Page:Henry V (1918) Yale.djvu/53

Henry the Fifth, III. ii

And teach them how to war. And you, good yeomen,

Whose limbs were made in England, show us here

The mettle of your pasture; let us swear

That you are worth your breeding; which I doubt not;

For there is none of you so mean and base

That hath not noble lustre in your eyes.

I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,

Straining upon the start. The game's afoot:

Follow your spirit; and, upon this charge

Cry 'God for Harry, England, and Saint George!'

[Exeunt.] Alarum, and chambers go off.

Bard. 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 humour of it is too hot, that

is the very plain-song of it.

Pist. The plain-song is most just, for hu-

mours do abound:

'Knocks go and come: God's vassals drop and die;

And sword and shield

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.

 27 mettle of your pasture: quality of your rearing

31 in the slips: in leash

 3 corporal; cf. n.

5 case: set

6 plain-song: simple truth; cf. n. 