Shakespeare Portal

Act 4, Scene 2

The French camp.

  1. [Enter the Dauphin, Orleans, Rambures, and others.]
  2. Duke of Orleans
  3. 1995 The sun doth gild our armour; up, my lords!
  4. The Dauphin
  5. 1996 Montez a cheval! My horse, varlet! lackey! ha!
  6. Duke of Orleans
  7. 1997 O brave spirit!
  8. The Dauphin
  9. 1998 Via! les eaux et la terre.
  10. Duke of Orleans
  11. 1999 Rien puis? L'air et le feu.
  12. The Dauphin
  13. 2000 Ciel, cousin Orleans.
  14. [Enter Constable.]
  15. The Dauphin
  16. 2001 Now, my Lord Constable!
  17. Constable of France
  18. 2002 Hark, how our steeds for present service neigh!
  19. The Dauphin
  20. 2003 Mount them, and make incision in their hides,
  21. 2004 That their hot blood may spin in English eyes,
  22. 2005 And dout them with superfluous courage, ha!
  23. Rambures
  24. 2006 What, will you have them weep our horses' blood?
  25. 2007 How shall we, then, behold their natural tears?
  26. [Enter a Messenger.]
  27. Messenger
  28. 2008 The English are embattl'd, you French peers.
  29. Constable of France
  30. 2009 To horse, you gallant princes! straight to horse!
  31. 2010 Do but behold yon poor and starved band,
  32. 2011 And your fair show shall suck away their souls,
  33. 2012 Leaving them but the shales and husks of men.
  34. 2013 There is not work enough for all our hands;
  35. 2014 Scarce blood enough in all their sickly veins
  36. 2015 To give each naked curtle-axe a stain,
  37. 2016 That our French gallants shall to-day draw out,
  38. 2017 And sheathe for lack of sport. Let us but blow on them,
  39. 2018 The vapour of our valour will o'erturn them.
  40. 2019 'Tis positive 'gainst all exceptions, lords,
  41. 2020 That our superfluous lackeys and our peasants,
  42. 2021 Who in unnecessary action swarm
  43. 2022 About our squares of battle, were enow
  44. 2023 To purge this field of such a hilding foe,
  45. 2024 Though we upon this mountain's basis by
  46. 2025 Took stand for idle speculation,
  47. 2026 But that our honours must not. What's to say?
  48. 2027 A very little little let us do,
  49. 2028 And all is done. Then let the trumpets sound
  50. 2029 The tucket sonance and the note to mount;
  51. 2030 For our approach shall so much dare the field
  52. 2031 That England shall crouch down in fear and yield.
  53. [Enter Grandpre.]
  54. Grandpre
  55. 2032 Why do you stay so long, my lords of France?
  56. 2033 Yond island carrions, desperate of their bones,
  57. 2034 Ill-favouredly become the morning field.
  58. 2035 Their ragged curtains poorly are let loose,
  59. 2036 And our air shakes them passing scornfully.
  60. 2037 Big Mars seems bankrupt in their beggar'd host,
  61. 2038 And faintly through a rusty beaver peeps;
  62. 2039 The horsemen sit like fixed candlesticks
  63. 2040 With torch-staves in their hand; and their poor jades
  64. 2041 Lob down their heads, drooping the hides and hips,
  65. 2042 The gum down-roping from their pale-dead eyes,
  66. 2043 And in their pale dull mouths the gimmal bit
  67. 2044 Lies foul with chew'd grass, still, and motionless;
  68. 2045 And their executors, the knavish crows,
  69. 2046 Fly o'er them, all impatient for their hour.
  70. 2047 Description cannot suit itself in words
  71. 2048 To demonstrate the life of such a battle,
  72. 2049 In life so lifeless as it shows itself.
  73. Constable of France
  74. 2050 They have said their prayers, and they stay for death.
  75. The Dauphin
  76. 2051 Shall we go send them dinners and fresh suits
  77. 2052 And give their fasting horses provender,
  78. 2053 And after fight with them?
  79. Constable of France
  80. 2054 I stay but for my guard; on to the field!
  81. 2055 I will the banner from a trumpet take,
  82. 2056 And use it for my haste. Come, come, away!
  83. 2057 The sun is high, and we outwear the day.
  84. [Exeunt.]