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Henry V (Quarto 1, 1600)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: James D. Mardock
Peer Reviewed
Enter Exeter and Gloster.
Glost. Before God my Lord, his Grace is too bold to trust
these traytors.
Exe. They shalbe apprehended by and by.
635Glost. I but the man that was his bedfellow
Whom he hath cloyed and graced with princely fauours
That he should for a forraine purse, to sell
His Soueraignes life to death and trechery.
638.1Exe. O the Lord of Massham.
640
Enter the King and three Lords.
King. Now sirs the windes faire, and we wil aboord;
My Lord of Cambridge, and my Lord of Massham,
And you my gentle Knight, giue me your thoughts,
Do you not thinke the power we beare with vs,
645Will make vs conquerors in the field of France?
Massha. No doubt my Liege, if each man do his best.
Cam. Neuer was Monarch better feared and loued then
655is your maiestie.
Gray. Euen those that were your fathers enemies
Haue steeped their galles in honey for your sake.
King. We therefore haue great cause of thankfulnesse,
And shall forget the office of our hands:
Sooner then reward and merit,
According to their cause and worthinesse.
665Massha. So seruice shall with steeled sinewes shine,
And labour shall refresh it selfe with hope
To do your Grace incessant seruice.
King. Vncle of Exeter, enlarge the man
Committed yesterday, that rayled against our person,
We consider it was the heate of wine that set him on,
And on his more aduice we pardon him.
Massha. That is mercie, but too much securitie:
Let him bee punisht Soueraigne, least the example of
675Breed more of such a kinde.
King. O let vs yet be mercifull.
Cam. So may your highnesse, and punish too.
Gray. You shew great mercie if you giue him lilfe,
After the taste of his correction.
680King. Alas your too much care and loue of me
Are heauy orisons gainst the poore wretch,
If litle faults proceeding on distemper should not bee
How should we stretch our eye, when capitall crimes,
Chewed, swallowed and disgested, appeare before vs:
685Well yet enlarge the man, tho Cambridge and the rest
In their deare loues, and tender preseruation of our state,
Would haue him punisht.
Now to our French causes.
Who are the late Commissioners?
690Cam. Me one my Lord, your highnesse bad me aske for
it to day.
Mash. So did you me my Soueraigne.
Gray. And me my Lord.
King. Then Richard Earle of Cambridge there is yours.
695There is yours my Lord of Masham.
And sir Thomas Gray knight of Northumberland, this same is
Read them, and know we know your worthinesse.
Vnckle Exeter I will aboord to night.
Why how now Gentlemen, why change you colour?
700What see you in those papers
That hath so chased your blood out of apparance?
705Cam. I do confesse my fault, and do submit me
To your highnesse mercie.
Mash. To which we all appeale.
King. The mercy which was quit in vs but late,
By your owne reasons is forstald and done:
710You must not dare for shame to aske for mercy,
For your owne conscience turne vpon your bosomes,
As dogs vpon their maisters worrying them.
See you my Princes, and my noble Peeres,
These English monsters:
My Lord of Cambridge here,
715You know how apt we were to grace him,
In all things belonging to his honour:
And this vilde man hath for a fewe light crownes,
Lightly conspired and sworne vnto the practises of France:
720To kill vs here in Hampton. To the which,
This knight no lesse in bountie bound to vs
Then Cambridge is, haah likewise sworne.
But oh what shall I say to thee false man,
Thou cruell ingratefull and inhumane creature,
725Thou that didst beare the key of all my counsell,
That knewst the very secrets of my heart,
That almost mightest a coyned me into gold,
Wouldest thou a practisde on me for thy vse:
Can it be possible that out of thee
730Should proceed one sparke that might annoy my finger?
Tis so strange, that tho the truth doth showe as grose
As black from white, mine eye wil scarcely see it.
Their faults are open, arrest them to the answer of the lawe,
And God acquit them of their practises.
Exe. I arrest thee of high treason,
By the name of Richard, Earle of Cambridge.
I arest thee of high treason,
By the name of Henry, Lord of Masham.
I arest thee of high treason,
By the name of Thomas Gray, knight of Northumberland.
780Mash. Our purposes God iustly hath discouered,
And I repent my fault more then my death,
Which I beseech your maiestie forgiue,
Altho my body pay the price of it.
795King. God quit you in his mercy. Heare your sentence.
You haue conspired against our royall person,
Ioyned with an enemy proclaimed and fixed.
And frō his coffers receiued the golden earnest of our death
Touching our person we seeke no redresse.
But we our kingdomes safetie must so tender
805Whose ruine you haue sought,
That to our lawes we do deliuer you.
Get ye therefore hence: poore miserable creatures to your
The taste whereof, God in his mercy giue you
Patience to endure, and true repentance of all your deeds
810Beare them hence.
Exit three Lords.
Now Lords to France. The enterprise whereof,
Shall be to you as vs, successiuely.
Since God cut off this dangerous treason lurking in our way
Cheerly to sea, the signes of war aduance:
No King of England, if not King of France.
Exit omnes.