Pist. And I: 16
'If wishes would prevail with me,
My purpose should not fail with me,
But thither would I hie.'
Boy.'As duly, 20
But not as truly,
As bird doth sing on bough.'
Enter Fluellen and beats them in.
Flu. Up to the breach, you dogs! avaunt, you cullions!
Pist. Be merciful, great duke, to men of mould! 24
Abate thy rage, abate thy manly rage!
Abate thy rage, great duke!
Good bawcock, bate thy rage; use lenity, sweet chuck!
Nym. These be good humours! your honour
wins bad humours.
Exit [with Pistol and Bardolph].
Boy. [Aside.] As young as I am, I have ob-
served these three swashers. I am boy to them
all three, but all they three, though they would
serve me, could not be man to me; for indeed
three such antics do not amount to a man. For 34
Bardolph, he is white-livered and red-faced; by
the means whereof, a' faces it out, but fights not.
For Pistol, he hath a killing tongue and a quiet
sword; by the means whereof a' breaks words,
and keeps whole weapons. For Nym, he hath
heard that men of few words are the best men; 40
and therefore he scorns to say his prayers, lest a'
should be thought a coward: but his few bad words
23 cullions: wretches
24 men of mould: men of earth; i.e., mere mortals
27 bawcock, chuck: terms of endearment
31 swashers: braggarts
34 antics: buffoons
