Henry V - Entire Play
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Henry V - Entire PlaySynopsis:
Henry V begins at the English court, where the young king is persuaded that he has a claim to the throne of France. When the French dauphin, or heir apparent, insults him by sending him tennis balls, Henry launches his military expedition to France.
Before departing, Henry learns that three of his nobles have betrayed him, and he orders their execution. Meanwhile, his old tavern companions grieve over Sir John Falstaff’s death, and then leave for France.
Henry and his army lay siege to the French town of Harfleur, which surrenders. The Princess of France, Katherine, starts to learn English, but the French nobles are sure of success against Henry. Instead, Henry’s forces win a great victory at Agincourt.
After a brief return to England, Henry comes back to France to claim his rights and to set up his marriage to Princess Katherine. The play’s epilogue points out that Henry will die young and that England will as a result lose most of his French territories.
Enter ⌜Chorus as⌝ Prologue.
⌜CHORUS⌝
0001 O, for a muse of fire that would ascend
0002 The brightest heaven of invention!
0003 A kingdom for a stage, princes to act,
0004 And monarchs to behold the swelling scene!
0005 5 Then should the warlike Harry, like himself,
0006 Assume the port of Mars, and at his heels,
0007 Leashed in like hounds, should famine, sword, and
0008 fire
0009 Crouch for employment. But pardon, gentles all,
0010 10 The flat unraisèd spirits that hath dared
0011 On this unworthy scaffold to bring forth
0012 So great an object. Can this cockpit hold
0013 The vasty fields of France? Or may we cram
0014 Within this wooden O the very casques
0015 15 That did affright the air at Agincourt?
0016 O pardon, since a crookèd figure may
0017 Attest in little place a million,
0018 And let us, ciphers to this great account,
0019 On your imaginary forces work.
0020 20 Suppose within the girdle of these walls
0021 Are now confined two mighty monarchies,
0022 Whose high uprearèd and abutting fronts
0024 Piece out our imperfections with your thoughts.
0025 25 Into a thousand parts divide one man,
0026 And make imaginary puissance.
0027 Think, when we talk of horses, that you see them
0028 Printing their proud hoofs i’ th’ receiving earth,
0029 For ’tis your thoughts that now must deck our
0030 30 kings,
0031 Carry them here and there, jumping o’er times,
0032 Turning th’ accomplishment of many years
0033 Into an hourglass; for the which supply,
0034 Admit me chorus to this history,
0035 35 Who, prologue-like, your humble patience pray
0036 Gently to hear, kindly to judge our play.
He exits.
BISHOP OF CANTERBURY
0037 My lord, I’ll tell you that self bill is urged
0038 Which in th’ eleventh year of the last king’s reign
0039 Was like, and had indeed against us passed
0040 But that the scambling and unquiet time
0041 5 Did push it out of farther question.
BISHOP OF ELY
0042 But how, my lord, shall we resist it now?
BISHOP OF CANTERBURY
0043 It must be thought on. If it pass against us,
0044 We lose the better half of our possession,
0045 For all the temporal lands which men devout
0046 10 By testament have given to the Church
0047 Would they strip from us, being valued thus:
0048 “As much as would maintain, to the King’s honor,
0049 Full fifteen earls and fifteen hundred knights,
0050 Six thousand and two hundred good esquires;
0051 15 And, to relief of lazars and weak age
0052 Of indigent faint souls past corporal toil,
0053 A hundred almshouses right well supplied;
0054 And to the coffers of the King besides,
0055 A thousand pounds by th’ year.” Thus runs the bill.
0056 20 This would drink deep.
BISHOP OF CANTERBURY 0057 ’Twould drink the cup and
0058 all.
BISHOP OF ELY 0059 But what prevention?
BISHOP OF CANTERBURY
0060 The King is full of grace and fair regard.
BISHOP OF ELY
0061 25 And a true lover of the holy Church.
BISHOP OF CANTERBURY
0062 The courses of his youth promised it not.
0063 The breath no sooner left his father’s body
0064 But that his wildness, mortified in him,
0065 Seemed to die too. Yea, at that very moment
0066 30 Consideration like an angel came
0067 And whipped th’ offending Adam out of him,
0068 Leaving his body as a paradise
0069 T’ envelop and contain celestial spirits.
0070 Never was such a sudden scholar made,
0071 35 Never came reformation in a flood
0072 With such a heady currance scouring faults,
0073 Nor never Hydra-headed willfulness
0074 So soon did lose his seat, and all at once,
0075 As in this king.
BISHOP OF ELY 0076 40 We are blessèd in the change.
BISHOP OF CANTERBURY
0077 Hear him but reason in divinity
0078 And, all-admiring, with an inward wish
0079 You would desire the King were made a prelate;
0080 Hear him debate of commonwealth affairs,
0081 45 You would say it hath been all in all his study;
0082 List his discourse of war, and you shall hear
0083 A fearful battle rendered you in music;
0084 Turn him to any cause of policy,
0085 The Gordian knot of it he will unloose
0086 50 Familiar as his garter; that, when he speaks,
0088 And the mute wonder lurketh in men’s ears
0089 To steal his sweet and honeyed sentences;
0090 So that the art and practic part of life
0091 55 Must be the mistress to this theoric;
0092 Which is a wonder how his Grace should glean it,
0093 Since his addiction was to courses vain,
0094 His companies unlettered, rude, and shallow,
0095 His hours filled up with riots, banquets, sports,
0096 60 And never noted in him any study,
0097 Any retirement, any sequestration
0098 From open haunts and popularity.
BISHOP OF ELY
0099 The strawberry grows underneath the nettle,
0100 And wholesome berries thrive and ripen best
0101 65 Neighbored by fruit of baser quality;
0102 And so the Prince obscured his contemplation
0103 Under the veil of wildness, which, no doubt,
0104 Grew like the summer grass, fastest by night,
0105 Unseen yet crescive in his faculty.
BISHOP OF CANTERBURY
0106 70 It must be so, for miracles are ceased,
0107 And therefore we must needs admit the means
0108 How things are perfected.
BISHOP OF ELY 0109 But, my good lord,
0110 How now for mitigation of this bill
0111 75 Urged by the Commons? Doth his Majesty
0112 Incline to it or no?
BISHOP OF CANTERBURY 0113 He seems indifferent,
0114 Or rather swaying more upon our part
0115 Than cherishing th’ exhibitors against us;
0116 80 For I have made an offer to his Majesty—
0117 Upon our spiritual convocation
0118 And in regard of causes now in hand,
0119 Which I have opened to his Grace at large,
0120 As touching France—to give a greater sum
0122 Did to his predecessors part withal.
BISHOP OF ELY
0123 How did this offer seem received, my lord?
BISHOP OF CANTERBURY
0124 With good acceptance of his Majesty—
0125 Save that there was not time enough to hear,
0126 90 As I perceived his Grace would fain have done,
0127 The severals and unhidden passages
0128 Of his true titles to some certain dukedoms,
0129 And generally to the crown and seat of France,
0130 Derived from Edward, his great-grandfather.
BISHOP OF ELY
0131 95 What was th’ impediment that broke this off?
BISHOP OF CANTERBURY
0132 The French ambassador upon that instant
0133 Craved audience. And the hour, I think, is come
0134 To give him hearing. Is it four o’clock?
BISHOP OF ELY 0135 It is.
BISHOP OF CANTERBURY
0136 100 Then go we in to know his embassy,
0137 Which I could with a ready guess declare
0138 Before the Frenchman speak a word of it.
BISHOP OF ELY
0139 I’ll wait upon you, and I long to hear it.
They exit.
Gloucester,⌝ Bedford, Clarence, Warwick, Westmoreland,
and Exeter, ⌜with other Attendants.⌝
KING HENRY
0140 Where is my gracious Lord of Canterbury?
0141 Not here in presence.
KING HENRY 0142 Send for him, good uncle.
WESTMORELAND
0143 Shall we call in th’ Ambassador, my liege?
KING HENRY
0144 5 Not yet, my cousin. We would be resolved,
0145 Before we hear him, of some things of weight
0146 That task our thoughts concerning us and France.
Enter ⌜the⌝ two Bishops ⌜of Canterbury and Ely.⌝
BISHOP OF CANTERBURY
0147 God and his angels guard your sacred throne
0148 And make you long become it.
KING HENRY 0149 10 Sure we thank you.
0150 My learnèd lord, we pray you to proceed
0151 And justly and religiously unfold
0152 Why the law Salic that they have in France
0153 Or should or should not bar us in our claim.
0154 15 And God forbid, my dear and faithful lord,
0155 That you should fashion, wrest, or bow your
0156 reading,
0157 Or nicely charge your understanding soul
0158 With opening titles miscreate, whose right
0159 20 Suits not in native colors with the truth;
0160 For God doth know how many now in health
0161 Shall drop their blood in approbation
0162 Of what your reverence shall incite us to.
0163 Therefore take heed how you impawn our person,
0164 25 How you awake our sleeping sword of war.
0165 We charge you in the name of God, take heed,
0166 For never two such kingdoms did contend
0167 Without much fall of blood, whose guiltless drops
0168 Are every one a woe, a sore complaint
0169 30 ’Gainst him whose wrongs gives edge unto the
0170 swords
0172 Under this conjuration, speak, my lord,
0173 For we will hear, note, and believe in heart
0174 35 That what you speak is in your conscience washed
0175 As pure as sin with baptism.
BISHOP OF CANTERBURY
0176 Then hear me, gracious sovereign, and you peers
0177 That owe yourselves, your lives, and services
0178 To this imperial throne. There is no bar
0179 40 To make against your Highness’ claim to France
0180 But this, which they produce from Pharamond:
0181 “In terram Salicam mulieres ne succedant”
0182 (No woman shall succeed in Salic land),
0183 Which Salic land the French unjustly gloze
0184 45 To be the realm of France, and Pharamond
0185 The founder of this law and female bar.
0186 Yet their own authors faithfully affirm
0187 That the land Salic is in Germany,
0188 Between the floods of Sala and of Elbe,
0189 50 Where Charles the Great, having subdued the
0190 Saxons,
0191 There left behind and settled certain French,
0192 Who, holding in disdain the German women
0193 For some dishonest manners of their life,
0194 55 Established then this law: to wit, no female
0195 Should be inheritrix in Salic land,
0196 Which “Salic,” as I said, ’twixt Elbe and Sala
0197 Is at this day in Germany called Meissen.
0198 Then doth it well appear the Salic law
0199 60 Was not devisèd for the realm of France,
0200 Nor did the French possess the Salic land
0201 Until four hundred one and twenty years
0202 After defunction of King Pharamond,
0203 Idly supposed the founder of this law,
0204 65 Who died within the year of our redemption
0205 Four hundred twenty-six; and Charles the Great
0207 Beyond the river Sala in the year
0208 Eight hundred five. Besides, their writers say,
0209 70 King Pepin, which deposèd Childeric,
0210 Did, as heir general, being descended
0211 Of Blithild, which was daughter to King Clothair,
0212 Make claim and title to the crown of France.
0213 Hugh Capet also, who usurped the crown
0214 75 Of Charles the Duke of Lorraine, sole heir male
0215 Of the true line and stock of Charles the Great,
0216 To find his title with some shows of truth,
0217 Though in pure truth it was corrupt and naught,
0218 Conveyed himself as th’ heir to th’ Lady Lingare,
0219 80 Daughter to Charlemagne, who was the son
0220 To Lewis the Emperor, and Lewis the son
0221 Of Charles the Great. Also King Lewis the Tenth,
0222 Who was sole heir to the usurper Capet,
0223 Could not keep quiet in his conscience,
0224 85 Wearing the crown of France, till satisfied
0225 That fair Queen Isabel, his grandmother,
0226 Was lineal of the Lady Ermengare,
0227 Daughter to Charles the foresaid Duke of Lorraine:
0228 By the which marriage the line of Charles the Great
0229 90 Was reunited to the crown of France.
0230 So that, as clear as is the summer’s sun,
0231 King Pepin’s title and Hugh Capet’s claim,
0232 King Lewis his satisfaction, all appear
0233 To hold in right and title of the female.
0234 95 So do the kings of France unto this day,
0235 Howbeit they would hold up this Salic law
0236 To bar your Highness claiming from the female,
0237 And rather choose to hide them in a net
0238 Than amply to imbar their crooked titles
0239 100 Usurped from you and your progenitors.
KING HENRY
0240 May I with right and conscience make this claim?
0241 The sin upon my head, dread sovereign,
0242 For in the Book of Numbers is it writ:
0243 “When the man dies, let the inheritance
0244 105 Descend unto the daughter.” Gracious lord,
0245 Stand for your own, unwind your bloody flag,
0246 Look back into your mighty ancestors.
0247 Go, my dread lord, to your great-grandsire’s tomb,
0248 From whom you claim; invoke his warlike spirit
0249 110 And your great-uncle’s, Edward the Black Prince,
0250 Who on the French ground played a tragedy,
0251 Making defeat on the full power of France
0252 Whiles his most mighty father on a hill
0253 Stood smiling to behold his lion’s whelp
0254 115 Forage in blood of French nobility.
0255 O noble English, that could entertain
0256 With half their forces the full pride of France
0257 And let another half stand laughing by,
0258 All out of work and cold for action!
BISHOP OF ELY
0259 120 Awake remembrance of these valiant dead
0260 And with your puissant arm renew their feats.
0261 You are their heir, you sit upon their throne,
0262 The blood and courage that renownèd them
0263 Runs in your veins; and my thrice-puissant liege
0264 125 Is in the very May-morn of his youth,
0265 Ripe for exploits and mighty enterprises.
EXETER
0266 Your brother kings and monarchs of the Earth
0267 Do all expect that you should rouse yourself
0268 As did the former lions of your blood.
WESTMORELAND
0269 130 They know your Grace hath cause and means and
0270 might;
0271 So hath your Highness. Never king of England
0272 Had nobles richer, and more loyal subjects,
0274 135 And lie pavilioned in the fields of France.
BISHOP OF CANTERBURY
0275 O, let their bodies follow, my dear liege,
0276 With ⌜blood⌝ and sword and fire to win your right,
0277 In aid whereof we of the spiritualty
0278 Will raise your Highness such a mighty sum
0279 140 As never did the clergy at one time
0280 Bring in to any of your ancestors.
KING HENRY
0281 We must not only arm t’ invade the French,
0282 But lay down our proportions to defend
0283 Against the Scot, who will make road upon us
0284 145 With all advantages.
BISHOP OF CANTERBURY
0285 They of those marches, gracious sovereign,
0286 Shall be a wall sufficient to defend
0287 Our inland from the pilfering borderers.
KING HENRY
0288 We do not mean the coursing snatchers only,
0289 150 But fear the main intendment of the Scot,
0290 Who hath been still a giddy neighbor to us.
0291 For you shall read that my great-grandfather
0292 Never went with his forces into France
0293 But that the Scot on his unfurnished kingdom
0294 155 Came pouring like the tide into a breach
0295 With ample and brim fullness of his force,
0296 Galling the gleanèd land with hot assays,
0297 Girding with grievous siege castles and towns,
0298 That England, being empty of defense,
0299 160 Hath shook and trembled at th’ ill neighborhood.
BISHOP OF CANTERBURY
0300 She hath been then more feared than harmed, my
0301 liege,
0302 For hear her but exampled by herself:
0303 When all her chivalry hath been in France
0305 She hath herself not only well defended
0306 But taken and impounded as a stray
0307 The King of Scots, whom she did send to France
0308 To fill King Edward’s fame with prisoner kings
0309 170 And make ⌜her⌝ chronicle as rich with praise
0310 As is the ooze and bottom of the sea
0311 With sunken wrack and sumless treasuries.
BISHOP OF ELY
0312 But there’s a saying very old and true:
0313 “If that you will France win,
0314 175 Then with Scotland first begin.”
0315 For once the eagle England being in prey,
0316 To her unguarded nest the weasel Scot
0317 Comes sneaking and so sucks her princely eggs,
0318 Playing the mouse in absence of the cat,
0319 180 To ’tame and havoc more than she can eat.
EXETER
0320 It follows, then, the cat must stay at home.
0321 Yet that is but a crushed necessity,
0322 Since we have locks to safeguard necessaries
0323 And pretty traps to catch the petty thieves.
0324 185 While that the armèd hand doth fight abroad,
0325 Th’ advisèd head defends itself at home.
0326 For government, though high and low and lower,
0327 Put into parts, doth keep in one consent,
0328 Congreeing in a full and natural close,
0329 190 Like music.
BISHOP OF CANTERBURY 0330 Therefore doth heaven divide
0331 The state of man in divers functions,
0332 Setting endeavor in continual motion,
0333 To which is fixèd as an aim or butt
0334 195 Obedience; for so work the honeybees,
0335 Creatures that by a rule in nature teach
0336 The act of order to a peopled kingdom.
0338 Where some like magistrates correct at home,
0339 200 Others like merchants venture trade abroad,
0340 Others like soldiers armèd in their stings
0341 Make boot upon the summer’s velvet buds,
0342 Which pillage they with merry march bring home
0343 To the tent royal of their emperor,
0344 205 Who, busied in his ⌜majesty,⌝ surveys
0345 The singing masons building roofs of gold,
0346 The civil citizens kneading up the honey,
0347 The poor mechanic porters crowding in
0348 Their heavy burdens at his narrow gate,
0349 210 The sad-eyed justice with his surly hum
0350 Delivering o’er to executors pale
0351 The lazy yawning drone. I this infer:
0352 That many things, having full reference
0353 To one consent, may work contrariously,
0354 215 As many arrows loosèd several ways
0355 Come to one mark, as many ways meet in one town,
0356 As many fresh streams meet in one salt sea,
0357 As many lines close in the dial’s center,
0358 So may a thousand actions, once afoot,
0359 220 ⌜End⌝ in one purpose and be all well borne
0360 Without defeat. Therefore to France, my liege!
0361 Divide your happy England into four,
0362 Whereof take you one quarter into France,
0363 And you withal shall make all Gallia shake.
0364 225 If we, with thrice such powers left at home,
0365 Cannot defend our own doors from the dog,
0366 Let us be worried, and our nation lose
0367 The name of hardiness and policy.
KING HENRY
0368 Call in the messengers sent from the Dauphin.
⌜Attendants exit.⌝
0369 230 Now are we well resolved, and by God’s help
0370 And yours, the noble sinews of our power,
0372 Or break it all to pieces. Or there we’ll sit,
0373 Ruling in large and ample empery
0374 235 O’er France and all her almost kingly dukedoms,
0375 Or lay these bones in an unworthy urn,
0376 Tombless, with no remembrance over them.
0377 Either our history shall with full mouth
0378 Speak freely of our acts, or else our grave,
0379 240 Like Turkish mute, shall have a tongueless mouth,
0380 Not worshiped with a waxen epitaph.
Enter Ambassadors of France, ⌜with Attendants.⌝
0381 Now are we well prepared to know the pleasure
0382 Of our fair cousin Dauphin, for we hear
0383 Your greeting is from him, not from the King.
AMBASSADOR
0384 245 May ’t please your Majesty to give us leave
0385 Freely to render what we have in charge,
0386 Or shall we sparingly show you far off
0387 The Dauphin’s meaning and our embassy?
KING HENRY
0388 We are no tyrant, but a Christian king,
0389 250 Unto whose grace our passion is as subject
0390 As is our wretches fettered in our prisons.
0391 Therefore with frank and with uncurbèd plainness
0392 Tell us the Dauphin’s mind.
AMBASSADOR 0393 Thus, then, in few:
0394 255 Your Highness, lately sending into France,
0395 Did claim some certain dukedoms in the right
0396 Of your great predecessor, King Edward the Third;
0397 In answer of which claim, the Prince our master
0398 Says that you savor too much of your youth
0399 260 And bids you be advised there’s naught in France
0400 That can be with a nimble galliard won;
0401 You cannot revel into dukedoms there.
0402 He therefore sends you, meeter for your spirit,
0404 265 Desires you let the dukedoms that you claim
0405 Hear no more of you. This the Dauphin speaks.
KING HENRY
0406 What treasure, uncle?
EXETER 0407 Tennis balls,
0408 my liege.
KING HENRY
0409 270 We are glad the Dauphin is so pleasant with us.
0410 His present and your pains we thank you for.
0411 When we have matched our rackets to these balls,
0412 We will in France, by God’s grace, play a set
0413 Shall strike his father’s crown into the hazard.
0414 275 Tell him he hath made a match with such a
0415 wrangler
0416 That all the courts of France will be disturbed
0417 With chases. And we understand him well,
0418 How he comes o’er us with our wilder days,
0419 280 Not measuring what use we made of them.
0420 We never valued this poor seat of England,
0421 And therefore, living hence, did give ourself
0422 To barbarous license, as ’tis ever common
0423 That men are merriest when they are from home.
0424 285 But tell the Dauphin I will keep my state,
0425 Be like a king, and show my sail of greatness
0426 When I do rouse me in my throne of France,
0427 For that I have laid by my majesty
0428 And plodded like a man for working days;
0429 290 But I will rise there with so full a glory
0430 That I will dazzle all the eyes of France,
0431 Yea, strike the Dauphin blind to look on us.
0432 And tell the pleasant prince this mock of his
0433 Hath turned his balls to gun-stones, and his soul
0434 295 Shall stand sore chargèd for the wasteful vengeance
0435 That shall fly with them; for many a thousand
0436 widows
0437 Shall this his mock mock out of their dear husbands,
0439 300 And some are yet ungotten and unborn
0440 That shall have cause to curse the Dauphin’s scorn.
0441 But this lies all within the will of God,
0442 To whom I do appeal, and in whose name
0443 Tell you the Dauphin I am coming on,
0444 305 To venge me as I may and to put forth
0445 My rightful hand in a well-hallowed cause.
0446 So get you hence in peace. And tell the Dauphin
0447 His jest will savor but of shallow wit
0448 When thousands weep more than did laugh at it.—
0449 310 Convey them with safe conduct.—Fare you well.
Ambassadors exit, ⌜with Attendants.⌝
EXETER 0450 This was a merry message.
KING HENRY
0451 We hope to make the sender blush at it.
0452 Therefore, my lords, omit no happy hour
0453 That may give furth’rance to our expedition;
0454 315 For we have now no thought in us but France,
0455 Save those to God, that run before our business.
0456 Therefore let our proportions for these wars
0457 Be soon collected, and all things thought upon
0458 That may with reasonable swiftness add
0459 320 More feathers to our wings. For, God before,
0460 We’ll chide this Dauphin at his father’s door.
0461 Therefore let every man now task his thought,
0462 That this fair action may on foot be brought.
Flourish. They exit.
Enter Chorus.
⌜CHORUS⌝
0463 Now all the youth of England are on fire,
0464 And silken dalliance in the wardrobe lies;
0465 Now thrive the armorers, and honor’s thought
0466 Reigns solely in the breast of every man.
0467 5 They sell the pasture now to buy the horse,
0468 Following the mirror of all Christian kings
0469 With wingèd heels, as English Mercurys.
0470 For now sits Expectation in the air
0471 And hides a sword, from hilts unto the point,
0472 10 With crowns imperial, crowns, and coronets
0473 Promised to Harry and his followers.
0474 The French, advised by good intelligence
0475 Of this most dreadful preparation,
0476 Shake in their fear, and with pale policy
0477 15 Seek to divert the English purposes.
0478 O England, model to thy inward greatness,
0479 Like little body with a mighty heart,
0480 What might’st thou do, that honor would thee do,
0481 Were all thy children kind and natural!
0482 20 But see, thy fault France hath in thee found out,
0483 A nest of hollow bosoms, which he fills
0484 With treacherous crowns, and three corrupted men—
0485 One, Richard, Earl of Cambridge, and the second,
0487 25 Sir Thomas Grey, knight, of Northumberland—
0488 Have, for the gilt of France (O guilt indeed!),
0489 Confirmed conspiracy with fearful France,
0490 And by their hands this grace of kings must die,
0491 If hell and treason hold their promises,
0492 30 Ere he take ship for France, and in Southampton.
0493 Linger your patience on, and we’ll digest
0494 Th’ abuse of distance, force a play.
0495 The sum is paid, the traitors are agreed,
0496 The King is set from London, and the scene
0497 35 Is now transported, gentles, to Southampton.
0498 There is the playhouse now, there must you sit,
0499 And thence to France shall we convey you safe
0500 And bring you back, charming the narrow seas
0501 To give you gentle pass; for, if we may,
0502 40 We’ll not offend one stomach with our play.
0503 But, till the King come forth, and not till then,
0504 Unto Southampton do we shift our scene.
He exits.
BARDOLPH 0505 Well met, Corporal Nym.
NYM 0506 Good morrow, Lieutenant Bardolph.
BARDOLPH 0507 What, are Ancient Pistol and you friends
0508 yet?
NYM 0509 5For my part, I care not. I say little, but when time
0510 shall serve, there shall be smiles; but that shall be as
0511 it may. I dare not fight, but I will wink and hold out
0512 mine iron. It is a simple one, but what though? It
0513 will toast cheese, and it will endure cold as another
0514 10 man’s sword will, and there’s an end.
BARDOLPH 0515 I will bestow a breakfast to make you
0517 France. Let ’t be so, good Corporal Nym.
NYM 0518 Faith, I will live so long as I may, that’s the
0519 15 certain of it; and when I cannot live any longer, I
0520 will do as I may. That is my rest, that is the
0521 rendezvous of it.
BARDOLPH 0522 It is certain, corporal, that he is married to
0523 Nell Quickly, and certainly she did you wrong, for
0524 20 you were troth-plight to her.
NYM 0525 I cannot tell. Things must be as they may. Men
0526 may sleep, and they may have their throats about
0527 them at that time, and some say knives have edges.
0528 It must be as it may. Though patience be a tired
0529 25 ⌜mare,⌝ yet she will plod. There must be conclusions.
0530 Well, I cannot tell.
Enter Pistol and ⌜Hostess⌝ Quickly.
BARDOLPH 0531 Here comes Ancient Pistol and his wife.
0532 Good corporal, be patient here.—How now, mine
0533 host Pistol?
PISTOL 0534 30Base tyke, call’st thou me host? Now, by this
0535 hand, I swear I scorn the term, nor shall my Nell
0536 keep lodgers.
HOSTESS 0537 No, by my troth, not long; for we cannot
0538 lodge and board a dozen or fourteen gentlewomen
0539 35 that live honestly by the prick of their needles but it
0540 will be thought we keep a bawdy house straight.
⌜Nym and Pistol draw their swords.⌝
0541 O well-a-day, Lady! If he be not hewn now, we shall
0542 see willful adultery and murder committed.
BARDOLPH 0543 Good lieutenant, good corporal, offer nothing
0544 40 here.
NYM 0545 Pish!
PISTOL 0546 Pish for thee, Iceland dog, thou prick-eared
0547 cur of Iceland!
0549 45 up your sword.
NYM 0550 Will you shog off? ⌜To Pistol.⌝ I would have you
0551 solus.
PISTOL 0552 “Solus,” egregious dog? O viper vile, the solus
0553 in thy most marvelous face, the solus in thy teeth
0554 50 and in thy throat and in thy hateful lungs, yea, in thy
0555 maw, perdy, and, which is worse, within thy nasty
0556 mouth! I do retort the solus in thy bowels, for I can
0557 take, and Pistol’s cock is up, and flashing fire will
0558 follow.
NYM 0559 55I am not Barbason, you cannot conjure me. I
0560 have an humor to knock you indifferently well. If
0561 you grow foul with me, Pistol, I will scour you with
0562 my rapier, as I may, in fair terms. If you would walk
0563 off, I would prick your guts a little in good terms, as
0564 60 I may, and that’s the humor of it.
PISTOL
0565 O braggart vile and damnèd furious wight,
0566 The grave doth gape, and doting death is near.
0567 Therefore exhale.
BARDOLPH 0568 Hear me, hear me what I say: he that strikes
0569 65 the first stroke, I’ll run him up to the hilts, as I am a
0570 soldier.⌜He draws.⌝
PISTOL 0571 An oath of mickle might, and fury shall abate.
⌜Pistol and Nym and then Bardolph
sheathe their swords.⌝
0572 Give me thy fist, thy forefoot to me give. Thy spirits
0573 are most tall.
NYM, ⌜to Pistol⌝ 0574 70I will cut thy throat one time or other
0575 in fair terms, that is the humor of it.
PISTOL 0576 Couple à gorge, that is the word. I defy thee
0577 again. O hound of Crete, think’st thou my spouse to
0578 get? No, to the spital go, and from the powd’ring tub
0579 75 of infamy fetch forth the lazar kite of Cressid’s kind,
0580 Doll Tearsheet she by name, and her espouse. I
0582 only she: and pauca, there’s enough too! Go to.
Enter the Boy.
BOY 0583 Mine host Pistol, you must come to my master,
0584 80 and your hostess. He is very sick and would to
0585 bed.—Good Bardolph, put thy face between his
0586 sheets, and do the office of a warming-pan. Faith,
0587 he’s very ill.
BARDOLPH 0588 Away, you rogue!
HOSTESS 0589 85By my troth, he’ll yield the crow a pudding
0590 one of these days. The King has killed his heart.
0591 Good husband, come home presently.
She exits ⌜with the Boy.⌝
BARDOLPH 0592 Come, shall I make you two friends? We
0593 must to France together. Why the devil should we
0594 90 keep knives to cut one another’s throats?
PISTOL
0595 Let floods o’erswell and fiends for food howl on!
NYM 0596 You’ll pay me the eight shillings I won of you at
0597 betting?
PISTOL 0598 Base is the slave that pays.
NYM 0599 95That now I will have, that’s the humor of it.
PISTOL 0600 As manhood shall compound. Push home.
⌜They⌝ draw.
BARDOLPH, ⌜drawing his sword⌝ 0601 By this sword, he that
0602 makes the first thrust, I’ll kill him. By this sword, I
0603 will.
PISTOL, ⌜sheathing his sword⌝ 0604 100“Sword” is an oath, and
0605 oaths must have their course.
BARDOLPH 0606 Corporal Nym, an thou wilt be friends, be
0607 friends; an thou wilt not, why then be enemies with
0608 me too. Prithee, put up.
PISTOL, ⌜to Nym⌝ 0609 105A noble shalt thou have, and present
0610 pay, and liquor likewise will I give to thee, and
0612 by Nym, and Nym shall live by me. Is not this just?
0613 For I shall sutler be unto the camp, and profits will
0614 110 accrue. Give me thy hand.
NYM 0615 I shall have my noble?
PISTOL 0616 In cash, most justly paid.
NYM 0617 Well, then, ⌜that’s⌝ the humor of ’t.
⌜Nym and Bardolph sheathe their swords.⌝
Enter Hostess.
HOSTESS 0618 As ever you come of women, come in quickly
0619 115 to Sir John. Ah, poor heart, he is so shaked of a
0620 burning quotidian-tertian that it is most lamentable
0621 to behold. Sweet men, come to him.
NYM 0622 The King hath run bad humors on the knight,
0623 that’s the even of it.
PISTOL 0624 120Nym, thou hast spoke the right. His heart is
0625 fracted and corroborate.
NYM 0626 The King is a good king, but it must be as it may;
0627 he passes some humors and careers.
PISTOL 0628 Let us condole the knight, for, lambkins, we
0629 125 will live.
They exit.
BEDFORD
0630 ’Fore God, his Grace is bold to trust these traitors.
EXETER
0631 They shall be apprehended by and by.
WESTMORELAND
0632 How smooth and even they do bear themselves,
0633 As if allegiance in their bosoms sat
0634 5 Crownèd with faith and constant loyalty.
0635 The King hath note of all that they intend,
0636 By interception which they dream not of.
EXETER
0637 Nay, but the man that was his bedfellow,
0638 Whom he hath dulled and cloyed with gracious
0639 10 favors—
0640 That he should, for a foreign purse, so sell
0641 His sovereign’s life to death and treachery!
Sound Trumpets. Enter the King ⌜of England,⌝
Scroop, Cambridge, and Grey, ⌜with Attendants.⌝
KING HENRY
0642 Now sits the wind fair, and we will aboard.—
0643 My Lord of Cambridge, and my kind Lord of
0644 15 Masham,
0645 And you, my gentle knight, give me your thoughts.
0646 Think you not that the powers we bear with us
0647 Will cut their passage through the force of France,
0648 Doing the execution and the act
0649 20 For which we have in head assembled them?
SCROOP
0650 No doubt, my liege, if each man do his best.
KING HENRY
0651 I doubt not that, since we are well persuaded
0652 We carry not a heart with us from hence
0653 That grows not in a fair consent with ours,
0654 25 Nor leave not one behind that doth not wish
0655 Success and conquest to attend on us.
CAMBRIDGE
0656 Never was monarch better feared and loved
0657 Than is your Majesty. There’s not, I think, a subject
0658 That sits in heart-grief and uneasiness
0659 30 Under the sweet shade of your government.
⌜GREY⌝
0660 True. Those that were your father’s enemies
0662 With hearts create of duty and of zeal.
KING HENRY
0663 We therefore have great cause of thankfulness,
0664 35 And shall forget the office of our hand
0665 Sooner than quittance of desert and merit
0666 According to the weight and worthiness.
SCROOP
0667 So service shall with steelèd sinews toil,
0668 And labor shall refresh itself with hope
0669 40 To do your Grace incessant services.
KING HENRY
0670 We judge no less.—Uncle of Exeter,
0671 Enlarge the man committed yesterday
0672 That railed against our person. We consider
0673 It was excess of wine that set him on,
0674 45 And on his more advice we pardon him.
SCROOP
0675 That’s mercy, but too much security.
0676 Let him be punished, sovereign, lest example
0677 Breed, by his sufferance, more of such a kind.
KING HENRY 0678 O, let us yet be merciful.
CAMBRIDGE
0679 50 So may your Highness, and yet punish too.
GREY
0680 Sir, you show great mercy if you give him life
0681 After the taste of much correction.
KING HENRY
0682 Alas, your too much love and care of me
0683 Are heavy orisons ’gainst this poor wretch.
0684 55 If little faults proceeding on distemper
0685 Shall not be winked at, how shall we stretch our eye
0686 When capital crimes, chewed, swallowed, and
0687 digested,
0688 Appear before us? We’ll yet enlarge that man,
0690 care
0691 And tender preservation of our person,
0692 Would have him punished. And now to our French
0693 causes.
0694 65 Who are the late commissioners?
CAMBRIDGE 0695 I one, my lord.
0696 Your Highness bade me ask for it today.
SCROOP 0697 So did you me, my liege.
GREY 0698 And I, my royal sovereign.
KING HENRY, ⌜giving them papers⌝
0699 70 Then Richard, Earl of Cambridge, there is yours—
0700 There yours, Lord Scroop of Masham.—And, sir
0701 knight,
0702 Grey of Northumberland, this same is yours.—
0703 Read them, and know I know your worthiness.—
0704 75 My Lord of Westmoreland and uncle Exeter,
0705 We will aboard tonight.—Why how now, gentlemen?
0706 What see you in those papers, that you lose
0707 So much complexion?—Look you, how they change.
0708 Their cheeks are paper.—Why, what read you there
0709 80 That have so cowarded and chased your blood
0710 Out of appearance?
CAMBRIDGE 0711 I do confess my fault,
0712 And do submit me to your Highness’ mercy.
GREY/SCROOP 0713 To which we all appeal.
KING HENRY
0714 85 The mercy that was quick in us but late
0715 By your own counsel is suppressed and killed.
0716 You must not dare, for shame, to talk of mercy,
0717 For your own reasons turn into your bosoms
0718 As dogs upon their masters, worrying you.—
0719 90 See you, my princes and my noble peers,
0720 These English monsters. My Lord of Cambridge
0721 here,
0722 You know how apt our love was to accord
0724 95 Belonging to his honor, and this man
0725 Hath, for a few light crowns, lightly conspired
0726 And sworn unto the practices of France
0727 To kill us here in Hampton; to the which
0728 This knight, no less for bounty bound to us
0729 100 Than Cambridge is, hath likewise sworn.—But O,
0730 What shall I say to thee, Lord Scroop, thou cruel,
0731 Ingrateful, savage, and inhuman creature?
0732 Thou that didst bear the key of all my counsels,
0733 That knew’st the very bottom of my soul,
0734 105 That almost mightst have coined me into gold,
0735 Wouldst thou have practiced on me for thy use—
0736 May it be possible that foreign hire
0737 Could out of thee extract one spark of evil
0738 That might annoy my finger? ’Tis so strange
0739 110 That, though the truth of it stands off as gross
0740 As black and white, my eye will scarcely see it.
0741 Treason and murder ever kept together,
0742 As two yoke-devils sworn to either’s purpose,
0743 Working so grossly in ⌜a⌝ natural cause
0744 115 That admiration did not whoop at them.
0745 But thou, ’gainst all proportion, didst bring in
0746 Wonder to wait on treason and on murder,
0747 And whatsoever cunning fiend it was
0748 That wrought upon thee so preposterously
0749 120 Hath got the voice in hell for excellence.
0750 ⌜All⌝ other devils that suggest by treasons
0751 Do botch and bungle up damnation
0752 With patches, colors, and with forms being fetched
0753 From glist’ring semblances of piety;
0754 125 But he that tempered thee bade thee stand up,
0755 Gave thee no instance why thou shouldst do treason,
0756 Unless to dub thee with the name of traitor.
0757 If that same demon that hath gulled thee thus
0758 Should with his lion gait walk the whole world,
0760 And tell the legions “I can never win
0761 A soul so easy as that Englishman’s.”
0762 O, how hast thou with jealousy infected
0763 The sweetness of affiance! Show men dutiful?
0764 135 Why, so didst thou. Seem they grave and learnèd?
0765 Why, so didst thou. Come they of noble family?
0766 Why, so didst thou. Seem they religious?
0767 Why, so didst thou. Or are they spare in diet,
0768 Free from gross passion or of mirth or anger,
0769 140 Constant in spirit, not swerving with the blood,
0770 Garnished and decked in modest complement,
0771 Not working with the eye without the ear,
0772 And but in purgèd judgment trusting neither?
0773 Such and so finely bolted didst thou seem.
0774 145 And thus thy fall hath left a kind of blot
0775 To ⌜mark the⌝ full-fraught man and best endued
0776 With some suspicion. I will weep for thee,
0777 For this revolt of thine methinks is like
0778 Another fall of man.—Their faults are open.
0779 150 Arrest them to the answer of the law,
0780 And God acquit them of their practices.
EXETER 0781 I arrest thee of high treason, by the name of
0782 Richard, Earl of Cambridge.—
0783 I arrest thee of high treason, by the name of
0784 155 ⌜Henry,⌝ Lord Scroop of Masham.—
0785 I arrest thee of high treason, by the name of
0786 Thomas Grey, knight, of Northumberland.
SCROOP
0787 Our purposes God justly hath discovered,
0788 And I repent my fault more than my death,
0789 160 Which I beseech your Highness to forgive,
0790 Although my body pay the price of it.
CAMBRIDGE
0791 For me, the gold of France did not seduce,
0792 Although I did admit it as a motive
0793 The sooner to effect what I intended;
0795 Which ⌜I⌝ in sufferance heartily will rejoice,
0796 Beseeching God and you to pardon me.
GREY
0797 Never did faithful subject more rejoice
0798 At the discovery of most dangerous treason
0799 170 Than I do at this hour joy o’er myself,
0800 Prevented from a damnèd enterprise.
0801 My fault, but not my body, pardon, sovereign.
KING HENRY
0802 God quit you in His mercy. Hear your sentence:
0803 You have conspired against our royal person,
0804 175 Joined with an enemy proclaimed, and from his
0805 coffers
0806 Received the golden earnest of our death,
0807 Wherein you would have sold your king to
0808 slaughter,
0809 180 His princes and his peers to servitude,
0810 His subjects to oppression and contempt,
0811 And his whole kingdom into desolation.
0812 Touching our person, seek we no revenge,
0813 But we our kingdom’s safety must so tender,
0814 185 Whose ruin you ⌜have⌝ sought, that to her laws
0815 We do deliver you. Get you therefore hence,
0816 Poor miserable wretches, to your death,
0817 The taste whereof God of His mercy give
0818 You patience to endure, and true repentance
0819 190 Of all your dear offenses.—Bear them hence.
⌜They⌝ exit ⌜under guard.⌝
0820 Now, lords, for France, the enterprise whereof
0821 Shall be to you as us, like glorious.
0822 We doubt not of a fair and lucky war,
0823 Since God so graciously hath brought to light
0824 195 This dangerous treason lurking in our way
0825 To hinder our beginnings. We doubt not now
0827 Then forth, dear countrymen. Let us deliver
0828 Our puissance into the hand of God,
0829 200 Putting it straight in expedition.
0830 Cheerly to sea. The signs of war advance.
0831 No king of England if not king of France.
Flourish. ⌜They exit.⌝
HOSTESS 0832 Prithee, honey-sweet husband, let me bring
0833 thee to Staines.
PISTOL 0834 No; for my manly heart doth earn.—Bardolph,
0835 be blithe.—Nym, rouse thy vaunting veins.— Boy,
0836 5 bristle thy courage up. For Falstaff, he is dead, and
0837 we must earn therefore.
BARDOLPH 0838 Would I were with him, wheresome’er he
0839 is, either in heaven or in hell.
HOSTESS 0840 Nay, sure, he’s not in hell! He’s in Arthur’s
0841 10 bosom, if ever man went to Arthur’s bosom. He
0842 made a finer end, and went away an it had been any
0843 christom child. He parted ev’n just between twelve
0844 and one, ev’n at the turning o’ th’ tide; for after I saw
0845 him fumble with the sheets and play with flowers
0846 15 and smile upon his finger’s end, I knew there was
0847 but one way, for his nose was as sharp as a pen and
0848 he ⌜talked⌝ of green fields. “How now, Sir John?”
0849 quoth I. “What, man, be o’ good cheer!” So he cried
0850 out “God, God, God!” three or four times. Now I, to
0851 20 comfort him, bid him he should not think of God; I
0852 hoped there was no need to trouble himself with
0853 any such thoughts yet. So he bade me lay more
0854 clothes on his feet. I put my hand into the bed and
0855 felt them, and they were as cold as any stone. Then I
0857 all was as cold as any stone.
NYM 0858 They say he cried out of sack.
HOSTESS 0859 Ay, that he did.
BARDOLPH 0860 And of women.
HOSTESS 0861 30Nay, that he did not.
BOY 0862 Yes, that he did, and said they were devils
0863 incarnate.
HOSTESS 0864 He could never abide carnation. ’Twas a
0865 color he never liked.
BOY 0866 35He said once, the devil would have him about
0867 women.
HOSTESS 0868 He did in some sort, indeed, handle women,
0869 but then he was rheumatic and talked of the Whore
0870 of Babylon.
BOY 0871 40Do you not remember he saw a flea stick upon
0872 Bardolph’s nose, and he said it was a black soul
0873 burning in hell?
BARDOLPH 0874 Well, the fuel is gone that maintained that
0875 fire. That’s all the riches I got in his service.
NYM 0876 45Shall we shog? The King will be gone from
0877 Southampton.
PISTOL 0878 Come, let’s away.—My love, give me thy lips.
0879 ⌜They kiss.⌝ Look to my chattels and my movables.
0880 Let senses rule. The ⌜word⌝ is “Pitch and pay.” Trust
0881 50 none, for oaths are straws, men’s faiths are wafer-cakes,
0882 and Holdfast is the only dog, my duck.
0883 Therefore, Caveto be thy counselor. Go, clear thy
0884 crystals.—Yoke-fellows in arms, let us to France,
0885 like horse-leeches, my boys, to suck, to suck, the
0886 55 very blood to suck.
BOY 0887 And that’s but unwholesome food, they say.
PISTOL 0888 Touch her soft mouth, and march.
BARDOLPH, ⌜kissing the Hostess⌝ 0889 Farewell, hostess.
NYM 0890 I cannot kiss, that is the humor of it. But adieu.
0892 close, I thee command.
HOSTESS 0893 Farewell. Adieu.
They exit.
of Berri and Brittany, ⌜the Constable, and others.⌝
KING OF FRANCE
0894 Thus comes the English with full power upon us,
0895 And more than carefully it us concerns
0896 To answer royally in our defenses.
0897 Therefore the Dukes of Berri and of Brittany,
0898 5 Of Brabant and of Orléans, shall make forth,
0899 And you, Prince Dauphin, with all swift dispatch,
0900 To line and new-repair our towns of war
0901 With men of courage and with means defendant.
0902 For England his approaches makes as fierce
0903 10 As waters to the sucking of a gulf.
0904 It fits us then to be as provident
0905 As fear may teach us out of late examples
0906 Left by the fatal and neglected English
0907 Upon our fields.
DAUPHIN 0908 15 My most redoubted father,
0909 It is most meet we arm us ’gainst the foe,
0910 For peace itself should not so dull a kingdom,
0911 Though war nor no known quarrel were in question
0912 But that defenses, musters, preparations
0913 20 Should be maintained, assembled, and collected
0914 As were a war in expectation.
0915 Therefore I say ’tis meet we all go forth
0916 To view the sick and feeble parts of France.
0917 And let us do it with no show of fear,
0918 25 No, with no more than if we heard that England
0920 For, my good liege, she is so idly kinged,
0921 Her scepter so fantastically borne
0922 By a vain, giddy, shallow, humorous youth,
0923 30 That fear attends her not.
CONSTABLE 0924 O peace, Prince Dauphin!
0925 You are too much mistaken in this king.
0926 Question your Grace the late ambassadors
0927 With what great state he heard their embassy,
0928 35 How well supplied with noble councillors,
0929 How modest in exception, and withal
0930 How terrible in constant resolution,
0931 And you shall find his vanities forespent
0932 Were but the outside of the Roman Brutus,
0933 40 Covering discretion with a coat of folly,
0934 As gardeners do with ordure hide those roots
0935 That shall first spring and be most delicate.
DAUPHIN
0936 Well, ’tis not so, my Lord High Constable.
0937 But though we think it so, it is no matter.
0938 45 In cases of defense, ’tis best to weigh
0939 The enemy more mighty than he seems.
0940 So the proportions of defense are filled,
0941 Which of a weak and niggardly projection
0942 Doth, like a miser, spoil his coat with scanting
0943 50 A little cloth.
KING OF FRANCE 0944 Think we King Harry strong,
0945 And, princes, look you strongly arm to meet him.
0946 The kindred of him hath been fleshed upon us,
0947 And he is bred out of that bloody strain
0948 55 That haunted us in our familiar paths.
0949 Witness our too-much-memorable shame
0950 When Cressy battle fatally was struck
0951 And all our princes captived by the hand
0952 Of that black name, Edward, Black Prince of
0953 60 Wales,
0955 Up in the air, crowned with the golden sun,
0956 Saw his heroical seed and smiled to see him
0957 Mangle the work of nature and deface
0958 65 The patterns that by God and by French fathers
0959 Had twenty years been made. This is a stem
0960 Of that victorious stock, and let us fear
0961 The native mightiness and fate of him.
Enter a Messenger.
MESSENGER
0962 Ambassadors from Harry King of England
0963 70 Do crave admittance to your Majesty.
KING OF FRANCE
0964 We’ll give them present audience. Go, and bring
0965 them.⌜Messenger exits.⌝
0966 You see this chase is hotly followed, friends.
DAUPHIN
0967 Turn head and stop pursuit, for coward dogs
0968 75 Most spend their mouths when what they seem to
0969 threaten
0970 Runs far before them. Good my sovereign,
0971 Take up the English short, and let them know
0972 Of what a monarchy you are the head.
0973 80 Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin
0974 As self-neglecting.
Enter Exeter, ⌜with Lords and Attendants.⌝
KING OF FRANCE 0975 From our brother of England?
EXETER
0976 From him, and thus he greets your Majesty:
0977 He wills you, in the name of God almighty,
0978 85 That you divest yourself and lay apart
0979 The borrowed glories that, by gift of heaven,
0980 By law of nature and of nations, ’longs
0981 To him and to his heirs—namely, the crown
0983 90 By custom and the ordinance of times
0984 Unto the crown of France. That you may know
0985 ’Tis no sinister nor no awkward claim
0986 Picked from the wormholes of long-vanished days
0987 Nor from the dust of old oblivion raked,
0988 95 He sends you this most memorable line,
⌜He offers a paper.⌝
0989 In every branch truly demonstrative,
0990 Willing you overlook this pedigree,
0991 And when you find him evenly derived
0992 From his most famed of famous ancestors,
0993 100 Edward the Third, he bids you then resign
0994 Your crown and kingdom, indirectly held
0995 From him, the native and true challenger.
KING OF FRANCE 0996 Or else what follows?
EXETER
0997 Bloody constraint, for if you hide the crown
0998 105 Even in your hearts, there will he rake for it.
0999 Therefore in fierce tempest is he coming,
1000 In thunder and in earthquake like a Jove,
1001 That, if requiring fail, he will compel,
1002 And bids you, in the bowels of the Lord,
1003 110 Deliver up the crown and to take mercy
1004 On the poor souls for whom this hungry war
1005 Opens his vasty jaws, and on your head
1006 Turning the widows’ tears, the orphans’ cries,
1007 The dead men’s blood, the ⌜privèd⌝ maidens’
1008 115 groans,
1009 For husbands, fathers, and betrothèd lovers
1010 That shall be swallowed in this controversy.
1011 This is his claim, his threat’ning, and my message—
1012 Unless the Dauphin be in presence here,
1013 120 To whom expressly I bring greeting too.
KING OF FRANCE
1014 For us, we will consider of this further.
1016 Back to our brother of England.
DAUPHIN, ⌜to Exeter⌝ 1017 For the Dauphin,
1018 125 I stand here for him. What to him from England?
EXETER
1019 Scorn and defiance, slight regard, contempt,
1020 And anything that may not misbecome
1021 The mighty sender, doth he prize you at.
1022 Thus says my king: an if your father’s Highness
1023 130 Do not, in grant of all demands at large,
1024 Sweeten the bitter mock you sent his Majesty,
1025 He’ll call you to so hot an answer of it
1026 That caves and womby vaultages of France
1027 Shall chide your trespass and return your mock
1028 135 In second accent of his ordinance.
DAUPHIN
1029 Say, if my father render fair return,
1030 It is against my will, for I desire
1031 Nothing but odds with England. To that end,
1032 As matching to his youth and vanity,
1033 140 I did present him with the Paris balls.
EXETER
1034 He’ll make your Paris ⌜Louvre⌝ shake for it,
1035 Were it the mistress court of mighty Europe.
1036 And be assured you’ll find a difference,
1037 As we his subjects have in wonder found,
1038 145 Between the promise of his greener days
1039 And these he masters now. Now he weighs time
1040 Even to the utmost grain. That you shall read
1041 In your own losses, if he stay in France.
KING OF FRANCE
1042 Tomorrow shall you know our mind at full.
Flourish.
EXETER
1043 150 Dispatch us with all speed, lest that our king
1045 For he is footed in this land already.
KING OF FRANCE
1046 You shall be soon dispatched with fair conditions.
1047 A night is but small breath and little pause
1048 155 To answer matters of this consequence.
Flourish. They exit.
Enter Chorus.
⌜CHORUS⌝
1049 Thus with imagined wing our swift scene flies
1050 In motion of no less celerity
1051 Than that of thought. Suppose that you have seen
1052 The well-appointed king at Dover pier
1053 5 Embark his royalty, and his brave fleet
1054 With silken streamers the young Phoebus
1055 ⌜fanning.⌝
1056 Play with your fancies and in them behold,
1057 Upon the hempen tackle, shipboys climbing.
1058 10 Hear the shrill whistle, which doth order give
1059 To sounds confused. Behold the threaden sails,
1060 Borne with th’ invisible and creeping wind,
1061 Draw the huge bottoms through the furrowed sea,
1062 Breasting the lofty surge. O, do but think
1063 15 You stand upon the rivage and behold
1064 A city on th’ inconstant billows dancing,
1065 For so appears this fleet majestical,
1066 Holding due course to Harfleur. Follow, follow!
1067 Grapple your minds to sternage of this navy,
1068 20 And leave your England, as dead midnight still,
1069 Guarded with grandsires, babies, and old women,
1070 Either past or not arrived to pith and puissance,
1071 For who is he whose chin is but enriched
1072 With one appearing hair that will not follow
1074 Work, work your thoughts, and therein see a siege;
1075 Behold the ordnance on their carriages,
1076 With fatal mouths gaping on girded Harfleur.
1077 Suppose th’ Ambassador from the French comes
1078 30 back,
1079 Tells Harry that the King doth offer him
1080 Katherine his daughter and with her, to dowry,
1081 Some petty and unprofitable dukedoms.
1082 The offer likes not, and the nimble gunner
1083 35 With linstock now the devilish cannon touches,
Alarum, and chambers go off.
1084 And down goes all before them. Still be kind,
1085 And eke out our performance with your mind.
He exits.
Gloucester. Alarum. ⌜Enter Soldiers with⌝ scaling
ladders at Harfleur.
KING HENRY
1086 Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once
1087 more,
1088 Or close the wall up with our English dead!
1089 In peace there’s nothing so becomes a man
1090 5 As modest stillness and humility,
1091 But when the blast of war blows in our ears,
1092 Then imitate the action of the tiger:
1093 Stiffen the sinews, ⌜summon⌝ up the blood,
1094 Disguise fair nature with hard-favored rage,
1095 10 Then lend the eye a terrible aspect,
1096 Let it pry through the portage of the head
1097 Like the brass cannon, let the brow o’erwhelm it
1098 As fearfully as doth a gallèd rock
1100 15 Swilled with the wild and wasteful ocean.
1101 Now set the teeth, and stretch the nostril wide,
1102 Hold hard the breath, and bend up every spirit
1103 To his full height. On, on, you ⌜noblest⌝ English,
1104 Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof,
1105 20 Fathers that, like so many Alexanders,
1106 Have in these parts from morn till even fought,
1107 And sheathed their swords for lack of argument.
1108 Dishonor not your mothers. Now attest
1109 That those whom you called fathers did beget you.
1110 25 Be copy now to ⌜men⌝ of grosser blood
1111 And teach them how to war. And you, good
1112 yeomen,
1113 Whose limbs were made in England, show us here
1114 The mettle of your pasture. Let us swear
1115 30 That you are worth your breeding, which I doubt
1116 not,
1117 For there is none of you so mean and base
1118 That hath not noble luster in your eyes.
1119 I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,
1120 35 ⌜Straining⌝ upon the start. The game’s afoot.
1121 Follow your spirit, and upon this charge
1122 Cry “God for Harry, England, and Saint George!”
Alarum, and chambers go off.
⌜They exit.⌝
BARDOLPH 1123 On, on, on, on, on! To the breach, to the
1124 breach!
NYM 1125 Pray thee, corporal, stay. The knocks are too hot,
1126 and, for mine own part, I have not a case of lives.
1127 5 The humor of it is too hot; that is the very plainsong
1128 of it.
1130 abound.
1131 Knocks go and come. God’s vassals drop and die,
⌜Sings⌝ 1132 10 And sword and shield,
1133 In bloody field,
1134 Doth win immortal fame.
BOY 1135 Would I were in an alehouse in London! I would
1136 give all my fame for a pot of ale, and safety.
PISTOL 1137 15And I.
⌜Sings⌝ 1138 If wishes would prevail with me,
1139 My purpose should not fail with me,
1140 But thither would I hie.
BOY ⌜sings⌝ 1141 As duly,
1142 20 But not as truly,
1143 As bird doth sing on bough.
Enter Fluellen.
FLUELLEN
1144 Up to the breach, you dogs! Avaunt, you cullions!
PISTOL 1145 Be merciful, great duke, to men of mold. Abate
1146 thy rage, abate thy manly rage, abate thy rage, great
1147 25 duke. Good bawcock, ’bate thy rage. Use lenity,
1148 sweet chuck.
NYM, ⌜to Fluellen⌝ 1149 These be good humors. Your Honor
1150 wins bad humors.
⌜All but the Boy⌝ exit.
BOY 1151 As young as I am, I have observed these three
1152 30 swashers. I am boy to them all three, but all they
1153 three, though they would serve me, could not be
1154 man to me. For indeed three such antics do not
1155 amount to a man: for Bardolph, he is white-livered
1156 and red-faced, by the means whereof he faces it out
1157 35 but fights not; for Pistol, he hath a killing tongue
1158 and a quiet sword, by the means whereof he breaks
1159 words and keeps whole weapons; for Nym, he hath
1160 heard that men of few words are the best men, and
1162 40 be thought a coward, but his few bad words are
1163 matched with as few good deeds, for he never broke
1164 any man’s head but his own, and that was against a
1165 post when he was drunk. They will steal anything
1166 and call it purchase. Bardolph stole a lute case, bore
1167 45 it twelve leagues, and sold it for three halfpence.
1168 Nym and Bardolph are sworn brothers in filching,
1169 and in Calais they stole a fire shovel. I knew by that
1170 piece of service the men would carry coals. They
1171 would have me as familiar with men’s pockets as
1172 50 their gloves or their handkerchers, which makes
1173 much against my manhood, if I should take from
1174 another’s pocket to put into mine, for it is plain
1175 pocketing up of wrongs. I must leave them and seek
1176 some better service. Their villainy goes against my
1177 55 weak stomach, and therefore I must cast it up.
He exits.
Enter ⌜Fluellen and⌝ Gower.
GOWER 1178 Captain Fluellen, you must come presently to
1179 the mines; the Duke of Gloucester would speak
1180 with you.
FLUELLEN 1181 To the mines? Tell you the Duke it is not so
1182 60 good to come to the mines, for, look you, the mines
1183 is not according to the disciplines of the war. The
1184 concavities of it is not sufficient, for, look you, th’
1185 athversary, you may discuss unto the Duke, look
1186 you, is digt himself four yard under the countermines.
1187 65 By Cheshu, I think he will plow up all if
1188 there is not better directions.
GOWER 1189 The Duke of Gloucester, to whom the order of
1190 the siege is given, is altogether directed by an
1191 Irishman, a very valiant gentleman, i’ faith.
FLUELLEN 1192 70It is Captain Macmorris, is it not?
GOWER 1193 I think it be.
1195 will verify as much in his beard. He has no more
1196 directions in the true disciplines of the wars, look
1197 75 you, of the Roman disciplines, than is a puppy dog.
Enter ⌜Captain⌝ Macmorris, and Captain Jamy.
GOWER 1198 Here he comes, and the Scots captain, Captain
1199 Jamy, with him.
FLUELLEN 1200 Captain Jamy is a marvelous falorous gentleman,
1201 that is certain, and of great expedition and
1202 80 knowledge in th’ aunchient wars, upon my particular
1203 knowledge of his directions. By Cheshu, he will
1204 maintain his argument as well as any military man
1205 in the world in the disciplines of the pristine wars
1206 of the Romans.
JAMY 1207 85I say gudday, Captain Fluellen.
FLUELLEN 1208 Godden to your Worship, good Captain
1209 James.
GOWER 1210 How now, Captain Macmorris, have you quit
1211 the mines? Have the pioners given o’er?
MACMORRIS 1212 90By Chrish, la, ’tish ill done. The work ish
1213 give over. The trompet sound the retreat. By my
1214 hand I swear, and my father’s soul, the work ish ill
1215 done. It ish give over. I would have blowed up the
1216 town, so Chrish save me, la, in an hour. O, ’tish ill
1217 95 done, ’tish ill done, by my hand, ’tish ill done.
FLUELLEN 1218 Captain Macmorris, I beseech you now,
1219 will you voutsafe me, look you, a few disputations
1220 with you as partly touching or concerning the
1221 disciplines of the war, the Roman wars? In the way
1222 100 of argument, look you, and friendly communication,
1223 partly to satisfy my opinion, and partly for the
1224 satisfaction, look you, of my mind, as touching the
1225 direction of the military discipline, that is the point.
JAMY 1226 It sall be vary gud, gud feith, gud captens bath,
1228 occasion, that sall I, marry.
MACMORRIS 1229 It is no time to discourse, so Chrish save
1230 me. The day is hot, and the weather, and the wars,
1231 and the King, and the dukes. It is no time to
1232 110 discourse. The town is beseeched. An the trumpet
1233 call us to the breach and we talk and, be Chrish, do
1234 nothing, ’tis shame for us all. So God sa’ me, ’tis
1235 shame to stand still. It is shame, by my hand. And
1236 there is throats to be cut, and works to be done,
1237 115 and there ish nothing done, so Christ sa’ me, la.
JAMY 1238 By the Mess, ere theise eyes of mine take themselves
1239 to slomber, ay’ll de gud service, or I’ll lig i’
1240 th’ grund for it, ay, or go to death. And I’ll pay ’t as
1241 valorously as I may, that sall I suerly do, that is the
1242 120 breff and the long. Marry, I wad full fain heard
1243 some question ’tween you tway.
FLUELLEN 1244 Captain Macmorris, I think, look you, under
1245 your correction, there is not many of your
1246 nation—
MACMORRIS 1247 125Of my nation? What ish my nation? Ish a
1248 villain and a basterd and a knave and a rascal. What
1249 ish my nation? Who talks of my nation?
FLUELLEN 1250 Look you, if you take the matter otherwise
1251 than is meant, Captain Macmorris, peradventure I
1252 130 shall think you do not use me with that affability as,
1253 in discretion, you ought to use me, look you, being
1254 as good a man as yourself, both in the disciplines of
1255 war and in the derivation of my birth, and in other
1256 particularities.
MACMORRIS 1257 135I do not know you so good a man as
1258 myself. So Chrish save me, I will cut off your head.
GOWER 1259 Gentlemen both, you will mistake each other.
JAMY 1260 Ah, that’s a foul fault.
A parley ⌜sounds.⌝
GOWER 1261 The town sounds a parley.
1263 better opportunity to be required, look you, I will
1264 be so bold as to tell you I know the disciplines of
1265 war, and there is an end.
⌜They⌝ exit.
before the gates.
KING HENRY, ⌜to the men of Harfleur⌝
1266 How yet resolves the Governor of the town?
1267 This is the latest parle we will admit.
1268 Therefore to our best mercy give yourselves
1269 Or, like to men proud of destruction,
1270 5 Defy us to our worst. For, as I am a soldier,
1271 A name that in my thoughts becomes me best,
1272 If I begin the batt’ry once again,
1273 I will not leave the half-achieved Harfleur
1274 Till in her ashes she lie burièd.
1275 10 The gates of mercy shall be all shut up,
1276 And the fleshed soldier, rough and hard of heart,
1277 In liberty of bloody hand, shall range
1278 With conscience wide as hell, mowing like grass
1279 Your fresh fair virgins and your flow’ring infants.
1280 15 What is it then to me if impious war,
1281 Arrayed in flames like to the prince of fiends,
1282 Do with his smirched complexion all fell feats
1283 Enlinked to waste and desolation?
1284 What is ’t to me, when you yourselves are cause,
1285 20 If your pure maidens fall into the hand
1286 Of hot and forcing violation?
1287 What rein can hold licentious wickedness
1288 When down the hill he holds his fierce career?
1289 We may as bootless spend our vain command
1291 As send precepts to the Leviathan
1292 To come ashore. Therefore, you men of Harfleur,
1293 Take pity of your town and of your people
1294 Whiles yet my soldiers are in my command,
1295 30 Whiles yet the cool and temperate wind of grace
1296 O’erblows the filthy and contagious clouds
1297 Of ⌜heady⌝ murder, spoil, and villainy.
1298 If not, why, in a moment look to see
1299 The blind and bloody soldier with foul hand
1300 35 Desire the locks of your shrill-shrieking daughters,
1301 Your fathers taken by the silver beards
1302 And their most reverend heads dashed to the walls,
1303 Your naked infants spitted upon pikes
1304 Whiles the mad mothers with their howls confused
1305 40 Do break the clouds, as did the wives of Jewry
1306 At Herod’s bloody-hunting slaughtermen.
1307 What say you? Will you yield and this avoid
1308 Or, guilty in defense, be thus destroyed?
Enter Governor.
GOVERNOR
1309 Our expectation hath this day an end.
1310 45 The Dauphin, whom of succors we entreated,
1311 Returns us that his powers are yet not ready
1312 To raise so great a siege. Therefore, great king,
1313 We yield our town and lives to thy soft mercy.
1314 Enter our gates, dispose of us and ours,
1315 50 For we no longer are defensible.
KING HENRY
1316 Open your gates.⌜Governor exits.⌝
1317 Come, uncle Exeter,
1318 Go you and enter Harfleur. There remain,
1319 And fortify it strongly ’gainst the French.
1320 55 Use mercy to them all for us, dear uncle.
1322 Upon our soldiers, we will retire to Calais.
1323 Tonight in Harfleur will we be your guest.
1324 Tomorrow for the march are we addressed.
Flourish, and enter the town.
KATHERINE 1325 Alice, tu as été en Angleterre, et tu parles
1326 bien le langage.
ALICE 1327 Un peu, madame.
KATHERINE 1328 Je te prie, m’enseignez. Il faut que j’apprenne
1329 5 à parler. Comment appelez-vous “la main” en
1330 anglais?
ALICE 1331 La main? Elle est appelée “de hand.”
KATHERINE 1332 De hand. Et “les doigts”?
⌜ALICE⌝ 1333 Les doigts? Ma foi, j’oublie les doigts; mais je
1334 10 me souviendrai. Les doigts? Je pense qu’ils sont
1335 appelés “de fingres”; oui, de fingres.
⌜KATHERINE⌝ 1336 La main, de hand. Les doigts, le fingres.
1337 Je pense que je suis le bon écolier. J’ai gagné deux
1338 mots d’anglais vitement. Comment appelez-vous “les
1339 15 ongles”?
ALICE 1340 Les ongles? Nous les appelons “de nailes.”
KATHERINE 1341 De nailes. Écoutez. Dites-moi si je parle
1342 bien: de hand, de fingres, et de nailes.
ALICE 1343 C’est bien dit, madame. Il est fort bon anglais.
KATHERINE 1344 20Dites-moi l’anglais pour “le bras.”
ALICE 1345 “De arme,” madame.
KATHERINE 1346 Et “le coude”?
ALICE 1347 “D’ elbow.”
KATHERINE 1348 D’ elbow. Je m’en fais la répétition de tous
1349 25 les mots que vous m’avez appris dès à présent.
ALICE 1350 Il est trop difficile, madame, comme je pense.
1352 fingre, de nailes, d’ arma, de bilbow.
ALICE 1353 D’ elbow, madame.
KATHERINE 1354 30Ô Seigneur Dieu! Je m’en oublie; d’ elbow.
1355 Comment appelez-vous “le col”?
ALICE 1356 “De nick,” madame.
KATHERINE 1357 De nick. Et “le menton”?
ALICE 1358 “De chin.”
KATHERINE 1359 35De sin. Le col, de nick; le menton, de sin.
ALICE 1360 Oui. Sauf votre honneur, en vérité vous prononcez
1361 les mots aussi droit que les natifs d’Angleterre.
KATHERINE 1362 Je ne doute point d’apprendre, par le grâce
1363 de Dieu, et en peu de temps.
ALICE 1364 40N’avez-vous pas déjà oublié ce que je vous ai
1365 enseigné?
KATHERINE 1366 Non. Je réciterai à vous promptement: d’
1367 hand, de fingre, de mailes—
ALICE 1368 De nailes, madame.
KATHERINE 1369 45De nailes, de arme, de ilbow—
ALICE 1370 Sauf votre honneur, d’ elbow.
KATHERINE 1371 Ainsi dis-je: d’ elbow, de nick, et de sin.
1372 Comment appelez-vous “le pied” et “la robe”?
ALICE 1373 “Le foot,” madame, et “le count.”
KATHERINE 1374 50Le foot, et le count. Ô Seigneur Dieu! Ils
1375 sont les mots de son mauvais, corruptible, gros, et
1376 impudique, et non pour les dames d’honneur d’user.
1377 Je ne voudrais prononcer ces mots devant les seigneurs
1378 de France, pour tout le monde. Foh! Le foot et le
1379 55 count! Néanmoins, je réciterai une autre fois ma
1380 leçon ensemble: d’ hand, de fingre, de nailes, d’
1381 arme, d’ elbow, de nick, de sin, de foot, le count.
ALICE 1382 Excellent, madame.
KATHERINE 1383 C’est assez pour une fois. Allons-nous à
1384 60 dîner.
⌜They⌝ exit.
Brittany,⌝ the Constable of France, and others.
KING OF FRANCE
1385 ’Tis certain he hath passed the river Somme.
CONSTABLE
1386 An if he be not fought withal, my lord,
1387 Let us not live in France. Let us quit all,
1388 And give our vineyards to a barbarous people.
DAUPHIN
1389 5 Ô Dieu vivant, shall a few sprays of us,
1390 The emptying of our fathers’ luxury,
1391 Our scions, put in wild and savage stock,
1392 Spurt up so suddenly into the clouds
1393 And overlook their grafters?
BRITTANY
1394 10 Normans, but bastard Normans, Norman bastards!
1395 Mort de ma vie, if they march along
1396 Unfought withal, but I will sell my dukedom
1397 To buy a slobb’ry and a dirty farm
1398 In that nook-shotten isle of Albion.
CONSTABLE
1399 15 Dieu de batailles, where have they this mettle?
1400 Is not their climate foggy, raw, and dull,
1401 On whom, as in despite, the sun looks pale,
1402 Killing their fruit with frowns? Can sodden water,
1403 A drench for sur-reined jades, their barley broth,
1404 20 Decoct their cold blood to such valiant heat?
1405 And shall our quick blood, spirited with wine,
1406 Seem frosty? O, for honor of our land,
1407 Let us not hang like roping icicles
1408 Upon our houses’ thatch, whiles a more frosty
1409 25 people
1410 Sweat drops of gallant youth in our rich fields!
1411 “Poor” we ⌜may⌝ call them in their native lords.
1413 Our madams mock at us and plainly say
1414 30 Our mettle is bred out, and they will give
1415 Their bodies to the lust of English youth
1416 To new-store France with bastard warriors.
BRITTANY
1417 They bid us to the English dancing-schools,
1418 And teach lavoltas high, and swift corantos,
1419 35 Saying our grace is only in our heels
1420 And that we are most lofty runaways.
KING OF FRANCE
1421 Where is Montjoy the herald? Speed him hence.
1422 Let him greet England with our sharp defiance.
1423 Up, princes, and, with spirit of honor edged
1424 40 More sharper than your swords, hie to the field:
1425 Charles Delabreth, High Constable of France;
1426 You Dukes of Orléans, Bourbon, and of Berri,
1427 Alençon, Brabant, Bar, and Burgundy;
1428 Jacques Chatillon, Rambures, ⌜Vaudemont,⌝
1429 45 Beaumont, Grandpré, Roussi, and Faulconbridge,
1430 ⌜Foix,⌝ Lestrale, Bouciquault, and Charolois;
1431 High dukes, great princes, barons, lords, and
1432 ⌜knights,⌝
1433 For your great seats now quit you of great shames.
1434 50 Bar Harry England, that sweeps through our land
1435 With pennons painted in the blood of Harfleur.
1436 Rush on his host, as doth the melted snow
1437 Upon the valleys, whose low vassal seat
1438 The Alps doth spit and void his rheum upon.
1439 55 Go down upon him—you have power enough—
1440 And in a captive chariot into Rouen
1441 Bring him our prisoner.
CONSTABLE 1442 This becomes the great!
1443 Sorry am I his numbers are so few,
1444 60 His soldiers sick and famished in their march,
1445 For, I am sure, when he shall see our army,
1447 And for achievement offer us his ransom.
KING OF FRANCE
1448 Therefore, Lord Constable, haste on Montjoy,
1449 65 And let him say to England that we send
1450 To know what willing ransom he will give.—
1451 Prince Dauphin, you shall stay with us in Rouen.
DAUPHIN
1452 Not so, I do beseech your Majesty.
KING
1453 Be patient, for you shall remain with us.—
1454 70 Now forth, Lord Constable and princes all,
1455 And quickly bring us word of England’s fall.
They exit.
GOWER 1456 How now, Captain Fluellen? Come you from
1457 the bridge?
FLUELLEN 1458 I assure you there is very excellent services
1459 committed at the bridge.
GOWER 1460 5Is the Duke of Exeter safe?
FLUELLEN 1461 The Duke of Exeter is as magnanimous as
1462 Agamemnon, and a man that I love and honor with
1463 my soul and my heart and my duty and my life and
1464 my living and my uttermost power. He is not, God
1465 10 be praised and blessed, any hurt in the world, but
1466 keeps the bridge most valiantly, with excellent
1467 discipline. There is an aunchient lieutenant there at
1468 the pridge; I think in my very conscience he is as
1469 valiant a man as Mark Antony, and he is a man of no
1470 15 estimation in the world, but I did see him do as
1471 gallant service.
GOWER 1472 What do you call him?
GOWER 1474 I know him not.
Enter Pistol.
FLUELLEN 1475 20Here is the man.
PISTOL 1476 Captain, I thee beseech to do me favors. The
1477 Duke of Exeter doth love thee well.
FLUELLEN 1478 Ay, I praise God, and I have merited some
1479 love at his hands.
PISTOL 1480 25Bardolph, a soldier firm and sound of heart and
1481 of buxom valor, hath, by cruel Fate and giddy
1482 Fortune’s furious fickle wheel, that goddess blind,
1483 that stands upon the rolling restless stone—
FLUELLEN 1484 By your patience, Aunchient Pistol, Fortune
1485 30 is painted blind, with a muffler afore ⌜her⌝ eyes, to
1486 signify to you that Fortune is blind; and she is
1487 painted also with a wheel to signify to you, which is
1488 the moral of it, that she is turning and inconstant,
1489 and mutability and variation; and her foot, look you,
1490 35 is fixed upon a spherical stone, which rolls and rolls
1491 and rolls. In good truth, the poet makes a most
1492 excellent description of it. Fortune is an excellent
1493 moral.
PISTOL 1494 Fortune is Bardolph’s foe and frowns on him,
1495 40 for he hath stolen a pax and hangèd must he be. A
1496 damnèd death! Let gallows gape for dog, let man go
1497 free, and let not hemp his windpipe suffocate. But
1498 Exeter hath given the doom of death for pax of little
1499 price. Therefore go speak; the Duke will hear thy
1500 45 voice, and let not Bardolph’s vital thread be cut
1501 with edge of penny cord and vile reproach. Speak,
1502 captain, for his life, and I will thee requite.
FLUELLEN 1503 Aunchient Pistol, I do partly understand
1504 your meaning.
PISTOL 1505 50Why then, rejoice therefore.
FLUELLEN 1506 Certainly, aunchient, it is not a thing to
1508 would desire the Duke to use his good pleasure and
1509 put him to execution, for discipline ought to be
1510 55 used.
PISTOL 1511 Die and be damned, and figo for thy friendship!
FLUELLEN 1512 It is well.
PISTOL 1513 The fig of Spain!He exits.
FLUELLEN 1514 Very good.
GOWER 1515 60Why, this is an arrant counterfeit rascal. I
1516 remember him now, a bawd, a cutpurse.
FLUELLEN 1517 I’ll assure you he uttered as prave words at
1518 the pridge as you shall see in a summer’s day. But it
1519 is very well; what he has spoke to me, that is well, I
1520 65 warrant you, when time is serve.
GOWER 1521 Why, ’tis a gull, a fool, a rogue, that now and
1522 then goes to the wars to grace himself at his return
1523 into London under the form of a soldier; and such
1524 fellows are perfect in the great commanders’
1525 70 names, and they will learn you by rote where
1526 services were done—at such and such a sconce, at
1527 such a breach, at such a convoy; who came off
1528 bravely, who was shot, who disgraced, what terms
1529 the enemy stood on; and this they con perfectly in
1530 75 the phrase of war, which they trick up with new-tuned
1531 oaths; and what a beard of the general’s cut
1532 and a horrid suit of the camp will do among
1533 foaming bottles and ale-washed wits is wonderful to
1534 be thought on. But you must learn to know such
1535 80 slanders of the age, or else you may be marvelously
1536 mistook.
FLUELLEN 1537 I tell you what, Captain Gower. I do perceive
1538 he is not the man that he would gladly make
1539 show to the world he is. If I find a hole in his coat, I
1540 85 will tell him my mind.
poor Soldiers, ⌜and Gloucester.⌝
1541 Hark you, the King is coming, and I must speak
1542 with him from the pridge.—God pless your
1543 Majesty.
KING HENRY 1544 How now, Fluellen, cam’st thou from the
1545 90 bridge?
FLUELLEN 1546 Ay, so please your Majesty. The Duke of
1547 Exeter has very gallantly maintained the pridge.
1548 The French is gone off, look you, and there is gallant
1549 and most prave passages. Marry, th’ athversary was
1550 95 have possession of the pridge, but he is enforced
1551 to retire, and the Duke of Exeter is master of the
1552 pridge. I can tell your Majesty, the Duke is a prave
1553 man.
KING HENRY 1554 What men have you lost, Fluellen?
FLUELLEN 1555 100The perdition of th’ athversary hath been
1556 very great, reasonable great. Marry, for my part, I
1557 think the Duke hath lost never a man but one that is
1558 like to be executed for robbing a church, one
1559 Bardolph, if your Majesty know the man. His face is
1560 105 all bubukles and whelks and knobs and flames o’
1561 fire; and his lips blows at his nose, and it is like a
1562 coal of fire, sometimes plue and sometimes red, but
1563 his nose is executed, and his fire’s out.
KING HENRY 1564 We would have all such offenders so cut
1565 110 off; and we give express charge that in our marches
1566 through the country there be nothing compelled
1567 from the villages, nothing taken but paid for,
1568 none of the French upbraided or abused in disdainful
1569 language; for when ⌜lenity⌝ and cruelty play
1570 115 for a kingdom, the gentler gamester is the soonest
1571 winner.
Tucket. Enter Montjoy.
KING HENRY 1573 Well then, I know thee. What shall I know
1574 of thee?
MONTJOY 1575 120My master’s mind.
KING HENRY 1576 Unfold it.
MONTJOY 1577 Thus says my king: “Say thou to Harry of
1578 England, though we seemed dead, we did but sleep.
1579 Advantage is a better soldier than rashness. Tell him
1580 125 we could have rebuked him at Harfleur, but that we
1581 thought not good to bruise an injury till it were full
1582 ripe. Now we speak upon our cue, and our voice is
1583 imperial. England shall repent his folly, see his
1584 weakness, and admire our sufferance. Bid him
1585 130 therefore consider of his ransom, which must proportion
1586 the losses we have borne, the subjects we
1587 have lost, the disgrace we have digested, which, in
1588 weight to reanswer, his pettiness would bow under.
1589 For our losses, his exchequer is too poor; for th’
1590 135 effusion of our blood, the muster of his kingdom
1591 too faint a number; and for our disgrace, his own
1592 person kneeling at our feet but a weak and worthless
1593 satisfaction. To this, add defiance, and tell him,
1594 for conclusion, he hath betrayed his followers,
1595 140 whose condemnation is pronounced.” So far my
1596 king and master; so much my office.
KING HENRY
1597 What is thy name? I know thy quality.
MONTJOY 1598 Montjoy.
KING HENRY
1599 Thou dost thy office fairly. Turn thee back,
1600 145 And tell thy king I do not seek him now
1601 But could be willing to march on to Calais
1602 Without impeachment, for, to say the sooth,
1603 Though ’tis no wisdom to confess so much
1604 Unto an enemy of craft and vantage,
1605 150 My people are with sickness much enfeebled,
1607 Almost no better than so many French,
1608 Who when they were in health, I tell thee, herald,
1609 I thought upon one pair of English legs
1610 155 Did march three Frenchmen. Yet forgive me, God,
1611 That I do brag thus. This your air of France
1612 Hath blown that vice in me. I must repent.
1613 Go therefore, tell thy master: here I am.
1614 My ransom is this frail and worthless trunk,
1615 160 My army but a weak and sickly guard,
1616 Yet, God before, tell him we will come on
1617 Though France himself and such another neighbor
1618 Stand in our way. There’s for thy labor, Montjoy.
⌜Gives money.⌝
1619 Go bid thy master well advise himself:
1620 165 If we may pass, we will; if we be hindered,
1621 We shall your tawny ground with your red blood
1622 Discolor. And so, Montjoy, fare you well.
1623 The sum of all our answer is but this:
1624 We would not seek a battle as we are,
1625 170 Nor, as we are, we say we will not shun it.
1626 So tell your master.
MONTJOY
1627 I shall deliver so. Thanks to your Highness.
⌜He exits.⌝
GLOUCESTER
1628 I hope they will not come upon us now.
KING HENRY
1629 We are in God’s hand, brother, not in theirs.
1630 175 March to the bridge. It now draws toward night.
1631 Beyond the river we’ll encamp ourselves,
1632 And on tomorrow bid them march away.
They exit.
Orléans, Dauphin, with others.
CONSTABLE 1633 Tut, I have the best armor of the world.
1634 Would it were day!
ORLÉANS 1635 You have an excellent armor, but let my
1636 horse have his due.
CONSTABLE 1637 5It is the best horse of Europe.
ORLÉANS 1638 Will it never be morning?
DAUPHIN 1639 My Lord of Orléans and my Lord High Constable,
1640 you talk of horse and armor?
ORLÉANS 1641 You are as well provided of both as any
1642 10 prince in the world.
DAUPHIN 1643 What a long night is this! I will not change
1644 my horse with any that treads but on four ⌜pasterns.⌝
1645 Çà, ha! He bounds from the earth, as if his
1646 entrails were hairs, le cheval volant, the Pegasus, qui
1647 15 a les narines de feu. When I bestride him, I soar; I
1648 am a hawk; he trots the air. The earth sings when he
1649 touches it. The basest horn of his hoof is more
1650 musical than the pipe of Hermes.
ORLÉANS 1651 He’s of the color of the nutmeg.
DAUPHIN 1652 20And of the heat of the ginger. It is a beast for
1653 Perseus. He is pure air and fire, and the dull
1654 elements of earth and water never appear in him,
1655 but only in patient stillness while his rider mounts
1656 him. He is indeed a horse, and all other jades you
1657 25 may call beasts.
CONSTABLE 1658 Indeed, my lord, it is a most absolute and
1659 excellent horse.
DAUPHIN 1660 It is the prince of palfreys; his neigh is like
1661 the bidding of a monarch, and his countenance
1662 30 enforces homage.
ORLÉANS 1663 No more, cousin.
DAUPHIN 1664 Nay, the man hath no wit that cannot, from
1666 vary deserved praise on my palfrey. It is a theme as
1667 35 fluent as the sea. Turn the sands into eloquent
1668 tongues, and my horse is argument for them all. ’Tis
1669 a subject for a sovereign to reason on, and for a
1670 sovereign’s sovereign to ride on, and for the world,
1671 familiar to us and unknown, to lay apart their
1672 40 particular functions and wonder at him. I once writ
1673 a sonnet in his praise and began thus: “Wonder of
1674 nature—”
ORLÉANS 1675 I have heard a sonnet begin so to one’s
1676 mistress.
DAUPHIN 1677 45Then did they imitate that which I composed
1678 to my courser, for my horse is my mistress.
ORLÉANS 1679 Your mistress bears well.
DAUPHIN 1680 Me well—which is the prescript praise and
1681 perfection of a good and particular mistress.
CONSTABLE 1682 50Nay, for methought yesterday your mistress
1683 shrewdly shook your back.
DAUPHIN 1684 So perhaps did yours.
CONSTABLE 1685 Mine was not bridled.
DAUPHIN 1686 O, then belike she was old and gentle, and
1687 55 you rode like a kern of Ireland, your French hose
1688 off, and in your strait strossers.
CONSTABLE 1689 You have good judgment in horsemanship.
DAUPHIN 1690 Be warned by me, then: they that ride so, and
1691 ride not warily, fall into foul bogs. I had rather have
1692 60 my horse to my mistress.
CONSTABLE 1693 I had as lief have my mistress a jade.
DAUPHIN 1694 I tell thee, constable, my mistress wears his
1695 own hair.
CONSTABLE 1696 I could make as true a boast as that if I had
1697 65 a sow to my mistress.
DAUPHIN 1698 “Le chien est retourné à son propre vomissement,
1699 et la truie lavée au bourbier.” Thou mak’st use
1700 of anything.
1702 70 or any such proverb so little kin to the purpose.
RAMBURES 1703 My Lord Constable, the armor that I saw in
1704 your tent tonight, are those stars or suns upon it?
CONSTABLE 1705 Stars, my lord.
DAUPHIN 1706 Some of them will fall tomorrow, I hope.
CONSTABLE 1707 75And yet my sky shall not want.
DAUPHIN 1708 That may be, for you bear a many superfluously,
1709 and ’twere more honor some were away.
CONSTABLE 1710 Ev’n as your horse bears your praises—
1711 who would trot as well were some of your brags
1712 80 dismounted.
DAUPHIN 1713 Would I were able to load him with his
1714 desert! Will it never be day? I will trot tomorrow a
1715 mile, and my way shall be paved with English faces.
CONSTABLE 1716 I will not say so for fear I should be faced
1717 85 out of my way. But I would it were morning, for I
1718 would fain be about the ears of the English.
RAMBURES 1719 Who will go to hazard with me for twenty
1720 prisoners?
CONSTABLE 1721 You must first go yourself to hazard ere you
1722 90 have them.
DAUPHIN 1723 ’Tis midnight. I’ll go arm myself.He exits.
ORLÉANS 1724 The Dauphin longs for morning.
RAMBURES 1725 He longs to eat the English.
CONSTABLE 1726 I think he will eat all he kills.
ORLÉANS 1727 95By the white hand of my lady, he’s a gallant
1728 prince.
CONSTABLE 1729 Swear by her foot, that she may tread out
1730 the oath.
ORLÉANS 1731 He is simply the most active gentleman of
1732 100 France.
CONSTABLE 1733 Doing is activity, and he will still be doing.
ORLÉANS 1734 He never did harm, that I heard of.
CONSTABLE 1735 Nor will do none tomorrow. He will keep
1736 that good name still.
CONSTABLE 1738 I was told that by one that knows him
1739 better than you.
ORLÉANS 1740 What’s he?
CONSTABLE 1741 Marry, he told me so himself, and he said
1742 110 he cared not who knew it.
ORLÉANS 1743 He needs not. It is no hidden virtue in him.
CONSTABLE 1744 By my faith, sir, but it is; never anybody
1745 saw it but his lackey. ’Tis a hooded valor, and when
1746 it appears, it will bate.
ORLÉANS 1747 115Ill will never said well.
CONSTABLE 1748 I will cap that proverb with “There is
1749 flattery in friendship.”
ORLÉANS 1750 And I will take up that with “Give the devil
1751 his due.”
CONSTABLE 1752 120Well placed; there stands your friend for
1753 the devil. Have at the very eye of that proverb with
1754 “A pox of the devil.”
ORLÉANS 1755 You are the better at proverbs, by how much
1756 “A fool’s bolt is soon shot.”
CONSTABLE 1757 125You have shot over.
ORLÉANS 1758 ’Tis not the first time you were overshot.
Enter a Messenger.
MESSENGER 1759 My Lord High Constable, the English lie
1760 within fifteen hundred paces of your tents.
CONSTABLE 1761 Who hath measured the ground?
MESSENGER 1762 130The Lord Grandpré.
CONSTABLE 1763 A valiant and most expert gentleman.—
1764 Would it were day! Alas, poor Harry of England! He
1765 longs not for the dawning as we do.
ORLÉANS 1766 What a wretched and peevish fellow is this
1767 135 King of England to mope with his fat-brained
1768 followers so far out of his knowledge.
CONSTABLE 1769 If the English had any apprehension, they
1770 would run away.
1772 140 intellectual armor, they could never wear such
1773 heavy headpieces.
RAMBURES 1774 That island of England breeds very valiant
1775 creatures. Their mastiffs are of unmatchable
1776 courage.
ORLÉANS 1777 145Foolish curs, that run winking into the
1778 mouth of a Russian bear and have their heads
1779 crushed like rotten apples. You may as well say
1780 that’s a valiant flea that dare eat his breakfast on the
1781 lip of a lion.
CONSTABLE 1782 150Just, just; and the men do sympathize with
1783 the mastiffs in robustious and rough coming on,
1784 leaving their wits with their wives. And then give
1785 them great meals of beef and iron and steel, they
1786 will eat like wolves and fight like devils.
ORLÉANS 1787 155Ay, but these English are shrewdly out of
1788 beef.
CONSTABLE 1789 Then shall we find tomorrow they have
1790 only stomachs to eat and none to fight. Now is it
1791 time to arm. Come, shall we about it?
ORLÉANS
1792 160 It is now two o’clock. But, let me see, by ten
1793 We shall have each a hundred Englishmen.
They exit.
⌜CHORUS⌝
1794 Now entertain conjecture of a time
1795 When creeping murmur and the poring dark
1796 Fills the wide vessel of the universe.
1797 From camp to camp, through the foul womb of
1798 5 night,
1799 The hum of either army stilly sounds,
1800 That the fixed sentinels almost receive
1801 The secret whispers of each other’s watch.
1802 Fire answers fire, and through their paly flames
1803 10 Each battle sees the other’s umbered face;
1804 Steed threatens steed in high and boastful neighs
1805 Piercing the night’s dull ear; and from the tents
1806 The armorers, accomplishing the knights,
1807 With busy hammers closing rivets up,
1808 15 Give dreadful note of preparation.
1809 The country cocks do crow, the clocks do toll,
1810 And, the third hour of drowsy morning named,
1811 Proud of their numbers and secure in soul,
1812 The confident and overlusty French
1813 20 Do the low-rated English play at dice
1814 And chide the cripple, tardy-gaited night,
1815 Who like a foul and ugly witch doth limp
1816 So tediously away. The poor condemnèd English,
1818 25 Sit patiently and inly ruminate
1819 The morning’s danger; and their gesture sad,
1820 Investing lank-lean cheeks and war-worn coats,
1821 ⌜Presenteth⌝ them unto the gazing moon
1822 So many horrid ghosts. O now, who will behold
1823 30 The royal captain of this ruined band
1824 Walking from watch to watch, from tent to tent,
1825 Let him cry, “Praise and glory on his head!”
1826 For forth he goes and visits all his host,
1827 Bids them good morrow with a modest smile,
1828 35 And calls them brothers, friends, and countrymen.
1829 Upon his royal face there is no note
1830 How dread an army hath enrounded him,
1831 Nor doth he dedicate one jot of color
1832 Unto the weary and all-watchèd night,
1833 40 But freshly looks and overbears attaint
1834 With cheerful semblance and sweet majesty,
1835 That every wretch, pining and pale before,
1836 Beholding him, plucks comfort from his looks.
1837 A largesse universal, like the sun,
1838 45 His liberal eye doth give to everyone,
1839 Thawing cold fear, that mean and gentle all
1840 Behold, as may unworthiness define,
1841 A little touch of Harry in the night.
1842 And so our scene must to the battle fly,
1843 50 Where, O for pity, we shall much disgrace,
1844 With four or five most vile and ragged foils
1845 Right ill-disposed in brawl ridiculous,
1846 The name of Agincourt. Yet sit and see,
1847 Minding true things by what their mock’ries be.
He exits.
KING HENRY
1848 Gloucester, ’tis true that we are in great danger.
1849 The greater therefore should our courage be.—
1850 Good morrow, brother Bedford. God almighty,
1851 There is some soul of goodness in things evil,
1852 5 Would men observingly distill it out.
1853 For our bad neighbor makes us early stirrers,
1854 Which is both healthful and good husbandry.
1855 Besides, they are our outward consciences
1856 And preachers to us all, admonishing
1857 10 That we should dress us fairly for our end.
1858 Thus may we gather honey from the weed
1859 And make a moral of the devil himself.
Enter Erpingham.
1860 Good morrow, old Sir Thomas Erpingham.
1861 A good soft pillow for that good white head
1862 15 Were better than a churlish turf of France.
ERPINGHAM
1863 Not so, my liege, this lodging likes me better,
1864 Since I may say “Now lie I like a king.”
KING HENRY
1865 ’Tis good for men to love their present pains
1866 Upon example. So the spirit is eased;
1867 20 And when the mind is quickened, out of doubt,
1868 The organs, though defunct and dead before,
1869 Break up their drowsy grave and newly move
1870 With casted slough and fresh legerity.
1871 Lend me thy cloak, Sir Thomas.
⌜He puts on Erpingham’s cloak.⌝
1872 25 Brothers both,
1873 Commend me to the princes in our camp,
1875 Desire them all to my pavilion.
GLOUCESTER 1876 We shall, my liege.
ERPINGHAM 1877 30Shall I attend your Grace?
KING HENRY 1878 No, my good knight.
1879 Go with my brothers to my lords of England.
1880 I and my bosom must debate awhile,
1881 And then I would no other company.
ERPINGHAM
1882 35 The Lord in heaven bless thee, noble Harry.
⌜All but the King⌝ exit.
KING HENRY
1883 God-a-mercy, old heart, thou speak’st cheerfully.
Enter Pistol.
PISTOL 1884 Qui vous là?
KING HENRY 1885 A friend.
PISTOL 1886 Discuss unto me: art thou officer or art thou
1887 40 base, common, and popular?
KING HENRY 1888 I am a gentleman of a company.
PISTOL 1889 Trail’st thou the puissant pike?
KING HENRY 1890 Even so. What are you?
PISTOL 1891 As good a gentleman as the Emperor.
KING HENRY 1892 45Then you are a better than the King.
PISTOL 1893 The King’s a bawcock and a heart of gold, a lad
1894 of life, an imp of fame, of parents good, of fist most
1895 valiant. I kiss his dirty shoe, and from heartstring I
1896 love the lovely bully. What is thy name?
KING HENRY 1897 50Harry le Roy.
PISTOL 1898 Le Roy? A Cornish name. Art thou of Cornish
1899 crew?
KING HENRY 1900 No, I am a Welshman.
PISTOL 1901 Know’st thou Fluellen?
KING HENRY 1902 55Yes.
PISTOL 1903 Tell him I’ll knock his leek about his pate upon
1904 Saint Davy’s day.
1906 that day, lest he knock that about yours.
PISTOL 1907 60Art thou his friend?
KING HENRY 1908 And his kinsman too.
PISTOL 1909 The figo for thee then!
KING HENRY 1910 I thank you. God be with you.
PISTOL 1911 My name is Pistol called.He exits.
KING HENRY 1912 65It sorts well with your fierceness.
⌜He steps aside.⌝
Enter Fluellen and Gower.
GOWER 1913 Captain Fluellen.
FLUELLEN 1914 ’So. In the name of Jesu Christ, speak fewer.
1915 It is the greatest admiration in the universal world
1916 when the true and aunchient prerogatifes and
1917 70 laws of the wars is not kept. If you would take the
1918 pains but to examine the wars of Pompey the
1919 Great, you shall find, I warrant you, that there is
1920 no tiddle taddle nor pibble babble in Pompey’s
1921 camp. I warrant you, you shall find the ceremonies
1922 75 of the wars and the cares of it and the forms
1923 of it and the sobriety of it and the modesty of it to
1924 be otherwise.
GOWER 1925 Why, the enemy is loud. You hear him all
1926 night.
FLUELLEN 1927 80If the enemy is an ass and a fool and a prating
1928 coxcomb, is it meet, think you, that we should also,
1929 look you, be an ass and a fool and a prating
1930 coxcomb, in your own conscience now?
GOWER 1931 I will speak lower.
FLUELLEN 1932 85I pray you and beseech you that you will.
⌜Gower and Fluellen⌝ exit.
KING HENRY
1933 Though it appear a little out of fashion,
1934 There is much care and valor in this Welshman.
Michael Williams.
COURT 1935 Brother John Bates, is not that the morning
1936 which breaks yonder?
BATES 1937 90I think it be, but we have no great cause to desire
1938 the approach of day.
WILLIAMS 1939 We see yonder the beginning of the day, but
1940 I think we shall never see the end of it.—Who goes
1941 there?
KING HENRY 1942 95A friend.
WILLIAMS 1943 Under what captain serve you?
KING HENRY 1944 Under Sir ⌜Thomas⌝ Erpingham.
WILLIAMS 1945 A good old commander and a most kind
1946 gentleman. I pray you, what thinks he of our
1947 100 estate?
KING HENRY 1948 Even as men wracked upon a sand, that
1949 look to be washed off the next tide.
BATES 1950 He hath not told his thought to the King?
KING HENRY 1951 No. Nor it is not meet he should, for,
1952 105 though I speak it to you, I think the King is but a
1953 man as I am. The violet smells to him as it doth to
1954 me. The element shows to him as it doth to me. All
1955 his senses have but human conditions. His ceremonies
1956 laid by, in his nakedness he appears but a man,
1957 110 and though his affections are higher mounted than
1958 ours, yet when they stoop, they stoop with the like
1959 wing. Therefore, when he sees reason of fears as we
1960 do, his fears, out of doubt, be of the same relish as
1961 ours are. Yet, in reason, no man should possess him
1962 115 with any appearance of fear, lest he, by showing it,
1963 should dishearten his army.
BATES 1964 He may show what outward courage he will,
1965 but I believe, as cold a night as ’tis, he could wish
1966 himself in Thames up to the neck; and so I would
1968 quit here.
KING HENRY 1969 By my troth, I will speak my conscience
1970 of the King. I think he would not wish himself
1971 anywhere but where he is.
BATES 1972 125Then I would he were here alone; so should he
1973 be sure to be ransomed, and a many poor men’s
1974 lives saved.
KING HENRY 1975 I dare say you love him not so ill to wish
1976 him here alone, howsoever you speak this to feel
1977 130 other men’s minds. Methinks I could not die anywhere
1978 so contented as in the King’s company, his
1979 cause being just and his quarrel honorable.
WILLIAMS 1980 That’s more than we know.
BATES 1981 Ay, or more than we should seek after, for we
1982 135 know enough if we know we are the King’s subjects.
1983 If his cause be wrong, our obedience to the
1984 King wipes the crime of it out of us.
WILLIAMS 1985 But if the cause be not good, the King
1986 himself hath a heavy reckoning to make, when all
1987 140 those legs and arms and heads, chopped off in a
1988 battle, shall join together at the latter day, and cry
1989 all “We died at such a place,” some swearing, some
1990 crying for a surgeon, some upon their wives left
1991 poor behind them, some upon the debts they owe,
1992 145 some upon their children rawly left. I am afeard
1993 there are few die well that die in a battle, for how
1994 can they charitably dispose of anything when blood
1995 is their argument? Now, if these men do not die
1996 well, it will be a black matter for the king that led
1997 150 them to it, who to disobey were against all proportion
1998 of subjection.
KING HENRY 1999 So, if a son that is by his father sent about
2000 merchandise do sinfully miscarry upon the sea,
2001 the imputation of his wickedness, by your rule,
2002 155 should be imposed upon his father that sent him.
2004 a sum of money, be assailed by robbers and
2005 die in many irreconciled iniquities, you may call the
2006 business of the master the author of the servant’s
2007 160 damnation. But this is not so. The King is not bound
2008 to answer the particular endings of his soldiers, the
2009 father of his son, nor the master of his servant, for
2010 they purpose not their death when they purpose
2011 their services. Besides, there is no king, be his cause
2012 165 never so spotless, if it come to the arbitrament of
2013 swords, can try it out with all unspotted soldiers.
2014 Some, peradventure, have on them the guilt of
2015 premeditated and contrived murder; some, of beguiling
2016 virgins with the broken seals of perjury;
2017 170 some, making the wars their bulwark, that have
2018 before gored the gentle bosom of peace with pillage
2019 and robbery. Now, if these men have defeated the
2020 law and outrun native punishment, though they can
2021 outstrip men, they have no wings to fly from God.
2022 175 War is His beadle, war is His vengeance, so that here
2023 men are punished for before-breach of the King’s
2024 laws in now the King’s quarrel. Where they feared
2025 the death, they have borne life away; and where they
2026 would be safe, they perish. Then, if they die unprovided,
2027 180 no more is the King guilty of their damnation
2028 than he was before guilty of those impieties for the
2029 which they are now visited. Every subject’s duty is
2030 the King’s, but every subject’s soul is his own.
2031 Therefore should every soldier in the wars do as
2032 185 every sick man in his bed: wash every mote out of
2033 his conscience. And, dying so, death is to him
2034 advantage; or not dying, the time was blessedly lost
2035 wherein such preparation was gained. And in him
2036 that escapes, it were not sin to think that, making
2037 190 God so free an offer, He let him outlive that day to
2039 should prepare.
WILLIAMS 2040 ’Tis certain, every man that dies ill, the ill
2041 upon his own head; the King is not to answer it.
BATES 2042 195I do not desire he should answer for me, and yet
2043 I determine to fight lustily for him.
KING HENRY 2044 I myself heard the King say he would not
2045 be ransomed.
WILLIAMS 2046 Ay, he said so to make us fight cheerfully,
2047 200 but when our throats are cut, he may be ransomed
2048 and we ne’er the wiser.
KING HENRY 2049 If I live to see it, I will never trust his
2050 word after.
WILLIAMS 2051 You pay him then. That’s a perilous shot out
2052 205 of an elder gun, that a poor and a private displeasure
2053 can do against a monarch. You may as well go
2054 about to turn the sun to ice with fanning in his face
2055 with a peacock’s feather. You’ll “never trust his
2056 word after.” Come, ’tis a foolish saying.
KING HENRY 2057 210Your reproof is something too round. I
2058 should be angry with you if the time were
2059 convenient.
WILLIAMS 2060 Let it be a quarrel between us, if you live.
KING HENRY 2061 I embrace it.
WILLIAMS 2062 215How shall I know thee again?
KING HENRY 2063 Give me any gage of thine, and I will wear
2064 it in my bonnet. Then, if ever thou dar’st acknowledge
2065 it, I will make it my quarrel.
WILLIAMS 2066 Here’s my glove. Give me another of thine.
KING HENRY 2067 220There.⌜They exchange gloves.⌝
WILLIAMS 2068 This will I also wear in my cap. If ever thou
2069 come to me and say, after tomorrow, “This is my
2070 glove,” by this hand I will take thee a box on the
2071 ear.
KING HENRY 2072 225If ever I live to see it, I will challenge it.
WILLIAMS 2073 Thou dar’st as well be hanged.
2075 King’s company.
WILLIAMS 2076 Keep thy word. Fare thee well.
BATES 2077 230Be friends, you English fools, be friends. We
2078 have French quarrels enough, if you could tell how
2079 to reckon.
KING HENRY 2080 Indeed, the French may lay twenty
2081 French crowns to one they will beat us, for they
2082 235 bear them on their shoulders. But it is no English
2083 treason to cut French crowns, and tomorrow the
2084 King himself will be a clipper.
Soldiers exit.
2085 Upon the King! Let us our lives, our souls, our
2086 debts, our careful wives, our children, and our sins,
2087 240 lay on the King!
2088 We must bear all. O hard condition,
2089 Twin-born with greatness, subject to the breath
2090 Of every fool whose sense no more can feel
2091 But his own wringing. What infinite heart’s ease
2092 245 Must kings neglect that private men enjoy?
2093 And what have kings that privates have not too,
2094 Save ceremony, save general ceremony?
2095 And what art thou, thou idol ceremony?
2096 What kind of god art thou that suffer’st more
2097 250 Of mortal griefs than do thy worshipers?
2098 What are thy rents? What are thy comings-in?
2099 O ceremony, show me but thy worth!
2100 What is thy soul of adoration?
2101 Art thou aught else but place, degree, and form,
2102 255 Creating awe and fear in other men,
2103 Wherein thou art less happy, being feared,
2104 Than they in fearing?
2105 What drink’st thou oft, instead of homage sweet,
2106 But poisoned flattery? O, be sick, great greatness,
2107 260 And bid thy ceremony give thee cure!
2108 Think’st thou the fiery fever will go out
2110 Will it give place to flexure and low bending?
2111 Canst thou, when thou command’st the beggar’s
2112 265 knee,
2113 Command the health of it? No, thou proud dream,
2114 That play’st so subtly with a king’s repose.
2115 I am a king that find thee, and I know
2116 ’Tis not the balm, the scepter, and the ball,
2117 270 The sword, the mace, the crown imperial,
2118 The intertissued robe of gold and pearl,
2119 The farcèd title running ’fore the King,
2120 The throne he sits on, nor the tide of pomp
2121 That beats upon the high shore of this world;
2122 275 No, not all these, thrice-gorgeous ceremony,
2123 Not all these, laid in bed majestical,
2124 Can sleep so soundly as the wretched slave
2125 Who, with a body filled and vacant mind,
2126 Gets him to rest, crammed with distressful bread;
2127 280 Never sees horrid night, the child of hell,
2128 But, like a lackey, from the rise to set
2129 Sweats in the eye of Phoebus, and all night
2130 Sleeps in Elysium; next day after dawn
2131 Doth rise and help Hyperion to his horse,
2132 285 And follows so the ever-running year
2133 With profitable labor to his grave.
2134 And, but for ceremony, such a wretch,
2135 Winding up days with toil and nights with sleep,
2136 Had the forehand and vantage of a king.
2137 290 The slave, a member of the country’s peace,
2138 Enjoys it, but in gross brain little wots
2139 What watch the King keeps to maintain the peace,
2140 Whose hours the peasant best advantages.
Enter Erpingham.
ERPINGHAM
2141 My lord, your nobles, jealous of your absence,
KING HENRY 2143 Good old knight,
2144 Collect them all together at my tent.
2145 I’ll be before thee.
ERPINGHAM 2146 I shall do ’t, my lord.He exits.
KING HENRY
2147 300 O God of battles, steel my soldiers’ hearts.
2148 Possess them not with fear. Take from them now
2149 The sense of reck’ning ⌜or⌝ th’ opposèd numbers
2150 Pluck their hearts from them. Not today, O Lord,
2151 O, not today, think not upon the fault
2152 305 My father made in compassing the crown.
2153 I Richard’s body have interrèd new
2154 And on it have bestowed more contrite tears
2155 Than from it issued forcèd drops of blood.
2156 Five hundred poor I have in yearly pay
2157 310 Who twice a day their withered hands hold up
2158 Toward heaven to pardon blood. And I have built
2159 Two chantries where the sad and solemn priests
2160 Sing still for Richard’s soul. More will I do—
2161 Though all that I can do is nothing worth,
2162 315 Since that my penitence comes after all,
2163 Imploring pardon.
Enter Gloucester.
GLOUCESTER 2164 My liege.
KING HENRY 2165 My brother Gloucester’s voice.—Ay,
2166 I know thy errand. I will go with thee.
2167 320 The day, my ⌜friends,⌝ and all things stay for me.
They exit.
ORLÉANS
2168 The sun doth gild our armor. Up, my lords.
DAUPHIN
2169 Montez à cheval! My horse, varlet! Lackey! Ha!
ORLÉANS 2170 O brave spirit!
DAUPHIN 2171 Via les eaux et terre.
ORLÉANS 2172 5Rien puis? L’air et feu?
DAUPHIN 2173 Cieux, cousin Orléans.
Enter Constable.
2174 Now, my Lord Constable?
CONSTABLE
2175 Hark how our steeds for present service neigh.
DAUPHIN
2176 Mount them, and make incision in their hides,
2177 10 That their hot blood may spin in English eyes
2178 And dout them with superfluous courage. Ha!
RAMBURES
2179 What, will you have them weep our horses’ blood?
2180 How shall we then behold their natural tears?
Enter Messenger.
MESSENGER
2181 The English are embattled, you French peers.
CONSTABLE
2182 15 To horse, you gallant princes, straight to horse.
2183 Do but behold yond poor and starvèd band,
2184 And your fair show shall suck away their souls,
2185 Leaving them but the shales and husks of men.
2186 There is not work enough for all our hands,
2187 20 Scarce blood enough in all their sickly veins
2188 To give each naked curtal ax a stain,
2189 That our French gallants shall today draw out
2191 them,
2192 25 The vapor of our valor will o’erturn them.
2193 ’Tis positive against all exceptions, lords,
2194 That our superfluous lackeys and our peasants,
2195 Who in unnecessary action swarm
2196 About our squares of battle, were enough
2197 30 To purge this field of such a hilding foe,
2198 Though we upon this mountain’s basis by
2199 Took stand for idle speculation,
2200 But that our honors must not. What’s to say?
2201 A very little little let us do,
2202 35 And all is done. Then let the trumpets sound
2203 The tucket sonance and the note to mount,
2204 For our approach shall so much dare the field
2205 That England shall couch down in fear and yield.
Enter Grandpré.
GRANDPRÉ
2206 Why do you stay so long, my lords of France?
2207 40 Yond island carrions, desperate of their bones,
2208 Ill-favoredly become the morning field.
2209 Their ragged curtains poorly are let loose,
2210 And our air shakes them passing scornfully.
2211 Big Mars seems bankrupt in their beggared host
2212 45 And faintly through a rusty beaver peeps.
2213 The horsemen sit like fixèd candlesticks
2214 With torch staves in their hand, and their poor jades
2215 Lob down their heads, ⌜drooping⌝ the hides and hips,
2216 The gum down-roping from their pale dead eyes,
2217 50 And in their pale dull mouths the gemeled bit
2218 Lies foul with chawed grass, still and motionless.
2219 And their executors, the knavish crows,
2220 Fly o’er them all, impatient for their hour.
2221 Description cannot suit itself in words
2222 55 To demonstrate the life of such a battle
2223 In life so lifeless, as it shows itself.
2224 They have said their prayers, and they stay for death.
DAUPHIN
2225 Shall we go send them dinners and fresh suits,
2226 And give their fasting horses provender,
2227 60 And after fight with them?
CONSTABLE
2228 I stay but for my guard. On, to the field!
2229 I will the banner from a trumpet take
2230 And use it for my haste. Come, come away.
2231 The sun is high, and we outwear the day.
They exit.
his host, Salisbury, and Westmoreland.
GLOUCESTER 2232 Where is the King?
BEDFORD
2233 The King himself is rode to view their battle.
WESTMORELAND
2234 Of fighting men they have full threescore thousand.
EXETER
2235 There’s five to one. Besides, they all are fresh.
SALISBURY
2236 5 God’s arm strike with us! ’Tis a fearful odds.
2237 God be wi’ you, princes all. I’ll to my charge.
2238 If we no more meet till we meet in heaven,
2239 Then joyfully, my noble Lord of Bedford,
2240 My dear Lord Gloucester, and my good Lord Exeter,
2241 10 And my kind kinsman, warriors all, adieu.
BEDFORD
2242 Farewell, good Salisbury, and good luck go with
2243 thee.
2245 For thou art framed of the firm truth of valor.
EXETER
2246 15 Farewell, kind lord. Fight valiantly today.
⌜Salisbury exits.⌝
BEDFORD
2247 He is as full of valor as of kindness,
2248 Princely in both.
Enter the King ⌜of England.⌝
WESTMORELAND 2249 O, that we now had here
2250 But one ten thousand of those men in England
2251 20 That do no work today.
KING HENRY 2252 What’s he that wishes so?
2253 My cousin Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin.
2254 If we are marked to die, we are enough
2255 To do our country loss; and if to live,
2256 25 The fewer men, the greater share of honor.
2257 God’s will, I pray thee wish not one man more.
2258 By Jove, I am not covetous for gold,
2259 Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost;
2260 It yearns me not if men my garments wear;
2261 30 Such outward things dwell not in my desires.
2262 But if it be a sin to covet honor,
2263 I am the most offending soul alive.
2264 No, ’faith, my coz, wish not a man from England.
2265 God’s peace, I would not lose so great an honor
2266 35 As one man more, methinks, would share from me,
2267 For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!
2268 Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,
2269 That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
2270 Let him depart. His passport shall be made,
2271 40 And crowns for convoy put into his purse.
2272 We would not die in that man’s company
2273 That fears his fellowship to die with us.
2274 This day is called the feast of Crispian.
2276 45 Will stand o’ tiptoe when this day is named
2277 And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
2278 He that shall see this day, and live old age,
2279 Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbors
2280 And say “Tomorrow is Saint Crispian.”
2281 50 Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars.
2282 Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
2283 But he’ll remember with advantages
2284 What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
2285 Familiar in his mouth as household words,
2286 55 Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
2287 Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
2288 Be in their flowing cups freshly remembered.
2289 This story shall the good man teach his son,
2290 And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by,
2291 60 From this day to the ending of the world,
2292 But we in it shall be rememberèd—
2293 We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
2294 For he today that sheds his blood with me
2295 Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile,
2296 65 This day shall gentle his condition;
2297 And gentlemen in England now abed
2298 Shall think themselves accursed they were not here,
2299 And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
2300 That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.
Enter Salisbury.
SALISBURY
2301 70 My sovereign lord, bestow yourself with speed.
2302 The French are bravely in their battles set,
2303 And will with all expedience charge on us.
KING HENRY
2304 All things are ready if our minds be so.
WESTMORELAND
2305 Perish the man whose mind is backward now!
2306 75 Thou dost not wish more help from England, coz?
WESTMORELAND
2307 God’s will, my liege, would you and I alone,
2308 Without more help, could fight this royal battle!
KING HENRY
2309 Why, now thou hast unwished five thousand men,
2310 Which likes me better than to wish us one.—
2311 80 You know your places. God be with you all.
Tucket. Enter Montjoy.
MONTJOY
2312 Once more I come to know of thee, King Harry,
2313 If for thy ransom thou wilt now compound,
2314 Before thy most assurèd overthrow.
2315 For certainly thou art so near the gulf
2316 85 Thou needs must be englutted. Besides, in mercy,
2317 The Constable desires thee thou wilt mind
2318 Thy followers of repentance, that their souls
2319 May make a peaceful and a sweet retire
2320 From off these fields where, wretches, their poor
2321 90 bodies
2322 Must lie and fester.
KING HENRY 2323 Who hath sent thee now?
MONTJOY 2324 The Constable of France.
KING HENRY
2325 I pray thee bear my former answer back.
2326 95 Bid them achieve me and then sell my bones.
2327 Good God, why should they mock poor fellows
2328 thus?
2329 The man that once did sell the lion’s skin
2330 While the beast lived was killed with hunting him.
2331 100 A many of our bodies shall no doubt
2332 Find native graves, upon the which, I trust,
2333 Shall witness live in brass of this day’s work.
2335 Dying like men, though buried in your dunghills,
2336 105 They shall be famed; for there the sun shall greet
2337 them
2338 And draw their honors reeking up to heaven,
2339 Leaving their earthly parts to choke your clime,
2340 The smell whereof shall breed a plague in France.
2341 110 Mark, then, abounding valor in our English,
2342 That being dead, like to the bullet’s crazing,
2343 Break out into a second course of mischief,
2344 Killing in relapse of mortality.
2345 Let me speak proudly: tell the Constable
2346 115 We are but warriors for the working day;
2347 Our gayness and our gilt are all besmirched
2348 With rainy marching in the painful field.
2349 There’s not a piece of feather in our host—
2350 Good argument, I hope, we will not fly—
2351 120 And time hath worn us into slovenry.
2352 But, by the Mass, our hearts are in the trim,
2353 And my poor soldiers tell me, yet ere night
2354 They’ll be in fresher robes, or they will pluck
2355 The gay new coats o’er the French soldiers’ heads
2356 125 And turn them out of service. If they do this,
2357 As, if God please, they shall, my ransom then
2358 Will soon be levied. Herald, save thou thy labor.
2359 Come thou no more for ransom, gentle herald.
2360 They shall have none, I swear, but these my joints,
2361 130 Which, if they have, as I will leave ’em them,
2362 Shall yield them little, tell the Constable.
MONTJOY
2363 I shall, King Harry. And so fare thee well.
2364 Thou never shalt hear herald anymore.
KING HENRY 2365 I fear thou wilt once more come again
2366 135 for a ransom.⌜Montjoy⌝ exits.
Enter York.
2367 My lord, most humbly on my knee I beg
2368 The leading of the vaward.
KING HENRY
2369 Take it, brave York.⌜York rises.⌝
2370 Now, soldiers, march away,
2371 140 And how Thou pleasest, God, dispose the day.
They exit.
⌜and⌝ Boy.
PISTOL 2372 Yield, cur.
FRENCH ⌜SOLDIER⌝ 2373 Je pense que vous êtes le gentilhomme
2374 de bonne qualité.
PISTOL 2375 Qualtitie calmie custure me. Art thou a gentleman?
2376 5 What is thy name? Discuss.
FRENCH ⌜SOLDIER⌝ 2377 Ô Seigneur Dieu!
PISTOL 2378 O, Seigneur Dew should be a gentleman. Perpend
2379 my words, O Seigneur Dew, and mark: O
2380 Seigneur Dew, thou diest on point of fox, except, O
2381 10 Seigneur, thou do give to me egregious ransom.
FRENCH ⌜SOLDIER⌝ 2382 Ô, prenez miséricorde! Ayez pitié de
2383 moi!
PISTOL 2384 Moy shall not serve. I will have forty moys, ⌜or⌝
2385 I will fetch thy rim out at thy throat in drops of
2386 15 crimson blood.
FRENCH ⌜SOLDIER⌝ 2387 Est-il impossible d’échapper la force
2388 de ton bras?
PISTOL 2389 Brass, cur? Thou damned and luxurious
2390 mountain goat, offer’st me brass?
FRENCH ⌜SOLDIER⌝ 2391 20Ô, pardonnez-moi!
PISTOL 2392 Say’st thou me so? Is that a ton of moys?—
2394 is his name.
BOY 2395 Écoutez. Comment êtes-vous appelé?
FRENCH ⌜SOLDIER⌝ 2396 25Monsieur le Fer.
BOY 2397 He says his name is Master Fer.
PISTOL 2398 Master Fer. I’ll fer him, and firk him, and ferret
2399 him. Discuss the same in French unto him.
BOY 2400 I do not know the French for “fer,” and “ferret,”
2401 30 and “firk.”
PISTOL 2402 Bid him prepare, for I will cut his throat.
FRENCH ⌜SOLDIER, to the Boy⌝ 2403 Que dit-il, monsieur?
BOY 2404 Il me commande à vous dire que vous faites vous
2405 prêt, car ce soldat ici est disposé tout à cette heure de
2406 35 couper votre gorge.
PISTOL 2407 Owy, cuppele gorge, permafoy, peasant, unless
2408 thou give me crowns, brave crowns, or mangled
2409 shalt thou be by this my sword.
FRENCH ⌜SOLDIER⌝ 2410 Ô, je vous supplie, pour l’amour de
2411 40 Dieu, me pardonner. Je suis le gentilhomme de bonne
2412 maison. Gardez ma vie, et je vous donnerai deux
2413 cents écus.
PISTOL 2414 What are his words?
BOY 2415 He prays you to save his life. He is a gentleman of a
2416 45 good house, and for his ransom he will give you two
2417 hundred crowns.
PISTOL 2418 Tell him my fury shall abate, and I the crowns
2419 will take.
FRENCH ⌜SOLDIER, to the Boy⌝ 2420 Petit monsieur, que dit-il?
BOY 2421 50Encore qu’il est contre son jurement de pardonner
2422 aucun prisonnier; néanmoins, pour les écus que vous
2423 lui avez promis, il est content à vous donner la liberté,
2424 le franchisement.
⌜French soldier kneels.⌝
FRENCH ⌜SOLDIER⌝ 2425 Sur mes genoux je vous donne mille
2426 55 remercîments, et je m’estime heureux que j’ai tombé
2428 vaillant, et très distingué seigneur d’Angleterre.
PISTOL 2429 Expound unto me, boy.
BOY 2430 He gives you upon his knees a thousand thanks,
2431 60 and he esteems himself happy that he hath fall’n
2432 into the hands of one, as he thinks, the most
2433 brave, valorous, and thrice-worthy seigneur of
2434 England.
PISTOL 2435 As I suck blood, I will some mercy show.
2436 65 Follow me.
BOY 2437 Suivez-vous le grand capitaine.
⌜The French Soldier stands up. He and Pistol exit.⌝
2438 I did never know so full a voice issue from so empty
2439 a heart. But the saying is true: “The empty vessel
2440 makes the greatest sound.” Bardolph and Nym had
2441 70 ten times more valor than this roaring devil i’ th’ old
2442 play, that everyone may pare his nails with a wooden
2443 dagger, and they are both hanged, and so would
2444 this be if he durst steal anything adventurously. I
2445 must stay with the lackeys with the luggage of our
2446 75 camp. The French might have a good prey of us if he
2447 knew of it, for there is none to guard it but boys.
He exits.
Rambures.
CONSTABLE 2448 Ô diable!
ORLÉANS
2449 Ô Seigneur! Le jour est perdu, tout est perdu!
DAUPHIN
2450 Mort de ma vie, all is confounded, all!
2451 Reproach and everlasting shame
2452 5 Sits mocking in our plumes.A short Alarum.
2454 Do not run away.
CONSTABLE 2455 Why, all our ranks are broke.
DAUPHIN
2456 O perdurable shame! Let’s stab ourselves.
2457 10 Be these the wretches that we played at dice for?
ORLÉANS
2458 Is this the king we sent to for his ransom?
BOURBON
2459 Shame, and eternal shame, nothing but shame!
2460 Let us die. In once more! Back again!
2461 And he that will not follow Bourbon now,
2462 15 Let him go hence, and with his cap in hand
2463 Like a base pander hold the chamber door,
2464 Whilst ⌜by a⌝ slave, no gentler than my dog,
2465 His fairest daughter is ⌜contaminate.⌝
CONSTABLE
2466 Disorder, that hath spoiled us, friend us now.
2467 20 Let us on heaps go offer up our lives.
ORLÉANS
2468 We are enough yet living in the field
2469 To smother up the English in our throngs,
2470 If any order might be thought upon.
BOURBON
2471 The devil take order now! I’ll to the throng.
2472 25 Let life be short, else shame will be too long.
⌜They⌝ exit.
with prisoners.
KING HENRY
2473 Well have we done, thrice-valiant countrymen,
2474 But all’s not done. Yet keep the French the field.
EXETER
2475 The Duke of York commends him to your Majesty.
KING HENRY
2476 Lives he, good uncle? Thrice within this hour
2477 5 I saw him down, thrice up again and fighting.
2478 From helmet to the spur, all blood he was.
EXETER
2479 In which array, brave soldier, doth he lie,
2480 Larding the plain, and by his bloody side,
2481 Yoke-fellow to his honor-owing wounds,
2482 10 The noble Earl of Suffolk also lies.
2483 Suffolk first died, and York, all haggled over,
2484 Comes to him where in gore he lay insteeped,
2485 And takes him by the beard, kisses the gashes
2486 That bloodily did yawn upon his face.
2487 15 He cries aloud “Tarry, my cousin Suffolk.
2488 My soul shall thine keep company to heaven.
2489 Tarry, sweet soul, for mine; then fly abreast,
2490 As in this glorious and well-foughten field
2491 We kept together in our chivalry.”
2492 20 Upon these words I came and cheered him up.
2493 He smiled me in the face, raught me his hand,
2494 And with a feeble grip, says “Dear my lord,
2495 Commend my service to my sovereign.”
2496 So did he turn, and over Suffolk’s neck
2497 25 He threw his wounded arm and kissed his lips,
2498 And so, espoused to death, with blood he sealed
2499 A testament of noble-ending love.
2500 The pretty and sweet manner of it forced
2501 Those waters from me which I would have stopped,
2502 30 But I had not so much of man in me,
2503 And all my mother came into mine eyes
2504 And gave me up to tears.
KING HENRY 2505 I blame you not,
2507 35 With ⌜my full⌝ eyes, or they will issue too.Alarum.
2508 But hark, what new alarum is this same?
2509 The French have reinforced their scattered men.
2510 Then every soldier kill his prisoners.
2511 Give the word through.
⌜They⌝ exit.
FLUELLEN 2512 Kill the poys and the luggage! ’Tis expressly
2513 against the law of arms. ’Tis as arrant a piece of
2514 knavery, mark you now, as can be offert, in your
2515 conscience now, is it not?
GOWER 2516 5’Tis certain there’s not a boy left alive, and
2517 the cowardly rascals that ran from the battle ha’
2518 done this slaughter. Besides, they have burned
2519 and carried away all that was in the King’s tent,
2520 wherefore the King, most worthily, hath caused
2521 10 every soldier to cut his prisoner’s throat. O, ’tis a
2522 gallant king!
FLUELLEN 2523 Ay, he was porn at Monmouth, Captain
2524 Gower. What call you the town’s name where
2525 Alexander the Pig was born?
GOWER 2526 15Alexander the Great.
FLUELLEN 2527 Why, I pray you, is not “pig” great? The pig,
2528 or the great, or the mighty, or the huge, or the
2529 magnanimous, are all one reckonings, save the
2530 phrase is a little variations.
GOWER 2531 20I think Alexander the Great was born in Macedon.
2532 His father was called Philip of Macedon, as I
2533 take it.
FLUELLEN 2534 I think it is in Macedon where Alexander is
2535 porn. I tell you, captain, if you look in the maps of
2537 between Macedon and Monmouth, that the
2538 situations, look you, is both alike. There is a river in
2539 Macedon, and there is also, moreover, a river at
2540 Monmouth. It is called Wye at Monmouth, but it is
2541 30 out of my prains what is the name of the other river.
2542 But ’tis all one; ’tis alike as my fingers is to my
2543 fingers, and there is salmons in both. If you mark
2544 Alexander’s life well, Harry of Monmouth’s life is
2545 come after it indifferent well, for there is figures in
2546 35 all things. Alexander, God knows and you know, in
2547 his rages and his furies and his wraths and his
2548 cholers and his moods and his displeasures and his
2549 indignations, and also being a little intoxicates in
2550 his prains, did, in his ales and his angers, look you,
2551 40 kill his best friend, Cleitus.
GOWER 2552 Our king is not like him in that. He never
2553 killed any of his friends.
FLUELLEN 2554 It is not well done, mark you now, to take
2555 the tales out of my mouth ere it is made and
2556 45 finished. I speak but in the figures and comparisons
2557 of it. As Alexander killed his friend Cleitus, being in
2558 his ales and his cups, so also Harry Monmouth,
2559 being in his right wits and his good judgments,
2560 turned away the fat knight with the great-belly
2561 50 doublet; he was full of jests and gipes and knaveries
2562 and mocks—I have forgot his name.
GOWER 2563 Sir John Falstaff.
FLUELLEN 2564 That is he. I’ll tell you, there is good men
2565 porn at Monmouth.
GOWER 2566 55Here comes his Majesty.
Alarum. Enter King Harry, ⌜Exeter, Warwick, Gloucester,
Heralds⌝ and Bourbon with ⌜other⌝ prisoners. Flourish.
KING HENRY
2567 I was not angry since I came to France
2569 Ride thou unto the horsemen on yond hill.
2570 If they will fight with us, bid them come down,
2571 60 Or void the field. They do offend our sight.
2572 If they’ll do neither, we will come to them
2573 And make them skirr away as swift as stones
2574 Enforcèd from the old Assyrian slings.
2575 Besides, we’ll cut the throats of those we have,
2576 65 And not a man of them that we shall take
2577 Shall taste our mercy. Go and tell them so.
Enter Montjoy.
EXETER
2578 Here comes the herald of the French, my liege.
GLOUCESTER
2579 His eyes are humbler than they used to be.
KING HENRY
2580 How now, what means this, herald? Know’st thou
2581 70 not
2582 That I have fined these bones of mine for ransom?
2583 Com’st thou again for ransom?
MONTJOY 2584 No, great king.
2585 I come to thee for charitable license,
2586 75 That we may wander o’er this bloody field
2587 To book our dead and then to bury them,
2588 To sort our nobles from our common men,
2589 For many of our princes—woe the while!—
2590 Lie drowned and soaked in mercenary blood.
2591 80 So do our vulgar drench their peasant limbs
2592 In blood of princes, and ⌜the⌝ wounded steeds
2593 Fret fetlock deep in gore, and with wild rage
2594 Yerk out their armèd heels at their dead masters,
2595 Killing them twice. O, give us leave, great king,
2596 85 To view the field in safety and dispose
2597 Of their dead bodies.
KING HENRY 2598 I tell thee truly, herald,
2600 For yet a many of your horsemen peer
2601 90 And gallop o’er the field.
MONTJOY 2602 The day is yours.
KING HENRY
2603 Praised be God, and not our strength, for it!
2604 What is this castle called that stands hard by?
MONTJOY 2605 They call it Agincourt.
KING HENRY
2606 95 Then call we this the field of Agincourt,
2607 Fought on the day of Crispin Crispianus.
FLUELLEN 2608 Your grandfather of famous memory, an ’t
2609 please your Majesty, and your great-uncle Edward
2610 the Plack Prince of Wales, as I have read in the
2611 100 chronicles, fought a most prave pattle here in
2612 France.
KING HENRY 2613 They did, Fluellen.
FLUELLEN 2614 Your Majesty says very true. If your Majesties
2615 is remembered of it, the Welshmen did good
2616 105 service in a garden where leeks did grow, wearing
2617 leeks in their Monmouth caps, which, your Majesty
2618 know, to this hour is an honorable badge of the
2619 service. And I do believe your Majesty takes no
2620 scorn to wear the leek upon Saint Tavy’s day.
KING HENRY
2621 110 I wear it for a memorable honor,
2622 For I am Welsh, you know, good countryman.
FLUELLEN 2623 All the water in Wye cannot wash your
2624 Majesty’s Welsh plood out of your pody, I can tell
2625 you that. God pless it and preserve it as long as it
2626 115 pleases his Grace and his Majesty too.
KING HENRY 2627 Thanks, good my ⌜countryman.⌝
FLUELLEN 2628 By Jeshu, I am your Majesty’s countryman,
2629 I care not who know it. I will confess it to all the
2630 ’orld. I need not to be ashamed of your Majesty,
2632 honest man.
KING HENRY
2633 ⌜God⌝ keep me so.—Our heralds, go with him.
2634 Bring me just notice of the numbers dead
2635 On both our parts.
⌜Montjoy, English Heralds, and Gower exit.⌝
Enter Williams.
2636 125 Call yonder fellow hither.
EXETER 2637 Soldier, you must come to the King.
KING HENRY 2638 Soldier, why wear’st thou that glove in thy
2639 cap?
WILLIAMS 2640 An ’t please your Majesty, ’tis the gage of
2641 130 one that I should fight withal, if he be alive.
KING HENRY 2642 An Englishman?
WILLIAMS 2643 An ’t please your Majesty, a rascal that
2644 swaggered with me last night, who, if alive and ever
2645 dare to challenge this glove, I have sworn to take
2646 135 him a box o’ th’ ear, or if I can see my glove in his
2647 cap, which he swore, as he was a soldier, he would
2648 wear if alive, I will strike it out soundly.
KING HENRY 2649 What think you, Captain Fluellen, is it fit
2650 this soldier keep his oath?
FLUELLEN 2651 140He is a craven and a villain else, an ’t
2652 please your Majesty, in my conscience.
KING HENRY 2653 It may be his enemy is a gentleman of
2654 great sort, quite from the answer of his degree.
FLUELLEN 2655 Though he be as good a gentleman as the
2656 145 devil is, as Lucifer and Beelzebub himself, it is
2657 necessary, look your Grace, that he keep his vow
2658 and his oath. If he be perjured, see you now, his
2659 reputation is as arrant a villain and a Jack Sauce as
2660 ever his black shoe trod upon God’s ground and His
2661 150 earth, in my conscience, la.
2663 meet’st the fellow.
WILLIAMS 2664 So I will, my liege, as I live.
KING HENRY 2665 Who serv’st thou under?
WILLIAMS 2666 155Under Captain Gower, my liege.
FLUELLEN 2667 Gower is a good captain, and is good knowledge
2668 and literatured in the wars.
KING HENRY 2669 Call him hither to me, soldier.
WILLIAMS 2670 I will, my liege.He exits.
KING HENRY, ⌜giving Fluellen Williams’s glove⌝ 2671 160Here,
2672 Fluellen, wear thou this favor for me, and stick it in
2673 thy cap. When Alençon and myself were down
2674 together, I plucked this glove from his helm. If any
2675 man challenge this, he is a friend to Alençon and an
2676 165 enemy to our person. If thou encounter any such,
2677 apprehend him, an thou dost me love.
FLUELLEN, ⌜putting the glove in his cap⌝ 2678 Your Grace
2679 does me as great honors as can be desired in the
2680 hearts of his subjects. I would fain see the man that
2681 170 has but two legs that shall find himself aggriefed at
2682 this glove, that is all; but I would fain see it once, an
2683 please God of His grace that I might see.
KING HENRY 2684 Know’st thou Gower?
FLUELLEN 2685 He is my dear friend, an please you.
KING HENRY 2686 175Pray thee, go seek him, and bring him to
2687 my tent.
FLUELLEN 2688 I will fetch him.He exits.
KING HENRY
2689 My Lord of Warwick and my brother Gloucester,
2690 Follow Fluellen closely at the heels.
2691 180 The glove which I have given him for a favor
2692 May haply purchase him a box o’ th’ ear.
2693 It is the soldier’s. I by bargain should
2694 Wear it myself. Follow, good cousin Warwick.
2695 If that the soldier strike him, as I judge
2696 185 By his blunt bearing he will keep his word,
2698 For I do know Fluellen valiant
2699 And, touched with choler, hot as gunpowder,
2700 And quickly will return an injury.
2701 190 Follow, and see there be no harm between them.—
2702 Go you with me, uncle of Exeter.
They exit.
WILLIAMS 2703 I warrant it is to knight you, captain.
Enter Fluellen, ⌜wearing Williams’s glove.⌝
FLUELLEN, ⌜to Gower⌝ 2704 God’s will and His pleasure,
2705 captain, I beseech you now, come apace to the
2706 King. There is more good toward you peradventure
2707 5 than is in your knowledge to dream of.
WILLIAMS, ⌜to Fluellen, pointing to the glove in his own
hat⌝ 2708 Sir, know you this glove?
FLUELLEN 2709 Know the glove? I know the glove is a glove.
WILLIAMS 2710 I know this, and thus I challenge it.
Strikes him.
FLUELLEN 2711 ’Sblood, an arrant traitor as any ’s in the
2712 10 universal world, or in France, or in England!
GOWER, ⌜to Williams⌝ 2713 How now, sir? You villain!
WILLIAMS 2714 Do you think I’ll be forsworn?
FLUELLEN 2715 Stand away, Captain Gower. I will give treason
2716 his payment into plows, I warrant you.
WILLIAMS 2717 15I am no traitor.
FLUELLEN 2718 That’s a lie in thy throat.—I charge you in
2719 his Majesty’s name, apprehend him. He’s a friend
2720 of the Duke Alençon’s.
Enter Warwick and Gloucester.
FLUELLEN 2722 20My Lord of Warwick, here is, praised be
2723 God for it, a most contagious treason come to
2724 light, look you, as you shall desire in a summer’s
2725 day.
Enter King ⌜of England⌝ and Exeter.
2726 Here is his Majesty.
KING HENRY 2727 25How now, what’s the matter?
FLUELLEN 2728 My liege, here is a villain and a traitor, that,
2729 look your Grace, has struck the glove which your
2730 Majesty is take out of the helmet of Alençon.
WILLIAMS 2731 My liege, this was my glove; here is the fellow
2732 30 of it. And he that I gave it to in change promised to
2733 wear it in his cap. I promised to strike him if he did.
2734 I met this man with my glove in his cap, and I have
2735 been as good as my word.
FLUELLEN 2736 Your Majesty, hear now, saving your Majesty’s
2737 35 manhood, what an arrant, rascally, beggarly,
2738 lousy knave it is. I hope your Majesty is pear me
2739 testimony and witness and will avouchment that
2740 this is the glove of Alençon that your Majesty is give
2741 me, in your conscience now.
KING HENRY, ⌜to Williams⌝ 2742 40Give me thy glove, soldier.
2743 Look, here is the fellow of it.
2744 ’Twas I indeed thou promised’st to strike,
2745 And thou hast given me most bitter terms.
FLUELLEN 2746 An please your Majesty, let his neck answer
2747 45 for it, if there is any martial law in the world.
KING HENRY, ⌜to Williams⌝ 2748 How canst thou make me
2749 satisfaction?
WILLIAMS 2750 All offenses, my lord, come from the heart.
2751 Never came any from mine that might offend your
2752 50 Majesty.
KING HENRY 2753 It was ourself thou didst abuse.
WILLIAMS 2754 Your Majesty came not like yourself. You
2756 night, your garments, your lowliness. And what
2757 55 your Highness suffered under that shape, I beseech
2758 you take it for your own fault and not mine, for, had
2759 you been as I took you for, I made no offense.
2760 Therefore, I beseech your Highness pardon me.
KING HENRY
2761 Here, uncle Exeter, fill this glove with crowns
2762 60 And give it to this fellow.—Keep it, fellow,
2763 And wear it for an honor in thy cap
2764 Till I do challenge it.—Give him the crowns.—
2765 And, captain, you must needs be friends with him.
FLUELLEN 2766 By this day and this light, the fellow has
2767 65 mettle enough in his belly.—Hold, there is twelvepence
2768 for you, and I pray you to serve God and keep
2769 you out of prawls and prabbles and quarrels and
2770 dissensions, and I warrant you it is the better for
2771 you.
WILLIAMS 2772 70I will none of your money.
FLUELLEN 2773 It is with a good will. I can tell you it will
2774 serve you to mend your shoes. Come, wherefore
2775 should you be so pashful? Your shoes is not so
2776 good. ’Tis a good silling, I warrant you, or I will
2777 75 change it.
Enter ⌜an English⌝ Herald.
KING HENRY 2778 Now, herald, are the dead numbered?
HERALD, ⌜giving the King a paper⌝
2779 Here is the number of the slaughtered French.
KING HENRY, ⌜to Exeter⌝
2780 What prisoners of good sort are taken, uncle?
EXETER
2781 Charles, Duke of Orléans, nephew to the King;
2782 80 John, Duke of Bourbon, and Lord Bouciqualt.
2783 Of other lords and barons, knights and squires,
2784 Full fifteen hundred, besides common men.
2785 This note doth tell me of ten thousand French
2786 That in the field lie slain. Of princes in this number
2787 85 And nobles bearing banners, there lie dead
2788 One hundred twenty-six. Added to these,
2789 Of knights, esquires, and gallant gentlemen,
2790 Eight thousand and four hundred, of the which
2791 Five hundred were but yesterday dubbed knights.
2792 90 So that in these ten thousand they have lost,
2793 There are but sixteen hundred mercenaries.
2794 The rest are princes, barons, lords, knights, squires,
2795 And gentlemen of blood and quality.
2796 The names of those their nobles that lie dead:
2797 95 Charles Delabreth, High Constable of France;
2798 Jacques of Chatillon, Admiral of France;
2799 The Master of the Crossbows, Lord Rambures;
2800 Great Master of France, the brave Sir Guichard
2801 Dauphin;
2802 100 John, Duke of Alençon; Anthony, Duke of Brabant,
2803 The brother to the Duke of Burgundy;
2804 And Edward, Duke of Bar. Of lusty earls:
2805 Grandpré and Roussi, Faulconbridge and Foix,
2806 Beaumont and Marle, ⌜Vaudemont⌝ and Lestrale.
2807 105 Here was a royal fellowship of death.
2808 Where is the number of our English dead?
⌜Herald gives him another paper.⌝
2809 Edward the Duke of York, the Earl of Suffolk,
2810 Sir Richard Ketly, Davy Gam, esquire;
2811 None else of name, and of all other men
2812 110 But five and twenty. O God, thy arm was here,
2813 And not to us, but to thy arm alone
2814 Ascribe we all! When, without stratagem,
2815 But in plain shock and even play of battle,
2816 Was ever known so great and little loss
2817 115 On one part and on th’ other? Take it, God,
2818 For it is none but thine.
KING HENRY
2820 Come, go ⌜we⌝ in procession to the village,
2821 And be it death proclaimèd through our host
2822 120 To boast of this or take that praise from God
2823 Which is His only.
FLUELLEN 2824 Is it not lawful, an please your Majesty, to
2825 tell how many is killed?
KING HENRY
2826 Yes, captain, but with this acknowledgment:
2827 125 That God fought for us.
FLUELLEN 2828 Yes, my conscience, He did us great good.
KING HENRY 2829 Do we all holy rites.
2830 Let there be sung Non nobis, and Te Deum,
2831 The dead with charity enclosed in clay,
2832 130 And then to Calais, and to England then,
2833 Where ne’er from France arrived more happy men.
They exit.
⌜CHORUS⌝
2834 Vouchsafe to those that have not read the story
2835 That I may prompt them; and of such as have,
2836 I humbly pray them to admit th’ excuse
2837 Of time, of numbers, and due course of things,
2838 5 Which cannot in their huge and proper life
2839 Be here presented. Now we bear the King
2840 Toward Calais. Grant him there. There seen,
2841 Heave him away upon your wingèd thoughts
2842 Athwart the sea. Behold, the English beach
2843 10 Pales in the flood with men, wives, and boys,
2844 Whose shouts and claps outvoice the deep-mouthed
2845 sea,
2846 Which, like a mighty whiffler ’fore the King
2847 Seems to prepare his way. So let him land,
2848 15 And solemnly see him set on to London.
2849 So swift a pace hath thought that even now
2850 You may imagine him upon Blackheath,
2851 Where that his lords desire him to have borne
2852 His bruisèd helmet and his bended sword
2853 20 Before him through the city. He forbids it,
2854 Being free from vainness and self-glorious pride,
2855 Giving full trophy, signal, and ostent
2856 Quite from himself, to God. But now behold,
2858 25 How London doth pour out her citizens.
2859 The Mayor and all his brethren in best sort,
2860 Like to the senators of th’ antique Rome,
2861 With the plebeians swarming at their heels,
2862 Go forth and fetch their conqu’ring Caesar in—
2863 30 As, by a lower but by loving likelihood
2864 Were now the general of our gracious empress,
2865 As in good time he may, from Ireland coming,
2866 Bringing rebellion broachèd on his sword,
2867 How many would the peaceful city quit
2868 35 To welcome him! Much more, and much more
2869 cause,
2870 Did they this Harry. Now in London place him
2871 (As yet the lamentation of the French
2872 Invites the King of England’s stay at home;
2873 40 The Emperor’s coming in behalf of France
2874 To order peace between them) and omit
2875 All the occurrences, whatever chanced,
2876 Till Harry’s back return again to France.
2877 There must we bring him, and myself have played
2878 45 The interim, by remembering you ’tis past.
2879 Then brook abridgment, and your eyes advance
2880 After your thoughts, straight back again to France.
He exits.
GOWER 2881 Nay, that’s right. But why wear you your leek
2882 today? Saint Davy’s day is past.
FLUELLEN 2883 There is occasions and causes why and
2884 wherefore in all things. I will tell you ass my
2885 5 friend, Captain Gower. The rascally, scald, beggarly,
2886 lousy, pragging knave Pistol, which you and
2888 a fellow, look you now, of no merits, he is come to
2889 me and prings me pread and salt yesterday, look
2890 10 you, and bid me eat my leek. It was in a place where
2891 I could not breed no contention with him, but I will
2892 be so bold as to wear it in my cap till I see him once
2893 again, and then I will tell him a little piece of my
2894 desires.
Enter Pistol.
GOWER 2895 15Why here he comes, swelling like a
2896 turkey-cock.
FLUELLEN 2897 ’Tis no matter for his swellings, nor his
2898 turkey-cocks.—God pless you, Aunchient Pistol,
2899 you scurvy, lousy knave, God pless you.
PISTOL 2900 20Ha, art thou bedlam? Dost thou thirst, base
2901 Trojan, to have me fold up Parca’s fatal web? Hence.
2902 I am qualmish at the smell of leek.
FLUELLEN 2903 I peseech you heartily, scurvy, lousy knave,
2904 at my desires and my requests and my petitions, to
2905 25 eat, look you, this leek. Because, look you, you do
2906 not love it, nor your affections and your appetites
2907 and your disgestions does not agree with it, I would
2908 desire you to eat it.
PISTOL 2909 Not for Cadwallader and all his goats.
FLUELLEN 2910 30There is one goat for you. (Strikes him
⌜with a cudgel.⌝) 2911 Will you be so good, scald knave,
2912 as eat it?
PISTOL 2913 Base Trojan, thou shalt die.
FLUELLEN 2914 You say very true, scald knave, when God’s
2915 35 will is. I will desire you to live in the meantime and
2916 eat your victuals. Come, there is sauce for it. ⌜Strikes
him.⌝ 2917 You called me yesterday “mountain squire,”
2918 but I will make you today a squire of low degree. I
2919 pray you, fall to. If you can mock a leek, you can eat
2920 40 a leek.
FLUELLEN 2922 I say I will make him eat some part of my
2923 leek, or I will peat his pate four days.—Bite, I pray
2924 you. It is good for your green wound and your
2925 45 ploody coxcomb.
PISTOL 2926 Must I bite?
FLUELLEN 2927 Yes, certainly, and out of doubt and out of
2928 question, too, and ambiguities.
PISTOL 2929 By this leek, I will most horribly revenge.
2930 50 ⌜Fluellen threatens him.⌝ I eat and eat, I swear—
FLUELLEN 2931 Eat, I pray you. Will you have some more
2932 sauce to your leek? There is not enough leek to
2933 swear by.
PISTOL 2934 Quiet thy cudgel. Thou dost see I eat.
FLUELLEN 2935 55Much good do you, scald knave, heartily.
2936 Nay, pray you throw none away. The skin is good for
2937 your broken coxcomb. When you take occasions to
2938 see leeks hereafter, I pray you mock at ’em, that is
2939 all.
PISTOL 2940 60Good.
FLUELLEN 2941 Ay, leeks is good. Hold you, there is a groat
2942 to heal your pate.
PISTOL 2943 Me, a groat?
FLUELLEN 2944 Yes, verily, and in truth you shall take it, or I
2945 65 have another leek in my pocket, which you shall
2946 eat.
PISTOL 2947 I take thy groat in earnest of revenge.
FLUELLEN 2948 If I owe you anything, I will pay you in
2949 cudgels. You shall be a woodmonger and buy
2950 70 nothing of me but cudgels. God be wi’ you and
2951 keep you and heal your pate.He exits.
PISTOL 2952 All hell shall stir for this.
GOWER 2953 Go, go. You are a counterfeit cowardly knave.
2954 Will you mock at an ancient tradition begun upon
2955 75 an honorable respect and worn as a memorable
2956 trophy of predeceased valor, and dare not avouch in
2958 gleeking and galling at this gentleman twice or
2959 thrice. You thought because he could not speak
2960 80 English in the native garb, he could not therefore
2961 handle an English cudgel. You find it otherwise, and
2962 henceforth let a Welsh correction teach you a good
2963 English condition. Fare you well.He exits.
PISTOL 2964 Doth Fortune play the huswife with me now?
2965 85 News have I that my Doll is dead i’ th’ spital of a
2966 malady of France, and there my rendezvous is quite
2967 cut off. Old I do wax, and from my weary limbs
2968 honor is cudgeled. Well, bawd I’ll turn, and something
2969 lean to cutpurse of quick hand. To England
2970 90 will I steal, and there I’ll steal.
2971 And patches will I get unto these cudgeled scars,
2972 And ⌜swear⌝ I got them in the Gallia wars.
He exits.
Warwick, ⌜Westmoreland,⌝ and other Lords. At another,
Queen Isabel ⌜of France,⌝ the King ⌜of France, the
Princess Katherine and Alice,⌝ the Duke of Burgundy,
and other French.
KING HENRY
2973 Peace to this meeting wherefor we are met.
2974 Unto our brother France and to our sister,
2975 Health and fair time of day.—Joy and good wishes
2976 To our most fair and princely cousin Katherine.—
2977 5 And, as a branch and member of this royalty,
2978 By whom this great assembly is contrived,
2979 We do salute you, Duke of Burgundy.—
2980 And princes French, and peers, health to you all.
2981 Right joyous are we to behold your face,
2982 10 Most worthy brother England. Fairly met.—
2983 So are you, princes English, every one.
QUEEN OF FRANCE
2984 So happy be the issue, brother Ireland,
2985 Of this good day and of this gracious meeting,
2986 As we are now glad to behold your eyes—
2987 15 Your eyes which hitherto have borne in them
2988 Against the French that met them in their bent
2989 The fatal balls of murdering basilisks.
2990 The venom of such looks, we fairly hope,
2991 Have lost their quality, and that this day
2992 20 Shall change all griefs and quarrels into love.
KING HENRY
2993 To cry “Amen” to that, thus we appear.
QUEEN OF FRANCE
2994 You English princes all, I do salute you.
BURGUNDY
2995 My duty to you both, on equal love,
2996 Great kings of France and England. That I have
2997 25 labored
2998 With all my wits, my pains, and strong endeavors
2999 To bring your most imperial Majesties
3000 Unto this bar and royal interview,
3001 Your Mightiness on both parts best can witness.
3002 30 Since, then, my office hath so far prevailed
3003 That face to face and royal eye to eye
3004 You have congreeted, let it not disgrace me
3005 If I demand before this royal view
3006 What rub or what impediment there is
3007 35 Why that the naked, poor, and mangled peace,
3008 Dear nurse of arts, plenties, and joyful births,
3009 Should not in this best garden of the world,
3010 Our fertile France, put up her lovely visage?
3011 Alas, she hath from France too long been chased,
3013 Corrupting in its own fertility.
3014 Her vine, the merry cheerer of the heart,
3015 Unprunèd, dies. Her hedges, even-pleached,
3016 Like prisoners wildly overgrown with hair,
3017 45 Put forth disordered twigs. Her fallow leas
3018 The darnel, hemlock, and rank fumitory
3019 Doth root upon, while that the coulter rusts
3020 That should deracinate such savagery.
3021 The even mead, that erst brought sweetly forth
3022 50 The freckled cowslip, burnet, and green clover,
3023 Wanting the scythe, withal uncorrected, rank,
3024 Conceives by idleness, and nothing teems
3025 But hateful docks, rough thistles, kecksies, burrs,
3026 Losing both beauty and utility.
3027 55 And all our vineyards, fallows, meads, and hedges,
3028 Defective in their natures, grow to wildness.
3029 Even so our houses and ourselves and children
3030 Have lost, or do not learn for want of time,
3031 The sciences that should become our country,
3032 60 But grow like savages, as soldiers will
3033 That nothing do but meditate on blood,
3034 To swearing and stern looks, diffused attire,
3035 And everything that seems unnatural.
3036 Which to reduce into our former favor
3037 65 You are assembled, and my speech entreats
3038 That I may know the let why gentle peace
3039 Should not expel these inconveniences
3040 And bless us with her former qualities.
KING HENRY
3041 If, Duke of Burgundy, you would the peace,
3042 70 Whose want gives growth to th’ imperfections
3043 Which you have cited, you must buy that peace
3044 With full accord to all our just demands,
3045 Whose tenors and particular effects
3046 You have, enscheduled briefly, in your hands.
3047 75 The King hath heard them, to the which as yet
3048 There is no answer made.
KING HENRY
3049 Well then, the peace which you before so urged
3050 Lies in his answer.
KING OF FRANCE
3051 I have but with a ⌜cursitory⌝ eye
3052 80 O’erglanced the articles. Pleaseth your Grace
3053 To appoint some of your council presently
3054 To sit with us once more with better heed
3055 To resurvey them, we will suddenly
3056 Pass our accept and peremptory answer.
KING HENRY
3057 85 Brother, we shall.—Go, uncle Exeter,
3058 And brother Clarence, and you, brother Gloucester,
3059 Warwick, and Huntington, go with the King,
3060 And take with you free power to ratify,
3061 Augment, or alter, as your wisdoms best
3062 90 Shall see advantageable for our dignity,
3063 Anything in or out of our demands,
3064 And we’ll consign thereto.—Will you, fair sister,
3065 Go with the princes or stay here with us?
QUEEN OF FRANCE
3066 Our gracious brother, I will go with them.
3067 95 Haply a woman’s voice may do some good
3068 When articles too nicely urged be stood on.
KING HENRY
3069 Yet leave our cousin Katherine here with us.
3070 She is our capital demand, comprised
3071 Within the forerank of our articles.
QUEEN OF FRANCE
3072 100 She hath good leave.
All but Katherine, and the King ⌜of England,
and Alice⌝ exit.
KING HENRY 3073 Fair Katherine, and most fair,
3075 Such as will enter at a lady’s ear
3076 And plead his love-suit to her gentle heart?
KATHERINE 3077 105Your Majesty shall mock at me. I cannot
3078 speak your England.
KING HENRY 3079 O fair Katherine, if you will love me
3080 soundly with your French heart, I will be glad to
3081 hear you confess it brokenly with your English
3082 110 tongue. Do you like me, Kate?
KATHERINE 3083 Pardonnez-moi, I cannot tell wat is “like
3084 me.”
KING HENRY 3085 An angel is like you, Kate, and you are
3086 like an angel.
KATHERINE, ⌜to Alice⌝ 3087 115Que dit-il? Que je suis semblable à
3088 les anges?
ALICE 3089 Oui, vraiment, sauf votre Grâce, ainsi dit-il.
KING HENRY 3090 I said so, dear Katherine, and I must not
3091 blush to affirm it.
KATHERINE 3092 120Ô bon Dieu, les langues des hommes sont
3093 pleines de tromperies.
KING HENRY, ⌜to Alice⌝ 3094 What says she, fair one? That the
3095 tongues of men are full of deceits?
ALICE 3096 Oui, dat de tongues of de mans is be full of
3097 125 deceits; dat is de Princess.
KING HENRY 3098 The Princess is the better Englishwoman.—
3099 I’ faith, Kate, my wooing is fit for thy
3100 understanding. I am glad thou canst speak no
3101 better English, for if thou couldst, thou wouldst
3102 130 find me such a plain king that thou wouldst think I
3103 had sold my farm to buy my crown. I know no ways
3104 to mince it in love, but directly to say “I love you.”
3105 Then if you urge me farther than to say “Do you, in
3106 faith?” I wear out my suit. Give me your answer, i’
3107 135 faith, do; and so clap hands and a bargain. How say
3108 you, lady?
KATHERINE 3109 Sauf votre honneur, me understand well.
3111 to dance for your sake, Kate, why you undid me.
3112 140 For the one, I have neither words nor measure; and
3113 for the other, I have no strength in measure, yet a
3114 reasonable measure in strength. If I could win a
3115 lady at leapfrog or by vaulting into my saddle with
3116 my armor on my back, under the correction of
3117 145 bragging be it spoken, I should quickly leap into a
3118 wife. Or if I might buffet for my love, or bound my
3119 horse for her favors, I could lay on like a butcher
3120 and sit like a jackanapes, never off. But, before God,
3121 Kate, I cannot look greenly nor gasp out my eloquence,
3122 150 nor I have no cunning in protestation, only
3123 downright oaths, which I never use till urged, nor
3124 never break for urging. If thou canst love a fellow of
3125 this temper, Kate, whose face is not worth sun-burning,
3126 that never looks in his glass for love of
3127 155 anything he sees there, let thine eye be thy cook. I
3128 speak to thee plain soldier. If thou canst love me for
3129 this, take me. If not, to say to thee that I shall die is
3130 true, but for thy love, by the Lord, no. Yet I love thee
3131 too. And while thou liv’st, dear Kate, take a fellow of
3132 160 plain and uncoined constancy, for he perforce must
3133 do thee right because he hath not the gift to woo in
3134 other places. For these fellows of infinite tongue,
3135 that can rhyme themselves into ladies’ favors, they
3136 do always reason themselves out again. What? A
3137 165 speaker is but a prater, a rhyme is but a ballad, a
3138 good leg will fall, a straight back will stoop, a black
3139 beard will turn white, a curled pate will grow bald,
3140 a fair face will wither, a full eye will wax hollow, but
3141 a good heart, Kate, is the sun and the moon, or
3142 170 rather the sun and not the moon, for it shines bright
3143 and never changes but keeps his course truly. If
3144 thou would have such a one, take me. And take me,
3145 take a soldier. Take a soldier, take a king. And what
3147 175 fairly, I pray thee.
KATHERINE 3148 Is it possible dat I sould love de enemy of
3149 France?
KING HENRY 3150 No, it is not possible you should love the
3151 enemy of France, Kate. But, in loving me, you
3152 180 should love the friend of France, for I love France
3153 so well that I will not part with a village of it. I will
3154 have it all mine. And, Kate, when France is mine
3155 and I am yours, then yours is France and you are
3156 mine.
KATHERINE 3157 185I cannot tell wat is dat.
KING HENRY 3158 No, Kate? I will tell thee in French,
3159 which I am sure will hang upon my tongue like a
3160 new-married wife about her husband’s neck, hardly
3161 to be shook off. Je quand sur le possession de
3162 190 France, et quand vous avez le possession de moi—let
3163 me see, what then? Saint Denis be my speed!—donc
3164 vôtre est France, et vous êtes mienne. It is as easy for
3165 me, Kate, to conquer the kingdom as to speak so
3166 much more French. I shall never move thee in
3167 195 French, unless it be to laugh at me.
KATHERINE 3168 Sauf votre honneur, le français que vous
3169 parlez, il est meilleur que l’anglais lequel je parle.
KING HENRY 3170 No, faith, is ’t not, Kate, but thy speaking
3171 of my tongue, and I thine, most truly-falsely must
3172 200 needs be granted to be much at one. But, Kate, dost
3173 thou understand thus much English? Canst thou
3174 love me?
KATHERINE 3175 I cannot tell.
KING HENRY 3176 Can any of your neighbors tell, Kate? I’ll
3177 205 ask them. Come, I know thou lovest me; and at
3178 night, when you come into your closet, you’ll question
3179 this gentlewoman about me, and, I know, Kate,
3180 you will, to her, dispraise those parts in me that you
3181 love with your heart. But, good Kate, mock me
3183 love thee cruelly. If ever thou beest mine, Kate, as I
3184 have a saving faith within me tells me thou shalt, I
3185 get thee with scambling, and thou must therefore
3186 needs prove a good soldier-breeder. Shall not thou
3187 215 and I, between Saint Denis and Saint George, compound
3188 a boy, half French, half English, that shall go
3189 to Constantinople and take the Turk by the beard?
3190 Shall we not? What say’st thou, my fair flower de
3191 luce?
KATHERINE 3192 220I do not know dat.
KING HENRY 3193 No, ’tis hereafter to know, but now to
3194 promise. Do but now promise, Kate, you will
3195 endeavor for your French part of such a boy; and
3196 for my English moiety, take the word of a king and
3197 225 a bachelor. How answer you, la plus belle Katherine
3198 du monde, mon très cher et divin déesse?
KATHERINE 3199 Your Majesté ’ave fausse French enough to
3200 deceive de most sage demoiselle dat is en France.
KING HENRY 3201 Now fie upon my false French. By mine
3202 230 honor, in true English, I love thee, Kate. By which
3203 honor I dare not swear thou lovest me, yet my blood
3204 begins to flatter me that thou dost, notwithstanding
3205 the poor and untempering effect of my visage. Now
3206 beshrew my father’s ambition! He was thinking of
3207 235 civil wars when he got me; therefore was I created
3208 with a stubborn outside, with an aspect of iron, that
3209 when I come to woo ladies, I fright them. But, in
3210 faith, Kate, the elder I wax, the better I shall appear.
3211 My comfort is that old age, that ill layer-up of
3212 240 beauty, can do no more spoil upon my face. Thou
3213 hast me, if thou hast me, at the worst, and thou shalt
3214 wear me, if thou wear me, better and better. And
3215 therefore tell me, most fair Katherine, will you have
3216 me? Put off your maiden blushes, avouch the
3217 245 thoughts of your heart with the looks of an empress,
3219 am thine,” which word thou shalt no sooner bless
3220 mine ear withal, but I will tell thee aloud “England
3221 is thine, Ireland is thine, France is thine, and Henry
3222 250 Plantagenet is thine,” who, though I speak it before
3223 his face, if he be not fellow with the best king, thou
3224 shalt find the best king of good fellows. Come, your
3225 answer in broken music, for thy voice is music, and
3226 thy English broken. Therefore, queen of all, Katherine,
3227 255 break thy mind to me in broken English. Wilt
3228 thou have me?
KATHERINE 3229 Dat is as it shall please de roi mon père.
KING HENRY 3230 Nay, it will please him well, Kate; it shall
3231 please him, Kate.
KATHERINE 3232 260Den it sall also content me.
KING HENRY 3233 Upon that I kiss your hand, and I call you
3234 my queen.
KATHERINE 3235 Laissez, mon seigneur, laissez, laissez! Ma
3236 foi, je ne veux point que vous abaissiez votre grandeur,
3237 265 en baisant la main d’ une—Notre Seigneur!—
3238 indigne serviteur. Excusez-moi, je vous supplie, mon
3239 très puissant seigneur.
KING HENRY 3240 Then I will kiss your lips, Kate.
KATHERINE 3241 Les dames et demoiselles, pour être baisées
3242 270 devant leurs noces, il n’est pas la coutume de France.
KING HENRY 3243 Madam my interpreter, what says she?
ALICE 3244 Dat it is not be de fashion pour les ladies of
3245 France—I cannot tell wat is baiser en Anglish.
KING HENRY 3246 To kiss.
ALICE 3247 275Your Majesté entendre bettre que moi.
KING HENRY 3248 It is not a fashion for the maids in France
3249 to kiss before they are married, would she say?
ALICE 3250 Oui, vraiment.
KING HENRY 3251 O Kate, nice customs curtsy to great
3252 280 kings. Dear Kate, you and I cannot be confined
3253 within the weak list of a country’s fashion. We are
3255 follows our places stops the mouth of all find-faults,
3256 as I will do yours for upholding the nice fashion of
3257 285 your country in denying me a kiss. Therefore,
3258 patiently and yielding. ⌜He kisses her.⌝ You have
3259 witchcraft in your lips, Kate. There is more eloquence
3260 in a sugar touch of them than in the tongues
3261 of the French council, and they should sooner
3262 290 persuade Harry of England than a general petition
3263 of monarchs.
Enter the French power, ⌜the French King and Queen
and Burgundy,⌝ and the English Lords ⌜Westmoreland
and Exeter.⌝
3264 Here comes your father.
BURGUNDY 3265 God save your Majesty. My royal cousin,
3266 teach you our princess English?
KING HENRY 3267 295I would have her learn, my fair cousin,
3268 how perfectly I love her, and that is good English.
BURGUNDY 3269 Is she not apt?
KING HENRY 3270 Our tongue is rough, coz, and my condition
3271 is not smooth, so that, having neither the voice
3272 300 nor the heart of flattery about me, I cannot so
3273 conjure up the spirit of love in her that he will
3274 appear in his true likeness.
BURGUNDY 3275 Pardon the frankness of my mirth if I
3276 answer you for that. If you would conjure in her,
3277 305 you must make a circle; if conjure up Love in her in
3278 his true likeness, he must appear naked and blind.
3279 Can you blame her, then, being a maid yet rosed
3280 over with the virgin crimson of modesty, if she deny
3281 the appearance of a naked blind boy in her naked
3282 310 seeing self? It were, my lord, a hard condition for a
3283 maid to consign to.
KING HENRY 3284 Yet they do wink and yield, as love is
3285 blind and enforces.
3287 315 see not what they do.
KING HENRY 3288 Then, good my lord, teach your cousin to
3289 consent winking.
BURGUNDY 3290 I will wink on her to consent, my lord, if
3291 you will teach her to know my meaning, for maids
3292 320 well summered and warm kept are like flies at
3293 Bartholomew-tide: blind, though they have their
3294 eyes; and then they will endure handling, which
3295 before would not abide looking on.
KING HENRY 3296 This moral ties me over to time and a hot
3297 325 summer. And so I shall catch the fly, your cousin,
3298 in the latter end, and she must be blind too.
BURGUNDY 3299 As love is, my lord, before it loves.
KING HENRY 3300 It is so. And you may, some of you, thank
3301 love for my blindness, who cannot see many a fair
3302 330 French city for one fair French maid that stands in
3303 my way.
KING OF FRANCE 3304 Yes, my lord, you see them perspectively,
3305 the cities turned into a maid, for they are all
3306 girdled with maiden walls that war hath ⌜never⌝
3307 335 entered.
KING HENRY 3308 Shall Kate be my wife?
KING OF FRANCE 3309 So please you.
KING HENRY 3310 I am content, so the maiden cities you
3311 talk of may wait on her. So the maid that stood in
3312 340 the way for my wish shall show me the way to my
3313 will.
KING OF FRANCE
3314 We have consented to all terms of reason.
KING HENRY 3315 Is ’t so, my lords of England?
WESTMORELAND
3316 The King hath granted every article,
3317 345 His daughter first, and, in sequel, all,
3318 According to their firm proposèd natures.
3319 Only he hath not yet subscribèd this:
3320 Where your Majesty demands that the King of
3321 France, having any occasion to write for matter of
3322 350 grant, shall name your Highness in this form and
3323 with this addition, in French: Notre très cher fils
3324 Henri, roi d’ Angleterre, héritier de France; and thus
3325 in Latin: Praeclarissimus filius noster Henricus, rex
3326 Angliae et hœres Franciae.
KING OF FRANCE
3327 355 Nor this I have not, brother, so denied
3328 But your request shall make me let it pass.
KING HENRY
3329 I pray you, then, in love and dear alliance,
3330 Let that one article rank with the rest,
3331 And thereupon give me your daughter.
KING OF FRANCE
3332 360 Take her, fair son, and from her blood raise up
3333 Issue to me, that the contending kingdoms
3334 Of France and England, whose very shores look pale
3335 With envy of each other’s happiness,
3336 May cease their hatred, and this dear conjunction
3337 365 Plant neighborhood and Christian-like accord
3338 In their sweet bosoms, that never war advance
3339 His bleeding sword ’twixt England and fair France.
LORDS 3340 Amen.
KING HENRY
3341 Now welcome, Kate, and bear me witness all
3342 370 That here I kiss her as my sovereign queen.
⌜He kisses her.⌝ Flourish.
QUEEN OF FRANCE
3343 God, the best maker of all marriages,
3344 Combine your hearts in one, your realms in one.
3345 As man and wife, being two, are one in love,
3346 So be there ’twixt your kingdoms such a spousal
3347 375 That never may ill office or fell jealousy,
3349 Thrust in between the paction of these kingdoms
3350 To make divorce of their incorporate league,
3351 That English may as French, French Englishmen,
3352 380 Receive each other. God speak this Amen!
ALL 3353 Amen.
KING HENRY
3354 Prepare we for our marriage; on which day,
3355 My Lord of Burgundy, we’ll take your oath,
3356 And all the peers’, for surety of our leagues.
3357 385 Then shall I swear to Kate, and you to me,
3358 And may our oaths well kept and prosp’rous be.
Sennet. They exit.
⌜CHORUS⌝
3359 Thus far with rough and all-unable pen
3360 Our bending author hath pursued the story,
3361 In little room confining mighty men,
3362 Mangling by starts the full course of their glory.
3363 5 Small time, but in that small most greatly lived
3364 This star of England. Fortune made his sword,
3365 By which the world’s best garden he achieved
3366 And of it left his son imperial lord.
3367 Henry the Sixth, in infant bands crowned King
3368 10 Of France and England, did this king succeed,
3369 Whose state so many had the managing
3370 That they lost France and made his England bleed,
3371 Which oft our stage hath shown. And for their sake,
3372 In your fair minds let this acceptance take.
⌜He exits.⌝