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About this text

  • Title: Famous Victories of Henry V (Modern)
  • Textual editor: Mathew Martin
  • Performance editor: Peter Cockett
  • Coordinating editor: Janelle Jenstad

  • Copyright Queen's Men Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: Anonymous
    Peer Reviewed

    Famous Victories of Henry V (Modern)

    1[Scene 1] [Video Sc.1]
    Enter the young Prince [Henry], Ned, and Tom.
    Prince Henry
    Come away, Ned and Tom!
    Ned and Tom
    Here, my lord.
    5Prince Henry
    Come away, my lads. Tell me, sirs, how much gold have you got?
    Ned
    Faith, my lord, I have got five hundred pound.
    Prince Henry
    But tell me, Tom, how much hast thou got?
    Tom
    Faith, my lord, some four hundred pound.
    10Prince Henry
    Four hundred pounds? Bravely spoken, lads! But tell me, sirs, think you not that it was a villainous part of me to rob my father's receivers?
    Ned
    Why no, my lord. It was but a trick of youth.
    Prince Henry
    Faith, Ned, thou sayest true. 15But tell me, sirs, whereabouts are we?
    Tom
    My lord, we are now about a mile off London.
    Prince Henry
    But, sirs, I marvel that Sir John Oldcastle comes not away. Zounds, see where he comes!
    Enter Jockey [Sir John Oldcastle].
    20How now, Jockey, what news with thee?
    Jockey
    Faith, my lord, such news as passeth, for the town of Deptford is risen with hue and cry after your man which parted from us the last night 25and has set upon and hath robbed a poor carrier.
    Prince Henry
    Zounds, the villain that was wont to spy out our booties?
    Jockey
    Ay, my lord, even the very same.
    Prince Henry
    Now, base-minded rascal, to rob a poor carrier! 30Well, it skills not. I'll save the base villain's life. Ay, I may. But tell me, Jockey, whereabouts be the receivers?
    Jockey
    Faith, my lord, they are hard by, but the best is, we are a-horseback and they be afoot, so we may escape them.
    35Prince Henry
    Well, if the villains come, let me alone with them. But tell me, Jockey, how much got'st thou from the knaves? For I am sure I got something, for one of the villains so belammed me about the shoulders as I shall feel it this month.
    40Jockey
    Faith, my lord, I have got a hundred pound.
    Prince Henry
    A hundred pound! Now, bravely spoken, Jockey. But come, sirs, lay all your money before me. [They place their booty at his feet.] Now, by heaven, here is a brave show! But, as I am true gentleman, I will have the half 45of this spent tonight. But, sirs, take up your bags. Here come the receivers. Let me alone.
    [They hide the booty.]
    Enter two Receivers.
    1 Receiver
    Alas, good fellow, what shall we do? I dare never go home to the court, for I shall be hanged. 50But look, here is the young prince. What shall we do?
    Prince Henry
    How now, you villains, what are you?
    1 Receiver
    [Aside to 2 Receiver] Speak you to him.
    2 Receiver
    [Replying aside] No, I pray, speak you to him.
    Prince Henry
    Why, how now you rascals, why speak you not?
    551 Receiver
    Forsooth we be -- [Aside to 2 Receiver] pray speak you to him.
    Prince Henry
    Zounds, villains, speak, or I'll cut off your heads.
    2 Receiver
    [To Prince Henry] Forsooth, he can tell the tale better than I.
    1 Receiver
    Forsooth, we be your father's receivers.
    Prince Henry
    Are you my father's receivers? 60Then I hope ye have brought me some money.
    1 Receiver
    Money? Alas, sir, we be robbed.
    Prince Henry
    Robbed? How many were there of them?
    1 Receiver
    Marry, sir, there were four of them, and one of them had Sir John Oldcastle's bay hobby 65and your black nag.
    Prince Henry
    Gog's wounds! [To Jockey] How like you this, Jockey? [To the Receivers] Blood, you villains! My father robbed of his money abroad, and we robbed in our stables. But tell me, how many were of them?
    701 Receiver
    If it please you, there were four of them, and there was one about the bigness of you, but I am sure I so belammed him about the shoulders that he will feel it this month.
    Prince Henry
    Gog's wounds, you lammed them fairly -- 75so that they have carried away your money! [To Ned, Tom, and Jockey] But come, sirs, what shall we do with the villains?
    1 Receiver and 2 Receiver
    I beseech your grace, be good to us.
    [The Receivers kneel.]
    Ned
    I pray you, my lord, forgive them this once.
    [Prince Henry]
    Well, stand up and get you gone. 80And look that you speak not a word of it, for if there be, zounds, I'll hang you and all your kin.
    Exeunt Receivers.
    Prince Henry
    Now, sirs, how like you this? Was not this bravely done? 85For now the villains dare not speak a word of it, I have so feared them with words. Now, whither shall we go?
    Ned, Tom, and Jockey
    Why, my lord, you know our old hostess at Feversham?
    90Prince Henry
    Our hostess at Feversham? Blood, what shall we do there? We have a thousand pound about us, and we shall go to a petty alehouse? No, no. You know the old tavern in Eastcheap? There is good wine. Besides, there is a pretty wench 95that can talk well, for I delight as much in their tongues as any part about them.
    Ned, Tom, and Jockey
    We are ready to wait upon your grace.
    Prince Henry
    Gog's wounds! Wait? We will go all together. We are all fellows, I tell you, sirs. An the king 100my father were dead, we would be all kings. Therefore, come away.
    Gog's wounds, bravely spoken, Harry!
    Exeunt Prince Henry, Ned, Tom, and Jockey.