The Complete Works of William Shakespeare - Israel Gollancz William Shakespeare [572]
ORLEANS. The Dauphin longs for morning.
RAMBURES.
He longs to eat the English.
CONSTABLE.
I think he will eat all he kills.
ORLEANS.
By the white hand of my lady, he's a gallant prince.
CONSTABLE.
Swear by her foot, that she may tread out the oath.
ORLEANS.
He is simply the most active gentleman of France.
CONSTABLE.
Doing is activity, and he will still be doing.
ORLEANS.
He never did harm that I heard of.
CONSTABLE.
Nor will do none to-morrow: he will keep that good name still.
ORLEANS.
I know him to be valiant.
CONSTABLE.
I was told that by one that knows him better than you.
ORLEANS.
What's he?
CONSTABLE.
Marry, he told me so himself; and he said he car'd not who knew it.
ORLEANS.
He needs not; it is no hidden virtue in him.
CONSTABLE.
By my faith, sir, but it is; never anybody saw it but his lackey.
'Tis a hooded valour, and when it appears it will bate.
ORLEANS.
Ill-wind never said well.
CONSTABLE.
I will cap that proverb with 'There is flattery in friendship.'
ORLEANS.
And I will take up that with 'Give the devil his due.'
CONSTABLE.
Well plac'd! There stands your friend for the devil;
have at the very eye of that proverb with 'A pox of the devil!'
ORLEANS.
You are the better at proverbs by how much 'A fool's bolt is soon shot.'
CONSTABLE.
You have shot over.
ORLEANS.
'Tis not the first time you were overshot.
Enter a MESSENGER
MESSENGER.
My Lord High Constable, the English lie within fifteen
hundred paces of your tents.
CONSTABLE.
Who hath measur'd the ground?
MESSENGER.
The Lord Grandpre.
CONSTABLE.
A valiant and most expert gentleman. Would it were day!
Alas, poor Harry of England! he longs not for the dawning as we do.
ORLEANS.
What a wretched and peevish fellow is this King of
England, to mope with his fat-brain'd followers so far out of his knowledge!
CONSTABLE.
If the English had any apprehension, they would run away.
ORLEANS.
That they lack; for if their heads had any intellectual
armour, they could never wear such heavy head-pieces.
RAMBURES.
That island of England breeds very valiant creatures;
their mastiffs are of unmatchable courage.
ORLEANS.
Foolish curs, that run winking into the mouth of a Russian
bear, and have their heads crush'd like rotten apples! You may as
well say that's a valiant flea that dare eat his breakfast on the lip of a lion.
CONSTABLE.
Just, just! and the men do sympathise with the mastiffs
in robustious and rough coming on, leaving their wits with their
wives; and then give them great meals of beef and iron and steel;
they will eat like wolves and fight like devils.
ORLEANS.
Ay, but these English are shrewdly out of beef.
CONSTABLE.
Then shall we find to-morrow they have only stomachs to
eat, and none to fight. Now is it time to arm. Come, shall we about it?
ORLEANS.
It is now two o'clock; but let me see- by ten
We shall have each a hundred Englishmen. Exeunt
ACT IV. PROLOGUE.
Enter CHORUS
CHORUS.
Now entertain conjecture of a time
When creeping murmur and the poring dark
Fills the wide vessel of the universe.
From camp to camp, through the foul womb of night,
The hum of either army stilly sounds,
That the fix'd sentinels almost receive
The secret whispers of each other's watch.
Fire answers fire, and through their paly flames
Each battle sees the other's umber'd face;
Steed threatens steed, in high and boastful neighs
Piercing the night's dull ear; and from the tents
The armourers accomplishing the knights,
With busy hammers closing rivets up,
Give dreadful note of preparation.
The country cocks do crow, the clocks do ton,
And the third hour of drowsy morning name.
Proud of their numbers and secure in soul,
The confident and over-lusty French
Do the low-rated English play at dice;
And chide the cripple tardy-gaited night
Who like a foul and ugly witch doth limp
So tediously away. The poor condemned English,
Like sacrifices, by their watchful fires
Sit patiently and inly