Henry V: Act 3, Scene 2 Translation

Enter Nym, Bardolph, Pistol, and Boy.

BARDOLPH On, on, on, on, on! To the breach, to the
breach!

NYM Pray thee, corporal, stay. The knocks are too hot,
and, for mine own part, I have not a case of lives.
The humor of it is too hot; that is the very plainsong 5
of it.

PISTOL “The plainsong” is most just, for humors do
abound.
Knocks go and come. God’s vassals drop and die,
Sings And sword and shield, 10
In bloody field,
Doth win immortal fame.

BOY Would I were in an alehouse in London! I would
give all my fame for a pot of ale, and safety.

PISTOL And I. 15
Sings If wishes would prevail with me,
My purpose should not fail with me,
But thither would I hie.

BOY sings As duly,
But not as truly, 20
As bird doth sing on bough.

Enter Fluellen.

FLUELLEN
Up to the breach, you dogs! Avaunt, you cullions!

PISTOL Be merciful, great duke, to men of mold. Abate
thy rage, abate thy manly rage, abate thy rage, great
duke. Good bawcock, ’bate thy rage. Use lenity, 25
sweet chuck.

NYM, to Fluellen These be good humors. Your Honor
wins bad humors.

All but the Boy exit.

BOY As young as I am, I have observed these three
swashers. I am boy to them all three, but all they 30
three, though they would serve me, could not be
man to me. For indeed three such antics do not
amount to a man: for Bardolph, he is white-livered
and red-faced, by the means whereof he faces it out
but fights not; for Pistol, he hath a killing tongue 35
and a quiet sword, by the means whereof he breaks
words and keeps whole weapons; for Nym, he hath
heard that men of few words are the best men, and
therefore he scorns to say his prayers, lest he should
be thought a coward, but his few bad words are 40
matched with as few good deeds, for he never broke
any man’s head but his own, and that was against a
post when he was drunk. They will steal anything
and call it purchase. Bardolph stole a lute case, bore
it twelve leagues, and sold it for three halfpence. 45
Nym and Bardolph are sworn brothers in filching,
and in Calais they stole a fire shovel. I knew by that
piece of service the men would carry coals. They
would have me as familiar with men’s pockets as
their gloves or their handkerchers, which makes 50
much against my manhood, if I should take from
another’s pocket to put into mine, for it is plain
pocketing up of wrongs. I must leave them and seek
some better service. Their villainy goes against my
weak stomach, and therefore I must cast it up. 55

He exits.

Enter Fluellen and Gower.

GOWER Captain Fluellen, you must come presently to
the mines; the Duke of Gloucester would speak
with you.

FLUELLEN To the mines? Tell you the Duke it is not so
good to come to the mines, for, look you, the mines 60
is not according to the disciplines of the war. The
concavities of it is not sufficient, for, look you, th’
athversary, you may discuss unto the Duke, look
you, is digt himself four yard under the countermines.
By Cheshu, I think he will plow up all if 65
there is not better directions.

GOWER The Duke of Gloucester, to whom the order of
the siege is given, is altogether directed by an
Irishman, a very valiant gentleman, i’ faith.

FLUELLEN It is Captain Macmorris, is it not? 70

GOWER I think it be.

FLUELLEN By Cheshu, he is an ass, as in the world. I
will verify as much in his beard. He has no more
directions in the true disciplines of the wars, look
you, of the Roman disciplines, than is a puppy dog. 75

Enter Captain Macmorris, and Captain Jamy.

GOWER Here he comes, and the Scots captain, Captain
Jamy, with him.

FLUELLEN Captain Jamy is a marvelous falorous gentleman,
that is certain, and of great expedition and
knowledge in th’ aunchient wars, upon my particular 80
knowledge of his directions. By Cheshu, he will
maintain his argument as well as any military man
in the world in the disciplines of the pristine wars
of the Romans.

JAMY I say gudday, Captain Fluellen. 85

FLUELLEN Godden to your Worship, good Captain
James.

GOWER How now, Captain Macmorris, have you quit
the mines? Have the pioners given o’er?

MACMORRIS By Chrish, la, ’tish ill done. The work ish 90
give over. The trompet sound the retreat. By my
hand I swear, and my father’s soul, the work ish ill
done. It ish give over. I would have blowed up the
town, so Chrish save me, la, in an hour. O, ’tish ill
done, ’tish ill done, by my hand, ’tish ill done. 95

FLUELLEN Captain Macmorris, I beseech you now,
will you voutsafe me, look you, a few disputations
with you as partly touching or concerning the
disciplines of the war, the Roman wars? In the way
of argument, look you, and friendly communication, 100
partly to satisfy my opinion, and partly for the
satisfaction, look you, of my mind, as touching the
direction of the military discipline, that is the point.

JAMY It sall be vary gud, gud feith, gud captens bath,
and I sall quit you with gud leve, as I may pick 105
occasion, that sall I, marry.

MACMORRIS It is no time to discourse, so Chrish save
me. The day is hot, and the weather, and the wars,
and the King, and the dukes. It is no time to
discourse. The town is beseeched. An the trumpet 110
call us to the breach and we talk and, be Chrish, do
nothing, ’tis shame for us all. So God sa’ me, ’tis
shame to stand still. It is shame, by my hand. And
there is throats to be cut, and works to be done,
and there ish nothing done, so Christ sa’ me, la. 115

JAMY By the Mess, ere theise eyes of mine take themselves
to slomber, ay’ll de gud service, or I’ll lig i’
th’ grund for it, ay, or go to death. And I’ll pay ’t as
valorously as I may, that sall I suerly do, that is the
breff and the long. Marry, I wad full fain heard 120
some question ’tween you tway.

FLUELLEN Captain Macmorris, I think, look you, under
your correction, there is not many of your
nation—

MACMORRIS Of my nation? What ish my nation? Ish a 125
villain and a basterd and a knave and a rascal. What
ish my nation? Who talks of my nation?

FLUELLEN Look you, if you take the matter otherwise
than is meant, Captain Macmorris, peradventure I
shall think you do not use me with that affability as, 130
in discretion, you ought to use me, look you, being
as good a man as yourself, both in the disciplines of
war and in the derivation of my birth, and in other
particularities.

MACMORRIS I do not know you so good a man as 135
myself. So Chrish save me, I will cut off your head.

GOWER Gentlemen both, you will mistake each other.

JAMY Ah, that’s a foul fault.

A parley sounds.

GOWER The town sounds a parley.

FLUELLEN Captain Macmorris, when there is more 140
better opportunity to be required, look you, I will
be so bold as to tell you I know the disciplines of
war, and there is an end.

They exit.