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  • William Shakespeare: Henry V, Act II, Scene I

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Scene ILondon. A streetEnter Corporal Nym and Lieutenant BardolphBardolphWell met, Corporal Nym.NymGood morrow, Lieutenant Bardolph.BardolphWhat, are Ancient Pistol and you friends yet?NymFor 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.BardolphI will bestow a breakfast to make you friends; and we’ll be all three sworn brothers to France: let it be so, good Corporal Nym.NymFaith, 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.BardolphIt is certain, corporal, that he is married to Nell Quickly: and certainly she did you wrong; for you were troth-plight to her.NymI 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 tired mare, yet she will plod. There must be conclusions. Well, I cannot tell.Enter Pistol and HostessBardolphHere comes Ancient Pistol and his wife: good corporal, be patient here. How now, mine host Pistol!PistolBase tike, call’st thou me host? Now, by this hand, I swear, I scorn the term; Nor shall my Nell keep lodgers.HostessNo, by my troth, not long; for we cannot lodge and board a dozen or fourteen gentlewomen that live honestly by the prick of their needles, but it will be thought we keep a bawdy house straight.Nym and Pistol drawO well a day, Lady, if he be not drawn now! we shall see wilful adultery and murder committed.BardolphGood lieutenant! good corporal! offer nothing here.NymPish!PistolPish for thee, Iceland dog! thou prick-ear’d cur of Iceland!HostessGood Corporal Nym, show thy valour, and put up your sword.NymWill you shog off? I would have you solus.Pistol’Solus,’ egregious dog? O viper vile! The ‘solus’ in thy most mervailous face; The ‘solus’ in thy teeth, and in thy throat, And in thy hateful lungs, yea, in thy maw, perdy, And, which is worse, within thy nasty mouth! I do retort the ‘solus’ in thy bowels; For I can take, and Pistol’s cock is up, And flashing fire will follow.NymI am not Barbason; you cannot conjure me. I have an humour to knock you indifferently well. If you grow foul with me, Pistol, I will scour you with my rapier, as I may, in fair terms: if you would walk off, I would prick your guts a little, in good terms, as I may: and that’s the humour of it.PistolO braggart vile and damned furious wight! The grave doth gape, and doting death is near; Therefore exhale.BardolphHear me, hear me what I say: he that strikes the first stroke, I’ll run him up to the hilts, as I am a soldier.DrawsPistolAn oath of mickle might; and fury shall abate. Give me thy fist, thy fore-foot to me give: Thy spirits are most tall.NymI will cut thy throat, one time or other, in fair terms: that is the humour of it.Pistol’Couple a gorge!’ That is the word. I thee defy again. O hound of Crete, think’st thou my spouse to get? No; to the spital go, And from the powdering tub of infamy Fetch forth the lazar kite of Cressid’s kind, Doll Tearsheet she by name, and her espouse: I have, and I will hold, the quondam Quickly For the only she; and—pauca, there’s enough. Go to.Enter the BoyBoyMine host Pistol, you must come to my master, and you, hostess: he is very sick, and would to bed. Good Bardolph, put thy face between his sheets, and do the office of a warming-pan. Faith, he’s very ill.BardolphAway, you rogue!HostessBy my troth, he’ll yield the crow a pudding one of these days. The king has killed his heart. Good husband, come home presently.Exeunt Hostess and BoyBardolphCome, shall I make you two friends? We must to France together: why the devil should we keep knives to cut one another’s throats?PistolLet floods o’erswell, and fiends for food howl on!NymYou’ll pay me the eight shillings I won of you at betting?PistolBase is the slave that pays.NymThat now I will have: that’s the humour of it.PistolAs manhood shall compound: push home.They drawBardolphBy this sword, he that makes the first thrust, I’ll kill him; by this sword, I will.PistolSword is an oath, and oaths must have their course.BardolphCorporal Nym, an thou wilt be friends, be friends: an thou wilt not, why, then, be enemies with me too. Prithee, put up.NymI shall have my eight shillings I won of you at betting?PistolA noble shalt thou have, and present pay; And liquor likewise will I give to thee, And friendship shall combine, and brotherhood: I’ll live by Nym, and Nym shall live by me; Is not this just? for I shall sutler be Unto the camp, and profits will accrue. Give me thy hand.NymI shall have my noble?PistolIn cash most justly paid.NymWell, then, that’s the humour of’t.Re-enter HostessHostessAs ever you came of women, come in quickly to Sir John. Ah, poor heart! he is so shaked of a burning quotidian tertian, that it is most lamentable to behold. Sweet men, come to him.NymThe king hath run bad humours on the knight; that’s the even of it.PistolNym, thou hast spoke the right; His heart is fracted and corroborate.NymThe king is a good king: but it must be as it may; he passes some humours and careers.PistolLet us condole the knight; for, lambkins we will live.

William Shakespeare: Henry V, Act II

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William Shakespeare: Henry V, Act III, Scene II

  • William Shakespeare: Henry V, Act III, Scene II

TrendingHere are the facts and trivia that people are buzzing about.

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  • Did Birds Evolve from Dinosaurs?
  • The Twelve Dancing Princesses
  • Current Events This Week: January 2023
  • African Americans by the Numbers
  • Andersen’s Fairy Tales: Contents
  • The Celtic Twilight: A Teller of Tales