have my horse to my mistress.
CONSTABLE.
I had as lief have my mistress a jade.
DAUPHIN.
I tell thee, Constable, my mistress wears his own hair.
CONSTABLE. I could make as true a boast as that, if I had a sow to my mistress.
DAUPHIN. “Le chien est retourne a son propre vomissement, et la truie lavee au bourbier.” Thou mak’st use of anything.
CONSTABLE. Yet do I not use my horse for my mistress, or any such proverb so little kin to the purpose.
RAMBURES. My Lord Constable, the armour that I saw in your tent tonight, are those stars or suns upon it?
CONSTABLE.
Stars, my lord.
DAUPHIN.
Some of them will fall tomorrow, I hope.
CONSTABLE.
And yet my sky shall not want.
DAUPHIN. That may be, for you bear a many superfluously, and ‘twere more honour some were away.
CONSTABLE. Even as your horse bears your praises; who would trot as well, were some of your brags dismounted.
DAUPHIN. Would I were able to load him with his desert! Will it never be day? I will trot tomorrow a mile, and my way shall be paved with English faces.
CONSTABLE.
I will not say so, for fear I should be fac’d out of my way.
But I would it were morning; for I would fain be about
the ears of the English.
RAMBURES.
Who will go to hazard with me for twenty prisoners?
CONSTABLE.
You must first go yourself to hazard, ere you have them.
DAUPHIN.
‘Tis midnight; I’ll go arm myself.
[Exit.]
ORLEANS.
The Dauphin longs for morning.
RAMBURES.
He longs to eat the English.
CONSTABLE.
I think he will eat all he kills.
ORLEANS.
By the white hand of my lady, he’s a gallant prince.
CONSTABLE.
Swear by her foot that she may tread out the oath.
ORLEANS.
He is simply the most active gentleman of France.
CONSTABLE.
Doing is activity; and he will still be doing.
ORLEANS.
He never did harm, that I heard of.
CONSTABLE. Nor will do none tomorrow. He will keep that good name still.
ORLEANS.
I know him to be valiant.
CONSTABLE.
I was told that by one that knows him better than you.
ORLEANS.
What’s he?
CONSTABLE. Marry, he told me so himself; and he said he car’d not who knew it.
ORLEANS.
He needs not; it is no hidden virtue in him.
CONSTABLE. By my faith, sir, but it is; never anybody saw it but his lackey. ‘Tis a hooded valour; and when it appears, it will bate.
ORLEANS.
“Ill will never said well.”
CONSTABLE.
I will cap that proverb with “There is flattery in friendship.”
ORLEANS.
And I will take up that with “Give the devil his due.”
CONSTABLE. Well plac’d. There stands your friend for the devil; have at the very eye of that proverb with “A pox of the devil.”
ORLEANS. You are the better at proverbs, by how much “A fool’s bolt is soon shot.”
CONSTABLE.
You have shot over.
ORLEANS.
‘Tis not the first time you were overshot.
[Enter a Messenger.]
MESSENGER. My Lord High Constable, the English lie within fifteen hundred paces of your tents.
CONSTABLE.
Who hath measur’d the ground?
MESSENGER.
The Lord Grandpre.
CONSTABLE.
A valiant and most expert gentleman. Would it were day!
Alas, poor Harry of England, he longs not for the dawning as
we do.
ORLEANS. What a wretched and peevish fellow is this King of England, to mope with his fat-brain’d followers so far out of his knowledge!
CONSTABLE.
If the English had any apprehension, they would run away.
ORLEANS. That they lack; for if their heads had any intellectual armour, they could never wear such heavy headpieces.
RAMBURES. That island of England breeds very valiant creatures. Their mastiffs are of unmatchable courage.
ORLEANS. Foolish curs, that run winking into the mouth of a Russian bear and have their heads crush’d like rotten apples! You may as well say, that’s a valiant flea that dare eat his breakfast on the lip of a lion.
CONSTABLE. Just, just; and the men do sympathize with the mastiffs in robustious and rough coming on, leaving their wits with their wives; and then, give them great meals of beef and iron and steel, they will eat like wolves and fight like devils.
ORLEANS.
