Page:Henry V (1918) Yale.djvu/73

Henry the Fifth, III. vii

appear in him but only in patient stillness while

his rider mounts him: he is indeed a horse; and

all other jades you may call beasts.

Con. Indeed, my lord, it is a most absolute

and excellent horse.

Dau. It is the prince of palfreys; his neigh

is like the bidding of a monarch and his counte-

nance enforces homage.

Orl. No more, cousin.

Dau. Nay, the man hath no wit that cannot,

from the rising of the lark to the lodging of the

lamb, vary deserved praise on my palfrey: it is

a theme as fluent as the sea; turn the sands into

eloquent tongues, and my horse is argument for

them all. 'Tis a subject for a sovereign to rea-

son on, and for a sovereign's sovereign to ride

on; and for the world—familiar to us, and

unknown—to lay apart their particular func-

tions and wonder at him. I once writ a son-

net in his praise and began thus: 'Wonder of

nature!'—

Orl. I have heard a sonnet begin so to one's mistress.

Dau. Then did they imitate that which I

composed to my courser; for my horse is my

mistress.

Orl. Your mistress bears well.

Dau. Me well; which is the prescript praise

and perfection of a good and particular mis-

tress.

Con. Nay, for methought yesterday your mis-

tress shrewdly shook your back.

 27 absolute: perfect

34 lodging: lying down

37 argument: theme

51 prescript: prescribed

55 shrewdly: viciously 