Henry V (Quarto 1, 1600)
Peer Reviewed
¶
Enter Clarence, Gloster, Exeter, and Salisburie.
¶Sal. The oddes is all too great. Farewell kind Lords:
2250Braue Clarence, and my Lord of Gloster,
¶My Lord of Warwicke, and to all farewell.
2255Clar. Farewell kind Lord, fight valiantly to day,
¶And yet in truth, I do thee wrong,
¶For thou art made on the rrue sparkes of honour.
¶
Enter King.
¶Now at this instant, that doth not worke in England.
¶Gods will, I would not loose the honour
¶One man would share from me,
2266.1Not for my Kingdome.
¶Rather proclaime it presently through our campe,
¶And crownes for conuoy put into his purse,
¶We would not die in that mans company,
¶That feares his fellowship to die with vs.
¶This day is called the day of Cryspin,
¶He that outliues this day, and sees old age,
¶Shall stand a tiptoe when this day is named,
2285He that outliues this day, and comes safe home,
¶Shall yearely on the vygill feast his friends,
¶Then shall we in their flowing bowles
¶Be newly remembred. Harry the King,
Bedford and Exeter, Clarence and Gloster,
¶Warwick and Yorke.
2295Familiar in their mouthes as houshold words.
¶And from this day, vnto the generall doome:
¶But we in it shall be remembred.
¶We fewe, we happie fewe, we bond of brothers,
¶For he to day that sheads his blood by mine,
¶This day shall gentle his condition.
¶And Gentlemen in England now a bed,
¶And hold their manhood cheape,
While any speake that fought with vs
2310Vpon Saint Crispines day.
¶Glost. My gracious Lord,
¶The French is in the field.
¶War. Gods will my Liege, would you and I alone,
2320Without more helpe, might fight this battle out.
¶Then to wish me one. You know your charge,
¶God be with you all.
¶
Enter the Herald from the French.
2325Herald. Once more I come to know of thee king Henry,
¶What thou wilt giue for raunsome?
¶Bid them atchieue me, and then sell my bones.
2340The man that once did sell the Lions skin,
¶While the beast liued, was kild with hunting him.
¶A many of our bodies shall no doubt
¶Finde graues within your realme of France:
¶Tho buried in your dunghils, we shalbe famed,
¶For there the Sun shall greete them,
¶And draw vp their honors reaking vp to heauen,
¶Leauing their earthly parts to choke your clyme:
¶Marke then abundant valour in our English,
¶That being dead, like to the bullets crasing,
¶Killing in relaps of mortalitie:
2355Let me speake proudly,
¶Ther's not a peece of feather in our campe,
2360Good argument I hope we shall not flye:
¶And time hath worne vs into slouendry.
¶But by the mas, our hearts are in the trim,
¶And my poore souldiers tel me, yet ere night
¶Thayle be in fresher robes, or they will plucke
2365The gay new cloathes ore your French souldiers eares,
¶And turne them out of seruice. If they do this,
Then shall our ransome soone be leuied.
¶Saue thou thy labour Herauld:
2370Come thou no more for ransom, gentle Herauld.
¶Which if they haue, as I wil leave am them,
¶Will yeeld them litle, tell the Constable.
2375
Exit Herauld.
¶Yorke. My gracious Lord, vpon my knee I craue,
2380The leading of the vaward.
Exit.
