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diff --git a/22791-0.txt b/22791-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..43d3386 --- /dev/null +++ b/22791-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5078 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of King Henry the Fifth, by William Shakespeare + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: King Henry the Fifth + Arranged for Representation at the Princess's Theatre + +Author: William Shakespeare + +Editor: Charles Kean + +Release Date: September 28, 2007 [EBook #22791] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: UTF-8 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KING HENRY THE FIFTH *** + + + + +Produced by Louise Hope, David Starner, Curtis Weyant and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + +[Transcriber’s Note: + +This is not the text of _Henry V_ as written by Shakespeare. It is an +acting version produced by Charles Kean in 1859. Approximate scene +correspondences are listed at the end of the e-text. + +The original book had three types of notes. Footnotes, marked with +asterisks or numbers, were printed at the bottom of the page. Longer +notes, marked with letters, were printed at the end of each Act as +“Historical Notes”. For this e-text the asterisked notes are printed +immediately after their paragraph, while numbered footnotes are +collected at the end of each scene. The Historical Notes remain in +their original location, as does the Interlude between Acts IV and V +(printed as a very long asterisked footnote). The original numbering +has been retained.] + + + * * * * * + * * * * + * * * * * + + Shakespeare’s Play Of + + KING HENRY THE FIFTH, + + Arranged for Representation at + the Princess’s Theatre, + + with + HISTORICAL AND EXPLANATORY NOTES, + + by + CHARLES KEAN, F.S.A., + + As First Performed + On MONDAY, MARCH 28th, 1859. + + + + + Entered At Stationers’ Hall. + + London: + Printed by John K. Chapman and Co., + 5, Shoe Lane, and Peterborough Court, Fleet Street. + + PRICE ONE SHILLING. + TO BE HAD IN THE THEATRE. + + + + +DRAMATIS PERSONÆ. + + [Transcriber’s Note: + “Mrs. Charles Kean” was otherwise known as Ellen Tree. Throughout the + play, the Hostess is called by her Henry IV name, Mrs. Quickly.] + + KING HENRY THE FIFTH, Mr. CHARLES KEAN. + DUKE OF BEDFORD, } { Mr. DALY. + DUKE OF GLOUCESTER, } { Miss DALY. + (_Brothers to the King_) + DUKE OF EXETER (_Uncle to the King_) Mr. COOPER. + DUKE OF YORK (_Cousin to the King_) Mr. FLEMING. + EARL OF SALISBURY, Mr. WILSON. + EARL OF WESTMORELAND, Mr. COLLETT. + EARL OF WARWICK, Mr. WARREN. + ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, Mr. H. MELLON. + BISHOP OF ELY, Mr. F. COOKE. + EARL OF CAMBRIDGE, } { Mr. T. W. EDMONDS. + LORD SCROOP, } { Mr. CORMACK. + SIR THOMAS GREY, } { Mr. STOAKES. + (_Conspirators against the King_) + SIR THOMAS ERPINGHAM, } { Mr. GRAHAM. + GOWER, } { Mr. G. EVERETT. + FLUELLEN, } { Mr. MEADOWS. + (_Officers in King Henry’s Army_) + BATES, } { Mr. DODSWORTH. + WILLIAMS, } { Mr. RYDER. + (_Soldiers in the same_) + NYM, } { Mr. J. MORRIS. + BARDOLPH, } { Mr. H. SAKER. + PISTOL, } { Mr. FRANK MATTHEWS. + (_formerly Servants to Falstaff, + now Soldiers in the same_) + BOY (_Servant to them_) Miss KATE TERRY. + ENGLISH HERALD, Mr. COLLIER. + + CHORUS, Mrs. CHARLES KEAN. + + CHARLES THE SIXTH (_King of France_) Mr. TERRY. + LEWIS (_the Dauphin_) Mr. J. F. CATHCART. + DUKE OF BURGUNDY, Mr. ROLLESTON. + DUKE OF ORLEANS, Mr. BRAZIER. + DUKE OF BOURBON, Mr. JAMES. + THE CONSTABLE OF FRANCE, Mr. RAYMOND. + RAMBURES, } { Mr. WALTERS. + GRANDPRÈ, } { Mr. RICHARDSON. + (_French Lords_) + GOVERNOR OF HARFLEUR, Mr. PAULO. + MONTJOY (_French Herald_) Mr. BARSBY. + + ISABEL (_Queen of France_) Miss MURRAY. + KATHARINE Miss CHAPMAN. + (_Daughter of Charles and Isabel_) + QUICKLY (_Pistol’s Wife, a Hostess_) Mrs. W. DALY. + +_Lords, Ladies, Officers, French and English Soldiers, Messengers, +and Attendants._ + + +The SCENE, at the Beginning of the Play, lies in England; +but afterwards in France. + + + + +STAGE DIRECTIONS. + +R.H. means Right Hand; L.H. Left Hand; U.E. Upper Entrance. R.H.C. +Enters through the centre from the Right Hand; L.H.C. Enters through +the centre from the Left Hand. + + +RELATIVE POSITIONS OF THE PERFORMERS WHEN ON THE STAGE. + +R. means on the Right Side of the Stage; L. on the Left Side of the +Stage; C. Centre of the Stage; R.C. Right Centre of the Stage; L.C. +Left Centre of the Stage. + +--> The reader is supposed _to be on the Stage_, facing the Audience. + + THE SCENERY Painted by Mr. GRIEVE and Mr. TELBIN, + Assisted by Mr. W. GORDON, Mr. F. LLOYDS, + Mr. CUTHBERT, Mr. DAYES, Mr. MORRIS, &c., &c. + THE MUSIC under the direction of Mr. ISAACSON. + THE DANCE IN THE EPISODE by Mr. CORMACK. + THE DECORATIONS AND APPOINTMENTS by Mr. E. W. BRADWELL. + THE DRESSES by Mrs. and Miss HOGGINS. + THE MACHINERY by Mr. G. HODSDON. + PERRUQUIER, Mr. ASPLIN, of No. 13, New Bond Street. + +--> _For reference to Historical Authorities indicated by Letters, see +end of each Act._ + + + + +PREFACE. + + +In the selection of my last Shakespearean revival at the Princess’s +Theatre, I have been actuated by a desire to present some of the finest +poetry of our great dramatic master, interwoven with a subject +illustrating a most memorable era in English history. No play appears +to be better adapted for this two-fold purpose than that which treats +of Shakespeare’s favorite hero, and England’s favorite king--Henry the +Fifth. + +The period thus recalled is flattering to our national pride; and +however much the general feeling of the present day may be opposed to +the evils of war, there are few amongst us who can be reminded of the +military renown achieved by our ancestors on the fields of Crecy, +Poitiers, and Agincourt, without a glow of patriotic enthusiasm. + +The political motives which induced the invasion of France in the year +1415 must be sought for in the warlike spirit of the times, and in the +martial character of the English sovereign. It is sufficient for +dramatic purposes that a few thousands of our countrymen, in their march +through a foreign land, enfeebled by sickness and encompassed by foes, +were able to subdue and scatter to the winds the multitudinous hosts of +France, on whose blood-stained soil ten thousand of her bravest sons lay +slain, mingled with scarcely one hundred Englishmen![*] Such a +marvellous disparity might well draw forth the pious acknowledgment of +King Henry,-- + + “O God, thy arm was here;-- + And not to us, but to thy arm alone, + Ascribe we all.--When, without stratagem, + But in plain shock and even play of battle, + Was ever known so great and little loss + On one part and on the other?--Take it, God, + For it is only thine!” + + [Footnote *: The English authorities vary in their statements + from seventeen to one hundred killed. The French historian, + Monstrelet, estimates the loss of his countrymen at ten thousand + men.] + +Shakespeare in this, as in other of his dramatic histories, has closely +followed Holinshed; but the light of his genius irradiates the dry pages +of the chronicler. The play of Henry the Fifth is not only a poetical +record of the past, but it is, as it were, “a song of triumph,” a lay of +the minstrel pouring forth a pæan of victory. The gallant feats of our +forefathers are brought vividly before our eyes, inspiring sentiments +not to be excited by the mere perusal of books, reminding us of the +prowess of Englishmen in earlier days, and conveying an assurance of +what they will ever be in the hour of peril. + +The descriptive poetry assigned to the “Chorus” between the acts is +retained as a peculiar feature, connecting and explaining the action as +it proceeds. This singular personage, so different from the Chorus of +antiquity, I have endeavoured to render instrumental to the general +effect of the play; the whole being planned with a view to realise, as +far as the appliances of a theatre can be exercised, the events of the +extraordinary campaign so decisively closed by the great conflict of +Agincourt, which ultimately placed two crowns on the brow of the +conqueror, and resulted in his marriage with Katharine, the daughter of +Charles the Sixth, King of France. Shakespeare does not in this +instance, as in _Pericles_ and the _Winter’s Tale_, assign a distinct +individuality to the Chorus. For the figure of Time, under the semblance +of an aged man, which has been heretofore presented, will now be +substituted Clio, the muse of History. Thus, without violating +consistency, an opportunity is afforded to Mrs. Charles Kean, which the +play does not otherwise supply, of participating in this, the concluding +revival of her husband’s management. + +Between the fourth and fifth acts I have ventured to introduce, as in +the case of _Richard the Second_, a historical episode of action, +exhibiting the reception of King Henry on returning to his capital, +after the French expedition. + +It would be impossible to include the manifold incidents of the royal +progress in one scene: neither could all the sites on which they +actually took place be successively exhibited. The most prominent are, +therefore, selected, and thrown into one locality--the approach to old +London bridge. Our audiences have previously witnessed the procession of +Bolingbroke, followed in silence by his deposed and captive predecessor. +An endeavor will now be made to exhibit the heroic son of that very +Bolingbroke, in his own hour of more lawful triumph, returning to the +same city; while thousands gazed upon him with mingled devotion and +delight, many of whom, perhaps, participated in the earlier reception of +his father, sixteen years before, under such different and painful +circumstances. The Victor of Agincourt is hailed, not as a successful +usurper, but as a conqueror; the adored sovereign of his people; the +pride of the nation; and apparently the chosen instrument of heaven, +crowned with imperishable glory. The portrait of this great man is drawn +throughout the play with the pencil of a master-hand. The pleasantry of +the prince occasionally peeps through the dignified reserve of the +monarch, as instanced in his conversations with Fluellen, and in the +exchange of gloves with the soldier Williams. His bearing is invariably +gallant, chivalrous, and truly devout; surmounting every obstacle by his +indomitable courage; and ever in the true feeling of a christian +warrior, placing his trust in the one Supreme Power, the only Giver of +victory! The introductions made throughout the play are presented less +with a view to spectacular effect, than from a desire to render the +stage a medium of historical knowledge, as well as an illustration of +dramatic poetry. _Accuracy_, not _show_, has been my object; and where +the two coalesce, it is because the one is inseparable from the other. +The entire scene of the episode has been modelled upon the facts related +by the late Sir Harris Nicholas, in his translated copy of a highly +interesting Latin MS., accidentally discovered in the British Museum, +written by a Priest, who accompanied the English army; and giving a +detailed account of every incident, from the embarkation at Southampton +to the return to London. The author tells us himself, that he was +present at Agincourt, and “_sat on horseback with the other priests, +among the baggage, in the rear of the battle_.” We have, therefore, the +evidence of an eyewitness; and by that testimony I have regulated the +general representation of this noble play, but more especially the +introductory episode. + +The music, under the direction of Mr. Isaacson, has been, in part, +selected from such ancient airs as remain to us of, or anterior to, the +date of Henry the Fifth, and, in part, composed to accord with the same +period. The “Song on the Victory of Agincourt,” published at the end of +Sir Harris Nicholas’s interesting narrative, and introduced in the +admirable work entitled “Popular Music of the Olden Time,” by +W. Chappell, F.S.A., is sung by the boy choristers in the Episode. The +“Chanson Roland,” to be found in the above-named work, is also given by +the entire chorus in the same scene. The Hymn of Thanksgiving, at the +end of the fourth act, is supposed to be as old as A.D. 1310. To give +effect to the music, fifty singers have been engaged. + +As the term of my management is now drawing to a close, I may, perhaps, +be permitted, in a few words, to express my thanks for the support and +encouragement I have received. While endeavouring, to the best of my +ability and judgment, to uphold the interests of the drama in its most +exalted form, I may conscientiously assert, that I have been animated by +no selfish or commercial spirit. An enthusiast in the art to which my +life has been devoted, I have always entertained a deeply-rooted +conviction that the plan I have pursued for many seasons, might, in due +time, under fostering care, render the Stage productive of much benefit +to society at large. Impressed with a belief that the genius of +Shakespeare soars above all rivalry, that he is the most marvellous +writer the world has ever known, and that his works contain stores of +wisdom, intellectual and moral, I cannot but hope that one who has +toiled for so many years, in admiring sincerity, to spread abroad +amongst the multitude these invaluable gems, may, at least, be +considered as an honest labourer, adding his mite to the great cause of +civilisation and educational progress. + +After nine years of unremitting exertion as actor and director, the +constant strain of mind and body warns me to retreat from a combined +duty which I find beyond my strength, and in the exercise of which, +neither zeal, nor devotion, nor consequent success, can continue to +beguile me into a belief that the end will compensate for the many +attendant troubles and anxieties. It would have been impossible, on my +part, to gratify my enthusiastic wishes, in the illustration of +Shakespeare, had not my previous career as an actor placed me in a +position of comparative independence with regard to speculative +disappointment. Wonderful as have been the yearly receipts, yet the vast +sums expended--sums, I have every reason to believe, not to be +paralleled in any theatre of the same capability throughout the +world--make it advisable that I should now retire from the self-imposed +responsibility of management, involving such a perilous outlay; and the +more especially, as a building so restricted in size as the Princess’s, +renders any adequate return utterly hopeless. + +My earnest aim has been to promote the well-being of my Profession; and +if, in any degree, I have attained so desirable an object, I trust I may +not be deemed presumptuous in cherishing the belief, that my arduous +struggle has won for me the honourable reward of--Public Approval. + +CHARLES KEAN. + + + + +KING HENRY THE FIFTH. + + + _Enter CHORUS._ + + O for a muse of fire, that would ascend + The brightest heaven of invention,[1] + A kingdom for a stage, princes to act, + And monarchs to behold the swelling scene! + Then should the warlike Harry, like himself, + Assume the port of Mars;[2] and, at his heels, + Leash’d in like hounds, should famine, sword, and fire, + Crouch for employment.(A) But pardon, gentles all, + The flat unraised spirit that hath dar’d + On this unworthy scaffold to bring forth + So great an object: Can this cockpit hold[3] + The vasty fields of France? or may we cram + Upon this little stage[4] the very casques[5] + That did affright the air at Agincourt? + O, pardon! since a crooked figure may + Attest in little place, a million; + And let us, cyphers to this great accompt, + On your imaginary forces[6] work. + Suppose within the girdle of these walls + Are now confined two mighty monarchies, + Whose high upreared and abutting fronts + The perilous narrow ocean parts asunder:[7] + Piece out our imperfections with your thoughts; + Into a thousand parts divide one man,[8] + And make imaginary puissance;[9] + For ’tis your thoughts that now must deck our kings, + Carry them here and there; jumping o’er times, + Turning the accomplishment of many years + Into an hour-glass: For the which supply, + Admit me Chorus to this history; + Who, prologue-like, your humble patience pray, + Gently to hear, kindly to judge, our play. + + [_Exit._ + + + [Footnote Ic.1: _O, for a muse of fire, &c._] This goes, says + Warburton, upon the notion of the Peripatetic system, which + imagines several heavens one above another, the last and highest + of which was one of fire. It alludes, likewise, to the aspiring + nature of fire, which, by its levity, at the separation of the + chaos, took the highest seat of all the elements.] + + [Footnote Ic.2: _Assume the port of Mars;_] i.e., the demeanour, + the carriage, air of Mars. From portée, French.] + + [Footnote Ic.3: _Can this cockpit hold_] Shakespeare probably + calls the stage a cockpit, as the most diminutive enclosure + present to his mind.] + + [Footnote Ic.4: _Upon this little stage_] The original text is + “within this wooden O,” in allusion, probably, to the theatre + where this history was exhibited, being, from its _circular_ form, + called _The Globe_.] + + [Footnote Ic.5: _----the very +casques+_] Even the helmets, much + less the men by whom they were worn.] + + [Footnote Ic.6: _----+imaginary+ forces_] _Imaginary_ for + _imaginative_, or your powers of fancy. Active and passive words + are by Shakespeare frequently confounded.] + + [Footnote Ic.7: _The perilous narrow ocean parts asunder._] + _Perilous narrow_ means no more than _very narrow_. In old books + this mode of expression frequently occurs.] + + [Footnote Ic.8: _Into a thousand parts divide one man,_] i.e., + suppose every man to represent a thousand.] + + [Footnote Ic.9: _----make imaginary puissance:_] i.e., imagine you + see an enemy.] + + + + +ACT I. + + +SCENE I.--THE PAINTED CHAMBER IN THE ROYAL PALACE AT WESTMINSTER. + + [Frequent reference is made in the Chronicles to the Painted + Chamber, as the room wherein Henry V. held his councils.] + + _Trumpets sound._ + + _KING HENRY(B) discovered on his throne (CENTRE)[*], BEDFORD,(C) + GLOSTER,(D) EXETER,(E) WARWICK, WESTMORELAND, and others in + attendance._ + + [Footnote *: The throne is powdered with the letter S. This + decoration made its appearance in the reign of Henry IV., and + has been differently accounted for. The late Sir Samuel Meyrick + supposes it to be the initial letter of Henry’s motto, + “Souveraine.” The King’s costume is copied from Strutt’s “Regal + Antiquities.” The dresses of the English throughout the play are + taken from the works of Strutt, Meyrick, Shaw, and Hamilton Smith. + The heraldry has been kindly supplied by Thomas Willement, Esq., + F.S.A. The Lord Great Chamberlain carrying the sword of state is + De Vere, Earl of Oxford.] + + _K. Hen._ Where is my gracious Lord of Canterbury? + + _Exe._ (L.) Not here in presence. + + _K. Hen._ Send for him, good uncle. + + [_EXETER beckons to a HERALD, who goes off, L.H._ + + _West._ (L.) Shall we call in the ambassador, my liege? + + _K. Hen._ Not yet, my cousin: we would be resolv’d, + Before we hear him, of some things of weight, + That task[1] our thoughts, concerning us and France. + + _Re-enter HERALD with the Archbishop of CANTERBURY,(F)[2] and + Bishop of ELY,[3] L.H. The Bishops cross to R.C._ + + _Cant._ (R.C.) Heaven and its angels guard your sacred throne, + And make you long become it! + + _K. Hen._ Sure, we thank you. + My learned lord, we pray you to proceed, + And justly and religiously unfold, + Why the law Salique,(G) that they have in France, + Or should, or should not, bar us in our claim: + And Heaven forbid, my dear and faithful lord, + That you should fashion, wrest,[4] or bow your reading,[5] + Or nicely charge your understanding soul[6] + With opening titles miscreate,[7] whose right + Suits not in native colours with the truth. + For Heaven doth know how many, now in health, + Shall drop their blood in approbation[8] + Of what your reverence shall incite us to. + Therefore take heed how you impawn our person,[9] + How you awake the sleeping sword of war: + We charge you, in the name of Heaven, take heed: + Under this conjuration, speak, my lord. + + _Cant._ (R.C.) Then hear me, gracious sovereign, and you peers, + That owe your lives, your faith, and services, + To this imperial throne.--There is no bar + To make against your highness’ claim to France + But this, which they produce from Pharamond,-- + _No woman shall succeed in Salique land_: + Which Salique land the French unjustly gloze[10] + To be the realm of France, and Pharamond + The founder of this law and female bar. + Yet their own authors faithfully affirm + That the land Salique lies in Germany, + Between the floods of Sala and of Elbe; + Where Charles the Great, having subdued the Saxons, + There left behind and settled certain French: + Nor did the French possess the Salique land + Until four hundred one and twenty years + After defunction of King Pharamond, + Idly supposed the founder of this law. + Besides, their writers say, + King Pepin, which deposed Childerick, + Did hold in right and title of the female: + So do the kings of France unto this day; + Howbeit they would hold up this Salique law + To bar your highness claiming from the female; + And rather choose to hide them in a net + Than amply to imbare their crooked titles[11] + Usurp’d from you and your progenitors. + + _K. Hen._ May I with right and conscience make this claim? + + _Cant._ (R.C.) The sin upon my head, dread sovereign! + For in the book of Numbers is it writ,-- + When the son dies, let the inheritance + Descend unto the daughter. Gracious lord, + Stand for your own; unwind your bloody flag; + Look back unto your mighty ancestors: + Go, my dread lord, to your great grandsire’s tomb, + From whom you claim; invoke his warlike spirit, + And your great uncle’s, Edward the black prince, + Who on the French ground play’d a tragedy, + Making defeat on the full power of France, + Whiles his most mighty father on a hill + Stood smiling to behold his lion’s whelp + Forage in blood of French nobility.[12] + + _Ely._ (R.C.) Awake remembrance of these valiant dead, + And with your puissant arm renew their feats: + You are their heir; you sit upon their throne; + The blood and courage, that renowned them, + Runs in your veins; and my thrice-puissant liege + Is in the very May-morn of his youth, + Ripe for exploits and mighty enterprises. + + _Exe._ (L.) Your brother kings and monarchs of the earth + Do all expect that you should rouse yourself, + As did the former lions of your blood. + + _West._ (L.) They know your grace hath cause, and means and might: + So hath your highness;[13] never king of England + Had nobles richer and more loyal subjects, + Whose hearts have left their bodies here in England, + And lie pavilion’d in the fields of France. + + _Cant._ O, let their bodies follow, my dear liege, + With blood, and sword, and fire to win your right: + In aid whereof we of the spiritualty + Will raise your highness such a mighty sum, + As never did the clergy at one time + Bring in to any of your ancestors. + + _K. Hen._ We must not only arm to invade the French, + But lay down our proportions to defend + Against the Scot, who will make road upon us + With all advantages. + + _Cant._ (R.C.) They of those marches,[14] gracious sovereign, + Shall be a wall sufficient to defend + Our inland from the pilfering borderers. + Therefore to France, my liege. + Divide your happy England into four; + Whereof take you one quarter into France, + And you withal shall make all Gallia shake. + If we, with thrice that power left at home, + Cannot defend our own door from the dog, + Let us be worried, and our nation lose + The name of hardiness and policy. + + _K. Hen._ Call in the messengers sent from the Dauphin. + + [_Exit HERALD with LORDS, L.H._ + + Now are we well resolv’d; and by Heaven’s help, + And yours, the noble sinews of our power,-- + France being ours, we’ll bend it to our awe, + Or break it all to pieces. + + _Re-enter HERALD and Lords, L.H., with the AMBASSADOR of FRANCE, + French Bishops, Gentlemen, and Attendants carrying a treasure + chest, L.H._ + + Now are we well prepar’d to know the pleasure + Of our fair cousin Dauphin; for we hear + Your greeting is from him, not from the king. + + _Amb._ (L.C.) May it please your majesty to give us leave + Freely to render what we have in charge; + Or shall we sparingly show you far off + The Dauphin’s meaning and our embassy? + + _K. Hen._ We are no tyrant, but a Christian king; + Therefore with frank and with uncurbed plainness + Tell us the Dauphin’s mind. + + _Amb._ Thus, then, in few.[15] + Your highness, lately sending into France, + Did claim some certain dukedoms, in the right + Of your great predecessor, King Edward the Third. + In answer of which claim, the prince our master + Says,--that you savour too much of your youth; + And bids you be advis’d, there’s nought in France + That can be with a nimble galliard won;[16] + You cannot revel into dukedoms there. + He therefore sends you, meeter for your spirit, + This tun of treasure; and, in lieu of this, + Desires you let the dukedoms that you claim + Hear no more of you. This the Dauphin speaks. + + _K. Hen._ What treasure, uncle? + + _Exe._ (_Opening the chest._) + + Tennis-balls, my liege.(H) + + _K. Hen._ We are glad the Dauphin is so pleasant with us; + His present and your pains we thank you for: + When we have match’d our rackets to these balls, + We will, in France, by Heaven’s grace, play a set + Shall strike his father’s crown into the hazard. + And we understand him well, + How he comes o’er us with our wilder days, + Not measuring what use we made of them. + But tell the Dauphin,--I will keep my state; + Be like a king, and show my soul of greatness, + When I do rouse me in my throne of France: + For I will rise there with so full a glory, + That I will dazzle all the eyes of France, + Yea, strike the Dauphin blind to look on us. + But this lies all within the will of Heaven, + To whom I do appeal; And in whose name, + Tell you the Dauphin, I am coming on, + To venge me as I may, and to put forth + My rightful hand in a well-hallow’d cause. + So, get you hence in peace; and tell the Dauphin, + His jest will savour but of shallow wit, + When thousands weep, more than did laugh at it.-- + Convey them with safe conduct.--Fare you well. + + [_Exeunt AMBASSADOR, and Attendants, L.H._ + + _Exe._ This was a merry message. + + _K. Hen._ We hope to make the sender blush at it. + + [_The KING rises._ + + Therefore, my lords, omit no happy hour + That may give furtherance to our expedition; + For we have now no thought in us but France, + Save those to Heaven, that run before our business. + Therefore let our proportions for these wars + Be soon collected, and all things thought upon + That may with reasonable swiftness add + More feathers to our wings; for, Heaven before, + We’ll chide this Dauphin at his father’s door. + + [_The characters group round the KING._ + + _Trumpets sound._ + + + [Footnote I.1: _----task_] Keep busied with scruples and + disquisitions.] + + [Footnote I.2: _Archbishop of Canterbury,_] Henry Chichely, + a Carthusian monk, recently promoted to the see of Canterbury.] + + [Footnote I.3: _Bishop of Ely._] John Fordham, consecrated 1388; + died, 1426.] + + [Footnote I.4: _----wrest_,] i.e., distort.] + + [Footnote I.5: _----or bow your reading_,] i.e., bend your + interpretation.] + + [Footnote I.6: _Or nicely charge your understanding soul_] Take + heed, lest by nice and subtle sophistry you burthen your knowing + soul, or _knowingly burthen your soul_, with the guilt of + advancing a false title, or of maintaining, by specious fallacies, + a claim which, if shown in its native and true colours, would + appear to be false. --JOHNSON.] + + [Footnote I.7: _----miscreate_,] Ill-begotten, illegitimate, + spurious.] + + [Footnote I.8: _----in approbation_] i.e., in proving and + supporting that title which shall be now set up.] + + [Footnote I.9: _----impawn our person_,] To engage and to pawn + were in our author’s time synonymous.] + + [Footnote I.10: _----gloze_] Expound, explain.] + + [Footnote I.11: _----+imbare+ their crooked titles_] i.e., to lay + open, to display to view.] + + [Footnote I.12: In allusion to the battle of Crecy, fought 25th + August, 1346.] + + [Footnote I.13: _So hath your highness;_] i.e., your highness hath + indeed what they think and know you have.] + + [Footnote I.14: _They of those +marches+,_] The _marches_ are the + borders, the confines. Hence the _Lords Marchers_, i.e., the lords + presidents of the _marches_, &c.] + + [Footnote I.15: _----in few._] i.e., in short, brief.] + + [Footnote I.16: _----a nimble +galliard+ won;_] A _galliard_ was + an ancient dance. The word is now obsolete.] + + +SCENE II.--EASTCHEAP, LONDON. + + _Enter BARDOLPH,(I) NYM, PISTOL, MRS. QUICKLY, and BOY, L.2 E._ + +_Quick._ (L.C.) Pr’ythee, honey-sweet husband, let me bring thee to +Staines.[17] + + _Pist._ (C.) No; for my manly heart doth yearn.-- + Bardolph, be blithe;--Nym, rouse thy vaunting veins; + Boy, bristle thy courage up; for Falstaff he is dead, + And we must yearn therefore. + +_Bard._ (R.) ’Would I were with him, wheresome’er he is! + +_Quick._ (C.) Sure, he’s in Arthur’s bosom,[18] if ever man went to +Arthur’s bosom. ’A made a finer end,[19] and went away, an it had been +any christom child;[20] ’a parted even just between twelve and one, e’en +at turning o’ the tide:[21] for after I saw him fumble with the +sheets,[22] and play with flowers, and smile upon his fingers’ ends, +I knew there was but one way; for his nose was as sharp as a pen, and a’ +babbled of green fields. How now, Sir John! quoth I: what, man! be of +good cheer. So a’ cried out--Heaven, Heaven, Heaven! three or four +times. Now I, to comfort him, bid him ’a should not think of Heaven; +I hoped, there was no need to trouble himself with any such thoughts +yet. So ’a bade me lay more clothes on his feet: I put my hand into the +bed and felt them, and they were as cold as any stone. + +_Nym._ (R.C.) They say he cried out of sack. + +_Quick._ Ay, that ’a did. + +_Bard._ And of women. + +_Quick._ Nay, that ’a did not. + +_Boy._ (L.) Yes, that ’a did, and said they were devils incarnate. + +_Quick._ (_crosses L.C._) ’A could never abide carnation;[23] ’twas a +colour he never liked. + +_Boy._ Do you not remember, ’a saw a flea stick upon Bardolph’s nose, +and ’a said it was a black soul burning in hell-fire? + +_Bard._ Well, the fuel is gone that maintained that fire: that’s all the +riches I got in his service. + +_Nym._ Shall we shog off?[24] the king will be gone from Southampton. + + _Pist._ Come, let’s away.--My love, give me thy lips. + Look to my chattels and my moveables: + Let senses rule;[25] the word is, _Pitch and pay_;[26] + Trust none; + For oaths are straws, men’s faiths are wafer-cakes, + And hold-fast is the only dog,[27] my duck: + Therefore, _caveto_ be thy counsellor.[28] + Go, clear thy crystals.[29]--Yoke-fellows in arms, + + [_Crosses L.H._ + + Let us to France; like horse-leeches, my boys, + To suck, to suck, the very blood to suck! + + [_Crosses R.H._ + +_Boy._ And that is but unwholesome food, they say. + +_Pitt._ Touch her soft mouth, and march. + +_Bard._ Farewell, hostess. + + [_Kissing her._ + +_Nym._ I cannot kiss, that is the humour of it; but adieu. + +_Pist._ Let housewifery appear: keep close, I thee command. + +_Quick._ Farewell; adieu. + + [_Exeunt BARDOLPH, PISTOL, NYM, R.H., and DAME QUICKLY, L.H._ + +_Boy._ As young as I am, I have observed these three swashers. I am boy +to them all three: but all they three, though they would serve me, could +not be a man to me; for, indeed, three such anticks do not amount to a +man. For Bardolph,--he is white-livered and red-faced; by the means +whereof ’a faces it out, but fights not. For Pistol,--he hath a killing +tongue and a quiet sword; by the means whereof ’a breaks words, and +keeps whole weapons. For Nym,--he hath heard that men of few words are +the best men; and therefore he scorns to say his prayers, lest ’a should +be thought a coward: but his few bad words are match’d with as few good +deeds; for ’a never broke any man’s head but his own, and that was +against a post when he was drunk. They will steal any thing, and call +it--purchase. They would have me as familiar with men’s pockets as their +gloves or their handkerchiefs: which makes much against my manhood, if I +should take from another’s pocket to put into mine; for it is plain +pocketing up of wrongs. I must leave them, and seek some better service: +their villainy goes against my weak stomach, and therefore I must cast +it up. + + [_Distant March heard. Exit BOY, R.H._ + + +END OF FIRST ACT. + + + [Footnote I.17: _----let me bring thee to Staines._] i.e., let me + attend, or accompany thee.] + + [Footnote I.18: _----Arthur’s bosom,_] Dame Quickly, in her usual + blundering way, mistakes Arthur for Abraham.] + + [Footnote I.19: _’A made a finer end,_] To make a fine end is not + an uncommon expression for making a good end. The Hostess means + that Falstaff died with becoming resignation and patient + submission to the will of Heaven.] + + [Footnote I.20: _----an it had been any christom child;_] i.e., + child that has wore the _chrysom_, or white cloth put on a new + baptized child.] + + [Footnote I.21: _----turning o’ the tide:_] It has been a very old + opinion, which Mead, _de imperio solis_, quotes, as if he believed + it, that nobody dies but in the time of ebb: half the deaths in + London confute the notion; but we find that it was common among + the women of the poet’s time. --JOHNSON.] + + [Footnote I.22: _----I saw him fumble with the sheets,_] Pliny, in + his chapter on _the signs of death_, makes mention of “_a fumbling + and pleiting of the bed-clothes._” The same indication of + approaching death is enumerated by Celsus, Lommius, Hippocrates, + and Galen.] + + [Footnote I.23: _’A could never abide carnation;_] Mrs. Quickly + blunders, mistaking the word _incarnate_ for a colour. _In + questions of Love_, published 1566, we have “_yelowe, pale, redde, + blue, whyte, gray, and incarnate._”] + + [Footnote I.24: _Shall we shog off?_] i.e., shall we move off--jog + off?] + + [Footnote I.25: _Let senses rule;_] i.e., let prudence govern + you--conduct yourself sensibly.] + + [Footnote I.26: _----Pitch and pay;_] A familiar expression, + meaning pay down at once, pay ready money; probably throw down + your money and pay.] + + [Footnote I.27: _----hold-fast is the only dog,_] Alluding to + the proverbial saying-- “Brag is a good dog, but Holdfast is a + better.”] + + [Footnote I.28: _----caveto be thy counsellor._] i.e., let + _prudence_ be thy counsellor.] + + [Footnote I.29: _----clear thy crystals._] Dry thine eyes.] + + + + +HISTORICAL NOTE TO CHORUS--ACT FIRST + + (A) _----should famine, sword, and fire, + Crouch for employment._] + +Holinshed states that when the people of Rouen petitioned Henry V., the +king replied “that the goddess of battle, called Bellona, had three +handmaidens, ever of necessity attending upon her, as blood, fire, and +famine.” These are probably the _dogs of war_ mentioned in Julius Cæsar. + + +HISTORICAL NOTES TO ACT FIRST. + +(B) KING HENRY _on his throne,_] King Henry V. was born at Monmouth, +August 9th, 1388, from which place he took his surname. He was the +eldest son of Henry Bolingbroke, Earl of Derby, afterwards Duke of +Hereford, who was banished by King Richard the Second, and, after that +monarch’s deposition, was made king of England, A.D. 1399. At eleven +years of age Henry V. was a student at Queen’s College, Oxford, under +the tuition of his half-uncle, Henry Beaufort, Chancellor of that +university. Richard II. took the young Henry with him in his expedition +to Ireland, and caused him to be imprisoned in the castle of Trym, but, +when his father, the Duke of Hereford, deposed the king and obtained the +crown, he was created Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall. + +In 1403 the Prince was engaged at the battle of Shrewsbury, where the +famous Hotspur was slain, and there wounded in the face by an arrow. +History states that Prince Henry became the companion of rioters and +disorderly persons, and indulged in a course of life quite unworthy of +his high station. There is a tradition that, under the influence of +wine, he assisted his associates in robbing passengers on the highway. +His being confined in prison for striking the Chief Justice, Sir William +Gascoigne, is well known. + +These excesses gave great uneasiness and annoyance to the king, his +father, who dismissed the Prince from the office of President of his +Privy Council, and appointed in his stead his second son, Thomas, Duke +of Clarence. Henry was crowned King of England on the 9th April, 1413. +We read in Stowe-- “After his coronation King Henry called unto him all +those young lords and gentlemen who were the followers of his young +acts, to every one of whom he gave rich gifts, and then commanded that +as many as would change their manners, as he intended to do, should +abide with him at court; and to all that would persevere in their former +like conversation, he gave express commandment, upon pain of their +heads, never after that day to come in his presence.” + +This heroic king fought and won the celebrated battle of Agincourt, on +the 25th October, 1415; married the Princess Katherine, daughter of +Charles VI. of France and Isabella of Bavaria, his queen, in the year +1420; and died at Vincennes, near Paris, in the midst of his military +glory, August 31st, 1422, in the thirty-fourth year of his age, and the +tenth of his reign, leaving an infant son, who succeeded to the throne +under the title of Henry VI. + +The famous Whittington was for the third time Lord Mayor of London in +this reign, A.D. 1419. Thomas Chaucer, son of the great poet, was +speaker of the House of Commons, which granted the supplies to the king +for his invasion of France. + +(C) _Bedford,_] John, Duke of Bedford, was the third son of King Henry +IV., and his brother, Henry V., left to him the Regency of France. He +died in the year 1435. This duke was accounted one of the best generals +of the royal race of Plantaganet. + +King Lewis XI. being counselled by certain envious persons to deface his +tomb, used these, indeed, princely words:-- _“What honor shall it be to +us, or you, to break this monument, and to pull out of the ground the +bones of him, whom, in his life time, neither my father nor your +progenitors, with all their puissance, were once able to make fly a foot +backward? Who by his strength, policy, and wit, kept them all out of the +principal dominions of France, and out of this noble Dutchy of Normandy? +Wherefore I say first, God save his soul, and let his body now lie in +rest, which, when he was alive, would have disquieted the proudest of us +all; and for his tomb, I assure you, it is not so worthy or convenient +as his honor and acts have deserved.” --Vide Sandford’s History of the +Kings of England._ + +(D) _Gloster,_] Humphrey, Duke of Gloster, was the fourth son of King +Henry IV., and on the death of his brother, Henry V., became Regent of +England. It is generally supposed he was strangled. His death took place +in the year 1446. + +(E) _Exeter,_] Shakespeare is a little too early in giving Thomas +Beaufort the title of Duke of Exeter; for when Harfleur was taken, and +he was appointed governor of the town, he was only Earl of Dorset. He +was not made Duke of Exeter till the year after the battle of Agincourt, +November 14, 1416. Exeter was half brother to King Henry IV., being one +of the sons of John of Gaunt, by Catherine Swynford. + +(F) _Archbishop of Canterbury,_] The Archbishop’s speech in this scene, +explaining King Henry’s title to the crown of France, is closely copied +from Holinshed’s chronicle, page 545. + +“About the middle of the year 1414, Henry V., influenced by the +persuasions of Chichely, Archbishop of Canterbury, by the dying +injunction of his royal father, not to allow the kingdom to remain long +at peace, or more probably by those feelings of ambition, which were no +less natural to his age and character, than consonant with the manners +of the time in which he lived, resolved to assert that claim to the +crown of France which his great grandfather, King Edward the Third, had +urged with such confidence and success.” --_Nicolas’s History of the +Battle of Agincourt._ + +(G) _----the law Salique,_] According to this law no woman was permitted +to govern or be a Queen in her own right. The title only was allowed to +the wife of the monarch. This law was imported from Germany by the +warlike Franks. + +(H) _Tennis-balls, my liege._] Some contemporary historians affirm that +the Dauphin sent Henry the contemptuous present, which has been imputed +to him, intimating that such implements of play were better adapted to +his dissolute character than the instruments of war, while others are +silent on the subject. The circumstance of Henry’s offering to meet his +enemy in single combat, affords some support to the statement that he +was influenced by those personal feelings of revenge to which the +Dauphin’s conduct would undoubtedly have given birth. + +(I) _Enter BARDOLPH, NYM, PISTOL, Mrs. QUICKLY, and BOY._] These +followers of Falstaff figured conspicuously through the two parts of +Shakespeare’s Henry IV. Pistol is a swaggering, pompous braggadocio; Nym +a boaster and a coward; and Bardolph a liar, thief, and coward, who has +no wit but in his nose. + + + + + _Enter CHORUS._ + + + _Cho._ Now all the youth of England are on fire, + And silken dalliance in the wardrobe lies: + Now thrive the armourers, and honour’s thought + Reigns solely in the breast of every man: + They sell the pasture now to buy the horse; + Following the mirror of all Christian kings, + With wingéd heels, as English Mercuries; + For now sits expectation in the air. + O England!--model to thy inward greatness, + Like little body with a mighty heart,-- + What might’st thou do, that honour would thee do, + Were all thy children kind and natural! + But see thy fault! France hath in thee found out + A nest of hollow bosoms, which he fills[1] + With treacherous crowns; and three corrupted men,-- + One, Richard earl of Cambridge;[2] and the second, + Henry lord Scroop of Masham,[3] and the third, + Sir Thomas Grey, knight, of Northumberland,-- + Have, for the gilt of France[4] (O guilt, indeed!), + Confirm’d conspiracy with fearful France;(A) + And by their hands this grace of kings[5] must die, + (If hell and treason hold their promises,) + Ere he take ship for France, and in Southampton. + + _The back scene opens and discovers a tableau, representing the + three conspirators receiving the bribe from the emissaries of + France._ + + Linger your patience on; and well digest + The abuse of distance, while we force a play.[6] + The sum is paid; the traitors are agreed; + The king is set from London; and the scene + Is now transported, gentles, to Southampton,-- + There is the playhouse now, there must you sit: + And thence to France shall we convey you safe, + And bring you back, charming the narrow seas + To give you gentle pass; for, if we may, + We’ll not offend one stomach[7] with our play. + But, till the king come forth, and not till then,[8] + Unto Southampton do we shift our scene. + + [_Exit._ + + + [Footnote IIc.1: _----which +he+ fills_] i.e., the King of + France.] + + [Footnote IIc.2: _----Richard, earl of Cambridge;_] Was Richard de + Coninsbury, younger son of Edmund of Langley, Duke of York. He was + father of Richard, Duke of York, father of Edward the Fourth.] + + [Footnote IIc.3: _Henry lord Scroop of Masham,_] Was third husband + of Joan Duchess of York (she had four), mother-in-law of Richard, + Earl of Cambridge.] + + [Footnote IIc.4: _----the +gilt+ of France,_] i.e., _golden + money_.] + + [Footnote IIc.5: _----this grace of kings_] i.e., he who does the + greatest honor to the title. By the same phraseology the usurper + in _Hamlet_ is called the _vice of kings_, i.e., the opprobrium of + them.] + + [Footnote IIc.6: _----while we +force a play+._] To _force a play_ + is to produce a play by compelling many circumstances into a + narrow compass.] + + [Footnote IIc.7: _We’ll not offend one stomach_] That is, you + shall pass the sea without the qualms of sea-sickness.] + + [Footnote IIc.8: _But, till the king come forth, and not till + then,_] The meaning is, “We will not shift our scene unto + Southampton till the king makes his appearance on the stage, and + the scene will be at Southampton _only_ for the short time while + he does appear on the stage; for, soon after his appearance, it + will change to France.” --MALONE.] + + + + +ACT II. + + +SCENE I.--COUNCIL CHAMBER IN SOUTHAMPTON CASTLE. + + _EXETER, BEDFORD, and WESTMORELAND, discovered._ + + _Bed._ ’Fore Heaven, his grace is bold, to trust these traitors. + + _Exe._ They shall be apprehended by and by. + + _West._ How smooth and even they do bear themselves! + As if allegiance in their bosoms sat, + Crowned with faith and constant loyalty. + + _Bed._ The king hath note of all that they intend, + By interception which they dream not of. + + _Exe._ Nay, but the man that was his bedfellow,(A) + Whom he hath cloy’d and grac’d with princely favours,-- + That he should, for a foreign purse, so sell + His sovereign’s life to death and treachery! + + _Distant Trumpets sound. Enter King HENRY, SCROOP, CAMBRIDGE, + GREY, Lords and Attendants, U.E.L.H._ + + _K. Hen._ Now sits the wind fair, and we will aboard. + My lord of Cambridge,--and my kind lord of Masham,-- + And you, my gentle knight,--give me your thoughts: + Think you not, that the powers we bear with us + Will cut their passage through the force of France? + + _Scroop._ No doubt, my liege, if each man do his best. + + _K. Hen._ I doubt not that; since we are well persuaded + We carry not a heart with us from hence + That grows not in a fair consent with ours,[1] + Nor leave not one behind that doth not wish + Success and conquest to attend on us. + + _Cam._ (R.) Never was monarch better fear’d and lov’d + Than is your majesty: there’s not, I think, a subject + That sits in heart-grief and uneasiness + Under the sweet shade of your government. + + _Grey._ (R.) Even those that were your father’s enemies + Have steep’d their galls in honey, and do serve you + With hearts create[2] of duty and of zeal. + + _K.Hen._ (C.) We therefore have great cause of thankfulness; + And shall forget the office of our hand, + Sooner than quittance of desert and merit + According to the weight and worthiness. + Uncle of Exeter, R. + Enlarge the man committed yesterday, + That rail’d against our person: we consider + It was excess of wine that set him on; + And, on his more advice,[3] we pardon him. + + _Scroop._ (R.) That’s mercy, but too much security: + Let him be punish’d, sovereign; lest example + Breed, by his sufferance, more of such a kind. + + _K. Hen._ O, let us yet be merciful. + + _Cam._ So may your highness, and yet punish too. + + _Grey._ Sir, you show great mercy, if you give him life, + After the taste of much correction. + + _K. Hen._ Alas, your too much love and care of me + Are heavy orisons ’gainst this poor wretch![4] + If little faults, proceeding on distemper,[5] + Shall not be wink’d at, how shall we stretch our eye[6] + When capital crimes, chew’d, swallow’d, and digested, + Appear before us?--We’ll yet enlarge that man, + Though Cambridge, Scroop, and Grey,--in their dear care + And tender preservation of our person,-- + Would have him punish’d. And now to our French causes: + + [_All take their places at Council table._ + + Who are the late Commissioners?[7] + + _Cam._ (_R. of table._) I one, my lord: + Your highness bade me ask for it to-day. + + _Scroop._ (_R. of table._) So did you me, my liege. + + _Grey._ (_R. of table._) And me, my royal sovereign. + + _K. Hen._ Then, Richard earl of Cambridge, there is yours;-- + There yours, lord Scroop of Masham;--and, sir knight, + Grey of Northumberland, this same is yours:-- + Read them; and know, I know your worthiness.-- + My lord of Westmoreland,--and uncle Exeter,-- + + [_L. of table._ + + We will aboard to-night. + + (_Conspirators start from their places._) + + Why, how now, gentlemen! + What see you in those papers, that you lose + So much complexion?--look ye, how they change! + Their cheeks are paper.--Why, what read you there, + That hath so cowarded and chas’d your blood + Out of appearance? + + _Cam._ I do confess my fault; + And do submit me to your highness’ mercy. + + [_Falling on his knees._ + + _Grey._ } To which we all appeal. [_Kneeling._ + _Scroop._ } + + _K. Hen._ (_rising; all the LORDS rise with the KING._) + The mercy that was quick[8] in us but late, + By your own counsel is suppress’d and kill’d: + You must not dare, for shame, to talk of mercy. + See you, my princes and my noble peers, + These English monsters! My lord of Cambridge here,-- + You know how apt our love was to accord + To furnish him with all appertinents + Belonging to his honour; and this man + Hath, for a few light crowns, lightly conspir’d, + And sworn unto the practises of France, + To kill us here in Hampton: to the which + This knight, no less for bounty bound to us + Than Cambridge is,--hath likewise sworn.--But, O, + What shall I say to thee, lord Scroop? thou cruel, + Ingrateful, savage, and inhuman creature! + Thou that did’st bear the key of all my counsels, + That knew’st the very bottom of my soul, + That almost might’st have coin’d me into gold, + May it be possible, that foreign hire + Could out of thee extract one spark of evil + That might annoy my finger? ’Tis so strange, + That, though the truth of it stands off as gross[9] + As black from white,[10] my eye will scarcely see it; + For this revolt of thine, methinks, is like + Another fall of man.--Their faults are open: + Arrest them to the answer of the law;-- + + [_EXETER goes to door U.E.L.H, and calls on the Guard._ + + And Heaven acquit them of their practises! + +_Exe._ (_comes down, R.C._) I arrest thee of high treason, by the name +of Richard earl of Cambridge. + +I arrest thee of high treason, by the name of Henry lord Scroop of +Masham. + +I arrest thee of high treason, by the name of Thomas Grey, knight, of +Northumberland. + + _Scroop._ (_R., kneeling._) + Our purposes Heaven justly hath discover’d; + And I repent my fault more than my death. + + _Cam._ (_R., kneeling._) + For me,--the gold of France did not seduce;(B) + Although I did admit it as a motive + The sooner to effect what I intended: + But Heaven be thanked for prevention; + Which I in sufferance heartily will rejoice,[11] + Beseeching Heaven and you to pardon me. + + _Grey._ (_R. kneeling._) Never did faithful subject more rejoice + At the discovery of most dangerous treason + Than I do at this hour joy o’er myself, + Prevented from a damned enterprize: + My fault, but not my body, pardon, sovereign. + + _K. Hen._ (C.) Heaven quit you in its mercy! Hear your sentence. + You have conspir’d against our royal person, + Join’d with an enemy proclaim’d, and from his coffers + Receiv’d the golden earnest of our death; + Wherein you would have sold your king to slaughter, + His princes and his peers to servitude, + His subjects to oppression and contempt, + And his whole kingdom into desolation. + Touching our person, seek we no revenge;(C) + But we our kingdom’s safety must so tender,[12] + Whose ruin you three sought, that to her laws + We do deliver you. Get you, therefore, hence, + Poor miserable wretches, to your death: + The taste whereof, Heaven of its mercy give you + Patience to endure, and true repentance + Of all your dear offences![13]--Bear them hence. + + [_Conspirators rise and exeunt guarded, with EXETER._ + + Now, Lords, for France; the enterprize whereof + Shall be to you, as us, like glorious. + We doubt not of a fair and lucky war, + Since Heaven so graciously hath brought to light + This dangerous treason, lurking in our way. + Then, forth, dear countrymen: let us deliver + Our puissance[14] into the hand of Heaven, + Putting it straight in expedition. + Cheerly to sea; the signs of war advance:(D) + No king of England, if not king of France. + + [_Exeunt, U.E.L.H._ + + [Footnote II.1: _----in a fair consent with ours,_] i.e., in + friendly concord; in unison with ours.] + + [Footnote II.2: _----hearts +create+_] Hearts _compounded_ or + _made up_ of duty and zeal.] + + [Footnote II.3: _----more advice,_] On his return to more + _coolness of mind_.] + + [Footnote II.4: _Are heavy orisons ’gainst, &c._] i.e., are + weighty supplications against this poor wretch.] + + [Footnote II.5: _----proceeding on +distemper+,_] _Distemper’d in + liquor_ was a common expression. We read in Holinshed, vol. iii., + page 626:-- “gave him wine and strong drink in such excessive + sort, that he was therewith _distempered_, and reeled as he + went.”] + + [Footnote II.6: _----how shall we stretch our eye_] If we may not + _wink_ at small faults, _how wide must we open our eyes_ at + great.] + + [Footnote II.7: _Who are the late commissioners?_] That is, who + are the persons lately appointed commissioners.] + + [Footnote II.8: _----quick_] That is, _living_.] + + [Footnote II.9: _----as gross_] As palpable.] + + [Footnote II.10: + _----though the truth of it stands off as gross + As black from white,_] + Though the truth be as apparent and visible as black and white + contiguous to each other. To _stand off_ is _être relevè_, to be + prominent to the eye, as the strong parts of a picture. + --JOHNSON.] + + [Footnote II.11: _Which I in sufferance heartily will rejoice,_] + Cambridge means to say, _at_ which prevention, or, which intended + scheme that it was prevented, I shall rejoice. Shakespeare has + many such elliptical expressions. The intended scheme that he + alludes to was the taking off Henry, to make room for his + brother-in-law. --MALONE.] + + [Footnote II.12: _----our kingdom’s safety must so tender,_] i.e., + must so regard.] + + [Footnote II.13: _----dear offences!----_] _To dere_, in ancient + language, was _to hurt_; the meaning, therefore, is hurtful-- + pernicious offences.] + + [Footnote II.14: _Our puissance_] i.e., our power, our force.] + + +SCENE II.--FRANCE. A ROOM IN THE FRENCH KING’S PALACE. + + _Trumpets sound._ + + _Enter the FRENCH KING,[15] attended; the DAUPHIN, the DUKE OF + BURGUNDY, the CONSTABLE, and Others,(E) L.H._ + + _Fr. King._ (C.) Thus come the English with full power upon us; + And more than carefully it us concerns[16] + To answer royally in our defences. + Therefore the Dukes of Berry and of Bretagne, + Of Brabant and of Orleans, shall make forth,-- + And you, Prince Dauphin,--with all swift despatch, + To line and new repair our towns of war + With men of courage and with means defendant. + + _Dau._ (R.C.) My most redoubted father, + It is most meet we arm us ’gainst the foe: + And let us do it with no show of fear; + No, with no more than if we heard that England + Were busied with a Whitsun morris-dance: + For, my good liege, she is so idly king’d, + Her sceptre so fantastically borne + By a vain, giddy, shallow, humorous youth, + That fear attends her not. + + _Con._ (L.C.) O peace, prince Dauphin + You are too much mistaken in this king: + With what great state he heard our embassy, + How well supplied with noble counsellors, + How modest in exception,[17] and withal + How terrible in constant resolution, + And you shall find his vanities fore-spent + Were but the outside of the Roman Brutus, + Covering discretion with a coat of folly. + + _Dau._ Well, ’tis not so, my lord high constable; + But though we think it so, it is no matter: + In cases of defence ’tis best to weigh + The enemy more mighty than he seems: + So the proportions of defence are fill’d. + + _Fr. King._ Think we King Harry strong; + And, princes, look you strongly arm to meet him. + The kindred of him hath been flesh’d upon us; + And he is bred out of that bloody strain[18] + That haunted us[19] in our familiar paths: + Witness our too much memorable shame + When Cressy battle fatally was struck, + And all our princes captiv’d by the hand + Of that black name, Edward, black prince of Wales; + Whiles that his mountain sire,--on mountain standing, + Up in the air, crown’d with the golden sun,--[20] + Saw his heroical seed, and smil’d to see him + Mangle the work of nature, and deface + The patterns that by Heaven and by French fathers + Had twenty years been made. This is a stem + Of that victorious stock; and let us fear + The native mightiness and fate of him.[21] + + _Enter MONTJOY,[22] L.H., and kneels C. to the KING._ + + _Mont._ Ambassadors from Henry King of England + Do crave admittance to your majesty. + + _Fr. King._ We’ll give them present audience. + + (_MONTJOY rises from his knee._) + + Go, and bring them. + + [_Exeunt MONTJOY, and certain LORDS, L.H._ + + You see this chase is hotly follow’d, friends. + + _Dau._ Turn head, and stop pursuit; for coward dogs + Most spend their mouths,[23] when what they seem to threaten + Runs far before them. Good my sovereign, + Take up the English short; and let them know + Of what a monarchy you are the head: + Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin + As self-neglecting. + + [_FRENCH KING takes his seat on Throne, R._ + + _Re-enter MONTJOY, LORDS, with EXETER and Train, L.H._ + + _Fr. King._ From our brother England? + + _Exe._ (L.C.) From him; and thus he greets your majesty. + He wills you, in the awful name of Heaven, + That you divest yourself, and lay apart + The borrow’d glories, that, by gift of heaven, + By law of nature and of nations, ’long + To him and to his heirs; namely, the crown, + And all wide-stretched honours that pertain, + By custom and the ordinance of times + Unto the crown of France. That you may know + ’Tis no sinister nor no awkward claim, + Pick’d from the worm-holes of long-vanish’d days, + Nor from the dust of old oblivion rak’d, + He sends you this most memorable line,[24] + + [_Gives a paper to MONTJOY, who delivers it kneeling to the KING._ + + In every branch truly demonstrative; + Willing you overlook this pedigree: + And when you find him evenly deriv’d + From his most fam’d of famous ancestors, + Edward the Third, he bids you then resign + Your crown and kingdom, indirectly held + From him the native and true challenger. + + _Fr. King._ Or else what follows? + + _Exe._ Bloody constraint; for if you hide the crown + Even in your hearts, there will he rake for it: + Therefore in fierce tempest is he coming, + In thunder and in earthquake, like a Jove. + (That, if requiring fail, he will compel): + This is his claim, his threat’ning, and my message; + Unless the Dauphin be in presence here, + To whom expressly I bring greeting too. + + _Fr. King._ For us, we will consider of this further: + To-morrow shall you bear our full intent + Back to our brother England. + + [_MONTJOY rises, and retires to R._ + + _Dau._ (_R. of throne._) For the Dauphin, + I stand here for him: What to him from England? + + _Exe._ Scorn and defiance; slight regard, contempt, + And any thing that may not misbecome + The mighty sender, doth he prize you at. + Thus says my king: an if your father’s highness + Do not, in grant of all demands at large, + Sweeten the bitter mock you sent his majesty, + He’ll call you to so hot an answer for it, + That caves and womby vaultages of France + Shall chide your trespass,[25] and return your mock + In second accent of his ordnance. + + _Dau._ Say, if my father render fair reply, + It is against my will; for I desire + Nothing but odds with England: to that end, + As matching to his youth and vanity, + I did present him with those Paris balls. + + _Exe._ He’ll make your Paris Louvre shake for it: + And, be assur’d, you’ll find a difference + Between the promise of his greener days + And these he masters now: now he weighs time, + Even to the utmost grain: which you shall read[26] + In your own losses, if he stay in France. + + _Fr. King._ To-morrow shall you know our mind at full. + + _Exe._ Despatch us with all speed, lest that our king + Come here himself to question our delay; + For he is footed in this land already. + + _Fr. King._ You shall be soon despatch’d with fair conditions: + + [_MONTJOY crosses to the English party._ + + A night is but small breath and little pause + To answer matters of this consequence. + + [_English party exit, with MONTJOY and others, L.H. + French Lords group round the KING._ + + _Trumpets sound._ + + + [Footnote II.15: ----FRENCH KING,] The costume of Charles VI. is + copied from Willemin, Monuments Français. The dresses of the other + Lords are selected from Montfaucon Monarchie Françoise.] + + [Footnote II.16: _----more than carefully it us concerns,_] _More + than carefully_ is _with more than common care_; a phrase of the + same kind with _better than well_. --JOHNSON.] + + [Footnote II.17: _How modest in exception,_] How diffident and + decent in making objections.] + + [Footnote II.18: _----strain_] _lineage_.] + + [Footnote II.19: _That +haunted+ us_] To _haunt_ is a word of the + utmost horror, which shows that they dreaded the English as + goblins and spirits.] + + [Footnote II.20: _----crown’d with the golden sun,--_] + Shakespeare’s meaning (divested of its poetical fancy) probably + is, that the king stood upon an eminence, with the sun shining + over his head. --STEEVENS.] + + [Footnote II.21: _----+fate+ of him._] His _fate_ is what is + allotted him by destiny, or what he is fated to perform.] + + [Footnote II.22: _Montjoy,_] Mont-joie is the title of the + principal king-at-arms in France, as Garter is in our country.] + + [Footnote II.23: _----spend their mouths,_] That is, bark; the + sportsman’s term.] + + [Footnote II.24: _----memorable +line+,_] This genealogy; this + deduction of his _lineage_.] + + [Footnote II.25: _Shall +chide+ your trespass,_] To _chide_ is to + _resound_, to _echo_.] + + [Footnote II.26: _----you shall read_] i.e., shall _find_.] + + +END OF ACT SECOND. + + + + +HISTORICAL NOTES TO CHORUS--ACT SECOND. + + (A) _These corrupted men,---- + One, Richard earl of Cambridge; and the second, + Henry lord Scroop of Masham; and the third, + Sir Thomas Grey knight of Northumberland,-- + Have for the guilt of France (O, guilt, indeed!) + Confirm’d conspiracy with fearful France._ + +About the end of July, Henry’s ambitious designs received a momentary +check from the discovery of a treasonable conspiracy against his person +and government, by Richard, Earl of Cambridge, brother of the Duke of +York; Henry, Lord Scroop of Masham, the Lord Treasurer; and Sir Thomas +Grey, of Heton, knight. The king’s command for the investigation of the +affair, was dated on the 21st of that month, and a writ was issued to +the Sheriff of Southampton, to assemble a jury for their trial; and +which on Friday, the 2nd of August, found that on the 20th of July, +Richard, Earl of Cambridge, and Thomas Grey, of Heton, in the County of +Northumberland, knight, had falsely and traitorously conspired to +collect a body of armed men, to conduct Edmund, Earl of March,[*] to the +frontiers of Wales, and to proclaim him the rightful heir to the crown, +in case Richard II. was actually dead; but they had solicited Thomas +Frumpyngton, who personated King Richard, Henry Percy, and many others +from Scotland to invade the realm, that they had intended to destroy the +King, the Duke of Clarence, the Duke of Bedford, the Duke of Gloucester, +with other lords and great men; and that Henry, Lord Scroop, of Masham, +consented to the said treasonable purposes, and concealed the knowledge +of them from the king. On the same day the accused were reported by Sir +John Popham, Constable of the Castle of Southampton, to whose custody +they had been committed, to have confessed the justice of the charges +brought against them, and that they threw themselves on the king’s +mercy; but Scroop endeavoured to extenuate his conduct, by asserting +that his intentions were innocent, and that he appeared only to +acquiesce in their designs to be enabled to defeat them. The Earl and +Lord Scroop having claimed the privilege of being tried by the peers, +were remanded to prison, but sentence of death in the usual manner was +pronounced against Grey, and he was immediately executed; though, in +consequence of Henry having dispensed with his being drawn and hung, he +was allowed to walk from the Watergate to the Northgate of the town of +Southampton, where he was beheaded. A commission was soon afterwards +issued, addressed to the Duke of Clarence, for the trial of the Earl of +Cambridge and Lord Scroop: this court unanimously declared the prisoners +guilty, and sentence of death having been denounced against them, they +paid the forfeit of their lives on Monday, the 5th of August. In +consideration of the earl being of the blood royal, he was merely +beheaded; but to mark the perfidy and ingratitude of Scroop, who had +enjoyed the king’s utmost confidence and friendship, and had even shared +his bed, he commanded that he should be drawn to the place of execution, +and that his head should be affixed on one of the gates of the city of +York. --_Nicolas’s History of the Battle of Agincourt_. + + [Footnote *: At that moment the Earl of March was the lawful + heir to the crown, he being the heir general of Lionel, Duke of + Clarence, _third_ son of Edward III, whilst Henry V. was but the + heir of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, King Edward’s _fourth_ + son.] + + +HISTORICAL NOTES TO ACT SECOND. + +(A) _----the man that was his bedfellow,_] So, Holinshed: “The said Lord +Scroop was in such favour with the king, that he admitted him sometimes +to be his _bedfellow_.” The familiar appellation, of _bedfellow_, which +appears strange to us, was common among the ancient nobility. There is a +letter from the sixth Earl of Northumberland (still preserved in the +collection of the present duke), addressed “To his beloved cousin, +Thomas Arundel,” &c., which begins “_Bedfellow_, after my most hasté +recommendation.” --_Steevens_. + +This unseemly custom continued common till the middle of the last +century, if not later. Cromwell obtained much of his intelligence, +during the civil wars, from the mean men with whom he slept. --_Malone_. + +After the battle of Dreux, 1562, the Prince of Condé slept in the same +bed with the Duke of Guise; an anecdote frequently cited, to show the +magnanimity of the latter, who slept soundly, though so near his +greatest enemy, then his prisoner. --_Nares._ + +(B) _For me,--the gold of France did not seduce;_] Holinshed observes, +“that Richard, Earl of Cambridge, did not conspire with the Lord Scroop +and Thomas Grey, for the murdering of King Henry to please the French +king, but only to the intent to exalt to the crown his brother-in-law +Edmund, Earl of March, as heir to Lionel, Duke of Clarence; after the +death of which Earl of March, for divers secret impediments not able to +have issue, the Earl of Cambridge was sure that the crown should come to +him by his wife, and to his children of her begotten; and therefore (as +was thought), he rather confessed himself for need of money to be +corrupted by the French king, than he would declare his inward mind, +&c., which if it were espied, he saw plainly that the Earl of March +should have tasted of the same cup that he had drunk, and what should +have come to his own children he merely doubted, &c.” + +A million of gold is stated to have been given by France to the +conspirators. + +Historians have, however, generally expressed their utter inability to +explain upon what grounds the conspirators built their expectation of +success; and unless they had been promised powerful assistance from +France, the design seems to have been one of the most absurd and +hopeless upon record. The confession of the Earl of Cambridge, and his +supplication for mercy in his own hand writing, is in the British +Museum. + +(C) _Touching our person, seek we no revenge;_] This speech is taken +from Holinshed:-- + +“Revenge herein touching my person, though I seek not; yet for the +safeguard of my dear friends, and for due preservation of all sorts, +I am by office to cause example to be showed: Get ye hence, therefore, +you poor miserable wretches, to the receiving of your just reward, +wherein God’s majesty give you grace of his mercy, and repentance of +your heinous offences.” + +(D) _Cheerly to sea; the signs of war advance:_] “The king went from his +castle of Porchester in a small vessel to the sea, and embarking on +board his ship, called The Trinity, between the ports of Southampton and +Portsmouth, he immediately ordered that the sail should be set, to +signify his readiness to depart.” “There were about fifteen hundred +vessels, including about a hundred which were left behind. After having +passed the Isle of Wight, swans were seen swimming in the midst of the +fleet, which, in the opinion of all, were said to be happy auspices of +the undertaking. On the next day, the king entered the mouth of the +Seine, and cast anchor before a place called Kidecaus, about three miles +from Harfleur, where he proposed landing.” --_Nicolas’s History of +Agincourt_. + +The departure of Henry’s army on this occasion, and the separation +between those who composed it and their relatives and friends, is thus +described by Drayton, who was born in 1563, and died in 1631:-- + + There might a man have seen in every street, + The father bidding farewell to his son; + Small children kneeling at their father’s feet: + The wife with her dear husband ne’er had done: + Brother, his brother, with adieu to greet: + One friend to take leave of another, run; + The maiden with her best belov’d to part, + Gave him her hand who took away her heart. + + The nobler youth the common rank above, + On their curveting coursers mounted fair: + One wore his mistress’ garter, one her glove; + And he a lock of his dear lady’s hair: + And he her colours, whom he did most love; + There was not one but did some favour wear: + And each one took it, on his happy speed, + To make it famous by some knightly deed. + +(E) Enter the FRENCH KING, _the DAUPHIN, the_ DUKE OF BURGUNDY, _the +CONSTABLE, and others._] Charles VI., surnamed the Well Beloved, was +King of France during the most disastrous period of its history. He +ascended the throne in 1380, when only thirteen years of age. In 1385 he +married Isabella of Bavaria, who was equally remarkable for her beauty +and her depravity. The unfortunate king was subject to fits of insanity, +which lasted for several months at a time. On the 21st October, 1422, +seven years after the battle of Agincourt, Charles VI. ended his unhappy +life at the age of 55, having reigned 42 years. Lewis the Dauphin was +the eldest son of Charles VI. He was born 22nd January, 1396, and died +before his father, December 18th, 1415, in his twentieth year. History +says, “Shortly after the battle of Agincourt, either for melancholy that +he had for the loss, or by some sudden disease, Lewis, Dovphin of +Viennois, heir apparent to the French king, departed this life without +issue.” + +John, Duke of Burgundy, surnamed the Fearless, succeeded to the dukedom +in 1403. He caused the Duke of Orleans to be assassinated in the streets +of Paris, and was himself murdered August 28, 1419, on the bridge of +Montereau, at an interview with the Dauphin, afterwards Charles VII. +John was succeeded by his only son, who bore the title of Philip the +Good, Duke of Burgundy. + +The Constable, Charles D’Albret, commanded the French army at the Battle +of Agincourt, and was slain on the field. + + + + + _Enter CHORUS._ + + + _Chor._ Thus with imagin’d wing our swift scene flies, + In motion of no less celerity + Than that of thought. Suppose that you have seen + The well-appointed king[1] at Hampton pier + Embark his royalty;[2] and his brave fleet + With silken streamers the young Phœbus fanning: + Play with your fancies; and in them behold + Upon the hempen tackle ship-boys climbing; + Hear the shrill whistle, which doth order give + To sounds confus’d; behold the threaden sails, + Borne with the invisible and creeping wind, + Draw the huge bottoms through the furrow’d sea, + Breasting the lofty surge: O, do but think + You stand upon the rivage,[3] and behold + A city on the inconstant billows dancing; + For so appears this fleet majestical, + Holding due course to Harfleur. Follow, follow! + Grapple your minds to sternage of this navy;[4] + And leave your England, as dead midnight still, + Guarded with grandsires, babies, and old women, + Either past, or not arriv’d to, pith and puissance; + For who is he, whose chin is but enrich’d + With one appearing hair, that will not follow + These cull’d and choice-drawn cavaliers to France? + Work, work your thoughts, and therein see a siege; + Behold the ordnance on their carriages, + With fatal mouths gaping on girded Harfleur. + Suppose the ambassador from the French comes back; + Tells Harry--that the king doth offer him + Katharine his daughter; and with her, to dowry, + Some petty and unprofitable dukedoms. + The offer likes not: and the nimble gunner + With linstock[5] now the devilish cannon touches, + + [_Alarums, and cannon shot off._ + + And down goes all before them. Still be kind, + And eke out our performance with your mind. + + [_Exit._ + + [Footnote IIIc.1: _The well-appointed king_] i.e., well furnished + with all the necessaries of war.] + + [Footnote IIIc.2: _Embark his royalty;_] The place where Henry’s + army was encamped, at Southampton, is now entirely covered with + the sea, and called Westport.] + + [Footnote IIIc.3: _----rivage,_] The _bank_ or shore.] + + [Footnote IIIc.4: _----to +sternage+ of this navy;_] The stern + being the hinder part of the ship, the meaning is, let your minds + follow close after the navy. _Stern_, however, appears to have + been anciently synonymous to _rudder_.] + + + + + Scene Changes to + THE SIEGE OF HARFLEUR. + + THE WALLS ARE MANNED BY THE FRENCH. + + The English Are Repulsed from + an Attack on the Breach. + + + _Alarums. Enter KING HENRY, EXETER, BEDFORD, GLOSTER, and + Soldiers, R.H._ + + _K. Hen._ Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more; + Or close the wall up with our English dead![6] + In peace there’s nothing so becomes a man + As modest stillness and humility: + But when the blast of war blows in our ears, + Then imitate the action of the tiger! + On, on, you noble English, + Whose blood is fet[7] from fathers of war-proof! + And you, good yeomen, + Whose limbs were made in England, show us here + The mettle of your pasture; let us swear + That you are worth your breeding: which I doubt not; + For there is none of you so mean and base, + That hath not noble lustre in your eyes. + I see you stand like greyhounds in the slips,[8] + Straining upon the start. The game’s afoot: + Follow your spirit; and, upon this charge, + Cry--God for Harry! England! and Saint George! + + [_The English charge upon the breach, headed by the KING. + Alarums. The GOVERNOR of the Town appears on the walls + with a flag of truce._ + + _K. Hen._ How yet resolves the governour of the town? + This is the latest parle we will admit: + Therefore, to our best mercy give yourselves; + Or, like to men proud of destruction, + Defy us to our worst: for, as I am a soldier + (A name that, in my thoughts, becomes me best,) + If I begin the battery once again, + I will not leave the half-achieved Harfleur + Till in her ashes she lie buried. + The gates of mercy shall be all shut up. + What say you? will you yield, and this avoid? + Or, guilty in defence, be thus destroy’d? + + _Gov._ Our expectation hath this day an end: + The Dauphin, whom of succour we entreated,[9] + Returns us--that his powers are not yet ready + To raise so great a siege. Therefore, dread king, + We yield our town and lives to thy soft mercy. + Enter our town; dispose of us and ours; + For we no longer are defensible. + + [_Soldiers shout._ + + [_The GOVERNOR and others come from the town, and kneeling, + present to KING HENRY the keys of the city._ + + _K. Hen._ Come, uncle Exeter, R. + Go you and enter Harfleur; there remain, + And fortify it strongly ’gainst the French: + Use mercy to them all. For us, dear uncle,-- + The winter coming on, and sickness growing + Upon our soldiers,--we’ll retire to Calais. + To-night in Harfleur[*] will we be your guest; + To-morrow for the march are we addrest.[10] + + [_March. English army enter the town through the breach._ + + + [Footnote *: Extracts from the Account of the Siege of Harfleur, + selected from the pages of the anonymous Chronicler who was an + eyewitness of the event. + + “Our King, who sought peace, not war, in order that he might + further arm the cause in which he was engaged with the shield of + justice offered peace to the besieged, if they would open the + gates to him, and restore, as was their duty, freely, without + compulsion, that town, the noble hereditary portion of his Crown + of England, and of his Dukedom of Normandy. + + “But as they, despising and setting at nought this offer, strove + to keep possession of, and to defend the town against him, our + King summoned to fight, as it were, against his will, called upon + God to witness his just cause * * * he (King Henry) gave himself + no rest by day or night, until having fitted and fixed his engines + and guns under the walls, he had planted them within shot of the + enemy, against the front of the town, and against the walls, + gates, and towers, of the same * * * so that taking aim at the + place to be battered, the guns from beneath blew forth stones by + the force of ignited powers, * * * and in the mean time our King, + with his guns and engines, so battered the said bulwark, and the + walls and towers on every side, that within a few days, by the + impetuosity and fury of the stones, the same bulwark was in a + great part broken down; and the walls and towers from which the + enemy had sent forth their weapons, the bastions falling in ruins, + were rendered defenceless; and very fine edifices, even in the + middle of the city, either lay altogether in ruins, or threatened + an inevitable fall; or at least were so shaken as to be + exceedingly damaged. * * * And although our guns had disarmed the + bulwark, walls, and towers during the day, the besieged by night, + with logs, faggots, and tubs on vessels full of earth, mud, and + sand or stones, piled up within the shattered walls, and with + other barricadoes, refortified the streets. * * * The King had + caused towers and wooden bulwarks to the height of the walls, and + ladders and other instruments, besides those which he had brought + with him for the assault.” --We are then told that the enemy + contrived to set these engines on fire ’by means of powders, and + combustibles prepared on the walls.’ + + The History then states that “a fire broke out where the strength + of the French was greater, and the French themselves were overcome + with resisting, and in endeavouring to extinguish the fire, until + at length by force of arms, darts, and flames, their strength was + destroyed. Leaving the place therefore to our party, they fled and + retreated beneath the walls for protection; most carefully + blocking up the entrance with timber, stones, earth, and mud, lest + our people should rush in upon them through the same passage.” + + “On the following day a conference was held with the Lord de + Gaucort, who acted as Captain, and with the more powerful leaders, + whether it was the determination of the inhabitants to surrender + the town without suffering further rigour of death or war. * * * + On that night they entered into a treaty with the King, that if + the French King, or the Dauphin, his first-born, being informed, + should not raise the seige, and deliver them by force of arms + within the first hour after morn on the Sunday following, they + would surrender to him the town, and themselves, and their + property.” + + “And neither at the aforesaid hour on the following Sunday, nor + within the time, the French King, the Dauphin, nor any one else, + coming forward to raise the siege. * * * The aforesaid Lord de + Gaucort came from the town into the king’s presence, accompanied + by those persons who before had sworn to keep the articles, and + surrendering to him the keys of the Corporation, submitted + themselves, together with the citizens, to his grace. * * * Then + the banners of St. George and the King were fixed upon the gates + of the town, and the King advanced his illustrious uncle, the Lord + Thomas Beaufort, Earl of Dorset (afterwards Duke of Exeter) to be + keeper and captain of the town, having delivered to him the keys.” + + Thus, after a vigorous siege of about thirty-six days, one of the + most important towns of Normandy fell into the hands of the + invaders. The Chronicler in the text informs us, that the + dysentery had carried off infinitely more of the English army than + were slain in the siege; that about five thousand men were then so + dreadfully debilitated by that disease, that they were unable to + proceed, and were therefore sent to England; that three hundred + men-at-arms and nine hundred archers were left to garrison + Harfleur; that great numbers had cowardly deserted the King, and + returned home by stealth; and that after all these deductions, not + more than nine hundred lances and five thousand archers remained + fit for service. + + Hume, in his History of England, relates that “King Henry landed + near Harfleur, at the head of an army of 6,000 men-at-arms, and + 24,000 foot, mostly archers. He immediately began the siege of + that place, which was valiantly defended by d’Estoüleville, and + under him by de Guitri, de Gaucourt, and others of the French + nobility; but as the garrison was weak, and the fortifications in + bad repair, the governor was at last obliged to capitulate, and he + promised to surrender the place if he received no succour before + the 18th of September. The day came, and there was no appearance + of a French army to relieve him. Henry, taking possession of the + town, placed a garrison in it, and expelled all the French + inhabitants, with an intention of peopling it anew with English. + The fatigues of this siege, and the unusual heat of the season, + had so wasted the English army, that Henry could enter on no + farther enterprise, and was obliged to think of returning to + England. He had dismissed his transports, which could not anchor + in an open road upon the enemy’s coasts, and he lay under a + necessity of marching by land to Calais before he could reach a + place of safety. A numerous French army of 14,000 men at-arms, and + 40,000 foot, was by this time assembled in Normandy, under the + constable d’Albret, a force which, if prudently conducted, was + sufficient either to trample down the English in the open field, + or to harass and reduce to nothing their small army before they + could finish so long and difficult a march. Henry, therefore, + cautiously offered to sacrifice his conquest of Harfleur for a + safe passage to Calais; but his proposal being rejected, he + determined to make his way by valour and conduct through all the + opposition of the enemy.”] + + + [Footnote IIIc.5: _----linstock_] The staff to which the match is + fixed when ordnance is fired.] + + [Footnote IIIc.6: _Or close the wall up with our English dead!_] + i.e. re-enter the breach you have made, or fill it up with your + own dead bodies.] + + [Footnote IIIc.7: _Whose blood is +fet+_] To fet is an obsolete + word meaning _to fetch_. That is, “whose blood is derived,” &c. + The word is used by Spencer and Ben Jonson.] + + [Footnote IIIc.8: _----like greyhounds in the +slips+,_] _Slips_ + are a contrivance of leather, to start two dogs at the same time.] + + [Footnote IIIc.9: _----whom of succour we entreated,_] This + phraseology was not uncommon in Shakespeare’s time.] + + [Footnote IIIc.10: _----are we +addrest+._] i.e., prepared.] + + + + +ACT III. + + +SCENE I.--FRANCE. ROOM IN THE FRENCH KING’S PALACE. + + _Trumpets sound._ + + _Enter the FRENCH KING, the DAUPHIN, DUKE OF BOURBON, the + CONSTABLE OF FRANCE, and others, L.H._ + + _Fr. King._ (C.) ’Tis certain he hath pass’d the river Somme. + + _Con._ (R.C.) And if he be not fought withal, my lord, + Let us not live in France; let us quit all, + And give our vineyards to a barbarous people. + + _Dau._ (R.) By faith and honour, + Our madams mock at us; + They bid us--to the English dancing-schools, + And teach lavoltas high[1] and swift corantos;[2] + Saying our grace is only in our heels, + And that we are most lofty runaways. + + _Fr. King._ Where is Montjoy the herald? speed him hence: + Let him greet England with our sharp defiance.-- + Up, princes! and, with spirit of honour edg’d + More sharper than your swords, hie to the field: + Bar Harry England, that sweeps through our land + With pennons[3] painted in the blood of Harfleur: + Go down upon him,--you have power enough,-- + And in a captive chariot into Rouen + Bring him our prisoner. + + _Con._ This becomes the great. + Sorry am I his numbers are so few, + His soldiers sick, and famish’d in their march; + For, I am sure, when he shall see our army, + He’ll drop his heart into the sink of fear, + And, for achievement offer us his ransom.[4] + + _Fr. King._ Therefore, lord constable, haste on Montjoy; + + [_CONSTABLE crosses to L._ + + And let him say to England, that we send + To know what willing ransom he will give.-- + Prince Dauphin, you shall stay with us in Rouen. + + _Dau._ Not so, I do beseech your majesty. + + _Fr. King._ Be patient; for you shall remain with us.-- + Now, forth, lord constable (_Exit CONSTABLE, L.H._), and princes all, + And quickly bring us word of England’s fall. + + [_Exeunt L.H._ + + _Trumpets sound._ + + + [Footnote III.1: _----lavoltas high_] A dance in which there was + much turning, and much capering.] + + [Footnote III.2: _----swift corantos;_] A corant is a sprightly + dance.] + + [Footnote III.3: _With +pennons+_] _Pennons_ armorial were small + flags, on which the arms, device, and motto of a knight were + painted.] + + +SCENE II.--A VIEW IN PICARDY. + + _Distant Battle heard._ + + _Enter GOWER, L.U.E., meeting FLUELLEN, R.H._ + +_Gow._ (C.) How now, Captain Fluellen! come you from the bridge?(A) + +_Flu._ (R.C.) I assure you, there is very excellent service committed at +the pridge. + +_Gow._ Is the Duke of Exeter safe? + +_Flu._ The Duke of Exeter is as magnanimous as Agamemnon; and a man that +I love and honour with my soul, and my heart, and my duty, and my life, +and my livings, and my uttermost powers: he is not (Heaven be praised +and plessed!) any hurt in the ’orld; but keeps the pridge most +valiantly, with excellent discipline. There is an ensign there at the +pridge,--I think in my very conscience he is as valiant as Mark Antony; +and he is a man of no estimation in the ’orld; but I did see him do +gallant service. + +_Gow._ What do you call him? + +_Flu._ He is called--ancient Pistol.[5] + +_Gow._ I know him not. + + _Enter PISTOL, R.H._ + +_Flu._ Do you not know him? Here comes the man. + + _Pist._ Captain, I thee beseech to do me favours: + The Duke of Exeter doth love thee well. + +_Flu._ Ay, I praise Heaven; and I have merited some love at his hands. + + _Pist._ Bardolph, a soldier, firm and sound of heart, + Of buxom valour,[6] hath,--by cruel fate, + And giddy fortune’s furious fickle wheel, + That goddess blind. + That stands upon the rolling restless stone,--[7] + +_Flu._ By your patience, ancient Pistol. Fortune is painted plind, with +a muffler before her eyes,[8] to signify to you that fortune is plind; +And she is painted also with a wheel, to signify to you, which is the +moral of it, that she is turning, and inconstant, and variations, and +mutabilities: and her foot, look you, is fixed upon a spherical stone, +which rolls, and rolls, and rolls:--In good truth, the poet makes a most +excellent description of fortune: fortune, look you, is an excellent +moral. + + _Pist._ Fortune is Bardolph’s foe, and frowns on him; + For he has stolen a _pix_,[9] and hang’d must ’a be.(B) + A damned death! + Let gallows gape for dog; let man go free, + + [_Crosses to L.H._ + + But Exeter hath given the doom of death, + For _pix_ of little price. + Therefore, go speak, the duke will hear thy voice; + And let not Bardolph’s vital thread be cut + With edge of penny cord and vile reproach: + Speak, captain, for his life, and I will thee requite. + + [_Crosses to R.H._ + + _Flu._ Ancient Pistol, I do partly understand your meaning. + + _Pist._ Why, then, rejoice therefore. + +_Flu._ Certainly, ancient, it is not a thing to rejoice at: for if, +look you, he were my prother, I would desire the duke to use his goot +pleasure, and put him to executions; for disciplines ought to be used. + +_Pist._ _Fico_ for thy friendship![10] + +_Flu._ It is well. + +_Pist._ The fig of Spain![11] + + [_Exit PISTOL, R.H._ + +_Flu._ Very goot. + +_Gow._ Why, this is an arrant counterfeit rascal; a cut-purse; +I remember him now. + +_Flu._ I’ll assure you, ’a utter’d as prave ’ords at the pridge as you +shall see in a summer’s day. + +_Gow._ Why, ’tis a gull, a fool, a rogue, that now and then goes to the +wars, to grace himself, at his return into London, under the form of a +soldier. You must learn to know such slanders of the age,[12] or else +you may be marvellously mistook. + +_Flu._ I tell you what, Captain Gower;--I do perceive, he is not the man +that he would gladly make show to the ’orld he is: if I find a hole in +his coat, I will tell him my mind. [_March heard._] Hark you, the king +is coming; and I must speak with him from the pridge.[13] + + _Enter KING HENRY, BEDFORD, GLOSTER, WESTMORELAND, Lords, + and Soldiers, L.H.U.E._ + +_Flu._ (R.) Heaven pless your majesty! + +_K. Hen._ (C.) How now, Fluellen! cam’st thou from the bridge? + +_Flu._ Ay, so please your majesty. The duke of Exeter has very gallantly +maintained the pridge: the French has gone off, look you; and there is +gallant and most prave passages: Marry, th’athversary was have +possession of the pridge; but he is enforced to retire, and the duke of +Exeter is master of the pridge: I can tell your majesty, the duke is a +prave man. + +_K. Hen._ What men have you lost, Fluellen? + +_Flu._ The perdition of th’athversary hath been very great, very +reasonable great: marry, for my part, I think the duke hath lost never a +man, but one that is like to be executed for robbing a church, one +Bardolph, if your majesty knows the man: his face is all bubukles,[14] +and whelks,[15] and knobs, and flames of fire: and his lips plows at his +nose, and it is like a coal of fire, sometimes plue, and sometimes red; +but his nose is executed, and his fire’s out.[16] + +_K. Hen._ We would have all such offenders so cut off. + + [_Trumpet sounds without, R._ + + _Enter MONTJOY and Attendants, R.H._ + +_Mont._ (_uncovers and kneels._) You know me by my habit.[17] + +_K. Hen._ Well, then, I know thee: What shall I know of thee? + +_Mont._ My master’s mind. + +_K. Hen._ Unfold it. + +_Mont._ Thus says my king:--Say thou to Harry of England: Though we +seemed dead, we did but sleep. Tell him, he shall repent his folly, see +his weakness, and admire our sufferance.[18] Bid him, therefore, +consider of his ransom; which must proportion the losses we have borne, +the subjects we have lost, the disgrace we have digested. For our +losses, his exchequer is too poor; for the effusion of our blood, the +muster of his kingdom too faint a number; and for our disgrace, his own +person, kneeling at our feet, but a weak and worthless satisfaction. To +this add--defiance: and tell him, for conclusion, he hath betrayed his +followers, whose condemnation is pronounced. So far my king and master; +so much my office. + + _K. Hen._What is thy name? I know thy quality. + +_Mont._ Montjoy. + + _K. Hen._ Thou dost thy office fairly. Turn thee back, + And tell thy king,--I do not seek him now; + But could be willing to march on to Calais + Without impeachment:[19] for, to say the sooth + (Though ’tis no wisdom to confess so much + Unto an enemy of craft and vantage), + My people are with sickness much enfeebled; + My numbers lessen’d; and those few I have, + Almost no better than so many French; + Who, when they were in health, I tell thee, herald, + I thought, upon one pair of English legs, + Did march three Frenchmen.--Forgive me, Heaven, + That I do brag thus!--this your air of France + Hath blown that vice in me; I must repent. + Go, therefore, tell thy master here I am; + My ransom is this frail and worthless trunk; + My army but a weak and sickly guard: + Yet, Heaven before,[20] tell him we will come on, + Though France himself,[21] and such another neighbour, + Stand in our way. There’s for thy labour, Montjoy. + Go, bid thy master well advise himself: + If we may pass, we will; if we be hinder’d, + We shall your tawny ground with your red blood + Discolour:(C) and so, Montjoy, fare you well. + The sum of all our answer is but this: + We would not seek a battle, as we are; + Nor, as we are, we say, we will not shun it: + So tell your master. + + _Mont._ I shall deliver so. + + (_MONTJOY rises from his knee._) + + Thanks to your highness. + + [_Exit MONTJOY with Attendants, R.H._ + + _Glo._ I hope they will not come upon us now. + + _K. Hen._ We are in Heaven’s hand, brother, not in theirs. + March to the bridge; it now draws toward night: + Beyond the river we’ll encamp ourselves; + And on to-morrow bid them march away. + + [_Exeunt, R.H._ + + _March._ + + + [Footnote III.4: _And, for achievement, offer up his ransom._] + i.e., instead of fighting, he will offer to pay ransom.] + + [Footnote III.5: _----ancient Pistol._] Ancient, a standard or + flag; also the ensign bearer, or officer, now called an ensign.] + + [Footnote III.6: _Of buxom valour,_] i.e., valour under good + command, obedient to its superiors. The word is used by Spencer.] + + [Footnote III.7: _----upon the rolling restless stone,--_] Fortune + is described by several ancient authors in the same words.] + + [Footnote III.8: _----with a muffler before her eyes,_] A muffler + was a sort of veil, or wrapper, worn by ladies in Shakespeare’s + time, chiefly covering the chin and throat.] + + [Footnote III.9: _For he hath stolen a pix,_] A _pix_, or little + chest (from the Latin _pixis_, a box), in which the consecrated + _host_ was used to be kept.] + + [Footnote III.10: _Fico for thy friendship!_] Fico is fig--it was + a term of reproach.] + + [Footnote III.11: _The fig of Spain!_] An expression of contempt + or insult, which consisted in thrusting the thumb between two of + the closed fingers, or into the mouth; whence _Bite the thumb_. + The custom is generally regarded as being originally Spanish. + --NARES.] + + [Footnote III.12: _----such slanders of the age,_] Cowardly + braggarts were not uncommon characters with the old dramatic + writers.] + + [Footnote III.13: _----I must speak with him from the pridge._] + _From_ for _about_--concerning the fight that had taken place + there.] + + [Footnote III.14: _----bubukles,_] A corrupt word for carbuncles, + or something like them.] + + [Footnote III.15: _----and whelks,_] i.e., stripes, marks, + discolorations.] + + [Footnote III.16: _----his fire’s out._] This is the last time + that any sport can be made with the red face of Bardolph.] + + [Footnote III.17: _----by my habit,_] That is, by his herald’s + coat. The person of a herald being inviolable, was distinguished + in those times of formality by a peculiar dress, which is likewise + yet worn on particular occasions.] + + [Footnote III.18: _----admire our sufferance._] i.e., our + patience, moderation.] + + [Footnote III.19: _Without impeachment:_] i.e., hindrance. + _Empechement_, French.] + + [Footnote III.20: _Yet, Heaven before,_] In the acting edition, + the name of God is changed to Heaven. This was an expression in + Shakespeare’s time for _God being my guide_.] + + [Footnote III.21: _Though France himself,_] i.e., though _the King + of France_ himself.] + + +END OF ACT THIRD. + + + + +HISTORICAL NOTES TO ACT THIRD. + +(A) _Come you from the bridge?_] After Henry had passed the Somme, Titus +Livius asserts, that the King having been informed of a river which must +be crossed, over which was a bridge, and that his progress depended in a +great degree upon securing possession of it, despatched some part of his +forces to defend it from any attack, or from being destroyed. They found +many of the enemy ready to receive them, to whom they gave battle, and +after a severe conflict, they captured the bridge, and kept it. + + (B) _Fortune is Bardolph’s foe, and frowns on him; + For he hath stol’n a pix, and hanged must ’a be._ + +It will be seen by the following extract from the anonymous Chronicler +how minutely Shakespeare has adhered to history-- “There was brought to +the King in that plain a certain English robber, who, contrary to the +laws of God and the Royal Proclamation, had stolen from a church a pix +of copper gilt, found in his sleeve, which he happened to mistake for +gold, in which the Lord’s body was kept; and in the next village where +he passed the night, by decree of the King, he was put to death on the +gallows.” Titus Livius relates that Henry commanded his army to halt +until the sacrilege was expiated. He first caused the pix to be restored +to the Church, and the offender was then led, bound as a thief, through +the army, and afterwards hung upon a tree, that every man might behold +him. + + (C) _Go, bid thy master well advise himself: + If we may pass, we will; if we be hinder’d, + We shall your tawny ground with your red blood + Discolour:_] + +My desire is, that none of you be so _unadvised_, as to be the occasion +that I in my defence shall _colour_ and make _red your tawny ground_ +with the effusion of Christian blood. When he (Henry) had thus answered +the Herald, he gave him a great reward, and licensed him to depart. +--_Holinshed_. + + + + + _Enter CHORUS._ + + + _Cho._ Now entertain conjecture of a time + When creeping murmur and the poring dark + Fills the wide vessel of the universe. + From camp to camp, through the foul womb of night + The hum of either army stilly sounds,[1] + That the fix’d sentinels almost receive + The secret whispers of each other’s watch:[2] + Fire answers fire;[3] and through their paly flames + Each battle sees the other’s umber’d face:[4] + Steed threatens steed, in high and boastful neighs + Piercing the night’s dull ear; and from the tents, + The armourers, accomplishing the knights, + With busy hammers closing rivets up, + Give dreadful note of preparation. + Proud of their numbers, and secure in soul, + The confident and over-lusty[5] French + Do the low-rated English play at dice;[6] + And chide the cripple tardy-gaited night, + Who, like a foul and ugly witch, doth limp + So tediously away. + + + _Scene opens and discovers the interior of a French tent, with the + DAUPHIN, the CONSTABLE, ORLEANS, and others, playing at dice._ + +_Dau._ Will it never be day? + +_Con._ I would it were morning; for I would fain be about the ears of +the English. + +_Dau._ Who will go to hazard with me for twenty English prisoners? + +_Orl._ The prince longs to eat the English. + +_Con._ Would it were day! Alas, poor Harry of England! he longs not for +the dawning, as we do. + +_Dau._ If the English had any apprehension, they would run away. + +_Con._ That island of England breeds very valiant creatures; their +mastiffs are of unmatchable courage. + +_Dau._ Foolish curs, that run winking into the mouth of a Russian bear, +and have their heads crushed like rotten apples! You may as well +say,--that’s a valiant flea, that dare eat his breakfast on the lip of a +lion. + +_Con._ Just, just: give them great meals of beef, and iron and steel, +they will eat like wolves, and fight like devils. + +_Orl._ Ay, but these English are shrewdly out of beef. + +_Con._ Then we shall find to-morrow--they have only stomachs to eat, and +none to fight. Now is it time to arm: Come, shall we about it? + +_Dau._ It is now two o’clock: but, let me see,--by ten We shall have +each a hundred Englishmen. + + +SCENE CLOSES IN. + + _Cho._ The poor condemned English, + Like sacrifices, by their watchful fires + Sit patiently, and inly ruminate + The morning’s danger; and their gestures sad, + Investing lank-lean cheeks, and war-worn coats, + Presenteth them unto the gazing moon + So many horrid ghosts. + + [_Scene re-opens, discovering the English camp, with group + of soldiery praying. After a pause the scene closes._ + + O, now, who will behold + The royal captain of this ruin’d band + Walking from watch to watch, from tent to tent, + Let him cry--Praise and glory on his head! + For forth he goes and visits all his host; + Bids them good-morrow with a modest smile, + And calls them--brothers, friends, and countrymen. + Upon his royal face there is no note + How dread an army hath enrounded him; + Nor doth he dedicate one jot of colour + Unto the weary and all-watched night; + But freshly looks, and overbears attaint + With cheerful semblance and sweet majesty; + That every wretch, pining and pale before, + Beholding him, plucks comfort from his looks: + Then, mean and gentle all, + Behold, as may unworthiness define, + A little touch of Harry in the night: + And so our scene must to the battle fly; + The field of Agincourt. Yet, sit and see; + Minding true things[7] by what their mockeries be. + + [_Exit._ + + + [Footnote IVc.1: _----+stilly+ sounds,_] i.e., gently, lowly.] + + [Footnote IVc.2: _The secret whispers of each other’s watch:_] + Holinshed says, that the distance between the two armies was but + 250 paces.] + + [Footnote IVc.3: _Fire answers fire;_] This circumstance is also + taken from Holinshed. “But at their coming into the village, + _fires_ were made by the English to give light on every side, as + there likewise were in the French hoste.”] + + [Footnote IVc.4: _----the other’s +umber’d+ face:_] _Umber’d_ + means here _discoloured_ by the gleam of the fires. _Umber_ is a + dark yellow earth, brought from Umbria, in Italy, which, being + mixed with water, produces such a dusky yellow colour as the + gleam of fire by night gives to the countenance. Shakespeare’s + theatrical profession probably furnished him with the epithet, + as burnt umber is occasionally used by actors for colouring the + face.] + + [Footnote IVc.5: _----over-+lusty+_] i.e., over-_saucy._] + + [Footnote IVc.6: _Do the low-rated English play at dice;_] i.e., + do play them away at dice. Holinshed says-- “The Frenchmen, in the + meanwhile, as though they had been sure of victory, made great + triumph; for the captains had determined before how to divide the + spoil, and _the soldiers the night before had played the + Englishmen at dice_.”] + + [Footnote IVc.7: _Minding true things_] To _mind_ is the same as + to _call to remembrance_.] + + + + +ACT IV. + + +SCENE I.--THE ENGLISH CAMP AT AGINCOURT.(A) NIGHT. + + _Enter KING HENRY and GLOSTER, U.E.L.H._ + + _K. Hen._ Gloster, ’tis true that we are in great danger; + The greater therefore should our courage be. + + _Enter BEDFORD, R.H._ + + Good morrow, brother Bedford.--Gracious Heaven! + There is some soul of goodness in things evil, + Would men observingly distil it out; + For our bad neighbour makes us early stirrers, + Which is both healthful and good husbandry. + Thus may we gather honey from the weed, + And make a moral of the devil himself. + + _Enter ERPINGHAM.(B) L.H._ + + Good morrow, old Sir Thomas Erpingham: + A good soft pillow for that good white head + Were better than a churlish turf of France. + + _Erp._ Not so, my liege: this lodging likes me better, + Since I may say--now lie I like a king. + + _K. Hen._ Lend me thy cloak, Sir Thomas.--Brothers both, + Commend me to the princes in our camp; + Do my good morrow to them; and anon + Desire them all to my pavilion. + +_Glo._ We shall, my liege. + + [_Exeunt GLOSTER and BEDFORD, R.H._ + + _Erp._ Shall I attend your grace? + + _K. Hen._ No, my good knight; + Go with my brothers to my lords of England: + + [_ERPINGHAM crosses to R._ + + I and my bosom must debate a while, + And then I would no other company. + +_Erp._ Heaven bless thee, noble Harry! + + [_Exit ERPINGHAM, R.H._ + +_K. Hen._ Gad-a-mercy, old heart! thou speakest cheerfully. + + _Enter PISTOL, L.H._ + +_Pist._ _Qui va là?_ + +_K. Hen._ A friend. + + _Pist._ Discuss unto me; Art thou officer? + Or art thou base, common, and popular?[1] + + _K. Hen._ I am a gentleman of a company. + + _Pist._ Trail’st thou the puissant pike? + + _K. Hen._ Even so. What are you? + + _Pist._ As good a gentleman as the emperor. + + _K. Hen._ Then you are a better than the king.[2] + + _Pist._ The king’s a bawcock,[3] and a heart of gold, + A lad of life, an imp of fame;[4] + Of parents good, of fist most valiant: + I kiss his dirty shoe, and from my heart-strings + I love the lovely bully. What’s thy name? + +_K. Hen._ Harry _le Roi_. + +_Pist._ _Le Roi!_ a Cornish name: art thou of Cornish crew? + +_K. Hen._ No, I am a Welshman. + +_Pist._ Knowest thou Fluellen? + +_K. Hen._ Yes. + + _Pist._ Tell him, I’ll knock his leek about his pate, + Upon Saint Davy’s day. + + [_Crosses to R._ + +_K. Hen._ Do not you wear your dagger in your cap that day, lest he +knock that about yours. + +_Pist._ Art thou his friend? + +_K. Hen._ And his kinsman too. + +_Pist._ The _figo_ for thee, then! + +_K. Hen._ I thank you: Heaven be with you! + +_Pist._ My name is Pistol call’d. + + [_Exit, R.H._ + +_K. Hen._ It sorts[5] well with your fierceness. + + _Enter FLUELLEN, L.H., and crosses to R., and GOWER, U.E.R.H., + following hastily._ + +_Gow._ Captain Fluellen! + +_Flu._ (R.C.) So! in the name of Heaven, speak lower.[6] It is the +greatest admiration in the universal ’orld, when the true and auncient +prerogatifes and laws of the wars is not kept: if you would take the +pains but to examine the wars of Pompey the Great, you shall find, +I warrant you, that there is no tiddle taddle, or pibble pabble in +Pompey’s camp. + +_Gow._ (L.C.) Why, the enemy is loud; you heard him all night. + +_Flu._ If the enemy is an ass, and a fool, and a prating coxcomb, is it +meet, think you, that we should also, look you, be an ass, and a fool, +and a prating coxcomb, in your own conscience, now? + +_Gow._ I will speak lower. + +_Flu._ I pray you, and beseech you, that you will. + + [_Exeunt GOWER and FLUELLEN, R.H._ + +_K. Hen._ Though it appear a little out of fashion, there is much care +and valour in this Welshman. + + _Enter BATES and WILLIAMS, L.H._ + +_Will._ Brother John Bates, is not that the morning which breaks yonder? + +_Bates._ I think it be: but we have no great cause to desire the +approach of day. + +_Will._ We see yonder the beginning of the day, but, I think, we shall +never see the end of it.--Who goes there? + +_K. Hen._ A friend. + + [_Comes down, R._ + +_Will._ Under what captain serve you? + +_K. Hen._ Under Sir Thomas Erpingham. + +_Will._ A good old commander, and a most kind gentleman: I pray you, +what thinks he of our estate? + +_K. Hen._ Even as men wrecked upon a sand, that look to be washed off +the next tide. + +_Bates._ (L.) He hath not told his thought to the king? + +_K. Hen._ No; nor it is not meet he should. (_Crosses to centre._) For, +though I speak it to you, I think the king is but a man, as I am: the +violet smells to him as it doth to me; the element shows to him as it +doth to me; all his senses have but human conditions:[7] therefore when +he sees reason of fears, as we do, his fears, out of doubt, be of the +same relish as ours are: Yet, in reason, no man should possess him with +any appearance of fear, lest he, by showing it, should dishearten his +army. + +_Bates._ He may show what outward courage he will; but I believe, as +cold a night as ’tis, he could wish himself in the Thames up to the +neck; and so I would he were, and I by him, at all adventures, so we +were quit here. + +_K. Hen._ (C.) By my troth, I will speak my conscience of the king: +I think he would not wish himself any where but where he is. + +_Bates._ (L.) Then ’would he were here alone; so should he be sure to be +ransomed, and a many poor men’s lives saved. + +_K. Hen._ I dare say you love him not so ill, to wish him here alone, +howsoever you speak this, to feel other men’s minds: Methinks I could +not die any where so contented as in the king’s company; his cause being +just, and his quarrel honourable.[8] + +_Will._ (R.) That’s more than we know. + +_Bates._ Ay, or more than we should seek after; for we know enough, if +we know we are the king’s subjects: if his cause be wrong, our obedience +to the king wipes the crime of it out of us. + +_Will._ But if the cause be not good, the king himself hath a heavy +rekoning to make, when all those legs and arms and heads, chopped off in +battle, shall join together at the latter day,[9] and cry all--We died +at such place; some swearing; some crying for a surgeon; some, upon +their wives left poor behind them; some, upon the debts they owe; some, +upon their children rawly left.[10] I am afeard there are few die well +that die in battle; for how can they charitably dispose of any thing, +when blood is their argument? Now, if these men do not die well, it will +be a black matter for the king that led them to it; whom to disobey were +against all proportion of subjection. + +_K. Hen._ So, if a son, that is by his father sent about merchandise, do +sinfully miscarry upon the sea, the imputation of his wickedness, by +your rule, should be imposed upon his father that sent him:--But this is +not so: the king is not bound to answer the particular endings of his +soldiers, nor the father of his son, for they purpose not their death, +when they purpose their services. Every subject’s duty is the king’s; +but every subject’s soul is his own. Therefore should every soldier in +the wars do as every sick man in his bed, wash every mote out of his +conscience: and dying so, death is to him advantage; or not dying, the +time was blessedly lost wherein such preparation was gained. + +_Will._ ’Tis certain, every man that dies ill, the ill is upon his own +head; the king is not to answer for it. + +_Bates._ I do not desire he should answer for me; and yet I determine to +fight lustily for him. + +_K. Hen._ I myself heard the king say he would not be ransomed. + +_Will._ Ay, he said so, to make us fight cheerfully: but, when our +throats are cut, he may be ransomed, and we ne’er the wiser. + +_K. Hen._ If I live to see it, I will never trust his word after. + +_Will._ That’s a perilous shot out of an elder gun, that a poor and +private displeasure can do against a monarch! you may as well go about +to turn the sun to ice with fanning in his face with a peacock’s +feather. You’ll never trust his word after! come, ’tis a foolish saying. + +_K. Hen._ Your reproof is something too round:[11] I should be angry +with you, if the time were convenient. + +_Will._ Let it be a quarrel between us, if you live. + +_K. Hen._ I embrace it. + +_Will._ How shall I know thee again? + +_K. Hen._ Give me any gage of thine, and I will wear it in my bonnet: +then, if ever thou darest acknowledge it, I will make it my quarrel. + +_Will._ Here’s my glove: give me another of thine. + +_K. Hen._ There. + +_Will._ This will I also wear in my cap: if ever thou come to me and +say, after to-morrow. _This is my glove_, by this hand, I will take thee +a box on the ear. + +_K. Hen._ If ever I live to see it, I will challenge it. + +_Will._ Thou darest as well be hanged. + +_K. Hen._ Well, I will do it, though I take thee in the king’s company. + +_Will._ Keep thy word: fare thee well. + +_Bates._ Be friends, you English fools, be friends: (_Crosses to_ +WILLIAMS, R.) we have French quarrels enough, if you could tell how to +reckon. + + [_Exeunt Soldiers, R.H._ + + _K. Hen._ Upon the king! let us our lives, our souls, + Our sins, lay on the king!--we must bear all. + O hard condition, twin-born with greatness, + Subjected to the breath of every fool. + What infinite heart’s ease must king’s neglect, + That private men enjoy! + And what have kings, that privates have not too, + Save ceremony, save general ceremony? + And what art thou, thou idol ceremony? + Art thou aught else but place, degree, and form, + Creating awe and fear in other men? + Wherein thou art less happy being fear’d + Than they in fearing. + What drink’st thou oft, instead of homage sweet, + But poison’d flattery? O, be sick, great greatness, + And bid thy ceremony give thee cure! + Canst thou, when thou command’st the beggar’s knee, + Command the health of it? No, thou proud dream, + That play’st so subtly with a king’s repose: + I am a king that find thee; and I know, + ’Tis not the balm, the sceptre, and the ball, + The sword, the mace, the crown imperial, + The throne he sits on, nor the tide of pomp + That beats upon the high shore of this world, + No, not all these, thrice-gorgeous ceremony, + Not all these, laid in bed majestical, + Can sleep so soundly as the wretched slave, + Who, with a body fill’d and vacant mind, + Gets him to rest, cramm’d with distressful bread; + And but for ceremony, such a wretch, + Winding up days with toil and nights with sleep, + Had the fore-hand and vantage of a king. + + _Enter ERPINGHAM, R.H._ + + _Erp._ My lord, your nobles, jealous of your absence, + Seek through your camp to find you. + + _K. Hen._ Good old knight, + Collect them all together at my tent: + I’ll be before thee. + + [_Gives back the Cloak to ERPINGHAM._ + + _Erp._ I shall do’t, my lord. _[Exit, R.H._ + + _K. Hen._ O God of battles! steel my soldier’s hearts; + Possess them not with fear; take from them now + The sense of reckoning, lest the opposed numbers + Pluck their hearts from them!--Not to-day, O Lord, + O, not to-day, think not upon the fault + My father made in compassing the crown! + I Richard’s body have interred new;(C) + And on it have bestow’d more contrite tears, + Than from it issu’d forced drops of blood: + Five hundred poor I have in yearly pay, + Who twice a day their wither’d hands hold up + Toward heaven, to pardon blood: + More will I do-- + + [_Trumpet sounds without, R._ + + The day, my friends, and all things stay for me. + + [_Exit, R.H._ + + + [Footnote IV.1: _----popular_] i.e., one of the people.] + + [Footnote IV.2: _----you are a better than the king._] i.e., + a better _man_ than the king.] + + [Footnote IV.3: _The king’s a bawcock,_] A burlesque term of + endearment, supposed to be derived from _beau coq_.] + + [Footnote IV.4: _----an imp of fame;_] An _imp_ is a young shoot, + but means a _son_ in Shakespeare. In this sense the word has + become obsolete, and is now only understood as a small or inferior + devil. + + In Holingshed, p. 951, the last words of Lord Cromwell are + preserved, who says:-- “----and after him, that his son Prince + Edward, that goodly _imp_, may long reign over you.”] + + [Footnote IV.5: _It sorts_] i.e., it agrees.] + + [Footnote IV.6: _----speak lower._] Shakespeare has here, as + usual, followed Holinshead: “Order was taken by commandement from + the king, after the army was first set in battle array, that _no + noise or clamor should be made in the host_.”] + + [Footnote IV.7: _----conditions:_] i.e., _qualities_. The meaning + is, that objects are represented by his senses to him, as to other + men by theirs. What is danger to another is danger likewise to him; + and, when he feels fear, it is like the fear of meaner mortals. + --JOHNSON.] + + [Footnote IV.8: _----his cause being just, and his quarrel + honourable._] In his address to the army, King Henry called upon + them all to remember _the just cause and quarrel_ for which they + fought. --HOLINSHED.] + + [Footnote V.9: _----the latter day,_] i.e., the last day, the day + of Judgment. Shakespeare frequently uses the _comparative_ for the + _superlative_.] + + [Footnote V.10: _----their children +rawly+ left._] i.e., _left + young and helpless_.] + + [Footnote IV.11: _----too +round+:_] i.e., too rough, too + unceremonious.] + + +SCENE II.--THE FRENCH CAMP--SUNRISE. + + _Flourish of trumpets._ + + _Enter DAUPHIN, GRANDPRÈ, RAMBURES,[12] and Others._ + + _Dau._ The sun doth gild our armour; up, my lords! + My horse! _varlet! lacquay!_ ha! + + [_Servants exeunt hastily._ + + _Grand._ O brave spirit! + + _Dau._ Cousin Orleans.-- + + _Enter CONSTABLE, L.H._ + + Now, my lord Constable! + + _Con._ Hark, how our steeds for present service neigh! + + _Dau._ Mount them, and make incision in their hides, + That their hot blood may spin in English eyes, + And dout them[13] with superfluous courage, Ha! + + _Con._ What, will you have them weep our horses’ blood? + How shall we, then, behold their natural tears? + + _Enter MONTJOY, R.H._ + + _Mont._ The English are embattled, you French peers. + + [_Exit R.H._ + + _Con._ To horse, you gallant princes! straight to horse! + Do but behold yon poor and starved band. + There is not work enough for all our hands; + Scarce blood enough in all their sickly veins, + To give each naked curtle-ax a stain. + ’Tis positive ’gainst all exceptions, lords, + That our superfluous lackeys, are enough + To purge this field of such a hilding foe.[14] + A very little little let us do, + And all is done. Then let the trumpets sound: + For our approach shall so much dare the field, + That England shall couch down in fear, and yield. + + _Enter ORLEANS,(D) hastily, R.H._ + + _Orl._ Why do you stay so long, my lords of France? + Yon island carrions,[15] desperate of their bones, + Ill-favour’dly become the morning field: + Their ragged curtains poorly are let loose,[16] + And our air shakes them passing scornfully: + Big Mars seems bankrupt in their beggar’d host, + And their executors, the knavish crows, + Fly o’er them, all impatient for their hour. + Description cannot suit itself in words + To demonstrate the life of such a battle + In life so lifeless as it shows itself. + + _Dau._ Shall we go send them dinners and fresh suits, + And give their fasting horses provender, + And after fight with them? + + _Con._ On, to the field! + Come, come, away! + The sun is high, and we outwear the day. + + [_Exeunt, R.H._ + + _Flourish of trumpets._ + + + [Footnote IV.12: _Rambures_,] The Lord of Rambures was commander + of the cross-bows in the French army at Agincourt.] + + [Footnote IV.13: _And dout them_] _Dout_, is a word still used in + Warwickshire, and signifies to _do out_, or _extinguish_.] + + [Footnote IV.14: _----a hilding foe._] _Hilding_, or _hinderling_, + is a _low wretch_.] + + [Footnote IV.15: _Yon island carrion,_] This description of the + English is founded on the melancholy account given by our + historians of Henry’s army, immediately before the battle of + Agincourt.] + + [Footnote IV.16: _Their ragged curtains poorly are let loose,_] By + their _ragged curtains_, are meant their colours.] + + +SCENE III.--THE ENGLISH POSITION AT AGINCOURT. + + _The English Army drawn up for battle;(E) GLOSTER, BEDFORD, + EXETER, SALISBURY, ERPINGHAM, and WESTMORELAND._ + + _Glo._ (R.C.) Where is the king? + + _Bed._ (L.C.) The king himself is rode to view their battle.[17] + + _West._ (L.) Of fighting men they have full threescore thousand. + + _Exe._ (L.C.) There’s five to one; besides, they all are fresh. + + _Erp._ It is fearful odds. + If we no more meet till we meet in heaven, + Then, joyfully,--my noble lord of Bedford,-- + + [_Crosses to L._ + + My dear lord Gloster,--and my good lord Exeter,-- + Warriors all, adieu! + + [_Crosses back to R._ + + _West._ O that we now had here + But one ten thousand of those men in England + That do no work to-day!(F) + + _Enter KING HENRY, attended.(G) U.E.L.H._ + + _K. Hen._ (C.) What’s he that wishes so? + My cousin Westmoreland?--No, my fair cousin: + If we are mark’d to die, we are enough + To do our country loss; and if to live, + The fewer men, the greater share of honour. + I pray thee, wish not one man more. + Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host, + That he who hath no stomach to this fight. + Let him depart; his passport shall be made, + And crowns for convoy put into his purse: + We would not die in that man’s company, + That fears his fellowship to die with us. + This day is call’d--the feast of Crispian:(H) + He, that outlives this day, and comes safe home, + Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam’d, + And rouse him at the name of Crispian. + He that shall live this day, and see old age, + Will yearly on the vigil feast his friends,[18] + And say--to-morrow is Saint Crispian: + Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars, + And say, those wounds I had on Crispin’s day. + Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot, + But he’ll remember with advantages[19] + What feats he did that day: Then shall our names, + Familiar in their mouths as household words,-- + Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter, + Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloster,--(I) + Be in their flowing cups freshly remember’d. + This story shall the good man teach his son; + And Crispin Crispian shall ne’er go by, + From this day to the ending[20] of the world, + But we in it shall be remembered. + We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; + For he to-day that sheds his blood with me + Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile, + This day shall gentle his condition:[21] + And gentlemen in England, now a-bed, + Shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here; + And hold their manhoods cheap while any speaks + That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day. + + _Enter GOWER, hastily, U.E.L.H._ + + _Gow._ (R.C.) My sovereign lord, bestow yourself with speed: + The French are bravely in their battles set,[22] + And will with all expedience charge on us. + + _K. Hen._ (C.) All things are ready, if our minds be so. + + _West._ Perish the man whose mind is backward now! + + _K. Hen._ Thou dost not wish more help from England, cousin? + + _West._ (L.) Would you and I alone, my liege, + Without more help, might fight this battle out! + + _Trumpet sounds without, L.H._ + + _Enter MONTJOY, and attendants, U.E.L.H._ + + _Mont._ (_uncovers and kneels._) + Once more I come to know of thee, King Harry, + If for thy ransom thou wilt now compound, + Before thy most assured overthrow. + +_K. Hen._ (C.) Who hath sent thee now? + +_Mont._ The Constable of France. + + _K. Hen._ I pray thee, bear my former answer back: + Bid them achieve me,[23] and then sell my bones. + Good Heaven! Why should they mock poor fellows thus? + The man, that once did sell the lion’s skin + While the beast liv’d, was kill’d with hunting him. + Let me speak proudly:--Tell the Constable, + We are but warriors for the working-day:[24] + Our gayness and our guilt[25] are all besmirch’d + With rainy marching in the painful field, + And time hath worn us into slovenry. + But, by the mass, our hearts are in the trim; + And my poor soldiers tell me--yet ere night + They’ll be in fresher robes; or they will pluck + The gay new coats o’er the French soldiers’ heads, + And turn them out of service. + Come thou no more for ransom, gentle herald: + They shall have none, I swear, but these my joints, + Which if they have as I will leave ’em to them, + Shall yield them little, tell the Constable. + + _Mont._ I shall, King Harry. + + (_Rises from his knee._) + + And so, fare thee well: + Thou never shalt hear herald any more. + + [_Exit with Attendants, U.E.L.H._ + + _K. Hen._ Now, soldiers, march away:-- + And how thou pleasest, Heaven, dispose the day!(K) + + _Trumpet March._ + + [_Exeunt L.H._ + + + [Footnote IV.17: _The king himself is rode to view their battle._] + The king is reported to have dismounted before the battle + commenced, and to have fought on foot.] + + [Footnote IV.18: _----on the vigil feast his friends_,] i.e., the + evening before the festival.] + + [Footnote IV.19: _----with advantages_,] Old men, notwithstanding + the natural forgetfulness of age, shall remember _their feats of + this day_, and remember to tell them _with advantage_. Age is + commonly boastful, and inclined to magnify past acts and past + times. --JOHNSON.] + + [Footnote IV.20: _From this day to the ending_] It may be observed + that we are apt to promise to ourselves a more lasting memory than + the changing state of human things admits. This prediction is not + verified; the feast of Crispin passes by without any mention of + Agincourt. Late events obliterate the former: the civil wars have + left in this nation scarcely any tradition of more ancient + history. --JOHNSON.] + + [Footnote IV.21: _----gentle his condition:_] This day shall + advance him to the rank of a gentleman. + + King Henry V. inhibited any person but such as had a right by + inheritance, or grant, to assume coats of arms, except those who + fought with him at the battle of Agincourt; and, I think, these + last were allowed the chief seats of honour at all feasts and + publick meetings. --TOLLET.] + + [Footnote IV.22: _----bravely in their battles set._] Bravely, for + gallantly.] + + [Footnote IV.23: _Bid them achieve me,_] i.e., gain, or obtain + me.] + + [Footnote IV.24: _----warriors for the +working-day+:_] We are + soldiers but coarsely dressed; we have not on our holiday + apparel.] + + [Footnote IV.25: _----our +guilt+_] i.e., golden show, superficial + gilding. The word is obsolete.] + + + + +SCENE IV.--ANOTHER PART OF THE FIELD OF BATTLE. + + _Alarums. Enter DAUPHIN, ORLEANS, BOURBON, CONSTABLE, RAMBURES, + and Others, hastily, and in confusion, L.H._ + + _Dau._ (C.) All is confounded, all! + Reproach and everlasting shame + Sits mocking in our plumes. + + [_Alarums, L._ + + _Con._ Why, all our ranks are broke. + + _Dau._ O perdurable shame![26]--let’s stab ourselves. + Be these the wretches that we play’d at dice for? + + _Orl._ (L.C.) Is this the king we sent to for his ransom? + + _Dau._ Shame, and eternal shame, nothing but shame! + Let us die in honor: Once more back again. + + _Con._ (C.) Disorder, that hath spoil’d us, friend us now! + Let us in heaps go offer up our lives + Unto these English, or else die with fame. + + _Dau._ (R.C.) We are enough, yet living in the field, + To smother up the English in our throngs, + If any order might be thought upon. + + _Con._ The devil take order now! I’ll to the throng: + Let life be short; else shame will be too long. + + _Alarums._ + + [_Exeunt L.H._ + + + [Footnote IV.26: _O +perdurable+ shame!_] _Perdurable_ is + lasting.] + + +SCENE V.--THE FIELD OF AGINCOURT AFTER THE BATTLE. + + [_The bodies of the DUKE OF YORK(L) and EARL OF SUFFOLK are borne + across the stage by soldiers._ + + _Trumpets sound._ + + _Enter KING HENRY with a part of the English forces; WARWICK, + BEDFORD, GLOSTER, EXETER, and others, L.H._ + + _K. Hen._ (C.) I was not angry since I came to France, + Until this instant.--Take a trumpet, herald; + Ride thou unto the horsemen on yon hill:(M) + If they will fight with us, bid them come down, + Or void the field;[27] they do offend our sight: + If they’ll do neither, we will come to them; + And make them skirr away, as swift as stones + Enforced from the old Assyrian slings. + Go, and tell them so. + + [_Exit HERALD with Trumpeter, R.H._ + + _Exe._ The Duke of York commends him to your majesty. + + _K. Hen._ Lives he, good uncle? thrice within this hour, + I saw him down; thrice up again and fighting; + From helmet to the spur, all blood he was. + + _Exe._ In which array, (brave soldier), did he lie, + Larding the plain; and by his bloody side, + (Yoke fellow to his honour-owing wounds), + The noble Earl of Suffolk also lay. + Suffolk first died: and York, all haggled over, + Comes to him, where in gore he lay insteep’d, + And takes him by the hand; kisses the gashes, + That bloodily did yarn upon his face; + And cries aloud:--_Tarry, dear cousin Suffolk! + My soul shall thine keep company to heaven: + Tarry, sweet soul, for mine, then fly abreast; + As in this glorious and well foughten field, + We keep together in our chivalry!_ + Upon these words I came, and cheer’d him up: + He smil’d me in the face, raught me his hand,[28] + And with a feeble gripe, says,--_Dear, my lord, + Commend my service to my sovereign._ + So did he turn, and over Suffolk’s neck + He threw his wounded arm, and kiss’d his lips; + And so espous’d to death, with blood he seal’d + A testament of noble-ending love. + The pretty and sweet manner of it forc’d + Those waters from me, which I would have stopp’d; + But I had not so much of man in me, + But all my mother came into mine eyes, + And gave me up to tears. + + [_Re-enter ENGLISH HERALD and Trumpeter, R.H._ + + _K. Hen._ I blame you not: + For, hearing this, I must perforce compound + With mistful eyes, or they will issue too. + + [_Trumpet without, R._ + + _Exe._ Here comes the herald of the French, my liege. + + _Glo._ His eyes are humbler than they us’d to be. + + _Enter MONTJOY,(N) and attendants, R.H. MONTJOY uncovers + and kneels._ + + _K. Hen._ How now! what means this, herald? + Com’st thou again for ransom? + + _Mont._ No, great king: + I come to thee for charitable licence, + That we may wander o’er this bloody field + To book our dead, and then to bury them; + To sort our nobles from our common men, + For many of our princes (woe the while!) + Lie drown’d and soak’d in mercenary blood; + (So do our vulgar drench their peasant limbs + In blood of princes;) and their wounded steeds + Fret fetlock deep in gore, and, with wild rage + Yerk out their armed heels at their dead masters, + Killing them twice. O, give us leave, great king, + To view the field in safety, and dispose + Of their dead bodies! + + _K. Hen._ I tell thee truly, herald, + I know not if the day be ours or no; + For yet a many of your horsemen peer + And gallop o’er the field. + + _Mont._ The day is yours. + + _K. Hen._ Praised be Heaven, and not our strength, for it!-- + What is this castle call’d that stands hard by? + + _Mont._ They call it--Agincourt. + + _K. Hen._ Then call we this--the field of Agincourt, + Fought on the day of Crispin Crispianus. + + [_Loud flourish of Trumpets, and shouts of the soldiers. + MONTJOY rises from his knee, and stands R._ + +_Flu._ (L.) Your grandfather of famous memory, an’t please your majesty, +and your great uncle Edward the plack prince of Wales, as I have read in +the chronicles, fought a most prave pattle here in France. + +_K. Hen._ (C.) They did, Fluellen. + +_Flu._ Your majesty says very true: if your majesties is remembered of +it, the Welshman did goot service in a garden where leeks did grow, +wearing leeks in their Monmouth caps;[29] which, your majesty knows, to +this hour is an honourable padge of the service; and I do believe, your +majesty takes no scorn to wear the leek upon Saint Tavy’s day. + + _K. Hen._ I wear it for a memorable honour; + For I am Welsh, you know, good countryman. + +_Flu._ All the water in Wye cannot wash your majesty’s Welsh plood out +of your pody, I can tell you that: Heaven pless it, and preserve it, as +long as it pleases his grace, and his majesty too! + +_K. Hen._ Thanks, good my countryman. + +_Flu._ I am your majesty’s countryman, I care not who know it: I will +confess it to all the ’orld: I need not to be ashamed of your majesty, +praised be Heaven, so long as your majesty is an honest man. + + _K. Hen._ Heaven keep me so!--Our herald go with him: + Bring me just notice of the numbers dead + On both our parts.-- + + [_Exeunt MONTJOY and attendants, with English Herald, R.H._ + + Call yonder fellow hither. + + [_Points to WILLIAMS, who is standing in the ranks up the stage, L._ + +_Exe._ Soldier, you must come to the king. + +_K. Hen._ (C.) Soldier, why wear’st thou that glove in thy cap? + +_Will._ (_kneels R._) An’t please your majesty, ’tis the gage of one +that I should fight withal, if he be alive. + + [_Rises from his knee._ + +_K. Hen._ An Englishman? + +_Will._ An’t please your majesty, a rascal that swaggered with me last +night; who, if ’a live, and ever dare to challenge this glove, I have +sworn to take him a box o’ the ear: or, if I can see my glove in his cap +(which he swore, as he was a soldier, he would wear, if alive,) I will +strike it out soundly. + +_K. Hen._ What think you, Captain Fluellen? is it fit this soldier keep +his oath? + +_Flu._ (L.) He is a craven and a villain else, an’t please your majesty, +in my conscience. + +_K. Hen._ It may be his enemy is a gentleman of great sort,[30] quite +from the answer of his degree.[31] + +_Flu._ Though he be as goot a gentleman as the tevil is, as Lucifer and +Belzebub himself, it is necessary, look your grace, that he keep his vow +and his oath. + +_K. Hen._ Then keep thy vow, sirrah, when thou meet’st the fellow. + +_Will._ So I will, my liege, as I live. + +_K. Hen._ Who servest thou under? + +_Will._ Under Captain Gower, my liege. + +_Flu._ Gower is a goot captain, and is good knowledge and literature in +the wars. + +_K. Hen._ Call him hither to me, soldier. + +_Will._ I will, my liege. + + [_Exit, R.H._ + +_K. Hen._ Here, Fluellen; wear thou this favour for me, and stick it in +thy cap: When Alençon and myself were down together,(O) I plucked this +glove from his helm: if any man challenge this, he is a friend to +Alençon and an enemy to our person; if thou encounter any such, +apprehend him, an thou dost love me. + +_Flu._ Your grace does me as great honours as can be desired in the +hearts of his subjects: I would fain see the man, that has but two legs, +that shall find himself aggriefed at this glove, that is all. + +_K. Hen._ Knowest thou Gower? + +_Flu._ He is my dear friend, an please you. + +_K. Hen._ Pray thee, go seek him, and bring him to my tent. + +_Flu._ (L.) I will fetch him. + + [_Crosses to R., and exit R.H._ + + _K. Hen._ (L.C.) My lord of Warwick,--and my brother Gloster, + + [_Both advance to the KING._ + + Follow Fluellen closely at the heels: + The glove which I have given him for a favour + May haply purchase him a box o’ the ear; + It is the soldier’s; I, by bargain, should + Wear it myself. Follow, good cousin Warwick: + + [_WARWICK crosses to R._ + + If that the soldier strike him (as, I judge, + By his blunt bearing, he will keep his word,) + Some sudden mischief may arise of it; + For I do know Fluellen valiant, + And, touch’d with choler, hot as gunpowder, + And quickly will return an injury: + Follow, + + (_GLOSTER crosses to R._) + + and see there be no harm between them.-- + + [_WARWICK and GLOSTER exeunt R.H._ + + Go you with me, Uncle of Exeter. + + [_Exeunt Omnes, L.H._ + + _Trumpets sound._ + + + [Footnote IV.27: _Or void the field;_] i.e., avoid, withdraw from + the field.] + + [Footnote IV.28: _----+raught+ me his hand,_] _Raught_ is the old + preterite of the verb _to reach_.] + + [Footnote IV.29: _----Monmouth caps;_] Monmouth caps were formerly + much worn, and Fuller, in his “Worthies of Wales,” says the best + caps were formerly made at Monmouth.] + + [Footnote IV.30: _----great sort,_] High rank.] + + [Footnote IV.31: _----quite from the answer of his degree._] A man + of such station as is not bound to hazard his person to _answer_ + to a challenge from one of the soldier’s _low degree_.] + + +SCENE VI.--BEFORE KING HENRY’S PAVILION. + + _Enter GOWER and WILLIAMS, R.H._ + +_Will._ I warrant it is to knight you, captain. + + _Enter FLUELLEN, R.H._ + +_Flu._ Heaven’s will and pleasure, captain, I peseech you now, come +apace to the king: there is more goot toward you peradventure than is in +your knowledge to dream of. + +_Will._ Sir, know you this glove? + +_Flu._ (C.) Know the glove! I know, the glove is a glove. + +_Will._ (R.C.) I know this; and thus I challenge it. + + [_Strikes him._ + +_Flu._ ’Sblud, an arrant traitor as any’s in the universal ’orld, or in +France, or in England! + +_Gow._ (L.C.) How now, sir! you villain! + +_Will._ Do you think I’ll be forsworn? + +_Flu._ Stand away, Captain Gower; I will give treason his payment in +plows, I warrant you. + +_Will._ I am no traitor. + +_Flu._ That’s a lie in thy throat.--I charge you in his majesty’s name, +apprehend him: he’s a friend of the duke Alençon’s. + + _Enter WARWICK and GLOSTER,(P) R.H._ + +_Glos._ (_crosses to C._) How now, how now! what’s the matter? + +_Flu._ My lord of Gloster, here is (praised be Heaven for it!) a most +contagious treason come to light, look you, as you shall desire in a +summer’s day. Here is his majesty. + + _Enter KING HENRY, EXETER, and others, U.E.L.H._ + +_K. Hen._ (_coming down centre._) How now! what’s the matter? + +_Flu._ (L.H.) My liege, here is a villain and a traitor, that, look your +grace, has struck the glove which your majesty is take out of the helmet +of Alençon. + +_Will._ (R.C.) My liege, this was my glove; here is the fellow of it; +and he that I gave it to in change promised to wear it in his cap: +I promised to strike him, if he did: I met this man with my glove in his +cap, and I have been as good as my word. + +_Flu._ Your majesty hear now (saving your majesty’s manhood) what an +arrant, rascally, beggarly, lowsy knave it is: I hope, your majesty is +pear me testimony, and witness, and avouchments, that this is the glove +of Alençon, that your majesty is give me, in your conscience, now. + +_K. Hen._ Give me thy glove, soldier: Look, here is the fellow of it. +’Twas I, indeed, thou promised’st to strike; and thou hast given me most +bitter terms. + + [_WILLIAMS falls on his knee._ + +_Flu._ An please your majesty, let his neck answer for it, if there is +any martial law in the ’orld. + +_K. Hen._ How can’st thou make me satisfaction? + +_Will._ All offences, my liege, come from the heart: never came any from +mine, that might offend your majesty. + +_K. Hen._ It was ourself thou didst abuse. + +_Will._ Your majesty came not like yourself: you appeared to me but as a +common man; witness the night, your garments, your lowliness; and what +your highness suffered under that shape, I beseech you, take it for your +own fault, and not mine: for had you been as I took you for, I made no +offence; therefore, I beseech your highness, pardon me. + + _K. Hen._ Here, uncle Exeter, fill this glove with crowns, + And give it to this fellow.-- (_WILLIAMS rises._) Keep it, fellow; + And wear it for an honour in thy cap + Till I do challenge it.--Give him the crowns:-- + And, captain, you must needs be friends with him. + + [_The KING goes up the stage with EXETER, BEDFORD, and GLOSTER._ + +_Flu._ By this day and this light, the fellow has mettle enough in his +pelly.--Hold, there is twelve pence for you; and I pray you to serve +Heaven, and keep you out of prawls, and prabbles, and quarrels, and +dissensions, and, I warrant you, it is the petter for you. + +_Will._ I will none of your money. + +_Flu._ It is with a goot will; I can tell you, it will serve you to mend +your shoes: Come, wherefore should you be so pashful? your shoes is not +so goot: ’tis a goot silling, I warrant you, or I will change it. + + [_Exit WILLIAMS, R.H._ + + [_Enter ENGLISH HERALD, R.H._ + +_K. Hen._ (_coming down C._) Now, herald, are the dead number’d? + + [_HERALD uncovers, kneels, and delivers papers. + The KING gives one paper to EXETER._ + + _K. Hen._ (C.) What prisoners of good sort are taken, uncle? + + _Exe._ (L.C.) Charles duke of Orleans, nephew to the king; + John duke of Bourbon, and lord Bouciqualt: + Of other lords and barons, knights and ’squires, + Full fifteen hundred, besides common men. + + _K. Hen._ (C.) This note doth tell me of ten thousand French + That in the field lie slain: of princes, in this number, + And nobles bearing banners, there lie dead + One hundred twenty-six: added to these, + Of knights, esquires, and gallant gentlemen, + Eight thousand and four hundred; of the which, + Five hundred were but yesterday dubb’d knights:[32] + So that, in these ten thousand they have lost, + There are but sixteen hundred mercenaries:[33] + The rest are--princes, barons, lords, knights, ’squires, + And gentlemen of blood and quality. + Here was a royal fellowship of death!----(Q) + What is the number of our English dead? + + _Exe._ (L.C.) Edward the duke of York, the earl of Suffolk, + Sir Richard Ketley, Davy Gam, esquire: + None else of name; and of all other men + But five and twenty. + + _K. Hen._ O Heaven, thy arm was here; + And not to us, but to thy arm alone, + Ascribe we all! When, without stratagem, + But in plain shock and even play of battle, + Was ever known so great and little loss + On one part and on the other?--Take it, Heaven, + For it is only thine! + + [_Returns papers to HERALD, who rises and stands L._ + + _Exe._ ’Tis wonderful! + + _K. Hen._ Come, go we in procession to the village: + And be it death proclaimed through our host + To boast of this, or take that praise from Heaven + Which is his only. + +_Flu._ (R.C.) Is it not lawful, and please your majesty, to tell how +many is killed? + + _K. Hen._ (_up the stage C._) + Yes, captain; but with this acknowledgment, + That Heaven fought for us. + +_Flu._ Yes, my conscience, he did us great goot. + +_K. Hen._ Do we all holy rites:(R) + + [_The curtains of the Royal Pavilion are drawn aside, + and discover an Altar and Priests._ + + Let there be sung _Non nobis_ and _Te Deum_; + The dead with charity enclos’d in clay: + We’ll then to Calais; and to England then; + Where ne’er from France arriv’d more happy men. + + [_Organ music; all kneel, and join in Song of Thanksgiving._ + + +END OF ACT FOUR. + + + [Footnote IV.32: _Five hundred were but yesterday dubb’d + knights:_] In ancient times, the distribution of this honor + appears to have been customary on the eve of a battle.] + + [Footnote IV.33: _Sixteen hundred mercenaries;_] i.e., common + soldiers, hired soldiers.] + + + + +HISTORICAL NOTES TO ACT FOURTH. + +(A) _The English Camp at Agincourt._] The French were about a quarter of +a mile from them at Agincourt and Ruisseauville, and both armies +proceeded to light their fires, and to make the usual arrangements for a +bivouack. The night was very rainy, and much inconvenience is said to +have been experienced in each camp from wet and cold, accompanied, among +the English, by hunger and fatigue. It was passed in a manner strictly +consistent with their relative situations. The French, confident in +their numbers, occupied the hours not appropriated to sleep in +calculating upon their success; and in full security of a complete +victory, played at dice with each other for the disposal of their +prisoners, an archer being valued at a blank, and the more important +persons in proportion; whilst the English were engaged in preparing +their weapons, and in the most solemn acts of religion. * * * The +Chronicler in the text states, that from the great stillness which +prevailed throughout the English camp, the enemy imagined they were +panic-struck, and intended to decamp. Monstrelet relates that the +English “were much fatigued and oppressed by cold, hunger, and other +annoyances; that they made their peace with God, by confessing their +sins with tears, and numbers of them taking the sacrament; for, as it +was related by some prisoners, they looked for certain death on the +morrow.” + +(B) _Enter Erpingham._] Sir Thomas Erpingham came over with Bolingbroke +from Bretagne, and was one of the commissioners to receive King +Richard’s abdication. In Henry the Fifth’s time Sir Thomas was warden of +Dover Castle, and at the battle of Agincourt, was commander of the +Archers. This venerable knight is described by Monstrelet to have grown +grey with age and honour; and when orders were given for the English +army to march toward the enemy, by Henry crying aloud, “Advance +banners,” Sir Thomas threw his truncheon in the air as a signal to the +whole field, exclaiming, “Now strike;” and loud and repeated shouts +testified the readiness with which they obeyed the command. + +(C) _I Richard’s body have interred new;_] Henry was anxious not only to +repair his own misconduct, but also to make amends for those iniquities +into which policy or the necessity of affairs had betrayed his father. +He expressed the deepest sorrow for the fate of the unhappy Richard, did +justice to the memory of that unfortunate prince, even performed his +funeral obsequies with pomp and solemnity, and cherished all those who +had distinguished themselves by their loyalty and attachment towards +him. --_Hume’s History of England._ + +(D) _Enter Orleans._] Charles Duke of Orleans was wounded and taken +prisoner at Agincourt. Henry refused all ransom for him, and he remained +in captivity twenty-three years. + +This prince was a celebrated poet, and some of his most beautiful verses +were composed during his confinement in the Tower of London. He married +Isabella of Valois, daughter of Charles VI. and Isabeau of Bavaria, +eldest sister to the Princess Katharine, Queen of Henry V. + +Isabella was the widow of our Richard the Second when she married the +Duke of Orleans. + +After the victory of Agincourt, the following anecdote is related by +Remy:-- “During their journey to Calais, at a place where they rested, +Henry caused bread and wine to be brought to him, which he sent to the +Duke of Orleans; but the French Prince would neither eat nor drink. This +being reported to the King, he imagined that it arose from +dissatisfaction, and, therefore, went to the duke. ‘Noble cousin,’ said +Henry, ‘how are you?’ ‘Well, my lord,’ answered the duke. ‘Why, then, is +it,’ added the King, ‘that you will neither eat nor drink?’ To which +Orleans replied, ‘that truly he had no inclination for food.’ ‘Noble +cousin,’ rejoined Henry, ‘be of good heart. I know that God gave me the +victory over the French, not that I deserved it, but I fully believe +that he wished to punish them; and if what I have heard is true, it is +not to be wondered at, for never were there greater disorder, +sensuality, sins, and vices seen than now prevail in France; which it is +horrible to hear described; and if God is provoked, it is not a subject +of surprise, and no one can be astonished.’ Many more conversations are +said to have passed between the King and the Duke of Orleans, and the +commisseration and courtesy of the former to his prisoners is mentioned +by every writer in terms of just praise.” + +(E) _The English army, drawn up for battle;_] The victory gained at +Agincourt, in the year 1415, is, in a great measure, ascribed to the +English Archers, and that there might be no want of arrows, Henry V. +ordered the sheriffs of several counties to procure feathers from the +wings of geese, plucking six from each goose. An archer of this time was +clad in a cuirass, or a hauberk of chain-mail, with a salade on his +head, which was a kind of bacinet. Every man had a good bow, a sheaf of +arrows, and a sword. Fabian describes the archer’s dress at the battle +of Agincourt. “The yeomen had their limbs at liberty, for their hose was +fastened with one point, and their jackets were easy to shoot in, so +that they might draw bows of great strength, and shoot arrows a yard +long.” Some are described as without hats or caps, others with caps of +boiled leather, or wicker work, crossed over with iron; some without +shoes, and all in a very dilapidated condition. Each bore on his +shoulder a long stake, sharpened at both extremities, which he was +instructed to fix obliquely before him in the ground, and thus oppose a +rampart of pikes to the charge of the French Cavalry. + + (F) _O that we now had here + But one ten thousand of those men in England + That do no work to day!_] + +A certain lord Walter Hungerford, knight, was regretting in the king’s +presence that he had not, in addition to the small retinue which he had +there, ten thousand of the best English Archers, who would be desirous +of being with him; when the King said, Thou speaketh foolishly, for, by +the God of Heaven, on whose grace I have relied, and in whom I have a +firm hope of victory, I would not, even if I could, increase my number +by one; for those whom I have are the people of God, whom He thinks me +worthy to have at this time. Dost thou not believe the Almighty, with +these his humble few, is able to conquer the haughty opposition of the +French, who pride themselves on their numbers, and their own strength, +as if it might be said they would do as they liked? And in my opinion, +God, of his true justice, would not bring any disaster upon one of so +great confidence, as neither fell out to Judas Maccabeus until he became +distrustful, and thence deservedly fell into ruin. --_Nicolas’s History +of Agincourt._ + +(G) _Enter King Henry, attended._] Henry rose with the earliest dawn, +and immediately heard three masses. He was habited in his “_cote +d’armes_,” containing the arms of France and England quarterly, and wore +on his bacinet a very rich crown of gold and jewels, circled like an +imperial crown, that is, arched over. The earliest instance of an arched +crown worn by an English monarch. --_Vide Planché’s History of British +Costume._ + +King Henry had at Agincourt for his person five banners; that is, the +banner of the Trinity, the banner of St. George, the banner of St. +Edward, the banner of St. Edmund, and the banner of his own arms. “When +the King of England had drawn up his order of battle he made a fine +address to his troops, exhorting them to act well; saying, that he was +come into France to recover his lawful inheritance, and that he had good +and just cause to claim it; that in that quarrel they might freely and +surely fight; that they should remember that they were born in the +kingdom where their fathers and mothers, wives and children, now dwelt, +and therefore they ought to strive to return there with great glory and +fame; that the kings of England, his predecessors, had gained many noble +battles and successes over the French; that on that day every one should +endeavour to preserve his own person and the honor of the crown of the +King of England. He moreover reminded them that the French boasted they +would cut off three fingers from the right hand of every archer they +should take, so that their shot should never again kill man nor horse. +The army cried out loudly, saying, ‘Sir, we pray God give you a good +life, and the victory over your enemies.’” --_Nicolas’s History of +Agincourt._ + +The banner of the Oriflamme is said to have been unfurled by the French +for the last time at Agincourt. + +(H) _The feast of Crispian._] The battle of Agincourt was fought upon +the 25th of October, 1415, St. Crispin’s day. The legend upon which this +is founded, is as follows:-- “Crispinus and Crispianus were brethren, +born at Rome; from whence they travelled to Soissons in France, about +the year 303, to propagate the Christian religion; but because they +would not be chargeable to others for their maintenance, they exercised +the trade of shoemakers; but the Governor of the town, discovering them +to be Christians, ordered them to be beheaded about the year 303. From +which time, the shoemakers made choice of them for their tutelar +saints.” --_See Hall’s Chronicle._ + +(I) _Bedford and Exeter, Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloster._] +Although Shakespeare has adhered very closely to history in many parts +of Henry V., he has deviated very much from it in the _Dramatis +Personæ_. He makes the Duke of Bedford accompany Henry to Harfleur and +Agincourt when he was Regent of England. The Earl of Exeter, or, more +properly speaking, the Earl of Dorset, was left to command Harfleur; the +Earl of Westmoreland, so far from quitting England, was appointed to +defend the marches of Scotland, nor does it appear that the Earl of +Salisbury was either at Harfleur or Agincourt. The Earl of Warwick[*] +had returned to England ill from Harfleur. The characters introduced in +the play who really were at Agincourt, are the Dukes of Gloucester and +York, and Sir Thomas Erpingham. + +Holinshed states that the English army consisted of 15,000, and the +French of 60,000 horse and 40,000 infantry--in all, 100,000. Walsingham +and Harding represent the English as but 9,000, and other authors say +that the number of French amounted to 150,000. Fabian says the French +were 40,000, and the English only 7,000. The battle lasted only three +hours. + + [Footnote *: Richard Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick. He did not obtain + that title till 1417, two years after the era of this play.] + +(K) _How thou pleasest, Heaven, dispose the day._] At the battle of +Agincourt, having chosen a convenient spot on which to martial his men, +the king sent privately two hundred archers into a low meadow, which was +on one of his flanks, where they were so well secured by a deep ditch +and a marsh, that the enemy could not come near them. Then he divided +his infantry into three squadrons, or battles; the van-warde, or +avant-guard, composed entirely of archers; the middle-warde, of bill-men +only; and the rerewarde, of bill-men and archers mixed together; the +horse-men, as wings, went on the flanks of each of the battles. He also +caused stakes to be made of wood about five or six feet long, headed +with sharp iron; these were fixed in the ground, and the archers so +placed before them that they were entirely hid from the sight of the +enemy. When, therefore, the heavy cavalry of the French charged, which +was done with the utmost impetuosity, under the idea of cutting down and +riding over the archers, they shrunk at once behind the stakes, and the +Frenchmen, unable to stop their horses, rode full upon them, so that +they overthrew their riders, and caused the utmost confusion. The +infantry, who were to follow up and support this charge, were so struck +with amazement that they hesitated, and by this were lost, for during +the panic the English archers threw back their bows, and with axes, +bills, glaives, and swords, slew the French, till they met the +middle-warde. The king himself, according to Speed, rode in the main +battle completely armed, his shield quartering the achievements of +France and England; upon his helm he wore a coronet encircled with +pearls and precious stones, and after the victory, although it had been +cut and bruised, he would not suffer it to be ostentatiously exhibited +to the people, but ordered all his men to give the glory to God alone. +His horse was one of fierce courage, and had a bridle and furniture of +goldsmiths’ work, and the caparisons were most richly embroidered with +the victorious ensigns of the English monarchy. Thus is he represented +on his great seal, with the substitution of a knights’ cap, and the +crest, for the chaplet. Elmham’s account, from which this is amplified, +is more particular in some of the details; he relates, that the king +appeared on a palfrey, followed by a train of led horses, ornamented +with the most gorgeous trappings; his helmet was of polished steel, +surmounted with a coronet sparkling with jewels, and on his surcoat, or +rather jupon, were emblazoned the arms of France and England, azure, +three fleurs-de-lis or, and gules, three lion’s passant guardant or. The +nobles, in like manner, were decorated with their proper armorial +bearings. Before him was borne the royal standard, which was ornamented +with gold and splendid colours. An account of the memorable battle of +Azincourt, or Agincourt, fought on the 25th of October, 1415, is thus +related by Mr. Turner:-- “At dawn the King of England had matins and the +mass chaunted in his army. He stationed all the horses and baggage in +the village, under such small guard as he could spare, having resolved +to fight the battle on foot. He sagaciously perceived that his only +chance of victory rested in the superiority of the personal fortitude +and activity of his countrymen, and to bring them face to face, and arm +to arm, with their opponents, was the simple object of his tactical +dispositions. He formed his troops into three divisions, with two wings. +The centre, in which he stationed himself, he planted to act against the +main body of the French, and he placed the right and left divisions, +with their wings, at a small distance only from himself. He so chose his +ground that the village protected his rear, and hedges and briars +defended his flanks. Determined to shun no danger, but to be a +conspicuous example to his troops on a day when no individual exertions +could be spared, he put on a neat and shining armour, with a large and +brilliant helmet, and on this he placed a crown, radiant with its +jewels, and he put over him a tunic adorned with the arms of France and +England. He mounted his horse, and proceeded to address his troops. The +French were commanded by the Constable of France, and with him were the +Dukes of Orleans, Burgundy, Berry, and Alençon, the Marshal and Admiral +of France, and a great assemblage of French nobility. Their force was +divided into three great battalions, and continued formed till ten +o’clock, not advancing to the attack. They were so numerous as to be +able to draw up thirty deep, the English but four. A thousand speared +horsemen skirmished from each of the horns of the enemy’s line, and it +appeared crowded with balistae for the projection of stones of all sizes +on Henry’s little army. Henry sent a part of his force behind the +village of Agincourt, where the French had placed no men at arms. He +moved from the rear of his army, unperceived, two hundred archers, to +hide themselves in a meadow on the flank of the French advanced line. An +old and experienced knight, Sir Thomas Erpingham, formed the rest into +battle array for an attack, putting the archers in front, and the men at +arms behind. The archers had each a sharp stake pointed at both ends, to +use against the French horse. Sir Thomas having completed his formation, +threw up his truncheon in the air, and dismounted. The English began the +attack, which the French had awaited, not choosing to give the advantage +as at Poictiers; but when they saw them advance, they put themselves in +motion, and their cavalry charged; these were destroyed by the English +archers. The French, frightened by the effect of the arrows, bent their +heads to prevent them from entering the vizors of their helmets, and, +pressing forward, became so wedged together as to be unable to strike. +The archers threw back their bows, and, grasping their swords, +battle-axes, and other weapons, cut their way to the second line. At +this period the ambushed archers rushed out, and poured their impetuous +and irresistable arrows into the centre of the assailed force, which +fell in like manner with the first line. In short, every part +successively gave way, and the English had only to kill and take +prisoners.” + +(L) The Duke of York commanded the van guard of the English army, and +was slain in the battle. + +This personage is the same who appears in Shakespeare’s play of King +Richard the Second by the title of Duke of Aumerle. His Christian name +was Edward. He was the eldest son of Edmund Langley, Duke of York, who +is introduced in the same play, and who was the fifth son of King Edward +III. Richard, Earl of Cambridge, who appears in the second act of this +play, was younger brother to this Edward, Duke of York. + +(M) _Ride thou unto the horsemen on yon hill:_] After the battle, +“there were small bodies of the French on different parts of the plain, +but they were soon routed, slain, or taken.” + +(N) _Enter MONTJOY._] He (the king) asked Montjoye to whom the victory +belonged, to him or to the King of France? Montjoye replied that the +victory was his, and could not be claimed by the King of France. The +king said to the French and English heralds, “It is not we who have made +this great slaughter, but the omnipotent God, as we believe, for a +punishment of the sins of the French. The king then asked the name of +the castle he saw near him. He was told it was Agincourt. Well, then, +said he, since all battles should bear the name of the fortress nearest +to the spot where they were fought, this battle shall from henceforth +bear the ever durable name of Agincourt.” --_Nicolas’s History of +Agincourt._ + +(O) _When Alençon and myself were down together._] During the battle, +the Duke of Alençon most valiantly broke through the English line, and +advanced, fighting, near to the king, insomuch that he wounded and +struck down the Duke of York. King Henry, seeing this, stepped forth to +his aid, and as he was leaning down to raise him, the Duke of Alençon +gave him a blow on the helmet that struck off part of his crown. The +king’s guard on this surrounded him, when, seeing he could no way escape +death but by surrendering, he lifted up his arm, and said to the king, +“_I am the Duke of Alençon, and yield myself to you;_” but as the king +was holding out his hand to receive his pledge, he was put to death by +the guards. --_Nicolas’s History of Agincourt._ + +(P) _Enter WARWICK and GLOSTER._] The noble Duke of Gloucester, the +king’s brother, pushing himself too vigorously on his horse into the +conflict, was grievously wounded, and cast down to the earth by the +blows of the French, for whose protection the king being interested, he +bravely leapt against his enemies in defence of his brother, defended +him with his own body, and plucked and guarded him from the raging +malice of the enemy’s, sustaining perils of war scarcely possible to be +borne. --_Nicolas’s History of Agincourt._ + +(Q) _Here was a royal fellowship of death!--_] There is not much +difficulty in forming a correct estimate of the numbers of the French +slain at Agincourt, for if those writers who only state that from three +to five thousand were killed, merely meant the men-at-arms and persons +of superior rank, and which is exceedingly probable, we may at once +adopt the calculation of Monstrelet, Elmham, &c., and estimate the whole +loss on the field at from ten to eleven thousand men. It is worthy of +remark how very nearly the different statements on the subject approach +to each other, and which can only be explained by the fact that the dead +had been carefully numbered. + +Among the most illustrious persons slain were the Dukes of Brabant, +Barré, and Alençon, five counts, and a still greater proportion of +distinguished knights; and the Duke of Orleans, the Count of Vendôsme, +who was taken by Sir John Cornwall, the Marshall Bouciqualt, and +numerous other individuals of distinction, whose names are minutely +recorded by Monstrelet, were made prisoners. The loss of the English +army has been variously estimated. The discrepancies respecting the +number slain on the part of the victors, form a striking contrast to the +accuracy of the account of the loss of their enemies. The English +writers vary in their statements from seventeen to one hundred, whilst +the French chroniclers assert that from three hundred to sixteen hundred +individuals fell on that occasion. St. Remy and Monstrelet assert that +sixteen hundred were slain. --_Nicolas’s History of Agincourt._ + +(R) _Do we all holy rites:_] Holinshed says, that when the king saw no +appearance of enemies, he caused the retreat to be blown, and gathering +his army together, gave thanks to Almighty God for so happy a victory, +causing his prelates and chaplains to sing this psalm--_In exitu Israel +de Egypto_; and commanding every man to kneel down on the ground at this +verse--_Non nobis domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo da gloriam_; which, +done, he caused _Te Deum_ and certain anthems to be sung, giving laud +and praise to God, and not boasting of his own force, or any human +power. + + + + + _Enter CHORUS._ + + + _Chor._ Vouchsafe to those that have not read the story, + That I may prompt them. + Now we bear the king + Towards Calais: grant him there; there seen, + Heave him away upon your winged thoughts + Athwart the sea. Behold, the English beach + Pales in the flood with men, with wives, and boys, + Whose shouts and claps out-voice the deep-mouth’d sea, + Which, like a mighty whiffler[1] ’fore the king + Seems to prepare his way: so let him land; + And solemnly, see him set on to London. + So swift a pace hath thought, that even now + You may imagine him upon Blackheath. + How London doth pour out her citizens! + The mayor, and all his brethren, in best sort,-- + Like to the senators of the antique Rome, + With the plebeians swarming at their heels,-- + Go forth, and fetch their conquering Cæsar in. + Now in London place him. There must we bring him; + Show the occurrences, whatever chanc’d, + Till Harry’s back-return again to France. + + [_Exit._ + + + [Footnote Vc.1: _----a mighty +whiffler+_] An officer who walks + first in processions, or before persons in high stations, on + occasions of ceremony. The name is still retained in London, and + there is an officer so called that walks before their companies at + times of publick solemnity. It seems a corruption from the French + word _huissier_. --HANMER.] + + + + + HISTORICAL EPISODE. + + OLD LONDON BRIDGE + From the Surrey Side of the River. + + RECEPTION OF KING HENRY THE FIFTH + On Entering London, + AFTER THE BATTLE OF AGINCOURT.[*] + + [Note *: Extracts of King Henry’s reception into London, from + the anonymous Chronicler, who was an eye-witness of the events he + describes:-- + + “And when the wished-for Saturday dawned, the citizens went forth + to meet the king. * * * viz., the Mayor[†] and Aldermen in + scarlet, and the rest of the inferior citizens in red suits, with + party-coloured hoods, red and white. * * * When they had + come to the Tower at the approach to the bridge, as it were at the + entrance to the authorities to the city. * * * Banners of + the Royal arms adorned the Tower, elevated on its turrets; and + trumpets, clarions, and horns, sounded in various melody; and in + front there was this elegant and suitable inscription upon the + wall, ‘Civitas Regis justicie’--(‘The city to the King’s + righteousness.’) * * * And behind the Tower were innumerable + boys, representing angels, arrayed in white, and with countenances + shining with gold, and glittering wings, and virgin locks set with + precious sprigs of laurel, who, at the King’s approach, sang with + melodious voices, and with organs, an English anthem. + + [[Footnote †: The Lord Mayor of London, A.D. 1415, was Nicholas + Wotton.]] + + * * * * * + “A company of Prophets, of venerable hoariness, dressed in golden + coats and mantles, with their heads covered and wrapped in gold + and crimson, sang with sweet harmony, bowing to the ground, + a psalm of thanksgiving. + * * * * * + “Beneath the covering were the twelve kings, martyrs and + confessors of the succession of England, their loins girded with + golden girdles, sceptres in their hands, and crowns on their + heads, who chaunted with one accord at the King’s approach in a + sweet tune. + * * * * * + “And they sent forth upon him round leaves of silver mixed with + wafers, equally thin and round. And there proceeded out to meet + the King a chorus of most beautiful virgin girls, elegantly + attired in white, singing with timbrol and dance; and then + innumerable boys, as it were an angelic multitude, decked with + celestial gracefulness, white apparel, shining feathers, virgin + locks, studded with gems and other resplendent and most elegant + array, who sent forth upon the head of the King passing beneath + minæ of gold, with bows of laurel; round about angels shone with + celestial gracefulness, chaunting sweetly, and with all sorts of + music. + + “And besides the pressure in the standing places, and of men + crowding through the streets, and the multitude of both sexes + along the way from the bridge, from one end to the other, that + scarcely the horsemen could ride through them. A greater assembly, + or a nobler spectacle, was not recollected to have been ever + before in London.”] + + + + +ACT V. + + +SCENE I.--FRANCE IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF TROYES. + + _Enter FLUELLEN and GOWER, L.H._ + +_Gow._ Nay, that’s right; but why wear you your leek today? Saint Davy’s +day is past. + +_Flu._ There is occasions and causes why and wherefore in all things: +I will tell you, as my friend, Captain Gower: the rascally, scald, +beggarly, lowsy, pragging knave, Pistol,--he is come to me, and prings +me pread and salt yesterday, look you, and pid me eat my leek: it was in +a place where I could not preed no contentions with him; but I will be +so pold as to wear it in my cap till I see him once again, and then I +will tell him a little piece of my desires. + + _Enter PISTOL, R.H._ + +_Gow._ Why, here he comes, swelling like a turkey-cock. + +_Flu._ ’Tis no matter for his swellings nor his turkey-cocks.--Heaven +pless you, ancient Pistol! you scurvy, lowsy knave, Heaven pless you! + + _Pist._ Ha! art thou Bedlam? dost thou thirst, base Trojan, + To have me fold up Parca’s fatal web?[1] + Hence! I am qualmish at the smell of leek. + + [_Crosses to L.H._ + +_Flu._ I peseech you heartily, scurvy, lowsy knave, at my desires, and +my requests, and my petitions, to eat, look you, this leek: because, +look you, you do not love it, nor your affections, and your appetites, +and your digestions, does not agree with it, I would desire you to +eat it. + +_Pist._ (_crosses to R.H._) Not for Cadwallader and all his goats. + +_Flu._ There is one goat for you. + + [_Strikes him._ + +Will you be so goot, scald knave, as eat it? + +_Pist._ Base Trojan, thou shalt die. + +_Flu._ You say very true, scald knave, when Heaven’s will is: I will +desire you to live in the mean time, and eat your victuals: come, there +is sauce for it. (_Striking him again._) You called me yesterday +mountain-squire; but I will make you to-day a squire of low degree.[2] +I pray you, fall to: if you can mock a leek, you can eat a leek. + +_Gow._ Enough, captain: you have astonished him.[3] + +_Flu._ I say, I will make him eat some part of my leek, or I will peat +his pate four days.--Pite, I pray you; it is goot for you. + +_Pist._ Must I bite? + +_Flu._ Yes, certainly, and out of doubt, and out of questions too, and +ambiguities. + +_Pist._ By this leek, I will most horribly revenge: I eat, and eke I +swear---- + +_Flu._ Eat, I pray you: Will you have some more sauce to your leek? +there is not enough leek to swear by. + +_Pist._ Quiet thy cudgel; thou dost see I eat. + +_Flu._ Much goot do you, scald knave, heartily. Nay, ’pray you, throw +none away; the skin is goot for your proken coxcomb. When you take +occasions to see leeks hereafter, I pray you, mock at them; that is all. + +_Pist._ Good. + +_Flu._ Ay, leeks is goot:--Hold you, there is a groat to heal your pate. + +_Pist._ Me a groat! + +_Flu._ Yes, verily and in truth, you shall take it; or I have another +leek in my pocket, which you shall eat. + +_Pist._ I take thy groat in earnest of revenge. + +_Flu._ If I owe you any thing, I will pay you in cudgels. Heaven be wi’ +you, and keep you, and heal your pate. + + [_Exit L.H._ + +_Pist._ (_crosses to L.H.) All hell shall stir for this. + + [_Crosses to R.H._ + +_Gow._ Go, go; you are a counterfeit cowardly knave. Will you mock at an +ancient tradition,--begun upon an honourable respect, and worn as a +memorable trophy of predeceased valour,--and dare not avouch in your +deeds any of your words? I have seen you gleeking[4] and galling at this +gentleman twice or thrice. You thought, because he could not speak +English in the native garb, he could not therefore handle an English +cudgel: you find it otherwise; and henceforth let a Welsh correction +teach you a good English condition.[5] Fare ye well. + + [_Exit, L.H._ + + _Pist._ Doth fortune play the huswife[6] with me now? + Old I do wax; and from my weary limbs + Honour is cudgell’d. + To England will I steal: + And patches will I get unto these scars, + And swear, I got them in the Gallia wars. + + [_Exit, R.H._ + + + [Footnote V.1: _To have me fold up, &c._] Dost thou desire to have + me put thee to death.] + + [Footnote V.2: _----a squire of low degree._] That is, _I will + bring thee to the ground._] + + [Footnote V.3: _----astonished him._] That is, you have stunned + him with the blow.] + + +SCENE II.--INTERIOR OF THE CATHEDRAL AT TROYES IN CHAMPAGNE. + + _Trumpets sound. Enter, at one door, U.E.L.H., KING HENRY,(A) + BEDFORD, GLOSTER, EXETER, WARWICK, WESTMORELAND, and other Lords; + at another, U.E.R.H., the FRENCH KING, QUEEN ISABEL, the PRINCESS + KATHARINE,[7](B) Lords, Ladies, &c., the Duke of BURGUNDY, and + his Train. The two parties, French and English, are divided by + barriers._ + + _K. Hen._ (L.C.) Peace to this meeting, wherefore we are met![8] + Unto our brother France,--and to our sister, + Health and fair time of day;--joy and good wishes + To our most fair and princely cousin Katharine; + And (as a branch and member of this royalty, + By whom this great assembly is contriv’d,) + We do salute you, duke of Burgundy;-- + And, princes French, and peers, health to you all! + + [_All the French party bow to KING HENRY._ + + _Fr. King._ (R.C.) Right joyous are we to behold your face, + Most worthy brother England; fairly met:-- + So are you, princes English, every one. + + _Q. Isa._ (_R. of F. KING._) So happy be the issue, brother England, + Of this good day, and of this gracious meeting, + As we are now glad to behold your eyes; + Your eyes, which hitherto have borne in them + Against the French, that met them in their bent, + The fatal balls of murdering basilisks:[9] + The venom of such looks, we fairly hope, + Have lost their quality; and that this day + Shall change all griefs and quarrels into love. + + _K. Hen._ To cry amen to that, thus we appear. + + _Q.Isa._ You English princes all, I do salute you. + + [_All the English party bow to QUEEN ISABELLA._ + + _Bur._ (R.) My duty to you both, on equal love, + Great kings of France and England! + Let it not disgrace me, + If I demand, before this royal view, + What rub or what impediment there is, + Why that the naked, poor, and mangled peace + Dear nurse of arts, plenties, and joyful births, + Should not, in this best garden of the world, + Our fertile France, put up her lovely visage? + + _K. Hen._ If, duke of Burgundy, you would the peace, + Which you have cited, you must buy that peace + With full accord to all our just demands; + Whose tenours and particular effects + You have, enschedul’d briefly, in your hands. + + _Fr. King._ I have but with a cursorary eye + O’er-glanc’d the articles: pleaseth your grace + To appoint some of your council presently + To sit with us once more, with better heed + To re-survey them, we will suddenly + Pass our accept and peremptory answer.[10] + + _K. Hen._ Brother, we shall.--Go, uncle Exeter,-- + And brother Bedford,--and you, brother Gloster,-- + Warwick,--and Huntingdon,--go with the king; + And take with you free power, to ratify, + Augment, or alter, as your wisdoms best + Shall see advantageable for our dignity, + And we’ll consign thereto.-- + + [_Barriers removed. The English Lords, EXETER, BEDFORD, GLOSTER, + WARWICK, and HUNTINGDON, cross to the KING OF FRANCE, and exeunt + afterwards with him._ + + Will you, fair sister, + Go with the princes, or stay here with us? + + _Q. Isa._ Our gracious brother, I will go with them: + Haply a woman’s voice may do some good, + When articles too nicely urg’d be stood on. + + _K. Hen._ Yet leave our cousin Katharine here with us: + She is our capital demand, compris’d + Within the fore rank of our articles. + + _Q. Isa._ She hath good leave. + + [_Trumpets sound._ + + [_Exeunt all through gates, L.E.R. and L., but HENRY, KATHARINE, + and her Gentlewomen._ + + _K. Hen._ (L.C.) Fair Katharine, and most fair! + Will you vouchsafe to teach a soldier terms, + Such as will enter at a lady’s ear, + And plead his love-suit to her gentle heart? + +_Kath._ (R.C.) Votre majesté shall mock at me; I cannot speak votre +Anglais. + +_K. Hen._ O fair Katharine, if you will love me soundly with your French +heart, I will be glad to hear you confess it brokenly with your English +tongue. Do you like me, Kate? + +_Kath._ _Pardonnez moi,_ I cannot tell vat is--like me. + +_K. Hen._ An angel is like you, Kate, and you are like an angel. + +_Kath._ _Que dit-il? que je suis semblable aux anges?_ + +_K. Hen._ I said so, dear Katharine; and I must not blush to affirm it. + +_Kath._ _O bon Dieu! les langues des hommes sont pleines de tromperies._ + +_K. Hen._ What say you, fair one? + +_Kath._ Dat de tongues of de mans is be full of deceits. + +_K. Hen._ I’faith, Kate. I know no ways to mince it in love, but +directly to say--I love you: then, if you urge me further than to +say--Do you in faith? I wear out my suit. Give me your answer; i’faith, +do; and so clap hands and a bargain: How say you, lady? + +_Kath._ Me understand well. + +_K. Hen._ Marry, if you would put me to verses or to dance for your +sake, Kate, why you undid me. If I could win a lady at leap-frog, or by +vaulting into my saddle with my armour on my back, under the correction +of bragging, be it spoken, I should quickly leap into a wife. But, +before Heaven, I cannot look greenly,[11] nor gasp out my eloquence, nor +I have no cunning in protestation; only downright oaths, which I never +use till urged, nor never break for urging. If thou canst love a fellow +of this temper, Kate, whose face is not worth sun-burning, that never +looks in his glass for love of any thing he sees there, let thine eye be +thy cook. I speak to thee plain soldier: If thou canst love me for this, +take me; if not, to say to thee--that I shall die, is true, but--for thy +love, by the lord, no; yet I love thee too. And while thou livest, dear +Kate, take a fellow of plain and uncoined constancy;[12] for a good leg +will fall;[13] a straight back will stoop; a black beard will turn +white; a curled pate will grow bald; a fair face will wither; a full eye +will wax hollow: but a good heart, Kate, is the sun and moon; or, +rather, the sun, and not the moon, for it shines bright, and never +changes, but keeps his course truly. If thou would have such a one, take +me: And take me, take a soldier; take a soldier, take a king: And what +sayest thou, then, to my love? speak, my fair, and fairly, I pray thee. + +_Kath._ Est il possible dat I should love de enemy de la France? + +_K. Hen._ No; it is not possible you should love the enemy of France, +Kate: but, in loving me, you should love the friend of France; for I +love France so well, that I will not part with a village of it; I will +have it all mine: and, Kate, when France is mine, and I am yours, then +yours is France, and you are mine. + +_Kath._ Vat is dat? + +_K. Hen._ Kate, dost thou understand thus much English? Canst thou +love me? + +_Kath._ I cannot tell. + +_K. Hen._ Can any of your neighbours tell, Kate? I’ll ask them. Come, +I know thou lovest me: and at night, when you come into your closet, +you’ll question this gentlewoman about me; and I know, Kate, you will to +her dispraise those parts in me that you love with your heart. If ever +thou be’st mine, Kate, (as I have a saving faith within me, tells +me,--thou shalt,) shall there not be a boy compounded between Saint +Dennis and Saint George, half French, half English, that shall go to +Constantinople[14] and take the Turk by the beard? shall he not? what +sayest thou, my fair flower-de-luce? How answer you, _la plus belle +Katharine du monde, mon très chère et divine déesse?_ + +_Kath._ _Votre majesté_ ’ave _fausse_ French enough to deceive _la plus +sage damoiselle_ dat is _en France._ + +_K. Hen._ Now, fie upon my false French! By mine honour, in true +English, I love thee, Kate: by which honour I dare not swear thou lovest +me; yet my blood begins to flatter me that thou dost, notwithstanding +the poor and untempting effect of my visage. But, in faith, Kate, the +elder I wax, the better I shall appear: my comfort is, that old age, +that ill layer-up of beauty, can do no more spoil upon my face: thou +hast me, if thou hast me, at the worst; and thou shalt wear me, if thou +wear me, better and better: And therefore tell me, most fair Katharine, +will you have me? Put off your maiden blushes; avouch the thoughts of +your heart with the looks of an empress; take me by the hand, and +say--Harry of England, I am thine: which word thou shalt no sooner bless +mine ear withal, but I will tell thee aloud--England is thine, Ireland +is thine, France is thine, and Henry Plantagenet is thine; who, though I +speak it before his face, if he be not fellow with the best king, thou +shalt find the best king of good fellows. Come, your answer in broken +musick, for thy voice is musick, and thy English broken; therefore, +queen of all, Katharine, break thy mind to me in broken English, Wilt +thou have me? + +_Kath._ Dat is as it shall please _le roi mon père_. + +_K. Hen._ Nay, it will please him well, Kate; it shall please him, Kate. + +_Kath._ Den it shall also content me. + +_K. Hen._ Upon that I will kiss your hand, and I call you--my queen. + +_Kath._ _Laissez, mon seigneur, laissez, laissez._ + +_K. Hen._ Then I will kiss your lips, Kate. + +_Kath._ Dat is not be de fashion _pour les_ dames _de la_ France. + +_K. Hen._ O Kate, nice customs curt’sy to great kings. We are the makers +of manners, Kate; therefore, patiently, and yielding. (_Kisses her._) +You have witchcraft in your lips, Kate: there is more eloquence in a +sugar touch of them than in the tongues of the French council; and they +should sooner persuade Harry of England than a general petition of +monarchs. (_Trumpets sound._) Here comes your father. + + [_The centre gates are thrown open, and_ + + _Re-enter the FRENCH KING and QUEEN, BURGUNDY, BEDFORD, GLOSTER, + EXETER, WESTMORELAND. The other French and English Lords as + before, U.E.R. and L._ + +_Bur._ (R.) My royal cousin, teach you our princess English? + +_K. Hen._ (C.) I would have her learn, my fair cousin, how perfectly I +love her; and that is good English. + +_Bur._ Is she not apt? + +_K. Hen._ Our tongue is rough, coz, and my condition is not smooth;[15] +so that, having neither the voice nor the heart of flattery about me, +I cannot so conjure up the spirit of love in her, that he will appear in +his true likeness. Shall Kate be my wife? + +_Fr. King._ (L.C.) So please you. + + _Exe._ The king hath granted every article: + His daughter, first; and then, in sequel, all, + According to their firm proposèd natures. + + _Fr. King._ Take her, fair son; + That the contending kingdoms + Of France and England, whose very shores look pale + With envy of each other’s happiness, + May cease their hatred; and this dear conjunction + Plant neighbourhood and christian-like accord + In their sweet bosoms, that never war advance + His bleeding sword ’twixt England and fair France. + + _K. Hen._ Now, welcome, Kate:--and bear me witness all, + That here I take her as my sovereign queen. + + [_The KING places a ring on KATHARINE’S finger._ + + Prepare we for our marriage:--on which day, + My lord of Burgundy, we’ll take your oath, + And all the peers’, for surety of our leagues.-- + Then shall I swear to Kate, and you to me; + And may our oaths well kept and prosp’rous be!(C) + + [_Flourish of Trumpets. Curtain descends._ + + + [Footnote V.4: _----gleeking_] i.e., scoffing, sneering. _Gleek_ + was a game at cards.] + + [Footnote V.5: _----English +condition+._] _Condition_ is temper, + disposition of mind.] + + [Footnote V.6: _----Doth fortune play the +huswife+_] That is, the + _jilt_.] + + [Footnote V.7: The dresses of Queen Isabella, her ladies, and the + Princess Katharine, are taken from Montfaucon Monarchie + Françoise.] + + [Footnote V.8: _----wherefore we are met!_] i.e., Peace, for which + we are here met, be to this meeting.] + + [Footnote V.9: _The fatal balls of murdering basilisks:_] It was + anciently supposed that this serpent could destroy the object of + its vengeance by merely looking at it.] + + [Footnote V.10: + _----we will, suddenly, + Pass our accept, and peremptory answer._] + i.e., our answer shall be such as to leave no room for further + questioning in the matter. “_We will peremptorily make answer._”] + + [Footnote V.11: _----look +greenly+,_] i.e., like a young lover, + awkwardly.] + + [Footnote V.12: _----take a good fellow of plain and +uncoined+ + constancy;_] _Uncoined_ constancy signifies _real_ and _true_ + constancy, _unrefined_ and _unadorned_.] + + [Footnote V.13: _----a good leg will fall,_] i.e., shrink--fall + away.] + + [Footnote V.14: _----shall go to Constantinople_] Shakespeare has + here committed an anachronism. The Turks were not possessed of + Constantinople before the year 1463, when Henry the Fifth had been + dead thirty-one years.] + + [Footnote V.15: _----my +condition+ is not smooth;_] i.e., + manners, appearance.] + + + + +THE END. + + + + +HISTORICAL NOTES TO ACT FIFTH. + +(A) _Enter_ KING HENRY,] At this interview, which is described as taking +place in the Church of Notre Dame, at Troyes, King Henry was attired in +his armour, and accompanied by sixteen hundred warriors. Henry is +related to have placed a ring of “inestimable value” on the finger of +Katharine, “supposed to be the same worn by our English queen-consorts +at their coronation,” at the moment when he received the promise of the +princess. + +(B) _The PRINCESS KATHARINE_,] Katharine of Valois was the youngest +child of Charles VI., King of France, and his Queen, Isabella of +Bavaria. She was born in Paris, October 27th, 1401. Monstrelet relates, +that on Trinity Sunday, June 3rd, the King of England wedded the lady +Katharine in the church at Troyes, and that great pomp and magnificence +were displayed by him and his princess, as if he had been king of the +whole world. Katharine was crowned Queen of England February 24, 1421; +and shortly after the death of her heroic husband, which event took +place August 31st, 1422, the queen married a Welch gentleman of the name +of Owen Tudor, by whom she had three sons and one daughter. The eldest +son, Edmund, married Margaret Beaufort, the heiress of the house of +Somerset. His half-brother, Henry VI., created him Earl of Richmond. He +died before he reached twenty years of age, leaving an infant son, +afterwards Henry VII., the first king of the Tudor line. Katharine died +January 3rd, 1437, in the thirty-sixth year of her age, and was buried +at Westminster Abbey. + +(C) _----may our oaths well kept and prosp’rous be;_] The principal +articles of the treaty were, that Henry should espouse the Princess +Catherine: That King Charles, during his life time, should enjoy the +title and dignity of King of France: That Henry should be declared and +acknowledged heir of the monarchy, and be entrusted with the present +administration of the government: That that kingdom should pass to his +heirs general: That France and England should for ever be united under +one king; but should still retain their several usages, customs, and +privileges: That all the princes, peers, vassals, and communities of +France, should swear, that they would both adhere to the future +succession of Henry, and pay him present obedience as regent: That this +prince should unite his arms to those of King Charles and the Duke of +Burgundy, in order to subdue the adherents of Charles, the pretended +dauphin; and that these three princes should make no peace or truce with +him but by common consent and agreement. Such was the tenour of this +famous treaty; a treaty which, as nothing but the most violent animosity +could dictate it, so nothing but the power of the sword could carry it +into execution. It is hard to say whether its consequences, had it taken +effect, would have proved more pernicious to England or France. It must +have reduced the former kingdom to the rank of a province: It would have +entirely disjointed the succession of the latter, and have brought on +the destruction of the royal family; as the houses of Orleans, Anjou, +Alençon, Britanny, Bourbon, and of Burgundy itself, whose titles were +preferable to that of the English princes, would, on that account, have +been exposed to perpetual jealousy and persecution from the sovereign. +There was even a palpable deficiency in Henry’s claim, which no art +could palliate. For, besides the insuperable objections to which Edward +the Third’s pretensions were exposed, _he_ was not heir to that monarch: +If female succession were admitted, the right had devolved on the house +of Mortimer: Allowing that Richard the Second was a tyrant, and that +Henry the Fourth’s merits in deposing him were so great towards the +English, as to justify that nation in placing him on the throne, Richard +had nowise offended France, and his rival had merited nothing of that +kingdom: It could not possibly be pretended that the crown of France was +become an appendage to that of England; and that a prince who by any +means got possession of the latter, was, without farther question, +entitled to the former. So that, on the whole, it must be allowed that +Henry’s claim to France was, if possible, still more unintelligible than +the title by which his father had mounted the throne of England. +--_Hume’s History of England._ + + + + + JOHN K. CHAPMAN AND COMPANY, PRINTERS, 5, SHOE LANE, + AND PETERBOROUGH COURT, FLEET STREET. + + + * * * * * + * * * * + * * * * * + +Errata Noted by Transcriber + + a pæan of victory [pœan] + within this wooden O [wooden, O] + suppose every man to represent [first “r” in “represent” invisible] + [Historical Notes to Act II] + [endnote labeling, with (A) reused, unchanged] + Lewis, Dovphin of Viennois [spelling unchanged] + should not raise the seige [spelling unchanged] + ... had played the Englishmen at dice.” [missing close quote]] + I remember him now. [; for .] + _Non nobis domine, non nobis, sed nomini tuo_ [_seel nomini_] + yet I love thee too [I I love thee] + + +Scenes + +_Correspondences are approximate; all Scenes have been significantly +edited. Chorus speeches are fairly close to their original form._ + +Kean edition (this text): Shakespeare + + I.1 : I.2 + I.2 : II.3, with Boy’s speech from III.2 + II.1 : II.2 + II.2 : II.4 + III (unnumbered scene after Chorus) : III.1 + III.1 : III.5 + III.2 : III.6 + IV (unnumbered scene interrupting Chorus) : III.7 + IV.1 : IV.1 + IV.2 : IV.2 + IV.3 : IV.3 + IV.4 : IV.5 + IV.5 : IV.6 and IV.7 (intermingled) + IV.6 : IV.8 + Interlude added by Kean : _no equivalent_ + V.1 : V.1 + V.2 : V.2 + +_Shakespeare’s Epilogue (spoken by Chorus) is absent._ + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's King Henry the Fifth, by William Shakespeare + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK KING HENRY THE FIFTH *** + +***** This file should be named 22791-0.txt or 22791-0.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/7/9/22791/ + +Produced by Louise Hope, David Starner, Curtis Weyant and +the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at +http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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