1 Be here presented. Now we bear the king 1 "Toward Calais: grant him there; there seen. in order to complete the metre, that we should read :— 4 Steevens proposes, “Toward Calais: grant him there; there seen awhile.” Whifflers were persons going before a great personage or procession, furnished with staves or wands to clear the way. The junior liverymen of the city companies, who walk first in processions, are still called whifflers, from the circumstance of their going before. 3 i. e. similitude. 4 i. e. the earl of Essex. Shakspeare grounded his anticipation of such a reception for Essex on his return from Ireland, upon what had already occurred at his setting forth. But how different his return was from what the Poet predicted, may be seen in the Sydney Papers, vol. ii. p. 127. 5 Broached is spitted, transfixed. To welcome him! Much more, and much more cause, Did they this Harry. Now in London place him; (As yet the lamentation of the French 1 Invites the king of England's stay at home ;) There must we bring him; and myself have played [Exit. SCENE I. France. An English Court of Guard. Enter FLUELLEN and Gower. Gow. Nay, that's right; but why wear you your leek to-day? Saint Davy's day is past. Flu. There is occasions and causes why and wherefore in all things: I will tell you, as my friend, captain Gower; the rascally, scald, beggarly, lowsy, pragging knave, Pistol,—which you and yourself, and all the 'orld, know to be no petter than a fellow, look you now, of no merits,—he is come to me, and prings me pread and salt yesterday, look you, and bid me eat my leek: it was in a place where I could not breed no contentions with him; but I will be so pold as to wear it in my cap till I see him once again, and then I will tell him a little piece of my desires. 1 "The emperor's coming." The emperor Sigismund, who was married to Henry's second cousin. This passage stands in the following embarrassed and obscure manner in the folio: Now in London place him. As yet the lamentation of the French The liberty we have taken is to transpose the word and, and substitute we in its place. Enter PISTOL. Gow. Why, here he comes, swelling like a turkeycock. Flu. 'Tis no matter for his swellings, nor his turkey-cocks.-Got pless you, ancient Pistol! you scurvy, lowsy knave, Got pless you! Pist. Ha! art thou Bedlam? dost thou thirst, base To have me fold up Parca's fatal web? Flu. I peseech you heartily, scurvy, lowsy knave, at my desires, and my requests, and my petitions, to eat, look you, this leek; because, look you, you do not love it, nor your affections, and your appetites, and your digestions, does not agree with it, I would desire you to eat it. Pist. Not for Cadwallader, and all his goats. Flu. There is one goat for you. [Strikes him.] Will you be so good, scald knave, as eat it? Pist. Base Trojan, thou shalt die. Flu. You say very true, scald knave, when Got's will is I will desire you to live in the mean time, and eat your victuals; come, there is sauce for it. [Strikes him again.] You called me yesterday mountain-squire; but I will make you to-day a squire of low degree. I pray you, fall to; if you can mock a leek, you can eat a leek. Gow. Enough, captain; you have astonished' him. Flu. I say, I will make him eat some part of my leek, or I will peat his pate four days.-Pite, I pray you; it is goot for your green wound, and your ploody coxcomb. Pist. Must I bite? Flu. Yes, certainly; and out of doubt, and out of questions too, and ambiguities. Pist. By this leek, I will most horribly revenge : I eat, and eke I swear.2 1 Stunned. 2 "I eat, and eke I swear." The folio has "eat I swear." Flu. Eat, I pray you: Will you have some more sauce to your leek? there is not enough leek to swear by. Pist. Quiet thy cudgel; thou dost see, I eat. Flu. Much goot do you, scald knave, heartily. Nay, 'pray you, throw none away; the skin is goot for your proken coxcomb. When you take occasions to see leeks hereafter, I pray you, mock at them! that is all. Pist. Good. Flu. Ay, leeks is goot:-Hold you, there is a grcat to heal your pate. Pist. Me a groat? Flu. Yes, verily, and in truth, you shall take it; or I have another leek in my pocket, which you shall eat. Pist. I take thy groat, in earnest of revenge. Flu. If I owe you any thing, I will pay you in cudgels; you shall be a woodmonger, and buy nothing of me but cudgels. God be wi' you, and keep you, and heal your pate. [Exit. Pist. All hell shall stir for this. Gow. Go, go; you are a counterfeit, cowardly knave. Will you mock at an ancient tradition,— begun upon an honorable respect, and worn as a memorable trophy of predeceased valor,—and dare not avouch in your deeds any of your words? I have seen you gleeking1 and galling at this gentleman twice or thrice. You thought, because he could not speak English in the native garb, he could not therefore handle an English cudgel: you find it otherwise; and, henceforth, let a Welsh correction teach you a good English condition. Fare you well. [Exit. 2 Pist. Doth fortune play the huswife 3 with me now? News have I, that my Nell is dead i̇' the spital Of malady of France; And there my rendezvous is quite cut off. Old I do wax; and from my weary limbs 1 Gleeking is scoffing, sneering. 2 i. e. disposition. 3 Huswife, for jilt, or hussy, as we have it still in vulgar speech. And something lean to cut-purse of quick hand. [Exit. SCENE II. Troyes in Champagne. An Apartment, in the French King's Palace. Enter, at one door, KING HENRY, BEDFORD, GLOSTER, EXETER, WARWICK, WESTMORELAND, and other Lords; at another, the French King, QUEEN ISABEL, the PRINCESS KATHARINE, Lords, Ladies, &c., the DUKE of BURGUNDY, and his Train. K. Hen. Peace to this meeting, wherefore we are met! 1 Unto our brother France,-and to our sister, Q. Isa. So happy be the issue, brother England, K. Hen. To cry amen to that, thus we appear. 1 "Peace to this meeting, wherefore we are met!" Peace, for which we are here met, be to this meeting. Here Johnson thought that the chorus should have been prefixed, and the fifth act begin. |