KING

HENRY V.

ACT I.

The Presence Chamber.

Enter King Henry, Gloster, Bedford, ExeTER, WARWICK, WESTMORELAND, and Attendants.

Now are we well resolv'd: and by God'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: Or there we'll sit, Ruling, in large and ample empery,

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

Enter Ambassadors of France.

We now are well prepar'd to know the pleasure
Of our fair cousin Dauphin; for, we hear,

Your greeting is from hìm, not from the king.

Amb. May't 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. Your highness, lately sending into France, Did claim some certain dùkedoms, in the right Of your great predecessor, 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; You cannot rèvel into dukedoms there: He therefore sends you, meeter for your spirit, This tun of treàsure: 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.

Tennis-balls, my liege.

K. Hen. We are glad the Dauphin is so pleasant

with us;

His prèsent, and your pains, we thank you for :
When we have match'd our rackets to these balls,
We will, in France, by God's grace, play a set,
Shall strike his father's crown into the hazard.
We never valu'd this poor seat of England;
But tell the Dauphin,-I will keep my state;
Be like a king, and show my sail of greatness,
When I do rouse me in my throne of France:
And 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.

And tell the pleasant prince,-this mock of his Hath turn'd his balls to gun-stones; and his soul Shall stand sore charged for the wasteful vengeance That shall fly with them: many a thousand widows Shall this his mock mock out of their dear husbands; Mock mothers from their sons, mock castles down; And some are yet ungotten, and unborn,

That shall have cause to curse the Dauphin's scorn.
But this lies all within the will of God,

To whom I do appèal; And in whose name,
Tell you the Dauphin, I am coming on:

So, get you hence in peace; and tell the Dauphin,
His jest will savour but of shallow wit,
When thousands wèep, more than did laugh at it.-
Convey them with safe conduct.-Fare you well.
[Exeunt Ambassadors..

Exe. This was a merry message.

K. Hen. We hope to make the sènder blush at it. [Descends from his Throne. Therefore, let our proportions for these wars Be soon collected; and all thought upon, That may, with seasonable swiftness, add More feathers to our wings; for, God before! We'll chide this Dauphin at his father's door.

[Exeunt.

ACT II.

Enter CHORUS.

OW 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 winged heels, as English Mercuries.
For now sits Expectation in the air;

And hides a sword, from hilts unto the point,
With crowns imperial, crowns, and coronets,
Promis'd to Harry, and his followers.
The French, advis'd by good intelligence
Of this most dreadful preparation,
Shake in their fear; and with pale policy
Seek to divert the English purposes.

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

With treacherous crowns: and three 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 gilt of France, (O guilt, indeed!)
Confirm'd conspiracy with fearful France;
And by their hands this grace of kings must die,
(If hell and treason hold their promises),

Ere he take ship for France. Then in Southampton,
-Linger your patience on; and well digest
The abuse of distance, while we force a play.
The sum is paid; the traitors are agreed;
The king is set from London; and the scene
Is now transported, gentles, to Southampton:
Thère 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 with our play.
But, till the king come forth, and not till then,
Unto Southampton do we shift our scene.

[Exit.

مهم

Eastcheap.

Enter NYм and BARDOLPH.

Bardolph.

ELL met, Corporal Nym.

Nym. Good morrow, Lieutenant Bardolph. Bard. What, are ancient Pistol and you friends yet? I will bestow a breakfast, to make you friends; and we'll be all three sworn brothers to France; let it be so, good Corporal Nym.

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

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

Nym. I cannot tell; things must be as they may :