William Shakespeare: The Life of King Henry V

ACT THIRD. 6. SCENE VI. The English camp in Picardy. (continued)

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 heard.] Hark
you, the King is coming, and I must speak with him from the pridge.

[Drum and colours. Enter King Henry, [Gloucester,] and his poor
soldiers.]

God bless 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 the 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?