For now sits expectation in the air; And hides a sword, from hilts unto the point, O England!-model to thy inward greatness, What might'st thou do, that honour would thee do, But see thy fault! France hath in thee found out With treacherous crowns; and three corrupted men,- "And hides a sword, from hilts unto the point, sit: With crowns imperial,] This image, it has been observed by Mr. Henley, is` borrowed from a wooden cut in the first edition of Holinshed's Chronicle.MALONE. he-] i. e. France, or the king of France. Richard earl of Cambridge;] Richard de Coninsbury, younger son of Edmund of Langley, duke of York. He was father of Richard duke of York, father of Edward the Fourth.-WALPOLE. Henry lord Scroop]-was a third husband of Joan duchess of York, (she had four,) mother-in-law of Richard earl of Cambridge.-MALONE. a gilt-] i. e. Gold. -force a play.] i. e. Produce a play by compelling many circumstances into a narrow compass.-STEEVENS, And bring you back, charming the narrow seas SCENE I. The same. Eastcheap. Enter NYм and. BARDOLPH. Bard. Well met, corporal Nym. Nym. Good morrow, lieutenant Bardolph. [Exit. Bard. What, are ancient Pistol and you friends yet? Nym. For 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 the humour of it. Bard. I 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. Nym. 'Faith, 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. Bard. It is certain, corporal, that he is married to Nell Quickly; and, certainly, she did you wrong; for you were troth-plight to her. Nym. I 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. and we'll be all three sworn brothers to France ;] The humour of sworn brothers should be opened a little. In the time of adventure, it was usual for two chiefs to bind themselves to share in each other's fortune, and divide their acquisitions between them. So, in the Conqueror's expedition, Robert de Oily, and Roger de Ivery, were fratres jurati; and Robert gave one of the honours he received to his sworn brother Roger. So these three scoundrels set out for. France, as if they were going to make a conquest of the kingdom.-WHALLEY. d do as I may: Mr. M. Mason purposes to read die as I may. C my rest,] i. e. My determination. Enter PISTOL and Mrs. QUICKLY. Bard. Here comes ancient Pistol, and his wife :-good corporal, be patient here.-How now, mine host Pistol? Pist. Base tike,f call'st thou me-host? Now by this hand I swear, I scorn the term; Nor shall my Nell keep lodgers. Quick. No, 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 draws his sword.] O well-a-day, Lady, if he be not drawn now! O Lord! here's corporal Nym's now shall we have wilful adultery and murder committed.-Good lieutenant Bardolph,good corporal, offer nothing here. Nym. Pish! Pist. Pish for thee, Iceland dog! thou prick-eared cur of Iceland. Quick. Good corporal Nym, show the valour of a man, and put up thy sword. Nym. Will you shog off? I would have you solus. [Sheathing his sword. Pist. Solus, egregious dog? O viper vile! The solus in thy most marvellous face; The solus in thy teeth, and in thy throat, And in thy hateful lungs, yea, in thy maw, perdy; I do retort the solus in thy bowels; For I can take, and Pistol's cock is up, I Nym. I am not Barbason you cannot conjure me. 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 tike,] Tijk is the Runich word for a little or worthless dog. The word is still employed in Yorkshire, and signifies a clown or rustick.-STEEVENS. 8 Iceland dog!] Shaggy, sharp-eared, white dogs much imported formerly as favourites for ladies, &c.-NARES' Glossary. f h I can take,] i. e. I can take fire. All this sentence of Pistol's consists in allusions to his name.-M. MASON. I am not Barbason ;] Barbason is the name of a dæmon mentioned in The Merry Wives of Windsor. The unmeaning tumour of Pistol's speech very naturally reminds Nym of the sounding nonsense uttered by conjurers.—STEEVENS. |