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Henry V (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: James D. Mardock
Peer Reviewed
88
The Life of Henry the Fift.
Boy. He prayes you to saue his life, he is a Gentleman
of a good house, and for his ransom he will giue you two
hundred Crownes.
Pist. Tell him my fury shall abate, and I the Crownes
2430will take.
Fren. Petit Monsieur que dit il?
Boy. Encore qu'il et contra son Iurement, de pardonner au-
cune prisonner: neant-mons pour les escues que vous layt a pro-
mets, il est content a vous donnes le liberte le franchisement
.
2435Fre. Sur mes genoux se vous donnes milles remercious, et
Ie me estime heurex que Ie intombe, entre les main d'vn Che-
ualier Ie peuse le plus braue valiant et tres distinie signieur
d'Angleterre
.
Pist. Expound vnto me boy.
2440Boy. He giues you vpon his knees a thousand thanks,
and he esteemes himselfe happy, that he hath falne into
the hands of one (as he thinkes) the most braue, valorous
and thrice-worthy signeur of England.
Pist. As I sucke blood, I will some mercy shew. Fol-
2445low mee.
Boy. Saaue vous le grand Capitaine?
I did neuer know so full a voyce issue from so emptie a
heart: but the saying is true, The empty vessel makes the
greatest sound, Bardolfe and Nym had tenne times more
2450valour, then this roaring diuell i'th olde play, that euerie
one may payre his nayles with a woodden dagger, and
they are both hang'd, and so would this be, if hee durst
steale any thing aduenturously. I must stay with the
Lackies with the luggage of our camp, the French might
2455haue a good pray of vs, if he knew of it, for there is none
to guard it but boyes.
Exit.

Enter Constable, Orleance, Burbon, Dolphin,
and Ramburs.

Con. O Diable.
2460Orl. O signeur le iour et perdia, toute et perdie.
Dol. Mor Dieu ma vie, all is confounded all,
Reproach, and euerlasting shame
Sits mocking in our Plumes.
A short Alarum.
O meschante Fortune, do not runne away.
2465Con. Why all our rankes are broke.
Dol, O perdurable shame, let's stab our selues:
Be these the wretches that we plaid at dice for?
Orl. Is this the King we sent too, for his ransome?
Bur. Shame, and eternall shame, nothing but shame,
2470Let vs dye in once more backe againe,
And he that will not follow Burbon now,
Let him go hence, and with his cap in hand
Like a base Pander hold the Chamber doore,
Whilst a base slaue, no gentler then my dogge,
2475His fairest daughter is contaminated.
Con. Disorder that hath spoyl'd vs, friend vs now,
Let vs on heapes go offer vp our liues.
Orl. We are enow yet liuing in the Field,
To smother vp the English in our throngs,
2480If any order might be thought vpon.
Bur. The diuell take Order now, Ile to the throng;
Let life be short, else shame will be too long.
Exit.
Alarum. Enter the King and his trayne,
with Prisoners.

2485King. Well haue we done, thrice-valiant Countrimen,
But all's not done, yet keepe the French the field.
Exe. The D. of York commends him to your Maiesty

King. Liues he good Vnckle: thrice within this houre
I saw him downe; thrice vp againe, and fighting,
2490From Helmet to the spurre, all blood he was.
Exe. In which array (braue Soldier) doth he lye,
Larding the plaine: and by his bloody side,
(Yoake-fellow to his honour-owing-wounds)
The Noble Earle of Suffolke also lyes.
2495Suffolke first dyed, and Yorke all hagled ouer
Comes to him, where in gore he lay insteeped,
And takes him by the Beard, kisses the gashes
That bloodily did yawne vpon his face.
He cryes aloud; Tarry my Cosin Suffolke,
2500My soule shall thine keepe company to heauen:
Tarry (sweet soule) for mine, then flye a-brest:
As in this glorious and well-foughten field
We kept together in our Chiualrie.
Vpon these words I came, and cheer'd him vp,
2505He smil'd me in the face, raught me his hand,
And with a feeble gripe, sayes: Deere my Lord,
Commend my seruice to my Soueraigne,
So did he turne, and ouer Suffolkes necke
He threw his wounded arme, and kist his lippes,
2510And so espous'd to death, with blood he seal'd
A Testament of Noble-ending-loue:
The prettie and sweet manner of it forc'd
Those waters from me, which I would haue stop'd,
But I had not so much of man in mee,
2515And all my mother came into mine eyes,
And gaue me vp to teares.
King. I blame you not,
For hearing this, I must perforce compound
With mixtfull eyes, or they will issue to.
Alarum
2520But hearke, what new alarum is this same?
The French haue re-enforc'd their scatter'd men:
Then euery souldiour kill his Prisoners,
Giue the word through.
Exit


Actus Quartus.


2525
Enter Fluellen and Gower.

Flu. Kill the poyes and the luggage, 'Tis expressely
against the Law of Armes, tis as arrant a peece of knaue-
ry marke you now, as can bee offert in your Conscience
now, is it not?
2530Gow. Tis certaine, there's not a boy left aliue, and the
Cowardly Rascalls that ranne from the battaile ha' done
this slaughter: besides they haue burned and carried a-
way all that was in the Kings Tent, wherefore the King
most worthily hath caus'd euery soldiour to cut his pri-
2535soners throat. O 'tis a gallant King.
Flu. I, hee was porne at Monmouth Captaine Gower:
What call you the Townes name where Alexander the
pig was borne?
Gow. Alexander the Great.
2540Flu. Why I pray you, is not pig, great? The pig, or
the grear, or the mighty, or the huge, or the magnani-
mous, are all one reckonings, saue the phrase is a litle va-
riations.
Gower. I thinke Alexander the Great was borne in
2545Macedon, his Father was called Phillip of Macedon, as I
take it.
Fln. I thinke it is in Macedon where Alexander is
porne.