The field of battle
Alarum. Excursions. Enter FRENCH SOLDIER, PISTOL, and BOY PISTOL Yield, cur!
FRENCH SOLDIER Je pense que vous etes le gentilhomme de bonne
qualite.
PISTOL Cality! Calen o custure me! Art thou a gentleman?
What is thy name? Discuss.
FRENCH SOLDIER O Seigneur Dieu!
PISTOL O, Signieur Dew should be a gentleman.
Perpend my words, O Signieur Dew, and mark:
O Signieur Dew, thou diest on point of fox,
Except, O Signieur, thou do give to me
Egregious ransom.
FRENCH SOLDIER O, prenez misericorde; ayez pitie de moi!
PISTOL Moy shall not serve; I will have forty moys;
Or I will fetch thy rim out at thy throat
In drops of crimson blood.
FRENCH SOLDIER Est-il impossible d'echapper la force de ton bras?
PISTOL Brass, cur?
Thou damned and luxurious mountain-goat,
Offer'st me brass?
FRENCH SOLDIER O, pardonnez-moi!
PISTOL Say'st thou me so? Is that a ton of moys?
Come hither, boy; ask me this slave in French
What is his name.
BOY Ecoutez: comment etes-vous appele?
FRENCH SOLDIER Monsieur le Fer.
BOY He says his name is Master Fer.
PISTOL Master Fer! I'll fer him, and firk him, and ferret him-
discuss the same in French unto him.
BOY I do not know the French for fer, and ferret, and firk.
PISTOL Bid him prepare; for I will cut his throat.
FRENCH SOLDIER Que dit-il, monsieur?
BOY Il me commande a vous dire que vous faites vous pret; car ce
soldat ici est dispose tout a cette heure de couper votre gorge.
PISTOL Owy, cuppele gorge, permafoy!
Peasant, unless thou give me crowns, brave crowns;
Or mangled shalt thou be by this my sword.
FRENCH SOLDIER O, je vous supplie, pour l'amour de Dieu, me
pardonner! Je suis gentilhomme de bonne maison. Gardez ma vie, et
je vous donnerai deux cents ecus.
PISTOL What are his words?
BOY He prays you to save his life; he is a gentleman of a good
house, and for his ransom he will give you two hundred crowns.
PISTOL Tell him my fury shall abate, and I
The crowns will take.
FRENCH SOLDIER Petit monsieur, que dit-il?
BOY Encore qu'il est contre son jurement de pardonner aucun
prisonnier, neamnoins, pour les ecus que vous l'avez promis, il
est content a vous donner la liberte, le franchisement.
FRENCH SOLDIER Sur mes genoux je vous donne mille remercimens; et
je m'estime heureux que je suis tombe entre les mains d'un
chevalier, je pense, le plus brave, vaillant, et tres distingue
seigneur d'Angleterre.
PISTOL Expound unto me, boy.
BOY He gives you, upon his knees, a thousand thanks; and he
esteems himself happy that he hath fall'n into the hands of one-
as he thinks- the most brave, valorous, and thrice-worthy
signieur of England.
PISTOL As I suck blood, I will some mercy show.
Follow me.
Exit BOY Suivez-vous le grand capitaine.
Exit FRENCH SOLDIER I did never know so full a voice issue from so empty a heart; but
the saying is true- the empty vessel makes the greatest sound.
Bardolph and Nym had ten times more valour than this roaring
devil i' th' old play, that every one may pare his nails with a
wooden dagger; and they are both hang'd; and so would this be, if
he durst steal anything adventurously. I must stay with the
lackeys, with the luggage of our camp. The French might have a
good prey of us, if he knew of it; for there is none to guard it
but boys.
Exit