| [Enter NYM, BARDOLPH, PISTOL, and Boy] | |
| BARDOLPH | On, on, on, on, on! to the breach, to the breach! |
| NYM | Pray thee, corporal, stay: the knocks are too hot; and, for mine own part, I have not a case of lives: the humour of it is too hot, that is the very plain-song of it. |
| PISTOL | The plain-song is most just: for humours do abound: Knocks go and come; God's vassals drop and die; And sword and shield, In bloody field, Doth win immortal fame. |
| Boy | Would I were in an alehouse in London! I would give all my fame for a pot of ale and safety. |
| PISTOL | And I: If wishes would prevail with me, My purpose should not fail with me, But thither would I hie. |
| Boy | As duly, but not as truly, As bird doth sing on bough. |
| [Enter FLUELLEN] | |
| FLUELLEN | Up to the breach, you dogs! avaunt, you cullions! |
| [Driving them forward] | |
| PISTOL | Be merciful, great duke, to men of mould. Abate thy rage, abate thy manly rage, Abate thy rage, great duke! Good bawcock, bate thy rage; use lenity, sweet chuck! |
| NYM | These be good humours! your honour wins bad humours. |
| [Exeunt all but Boy] | |
| Boy | As young as I am, I have observed these three swashers. I am boy to them all three: but all they three, though they would serve me, could not be man to me; for indeed three such antics do not amount to a man. For Bardolph, he is white-livered and red-faced; by the means whereof a' faces it out, but fights not. For Pistol, he hath a killing tongue and a quiet sword; by the means whereof a' breaks words, and keeps whole weapons. For Nym, he hath heard that men of few words are the best men; and therefore he scorns to say his prayers, lest a' should be thought a coward: but his few bad words are matched with as few good deeds; for a' never broke any man's head but his own, and that was against a post when he was drunk. They will steal any thing, and call it purchase. Bardolph stole a lute-case, bore it twelve leagues, and sold it for three half pence. Nym and Bardolph are sworn brothers in filching, and in Calais they stole a fire-shovel: I knew by that piece of service the men would carry coals. They would have me as familiar with men's pockets as their gloves or their handkerchers: which makes much against my manhood, if I should take from another's pocket to put into mine; for it is plain pocketing up of wrongs. I must leave them, and seek some better service: their villany goes against my weak stomach, and therefore I must cast it up. |
| [Exit] | |
| [Re-enter FLUELLEN, GOWER following] | |
| GOWER | Captain Fluellen, you must come presently to the mines; the Duke of Gloucester would speak with you. |
| FLUELLEN | To the mines! tell you the duke, it is not so good to come to the mines; for, look you, the mines is not according to the disciplines of the war: the concavities of it is not sufficient; for, look you, the athversary, you may discuss unto the duke, look you, is digt himself four yard under the countermines: by Cheshu, I think a' will plough up all, if there is not better directions. |
| GOWER | The Duke of Gloucester, to whom the order of the siege is given, is altogether directed by an Irishman, a very valiant gentleman, i' faith. |
| FLUELLEN | It is Captain Macmorris, is it not? |
| GOWER | I think it be. |
| FLUELLEN | By Cheshu, he is an ass, as in the world: I will verify as much in his beard: be has no more directions in the true disciplines of the wars, look you, of the Roman disciplines, than is a puppy-dog. |
| [Enter MACMORRIS and Captain JAMY] | |
| GOWER | Here a' comes; and the Scots captain, Captain Jamy, with him. |
| FLUELLEN | Captain Jamy is a marvellous falourous gentleman, that is certain; and of great expedition and knowledge in th' aunchient wars, upon my particular knowledge of his directions: by Cheshu, he will maintain his argument as well as any military man in the world, in the disciplines of the pristine wars of the Romans. |
| JAMY | I say gud-day, Captain Fluellen. |
| FLUELLEN | God-den to your worship, good Captain James. |
| GOWER | How now, Captain Macmorris! have you quit the mines? have the pioneers given o'er? |
| MACMORRIS | By Chrish, la! tish ill done: the work ish give over, the trompet sound the retreat. By my hand, I swear, and my father's soul, the work ish ill done; it ish give over: I would have blowed up the town, so Chrish save me, la! in an hour: O, tish ill done, tish ill done; by my hand, tish ill done! |
| FLUELLEN | Captain Macmorris, I beseech you now, will you voutsafe me, look you, a few disputations with you, as partly touching or concerning the disciplines of the war, the Roman wars, in the way of argument, look you, and friendly communication; partly to satisfy my opinion, and partly for the satisfaction, look you, of my mind, as touching the direction of the military discipline; that is the point. |
| JAMY | It sall be vary gud, gud feith, gud captains bath: and I sall quit you with gud leve, as I may pick occasion; that sall I, marry. |
| MACMORRIS | It is no time to discourse, so Chrish save me: the day is hot, and the weather, and the wars, and the king, and the dukes: it is no time to discourse. The town is beseeched, and the trumpet call us to the breach; and we talk, and, be Chrish, do nothing: 'tis shame for us all: so God sa' me, 'tis shame to stand still; it is shame, by my hand: and there is throats to be cut, and works to be done; and there ish nothing done, so Chrish sa' me, la! |
| JAMY | By the mess, ere theise eyes of mine take themselves to slomber, ay'll de gud service, or ay'll lig i' the grund for it; ay, or go to death; and ay'll pay 't as valourously as I may, that sall I suerly do, that is the breff and the long. Marry, I wad full fain hear some question 'tween you tway. |
| FLUELLEN | Captain Macmorris, I think, look you, under your correction, there is not many of your nation-- |
| MACMORRIS | Of my nation! What ish my nation? Ish a villain, and a bastard, and a knave, and a rascal. What ish my nation? Who talks of my nation? |
| FLUELLEN | Look you, if you take the matter otherwise than is meant, Captain Macmorris, peradventure I shall think you do not use me with that affability as in discretion you ought to use me, look you: being as good a man as yourself, both in the disciplines of war, and in the derivation of my birth, and in other particularities. |
| MACMORRIS | I do not know you so good a man as myself: so Chrish save me, I will cut off your head. |
| GOWER | Gentlemen both, you will mistake each other. |
| JAMY | A! that's a foul fault. |
| [A parley sounded] | |
| GOWER | The town sounds a parley. |
| FLUELLEN | Captain Macmorris, when there is more better opportunity to be required, look you, I will be so bold as to tell you I know the disciplines of war; and there is an end. |
| [Exeunt] |