Page:Henry VI Part 1 (1918) Yale.djvu/21

King Henry the Sixth, I. ii 

Char. Who ever saw the like? what men have I!

Dogs! cowards! dastards! I would ne'er have fled

But that they left me 'midst my enemies.

Reig. Salisbury is a desperate homicide;

He fighteth as one weary of his life:

The other lords, like lions wanting food,

Do rush upon us as their hungry prey.

Alen. Froissart, a countryman of ours, records,

England all Olivers and Rowlands bred

During the time Edward the Third did reign.

More truly now may this be verified;

For none but Samsons and Goliases

It sendeth forth to skirmish. One to ten!

Lean raw-bon'd rascals! who would e'er suppose

They had such courage and audacity?

Char. Let's leave this town; for they are harebrain'd slaves,

And hunger will enforce them to be more eager:

Of old I know them; rather with their teeth

The walls they'll tear down than forsake the siege.

Reig. I think, by some odd gimmors or device,

Their arms are set like clocks, still to strike on;

Else ne'er could they hold out so as they do.

By my consent, we'll e'en let them alone.

Alen. Be it so.

Bast. Where's the prince Dauphin? I have news for him.

Char. Bastard of Orleans, thrice welcome to us.

 28 hungry: stimulating hunger

30 Olivers and Rowlands: knights like the best who followed Charlemagne

33 Goliases: Goliaths (Golias is the Latin form)

41 gimmors: mechanical joints

42 still: continually 