The Life of King Henry the Fifth

FLUELLEN. I'll assure you, 'a utt'red as prave words at the
pridge
as you shall see in a summer's day. But it is very well; what
he
has spoke to me, that is well, I warrant you, when time is
serve.
GOWER. Why, 'tis a gull a fool a rogue, that now and then goes
to
the wars to grace himself, at his return into London, under
the
form of a soldier. And such fellows are perfect in the great
commanders' names; and they will learn you by rote where
services
were done- at such and such a sconce, at such a breach, at
such a
convoy; who came off bravely, who was shot, who disgrac'd,
what
terms the enemy stood on; and this they con perfectly in the
phrase of war, which they trick up with new-tuned oaths; and
what
a beard of the General's cut and a horrid suit of the camp
will
do among foaming bottles and ale-wash'd wits is wonderful to
be
thought on. But you must learn to know such slanders of the
age,
or else you may be marvellously mistook.
FLUELLEN. I tell you what, Captain Gower, I do perceive he is
not
the man that he would gladly make show to the world he is; if
I
find a hole in his coat I will tell him my mind. [Drum
within]
Hark you, the King is coming; and I must speak with him from
the
pridge.

Drum and colours. Enter the KING and his poor soldiers, and GLOUCESTER

God pless your Majesty!
KING HENRY. How now, Fluellen! Cam'st thou from the bridge?
FLUELLEN. Ay, so please your Majesty. The Duke of Exeter has
very
gallantly maintain'd the pridge; the French is gone off, look
you, and there is gallant and most prave passages. Marry, th'
athversary was have possession of the pridge; but he is
enforced
to retire, and the Duke of Exeter is master of the pridge; I
can
tell your Majesty the Duke is a prave man.
KING HENRY. What men have you lost, Fluellen!
FLUELLEN. The perdition of th' athversary hath been very great,
reasonable great; marry, for my part, I think the Duke hath
lost
never a man, but one that is like to be executed for robbing
a
church- one Bardolph, if your Majesty know the man; his face
is
all bubukles, and whelks, and knobs, and flames o' fire; and
his
lips blows at his nose, and it is like a coal of fire,
sometimes
plue and sometimes red; but his nose is executed and his
fire's
out.
KING HENRY. We would have all such offenders so cut off. And we
give express charge that in our marches through the country
there
be nothing compell'd from the villages, nothing taken but
paid
for, none of the French upbraided or abused in disdainful
language; for when lenity and cruelty play for a kingdom the
gentler gamester is the soonest winner.

Tucket. Enter MONTJOY

MONTJOY. You know me by my habit.
KING HENRY. Well then, I know thee; what shall I know of thee?
MONTJOY. My master's mind.
KING HENRY. Unfold it.
MONTJOY. Thus says my king. Say thou to Harry of England:
Though we
seem'd dead we did but sleep; advantage is a better soldier
than
rashness. Tell him we could have rebuk'd him at Harfleur, but
that we thought not good to bruise an injury till it were
full
ripe. Now we speak upon our cue, and our voice is imperial:
England shall repent his folly, see his weakness, and admire
our
sufferance. Bid him therefore consider of his ransom, which
must
proportion the losses we have borne, the subjects we have
lost,
the disgrace we have digested; which, in weight to re-answer,
his
pettiness would bow under. For our losses his exchequer is
too
poor; for th' effusion of our blood, the muster of his
kingdom