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Henry V (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: James D. Mardock
Peer Reviewed
The Life of Henry the Fift.
89
porne: I tell you Captaine, if you looke in the Maps of
the Orld, I warrant you sall finde in the comparisons be-
2550tweene Macedon & Monmouth, that the situations looke
you, is both alike. There is a Riuer in Macedon, & there
is also moreouer a Riuer at Monmouth, it is call'd Wye at
Monmouth: but it is out of my praines, what is the name
of the other Riuer: but 'tis all one, tis alike as my fingers
2555is to my fingers, and there is Salmons in both. If you
marke Alexanders life well, Harry of Monmouthes life is
come after it indifferent well, for there is figures in all
things. Alexander God knowes, and you know, in his
rages, and his furies, and his wraths, and his chollers, and
2560his moodes, and his displeasures, and his indignations,
and also being a little intoxicates in his praines, did in
his Ales and his angers (looke you) kill his best friend
Clytus.
Gow. Our King is not like him in that, he neuer kill'd
2565any of his friends.
Flu. It is not well done (marke you now) to take the
tales out of my mouth, ere it is made and finished. I speak
but in the figures, and comparisons of it: as Alexander
kild his friend Clytus, being in his Ales and his Cuppes; so
2570also Harry Monmouth being in his right wittes, and his
good iudgements, turn'd away the fat Knight with the
great-belly doublet: he was full of iests, and gypes, and
knaueries, and mockes, I haue forgot his name.
Gow. Sir Iohn Falstaffe.
2575Flu. That is he: Ile tell you, there is good men porne
at Monmouth.
Gow. Heere comes his Maiesty.

Alarum. Enter King Harry and Burbon
with prisoners.
Flourish.

2580King. I was not angry since I came to France,
Vntill this instant. Take a Trumpet Herald,
Ride thou vnto the Horsemen on yond hill:
If they will fight with vs, bid them come downe,
Or voyde the field: they do offend our sight.
2585If they'l do neither, we will come to them,
And make them sker away, as swift as stones
Enforced from the old Assyrian slings:
Besides, wee'l cut the throats of those we haue,
And not a man of them that we shall take,
2590Shall taste our mercy. Go and tell them so.
Enter Montioy.
Exe. Here comes the Herald of the French, my Liege
Glou. His eyes are humbler then they vs'd to be.
King. How now, what meanes this Herald? Knowst
2595thou not,
That I haue fin'd these bones of mine for ransome?
Com'st thou againe for ransome?
Her. No great King:
I come to thee for charitable License,
2600That we may wander ore this bloody field,
To booke our dead, and then to bury them,
To sort our Nobles from our common men.
For many of our Princes (woe the while)
Lye drown'd and soak'd in mercenary blood:
2605So do our vulgar drench their peasant limbes
In blood of Princes, and with wounded steeds
Fret fet-locke deepe in gore, and with wilde rage
Yerke out their armed heeles at their dead masters,
Killing them twice. O giue vs leaue great King,
2610To view the field in safety, and dispose
Of their dead bodies.

Kin. I tell thee truly Herald,
I know not if the day be ours or no,
For yet a many of your horsemen peere,
2615And gallop ore the field.
Her. The day is yours.
Kin. Praised be God, and not our strength for it:
What is this Castle call'd that stands hard by.
Her. They call it Agincourt.
2620King. Then call we this the field of Agincourt,
Fought on the day of Crispin Crispianus.
Flu. Your Grandfather of famous memory (an't please
your Maiesty) and your great Vncle Edward the Placke
Prince of Wales, as I haue read in the Chronicles, fought
2625a most praue pattle here in France.
Kin. They did Fluellen.
Flu. Your Maiesty sayes very true: If your Maiesties
is remembred of it, the Welchmen did good seruice in a
Garden where Leekes did grow, wearing Leekes in their
2630Monmouth caps, which your Maiesty know to this houre
is an honourable badge of the seruice: And I do beleeue
your Maiesty takes no scorne to weare the Leeke vppon
S. Tauies day.
King. I weare it for a memorable honor:
2635For I am Welch you know good Countriman.
Flu. All the water in Wye, cannot wash your Maie-
sties Welsh plood out of your pody, I can tell you that:
God plesse it, and preserue it, as long as it pleases his
Grace, and his Maiesty too.
2640Kin. Thankes good my Countrymen.
Flu. By Ieshu, I am your Maiesties Countreyman, I
care not who know it: I will confesse it to all the Orld, I
need not to be ashamed of your Maiesty, praised be God
so long as your Maiesty is an honest man.
2645King. Good keepe me so.
Enter Williams.
Our Heralds go with him,
Bring me iust notice of the numbers dead
On both our parts. Call yonder fellow hither.
2650Exe. Souldier, you must come to the King.
Kin. Souldier, why wear'st thou that Gloue in thy
Cappe?
Will. And't please your Maiesty, tis the gage of one
that I should fight withall, if he be aliue.
2655Kin. An Englishman?
Wil. And't please your Maiesty, a Rascall that swag-
ger'd with me last night: who if aliue, and euer dare to
challenge this Gloue, I haue sworne to take him a boxe
a'th ere: or if I can see my Gloue in his cappe, which he
2660swore as he was a Souldier he would weare (if aliue) I wil
strike it out soundly.
Kin. What thinke you Captaine Fluellen, is it fit this
souldier keepe his oath.
Flu. Hee is a Crauen and a Villaine else, and't please
2665your Maiesty in my conscience.
King. It may bee, his enemy is a Gentleman of great
sort quite from the answer of his degree.
Flu. Though he be as good a Ientleman as the diuel is,
as Lucifer and Belzebub himselfe, it is necessary (looke
2670your Grace) that he keepe his vow and his oath: If hee
bee periur'd (see you now) his reputation is as arrant a
villaine and a Iacke sawce, as euer his blacke shoo trodd
vpon Gods ground, and his earth, in my conscience law
King. Then keepe thy vow sirrah, when thou meet'st
2675the fellow.
Wil. So, I wil my Liege, as I liue.
King. Who seru'st thou vnder?
Wil.