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1 The Life of Henry V

William Shakespeare — EMOTHE0182_TheLifeOfHenryV

List of Characters

Chorus

The English

King Henry V

Duke of Clarence brother to the king

Duke of Bedford brother to the king

Duke of Gloucester brother to the king

Duke of Exeter uncle to the king

Duke of York cousin to the king

Earl of Westmorland

Earl of Warwick

Earl of Salisbury

Earl of Huntingdon

Archbishop of Canterbury

Bishop of Ely

Richard Earl of Cambridge conspirator

Henry, Lord Scrope of Masham conspirator

Sir Thomas Grey conspirator

Ancient Pistol

Hostess, formerly Mistress Quickly married to Pistol

Lieutenant Bardolph

Corporal Nym

Boy

Sir Thomas Erpingham

Gower an English captain

Fluellen a Welsh captain

Jamy a Scottish captain

Macmorris an Irish captain

John Bates a soldier

Alexander Court a soldier

Michael Williams a soldier

Herald

The French

French King Charles VI

Queen Isabeau

Louis the Dauphin their son

Catherine their daughter

Alice Catherine’s waiting woman

Constable of France

Duke of Burgundy

Duke of Bourbon

Duke of Orléans

Duke of Berry

Lord Rambures

Lord Grandpré

Montjoy the Herald

Governor of Harfleur

Two Ambassadors to England

French Soldier Monsieur le Fer

Grey, Scrope

Lords, Attendants, Soldiers, Citizens of Harfleur

All

Act I

[Prologue]

(Enter [Chorus as] Prologue.)

CHORUS

Oh, for a muse of fire, that would ascend 35

The brightest heaven of invention, 36

A kingdom for a stage, princes to act, 37

And monarchs to behold the swelling scene. 38

Then should the warlike Harry, like himself, 39

Assume the port of Mars, and at his heels, 40

Leashed in like hounds, should famine, sword, and fire 41

Crouch for employment. But pardon, gentles all, 42

The flat unraisèd spirits that hath dared, 43

On this unworthy scaffold, to bring forth 44

So great an object. Can this cockpit hold 45

The vasty fields of France? Or may we cram 46

Within this wooden O the very casques 47

That did affright the air at Agincourt? 48

Oh, pardon, since a crooked figure may 49

Attest in little place a million, 50

And let us, ciphers to this great account, 51

On your imaginary forces work. 52

Suppose within the girdle of these walls 53

Are now confined two mighty monarchies, 54

Whose high, uprearèd, and abutting fronts 55

The perilous narrow ocean parts asunder. 56

Piece out our imperfections with your thoughts: 57

Into a thousand parts divide one man, 58

And make imaginary puissance. 59

Think, when we talk of horses, that you see them 60

Printing their proud hooves i'th'receiving earth. 61

For 'tis your thoughts that now must deck our kings, 62

Carry them here and there, jumping o'er times, 63

Turning th'accomplishment of many years 64

Into an hourglass: for the which supply, 65

Admit me Chorus to this history, 66

Who, prologue-like, your humble patience pray 67

Gently to hear, kindly to judge our play. 68

(Exit.)

1.1

(Enter [the Archbishop of] Canterbury and [the Bishop of] Ely.)

CANTERBURY

My lord, I'll tell you, that self bill is urged 69

Which in th'eleventh year of the last king's reign 70

Was like, and had indeed against us passed, 71

But that the scambling and unquiet time 72

Did push it out of further question. 73

ELY

But how, my lord, shall we resist it now? 74

CANTERBURY

It must be thought on. If it pass against us, 75

We lose the better half of our possession, 76

For all the temporal lands which men devout 77

By testament have given to the Church 78

Would they strip from us, being valued thus: 79

As much as would maintain, to the king's honor, 80

Full fifteen earls and fifteen hundred knights, 81

Six thousand and two hundred good esquires, 82

And to relief of lazars and weak age 83

Of indigent faint souls past corporal toil, 84

A hundred almshouses, right well supplied; 85

And to the coffers of the king beside, 86

A thousand pounds by th'year. Thus runs the bill. 87

ELY

This would drink deep. 88

CANTERBURY

'Twould drink the cup and all.

ELY

But what prevention? 89

CANTERBURY

The king is full of grace and fair regard. 90

ELY

And a true lover of the holy Church. 91

CANTERBURY

The courses of his youth promised it not. 92

The breath no sooner left his father's body, 93

But that his wildness, mortified in him, 94

Seemed to die too. Yea, at that very moment, 95

Consideration like an angel came, 96

And whipped th'offending Adam out of him, 97

Leaving his body as a paradise, 98

T'envelop and contain celestial spirits. 99

Never was such a sudden scholar made, 100

Never came reformation in a flood 101

With such a heady currence scouring faults, 102

Nor never hydra-headed willfulness 103

So soon did lose his seat, and all at once, 104

As in this king. 105

ELY

We are blessèd in the change.

CANTERBURY

Hear him but reason in divinity, 106

And, all-admiring, with an inward wish 107

You would desire the king were made a prelate. 108

Hear him debate of commonwealth affairs, 109

You would say it hath been all in all his study. 110

List his discourse of war, and you shall hear 111

A fearful battle rendered you in music. 112

Turn him to any cause of policy, 113

The Gordian knot of it he will unloose, 114

Familiar as his garter; that when he speaks, 115

The air, a chartered libertine, is still, 116

And the mute wonder lurketh in men's ears 117

To steal his sweet and honeyed sentences, 118

So that the art and practic part of life 119

Must be the mistress to this theoric. 120

Which is a wonder how his grace should glean it, 121

Since his addiction was to courses vain, 122

His companies unlettered, rude, and shallow, 123

His hours filled up with riots, banquets, sports, 124

And never noted in him any study, 125

Any retirement, any sequestration 126

From open haunts and popularity. 127

ELY

The strawberry grows underneath the nettle, 128

And wholesome berries thrive and ripen best 129

Neighbored by fruit of baser quality; 130

And so the prince obscured his contemplation 131

Under the veil of wildness, which no doubt 132

Grew like the summer grass, fastest by night, 133

Unseen, yet crescive in his faculty. 134

CANTERBURY

It must be so, for miracles are ceased, 135

And therefore we must needs admit the means 136

How things are perfected. 137

ELY

But my good lord,

How now for mitigation of this bill 138

Urged by the commons? Doth his majesty 139

Incline to it or no? 140

CANTERBURY

He seems indifferent,

Or rather swaying more upon our part, 141

Than cherishing th'exhibitors against us; 142

For I have made an offer to his majesty, 143

Upon our spiritual convocation, 144

And in regard of causes now in hand, 145

Which I have opened to his grace at large, 146

As touching France, to give a greater sum 147

Than ever at one time the clergy yet 148

Did to his predecessors part withal. 149

ELY

How did this offer seem received, my lord? 150

CANTERBURY

With good acceptance of his majesty, 151

Save that there was not time enough to hear, 152

As I perceived his grace would fain have done, 153

The severals and unhidden passages 154

Of his true titles to some certain dukedoms, 155

And generally to the crown and seat of France 156

Derived from Edward, his great-grandfather. 157

ELY

What was th'impediment that broke this off? 158

CANTERBURY

The French ambassador upon that instant 159

Craved audience; and the hour, I think, is come 160

To give him hearing. Is it four o'clock? 161

ELY

It is. 162

CANTERBURY

Then go we in to know his embassy, 163

Which I could with a ready guess declare 164

Before the Frenchman speak a word of it. 165

ELY

I'll wait upon you, and I long to hear it. 166

(Exeunt.)

[1.2]

(Enter the King, Humphrey [Duke of Gloucester], Bedford, Clarence, Warwick, Westmorland, and Exeter[, with attendants].)

KING HENRY

Where is my gracious lord of Canterbury? 167

EXETER

Not here in presence. 168

KING HENRY

Send for him, good uncle.

([Exit attendant.])

WESTMORLAND

Shall we call in th'ambassador, my liege? 169

KING HENRY

Not yet, my cousin. We would be resolved, 170

Before we hear him, of some things of weight 171

That task our thoughts concerning us and France. 172

(Enter [the] two Bishops[, Canterbury and Ely].)

CANTERBURY

God and his angels guard your sacred throne 173

And make you long become it. 174

KING HENRY

Sure we thank you.

My learnèd lord, we pray you to proceed, 175

And justly and religiously unfold 176

Why the law Salic, that they have in France, 177

Or should or should not bar us in our claim. 178

And God forbid, my dear and faithful lord, 179

That you should fashion, wrest, or bow your reading, 180

Or nicely charge your understanding soul 181

With opening titles miscreate, whose right 182

Suits not in native colors with the truth. 183

For God doth know how many now in health 184

Shall drop their blood in approbation 185

Of what your reverence shall incite us to. 186

Therefore take heed how you impawn our person, 187

How you awake our sleeping sword of war; 188

We charge you in the name of God, take heed. 189

For never two such kingdoms did contend 190

Without much fall of blood, whose guiltless drops 191

Are every one a woe, a sore complaint 192

'Gainst him whose wrongs gives edge unto the swords 193

That makes such waste in brief mortality. 194

Under this conjuration speak, my lord, 195

For we will hear, note, and believe in heart 196

That what you speak is in your conscience washed 197

As pure as sin with baptism. 198

CANTERBURY

Then hear me, gracious sovereign, and you peers 199

That owe your selves, your lives and services 200

To this imperial throne. There is no bar 201

To make against your highness' claim to France 202

But this, which they produce from Pharamond: 203

"In terram Salicam mulieres ne succedant" — 204

"No woman shall succeed in Salic land" — 205

Which Salic land the French unjustly gloss 206

To be the realm of France, and Pharamond 207

The founder of this law and female bar. 208

Yet their own authors faithfully affirm 209

That the land Salic is in Germany, 210

Between the floods of Saale and of Elbe, 211

Where Charles the Great, having subdued the Saxons, 212

There left behind and settled certain French 213

Who, holding in disdain the German women 214

For some dishonest manners of their life, 215

Established then this law: to wit, no female 216

Should be inheritrix in Salic land, 217

Which Salic, as I said, 'twixt Elbe and Saale, 218

Is at this day in Germany, called Meissen. 219

Then doth it well appear the Salic law 220

Was not devisèd for the realm of France, 221

Nor did the French possess the Salic land 222

Until four hundred one-and-twenty years 223

After defunction of King Pharamond, 224

Idly supposed the founder of this law, 225

Who died within the year of our redemption 226

Four hundred twenty-six; and Charles the Great 227

Subdued the Saxons and did seat the French 228

Beyond the river Saale in the year 229

Eight hundred five. Besides, their writers say 230

King Pepin, which deposèd Childeric, 231

Did as heir general, being descended 232

Of Blithild, which was daughter to King Chlothar, 233

Make claim and title to the crown of France. 234

Hugh Capet also, who usurped the crown 235

Of Charles the Duke of Lorraine, sole heir male 236

Of the true line and stock of Charles the Great, 237

To find his title with some shows of truth — 238

Though in pure truth it was corrupt and naught — 239

Conveyed himself as th'heir to th'lady Lingare, 240

Daughter to Charlemagne, who was the son 241

To Louis the emperor, and Louis the son 242

Of Charles the Great. Also King Louis the Tenth, 243

Who was sole heir to the usurper Capet, 244

Could not keep quiet in his conscience 245

Wearing the crown of France till satisfied 246

That fair Queen Isabelle, his grandmother, 247

Was lineal of the lady Ermengarde, 248

Daughter to Charles the foresaid Duke of Lorraine, 249

By the which marriage the line of Charles the Great 250

Was reunited to the crown of France. 251

So that, as clear as is the summer's sun, 252

King Pepin's title and Hugh Capet's claim, 253

King Louis his satisfaction, all appear 254

To hold in right and title of the female; 255

So do the kings of France unto this day, 256

Howbeit they would hold up this Salic law 257

To bar your highness claiming from the female, 258

And rather choose to hide them in a net 259

Than amply to embar their crooked titles 260

Usurped from you and your progenitors. 261

KING HENRY

May I with right and conscience make this claim? 262

CANTERBURY

The sin upon my head, dread sovereign. 263

For in the book of Numbers is it writ: 264

"When the man dies, let the inheritance 265

Descend unto the daughter." Gracious lord, 266

Stand for your own. Unwind your bloody flag, 267

Look back into your mighty ancestors. 268

Go, my dread lord, to your great-grandsire's tomb, 269

From whom you claim; invoke his warlike spirit, 270

And your great-uncle's, Edward the Black Prince, 271

Who on the French ground played a tragedy, 272

Making defeat on the full power of France 273

Whiles his most mighty father on a hill 274

Stood smiling to behold his lion's whelp 275

Forage in blood of French nobility. 276

Oh, noble English, that could entertain 277

With half their forces the full pride of France 278

And let another half stand laughing by, 279

All out of work and cold for action! 280

ELY

Awake remembrance of these valiant dead, 281

And with your puissant arm renew their feats. 282

You are their heir, you sit upon their throne, 283

The blood and courage that renownèd them 284

Runs in your veins, and my thrice-puissant liege 285

Is in the very May-morn of his youth, 286

Ripe for exploits and mighty enterprises. 287

EXETER

Your brother kings and monarchs of the earth 288

Do all expect that you should rouse yourself 289

As did the former lions of your blood. 290

WESTMORLAND

They know your grace hath cause, and means, and might; 291

So hath your highness. Never king of England 292

Had nobles richer and more loyal subjects, 293

Whose hearts have left their bodies here in England 294

And lie pavilioned in the fields of France. 295

CANTERBURY

Oh, let their bodies follow, my dear liege, 296

With bloods and sword and fire to win your right. 297

In aid whereof, we of the spiritualty 298

Will raise your highness such a mighty sum 299

As never did the clergy at one time 300

Bring in to any of your ancestors. 301

KING HENRY

We must not only arm t'invade the French, 302

But lay down our proportions to defend 303

Against the Scot, who will make road upon us 304

With all advantages. 305

CANTERBURY

They of those marches, gracious sovereign, 306

Shall be a wall sufficient to defend 307

Our inland from the pilfering borderers. 308

KING HENRY

We do not mean the coursing snatchers only, 309

But fear the main intendment of the Scot, 310

Who hath been still a giddy neighbor to us. 311

For you shall read that my great-grandfather 312

Never went with his forces into France 313

But that the Scot on his unfurnished kingdom 314

Came pouring like the tide into a breach 315

With ample and brim fullness of his force, 316

Galling the gleanèd land with hot assays, 317

Girding with grievous siege castles and towns, 318

That England, being empty of defense, 319

Hath shook and trembled at th'ill neighborhood. 320

CANTERBURY

She hath been then more feared than harmed, my liege. 321

For hear her but exampled by herself: 322

When all her chivalry hath been in France 323

And she a mourning widow of her nobles, 324

She hath herself not only well defended, 325

But taken and impounded as a stray 326

The king of Scots, whom she did send to France 327

To fill King Edward's fame with prisoner kings 328

And make their chronicle as rich with praise 329

As is the ooze and bottom of the sea 330

With sunken wreck and sumless treasuries. 331

ELY

But there's a saying very old and true: 332

"If that you will France win, 333

Then with Scotland first begin." 334

For once the eagle England being in prey, 335

To her unguarded nest the weasel Scot 336

Comes sneaking, and so sucks her princely eggs, 337

Playing the mouse in absence of the cat, 338

To 'tame and havoc more than she can eat. 339

EXETER

It follows then the cat must stay at home, 340

Yet that is but a crushed necessity, 341

Since we have locks to safeguard necessaries 342

And pretty traps to catch the petty thieves. 343

While that the armèd hand doth fight abroad, 344

Th'advisèd head defends itself at home. 345

For government, though high and low and lower 346

Put into parts, doth keep in one consent, 347

Congreeing in a full and natural close 348

Like music. 349

CANTERBURY

Therefore doth heaven divide

The state of man in divers functions, 350

Setting endeavor in continual motion, 351

To which is fixèd, as an aim or butt, 352

Obedience. For so work the honeybees, 353

Creatures that by a rule in nature teach 354

The act of order to a peopled kingdom. 355

They have a king, and officers of sorts, 356

Where some like magistrates correct at home; 357

Others like merchants venture trade abroad; 358

Others, like soldiers armèd in their stings, 359

Make boot upon the summer's velvet buds, 360

Which pillage they with merry march bring home 361

To the tent-royal of their emperor, 362

Who, busied in his majesties, surveys 363

The singing masons building roofs of gold, 364

The civil citizens kneading up the honey, 365

The poor mechanic porters crowding in 366

Their heavy burdens at his narrow gate, 367

The sad-eyed justice with his surly hum 368

Delivering o'er to executors pale 369

The lazy yawning drone. I this infer: 370

That many things, having full reference 371

To one consent, may work contrariously. 372

As many arrows loosèd several ways 373

Come to one mark, as many ways meet in one town, 374

As many fresh streams meet in one salt sea, 375

As many lines close in the dial's center, 376

So may a thousand actions once afoot 377

End in one purpose, and be all well borne 378

Without defeat. Therefore to France, my liege. 379

Divide your happy England into four, 380

Whereof take you one quarter into France, 381

And you withal shall make all Gallia shake. 382

If we, with thrice such powers left at home, 383

Cannot defend our own doors from the dog, 384

Let us be worried, and our nation lose 385

The name of hardiness and policy. 386

KING HENRY

Call in the messengers sent from the dauphin. 387

([Exit attendant.])

Now are we well resolved, and by God's help 388

And yours, the noble sinews of our power, 389

France being ours, we'll bend it to our awe, 390

Or break it all to pieces. Or there we'll sit, 391

Ruling in large and ample empery 392

O'er France and all her almost kingly dukedoms, 393

Or lay these bones in an unworthy urn, 394

Tombless, with no remembrance over them. 395

Either our history shall with full mouth 396

Speak freely of our acts, or else our grave, 397

Like Turkish mute, shall have a tongueless mouth, 398

Not worshipped with a waxen epitaph. — 399

(Enter Ambassadors of France.)

Now are we well prepared to know the pleasure 400

Of our fair cousin dauphin, for we hear 401

Your greeting is from him, not from the king. 402

AMBASSADOR

May't please your majesty to give us leave 403

Freely to render what we have in charge, 404

Or shall we sparingly show you far off 405

The dauphin's meaning and our embassy? 406

KING HENRY

We are no tyrant, but a Christian king, 407

Unto whose grace our passion is as subject 408

As is our wretches fettered in our prisons. 409

Therefore with frank and with uncurbèd plainness 410

Tell us the dauphin's mind. 411

AMBASSADOR

Thus, then, in few:

Your highness, lately sending into France, 412

Did claim some certain dukedoms in the right 413

Of your great predecessor, King Edward the Third. 414

In answer of which claim, the prince our master 415

Says that you savor too much of your youth, 416

And bids you be advised, there's naught in France 417

That can be with a nimble galliard won; 418

You cannot revel into dukedoms there. 419

He therefore sends you, meeter for your spirit, 420

This tun of treasure, and in lieu of this, 421

Desires you let the dukedoms that you claim 422

Hear no more of you. This the dauphin speaks. 423

KING HENRY

What treasure, uncle? 424

EXETER

Tennis balls, my liege.

KING HENRY

We are glad the dauphin is so pleasant with us. 425

His present and your pains we thank you for. 426

When we have matched our rackets to these balls, 427

We will in France, by God's grace, play a set 428

Shall strike his father's crown into the hazard. 429

Tell him he hath made a match with such a wrangler 430

That all the courts of France will be disturbed 431

With chases. And we understand him well, 432

How he comes o'er us with our wilder days, 433

Not measuring what use we made of them. 434

We never valued this poor seat of England, 435

And therefore living hence, did give ourself 436

To barbarous license, as 'tis ever common 437

That men are merriest when they are from home. 438

But tell the dauphin I will keep my state, 439

Be like a king, and show my sail of greatness 440

When I do rouse me in my throne of France. 441

For that I have laid by my majesty 442

And plodded like a man for working days, 443

But I will rise there with so full a glory 444

That I will dazzle all the eyes of France, 445

Yea, strike the dauphin blind to look on us. 446

And tell the pleasant prince this mock of his 447

Hath turned his balls to gunstones, and his soul 448

Shall stand sore chargèd for the wasteful vengeance 449

That shall fly with them: for many a thousand widows 450

Shall this, his mock, mock out of their dear husbands, 451

Mock mothers from their sons, mock castles down, 452

And some are yet ungotten and unborn 453

That shall have cause to curse the dauphin's scorn. 454

But this lies all within the will of God, 455

To whom I do appeal, and in whose name 456

Tell you the dauphin I am coming on 457

To venge me as I may, and to put forth 458

My rightful hand in a well-hallowed cause. 459

So get you hence in peace, and tell the dauphin 460

His jest will savor but of shallow wit 461

When thousands weep more than did laugh at it. — 462

Convey them with safe conduct. — Fare you well. 463

(Exeunt Ambassadors.)

EXETER

This was a merry message. 464

KING HENRY

We hope to make the sender blush at it. 465

Therefore, my lords, omit no happy hour 466

That may give furtherance to our expedition, 467

For we have now no thought in us but France, 468

Save those to God, that run before our business. 469

Therefore let our proportions for these wars 470

Be soon collected, and all things thought upon 471

That may with reasonable swiftness add 472

More feathers to our wings, for, God before, 473

We'll chide this dauphin at his father's door. 474

Therefore let every man now task his thought 475

That this fair action may on foot be brought. 476

(Exeunt.)

Act II

[2.0]

(Flourish. Enter Chorus.)

CHORUS

Now all the youth of England are on fire 477

And silken dalliance in the wardrobe lies. 478

Now thrive the armorers, and honor's thought 479

Reigns solely in the breast of every man. 480

They sell the pasture now to buy the horse, 481

Following the mirror of all Christian kings 482

With wingèd heels, as English Mercuries. 483

For now sits expectation in the air 484

And hides a sword from hilts unto the point 485

With crowns imperial, crowns and coronets 486

Promised to Harry and his followers. 487

The French, advised by good intelligence 488

Of this most dreadful preparation, 489

Shake in their fear, and with pale policy 490

Seek to divert the English purposes. 491

O England, model to thy inward greatness, 492

Like little body with a mighty heart, 493

What mightst thou do, that honor would thee do, 494

Were all thy children kind and natural! 495

But see, thy fault France hath in thee found out: 496

A nest of hollow bosoms, which he fills 497

With treacherous crowns; and three corrupted men, 498

One, Richard, Earl of Cambridge, and the second 499

Henry, Lord Scrope of Masham, and the third 500

Sir Thomas Grey, knight of Northumberland, 501

Have for the gilt of France — oh, guilt indeed! — 502

Confirmed conspiracy with fearful France. 503

And by their hands this grace of kings must die, 504

If hell and treason hold their promises, 505

Ere he take ship for France, and in Southampton. 506

Linger your patience on, and we'll digest 507

Th'abuse of distance, force a play. 508

The sum is paid, the traitors are agreed, 509

The king is set from London, and the scene 510

Is now transported, gentles, to Southampton. 511

There is the playhouse now, there must you sit, 512

And thence to France shall we convey you safe 513

And bring you back, charming the narrow seas 514

To give you gentle pass; for if we may, 515

We'll not offend one stomach with our play. 516

But when the king come forth, and not till then, 517

Unto Southampton do we shift our scene. 518

(Exit)

[2.1]

(Enter Corporal Nym and Lieutenant Bardolph.)

BARDOLPH

Well met, Corporal Nym.

NYM

Good morrow, Lieutenant Bardolph.

BARDOLPH

What, are Ancient Pistol and you friends yet?

NYM

For my part, I care not. I say little, but when time shall serve, there shall be smiles. But that shall be as it may. I dare not fight, but I will wink and hold out mine iron. It is a simple one, but what though? It will toast cheese, and it will endure cold as another man's sword will, and there's an end.

BARDOLPH

I will bestow a breakfast to make you friends, and we'll be all three sworn brothers to France. Let’t be so, good Corporal Nym.

NYM

Faith, I will live so long as I may, that's the certain of it. And when I cannot live any longer, I will do as I may. That is my rest; that is the rendezvous of it.

BARDOLPH

It is certain, corporal, that he is married to Nell Quickly, and certainly she did you wrong, for you were troth-plight to her.

NYM

I cannot tell; things must be as they may. Men may sleep, and they may have their throats about them at that time, and some say knives have edges. It must be as it may. Though patience be a tired mare, yet she will plod. There must be conclusions. Well, I cannot tell.

(Enter Pistol and [Hostess, formerly Mistress] Quickly.)

BARDOLPH

Here comes Ancient Pistol and his wife. Good corporal, be patient here. — How now, mine host Pistol?

PISTOL

Base tyke, call'st thou me host? Now by this hand I swear I scorn the term! Nor shall my Nell keep lodgers.

HOSTESS

No, by my troth, not long, for we cannot lodge and board a dozen or fourteen gentlewomen that live honestly by the prick of their needles, but it will be thought we keep a bawdy house straight. [Nym draws his sword.] Oh, welladay, lady, if he be not hewn now, we shall see willful adultery and murder committed!

BARDOLPH

Good lieutenant, good corporal, offer nothing here.

NYM

Pish.

PISTOL

Pish for thee, Iceland dog, thou prick-eared cur of Iceland.

HOSTESS

Good Corporal Nym, show thy valor and put up your sword.

NYM

Will you shog off? [To Pistol] I would have you solus.

PISTOL

" Solus, " egregious dog? O viper vile! The " solus " in thy most marvelous face. The " solus " in thy teeth, and in thy throat, and in thy hateful lungs, yea in thy maw, perdy. And which is worse, within thy nasty mouth. I do retort the " solus " in thy bowels, for I can take, and Pistol's cock is up, and flashing fire will follow.

NYM

I am not Barbason; you cannot conjure me. I have an humor to knock you indifferently well. If you grow foul with me, Pistol, I will scour you with my rapier, as I may, in fair terms. If you would walk off, I would prick your guts a little in good terms, as I may, and that's the humor of it.

PISTOL

O braggart vile, and damnèd furious wight, 519

The grave doth gape, and doting death is near, 520

Therefore exhale. 521

([Pistol draws his sword.])

BARDOLPH

Hear me, hear me what I say. [Draws his sword (?)] He that strikes the first stroke, I'll run him up to the hilts, as I am a soldier.

PISTOL

An oath of mickle might, and fury shall abate. [They sheathe their swords.] Give me thy fist. Thy forefoot to me give. Thy spirits are most tall.

NYM

I will cut thy throat one time or other in fair terms. That is the humor of it.

PISTOL

Couple a gorge, that is the word. I defy thee again! O hound of Crete, think'st thou my spouse to get? No, to the Spital go, and from the powd'ring tub of infamy fetch forth the lazar kite of Cressid's kind, Doll Tearsheet, she by name, and her espouse. I have, and I will hold the quondam Quickly for the only she, and pauca, there's enough. Go to.

(Enter the Boy.)

BOY

Mine host Pistol, you must come to my master, and your hostess. He is very sick and would to bed. — Good Bardolph, put thy face between his sheets and do the office of a warming-pan. Faith, he's very ill.

BARDOLPH

Away, you rogue.

HOSTESS

By my troth, he'll yield the crow a pudding one of these days. The king has killed his heart. Good husband, come home presently.

(Exeunt [Boy and Hostess.])

BARDOLPH

Come, shall I make you two friends? We must to France together. Why the devil should we keep knives to cut one another's throats?

PISTOL

Let floods o'erswell, and fiends for food howl on.

NYM

[To Pistol] You'll pay me the eight shillings I won of you at betting?

PISTOL

Base is the slave that pays.

NYM

That now I will have. That's the humor of it.

PISTOL

As manhood shall compound. Push home.

([They] draw [their swords.])

BARDOLPH

[Drawing his sword (?)] By this sword, he that makes the first thrust, I'll kill him. By this sword, I will.

PISTOL

Sword is an oath, and oaths must have their course.

([Sheathes his sword])

BARDOLPH

Corporal Nym, an thou wilt be friends, be friends. An thou wilt not, why then be enemies with me, too. Prithee, put up.

([Nym and Bardolph sheathe their swords. (?)])

PISTOL

A noble shalt thou have, and present pay. And liquor likewise will I give to thee, and friendship shall combine, and brotherhood. I'll live by Nym and Nym shall live by me. Is not this just? For I shall sutler be unto the camp, and profits will accrue. Give me thy hand.

NYM

I shall have my noble?

PISTOL

In cash most justly paid.

NYM

Well, then that's the humor of't.

([Pistol and Nym shake hands. (?)])

(Enter Hostess.)

HOSTESS

As ever you come of women, come in quickly to Sir John. A poor heart, he is so shaked of a burning quotidian tertian that it is most lamentable to behold. Sweet men, come to him.

([Exit.])

NYM

The king hath run bad humors on the knight. That's the even of it.

PISTOL

Nym, thou hast spoke the right. His heart is fracted and corroborate.

NYM

The king is a good king, but it must be as it may. He passes some humors and careers.

PISTOL

Let us condole the knight, for lambkins, we will live.

([Exeunt.])

[2.2]

(Enter Exeter, Bedford, and Westmorland.)

BEDFORD

'Fore God, his grace is bold to trust these traitors. 522

EXETER

They shall be apprehended by and by. 523

WESTMORLAND

How smooth and even they do bear themselves, 524

As if allegiance in their bosoms sat 525

Crownèd with faith and constant loyalty. 526

BEDFORD

The king hath note of all that they intend 527

By interception, which they dream not of. 528

EXETER

Nay, but the man that was his bedfellow, 529

Whom he hath dulled and cloyed with gracious favors, 530

That he should for a foreign purse so sell 531

His sovereign's life to death and treachery! 532

(Sound trumpets. Enter the King, Scrope, Cambridge, and Grey[, and attendants.])

KING HENRY

Now sits the wind fair, and we will aboard. — 533

My lord of Cambridge, and my kind lord of Masham, 534

And you, my gentle knight, give me your thoughts: 535

Think you not that the powers we bear with us 536

Will cut their passage through the force of France, 537

Doing the execution and the act 538

For which we have in head assembled them? 539

SCROPE

No doubt, my liege, if each man do his best. 540

KING HENRY

I doubt not that, since we are well persuaded 541

We carry not a heart with us from hence 542

That grows not in a fair consent with ours, 543

Nor leave not one behind that doth not wish 544

Success and conquest to attend on us. 545

CAMBRIDGE

Never was monarch better feared and loved 546

Than is your majesty. There's not, I think, a subject 547

That sits in heart-grief and uneasiness 548

Under the sweet shade of your government. 549

GREY

True. Those that were your father's enemies 550

Have steeped their galls in honey and do serve you 551

With hearts create of duty and of zeal. 552

KING HENRY

We therefore have great cause of thankfulness, 553

And shall forget the office of our hand 554

Sooner than quittance of desert and merit, 555

According to the weight and worthiness. 556

SCROPE

So service shall with steelèd sinews toil, 557

And labor shall refresh itself with hope 558

To do your grace incessant services. 559

KING HENRY

We judge no less. Uncle of Exeter, 560

Enlarge the man committed yesterday 561

That railed against our person. We consider 562

It was excess of wine that set him on, 563

And on his more advice we pardon him. 564

SCROPE

That's mercy, but too much security. 565

Let him be punished, sovereign, lest example 566

Breed, by his sufferance, more of such a kind. 567

KING HENRY

Oh, let us yet be merciful. 568

CAMBRIDGE

So may your highness, and yet punish too. 569

GREY

Sir, you show great mercy if you give him life 570

After the taste of much correction. 571

KING HENRY

Alas, your too much love and care of me 572

Are heavy orisons 'gainst this poor wretch. 573

If little faults proceeding on distemper 574

Shall not be winked at, how shall we stretch our eye 575

When capital crimes, chewed, swallowed, and digested, 576

Appear before us? We'll yet enlarge that man, 577

Though Cambridge, Scrope, and Grey, in their dear care 578

And tender preservation of our person 579

Would have him punished. And now to our French causes. — 580

Who are the late commissioners? 581

CAMBRIDGE

I one, my lord.

Your highness bade me ask for it today. 582

SCROPE

So did you me, my liege. 583

GREY

And I, my royal sovereign. 584

KING HENRY

[Giving them papers] Then Richard Earl of Cambridge, there is yours. 585

There yours, Lord Scrope of Masham; and sir knight, 586

Grey of Northumberland, this same is yours. 587

Read them and know I know your worthiness. — 588

My lord of Westmorland, and uncle Exeter, 589

We will aboard to night. — Why, how now, gentlemen? 590

What see you in those papers that you lose 591

So much complexion? Look ye how they change: 592

Their cheeks are paper! Why, what read you there 593

That have so cowarded and chased your blood 594

Out of appearance? 595

CAMBRIDGE

I do confess my fault,

And do submit me to your highness' mercy. 596

GREY, SCROPE

To which we all appeal. 597

KING HENRY

The mercy that was quick in us but late 598

By your own counsel is suppressed and killed. 599

You must not dare for shame to talk of mercy, 600

For your own reasons turn into your bosoms 601

As dogs upon their masters, worrying you. — 602

See you, my princes and my noble peers, 603

These English monsters: my lord of Cambridge here, 604

You know how apt our love was to accord 605

To furnish him with all appurtenants 606

Belonging to his honor. And this man 607

Hath for a few light crowns lightly conspired 608

And sworn unto the practices of France 609

To kill us here in Hampton. To the which 610

This knight, no less for bounty bound to us 611

Than Cambridge is, hath likewise sworn.— But oh, 612

What shall I say to thee, Lord Scrope, thou cruel, 613

Ingrateful, savage and inhuman creature? 614

Thou that didst bear the key of all my counsels, 615

That knew'st the very bottom of my soul, 616

That almost mightst have coined me into gold, 617

Wouldst thou have practiced on me for thy use? 618

May it be possible that foreign hire 619

Could out of thee extract one spark of evil 620

That might annoy my finger? 'Tis so strange 621

That though the truth of it stands off as gross 622

As black and white, my eye will scarcely see it. 623

Treason and murder ever kept together 624

As two yoke-devils sworn to either's purpose, 625

Working so grossly in unnatural cause 626

That admiration did not whoop at them. 627

But thou, 'gainst all proportion, didst bring in 628

Wonder to wait on treason and on murder, 629

And whatsoever cunning fiend it was 630

That wrought upon thee so preposterously 631

Hath got the voice in hell for excellence; 632

And other devils, that suggest by treasons, 633

Do botch and bungle up damnation 634

With patches, colors, and with forms being fetched 635

From glist'ring semblances of piety. 636

But he that tempered thee, bade thee stand up, 637

Gave thee no instance why thou shouldst do treason 638

Unless to dub thee with the name of traitor. 639

If that same demon that hath gulled thee thus 640

Should with his lion gait walk the whole world, 641

He might return to vasty Tartar back 642

And tell the legions, "I can never win 643

A soul so easy as that Englishman's." 644

Oh, how hast thou with jealousy infected 645

The sweetness of affiance! Show men dutiful? 646

Why so didst thou. Seem they grave and learnèd? 647

Why so didst thou. Come they of noble family? 648

Why so didst thou. Seem they religious? 649

Why so didst thou. Or are they spare in diet, 650

Free from gross passion or of mirth or anger, 651

Constant in spirit, not swerving with the blood, 652

Garnished and decked in modest complement, 653

Not working with the eye without the ear, 654

And but in purgèd judgment trusting neither? 655

Such and so finely bolted didst thou seem. 656

And thus thy fall hath left a kind of blot 657

To make the full-fraught man, and best, indued 658

With some suspicion. I will weep for thee, 659

For this revolt of thine, methinks, is like 660

Another fall of man.— Their faults are open. 661

Arrest them to the answer of the law, 662

And God acquit them of their practices. 663

EXETER

I arrest thee of high treason, by the name of Richard Earl of Cambridge. I arrest thee of high treason, by the name of Henry Lord Scrope of Masham. I arrest thee of high treason, by the name of Thomas Grey, knight of Northumberland.

SCROPE

Our purposes God justly hath discovered, 664

And I repent my fault more than my death, 665

Which I beseech your highness to forgive, 666

Although my body pay the price of it. 667

CAMBRIDGE

For me, the gold of France did not seduce, 668

Although I did admit it as a motive 669

The sooner to effect what I intended. 670

But God be thankèd for prevention, 671

Which I in sufferance heartily will rejoice, 672

Beseeching God and you to pardon me. 673

GREY

Never did faithful subject more rejoice 674

At the discovery of most dangerous treason 675

Than I do at this hour joy o'er myself, 676

Prevented from a damnèd enterprise. 677

My fault, but not my body, pardon, sovereign. 678

KING HENRY

God quit you in his mercy. Hear your sentence: 679

You have conspired against our royal person, 680

Joined with an enemy proclaimed and from his coffers 681

Received the golden earnest of our death, 682

Wherein you would have sold your king to slaughter, 683

His princes and his peers to servitude, 684

His subjects to oppression and contempt, 685

And his whole kingdom into desolation. 686

Touching our person seek we no revenge, 687

But we our kingdom's safety must so tender, 688

Whose ruin you sought, that to her laws 689

We do deliver you. Get you therefore hence, 690

Poor miserable wretches, to your death, 691

The taste whereof God of his mercy give 692

You patience to endure, and true repentance 693

Of all your dear offences. — Bear them hence. 694

([Exeunt traitors, guarded.])

Now, lords, for France, the enterprise whereof 695

Shall be to you as us like glorious. 696

We doubt not of a fair and lucky war, 697

Since God so graciously hath brought to light 698

This dangerous treason lurking in our way 699

To hinder our beginnings. We doubt not now 700

But every rub is smoothèd on our way. 701

Then forth, dear countrymen. Let us deliver 702

Our puissance into the hand of God, 703

Putting it straight in expedition. 704

Cheerly to sea; the signs of war advance. 705

No king of England if not king of France. 706

(Flourish. [Exeunt.])

[2.3]

(Enter Pistol, Nym, Bardolph, Boy, and Hostess.)

HOSTESS

Prithee, honey-sweet husband, let me bring thee to Staines.

PISTOL

No, for my manly heart doth earn. Bardolph, be blithe. Nym, rouse thy vaunting veins. Boy, bristle thy courage up. For Falstaff he is dead, and we must earn therefore.

BARDOLPH

Would I were with him wheresome'er he is, either in 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 ev'n just between twelve and one, ev'n at the turning o'th'tide. For after I saw him fumble with the sheets, and play with flowers, and smile upon his finger's end, 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 so up-peered, 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.

HOSTESS

A could never abide carnation; 'twas a color he 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.

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?

BARDOLPH

Well, the fuel is gone that maintained that fire. That's all the riches I got in his service.

NYM

Shall we shog? The king will be gone from Southampton.

PISTOL

Come, let's away. My love, give me thy lips. [Kisses her] Look to my chattels and my moveables. Let senses rule. The world is pitch-and-pay. Trust none, for oaths are straws, men's faiths are wafer-cakes, and Holdfast is the only dog, my duck, therefore caveto be thy counselor. Go, clear thy crystals. 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

[Kisses her] Farewell, hostess.

NYM

I cannot kiss, that is the humor of it, but adieu.

PISTOL

Let housewifery appear. Keep close, I thee command.

HOSTESS

Farewell. Adieu.

(Exeunt.)

[2.4]

(Flourish. Enter the French King, the Dauphin, the Dukes of Berry and Brittany[, and the Constable of France].)

FRENCH KING

Thus comes the English with full power upon us, 707

And more than carefully it us concerns 708

To answer royally in our defenses. 709

Therefore the Dukes of Berry and of Brittany, 710

Of Brabant and of Orléans shall make forth, 711

And you, Prince Dauphin, with all swift dispatch 712

To line and new repair our towns of war 713

With men of courage and with means defendant, 714

For England his approaches makes as fierce 715

As waters to the sucking of a gulf. 716

It fits us then to be as provident 717

As fear may teach us, out of late examples 718

Left by the fatal and neglected English 719

Upon our fields. 720

DAUPHIN

My most redoubted father,

It is most meet we arm us 'gainst the foe, 721

For peace itself should not so dull a kingdom, 722

Though war nor no known quarrel were in question, 723

But that defenses, musters, preparations 724

Should be maintained, assembled, and collected 725

As were a war in expectation. 726

Therefore I say 'tis meet we all go forth 727

To view the sick and feeble parts of France. 728

And let us do it with no show of fear, 729

No, with no more than if we heard that England 730

Were busied with a Whitsun morris dance. 731

For, my good liege, she is so idly kinged, 732

Her scepter so fantastically borne 733

By a vain, giddy, shallow, humorous youth, 734

That fear attends her not. 735

CONSTABLE

Oh, peace, Prince Dauphin.

You are too much mistaken in this king. 736

Question your grace the late ambassadors — 737

With what great state he heard their embassy, 738

How well supplied with noble counselors, 739

How modest in exception, and withal 740

How terrible in constant resolution — 741

And you shall find his vanities forespent 742

Were but the outside of the Roman Brutus, 743

Covering discretion with a coat of folly, 744

As gardeners do with ordure hide those roots 745

That shall first spring and be most delicate. 746

DAUPHIN

Well, 'tis not so, my lord high constable. 747

But though we think it so, it is no matter. 748

In cases of defense, 'tis best to weigh 749

The enemy more mighty than he seems. 750

So the proportions of defense are filled, 751

Which of a weak and niggardly projection 752

Doth like a miser spoil his coat with scanting 753

A little cloth. 754

FRENCH KING

Think we King Harry strong,

And princes, look you strongly arm to meet him. 755

The kindred of him hath been fleshed upon us, 756

And he is bred out of that bloody strain 757

That haunted us in our familiar paths: 758

Witness our too much memorable shame 759

When Crécy battle fatally was struck, 760

And all our princes captived by the hand 761

Of that black name, Edward, Black Prince of Wales, 762

Whiles that his mountain sire on mountain standing 763

Up in the air, crowned with the golden sun, 764

Saw his heroical seed and smiled to see him 765

Mangle the work of nature, and deface 766

The patterns that by God and by French fathers 767

Had twenty years been made. This is a stem 768

Of that victorious stock, and let us fear 769

The native mightiness and fate of him. 770

(Enter a Messenger.)

MESSENGER

Ambassadors from Harry, King of England, 771

Do crave admittance to your majesty. 772

FRENCH KING

We'll give them present audience; go and bring them. 773

([Exit Messenger.])

You see this chase is hotly followed, friends. 774

DAUPHIN

Turn head and stop pursuit, for coward dogs 775

Most spend their mouths when what they seem to threaten 776

Runs far before them. Good my sovereign, 777

Take up the English short, and let them know 778

Of what a monarchy you are the head. 779

Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin 780

As self-neglecting. 781

(Enter Exeter.)

FRENCH KING

From our brother of England?

EXETER

From him, and thus he greets your majesty: 782

He wills you in the name of God almighty 783

That you divest yourself, and lay apart 784

The borrowed glories that by gift of heaven, 785

By law of nature and of nations longs 786

To him and to his heirs, namely the crown 787

And all wide-stretchèd honors that pertain 788

By custom and the ordinance of times 789

Unto the crown of France. That you may know 790

'Tis no sinister nor no awkward claim 791

Picked from the wormholes of long-vanished days, 792

Nor from the dust of old oblivion raked, 793

He sends you this most memorable line, 794

([Gives the French King a paper])

In every branch truly demonstrative, 795

Willing you overlook this pedigree. 796

And when you find him evenly derived 797

From his most famed of famous ancestors, 798

Edward the Third, he bids you then resign 799

Your crown and kingdom, indirectly held 800

From him, the native and true challenger. 801

FRENCH KING

Or else what follows? 802

EXETER

Bloody constraint: for if you hide the crown 803

Even in your hearts, there will he rake for it. 804

Therefore in fierce tempest is he coming, 805

In thunder and in earthquake, like a Jove, 806

That if requiring fail, he will compel. 807

And bids you in the bowels of the Lord 808

Deliver up the crown, and to take mercy 809

On the poor souls for whom this hungry war 810

Opens his vasty jaws, and on your head 811

Turning the widows' tears, the orphans' cries, 812

The dead men's blood, the privy maidens' groans 813

For husbands, fathers, and betrothèd lovers 814

That shall be swallowed in this controversy. 815

This is his claim, his threat'ning, and my message, 816

Unless the dauphin be in presence here, 817

To whom expressly I bring greeting too. 818

FRENCH KING

For us, we will consider of this further. 819

Tomorrow shall you bear our full intent 820

Back to our brother of England. 821

DAUPHIN

For the dauphin,

I stand here for him. What to him from England? 822

EXETER

Scorn and defiance, slight regard, contempt, 823

And anything that may not misbecome 824

The mighty sender doth he prize you at. 825

Thus says my king: an if your father's highness 826

Do not, in grant of all demands at large, 827

Sweeten the bitter mock you sent his majesty, 828

He'll call you to so hot an answer of it 829

That caves and womby vaultages of France 830

Shall chide your trespass and return your mock 831

In second accent of his ordinance. 832

DAUPHIN

Say if my father render fair return 833

It is against my will, for I desire 834

Nothing but odds with England. To that end, 835

As matching to his youth and vanity, 836

I did present him with the Paris balls. 837

EXETER

He'll make your Paris Louvre shake for it, 838

Were it the mistress court of mighty Europe. 839

And be assured, you'll find a difference, 840

As we his subjects have in wonder found, 841

Between the promise of his greener days 842

And these he masters now. Now he weighs time 843

Even to the utmost grain. That you shall read 844

In your own losses, if he stay in France. 845

FRENCH KING

Tomorrow shall you know our mind at full. 846

(Flourish.)

EXETER

Dispatch us with all speed, lest that our king 847

Come here himself to question our delay, 848

For he is footed in this land already. 849

FRENCH KING

You shall be soon dispatched with fair conditions. 850

A night is but small breath and little pause 851

To answer matters of this consequence. 852

(Exeunt.)

Act III

[3.0]

(Flourish. Enter Chorus.)

CHORUS

Thus with imagined wing our swift scene flies 853

In motion of no less celerity 854

Than that of thought. Suppose that you have seen 855

The well-appointed king at Dover pier 856

Embark his royalty, and his brave fleet 857

With silken streamers the young Phoebus feigning. 858

Play with your fancies, and in them behold 859

Upon the hempen tackle ship-boys climbing. 860

Hear the shrill whistle, which doth order give 861

To sounds confused. Behold the threaden sails, 862

Borne with th'invisible and creeping wind, 863

Draw the huge bottoms through the furrowed sea, 864

Breasting the lofty surge. Oh, do but think 865

You stand upon the rivage, and behold 866

A city on th'inconstant billows dancing, 867

For so appears this fleet majestical 868

Holding due course to Harfleur. Follow, follow! 869

Grapple your minds to sternage of this navy 870

And leave your England as dead midnight, still, 871

Guarded with grandsires, babies, and old women, 872

Either past or not arrived to pith and puissance. 873

For who is he whose chin is but enriched 874

With one appearing hair, that will not follow 875

These culled and choice-drawn cavaliers to France? 876

Work, work your thoughts, and therein see a siege. 877

Behold the ordnance on their carriages, 878

With fatal mouths gaping on girded Harfleur. 879

Suppose th'ambassador from the French comes back, 880

Tells Harry that the king doth offer him 881

Catherine his daughter, and with her to dowry 882

Some petty and unprofitable dukedoms. 883

The offer likes not, and the nimble gunner 884

With linstock now the devilish cannon touches, 885

(Alarum, and chambers go off.)

And down goes all before them. Still be kind, 886

And eke out our performance with your mind. 887

(Exit.)

[3.1]

(Enter the King, Exeter, Bedford, and Gloucester.)

(Alarum. [Enter soldiers with] scaling-ladders at Harfleur.)

KING HENRY

Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more, 888

Or close the wall up with our English dead! 889

In peace, there's nothing so becomes a man 890

As modest stillness and humility, 891

But when the blast of war blows in our ears, 892

Then imitate the action of the tiger: 893

Stiffen the sinews, conjure up the blood, 894

Disguise fair nature with hard-favored rage. 895

Then lend the eye a terrible aspect; 896

Let it pry through the portage of the head 897

Like the brass cannon. Let the brow o'erwhelm it 898

As fearfully as doth a gallèd rock 899

O'erhang and jutty his confounded base, 900

Swilled with the wild and wasteful ocean. 901

Now set the teeth and stretch the nostril wide, 902

Hold hard the breath and bend up every spirit 903

To his full height. On! On, you noble English, 904

Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof, 905

Fathers that, like so many Alexanders, 906

Have in these parts from morn till even fought 907

And sheathed their swords for lack of argument. 908

Dishonor not your mothers; now attest 909

That those whom you called fathers did beget you. 910

Be copy now to men of grosser blood 911

And teach them how to war. And you good yeomen, 912

Whose limbs were made in England, show us here 913

The mettle of your pasture. Let us swear 914

That you are worth your breeding, which I doubt not, 915

For there is none of you so mean and base 916

That hath not noble luster in your eyes. 917

I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips, 918

Straining upon the start. The game's afoot: 919

Follow your spirit, and upon this charge 920

Cry "God for Harry, England, and Saint George!" 921

(Alarum, and chambers go off. [Exeunt.])

[3.2]

(Enter Nym, Bardolph, Pistol, and Boy.)

BARDOLPH

On, on, on, on, on, to the breach, to the breach!

NYM

Pray thee, corporal, stay. The knocks are too hot, and for mine own part, I have not a case of lives. The humor of it is too hot, that is the very plainsong of it.

PISTOL

The plainsong is most just, for humors do abound, knocks go and come, God's vassals drop and die,

([Singing])

And sword and shield 922

In bloody field 923

Doth win immortal fame. 924

BOY

Would I were in an alehouse in London. I would give all my fame for a pot of ale, and safety.

PISTOL

And I.

[Singing] If wishes would prevail with me, 925

My purpose should not fail with me, 926

But thither would I hie. 927

BOY

[Singing] As duly — 928

But not as truly — 929

As bird doth sing on bough. 930

(Enter Fluellen.)

FLUELLEN

[Beating them] Up to the breach, you dogs! Avaunt, you cullions!

PISTOL

Be merciful, great duke, to men of mold! 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 humors! Your honor wins bad humors!

([Exeunt Pistol, Bardolph, and Nym.])

BOY

[To audience] As young as I am, I have observed 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 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, and therefore he scorns to say his prayers, lest a should be thought a coward. But his few bad words are matched with as few good deeds, for a never broke any man's head but his own, and that was against a post when he was drunk. They will steal anything, and call it purchase. Bardolph stole a lute case, bore it twelve leagues, and sold it for three halfpence. Nym and Bardolph are sworn brothers in filching, and in Calais they stole a fire-shovel. I knew by that piece of service the men would carry coals. They would have me as familiar with men's pockets as their gloves or their handkercheifs, which makes much against my manhood, if I should take from another's pocket to put into mine, for it is plain pocketing up of wrongs. I must leave them and seek some better service. Their villainy goes against my weak stomach, and therefore I must cast it up.

(Exit [Boy].)

(Enter Gower.)

GOWER

Captain Fluellen, you must come presently to the mines; the Duke of Gloucester would speak with you.

FLUELLEN

To the mines? Tell you the duke it is not so good to come to the mines, for look you, the mines is not according to the disciplines of the war. The concavities of it is not sufficient: for look you, th'athversary, you may discuss unto the duke, look you, is digged himself, four yard under, the countermines. By Cheshu, I think a will plow up all if there is not better directions.

GOWER

The Duke of Gloucester, to whom the order of the siege is given, is altogether directed by an Irishman, a very valiant gentleman, i'faith.

FLUELLEN

It is Captain Macmorris, is it not?

GOWER

I think it be.

FLUELLEN

By Cheshu, he is an ass, as in the world. I will verify as much in his beard. He has no more directions in the true disciplines of the wars, look you, of the Roman disciplines, than is a puppydog.

(Enter Macmorris and Captain Jamy.)

GOWER

Here a comes, and the Scots captain, Captain Jamy, with him.

FLUELLEN

Captain Jamy is a marvelous falorous gentleman, that is certain, and of great expedition and knowledge in th'aunchient wars, upon my particular knowledge of his directions. By Cheshu, he will maintain his argument as well as any military man in the world, in the disciplines of the pristine wars of the Romans.

JAMY

I say guid day, Captain Fluellen.

FLUELLEN

Good e'en to your worship, good Captain James.

GOWER

How now, Captain Macmorris, have you quit the mines? Have the pioneers given o'er?

MACMORRIS

By Chrish law, 'tish ill done. The work ish give over, the trumpet sound the retreat. By my hand I swear, and my father's soul, the work ish ill done; it ish give over. I would have blowed up the town, so Chrish save me law, in an hour. Oh, 'tish ill done, 'tish ill done, by my hand 'tish ill done.

FLUELLEN

Captain Macmorris, I beseech you now, will you vouchsafe me, look you, a few disputations with you, as partly touching or concerning the disciplines of the war, the Roman wars, in the way of argument, look you, and friendly communication? Partly to satisfy my opinion, and partly for the satisfaction, look you, of my mind, as touching the direction of the military discipline; that is the point.

JAMY

It sall be verray guid, guid faith, guid captains baith, and I sall quit you with guid leve, as I may pick occasion. That sall I, marry.

MACMORRIS

It is no time to discourse, so Chrish save me. The day is hot, and the weather, and the wars, and the king, and the dukes. It is no time to discourse. The town is besieched, and the trumpet call us to the breach, and we talk, and be Chrish do nothing! 'Tis shame for us all; so God sa' me, 'tis shame to stand still. It is shame, by my hand; and there is throats to be cut, and works to be done, and there ish nothing done, so Christ sa' me law.

JAMY

By the mess, ere these eyes of mine take themselves to slumber, I'll dae guid service, or I'll lig i'th' grund for it; I owe God a death, and I'll pay't as valorously as I may, that sall I surely do. That is the brefe and the long. Marry, I wad full fain heard some question 'tween you twae.

FLUELLEN

Captain Macmorris, I think, look you, under your correction, there is not many of your nation —

MACMORRIS

Of my nation? What ish my nation? Ish a villain, and a bastard, and a knave, and a rascal? What ish my nation? Who talks of my nation?

FLUELLEN

Look you, if you take the matter otherwise than is meant, Captain Macmorris, peradventure I shall think you do not use me with that affability as in discretion you ought to use me, look you, being as good a man as yourself, both in the disciplines of war and in the derivation of my birth, and in other particularities.

MACMORRIS

I do not know you so good a man as myself. So Chrish save me, I will cut off your head.

GOWER

Gentlemen both, you will mistake each other.

JAMY

Ah, that's a foul fault.

(A parley [is sounded.])

GOWER

The town sounds a parley.

FLUELLEN

Captain Macmorris, when there is more better opportunity to be required, look you, I will be so bold as to tell you I know the disciplines of war, and there is an end.

([Exeunt.])

[3.3]

(Enter the King and all his train before the gates.)

KING HENRY

How yet resolves the governor of the town? 931

This is the latest parle we will admit, 932

Therefore to our best mercy give yourselves, 933

Or like to men proud of destruction 934

Defy us to our worst; for as I am a soldier, 935

A name that in my thoughts becomes me best, 936

If I begin the batt'ry once again, 937

I will not leave the half-achieved Harfleur 938

Till in her ashes she lie burièd. 939

The gates of mercy shall be all shut up, 940

And the fleshed soldier, rough and hard of heart, 941

In liberty of bloody hand shall range 942

With conscience wide as hell, mowing like grass 943

Your fresh fair virgins and your flow'ring infants. 944

What is it then to me if impious war, 945

Arrayed in flames like to the prince of fiends, 946

Do with his smirched complexion all fell feats 947

Enlinked to waste and desolation? 948

What is't to me, when you yourselves are cause, 949

If your pure maidens fall into the hand 950

Of hot and forcing violation? 951

What rein can hold licentious wickedness 952

When down the hill he holds his fierce career? 953

We may as bootless spend our vain command 954

Upon th'enragèd soldiers in their spoil 955

As send precepts to the leviathan 956

To come ashore. Therefore, you men of Harfleur, 957

Take pity of your town and of your people 958

Whiles yet my soldiers are in my command, 959

Whiles yet the cool and temperate wind of grace 960

O'er-blows the filthy and contagious clouds 961

Of headly murder, spoil, and villainy. 962

If not, why in a moment look to see 963

The blind and bloody soldier with foul hand 964

Defile the locks of your shrill-shrieking daughters, 965

Your fathers taken by the silver beards 966

And their most reverend heads dashed to the walls, 967

Your naked infants spitted upon pikes 968

Whiles the mad mothers with their howls confused 969

Do break the clouds, as did the wives of Jewry 970

At Herod's bloody-hunting slaughtermen. 971

What say you? Will you yield and this avoid, 972

Or, guilty in defense, be thus destroyed? 973

(Enter Governor.)

GOVERNOR

Our expectation hath this day an end: 974

The dauphin, whom of succors we entreated, 975

Returns us that his powers are yet not ready 976

To raise so great a siege. Therefore, great king, 977

We yield our town and lives to thy soft mercy. 978

Enter our gates; dispose of us and ours, 979

For we no longer are defensible. 980

KING HENRY

Open your gates. – 981

([Exit Governor.])

Come, uncle Exeter,

Go you and enter Harfleur; there remain 982

And fortify it strongly 'gainst the French. 983

Use mercy to them all for us, dear uncle. 984

The winter coming on and sickness growing 985

Upon our soldiers, we will retire to Calais. 986

Tonight in Harfleur will we be your guest; 987

Tomorrow for the march are we addressed. 988

(Flourish, and [the English] enter the town.)

[3.4]

(Enter Catherine and [Alice,] an old gentlewoman.)

CATHERINE

Alice, tu as été en Angleterre, et tu bien parles le langage.

ALICE

Un peu, madame.

CATHERINE

Je te prie, m'enseignez; il faut que j'apprenne à parler. Comment appelez-vous la main en anglais?

ALICE

La main? Elle est appellée de hand.

CATHERINE

De hand. Et les doigts ?

ALICE

Les doigts — ma foi, j'oublie les doigts! Mais je me souviendrai: les doigts, je pense qu'ils sont appellés de fingres. Oui, de fingres.

CATHERINE

Le main, de hand, les doigts, les fingres. Je pense que je suis la bonne écolière. J'ai gagné deux mots d'anglais vistement. Comment appelez vous les ongles?

ALICE

Les ongles, nous les appelons de nails.

CATHERINE

De nails. Écoutez; dites-moi si je parle bien: de hand, de fingres, et de nails.

ALICE

C'est bien dit, madame. Il est fort bon anglais.

CATHERINE

Dites-moi l'anglais pour le bras.

ALICE

De arm, madame.

CATHERINE

Et le coude?

ALICE

D'elbow.

CATHERINE

D'elbow. Je m'en fais la répétition de tous les mots que vous m'avez appris dès à présent.

ALICE

Il est trop difficile, madame, comme je pense.

CATHERINE

Excusez-moi, Alice. Éscoutez: d'hand, de fingre, de nails, d'arma, de bilbow.

ALICE

D'elbow, madame.

CATHERINE

O Seigneur Dieu, je m'en oublie! D'elbow. Comment appellez-vous le col ?

ALICE

De nick, madame.

CATHERINE

De nick. Et le menton?

ALICE

De chin.

CATHERINE

De sin. Le col, de nick, le menton, de sin.

ALICE

Oui. Sauf votre honneur, en vérité vous prononcez les mots aussi droit que les natifs d’Angleterre.

CATHERINE

Je ne doute point d'apprendre, par la grâce de Dieu, et en peu de temps.

ALICE

N'avez-vous déjà oublié ce que je vous ai enseigné ?

CATHERINE

Non, et je réciterai à vous promptement: d'hand, de fingre, de mailés —

ALICE

De nails, madame.

CATHERINE

De nails, de arm, de ilbow —

ALICE

Sauf votre honneur, d'elbow.

CATHERINE

Ainsi dis-je, d'elbow. De nick, et de sin. Comment appellez-vous le pied et la robe ?

ALICE

Le foot, madame, et le count.

CATHERINE

Le foot et le count? O Seigneur Dieu, ils sont les mots de son mauvais, corruptible, gros, et impudique, et non pour les dames d'honneur d'user! Je ne voudrais prononcer ces mots devant les seigneurs de France pour tout le monde. Foh! Le foot et le count! Néanmoins, je réciterai une autre fois ma leçon ensemble: d'hand, de fingre, de nails, d'arm, d'elbow, de nick, de sin, de foot, le count.

ALICE

Excellent, madame!

CATHERINE

C'est assez pour une fois. Allons-nous à dîner.

([Exeunt.])

[3.5]

(Enter the King of France, the Dauphin, the Constable of France, [the Duke of Brittany,] and others.)

FRENCH KING

'Tis certain he hath passed the river Somme. 989

CONSTABLE

And if he be not fought withal, my lord, 990

Let us not live in France. Let us quit all 991

And give our vineyards to a barbarous people. 992

DAUPHIN

O Dieu vivant! Shall a few sprays of us, 993

The emptying of our fathers' luxury, 994

Our scions, put in wild and savage stock, 995

Spurt up so suddenly into the clouds 996

And overlook their grafters? 997

BRITTANY

Normans, but bastard Normans! Norman bastards! 998

Mort de ma vie, if they march along 999

Unfought withal, but I will sell my dukedom 1000

To buy a slobb'ry and a dirty farm 1001

In that nook-shotten isle of Albion. 1002

CONSTABLE

Dieu des batailles, where have they this mettle? 1003

Is not their climate foggy, raw, and dull, 1004

On whom, as in despite, the sun looks pale, 1005

Killing their fruit with frowns? Can sodden water, 1006

A drench for sur-reined jades, their barley broth, 1007

Decoct their cold blood to such valiant heat? 1008

And shall our quick blood, spirited with wine, 1009

Seem frosty? Oh, for honor of our land, 1010

Let us not hang like roping icicles 1011

Upon our houses' thatch whiles a more frosty people 1012

Sweat drops of gallant youth in our rich fields! 1013

Poor we may call them in their native lords. 1014

DAUPHIN

By faith and honor, 1015

Our madams mock at us, and plainly say 1016

Our mettle is bred out, and they will give 1017

Their bodies to the lust of English youth 1018

To new-store France with bastard warriors. 1019

BRITTANY

They bid us to the English dancing schools 1020

And teach lavoltas high and swift corantos, 1021

Saying our grace is only in our heels 1022

And that we are most lofty runaways. 1023

FRENCH KING

Where is Montjoy the herald? Speed him hence. 1024

Let him greet England with our sharp defiance. 1025

Up, princes, and with spirit of honor edged 1026

More sharper than your swords, hie to the field. 1027

Charles d'Alberet, High Constable of France, 1028

You Dukes of Orléans, Bourbon, and of Berry, 1029

Alençon, Brabant, Bar, and Burgundy, 1030

Jaques Châtillon, Rambures, Vaudémont, 1031

Beaumont, Grandpré, Roucy, and Fauquembergues, 1032

Foix, Lestrelles, Boucicaut, and Charolais, 1033

High dukes, great princes, barons, lords, and kings, 1034

For your great seats, now quit you of great shames. 1035

Bar Harry England, that sweeps through our land 1036

With pennons painted in the blood of Harfleur. 1037

Rush on his host as doth the melted snow 1038

Upon the valleys, whose low vassal seat 1039

The Alps doth spit and void his rheum upon. 1040

Go down upon him — you have power enough — 1041

And in a captive chariot into Rouen 1042

Bring him our prisoner. 1043

CONSTABLE

This becomes the great.

Sorry am I his numbers are so few, 1044

His soldiers sick and famished in their march; 1045

For I am sure when he shall see our army 1046

He'll drop his heart into the sink of fear 1047

And, 'fore achievement, offer us his ransom. 1048

FRENCH KING

Therefore, lord constable, haste on Montjoy 1049

And let him say to England that we send 1050

To know what willing ransom he will give. 1051

Prince Dauphin, you shall stay with us in Rouen. 1052

DAUPHIN

Not so, I do beseech your majesty. 1053

FRENCH KING

Be patient, for you shall remain with us. 1054

Now forth, lord constable, and princes all, 1055

And quickly bring us word of England's fall. 1056

(Exeunt.)

[3.6]

(Enter Captains English and Welsh, Gower and Fluellen[, meeting].)

GOWER

How now, Captain Fluellen, come you from the bridge?

FLUELLEN

I assure you, there is very excellent services committed at the bridge.

GOWER

Is the Duke of Exeter safe?

FLUELLEN

The Duke of Exeter is as magnanimous as Agamemnon, and a man that I love and honor with my soul, and my heart, and my duty, and my live, and my living, and my uttermost power. He is not, God be praised and blessed, any hurt in the world, but keeps the bridge most valiantly, with excellent discipline. There is an aunchient lieutenant there at the pridge. I think in my very conscience he is as valiant a man as Mark Antony, and he is a man of no estimation in the world, but I did see him do as gallant service.

GOWER

What do you call him?

FLUELLEN

He is called Aunchient Pistol.

GOWER

I know him not.

(Enter Pistol.)

FLUELLEN

Here is the man.

PISTOL

Captain, I thee beseech to do me favors; the Duke of Exeter doth love thee well.

FLUELLEN

Ay, I praise God, and I have merited some love at his hands.

PISTOL

Bardolph, a soldier firm and sound of heart, and of buxom valor, hath, by cruel fate and giddy Fortune's furious fickle wheel, that goddess blind that stands upon the rolling restless stone —

FLUELLEN

By your patience, Aunchient Pistol, Fortune is painted blind, with a muffler afore his eyes, to signify to you that fortune is blind; and she is painted also with a wheel, to signify to you, which is the moral of it, that she is turning and inconstant, and mutability, and variation; and her foot, look you, is fixed upon a spherical stone, which rowls and rowls and rowls. In good truth, the poet makes a most excellent description of it. Fortune is an excellent moral.

PISTOL

Fortune is Bardolph's foe and frowns on him, for he hath stolen a pax, and hanged must a be, a damned death. Let gallows gape for dog; let man go free, and let not hemp his windpipe suffocate. But Exeter hath given the doom of death for pax of little price. Therefore go speak — the duke will hear thy voice — and let not Bardolph's vital thread be cut with edge of penny-cord and vile reproach. Speak, captain, for his life, and I will thee requite.

FLUELLEN

Aunchient Pistol, I do partly understand your meaning.

PISTOL

Why then, rejoice therefore!

FLUELLEN

Certainly, aunchient, it is not a thing to rejoice at. For if, look you, he were my brother, I would desire the duke to use his good pleasure and put him to execution; for discipline ought to be used.

PISTOL

Die and be damned, and fico for thy friendship!

FLUELLEN

It is well.

PISTOL

The fig of Spain!

(Exit.)

FLUELLEN

Very good.

GOWER

Why, this is an arrant counterfeit rascal. I remember him now: a bawd, a cutpurse.

FLUELLEN

I'll assure you, a uttered as prave words at the pridge as you shall see in a summer's day. But it is very well; what he has spoke to me, that is well, I warrant you, when time is serve.

GOWER

Why 'tis a gull, a fool, a rogue that now and then goes to the wars to grace himself at his return into London under the form of a soldier. And such fellows are perfect in the great commanders' names, and they will learn you by rote where services were done: at such and such a sconce, at such a breach, at such a convoy; who came off bravely, who was shot, who disgraced; what terms the enemy stood on. And this they con perfectly in the phrase of war, which they trick up with new-tuned oaths. And what a beard of the general's cut and a horrid suit of the camp will do among foaming bottles and ale-washed wits is wonderful to be thought on. But you must learn to know such slanders of the age, or else you may be marvelously mistook.

FLUELLEN

I tell you what, Captain Gower: I do perceive he is not the man that he would gladly make show to the world he is. If I find a hole in his coat, I will tell him my mind. [Drum within] Hark you, the king is coming, and I must speak with him from the pridge.

(Drum and Colors. Enter the King and his poor soldiers[, and Gloucester].)

FLUELLEN

God pless your majesty.

KING HENRY

How now, Fluellen, cam'st thou from the bridge?

FLUELLEN

Ay, so please your majesty. The Duke of Exeter has very gallantly maintained the pridge. The French is gone off, look you, and there is gallant and most prave passages. Marry, th'athversary was have possession of the pridge, but he is enforced to retire, and the Duke of Exeter is master of the pridge. I can tell your majesty, the duke is a prave man.

KING HENRY

What men have you lost, Fluellen?

FLUELLEN

The perdition of th'athversary hath been very great, reasonable great. Marry, for my part I think the duke hath lost never a man, but one that is like to be executed for robbing a church: one Bardolph, if your majesty know the man. His face is all bubuckles, and whelks, and knobs, and flames afire, and his lips blows at his nose, and it is like a coal of fire, sometimes plue and sometimes red. But his nose is executed, and his fire's out.

KING HENRY

We would have all such offenders so cut off, and we give express charge that in our marches through the country there be nothing compelled from the villages, nothing taken but paid for, none of the French upbraided or abused in disdainful language. For when levity and cruelty play for a kingdom, the gentler gamester is the soonest winner.

(Tucket. Enter Montjoy.)

MONTJOY

You know me by my habit.

KING HENRY

Well then, I know thee. What shall I know of thee?

MONTJOY

My master's mind.

KING HENRY

Unfold it.

MONTJOY

Thus says my king: "Say thou to Harry of England, though we seemed dead, we did but sleep. Advantage is a better soldier than rashness. Tell him we could have rebuked him at Harfleur, but that we thought not good to bruise an injury till it were full ripe. Now we speak upon our cue, and our voice is imperial: England shall repent his folly, see his weakness, and admire our sufferance. Bid him therefore consider of his ransom, which must proportion the losses we have borne, the subjects we have lost, the disgrace we have digested, which in weight to re-answer his pettiness would bow under. For our losses, his exchequer is too poor; for th'effusion of our blood, the muster of his kingdom too faint a number; and for our disgrace, his own person kneeling at our feet but a weak and worthless satisfaction. To this add defiance, and tell him for conclusion he hath betrayed his followers, whose condemnation is pronounced." So far my king and master; so much my office.

KING HENRY

What is thy name? I know thy quality. 1057

MONTJOY

Montjoy. 1058

KING HENRY

Thou dost thy office fairly. Turn thee back 1059

And tell thy king I do not seek him now, 1060

But could be willing to march on to Calais 1061

Without impeachment; for to say the sooth, 1062

Though 'tis no wisdom to confess so much 1063

Unto an enemy of craft and vantage, 1064

My people are with sickness much enfeebled, 1065

My numbers lessened, and those few I have 1066

Almost no better than so many French, 1067

Who when they were in health, I tell thee, herald, 1068

I thought upon one pair of English legs 1069

Did march three Frenchmen. Yet forgive me, God, 1070

That I do brag thus; this your air of France 1071

Hath blown that vice in me. I must repent. 1072

Go therefore, tell thy master here I am. 1073

My ransom is this frail and worthless trunk, 1074

My army but a weak and sickly guard. 1075

Yet, God before, tell him we will come on, 1076

Though France himself and such another neighbor 1077

Stand in our way. 1078

([Gives money])

There's for thy labor, Montjoy.

Go bid thy master well advise himself. 1079

If we may pass, we will. If we be hindered, 1080

We shall your tawny ground with your red blood 1081

Discolor. And so, Montjoy, fare you well. 1082

The sum of all our answer is but this: 1083

We would not seek a battle as we are, 1084

Nor as we are, we say, we will not shun it. 1085

So tell your master. 1086

MONTJOY

I shall deliver so. Thanks to your highness. 1087

([Exit.])

GLOUCESTER

I hope they will not come upon us now. 1088

KING HENRY

We are in God's hand, brother, not in theirs. — 1089

March to the bridge. — It now draws toward night. 1090

Beyond the river we'll encamp ourselves, 1091

And on tomorrow bid them march away. 1092

(Exeunt.)

[3.7]

(Enter the Constable of France, the Lord Rambures, Orléans, [and the] Dauphin, with others.)

CONSTABLE

Tut, I have the best armor of the world. Would it were day.

ORLÉANS

You have an excellent armor, but let my horse have his due.

CONSTABLE

It is the best horse of Europe.

ORLÉANS

Will it never be morning?

DAUPHIN

My lord of Orléans, and my lord high constable, you talk of horse and armor?

ORLÉANS

You are as well provided of both as any prince in the world.

DAUPHIN

What a long night is this! I will not change my horse with any that treads but on four pasterns. Ch'ha! He bounds from the earth as if his entrails were hairs: le cheval volant, the Pegasus, qui a les narines de feu! When I bestride him, I soar; I am a hawk. He trots the air. The earth sings when he touches it. The basest horn of his hoof is more musical than the pipe of Hermes.

ORLÉANS

He's of the color of the nutmeg.

DAUPHIN

And of the heat of the ginger. It is a beast for Perseus. He is pure air and fire, and the dull elements of earth and water never 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.

CONSTABLE

Indeed, my lord, it is a most absolute and excellent horse.

DAUPHIN

It is the prince of palfreys. His neigh is like the bidding of a monarch, and his countenance enforces homage.

ORLÉANS

No more, cousin.

DAUPHIN

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 reason on, and for a sovereign's sovereign to ride on, and for the world, familiar to us and unknown, to lay apart their particular functions and wonder at him. I once writ a sonnet in his praise, and began thus: "Wonder of nature —"

ORLÉANS

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

DAUPHIN

Then did they imitate that which I composed to my courser, for my horse is my mistress.

ORLÉANS

Your mistress bears well.

DAUPHIN

Me well, which is the prescript praise and perfection of a good and particular mistress.

CONSTABLE

Nay, for methought yesterday your mistress shrewdly shook your back.

DAUPHIN

So perhaps did yours.

CONSTABLE

Mine was not bridled.

DAUPHIN

Oh, then belike she was old and gentle, and you rode like a kern of Ireland, your French hose off, and in your strait strossers.

CONSTABLE

You have good judgment in horsemanship.

DAUPHIN

Be warned by me then: they that ride so and ride not warily fall into foul bogs. I had rather have my horse to my mistress.

CONSTABLE

I had as lief have my mistress a jade.

DAUPHIN

I tell thee, constable, my mistress wears his own hair.

CONSTABLE

I could make as true a boast as that if I had a sow to my mistress.

DAUPHIN

" Le chien est retourné à son propre vomissement, et la truie lavée au bourbier. " Thou makest use of anything.

CONSTABLE

Yet do I not use my horse for my mistress, or any such proverb so little kin to the purpose.

RAMBURES

My lord constable, the armor that I saw in your tent tonight: are those stars or suns upon it?

CONSTABLE

Stars, my lord.

DAUPHIN

Some of them will fall tomorrow, I hope.

CONSTABLE

And yet my sky shall not want.

DAUPHIN

That may be, for you bear a many superfluously, and 'twere more honor some were away.

CONSTABLE

Ev'n as your horse bears your praises, who would trot as well were some of your brags dismounted.

DAUPHIN

Would I were able to load him with his desert. Will it never be day? I will trot tomorrow a mile, and my way shall be paved with English faces.

CONSTABLE

I will not say so for fear I should be faced out of my way, but I would it were morning, for I would fain be about the ears of the English.

RAMBURES

Who will go to hazard with me for twenty prisoners?

CONSTABLE

You must first go yourself to hazard ere you have them.

DAUPHIN

'Tis midnight; I'll go arm myself.

(Exit.)

ORLÉANS

The dauphin longs for morning.

RAMBURES

He longs to eat the English.

CONSTABLE

I think he will eat all he kills.

ORLÉANS

By the white hand of my lady, he's a gallant prince.

CONSTABLE

Swear by her foot, that she may tread out the oath.

ORLÉANS

He is simply the most active gentleman of France.

CONSTABLE

Doing is activity, and he will still be doing.

ORLÉANS

He never did harm that I heard of.

CONSTABLE

Nor will do none tomorrow; he will keep that good name still.

ORLÉANS

I know him to be valiant.

CONSTABLE

I was told that by one that knows him better than you.

ORLÉANS

What's he?

CONSTABLE

Marry, he told me so himself, and he said he cared not who knew it.

ORLÉANS

He needs not; it is no hidden virtue in him.

CONSTABLE

By my faith, sir, but it is. Never anybody saw it but his lackey. 'Tis a hooded valor, and when it appears, it will bate.

ORLÉANS

Ill will never said well.

CONSTABLE

I will cap that proverb with "There is flattery in friendship."

ORLÉANS

And I will take up that with "Give the devil his due."

CONSTABLE

Well placed. There stands your friend for the devil. Have at the very eye of that proverb with "A pox of the devil."

ORLÉANS

You are the better at proverbs by how much "a fool's bolt is soon shot."

CONSTABLE

You have shot over.

ORLÉANS

'Tis not the first time you were overshot.

(Enter a Messenger.)

MESSENGER

My lord high constable, the English lie within fifteen hundred paces of your tents.

CONSTABLE

Who hath measured the ground?

MESSENGER

The lord Grandpré.

CONSTABLE

A valiant and most expert gentleman. Would it were day! Alas, poor Harry of England. He longs not for the dawning as we do.

ORLÉANS

What a wretched and peevish fellow is this king of England, to mope with his fat-brained followers so far out of his knowledge!

CONSTABLE

If the English had any apprehension, they would run away.

ORLÉANS

That they lack, for if their heads had any intellectual armor, they could never wear such heavy headpieces.

RAMBURES

That island of England breeds very valiant creatures. Their mastiffs are of unmatchable courage.

ORLÉANS

Foolish curs, that run winking into the mouth of a Russian bear and have their heads crushed like rotten apples. You may as well say that's a valiant flea that dare eat his breakfast on the lip of a lion.

CONSTABLE

Just, just. And the men do sympathize with the mastiffs in robustious and rough coming on, leaving their wits with their wives. And then give them great meals of beef, and iron and steel; they will eat like wolves and fight like devils.

ORLÉANS

Ay, but these English are shrewdly out of beef.

CONSTABLE

Then shall we find tomorrow they have only stomachs to eat, and none to fight. Now is it time to arm. Come, shall we about it?

ORLÉANS

It is now two o'clock, but let me see: by ten 1093

We shall have each a hundred Englishmen. 1094

(Exeunt.)

Act IV

[4.0]

([Enter] Chorus.)

CHORUS

Now entertain conjecture of a time 1095

When creeping murmur and the poring dark 1096

Fills the wide vessel of the universe. 1097

From camp to camp, through the foul womb of night, 1098

The hum of either army stilly sounds, 1099

That the fixed sentinels almost receive 1100

The secret whispers of each other's watch. 1101

Fire answers fire, and through their paly flames 1102

Each battle sees the other's umbered face. 1103

Steed threatens steed, in high and boastful neighs 1104

Piercing the night's dull ear, and from the tents, 1105

The armorers accomplishing the knights, 1106

With busy hammers closing rivets up, 1107

Give dreadful note of preparation. 1108

The country cocks do crow, the clocks do toll, 1109

And the third hour of drowsy morning named. 1110

Proud of their numbers and secure in soul, 1111

The confident and over-lusty French 1112

Do the low-rated English play at dice, 1113

And chide the cripple tardy-gaited night, 1114

Who like a foul and ugly witch doth limp 1115

So tediously away. The poor condemnèd English, 1116

Like sacrifices, by their watchful fires 1117

Sit patiently and inly ruminate 1118

The morning's danger; and their gesture sad, 1119

Investing lank-lean cheeks and war-worn coats, 1120

Presented them unto the gazing moon 1121

So many horrid ghosts. Oh, now, who will behold 1122

The royal captain of this ruined band 1123

Walking from watch to watch, from tent to tent, 1124

Let him cry "Praise and glory on his head!" 1125

For forth he goes and visits all his host, 1126

Bids them good morrow with a modest smile, 1127

And calls them brothers, friends, and countrymen. 1128

Upon his royal face there is no note 1129

How dread an army hath enrounded him; 1130

Nor doth he dedicate one jot of color 1131

Unto the weary and all-watchèd night, 1132

But freshly looks and overbears attaint 1133

With cheerful semblance and sweet majesty, 1134

That every wretch, pining and pale before, 1135

Beholding him, plucks comfort from his looks. 1136

A largess universal like the sun 1137

His liberal eye doth give to everyone, 1138

Thawing cold fear, that mean and gentle all 1139

Behold, as may unworthiness define, 1140

A little touch of Harry in the night. 1141

And so our scene must to the battle fly, 1142

Where — oh, for pity! — we shall much disgrace 1143

With four or five most vile and ragged foils 1144

Right ill-disposed in brawl ridiculous, 1145

The name of Agincourt. Yet sit and see, 1146

Minding true things by what their mock'ries be. 1147

(Exit.)

[4.1]

(Enter the King [and Gloucester, meeting Bedford].)

KING HENRY

Gloucester, 'tis true that we are in great danger; 1148

The greater therefore should our courage be.— 1149

Good morrow, brother Bedford. God almighty, 1150

There is some soul of goodness in things evil, 1151

Would men observingly distill it out. 1152

For our bad neighbor makes us early stirrers, 1153

Which is both healthful and good husbandry. 1154

Besides, they are our outward consciences 1155

And preachers to us all, admonishing 1156

That we should dress us fairly for our end. 1157

Thus may we gather honey from the weed, 1158

And make a moral of the devil himself. 1159

(Enter Erpingham.)

Good morrow, old Sir Thomas Erpingham. 1160

A good soft pillow for that good white head 1161

Were better than a churlish turf of France. 1162

ERPINGHAM

Not so, my liege. This lodging likes me better, 1163

Since I may say "Now lie I like a king." 1164

KING HENRY

'Tis good for men to love their present pains. 1165

Upon example so, the spirit is eased, 1166

And when the mind is quickened, out of doubt 1167

The organs, though defunct and dead before, 1168

Break up their drowsy grave and newly move 1169

With casted slough, and fresh legerity. 1170

Lend me thy cloak, Sir Thomas. — Brothers both, 1171

Commend me to the princes in our camp. 1172

Do my good morrow to them, and anon 1173

Desire them all to my pavilion. 1174

GLOUCESTER

We shall, my liege. 1175

ERPINGHAM

Shall I attend your grace? 1176

KING HENRY

No, my good knight,

Go with my brothers to my lords of England. 1177

I and my bosom must debate awhile, 1178

And then I would no other company. 1179

ERPINGHAM

The lord in heaven bless thee, noble Harry. 1180

(Exeunt [all but King Henry, who disguises himself in Erpingham's cloak].)

KING HENRY

God-a-mercy, old heart; thou speak'st cheerfully. 1181

(Enter Pistol.)

PISTOL

Che vous la?

KING HENRY

A friend.

PISTOL

Discuss unto me: art thou officer, or art thou base, common, and popular?

KING HENRY

I am a gentleman of a company.

PISTOL

Trail'st thou the puissant pike?

KING HENRY

Even so. What are you?

PISTOL

As good a gentleman as the emperor.

KING HENRY

Then you are a better than the king.

PISTOL

The king's a bawcock and a heart of gold, a lad of life, an imp of fame, of parents good, of fist most valiant. I kiss his dirty shoe, and from heartstring I love the lovely bully. What is thy name?

KING HENRY

Harry le Roy.

PISTOL

Leroy? A Cornish name; art thou of Cornish crew?

KING HENRY

No, I am a Welshman.

PISTOL

Know'st thou Fluellen?

KING HENRY

Yes.

PISTOL

Tell him I'll knock his leek about his pate upon Saint Davy's day.

KING HENRY

Do not you wear your dagger in your cap that day, lest he knock that about yours.

PISTOL

Art thou his friend?

KING HENRY

And his kinsman too.

PISTOL

The fico for thee then.

KING HENRY

I thank you. God be with you.

PISTOL

My name is Pistol called.

(Exit [Pistol].)

KING HENRY

It sorts well with your fierceness.

(Enter Fluellen and Gower [separately].)

GOWER

Captain Fluellen.

FLUELLEN

'So! In the name of Jesu Christ speak fewer! It is the greatest admiration in the universal world when the true and aunchient prerogatiffs and laws of the wars is not kept. If you would take the pains but to examine the wars of Pompey the Great, you shall find, I warrant you, that there is no tiddle-taddle nor pibble-babble in Pompey's camp. I warrant you, you shall find the ceremonies of the wars, and the cares of it, and the forms of it, and the sobriety of it, and the modesty of it, to be otherwise.

GOWER

Why, the enemy is loud; you hear him all night.

FLUELLEN

If the enemy is an ass and a fool and a prating coxcomb, is it meet, think you, that we should also, look you, be an ass and a fool and a prating coxcomb, in your own conscience now?

GOWER

I will speak lower.

FLUELLEN

I pray you and beseech you that you will.

([Exeunt Gower and Fluellen.])

KING HENRY

Though it appear a little out of fashion, 1182

There is much care and valor in this Welshman. 1183

(Enter three soldiers: John Bates, Alexander Court, and Michael Williams.)

COURT

Brother John Bates, is not that the morning which breaks yonder?

BATES

I think it be, but we have no great cause to desire the approach of day.

WILLIAMS

We see yonder the beginning of the day, but I think we shall never see the end of it. — Who goes there?

KING HENRY

A friend.

WILLIAMS

Under what captain serve you?

KING HENRY

Under Sir Thomas Erpingham.

WILLIAMS

A good old commander and a most kind gentleman. I pray you, what thinks he of our estate?

KING HENRY

Even as men wrecked upon a sand, that look to be washed off the next tide.

BATES

He hath not told his thought to the king?

KING HENRY

No, nor it is not meet he should. For though I speak it to you, I think the king is but a man, as I am. The violet smells to him as it doth to me; the element shows to him as it doth to me; all his senses have but human conditions. His ceremonies laid by, in his nakedness he appears but a man, and though his affections are higher mounted than ours, yet when they stoop, they stoop with the like wing. Therefore when he sees reason of fears, as we do, his fears out of doubt be of the same relish as ours are. Yet in reason, no man should possess him with any appearance of fear, lest he by showing it should dishearten his army.

BATES

He may show what outward courage he will, but I believe, as cold a night as 'tis, he could wish himself in Thames up to the neck. And so I would he were, and I by him, at all adventures, so we were quit here.

KING HENRY

By my troth, I will speak my conscience of the king: I think he would not wish himself anywhere but where he is.

BATES

Then I would he were here alone. So should he be sure to be ransomed, and a many poor men's lives saved.

KING HENRY

I dare say you love him not so ill to wish him here alone, howsoever you speak this to feel other men's minds. Methinks I could not die anywhere so contented as in the king's company, his cause being just and his quarrel honorable.

WILLIAMS

That's more than we know.

BATES

Ay, or more than we should seek after. For we know enough if we know we are the king's subjects. If his cause be wrong, our obedience to the king wipes the crime of it out of us.

WILLIAMS

But if the cause be not good, the king himself hath a heavy reckoning to make, when all those legs and arms and heads chopped off in a battle shall join together at the latter day, and cry all, "We died at such a place," some swearing, some crying for a surgeon, some upon their wives left poor behind them, some upon the debts they owe, some upon their children rawly left. I am afeared there are few die well that die in a battle, for how can they charitably dispose of anything when blood is their argument? Now if these men do not die well, it will be a black matter for the king that led them to it, who to disobey were against all proportion of subjection.

KING HENRY

So if a son that is by his father sent about merchandise do sinfully miscarry upon the sea, the imputation of his wickedness, by your rule, should be imposed upon his father that sent him. Or if a servant, under his master's command transporting a sum of money, be assailed by robbers and die in many irreconciled iniquities, you may call the business of the master the author of the servant's damnation. But this is not so. The king is not bound to answer the particular endings of his soldiers, the father of his son, nor the master of his servant, for they purpose not their death when they purpose their services. Besides, there is no king, be his cause never so spotless, if it come to the arbitrament of swords, can try it out with all unspotted soldiers. Some, peradventure, have on them the guilt of premeditated and contrived murder; some of beguiling virgins with the broken seals of perjury; some, making the wars their bulwark, that have before gored the gentle bosom of peace with pillage and robbery. Now if these men have defeated the law and outrun native punishment, though they can outstrip men, they have no wings to fly from God. War is his beadle; war is his vengeance. So that here men are punished for before-breach of the king's laws in now the king's quarrel. Where they feared the death, they have borne life away; and where they would be safe, they perish. Then if they die unprovided, no more is the king guilty of their damnation than he was before guilty of those impieties for the which they are now visited. Every subject's duty is the king's, but every subject's soul is his own. Therefore should every soldier in the wars do as every sick man in his bed, wash every mote out of his conscience. And dying so, death is to him advantage, or not dying, the time was blessedly lost wherein such preparation was gained. And in him that escapes, it were not sin to think that, making God so free an offer, he let him outlive that day to see his greatness and to teach others how they should prepare.

WILLIAMS

'Tis certain, every man that dies ill, the ill upon his own head; the king is not to answer it.

BATES

I do not desire he should answer for me, and yet I determine to fight lustily for him.

KING HENRY

I myself heard the king say he would not be ransomed.

WILLIAMS

Ay, he said so to make us fight cheerfully, but when our throats are cut he may be ransomed and we ne'er the wiser.

KING HENRY

If I live to see it, I will never trust his word after.

WILLIAMS

You pay him, then! That's a perilous shot out of an elder-gun that a poor and a private displeasure can do against a monarch. You may as well go about to turn the sun to ice with fanning in his face with a peacock's feather. You'll never trust his word after! Come, 'tis a foolish saying.

KING HENRY

Your reproof is something too round. I should be angry with you if the time were convenient.

WILLIAMS

Let it be a quarrel between us if you live.

KING HENRY

I embrace it.

WILLIAMS

How shall I know thee again?

KING HENRY

Give me any gage of thine and I will wear it in my bonnet. Then if ever thou darest acknowledge it, I will make it my quarrel.

WILLIAMS

Here's my glove. Give me another of thine.

KING HENRY

There.

([They exchange gloves.])

WILLIAMS

This will I also wear in my cap. If ever thou come to me and say, after tomorrow, "This is my glove," by this hand I will take thee a box on the ear.

KING HENRY

If ever I live to see it, I will challenge it.

WILLIAMS

Thou darest as well be hanged.

KING HENRY

Well, I will do it, though I take thee in the king's company.

WILLIAMS

Keep thy word. Fare thee well.

BATES

Be friends, you English fools, be friends! We have French quarrels enough, if you could tell how to reckon.

([Exeunt] Soldiers.)

KING HENRY

Indeed, the French may lay twenty French crowns to one they will beat us, for they bear them on their shoulders. But it is no English treason to cut French crowns, and tomorrow the king himself will be a clipper. —

Upon the king! "Let us our lives, our souls, 1184

Our debts, our careful wives, our children, and 1185

Our sins lay on the king." We must bear all. 1186

O hard condition, twin-born with greatness, 1187

Subject to the breath of every fool whose sense 1188

No more can feel but his own wringing. 1189

What infinite heart's-ease must kings neglect, 1190

That private men enjoy? 1191

And what have kings that privates have not too, 1192

Save ceremony, save general ceremony? 1193

And what art thou, thou idol ceremony? 1194

What kind of god art thou, that suffer'st more 1195

Of mortal griefs than do thy worshippers? 1196

What are thy rents? What are thy comings in? 1197

O ceremony, show me but thy worth. 1198

What? Is thy soul of adoration? 1199

Art thou aught else but place, degree, and form, 1200

Creating awe and fear in other men, 1201

Wherein thou art less happy being feared 1202

Than they in fearing? 1203

What drink'st thou oft, instead of homage sweet, 1204

But poisoned flattery? O, be sick, great greatness, 1205

And bid thy ceremony give thee cure. 1206

Think'st thou the fiery fever will go out 1207

With titles blown from adulation? 1208

Will it give place to flexure and low bending? 1209

Canst thou, when thou command'st the beggar's knee, 1210

Command the health of it? No, thou proud dream 1211

That play'st so subtly with a king's repose. 1212

I am a king that find thee, and I know 1213

'Tis not the balm, the scepter, and the ball, 1214

The sword, the mace, the crown imperial, 1215

The intertissued robe of gold and pearl, 1216

The farcèd title running 'fore the king, 1217

The throne he sits on, nor the tide of pomp 1218

That beats upon the high shore of this world — 1219

No, not all these, thrice-gorgeous ceremony, 1220

Not all these, laid in bed majestical, 1221

Can sleep so soundly as the wretched slave 1222

Who, with a body filled and vacant mind, 1223

Gets him to rest, crammed with distressful bread; 1224

Never sees horrid night, the child of hell, 1225

But like a lackey, from the rise to set, 1226

Sweats in the eye of Phoebus, and all night 1227

Sleeps in Elysium; next day after dawn 1228

Doth rise and help Hyperion to his horse, 1229

And follows so the ever-running year 1230

With profitable labor to his grave. 1231

And but for ceremony, such a wretch, 1232

Winding up days with toil and nights with sleep, 1233

Had the forehand and vantage of a king. 1234

The slave, a member of the country's peace, 1235

Enjoys it, but in gross brain little wots 1236

What watch the king keeps to maintain the peace, 1237

Whose hours the peasant best advantages. 1238

(Enter Erpingham.)

ERPINGHAM

My lord, your nobles, jealous of your absence, 1239

Seek through your camp to find you. 1240

KING HENRY

Good old knight,

Collect them all together at my tent: 1241

I'll be before thee. 1242

ERPINGHAM

I shall do't, my lord.

(Exit.)

KING HENRY

[Kneeling] O God of battles, steel my soldiers' hearts. 1243

Possess them not with fear. Take from them now 1244

The sense of reck'ning, ere th'opposèd numbers 1245

Pluck their hearts from them. Not today, O Lord, 1246

Oh, not today — think not upon the fault 1247

My father made in compassing the crown. 1248

I Richard's body have interrèd new, 1249

And on it have bestowed more contrite tears 1250

Than from it issued forcèd drops of blood. 1251

Five hundred poor I have in yearly pay 1252

Who twice a day their withered hands hold up 1253

Toward heaven to pardon blood, and I have built 1254

Two chantries where the sad and solemn priests 1255

Sing still for Richard's soul. More will I do, 1256

Though all that I can do is nothing worth, 1257

Since that my penitence comes after all, 1258

Imploring pardon. 1259

(Enter Gloucester.)

GLOUCESTER

My liege. 1260

KING HENRY

My brother Gloucester's voice? Ay,

I know thy errand. I will go with thee. 1261

The day, my friend, and all things stay for me. 1262

(Exeunt.)

[4.2]

(Enter the Dauphin, Orléans, Rambures, and Beaumont.)

ORLÉANS

The sun doth gild our armor. Up, my lords! 1263

DAUPHIN

Montez à cheval : my horse, varlet lackey, ha! 1264

ORLÉANS

Oh, brave spirit! 1265

DAUPHIN

Via les eaux et terres. 1266

ORLÉANS

Rien plus? L'air et feu ? 1267

DAUPHIN

Cieux , Cousin Orléans. 1268

(Enter Constable.)

Now my lord constable?

CONSTABLE

Hark how our steeds for present service neigh. 1269

DAUPHIN

Mount them, and make incision in their hides, 1270

That their hot blood may spin in English eyes 1271

And d'out them with superfluous courage. Ha! 1272

RAMBURES

What, will you have them weep our horses' blood? 1273

How shall we then behold their natural tears? 1274

(Enter Messenger.)

MESSENGER

The English are embattled, you French peers. 1275

CONSTABLE

To horse, you gallant princes, straight to horse! 1276

Do but behold yon poor and starvèd band 1277

And your fair show shall suck away their souls, 1278

Leaving them but the shales and husks of men. 1279

There is not work enough for all our hands, 1280

Scarce blood enough in all their sickly veins 1281

To give each naked curtle-ax a stain 1282

That our French gallants shall today draw out 1283

And sheathe for lack of sport. Let us but blow on them, 1284

The vapor of our valor will o'erturn them. 1285

'Tis positive against all exceptions, lords, 1286

That our superfluous lackeys and our peasants, 1287

Who in unnecessary action swarm 1288

About our squares of battle, were enough 1289

To purge this field of such a hilding foe 1290

Though we upon this mountain's basis by 1291

Took stand for idle speculation, 1292

But that our honors must not. What's to say? 1293

A very little little let us do 1294

And all is done. Then let the trumpets sound 1295

The tucket sonance and the note to mount, 1296

For our approach shall so much dare the field 1297

That England shall couch down in fear and yield. 1298

(Enter Grandpré.)

GRANDPRÉ

Why do you stay so long, my lords of France? 1299

Yon island carrions, desperate of their bones, 1300

Ill-favoredly become the morning field. 1301

Their ragged curtains poorly are let loose 1302

And our air shakes them passing scornfully. 1303

Big Mars seems bankrupt in their beggared host 1304

And faintly through a rusty beaver peeps. 1305

The horsemen sit like fixèd candlesticks 1306

With torch-staves in their hand, and their poor jades 1307

Lob down their heads, dropping the hides and hips, 1308

The gum down-roping from their pale dead eyes, 1309

And in their pale dull mouths the gemelled bit 1310

Lies foul with chawed grass, still and motionless; 1311

And their executors, the knavish crows, 1312

Fly o'er them all, impatient for their hour. 1313

Description cannot suit itself in words 1314

To demonstrate the life of such a battle 1315

In life so lifeless as it shows itself. 1316

CONSTABLE

They have said their prayers, and they stay for death. 1317

DAUPHIN

Shall we go send them dinners and fresh suits 1318

And give their fasting horses provender, 1319

And after fight with them? 1320

CONSTABLE

I stay but for my guard. On to the field; 1321

I will the banner from a trumpet take 1322

And use it for my haste. Come, come away. 1323

The sun is high and we outwear the day. 1324

(Exeunt.)

[4.3]

(Enter Gloucester, Bedford, Exeter, Erpingham with all his host, Salisbury, and Westmorland.)

GLOUCESTER

Where is the king? 1325

BEDFORD

The king himself is rode to view their battle. 1326

WESTMORLAND

Of fighting men they have full threescore thousand. 1327

EXETER

There's five to one, besides they all are fresh. 1328

SALISBURY

God's arm strike with us! 'Tis a fearful odds. 1329

God b'wi'you, princes all. I'll to my charge. 1330

If we no more meet till we meet in heaven, 1331

Then joyfully, my noble lord of Bedford, 1332

My dear lord Gloucester, and my good lord Exeter, 1333

And my kind kinsman, warriors all, adieu. 1334

BEDFORD

Farewell, good Salisbury, and good luck go with thee. 1335

EXETER

[To Salisbury] Farewell, kind lord. Fight valiantly today. 1336

And yet I do thee wrong to mind thee of it, 1337

For thou art framed of the firm truth of valor. 1338

([Exit Salisbury.])

BEDFORD

He is as full of valor as of kindness, 1339

Princely in both. 1340

(Enter the King.)

WESTMORLAND

Oh, that we now had here

But one ten thousand of those men in England 1341

That do no work today. 1342

KING HENRY

What's he that wishes so?

My cousin Westmorland? No, my fair cousin, 1343

If we are marked to die, we are enough 1344

To do our country loss; and if to live, 1345

The fewer men, the greater share of honor. 1346

God's will, I pray thee wish not one man more. 1347

By Jove, I am not covetous for gold, 1348

Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost. 1349

It earns me not if men my garments wear; 1350

Such outward things dwell not in my desires. 1351

But if it be a sin to covet honor, 1352

I am the most offending soul alive. 1353

No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England. 1354

God's peace, I would not lose so great an honor 1355

As one man more methinks would share from me 1356

For the best hope I have. Oh, do not wish one more. 1357

Rather proclaim it, Westmorland, through my host 1358

That he which hath no stomach to this fight, 1359

Let him depart. His passport shall be made 1360

And crowns for convoy put into his purse. 1361

We would not die in that man's company 1362

That fears his fellowship to die with us. 1363

This day is called the feast of Crispian. 1364

He that outlives this day and comes safe home 1365

Will stand a tiptoe when this day is named 1366

And rouse him at the name of Crispian. 1367

He that shall see this day and live old age 1368

Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbors 1369

And say, "Tomorrow is Saint Crispian." 1370

Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars. 1371

Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot, 1372

But he'll remember, with advantages, 1373

What feats he did that day. Then shall our names, 1374

Familiar in his mouth as household words — 1375

Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter, 1376

Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester — 1377

Be in their flowing cups freshly remembered. 1378

This story shall the good man teach his son, 1379

And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by 1380

From this day to the ending of the world, 1381

But we in it shall be rememberèd, 1382

We few, we happy few, we band of brothers. 1383

For he today that sheds his blood with me 1384

Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, 1385

This day shall gentle his condition. 1386

And gentlemen in England now abed, 1387

Shall think themselves accursed they were not here, 1388

And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks 1389

That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day. 1390

(Enter Salisbury.)

SALISBURY

My sovereign lord, bestow yourself with speed. 1391

The French are bravely in their battles set 1392

And will with all expedience charge on us. 1393

KING HENRY

All things are ready if our minds be so. 1394

WESTMORLAND

Perish the man whose mind is backward now. 1395

KING HENRY

Thou dost not wish more help from England, coz? 1396

WESTMORLAND

God's will, my liege, would you and I alone 1397

Without more help could fight this royal battle! 1398

KING HENRY

Why, now thou hast unwished five thousand men, 1399

Which likes me better than to wish us one. — 1400

You know your places. God be with you all. 1401

(Tucket. Enter Montjoy.)

MONTJOY

Once more I come to know of thee, King Harry, 1402

If for thy ransom thou wilt now compound 1403

Before thy most assurèd overthrow, 1404

For certainly thou art so near the gulf 1405

Thou needs must be englutted. Besides, in mercy 1406

The constable desires thee thou wilt mind 1407

Thy followers of repentance, that their souls 1408

May make a peaceful and a sweet retire 1409

From off these fields where, wretches, their poor bodies 1410

Must lie and fester. 1411

KING HENRY

Who hath sent thee now?

MONTJOY

The Constable of France. 1412

KING HENRY

I pray thee bear my former answer back: 1413

Bid them achieve me and then sell my bones. 1414

Good God, why should they mock poor fellows thus? 1415

The man that once did sell the lion's skin 1416

While the beast lived, was killed with hunting him. 1417

A many of our bodies shall no doubt 1418

Find native graves, upon the which I trust 1419

Shall witness live in brass of this day's work. 1420

And those that leave their valiant bones in France, 1421

Dying like men, though buried in your dunghills, 1422

They shall be famed, for there the sun shall greet them 1423

And draw their honors reeking up to heaven, 1424

Leaving their earthly parts to choke your clime, 1425

The smell whereof shall breed a plague in France. 1426

Mark then abounding valor in our English, 1427

That being dead, like to the bullets crazing, 1428

Break out into a second course of mischief, 1429

Killing in relapse of mortality. 1430

Let me speak proudly: tell the constable 1431

We are but warriors for the working day. 1432

Our gayness and our gilt are all besmirched 1433

With rainy marching in the painful field. 1434

There's not a piece of feather in our host — 1435

Good argument, I hope, we will not fly — 1436

And time hath worn us into slovenry. 1437

But by the mass, our hearts are in the trim, 1438

And my poor soldiers tell me yet ere night 1439

They'll be in fresher robes, or they will pluck 1440

The gay new coats o'er the French soldiers' heads 1441

And turn them out of service. If they do this, 1442

As, if God please, they shall, my ransom then 1443

Will soon be levied. Herald, save thou thy labor. 1444

Come thou no more for ransom, gentle herald. 1445

They shall have none, I swear, but these my joints, 1446

Which if they have as I will leave 'em them, 1447

Shall yield them little. Tell the constable. 1448

MONTJOY

I shall, King Harry. And so fare thee well. 1449

Thou never shalt hear herald any more. 1450

(Exit.)

KING HENRY

I fear thou wilt once more come for a ransom. 1451

(Enter York.)

YORK

[Kneeling] My lord, most humbly on my knee I beg 1452

The leading of the vanguard. 1453

KING HENRY

Take it, brave York. — Now soldiers, march away, 1454

And how thou pleasest, God, dispose the day. 1455

(Exeunt.)

[4.4]

(Alarum. Excursions.)

(Enter Pistol, French Soldier, [and] Boy.)

PISTOL

Yield, cur!

FRENCH SOLDIER

Je pense que vous êtes le gentilhomme de bon qualité.

PISTOL

Qualtity? “ Calinny custure me! ” Art thou a gentleman? What is thy name? Discuss.

FRENCH SOLDIER

O Seigneur Dieu!

PISTOL

O Signieur Dew should be a gentleman. Perpend my words, O Signieur Dew, and mark: O Signieur Dew, thou diest on point of fox, except, O Signieur, thou do give to me egregious ransom.

FRENCH SOLDIER

Oh, prenez miséricorde! Ayez pitié de moi!

PISTOL

Moy shall not serve. I will have forty moys, for I will fetch thy rim out at thy throat in drops of crimson blood.

FRENCH SOLDIER

Est-il impossible d'échapper la force de ton bras ?

PISTOL

Brass, cur? Thou damned and luxurious mountain goat, offer'st me brass?

FRENCH SOLDIER

Oh, pardonnez-moi!

PISTOL

Say'st thou me so? Is that a ton of moys? — Come hither, boy. Ask me this slave in French what is his name.

BOY

Écoutez: comment êtes-vous appellé?

FRENCH SOLDIER

Monsieur le Fer.

BOY

He says his name is Master Fer.

PISTOL

Master Fer. I'll fer him, and firk him, and ferret him. Discuss the same in French unto him.

BOY

I do not know the French for fer and ferret and firk.

PISTOL

Bid him prepare, for I will cut his throat.

FRENCH SOLDIER

[To Boy] Que dit-il, monsieur ?

BOY

Il me commande à vous dire que vous faites vous prêr, car ce soldat ici est disposé tout à cette heure de couper votre gorge.

PISTOL

Owi, cuppe-la gorge, permafoy, peasant, unless thou give me crowns. Brave crowns, or mangled shalt thou be by this my sword.

FRENCH SOLDIER

Oh, je vous supplie, pour l'amour de Dieu, me pardonner! Je suis le gentilhomme de bonne maison. Gardez ma vie, et je vous donnerai deux cent écus.

PISTOL

What are his words?

BOY

He prays you to save his life. He is a gentleman of a good house, and for his ransom he will give you two hundred crowns.

PISTOL

Tell him my fury shall abate, and I the crowns will take.

FRENCH SOLDIER

[To Boy] Petit monsieur, que dit-il ?

BOY

Encore qu’il est contre son jurement de pardonner aucun prisonnier, néanmoins, pour les écus que vous l’avez promis, il est content à vous donner la liberté, le franchisement.

FRENCH SOLDIER

[Kneeling to Pistol] Sur mes genoux je vous donne mille remerciements, et je m'estime heureux que je suis tombé entre les mains d'un chevalier, je pense, le plus brave, vaillant et très distingué seigneur d'Angleterre.

PISTOL

Expound unto me, boy.

BOY

He gives you upon his knees a thousand thanks, and he esteems himself happy that he hath fallen into the hands of one, as he thinks, the most brave, valorous and thrice-worthy seigneur of England.

PISTOL

As I suck blood, I will some mercy show. Follow me.

BOY

Suivez-vous le grand capitaine.

([Exeunt Pistol and French Soldier])

I did never know so full a voice issue from so empty a heart, but the saying is true, "The empty vessel makes the greatest sound." Bardolph and Nym had ten times more valor than this roaring devil i'th'old play, that everyone may pare his nails with a wooden dagger, and they are both hanged; and so would this be if he durst steal anything adventurously. I must stay with the lackeys with the luggage of our camp. The French might have a good prey of us if he knew of it, for there is none to guard it but boys.

(Exit.)

[4.5]

(Enter Constable, Orléans, Bourbon, Dauphin, and Rambures.)

CONSTABLE

O diable!

ORLÉANS

O Seigneur! Le jour est perdu, tout est perdu!

DAUPHIN

Mort Dieu! Ma vie! All is confounded, all.Reproach and everlasting shame sits mocking in our plumes.

(A short alarum)

O méchante Fortune! Do not run away.

CONSTABLE

Why, all our ranks are broke.

DAUPHIN

Oh, perdurable shame. Let's stab ourselves. 1456

Be these the wretches that we played at dice for? 1457

ORLÉANS

Is this the king we sent to for his ransom? 1458

BOURBON

Shame and eternal shame, nothing but shame. 1459

Let us die. In once more, back again, 1460

And he that will not follow Bourbon now 1461

Let him go hence, and with his cap in hand 1462

Like a base pander, hold the chamber door 1463

Whilst by a slave no gentler than my dog 1464

His fairest daughter is contaminated. 1465

CONSTABLE

Disorder that hath spoiled us, friend us now. 1466

Let us on heaps go offer up our lives. 1467

ORLÉANS

We are enough yet living in the field 1468

To smother up the English in our throngs, 1469

If any order might be thought upon. 1470

BOURBON

The devil take order now. I'll to the throng; 1471

Let life be short, else shame will be too long. 1472

([Exeunt.])

[4.6]

(Alarum. Enter the King and his train, with prisoners.)

KING HENRY

Well have we done, thrice-valiant countrymen, 1473

But all's not done. Yet keep the French the field. 1474

([Enter Exeter.])

EXETER

The Duke of York commends him to your majesty. 1475

KING HENRY

Lives he, good uncle? Thrice within this hour 1476

I saw him down, thrice up again and fighting. 1477

From helmet to the spur all blood he was. 1478

EXETER

In which array, brave soldier, doth he lie, 1479

Larding the plain. And by his bloody side, 1480

Yoke-fellow to his honor-owing wounds, 1481

The noble Earl of Suffolk also lies. 1482

Suffolk first died, and York, all haggled over, 1483

Comes to him where in gore he lay insteeped, 1484

And takes him by the beard, kisses the gashes 1485

That bloodily did yawn upon his face. 1486

He cries aloud, "Tarry, my cousin Suffolk. 1487

My soul shall thine keep company to heaven. 1488

Tarry, sweet soul, for mine, then fly abreast, 1489

As in this glorious and well-foughten field 1490

We kept together in our chivalry." 1491

Upon these words I came and cheered him up. 1492

He smiled me in the face, raught me his hand, 1493

And with a feeble grip says, "Dear my lord, 1494

Commend my service to my sovereign." 1495

So did he turn, and over Suffolk's neck 1496

He threw his wounded arm, and kissed his lips, 1497

And so espoused to death, with blood he sealed 1498

A testament of noble-ending love. 1499

The pretty and sweet manner of it forced 1500

Those waters from me which I would have stopped, 1501

But I had not so much of man in me, 1502

And all my mother came into mine eyes 1503

And gave me up to tears. 1504

KING HENRY

I blame you not,

For hearing this I must perforce compound 1505

With mixtful eyes, or they will issue too. 1506

(Alarum)

But hark, what new alarum is this same? 1507

The French have reinforced their scattered men. 1508

Then every soldier kill his prisoners. 1509

Give the word through. 1510

([Exeunt.])

[4.7]

(Enter Fluellen and Gower.)

FLUELLEN

Kill the poys and the luggage! 'Tis expressly against the law of arms. 'Tis as arrant a piece of knavery, mark you now, as can be offer't. In your conscience now, is it not?

GOWER

'Tis certain there's not a boy left alive, and the cowardly rascals that ran from the battle ha' done this slaughter. Besides, they have burned and carried away all that was in the king's tent, wherefore the king most worthily hath caused every soldier to cut his prisoner's throat. Oh, 'tis a gallant king.

FLUELLEN

Ay, he was porn at Monmouth, Captain Gower. What call you the town's name where Alexander the Pig was born?

GOWER

Alexander the Great.

FLUELLEN

Why, I pray you, is not "pig" great? The pig, or the great, or the mighty, or the huge, or the magnanimous, are all one reckonings, save the phrase is a little variations.

GOWER

I think Alexander the Great was born in Macedon. His father was called Philip of Macedon, as I take it.

FLUELLEN

I think it is in Macedon where Alexander is porn. I tell you, captain, if you look in the maps of the 'orld, I warrant you sall find, in the comparisons between Macedon and Monmouth, that the situations, look you, is both alike. There is a river in Macedon, and there is also moreover a river at Monmouth. It is called Wye at Monmouth, but it is out of my prains what is the name of the other river. But 'tis all one, 'tis alike as my fingers is to my fingers, and there is salmons in both. If you mark Alexander's life well, Harry of Monmouth's life is come after it indifferent well, for there is figures in all things. Alexander, God knows, and you know, in his rages, and his furies, and his wraths, and his cholers, and his moods, and his displeasures, and his indignations, and also being a little intoxicates in his prains, did in his ales and his angers, look you, kill his best friend Cleitus.

GOWER

Our king is not like him in that. He never killed any of his friends.

FLUELLEN

It is not well done, mark you now, to take the tales out of my mouth ere it is made and finished. I speak but in the figures and comparisons of it. As Alexander killed his friend Cleitus, being in his ales and his cups, so also Harry Monmouth, being in his right wits, and his good judgments, turned away the fat knight with the great belly-doublet. He was full of jests, and gipes, and knaveries, and mocks. I have forgot his name.

GOWER

Sir John Falstaff.

FLUELLEN

That is he. I'll tell you, there is good men porn at Monmouth.

GOWER

Here comes his majesty.

(Alarum. Enter King Harry[, Exeter, Warwick, Gloucester, an English herald, and others, with] Bourbon [and other] prisoners. Flourish.)

KING HENRY

I was not angry since I came to France 1511

Until this instant. Take a trumpet, herald. 1512

Ride thou unto the horsemen on yon hill. 1513

If they will fight with us, bid them come down, 1514

Or void the field. They do offend our sight. 1515

If they'll do neither, we will come to them 1516

And make them skirr away as swift as stones 1517

Enforcèd from the old Assyrian slings. 1518

Besides, we'll cut the throats of those we have, 1519

And not a man of them that we shall take 1520

Shall taste our mercy. Go and tell them so. 1521

(Enter Montjoy.)

EXETER

Here comes the herald of the French, my liege. 1522

GLOUCESTER

His eyes are humbler than they used to be. 1523

KING HENRY

How now, what means this, herald? Know'st thou not 1524

That I have fined these bones of mine for ransom? 1525

Com'st thou again for ransom? 1526

MONTJOY

No, great king.

I come to thee for charitable license, 1527

That we may wander o'er this bloody field 1528

To book our dead and then to bury them, 1529

To sort our nobles from our common men. 1530

For many of our princes — woe the while — 1531

Lie drowned and soaked in mercenary blood; 1532

So do our vulgar drench their peasant limbs 1533

In blood of princes, and the wounded steeds 1534

Fret fetlock deep in gore, and with wild rage 1535

Jerk out their armèd heels at their dead masters, 1536

Killing them twice. O, give us leave, great king, 1537

To view the field in safety and dispose 1538

Of their dead bodies. 1539

KING HENRY

I tell thee truly, herald,

I know not if the day be ours or no, 1540

For yet a many of your horsemen peer 1541

And gallop o'er the field. 1542

MONTJOY

The day is yours.

KING HENRY

Praisèd be God and not our strength for it. 1543

What is this castle called that stands hard by? 1544

MONTJOY

They call it Agincourt. 1545

KING HENRY

Then call we this the field of Agincourt, 1546

Fought on the day of Crispin Crispianus. 1547

FLUELLEN

Your grandfather of famous memory, an't please your majesty, and your great uncle Edward the Plack Prince of Wales, as I have read in the chronicles, fought a most prave pattle here in France.

KING HENRY

They did, Fluellen.

FLUELLEN

Your majesty says very true. If your majesties is remembered of it, the Welshmen did good service in a garden where leeks did grow, wearing leeks in their Monmouth caps, which your majesty know to this hour is an honorable badge of the service. And I do believe your majesty takes no scorn to wear the leek upon Saint Tavy's day.

KING HENRY

I wear it for a memorable honor, 1548

For I am Welsh, you know, good countryman. 1549

FLUELLEN

All the water in Wye cannot wash your majesty's Welsh plood out of your pody, I can tell you that. God pless it, and preserve it, as long as it pleases his grace, and his majesty too.

KING HENRY

Thanks, good my countryman.

FLUELLEN

By Jeshu, I am your majesty's countryman. I care not who know it; I will confess it to all the 'orld. I need not to be ashamed of your majesty, praised be God, so long as your majesty is an honest man.

KING HENRY

God keep me so. – 1550

(Enter Williams.)

Our heralds go with him.

Bring me just notice of the numbers dead 1551

On both our parts. – 1552

([Exeunt Montjoy, English heralds, and Gower.])

Call yonder fellow hither.

EXETER

[To Williams] Soldier, you must come to the king.

KING HENRY

Soldier, why wear'st thou that glove in thy cap?

WILLIAMS

An't please your majesty, 'tis the gage of one that I should fight withal, if he be alive.

KING HENRY

An Englishman?

WILLIAMS

An't please your majesty, a rascal that swaggered with me last night, who, if alive and ever dare to challenge this glove, I have sworn to take him a box o'th'ear; or if I can see my glove in his cap, which he swore as he was a soldier he would wear, if alive, I will strike it out soundly.

KING HENRY

What think you, Captain Fluellen? Is it fit this soldier keep his oath?

FLUELLEN

He is a craven and a villain else, an't please your majesty, in my conscience.

KING HENRY

It may be his enemy is a gentleman of great sort, quite from the answer of his degree.

FLUELLEN

Though he be as good a gentleman as the devil is, as Lucifer and Belzebub himself, it is necessary, look your grace, that he keep his vow and his oath. If he be perjured, see you now, his reputation is as arrant a villain and a jack-sauce as ever his black shoe trod upon God's ground and his earth, in my conscience, law.

KING HENRY

Then keep thy vow, sirrah, when thou meet'st the fellow.

WILLIAMS

So I will, my liege, as I live.

KING HENRY

Who serv'st thou under?

WILLIAMS

Under Captain Gower, my liege.

FLUELLEN

Gower is a good captain, and is good knowledge and literatured in the wars.

KING HENRY

Call him hither to me, soldier.

WILLIAMS

I will, my liege.

(Exit.)

KING HENRY

Here, Fluellen, wear thou this favor for me and stick it in thy cap. [Gives him Williams's glove] When Alençon and myself were down together I plucked this glove from his helm. If any man challenge this, he is a friend to Alençon and an enemy to our person. If thou encounter any such, apprehend him, and thou dost me love.

FLUELLEN

Your grace does me as great honors as can be desired in the hearts of his subjects. I would fain see the man that has but two legs that shall find himself aggrief'd at this glove. That is all, but I would fain see it once an't please God of his grace that I might see.

KING HENRY

Know'st thou Gower?

FLUELLEN

He is my dear friend, an't please you.

KING HENRY

Pray thee, go seek him and bring him to my tent.

FLUELLEN

I will fetch him.

(Exit.)

KING HENRY

My lord of Warwick and my brother Gloucester, 1553

Follow Fluellen closely at the heels. 1554

The glove which I have given him for a favor 1555

May haply purchase him a box o'th'ear. 1556

It is the soldier's. I by bargain should 1557

Wear it myself. Follow, good cousin Warwick. 1558

If that the soldier strike him — as I judge 1559

By his blunt bearing he will keep his word — 1560

Some sudden mischief may arise of it. 1561

For I do know Fluellen valiant 1562

And touched with choler, hot as gunpowder, 1563

And quickly will return an injury. 1564

Follow, and see there be no harm between them. — 1565

Go you with me, uncle of Exeter. 1566

(Exeunt.)

[4.8]

(Enter Gower and Williams.)

WILLIAMS

I warrant it is to knight you, captain.

(Enter Fluellen.)

FLUELLEN

God's will, and his pleasure, captain, I beseech you now come apace to the king. There is more good toward you, peradventure, than is in your knowledge to dream of.

WILLIAMS

[To Fluellen] Sir, know you this glove?

FLUELLEN

Know the glove? I know the glove is a glove.

WILLIAMS

I know this, and thus I challenge it.

(Strikes him.)

FLUELLEN

'Sblood, an arrant traitor as any's in the universal world, or in France, or in England!

GOWER

How now, sir? [To Williams] You villain!

WILLIAMS

Do you think I'll be forsworn?

FLUELLEN

Stand away, Captain Gower. I will give treason his payment into plows, I warrant you.

WILLIAMS

I am no traitor.

FLUELLEN

That's a lie in thy throat. [To Gower] I charge you in his majesty's name, apprehend him. He's a friend of the Duke Alençon's.

(Enter Warwick and Gloucester.)

WARWICK

How now, how now, what's the matter?

FLUELLEN

My lord of Warwick, here is, praised be God for it, a most contagious treason come to light, look you, as you shall desire in a summer's day. Here is his majesty.

(Enter King and Exeter.)

KING HENRY

How now, what's the matter?

FLUELLEN

My liege, here is a villain and a traitor that, look your grace, has struck the glove which your majesty is take out of the helmet of Alençon.

WILLIAMS

My liege, this was my glove — here is the fellow of it — and he that I gave it to in change promised to wear it in his cap. I promised to strike him if he did. I met this man with my glove in his cap and I have been as good as my word.

FLUELLEN

Your majesty hear now, saving your majesty's manhood, what an arrant, rascally, beggarly, lousy knave it is. I hope your majesty is pear me testimony and witness, and will avouchment, that this is the glove of Alençon that your majesty is give me, in your conscience now.

KING HENRY

Give me thy glove, soldier. Look, here is the fellow of it.

'Twas I indeed thou promisèd'st to strike, 1567

And thou hast given me most bitter terms. 1568

FLUELLEN

An't please your majesty, let his neck answer for it, if there is any martial law in the world.

KING HENRY

How canst thou make me satisfaction?

WILLIAMS

All offences, my lord, come from the heart. Never came any from mine that might offend your majesty.

KING HENRY

It was ourself thou didst abuse.

WILLIAMS

Your majesty came not like yourself. You appeared to me but as a common man — witness the night, your garments, your lowliness — and what your highness suffered under that shape, I beseech you take it for your own fault and not mine, for had you been as I took you for, I made no offense. Therefore I beseech your highness pardon me.

KING HENRY

Here, uncle Exeter, fill this glove with crowns 1569

And give it to this fellow. [To Williams] Keep it, fellow, 1570

And wear it for an honor in thy cap 1571

Till I do challenge it. Give him the crowns. 1572

[To Fluellen] And captain, you must needs be friends with him. 1573

FLUELLEN

By this day and this light, the fellow has mettle enough in his belly. — Hold, there is twelvepence for you, and I pray you to serve God and keep you out of prawls, and prabbles, and quarrels, and dissensions, and I warrant you it is the better for you.

WILLIAMS

I will none of your money.

FLUELLEN

It is with a good will. I can tell you it will serve you to mend your shoes. Come, wherefore should you be so pashful? Your shoes is not so good. 'Tis a good silling, I warrant you, or I will change it.

(Enter Herald.)

KING HENRY

Now, herald, are the dead numbered?

HERALD

[Presenting a paper] Here is the number of the slaughtered French. 1574

KING HENRY

[To Exeter] What prisoners of good sort are taken, uncle? 1575

EXETER

Charles, Duke of Orléans, nephew to the king; 1576

John, Duke of Bourbon, and Lord Boucicaut. 1577

Of other lords and barons, knights and squires, 1578

Full fifteen hundred, besides common men. 1579

KING HENRY

This note doth tell me of ten thousand French 1580

That in the field lie slain. Of princes in this number 1581

And nobles bearing banners, there lie dead 1582

One hundred twenty-six. Added to these, 1583

Of knights, esquires, and gallant gentlemen, 1584

Eight thousand and four hundred, of the which 1585

Five hundred were but yesterday dubbed knights. 1586

So that in these ten thousand they have lost 1587

There are but sixteen hundred mercenaries. 1588

The rest are princes, barons, lords, knights, squires, 1589

And gentlemen of blood and quality. 1590

The names of those their nobles that lie dead: 1591

Charles d'Alberet, High Constable of France, 1592

Jacques of Châtillon, Admiral of France, 1593

The Master of the Crossbows, Lord Rambures, 1594

Great Master of France, the brave Sir Guichard Dauphin; 1595

Jean Duke of Alençon, Antony Duke of Brabant, 1596

The brother to the Duke of Burgundy, 1597

And Édouard Duke of Bar. Of lusty earls, 1598

Grandpré and Roucy, Fauquembergues and Foix, 1599

Beaumont and Marle, Vaudémont and Lestrelles. 1600

Here was a royal fellowship of death. — 1601

Where is the number of our English dead? 1602

([Takes a paper])

Edward the Duke of York, the Earl of Suffolk, 1603

Sir Richard Kyghley, Davey Gam, Esquire. 1604

None else of name, and of all other men 1605

But five-and-twenty. O God, thy arm was here, 1606

And not to us but to thy arm alone 1607

Ascribe we all. When, without stratagem, 1608

But in plain shock and even play of battle, 1609

Was ever known so great and little loss 1610

On one part and on th'other? Take it, God, 1611

For it is none but thine. 1612

EXETER

'Tis wonderful.

KING HENRY

Come, go we in procession to the village, 1613

And be it death proclaimèd through our host 1614

To boast of this, or take that praise from God 1615

Which is his only. 1616

FLUELLEN

Is it not lawful, an't please your majesty, to tell how many is killed?

KING HENRY

Yes, captain, but with this acknowledgement: 1617

That God fought for us. 1618

FLUELLEN

Yes, my conscience, he did us great good. 1619

KING HENRY

Do we all holy rites. 1620

Let there be sung Non nobis and Te Deum, 1621

The dead with charity enclosed in clay, 1622

And then to Calais, and to England then, 1623

Where ne'er from France arrived more happy men. 1624

(Exeunt.)

Act V

5.[0]

(Enter Chorus.)

CHORUS

Vouchsafe to those that have not read the story 1625

That I may prompt them; and of such as have, 1626

I humbly pray them to admit th'excuse 1627

Of time, of numbers, and due course of things 1628

Which cannot in their huge and proper life 1629

Be here presented. Now we bear the king 1630

Toward Calais; grant him there. There seen, 1631

Heave him away upon your wingèd thoughts 1632

Athwart the sea. Behold, the English beach 1633

Pales in the flood with men, wives, and boys, 1634

Whose shouts and claps outvoice the deep-mouthed sea, 1635

Which, like a mighty whiffler 'fore the king, 1636

Seems to prepare his way. So let him land, 1637

And solemnly see him set on to London. 1638

So swift a pace hath thought that even now 1639

You may imagine him upon Blackheath, 1640

Where that his lords desire him to have borne 1641

His bruisèd helmet and his bended sword 1642

Before him through the city. He forbids it, 1643

Being free from vainness and self-glorious pride, 1644

Giving full trophy, signal, and ostent 1645

Quite from himself to God. But now behold 1646

In the quick forge and working-house of thought 1647

How London doth pour out her citizens. 1648

The mayor and all his brethren in best sort, 1649

Like to the senators of th'antique Rome 1650

With the plebeians swarming at their heels, 1651

Go forth and fetch their conqu'ring Caesar in — 1652

As, by a lower but by loving likelihood, 1653

Were now the general of our gracious empress 1654

(As in good time he may) from Ireland coming, 1655

Bringing rebellion broachèd on his sword, 1656

How many would the peaceful city quit 1657

To welcome him? Much more, and much more cause, 1658

Did they this Harry. Now in London place him, 1659

As yet the lamentation of the French 1660

Invites the king of England's stay at home. 1661

The emperor's coming in behalf of France 1662

To order peace between them, we omit: 1663

All the occurrences, whatever chanced, 1664

Till Harry's back return again to France. 1665

There must we bring him, and myself have played 1666

The interim by remembering you 'tis past. 1667

Then brook abridgement, and your eyes advance, 1668

After your thoughts, straight back again to France. 1669

(Exit.)

[5.1]

(Enter Fluellen and Gower.)

GOWER

Nay, that's right. But why wear you your leek today? Saint Davy's day is past.

FLUELLEN

There is occasions and causes why and wherefore in all things. I will tell you ass my friend, Captain Gower. The rascally, scald, beggarly, lousy, pragging knave Pistol, which you and yourself and all the world know to be no petter than a fellow, look you now, of no merits, he is come to me and prings me pread and salt yesterday, look you, and bid me eat my leek. It was in a place where I could not breed no contention with him, but I will be so bold as to wear it in my cap till I see him once again, and then I will tell him a little piece of my desires.

(Enter Pistol.)

GOWER

Why, here he comes, swelling like a turkey-cock.

FLUELLEN

'Tis no matter for his swellings nor his turkey-cocks. — God pless you, Aunchient Pistol, you scurvy lousy knave, God pless you.

PISTOL

Ha, art thou bedlam? Dost thou thirst, base Trojan, to have me fold up Parca's fatal web? Hence! I am qualmish at the smell of leek.

FLUELLEN

I peseech you heartily, scurvy lousy knave, at my desires, and my requests, and my petitions, to eat, look you, this leek. Because, look you, you do not love it, nor your affections and your appetites and your disgestions does not agree with it, I would desire you to eat it.

PISTOL

Not for Cadwallader and all his goats.

FLUELLEN

There is one goat for you. Strikes him [with a cudgel] Will you be so good, scald knave, as eat it?

PISTOL

Base Trojan, thou shalt die.

FLUELLEN

You say very true, scald knave, when God's will is. I will desire you to live in the meantime, and eat your victuals. Come, there is sauce for it. [Strikes him] You called me yesterday mountain squire, but I will make you today a squire of low degree. I pray you, fall to. If you can mock a leek, you can eat a leek.

GOWER

Enough, captain. You have astonished him.

FLUELLEN

I say I will make him eat some part of my leek, or I will peat his pate four days. — Bite, I pray you. It is good for your green wound and your ploody coxcomb.

PISTOL

Must I bite?

FLUELLEN

Yes, certainly, and out of doubt and out of question, too, and ambiguities.

PISTOL

By this leek, I will most horribly revenge — [Fluellen threatens him.] I eat and eat, I swear.

FLUELLEN

Eat, I pray you. Will you have some more sauce to your leek? There is not enough leek to swear by.

PISTOL

Quiet thy cudgel! Thou dost see I eat.

FLUELLEN

Much good do you, scald knave, heartily. Nay, pray you throw none away; the skin is good for your broken coxcomb. When you take occasions to see leeks hereafter, I pray you mock at 'em, that is all.

PISTOL

Good.

FLUELLEN

Ay, leeks is good. Hold you, there is a groat to heal your pate.

([Offers money])

PISTOL

Me a groat?

FLUELLEN

Yes, verily, and in truth you shall take it, or I have another leek in my pocket which you shall eat.

PISTOL

I take thy groat in earnest of revenge.

FLUELLEN

If I owe you anything, I will pay you in cudgels. You shall be a woodmonger, and buy nothing of me but cudgels. God b'wi'you, and keep you, and heal your pate.

(Exit.)

PISTOL

All hell shall stir for this.

GOWER

Go, go, you are a counterfeit cowardly knave. Will you mock at an ancient tradition, begun upon an honorable respect, and worn as a memorable trophy of predeceased valor, and dare not avouch in your deeds any of your words? I have seen you gleeking and galling at this gentleman twice or thrice. You thought because he could not speak English in the native garb he could not therefore handle an English cudgel. You find it otherwise, and henceforth let a Welsh correction teach you a good English condition. Fare ye well.

(Exit.)

PISTOL

Doth fortune play the hussy with me now? News have I that my Doll is dead i'th'Spital of a malady of France, and there my rendezvous is quite cut off. Old I do wax, and from my weary limbs honor is cudgeled. Well, bawd I'll turn, and something lean to cutpurse of quick hand. To England will I steal, and there I'll steal.

And patches will I get unto these cudgeled scars, 1670

And swear I got them in the Gallia wars. 1671

(Exit.)

[5.2]

(Enter at one door King Henry, Exeter, Bedford, Warwick, [Westmorland,] and other lords [(Clarence, Gloucester, and Huntingdon)]. At another, Queen Isabeau, the [French] King, [Catherine, Alice,] the Duke of Burgundy, and other French.)

KING HENRY

Peace to this meeting, wherefore we are met. 1672

Unto our brother France and to our sister, 1673

Health and fair time of day. Joy and good wishes 1674

To our most fair and princely cousin Catherine. 1675

And as a branch and member of this royalty, 1676

By whom this great assembly is contrived, 1677

We do salute you, Duke of Burgundy. 1678

And princes French, and peers, health to you all. 1679

FRENCH KING

Right joyous are we to behold your face, 1680

Most worthy brother England; fairly met. 1681

So are you, princes English, every one. 1682

QUEEN ISABEAU

So happy be the issue, brother England, 1683

Of this good day and of this gracious meeting 1684

As we are now glad to behold your eyes — 1685

Your eyes which hitherto have borne in them 1686

Against the French that met them in their bent 1687

The fatal balls of murdering basilisks. 1688

The venom of such looks, we fairly hope, 1689

Have lost their quality, and that this day 1690

Shall change all griefs and quarrels into love. 1691

KING HENRY

To cry amen to that, thus we appear. 1692

QUEEN ISABEAU

You English princes all, I do salute you. 1693

BURGUNDY

My duty to you both, on equal love. 1694

Great kings of France and England, that I have labored 1695

With all my wits, my pains, and strong endeavors, 1696

To bring your most imperial majesties 1697

Unto this bar and royal interview, 1698

Your mightiness on both parts best can witness. 1699

Since, then, my office hath so far prevailed 1700

That face to face and royal eye to eye 1701

You have congreeted, let it not disgrace me 1702

If I demand before this royal view 1703

What rub or what impediment there is 1704

Why that the naked, poor, and mangled peace, 1705

Dear nurse of arts, plenties, and joyful births, 1706

Should not in this best garden of the world, 1707

Our fertile France, put up her lovely visage? 1708

Alas, she hath from France too long been chased, 1709

And all her husbandry doth lie on heaps, 1710

Corrupting in it own fertility. 1711

Her vine, the merry cheerer of the heart, 1712

Unprunèd, dies. Her hedges even-pleached, 1713

Like prisoners wildly overgrown with hair, 1714

Put forth disordered twigs. Her fallow leas 1715

The darnel, hemlock, and rank fumitory 1716

Doth root upon, while that the colter rusts 1717

That should deracinate such savagery. 1718

The even mead that erst brought sweetly forth 1719

The freckled cowslip, burnet, and green clover, 1720

Wanting the scythe, withal uncorrected, rank, 1721

Conceives by idleness, and nothing teems 1722

But hateful docks, rough thistles, kexes, burrs, 1723

Losing both beauty and utility, 1724

And all our vineyards, fallows, meads, and hedges, 1725

Defective in their natures, grow to wildness. 1726

Even so our houses, and ourselves, and children 1727

Have lost, or do not learn for want of time 1728

The sciences that should become our country, 1729

But grow like savages — as soldiers will 1730

That nothing do but meditate on blood — 1731

To swearing and stern looks, diffused attire, 1732

And everything that seems unnatural. 1733

Which to reduce into our former favor, 1734

You are assembled, and my speech entreats 1735

That I may know the let why gentle peace 1736

Should not expel these inconveniences 1737

And bless us with her former qualities. 1738

KING HENRY

If, Duke of Burgundy, you would the peace 1739

Whose want gives growth to th'imperfections 1740

Which you have cited, you must buy that peace 1741

With full accord to all our just demands, 1742

Whose tenors and particular effects 1743

You have enscheduled briefly in your hands. 1744

BURGUNDY

The king hath heard them, to the which as yet 1745

There is no answer made. 1746

KING HENRY

Well then, the peace

Which you before so urged lies in his answer. 1747

FRENCH KING

I have but with a curselary eye 1748

O'erglanced the articles. Pleaseth your grace 1749

To appoint some of your council presently 1750

To sit with us once more, with better heed 1751

To re-survey them, we will suddenly 1752

Pass our accept and peremptory answer. 1753

KING HENRY

Brother, we shall. — Go, uncle Exeter, 1754

And brother Clarence, and you, brother Gloucester, 1755

Warwick, and Huntingdon, go with the king, 1756

And take with you free power to ratify, 1757

Augment, or alter as your wisdoms best 1758

Shall see advantageable for our dignity, 1759

Anything in or out of our demands, 1760

And we'll consign thereto. [To Queen Isabeau] Will you, fair sister, 1761

Go with the princes, or stay here with us? 1762

QUEEN ISABEAU

Our gracious brother, I will go with them. 1763

Haply a woman's voice may do some good 1764

When articles too nicely urged be stood on. 1765

KING HENRY

Yet leave our cousin Catherine here with us. 1766

She is our capital demand, comprised 1767

Within the forerank of our articles. 1768

QUEEN ISABEAU

She hath good leave. 1769

(Exeunt all but King Henry, Catherine [and Alice].)

KING HENRY

Fair Catherine, and most fair,

Will you vouchsafe to teach a soldier terms 1770

Such as will enter at a lady's ear 1771

And plead his love-suit to her gentle heart? 1772

CATHERINE

Your majesty shall mock at me. I cannot speak your England.

KING HENRY

Oh, fair Catherine, if you will love me soundly with your French heart, I will be glad to hear you confess it brokenly with your English tongue. Do you like me, Kate?

CATHERINE

Pardonnez-moi, I cannot tell wat is "like me."

KING HENRY

An angel is like you, Kate, and you are like an angel.

CATHERINE

[To Alice] Que dit-il? Que je suis semblable à les anges?

ALICE

Oui, vraiment, sauf votre grâce, ainsi dit-il.

KING HENRY

I said so, dear Catherine, and I must not blush to affirm it.

CATHERINE

O bon Dieu, les langues des hommes sont pleines de tromperies!

KING HENRY

[To Alice] What says she, fair one? That the tongues of men are full of deceits?

ALICE

Oui, dat de tongues of de mans is be full of deceits. Dat is de princess.

KING HENRY

The princess is the better Englishwoman. I'faith, Kate, my wooing is fit for thy understanding. I am glad thou canst speak no better English, for if thou couldst, thou wouldst find me such a plain king that thou wouldst think I had sold my farm to buy my crown. I know no ways to mince it in love, but directly to say "I love you." Then if you urge me farther than to say, "Do you in faith?", I wear out my suit. Give me your answer, i'faith do, and so clap hands and a bargain. How say you, lady?

CATHERINE

Sauf votre honneur, me understand well.

KING HENRY

Marry, if you would put me to verses or to dance for your sake, Kate, why you undid me. For the one I have neither words nor measure, and for the other I have no strength in measure, yet a reasonable measure in strength. If I could win a lady at leapfrog, or by vaulting into my saddle with my armor on my back — under the correction of bragging be it spoken — I should quickly leap into a wife. Or if I might buffet for my love or bound my horse for her favors, I could lay on like a butcher and sit like a jackanapes, never off. But before God, Kate, I cannot look greenly, nor gasp out my eloquence, nor I have no cunning in protestation, only downright oaths, which I never use till urged, nor never break for urging. If thou canst love a fellow of this temper, Kate, whose face is not worth sunburning, that never looks in his glass for love of anything he sees there, let thine eye be thy cook. I speak to thee plain soldier. If thou canst love me for this, take me. If not, to say to thee that I shall die is true, but for thy love, by the Lord, no. Yet I love thee too. And while thou liv'st, dear Kate, take a fellow of plain and uncoined constancy, for he perforce must do thee right, because he hath not the gift to woo in other places. For these fellows of infinite tongue, that can rhyme themselves into ladies' favors, they do always reason themselves out again. What! A speaker is but a prater, a rhyme is but a ballad, a good leg will fall, a straight back will stoop, a black beard will turn white, a curled pate will grow bald, a fair face will wither, a full eye will wax hollow; but a good heart, Kate, is the sun and the moon, or rather the sun and not the moon, for it shines bright and never changes, but keeps his course truly. If thou would have such a one, take me. An take me, take a soldier. Take a soldier, take a king. And what say'st thou then to my love? Speak, my fair, and fairly, I pray thee.

CATHERINE

Is it possible dat I sould love de enemy of France?

KING HENRY

No, it is not possible you should love the enemy of France, Kate, but in loving me you should love the friend of France, for I love France so well that I will not part with a village of it; I will have it all mine. And Kate, when France is mine and I am yours, then yours is France, and you are mine.

CATHERINE

I cannot tell wat is dat.

KING HENRY

No, Kate? I will tell thee in French, which I am sure will hang upon my tongue like a new-married wife about her husband's neck, hardly to be shook off. Je quand sur le possession de France, et quand vous avez le possession de moi — let me see, what then? Saint Denis be my speed! — donc vôtre est France, et vous êtes mienne. It is as easy for me, Kate, to conquer the kingdom as to speak so much more French. I shall never move thee in French unless it be to laugh at me.

CATHERINE

Sauf votre honneur, le fran√ßais que vous parlez, il est meilleur que l'anglais lequel je parle.

KING HENRY

No, faith, is't not, Kate; but thy speaking of my tongue and I thine, most truly falsely, must needs be granted to be much at one. But Kate, dost thou understand thus much English? Canst thou love me?

CATHERINE

I cannot tell.

KING HENRY

Can any of your neighbors tell, Kate? I'll ask them. Come, I know thou lovest me, and at night when you come into your closet you'll question this gentlewoman about me; and I know, Kate, you will to her dispraise those parts in me that you love with your heart. But good Kate, mock me mercifully, the rather, gentle princess, because I love thee cruelly. If ever thou beest mine, Kate, as I have a saving faith within me tells me thou shalt, I get thee with scambling, and thou must therefore needs prove a good soldier-breeder. Shall not thou and I, between Saint Denis and Saint George, compound a boy, half French, half English, that shall go to Constantinople and take the Turk by the beard? Shall we not? What say'st thou, my fair flower-de-luce?

CATHERINE

I do not know dat.

KING HENRY

No, 'tis hereafter to know, but now to promise. Do but now promise, Kate, you will endeavor for your French part of such a boy, and for my English moiety, take the word of a king and a bachelor. How answer you, la plus belle Catherine du monde, mon très cher et divin déesse ?

CATHERINE

Your majesty 'ave fausse French enough to deceive de most sage demoiselle dat is en France.

KING HENRY

Now fie upon my false French! By mine honor, in true English, I love thee, Kate; by which honor I dare not swear thou lovest me, yet my blood begins to flatter me that thou dost, notwithstanding the poor and untempering effect of my visage. Now beshrew my father's ambition! He was thinking of civil wars when he got me, therefore was I created with a stubborn outside, with an aspect of iron, that when I come to woo ladies I fright them. But in faith, Kate, the elder I wax, the better I shall appear. My comfort is that old age, that ill layer-up of beauty, can do no more spoil upon my face. Thou hast me, if thou hast me, at the worst; and thou shalt wear me, if thou wear me, better and better. And therefore tell me, most fair Katherine, will you have me? Put off your maiden blushes. Avouch the thoughts of your heart with the looks of an empress. Take me by the hand and say, "Harry of England, I am thine." Which word thou shalt no sooner bless mine ear withal but I will tell thee aloud "England is thine, Ireland is thine, France is thine, and Henry Plantagenet is thine," who, though I speak it before his face, if he be not fellow with the best king, thou shalt find the best king of good fellows. Come, your answer in broken music, for thy voice is music and thy English broken. Therefore, queen of all, Catherine, break thy mind to me in broken English: wilt thou have me?

CATHERINE

Dat is as it shall please de roi mon père.

KING HENRY

Nay, it will please him well, Kate; it shall please him, Kate.

CATHERINE

Den it sall also content me.

KING HENRY

Upon that I kiss your hand, and I call you my queen.

CATHERINE

Laissez, mon seigneur, laissez, laissez! Ma foi, je ne veux point que vous abaissez votre grandeur en baisant le main d'une de votre seigneurie indigne serviteure. Excusez-moi, je vous supplie, mon très puissant seigneur.

KING HENRY

Then I will kiss your lips, Kate.

CATHERINE

Les dames et demoiselles, pour être baisées devant leurs noces, il n'est pas la coutume de France.

KING HENRY

Madam my interpreter, what says she?

ALICE

Dat it is not be de fashion pour les ladies of France — I cannot tell wat is baiser en Anglish.

KING HENRY

To kiss.

ALICE

Your majesty entend bettre que moi.

KING HENRY

It is not a fashion for the maids in France to kiss before they are married, would she say?

ALICE

Oui, vraiment.

KING HENRY

Oh, Kate, nice customs curtsy to great kings. Dear Kate, you and I cannot be confined within the weak list of a country's fashion. We are the makers of manners, Kate, and the liberty that follows our places stops the mouth of all find-faults, as I will do yours for upholding the nice fashion of your country in denying me a kiss, therefore patiently, and yielding — [Kisses her] You have witchcraft in your lips, Kate. There is more eloquence in a sugar touch of them than in the tongues of the French council, and they should sooner persuade Harry of England than a general petition of monarchs. Here comes your father.

(Enter the French power [(French King, Queen Isabeau, Burgundy),] and the English lords[, including Exeter and Westmorland].)

BURGUNDY

God save your majesty. My royal cousin, teach you our princess English?

KING HENRY

I would have her learn, my fair cousin, how perfectly I love her, and that is good English.

BURGUNDY

Is she not apt?

KING HENRY

Our tongue is rough, coz, and my condition is not smooth, so that having neither the voice nor the heart of flattery about me, I cannot so conjure up the spirit of love in her that he will appear in his true likeness.

BURGUNDY

Pardon the frankness of my mirth if I answer you for that. If you would conjure in her, you must make a circle. If conjure up love in her in his true likeness, he must appear naked and blind. Can you blame her then, being a maid yet rosed over with the virgin crimson of modesty, if she deny the appearance of a naked blind boy in her naked seeing self? It were, my lord, a hard condition for a maid to consign to.

KING HENRY

Yet they do wink and yield, as love is blind and enforces.

BURGUNDY

They are then excused, my lord, when they see not what they do.

KING HENRY

Then good my lord, teach your cousin to consent winking.

BURGUNDY

I will wink on her to consent, my lord, if you will teach her to know my meaning. For maids well summered and warm kept are like flies at Bartholomew-tide, blind, though they have their eyes, and then they will endure handling, which before would not abide looking on.

KING HENRY

This moral ties me over to time and a hot summer, and so I shall catch the fly, your cousin, in the latter end, and she must be blind too.

BURGUNDY

As love is, my lord, before it loves.

KING HENRY

It is so. And you may, some of you, thank love for my blindness, who cannot see many a fair French city for one fair French maid that stands in my way.

FRENCH KING

Yes, my lord, you see them perspectively, the cities turned into a maid, for they are all girdled with maiden walls that no war hath entered.

KING HENRY

Shall Kate be my wife?

FRENCH KING

So please you.

KING HENRY

I am content, so the maiden cities you talk of may wait on her. So the maid that stood in the way for my wish shall show me the way to my will.

FRENCH KING

We have consented to all terms of reason.

KING HENRY

Is't so, my lords of England?

WESTMORLAND

The king hath granted every article: 1773

His daughter first, and in sequel, all, 1774

According to their firm proposèd natures. 1775

EXETER

Only he hath not yet subscribèd this: 1776

where your majesty demands that the king of France, having any occasion to write for matter of grant, shall name your highness in this form and with this addition, in French: Notre très cher fils Henri, Roi d'Angleterre, héritier de France ; and thus in Latin: Praecarissimus filius noster Henricus, Rex Angliae et Haeres Franciae.

FRENCH KING

Nor this I have not, brother, so denied 1777

But your request shall make me let it pass. 1778

KING HENRY

I pray you then in love and dear alliance, 1779

Let that one article rank with the rest, 1780

And thereupon give me your daughter. 1781

FRENCH KING

Take her, fair son, and from her blood raise up 1782

Issue to me, that the contending kingdoms 1783

Of France and England, whose very shores look pale 1784

With envy of each other's happiness, 1785

May cease their hatred, and this dear conjunction 1786

Plant neighborhood and Christian-like accord 1787

In their sweet bosoms, that never war advance 1788

His bleeding sword 'twixt England and fair France. 1789

LORDS

Amen. 1790

KING HENRY

Now welcome, Kate, and bear me witness all 1791

That here I kiss her as my sovereign queen. 1792

(Flourish.)

QUEEN ISABEAU

God, the best maker of all marriages, 1793

Combine your hearts in one, your realms in one. 1794

As man and wife, being two, are one in love, 1795

So be there 'twixt your kingdoms such a spousal 1796

That never may ill office or fell jealousy, 1797

Which troubles oft the bed of blessèd marriage, 1798

Thrust in between the paction of these kingdoms 1799

To make divorce of their incorporate league, 1800

That English may as French, French Englishmen, 1801

Receive each other. God speak this amen. 1802

ALL

Amen. 1803

KING HENRY

Prepare we for our marriage; on which day, 1804

My lord of Burgundy, we'll take your oath, 1805

And all the peers', for surety of our leagues. 1806

Then shall I swear to Kate, and you to me, 1807

And may our oaths well kept and prosp'rous be. 1808

(Sennet. Exeunt.)

[Epilogue]

(Enter Chorus.)

CHORUS

Thus far, with rough and all-unable pen, 1809

Our bending author hath pursued the story, 1810

In little room confining mighty men, 1811

Mangling by starts the full course of their glory. 1812

Small time, but in that small most greatly lived 1813

This star of England. Fortune made his sword, 1814

By which the world's best garden he achieved, 1815

And of it left his son imperial lord. 1816

Henry the Sixth, in infant bands crowned King 1817

Of France and England, did this king succeed, 1818

Whose state so many had the managing 1819

That they lost France and made his England bleed, 1820

Which oft our stage hath shown; and for their sake, 1821

In your fair minds let this acceptance take. 1822

([Exit.])