SCENE II. The French camp. Enter Dauphin, Orleans, Rambures, and others. Orl. The sun doth gild our armour; up, my lords. Dau. Montez à cheval:-My horse! valet! lacquay! ha! Orl. O brave spirit! Dau. Via-les eaux et la terre-- Dau. Ciel! cousin Orleans. Enter Constable. Now, my lord Constable. Con. Hark, how our steeds for present service neigh. Dau. Mount them, and make incision in their hides; That their hot blood may spin in English eyes, And dout† them with superfluous courage: Ha! Ram. What, will you have them weep our horses' blood! How shall we then behold their natural tears? Enter a Messenger. Mess. The English are embattled, you French peers. Con. To horse, you gallant princes! straight to horse! Do but behold yon poor and starved band, * An old encouraging exclamation. Scarce blood enough in all their sickly veins, That our French gallants shall to-day draw out, And sheath for lack of sport: let us but blow on them, The vapour of our valour will o'erturn them. What's to say? About our squares of battle,-were enough Enter Grandpré. Grand. Why do you stay so long, my lords of Yon island carrions, desperate of their bones, With torch-staves in their hand and their poor jades Lob down their heads, dropping the hides and hips; The gum down-roping from their pale-dead eyes; And in their pale dull mouths the grimmal § bit Lies foul with chew'd grass, still and motionless; And their executors, the knavish crows, * Mean, despicable. The name of an introductory flourish on the trumpet. Colours. § Ring. Fly o'er them all, impatient for their hour. Con. They have said their prayers, and they stay for death. Dau. Shall we go send them dinners, and fresh suits, And give their fasting horses provender, And after fight with them? Con. I stay but for my guard; On, to the field: I will the banner from a trumpet take, Aud use it for my haste. Come, come away! [Exeunt. SCENE III. The English camp. Enter the English host; Gloster, Bedford, Excter, Salisbury, and Westmoreland. Glo. Where is the king? Bed. The king himself is rode to view their battle. West. Of fighting men they have full threescore thousand. Exe. There's five to one; besides, they all are fresh. Sal. God's arm strike with us! 'tis a fearful odds. God be wi' you, princes all! I'll to my charge: If we no more meet, till we meet in heaven, Then, joyfully, my noble lord of Bedford,My dear lord Gloster,-and my good lord Exeter,And my kind kinsman,-warriors all, adieu! Bed. Farewell, good Salisbury; and good luck go with thee! Exe. Farewell, kind lord, fight valiantly to-day; And yet I do thee wrong, to mind thee of it, Princely in both. West. O that we now had here Enter King Henry. But one ten thousand of those men in England, K. Hen. What's he, that wishes so? My cousin Westmoreland ?—No, my fair cousin : If we are mark'd to die, we are enough To do our country loss; and if to live, The fewer men, the greater share of honour. God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more. By Jove, I am not covetous for gold; Nor care I, who doth feed upon my cost; It yearns* me not, if men my garments wear; I am the most offending soul alive. No, 'faith, my coz, wish not a man from England : * Grieves.. Then will he strip his sleeve, and show his scars, What feats he did that day: Then shall our names, Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloster,- We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; And gentlemen in England, now a-bed, Shall think themselves accurs'd, they were not here; And hold their manhoods cheap, while any speaks, That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day. Enter Salisbury. Sal. My sovereign lord, bestow yourself with speed; The French are bravely+ in their battles set, K. Hen. All things are ready, if our minds be so. West. Perish the man, whose mind is backward now! K. Hen. Thou dost not wish more help from England, cousin? West. God's will, my liege, 'would you and I alone, Without more help, might fight this battle out! Which likes me better, than to wish us one.- i. e. This day shall advance him to the rank of a gentleman. + Gallantly. |