, dost thou understand
thus much English? canst thou love me?
Cat.
I cannot tell.
Kin.
Can any of your neighbours tell, Kate? I'll
ask them. Come, I know, thou lovest me: and at night,
when you come into your closet, you'll question this
gentlewoman about me; and I know, Kate, you will
(to her) dispraise those parts in me, that—you note love
with your heart: but, good Kate, mock me mercifully;
the rather, gentle princess, because I love thee cruelly.
If ever thou be'st mine, Kate, (as I have a saving faith
within me, tells me—thou shalt) I get thee with scambling,
and thou must therefore needs prove a good soldier-breeder:
Shall not thou and I, between saint Dennis
and saint George, compound a boy, half French, half English,
that shall go to Constantinople, and take the Turk
by the beard? shall we not? what say'st thou, my fair
flower-de-luce?
-- 105 --
Cat.
I do not know dat.
Kin.
No; 'tis hereafter to know, but now to promise:
do but now promise, Kate, you will endeavour
for your French part of such a boy; and, for my English
moiety, take the word of a king and a batchelor. How
answer you, la plus belle Catharine du monde, mon tres chere
et divine deesse?
Cat.
Your majesté 'ave fausse French enough to deceive
de most sage damoiselle dat is en France.
Kin.
Now, fie upon my false French! By mine honour,
in true English, I love thee, Kate: by which honour
I dare not swear, thou lovest me; yet my blood
begins to flatter me that thou dost, notwithstanding the
poor and untempting note effect of my visage. Now beshrew
my father's ambition! he was thinking of civil wars,
when he got me; therefore was I created with a stubborn
outside, with an aspect of iron, that, when I come
to woo ladies, I fright them. But, in faith, Kate, the
elder I wax, the better I shall appear: my comfort is,
—that old age, that ill layer-up of beauty, can do no
more spoil upon my face: thou hast me, if thou hast
me, at the worst; and thou shalt wear me, if thou wear
me, better and better; And therefore tell me, most fair
Catharine, will you have me? Put off your maiden
blushes; avouch the thoughts of your heart with the
looks of an empress; take me by the hand, and say—
Harry of England, I am thine: which word thou shalt no
sooner bless mine ear withal, but I will tell thee aloud,
—England is thine, Ireland is thine, France is thine, and
Henry Plantagenet is thine; who, though I speak it before
his face, if he be not fellow with the best king,
thou shalt find the best king of good-fellows. Come,
-- 106 --
your answer in broken musick; for thy voice is musick,
and thy English broken: therefore, queen of all, Catharine,
break thy mind to me in broken English, Wilt thou
have me?
Cat.
Dat is as it shall please note de roi mon pere.
Kin.
Nay, it will please him well, Kate; it shall
please him, Kate.
Cat.
Den it shall also content me.
Kin.
Upon that I kiss your hand; and I call you—
my queen.
Cat.
Laissez, mon seigneur, laissez, laissez: ma foi, je
ne veux point que vous abbaissez vostre grandeur, en baisant
la main d'une vostre indigne serviteure; excusez moi,
je vous supplie, mon tres puissant seigneur.
Kin.
Then I will kiss your lips, Kate.
Cat.
Les dames, et damoiselles, pour estre baisées devant
leur nopces, il n' est pas la coutume de France.
Kin.
Madam my interpreter, what says she?
Ali.
Dat it is not be de fashion pour de ladies of
France,—I cannot tell vat is, baiser, en English.
Kin.
To kiss.
Ali.
Your majesty entendre better que moi.
Kin.
It is not a fashion for the maids in France to
kiss before they are marry'd, would she say?
Ali.
Oui, vrayment.
Kin.
O, Kate, nice customs curt'sy to great kings.
Dear Kate, you and I cannot be confin'd within the
weak list of a country's fashion: we are the makers of
manners, Kate; and the liberty that follows our places,
stops the mouth of all find-faults; as I will do yours,
for upholding the nice fashion of your country, in denying
me a kiss: therefore, patiently, and yielding.
-- 107 --
[kisses her.] You have witchcraft in your lips, Kate:
there is more eloquence in a sugar touch of them, than
in the tongues of the French council; and they should
sooner persuade Harry of England, than a general petition
of monarchs. Here comes your father.
Re-enter the French King, and his Queen; Burgundy, Lords, &c.
Bur.
God save your majesty! my royal cousin,
Teach you our princess English?
Kin.
I would have her learn, my fair cousin, how
perfectly I love her; and that is good English.
Bur.
Is she not apt?
Kin.
Our tongue is rough, coz'; and my condition
is not smooth: so that, having neither the voice nor
the heart of flattery about me, I cannot so conjure up
the spirit of love in her, that he will appear in his true
likeness.
Bur.
Pardon the frankness of my mirth, if I answer
you for that. If you would conjure in her, you must
make a circle: if conjure up love in her in his true
likeness, he must appear naked, and blind: Can you
blame her then, being a maid yet rosy'd note note over with the
virgin crimson of modesty, if she deny the appearance
of a naked blind boy in her naked seeing self? It were,
my lord, a hard condition for a maid to consign to.
Kin.
Yet they do wink, and yield; as love is blind,
and enforces.
Bur.
They are then excus'd, my lord, when they
see not what they do.
Kin.
Then, good my lord, teach your cousin to consent
to winking.
Bur.
I will wink on her to consent, my lord, if you
-- 108 --
will teach her to know my meaning: for maids, well
summer'd and warm kept, are like flies at Bartholomew- note
tide, blind, though they have their eyes; and then they
will endure handling, which before would not abide
looking on.
Kin.
This moral ties note me over to time, and a hot
summer; and so I shall catch the fly, your cousin, in
the latter end, and she must be blind too.
Bur.
As love is, my lord, before it loves.
Kin.
It is so: and you may, some of you, thank love
for my blindness; who cannot see many a fair French
city, for one fair French maid that stands in my way.
Fr. K.
Yes, my lord, you see them perspectively, the
cities turn'd into a maid; for they are all girdl'd with
maiden walls, that war hath not enter'd.
Kin.
Shall Kate be my wife?
Fr. K.
So please you.
Kin.
I am content; so the maiden cities, you talk
of, may wait on her: so the maid, that stood in the
way for my wish, shall shew me the way to my will.
Fr. K.
We have consented to all terms of reason.
Kin.
Is't so, my lords of England?
Wes.
The king hath granted every article:
His daughter, first; and then note, in sequel, all,
According to their firm proposed natures.
Exe.
Only, he hath not yet subscribed this:—
Where your majesty demands,—that the king of France,
having any occasion to write for matter of grant, shall
name your highness in this form, and with this addition,
in French,—Nostre tres cher filz14Q0765 Henry note roi d' Angleterre, heretier
de France; and thus in Latin,—Præclarissimus filius
noster Henricus, rex Angliæ, et hæres Franciæ.
-- 109 --
Fr. K.
Nor this I have not, brother, so deny'd,
But your request shall make me let it pass.
Kin.
I pray you then, in love and dear alliance,
Let that one article rank with the rest:
And, thereupon, give me your daughter.
Fr. K.
Take her, fair son; and from her blood raise up
Issue to me: that the contending kingdoms
Of France and England, whose very shores look pale
With envy of each other's happiness,
May cease their hatred; and this dear conjunction
Plant neighbourhood and christian-like accord
In their sweet bosoms, that never war advance
His bleeding sword 'twixt England and fair France.
all.
Amen!
Kin.
Now, welcome, Kate:—and bear me witness all,
That here I kiss her as my sovereign queen.
[Shouts, and Flourish of Instruments.
Fr. Q.
God, the best maker of all marriages,
Combine your hearts in one, your realms in one!
As man and wife, being two, are one in love,
So be there 'twixt your kingdoms such a spousal,
That never may ill office, or fell jealousy,
Which troubles oft the bed of blessed marriage,
Thrust in between the paction note of these kingdoms,
To make divorce of their incorporate league;
But English may as French, French Englishmen,
Receive each other!—God speak this amen!
all.
Amen!
Kin.
Prepare we for our marriage:—on which day,
My lord of Burgundy, we'll take your oath,
And all the peers', for surety of our leagues.—
Then shall I swear to Kate,—and you to me;—
-- 110 --
And may our oaths well kept and prosp'rous be!
[Flourish. Exeunt.
[Epilogue]
Enter Chorus.
Thus far, with rough and all-unable pen,
Our bending author hath pursu'd the story;
In little room confining mighty men,
Mangling by starts the full course of their glory.
Small time, but, in that small, most greatly liv'd
This star of England: fortune made his sword;
By which the world's best garden he atchiev'd,
And of it left his son imperial lord.
Henry the sixth, in infant bands crown'd king
Of France and England, did this king succeed;
Whose state so many had the managing,
That they lost France, and made note his England bleed:
Which oft our stage hath shown; and, for their sake,
In your fair minds let this acceptance take.
[Exit.
