SCENE III.
Enter Pistol.
Pist.
Qui va la?
K. Henry.
A friend.
Pist.
Discuss unto me, art thou officer,
Or art thou base, common and popular?
K. Henry.
I am a gentleman of a company.
Pist.
Trail'st thou the puissant pike?
K. Henry.
Ev'n so: what are you?
Pist.
As good a gentleman as the Emperor.
K. Henry.
Then you are a better than the King.
Pist.
The King's a bawcock, and a heart of gold,
A lad of life, an imp of fame,
Of parents good, of fist most valiant:
I kiss his dirty shooe, and from my heart-string
I love the lovely bully. What's thy name?
K. Henry.
Harry le Roy.
Pist.
Le Roy! a Cornish name: art thou of Cornish crew?
K. Henry.
No, I am a Welshman.
Pist.
Know'st thou Fluellen?
K. Henry.
Yes.
Pist.
Tell him I'll knock his leek about his pate
Upon St. David's day.
K. Henry.
Do not you wear your dagger in your cap that
day, lest he knock that about yours.
Pist.
Art thou his friend?
K. Henry.
And his kinsman too.
-- 455 --
Pist.
The Figo for thee then.
K. Henry.
I thank you: God be with you.
Pist.
My name is Pistol call'd.
[Exit.
K. Henry.
It sorts well with your fierceness.
[Manet King Henry.
Enter Fluellen and Gower.
Gow.
Captain Fluellen.
Flu.
So; in the name of Jesu Christ speak fewer: it is the
greatest admiration in the universal world, when the true and
auncient prerogatifes and laws of the wars is not kept: if you
would take the pains but to examine the wars of Pompey the
great, you shall find, I warrant you, that there is no tiddle taddle
nor pibble babble in Pompey's camp: I warrant you, you
shall find the ceremonies of the wars, and the cares of it, and the
forms of it, and the sobrieties of it, and the modesty of it to be
otherwise.
Gow.
Why the enemy is loud, you hear him all night.
Flu.
If the enemy is an Ass and a fool, and a prating coxcomb,
is it meet, think you, that we should also, look you, be
an Ass and a fool, and a prating coxcomb? in your own conscience
now?
Gow.
I will speak lower.
Flu.
I pray you and beseech you, that you will.
[Exeunt.
K. Henry.
Tho' it appear a little out of fashion,
There is much care and valour in this Welshman.
George Sewell [1723–5], The works of Shakespear in six [seven] volumes. Collated and Corrected by the former Editions, By Mr. Pope ([Vol. 7] Printed by J. Darby, for A. Bettesworth [and] F. Fayram [etc.], London) [word count] [S11101].
