War. Between two hawks, which flies the higher pitch;
Between two dogs, which hath the deeper mouth;
Between two blades, which bears the better temper; 13
Between two horses, which doth bear him best;
Between two girls, which hath the merriest eye;
I have perhaps some shallow spirit of judgment; 16
But in these nice sharp quillets of the law,
Good faith, I am no wiser than a daw.
Plan. Tut, tut! here is a mannerly forbearance:
The truth appears so naked on my side, 20
That any purblind eye may find it out.
Som. And on my side it is so well apparell'd,
So clear, so shining, and so evident,
That it will glimmer through a blind man's eye. 24
Plan. Since you are tongue-tied, and so loath to speak,
In dumb significants proclaim your thoughts:
Let him that is a true-born gentleman,
And stands upon the honour of his birth, 28
If he suppose that I have pleaded truth,
From off this brier pluck a white rose with me.
Som. Let him that is no coward nor no flatterer,
But dare maintain the party of the truth, 32
Pluck a red rose from off this thorn with me.
War. I love no colours, and, without all colour
Of base insinuating flattery
I pluck this white rose with Plantagenet. 36
Suf. I pluck this red rose with young Somerset:
And say withal I think he held the right.
Ver. Stay, lords and gentlemen, and pluck no more,
17 quillets: subtleties
26 significants: signs
32 party: side
34 colours: pun on meaning, 'pretences'
36 Plantagenet; cf. n. on I. iv. 95
