Internet Shakespeare Editions

About this text

  • Title: Henry V (Quarto 1, 1600)
  • Editor: James D. Mardock
  • ISBN: 978-1-55058-409-7

    Copyright James D. Mardock. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: James D. Mardock
    Peer Reviewed

    Henry V (Quarto 1, 1600)

    The Chronicle Historie
    Why well said. That doth please me better,
    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?
    2335Kin. Who hath sent thee now?
    Her. The Constable of France.
    Kin. I prethy beare my former answer backe:
    Bid them atchieue me, and then sell my bones.
    Good God, why should they mock good fellows(thus?
    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:
    2350The smel wherof, shall breed a plague in France:
    Marke then abundant valour in our English,
    That being dead, like to the bullets crasing,
    Breakes forth into a second course of mischiefe,
    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,
    As if it please God they shall,
    Then shall our ransome soone be leuied.
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