ACT II. SCENE, before Quickly's House in Eastcheap. Enter Corporal Nim, and Lieutenant Bardolph. W BARDOLPH. ELL met, Corporal Nim. (12) friends yet? Nim. 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 fimple one; but what though? it will toaft cheese, and it will endure cold as another man's fword will; and there's an end. Bard. I will bestow a breakfast to make you friends, and we'll be all three fworn brothers to France: let it be fo, good corporal Nim. (12) Bard. Well met, Corporal Nim.] I have chose to begin the 2d At here, because each Act may close regularly with a Chorus. Not that I am perswaded, this was the Poet's Intention to mark the Intervals of his Atts: as the Chorus did on the old Grecian Stage. He had no Occasion of this fort: fince, in his Time, the Pauses of Action were fill'd up, as now, with a Lesson of Musick. And therefore he might think himself at Liberty to introduce his Chorus where he pleas'd; and whenever any Gap was made in History, which was necessary to be explain'd for the Connection betwixt Action and Action. In Pericles, Prince of Tyre, (a Play, which has been attributed to our Author; and, indeed, fome Part of it is certainly of his Writing :) it is evident, that the Chorus sometimes speaks in the middle of the Atts. I'll make one Observation, that in the obsolete Plays, a little before our Author's time, these StageDivifions were more precisely ascertain'd. For then a Dumb Show, representing what was expected to follow, was prefix'd at the Head of every Aft. 1 : Nim. 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 Nel Quickly; and certainly she did you wrong, for you were troth-plight to her. Nim. I cannot tell, things must be as they may; men may fleep, and they may have their throats about them at that time; and some say, knives have edges: it must be as it may; tho patience be a tir'd Mare, (13) yet she will plod; there must be conclufions; well, I cannot tell. Enter Pistol and Quickly. Bard. Here comes antient Pistol and his wife; good corporal, be patient here. How now, mine hoft Pistol? Pift. Base tyke, call'st thou me host? now by this hand, I swear, I scorn the term; nor shall my Nel 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. O welliday lady, if he be not drawn ! (14) Now we shall fee wilful adultery, and murther committed. (13) Tho Patience be a tir'd name, yet She will plod.] A tir'd Name plodding, fure, is a very fingular Expression. I make no Doubt, but it is a Corruption of the Press, and that I have reftor'd the true Reading from the old Quarto. (14) O welliday Lady, if he be not hewn now,] I cannot understand the Drift of this Expression. If he be not hewn, must signify, if he be not cut down; and in that Case, the very Thing is suppos'd, which Quickly, was apprehensive of. But I rather think, her Fright arifes upon seeing their Swords drawn: and I have ventur'd to make a flight Alteration accordingly. If he be not drawn, for, if he has not his Sword drawn, is an Expression familiar with our Poet: So, in the Tempest. Why, how now, ho? awake? why are you drawn? a Bard. Good lieutenant, good corporal, offer nothing here. Nim. Pish! Pift. Pith for thee, Island dog; thou prick-ear'd cur of Island. Quick. Good corporal Nim, shew thy valour and put up thy sword. Nim. Will you shog off? I would have you folus. Pift. Solus, egregious dog! O viper vile! The folus in thy most marvellous face, The folus 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 folus in thy bowels; For I can take, and Pistol's cock is up, And flashing fire will follow. Nim. I am not Barbafon, 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. Pift. O braggard vile, and damned furious wight! The grave doth gape, and doating death is near; Therefore exhale. Bard. Hear me, hear me, what I say: he that strikes the first stroke, I'll run him up to the hilts as I am a foldier. Pift. An Oath of mickle might; and fury shall abate. Give me thy fist, thy fore-foot to me give: Thy spirits are most tall. Nim. I will cut thy throat one time or other in fair terms, that is the humour of it. [gain. Pist. Coupe a gorge, that is the word. I defie thee a O hound of Creet, think'st thou my spouse to get? No, to the fpittle go, And from the powd'ring tub of infamy Fetch forth the lazar Kite of Cressid's kind, Dol Tear-sheet, the by name, and her espouse. I have, and I will hold the Quondam Quickly Enter the Boy. Boy. Mine hoft Pistol, you must come to my master, and your hostess: he is very sick, and would to bed. Good Bardolph, put thy nose between his sheets, and do the office of a warming-pan: faith, he's very ill. Bard. Away, you rogue. Quick. By my troth, he'll yield the Crow a pudding one of these days; the King has kill'd his heart. Good husband, come home presently. [Exit Quick. Bard. Come, shall I make you two friends? we must to France together: why the devil should we keep knives to cut one another's throats? Pist. Let floods o'erswell, and fiends for food howl on! Nim. You'll pay me the eight shillings, I won of you at betting? Pist. Base is the slave, that pays. Nim. That now I will have; that's the humour of it. Pist. As manhood shall compound, push home. [Draw. Bard. By this sword, he that makes the first thrust, I'll kill him; by this sword, I will. Pift. Sword is an oath, and oaths must have their course. Bard. Corporal Nim, an thou wilt be friends, be friends; an thou wilt not, why then be enemies with me too; pr'ythee, put up. Pist. A noble shalt thou have and present pay; Unto the camp, and profits will accrue. Nim. I shall have my noble? Pist. In cash most justly paid. Nim. Well then, that's the humour of't. 2 Re-enter Quickly. Quick. As ever you came of women, come in quickly to Sir John: ah, poor heart, he is so shak'd of a burning quotidian tertian, that it is most lamentable to behold. Sweet men, come to him. Nim. The King hath run bad humours on the Knight, that's the even of it. Pift. Nim, thou hast spoken the right, his heart is fracted and corroborate. Nim. The King is a good King, but it must be as it may; he passes some humours and carreers. Pift. Let us condole the Knight; for, lambkins! we will live, SCENE changes to Southampton, Enter Exeter, Bedford, and Westmorland. Bed.TORE God, his Grace tors. [Exeunt, is bold to trust these trai Exe. They shall be apprehended by and by. West. How smooth and even they do bear themselves, As if allegiance in their bosoms sate, Bed. The King hath note of all that they intend, Exe. Nay, but the man that was his bed-fellow, [Trumpets found. Enter the King, Scroop, Cambridge, Grey, and Attendants. K. Henry. Now fits the wind fair, and we will aboard, |