Now are we well prepar'd to know the pleasure
Of our fair cousin Dauphin; for we hear
Your greeting is from him, not from the King.

Amb.
May't please your Majesty to give us leave
Freely to render what we have in charge:
Or shall we sparingly shew you far off
The Dauphin's meaning and our embassie.

K. Henry.
We are no tyrant, but a christian King,
Unto whose grace our passion is as subject,
As are our wretches fetter'd in our prisons:
Therefore with frank and with uncurbed plainness,
Tell us the Dauphin's mind.

Amb.
Thus then in few.
Your highness lately sending into France,
Did claim some certain Dukedoms in the right
Of your great predecessor, Edward the third.
In answer of which claim, the Prince our master
Says that you favour too much of your youth,
And bids you be advis'd: there's nought in France
That can be with a nimble galliard won;
You cannot revel into Dukedoms there:
He therefore sends you (meeter for your spirit)

This tun of treasure; and in lieu of this,
Desires you let the Dukedoms that you claim
Hear no more of you. This the Dauphin speaks.

K. Henry.
What treasure, uncle?

Exe.
Tennis-balls, my Liege.

K. Henry.
We're glad the Dauphin is so pleasant with us.
His present and your pains we thank you for.
When we have match'd our rackets to these balls,
We will in France, by God's grace, play a set
Shall strike his father's crown into the hazard.
Tell him h'ath made a match with such a wrangler,
That all the courts of France will be disturb'd
With chaces. And we understand him well,
How he comes o'er us with our wilder days,
Not measuring what use we made of them.
We never valu'd this poor seat of England,
And therefore living hence, did give our self
To barb'rous licence; as 'tis ever common,
That men are merriest when they are from home.
But tell the Dauphin I will keep my state,
Be like a King, and shew my sail of greatness,
When I do rowze me in my throne of France.
For that I have laid by my Majesty,
And plodded like a man for working days;
But I will rise there with so full a glory,
That I will dazle all the eyes of France,
Yea strike the Dauphin blind to look on us.
And tell the pleasant Prince this mock of his
Hath turn'd his balls to gun-stones, and his soul
Shall stand sore charged for the wastful vengeance
That shall fly with them: many thousand widows
Shall this his mock mock out of their dear husbands;
Mock mothers from their sons, mock castles down:

And some are yet ungotten and unborn,
That shall have cause to curse the Dauphin's scorn.
But this lies all within the will of God,
To whom I do appeal, and in whose name
Tell you the Dauphin, I am coming on
To venge me as I may, and to put forth
My rightful hand in a well-hallow'd cause.
So get you hence in peace, and tell the Dauphin
His jest will savour but of shallow wit,
When thousands weep more than did laugh at it.
Convey them with safe conduct. Fare ye well. [Exeunt Ambassadors.

Exe.
This was a merry message.

K. Henry.
We hope to make the sender blush at it:
Therefore, my lords, omit no happy hour,
That may give furth'rance to our expedition;
For we have now no thoughts in us but France,
Save those to God that run before our business.
Therefore let our proportions for these wars
Be soon collected, and all thought upon
That may with reasonable swiftness add
More feathers to our wings: for God before,
We'll chide this Dauphin at his father's door.
Therefore let every man now task his thought,
That this fair action may on foot be brought. [Exeunt. ^noteSCENE IV.

† [Footnote: Enter Corporal Nim, and Lieutenant Bardolph.

Bard.
Well met, Corporal Nim.

Nim.
Good-morrow, Lieutenant Bardolph.

Bard.
What, are ancient Pistol and you friends yet?

Nim.

For my part I care not: I say little; but when time shall serve there shall be smiles, but that shall be as it may. I dare not fight, but I will wink and hold out mine iron; it is a simple one, but what though? it will toast cheese, and it will endure cold as another man's sword will; and there's an end.

Bard.

I will bestow a breakfast to make you friends, and we'll be all three sworn brothers to France: let it be so, good corporal Nim.

Nim.

Faith I will live so long as I may, that's the certain of it; and when I cannot live any longer, I will do as I may: that is my rest, that is the rendezvous of it.

Bard.

It is certain, corporal, that he is married to Nel Quickly, and certainly she did you wrong, for you were troth-plight to her.

Nim.

I cannot tell, things must be as they may; men may sleep, and they may have their throats about them at that time, and some say knives have edges: it must be as it may; though patience be a tir'd name, yet she will plod; there must be conclusions; well, I cannot tell.