Henry V, Act 2 Scene 3 runs 60 lines of dialogue, spoken by 5 speakers. That is shorter than the play’s average scene length of about 115 lines. This scene is part of Act 2 of Henry V.
Full Dialogue
Hostess ♀
Prithee, honey-sweet husband, let me bring thee to Staines.
Pistol ♂
No; for my manly heart doth yearn.
Bardolph, be blithe: Nym, rouse thy vaunting veins:
Boy, bristle thy courage up; for Falstaff he is dead,
And we must yearn therefore.
Bardolph, be blithe: Nym, rouse thy vaunting veins:
Boy, bristle thy courage up; for Falstaff he is dead,
And we must yearn therefore.
Bardolph ♂
Would I were with him, wheresome'er he is, either in
heaven or in hell!
heaven or in hell!
Hostess ♀
Nay, sure, he's not in hell: he's in Arthur's
bosom, if ever man went to Arthur's bosom. A' made
a finer end and went away an it had been any
christom child; a' parted even just between twelve
and one, even at the turning o' the tide: for after
I saw him fumble with the sheets and play with
flowers and smile upon his fingers' ends, I knew
there was but one way; for his nose was as sharp as
a pen, and a' babbled of green fields. 'How now,
sir John!' quoth I 'what, man! be o' good
cheer.' So a' cried out 'God, God, God!' three or
four times. Now I, to comfort him, bid him a'
should not think of God; I hoped there was no need
to trouble himself with any such thoughts yet. So
a' bade me lay more clothes on his feet: I put my
hand into the bed and felt them, and they were as
cold as any stone; then I felt to his knees, and
they were as cold as any stone, and so upward and
upward, and all was as cold as any stone.
bosom, if ever man went to Arthur's bosom. A' made
a finer end and went away an it had been any
christom child; a' parted even just between twelve
and one, even at the turning o' the tide: for after
I saw him fumble with the sheets and play with
flowers and smile upon his fingers' ends, I knew
there was but one way; for his nose was as sharp as
a pen, and a' babbled of green fields. 'How now,
sir John!' quoth I 'what, man! be o' good
cheer.' So a' cried out 'God, God, God!' three or
four times. Now I, to comfort him, bid him a'
should not think of God; I hoped there was no need
to trouble himself with any such thoughts yet. So
a' bade me lay more clothes on his feet: I put my
hand into the bed and felt them, and they were as
cold as any stone; then I felt to his knees, and
they were as cold as any stone, and so upward and
upward, and all was as cold as any stone.
Nym ♂
They say he cried out of sack.
Hostess ♀
Ay, that a' did.
Bardolph ♂
And of women.
Hostess ♀
Nay, that a' did not.
Boy ♂
Yes, that a' did; and said they were devils
incarnate.
incarnate.
Hostess ♀
A' could never abide carnation; 'twas a colour he
never liked.
never liked.
Boy ♂
A' said once, the devil would have him about women.
Hostess ♀
A' did in some sort, indeed, handle women; but then
he was rheumatic, and talked of the whore of Babylon.
he was rheumatic, and talked of the whore of Babylon.
Boy ♂
Do you not remember, a' saw a flea stick upon
Bardolph's nose, and a' said it was a black soul
burning in hell-fire?
Bardolph's nose, and a' said it was a black soul
burning in hell-fire?
Bardolph ♂
Well, the fuel is gone that maintained that fire:
that's all the riches I got in his service.
that's all the riches I got in his service.
Nym ♂
Shall we shog? the king will be gone from
Southampton.
Southampton.
Pistol ♂
Come, let's away. My love, give me thy lips.
Look to my chattels and my movables:
Let senses rule; the word is 'Pitch and Pay:'
Trust none;
For oaths are straws, men's faiths are wafer-cakes,
And hold-fast is the only dog, my duck:
Therefore, Caveto be thy counsellor.
Go, clear thy c rystals. Yoke-fellows in arms,
Let us to France; like horse-leeches, my boys,
To suck, to suck, the very blood to suck!
Look to my chattels and my movables:
Let senses rule; the word is 'Pitch and Pay:'
Trust none;
For oaths are straws, men's faiths are wafer-cakes,
And hold-fast is the only dog, my duck:
Therefore, Caveto be thy counsellor.
Go, clear thy c rystals. Yoke-fellows in arms,
Let us to France; like horse-leeches, my boys,
To suck, to suck, the very blood to suck!
Boy ♂
And that's but unwholesome food they say.
Pistol ♂
Touch her soft mouth, and march.
Bardolph ♂
Farewell, hostess.
Nym ♂
I cannot kiss, that is the humour of it; but, adieu.
Pistol ♂
Let housewifery appear: keep close, I thee command.
Hostess ♀
Farewell; adieu.
60 lines rendered verbatim from the dialogue corpus.
Who’s On Stage
Speaking characters in this scene
| Character | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hostess | 27 | 45.0% |
| Pistol | 16 | 26.7% |
| Boy | 7 | 11.7% |
| Bardolph | 6 | 10.0% |
| Nym | 4 | 6.7% |
Line distribution
The top speaker in this scene delivers 27 lines, while the scene’s average per speaker is about 12 lines.
Total speakers on stage
5 named characters speak in this scene.
Scene in Context
Position within Act 2
This is Scene 3 of 5 in Act 2 of Henry V.
Scene length vs. play average
At 60 lines, this scene is shorter than the Henry V average scene in Henry V (~115 lines).
Adjacent scenes
Previous: Act 2 Scene 2 · Next: Act 2 Scene 4
About Act 2 Scene 3 of Henry V
Who carries Act 2 Scene 3 of Henry V?
Hostess, with 27 lines — about 45% of the scene.
Is the scene a dialogue or a solo?
With 5 speakers and the lead holding 45% of the lines, this scene is a balanced multi-voice exchange.