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Henry V (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: James D. Mardock
Peer Reviewed
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: 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?
Will. Vnder Captaine Gower, my Liege.
Flu. Gower is a good Captaine, and is good know-
2680ledge and literatured in the Warres.
King. Call him hither to me, Souldier.
Will. I will my Liege.
Exit.
King. Here Fluellen, weare thou this fauour for me, and
sticke it in thy Cappe: when Alanson and my selfe were
2685downe together, I pluckt this Gloue from his Helme: If
any man challenge this, hee is a friend to Alanson, and an
enemy to our Person; if thou encounter any such, appre-
hend him, and thou do'st me loue.
Flu. Your Grace doo's me as great Honors as can be
2690desir'd in the hearts of his Subiects: I would faine see
the man, that ha's but two legges, that shall find himselfe
agreefd at this Gloue; that is all: but I would faine see
it once, and please God of his grace that I might see.
King. Know'st thou Gower?
2695Flu. He is my deare friend, and please you.
King. Pray thee goe seeke him, and bring him to my
Tent.
Flu. I will fetch him.Exit.
King. My Lord of Warwick, and my Brother Gloster,
2700Follow Fluellen closely at the heeles.
The Gloue which I haue giuen him for a fauour,
May haply purchase him a box a'th'eare.
It is the Souldiers: I by bargaine should
Weare it my selfe. Follow good Cousin Warwick:
2705If that the Souldier strike him, as I iudge
By his blunt bearing, he will keepe his word;
Some sodaine mischiefe may arise of it:
For I doe know Fluellen valiant,
And toucht with Choler, hot as Gunpowder,
2710And quickly will returne an iniurie.
Follow, and see there be no harme betweene them.
Goe you with me, Vnckle of Exeter.
Exeunt.