SCENE III. Enter Gloster, Bedford, Exeter, Erpingham, with all the EnglishHost; Salisbury,andWestmoreland. 5 Glo. Where is the king? Bed. The king himself is rode to view their battle. West. Of fighting men they have full threescore thousand, [fresh. 10 Exe. There's five to one; besides, they all are Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot, names, Familiar in their mouth as houshold words,- We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; Exe. to Sal. Farewell, kind lord! fight valiantly 20 And yet I do thee wrong, to mind thee of it, Princely in both. Enter King Henry. West. O, that we now had here But one ten thousand of those men in England, K. Henry. What's he, that wishes so? My cousin Westmoreland?-No, my fair cousin If we are mark'd to die, we are enough And gentlemen in England, now a-bed, Sal. My sovereign lord, bestow yourself with speed: 3 4 The French are ' bravely in their battles set, 25 And will with all expedience charge on us. K. Henry. All things are ready, if our minds be so. 30 35 West. Perish the man, whose mind is backward K. Henry. Thou dost not wish more help from West. God's will, my liege, would you and I alone, Without more help, might fight this battle out! Which likes me better, than to wish us one.- 40 Mont. Once more I come to know of thee, No, 'faith, my coz, wish not a man from England: If for thy ransom thou wilt now compound, From off these fields, where (wretches) their poor K. Henry. Who hath sent thee now? K. Henry. I pray thee, bear my former answer The man, that once did sell the lion's skin 60 While the beast liv'd, was kill'd with hunting him. The battle of Agincourt was fought upon the 25th of October, St. Crispin's day. 2 i. e. this A many of our bodies shall, no doubt, And draw their honours reeking up to heaven; 15 Thou damned and luxurious mountain goat, Offer'st me brass? Fr. Sol. 9, pardonnez moi ! Pist. Say'st thou me so? is that a ton of moys?? -Come hither, boy; Ask me this slave in French, 20 What is his name. Let me speak proudly;-Tell the Constable, Which if they have as I will leave 'em to them, Mont. I shall, king Harry. And so fare thee well: Thou never shalt hear herald any more. [Exit. K. Henry, I fear, thou❜lt once more come again for ransom. 35 Enter the Duke of York. K. Henry. Take it, brave York.-Now, sol- And how thou pleasest, God, dispose the day! Boy. Escoutez; Comment estes vous appellé ? Boy. He says, his name is-master Fer. Boy. I do not know the French for fer, and ferret, and firk. Pist. Bid him prepare, for I will cut his throat. Boy. Il me commande de vous dire que vous Tous tenies prest; car ce soldat icy est disposé tout à cette heure de couper vostre gorge. Pist. Ouy, couper gorge, par ma foy, pesant, Unless thou give me crowns, brave crowns; Or mangled shalt thou be by this my sword. Fr.Sol. O, je vous supplie, pour l'amour de Dieu, me pardonner! Je suis gentilhomme de bonne maison; gardez ma vie, à je vous donneray deux Pist. What are his words? [cents escus. Boy. He prays you to save his life: he is a gentleman of a good house; and, for his ransom, he will give you two hundred crowns. Pist. Tell him,-my fury shall abate, and I [Exeunt. 45 The crowns will take. 1 Fr. Sol. Petit monsieur, que dit-il? Boy. Encore qu'il est contre son jurement, de pardonner aucun prisonnier; neantmoins, pour les escus que vous l'avez promettez, il est content 50 de vous donner la liberté, le franchisement. 55 Fr. Sol. Sur mes genoux je vous donne mille remercimens: & je m'estime heureux que je suis tombé entre les mains d'un chevalier, je pense, le plus brave, valiant, & tres distingué seigneur Pist. Expound unto me, boy. [d'Angleterre. ▾ Mr. Steevens observes, that by this phrase, however uncouth, Shakspeare seems to mean the same as in the preceding line. Mortality is death. Relapse may be used for rebound. Shakspeare has given mind of honour, for honourable mind; and by the same rule might write relapse of mortality, for fatal or mortal rebound; or by relapse of mortality, he may mean-after they had relapsed into inanimation. i. e. golden show, superficial gilding. Obsolete. For is an old cant word for a sword. The rim means what is now called the diaphragm in human creatures, and the skirt or midriff in beasts. Moys is a piece of money; whence moi d'or, or moi of gold. To firk is used in a variety of senses by different old authors: in this place it would seem to mean, to chastise. Boy. 4 5 Act 4. Scene 7.] Boy. He gives you, upon his knees, a thousand] thanks; and esteems himself happy that he hath fallen into the hands of one (as he thinks), the most brave, valorous, and thrice-worthy signieur of England. Pist. As I suck blood, I will some mercy shew. -Follow me, cur. Boy. Suivez vous le grand capitaine. [Exe. Pistol, and French Soldier. 533 Ere. The duke of York commends him to your K. Henry Lives he, good uncle? Thrice, within saw him down; thrice up again, and fighting; Exe. In which array (brave soldier) doth he lie, I did never know so full a voice issue from so 10 The noble earl of Suffolk also lies. -The empty a heart: but the saying is true,- SCENE V. [Exit. 15 20 Another part of the field of Battle. [perdu! Ort. Is this the king we sent to for his ransom Let us die instant:-Once more back again; Con. Disorder, that hath spoiled us, friendus now! Orl. We are enough, yet living in the field, Bour. The devil take order now! I'll to the SCENE VI. Suffolk first dy'd and York, all haggled over, The pretty and sweet manner of it forc'd 35 40 K. Henry. I blame you not; For, hearing this, I must perforce compound The French have reinforc'd their scatter'd men:- SCENE VII. [Exeunt. Alarums continued; after which, enter Fluellen and Gower, Flu. Kill the poys and the luggage! 'tis ex45 pressly against the law of arms: 'tis as arrant a piece of knavery, mark you how, as can be of fer'd, in the 'orld: In your conscience now, is it not? Gow. 'Tis certain, there's not a boy left alive; [throng; 50 and the cowardly rascals, that ran away from the battle, have done this slaughter: besides, they have burn'd or carried away all that was in the king's tent; wherefore the king, most worthily, has caus'd every soldier to cut his prisoner's throat. 550, 'tis a gallant king! [Exeunt. Alarum. Enter King Henry and his Train, with Prisoners. K. Henry. Well have we done, thrice-valiant countrymen : But all's not done, yet keep the French the field. [60 Flu. I, he was porn at Monmouth, captain Gower: What call you the town's name, where Alexander the pig was born? Gow. Alexander the Great. Flu. Why, I pray you, is not pig, great? the Dr. Johnson on this passage observes, that in modern puppet-shows, which seem to be copied from suppose the Vice of the old farces, Punch sometimes fights the Devil, and always overcomes him. 4 * Perdurable pig, pig, or the great, or the mighty, or the huge, or the magnanimous, are all one reckonings, save the phrase is a little variations. Gow. I think, Alexander the Great was born in Macedon; his father was called-Philip of Macedon, as I take it. 5 Flu. I think, it is in Macedon, where Alexander is porn. I tell you, captain,—If you look in the maps of the 'orld, I warrant, you shall find, in the comparisons between Macedon and Mon-10 mouth, that the situations, look you, is both alike. There is a river in Macedon: and there is also, inoreover, a river at Monmouth: it is call'd Wye, at Monmouth; but it is out of my prains, what is the name of the other river; but 'tis all one, 'tis 15 so like as my fingers is to my fingers, and there is salmons in both. If you mark Alexander's life well, Harry of Monmouth's life is come after it indifferent well; for there is figures in all things. Alexander (Got knows, and you know) in his 20 rages, and his furies, and his wraths, and his cholers, and his moods, and his displeasures, and his indignations, and also being a little intoxicates in his prains, did, in his ales and his angers, look you, kill his pest friend Clytus. Gow. Our king is not like him in that; he never kill'd any of his friends. 25 Flu. It is not well done, mark you now, to take the tales out of my mouth, ere it is made an end and finish'd. I speak but in figures and compa-30 risons of it: As Alexander is Kill his friend Cly tus, being in his ales and his cups; so also Harry Monmouth, being in his right wits and his goot judgments, is turn away the fat knight with the great pelly-doublet: he was full of jests, and gypes, and knaveries, and mocks; I am forget his 35 That I have fin'd these bones of mine for ransom? Mont. No, great king: I come to thee for charitable licence, K. Henry. I tell thee truly, herald, Mont. The day is yours. K. Henry. Praised be God, and not our strength, What is this castle call'd, that stands hard by? Flu. 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. Henry. They did, Fluellen. Flu, Your majesty says very true: If your majesties is remember'd of it, the Welchmen did goot service in a garden where leeks did grow, wearing leeks in their Monmouth caps; which, your majesty knows, to this hour is an honourable padge of the service: and, I do believe, your majesty 40 takes no scorn to wear the leek upon saint Tavy's day, K. Henry. I wear it for a memorable honour: For I am Welch, you know, good countryman. Flu. All the water in Wye cannot wash your K. Henry. I was not angry since I came to 45 majesty's Welsh plood out of your pody, I can tell France, Until this instant.-Take a trumpet, herald; Exc. Here comes the herald of the French, my you that: Got pless and preserve it, as long as it pleases his grace and his majesty too! K. Henry. Thanks, good my countryman. Flu. By Cheshu, I am your majesty's country50man, I care not who know it; I will confess it to all the 'orld: I need not be ashamed of your majesty, praised be Got, so long as your majesty is an honest man. 55 K. Henry. God keep me so!-Our heralds go with him; Enter Williams. Bring me just notice of the numbers dead On both our parts.- -Call yonder fellow hither. [Exeunt Montjoy and others. Exe. Soldier, you must come to the king. K Henry. Soldier, why wear'st thou that glove lin thy cap? 'See note, p. 384. Mercenary here means common or hired blood. The gentlemen of the army served at their own charge, in consequence of their tenures, Will. An't please your majesty, 'tis the gage of one that I should fight withal, if he be alive. K. Henry. An Englishman? Will. An't please your majesty, a rascal, that swaggered with me last night: who, if 'a live, and it 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. Henry. What think you, captain Fluellen? is it fit this soldier keep his oath? Flu. He is a craven and a villain else, an't please your majesty, in my conscience. 5 [10] K. Henry. It may be, his enemy is a gentleman 15 of great sort', quite from the answer of his degree. 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|20| his oath: if he be perjur'd, see you now, his re putation is as arrant a villain, and a jack-sauce, as ever his plack shoe trod upon Got's ground and his earth, in my conscience, la. K. Henry. Then keep thy vow, sirrah, when 25 thou meet'st the fellow, Will. So I will, my liege, as I live. K. Henry. Who servest thou under? Will. Under Captain Gower, my liege. Enter Gower and Williams. Flu. Got's will and his pleasure, captain, I peseech you now, come apace to the king: there is more goot toward you, paradventure, than is in your knovledge to dream of. Will. Sir, know you this glove? Flu. Know the glove? I know, the glove is a glove. Will. 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. How now, sir? you villain! Will. Do you think I'll be forsworn? Flu. Stand away, captain Gower; I will give treason his payment into plows', I warrant you. Will. I am no traitor. Flu. That's a lie in thy throat.-I charge you Fiu. Gower is a goot captain; and is goot 30 in his majesty's name, apprehend him; he's a knowledge and literature in the wars. K. Henry. Call him hither to me, soldier. [Exit. K. Henry. Here, Fluellen; wear thou this faYour for me, and stick it in thy cap: When Alen-35 çon and myself were down together, I pluck'd 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,| as thou dost love me. Flu. Your grace does me as great honours, as can be desired in the hearts of his subj. cts: I would fain see the man, that has but two legs, that shall find himself aggrief'd at this glove, that is all; but I would fain see it once; an please Got of hisgrace, that I might see it. K. Henry. Know'st thou Gower? Flu. I will fetch him. [Exit. K. Henry. My lord of Warwick,-and my bro- Follow Fluellen closely at the heels: to a challenge from one of the soldier's low degree. 40 45 friend of the duke Alençon's. Enter Warwick, and Gloster. War. How now, how now! what's the matter? Flu. My lord of Warwick, here is (praised be Got 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, and Exeter. K. Henry. How now! what's the matter? Flu. 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. My liege, this is my glove; here is the fellow of it: and he, that I give it to in change, promis'd to wear it in his cap; I promis'd 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 ma50jesty's manhood) what anarrant,rascally, peggarly, lowsy knave it is: I hope, your majesty is pear me testimonies, and witnesses, and avouchments, that this is the glove of Alençon, that your majesty is give me, in your conscience now. 55 K. Henry, Give me thy glove, soldier; Look, here is the fellow of it. "Twas I, indeed, thou promisedst to strike; and thou hast given me most bitter terms. Flu. An please your majesty, let his neck an 60swer for it, if there is any martial law in the 'orld. High rank. * Meaning, a man of such station as is not bound to hazard his person to answer The Revisal reads, very plausibly, " in two plows." The quarto reads, I will give treason his due presently. 4 It must be, give me my glove; for of the soldier's glove the king had not the fellow. K. Henry |