Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: Anonymous
Editors: Karen Sawyer Marsalek, Mathew Martin
Peer Reviewed

The Famous Victories of Henry the Fifth (Quarto, 1598)

The famous victories
Archb. My Lord hearing of your wildnesse before your
930Fathers death, sent you this my good Lord,
Meaning that you are more fitter for a Tennis Court
Then a field, and more fitter for a Carpet then the Camp.
Hen.5. My Lord prince Dolphin is very pleasant with (me:
But tel him, that in steed of balles of leather,
935We wil tosse him balles of brasse and yron,
Yea such balles as neuer were tost in France,
The proudest Tennis Court shall rue it.
I and thou Prince of Burges shall rue it:
Therfore get thee hence, and tel him thy message quickly,
940Least I be there before thee: Away priest, be gone.
Archb. I beseech your grace, to deliuer me your safe
Conduct vnder your broad seale Emanuel.
Hen.5. Priest of Burges, know,
That the hand and seale of a King, and his word is all one,
945And in stead of my hand and seale,
I will bring him my hand and sword:
And tel thy lord & maister, that I Harry of England said it,
And I Harry of England, wil performe it.
My Lord of Yorke, deliuer him our safe conduct,
950Under our broad seale Emanuel.
Exeunt Archbishop, and the Duke of Yorke.
Now my Lords, to Armes, to Armes,
For I vow by heauen and earth, that the proudest
French man in all France, shall rue the time that euer
955These Tennis balles were sent into England.
My Lord, I wil y^e there be prouided a great Nauy of ships,
With all speed, at South-Hampton,
For there I meane to ship my men,
For I would be there before him, it it were possible,
960Therefore come, but staie,
I had almost forgot the chiefest thing of all, with chafing
With this French Embassador.
Call in my Lord chiefe Iustice of England.
Enters