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  • Title: The Famous Victories of Henry the Fifth (Quarto, 1598)
  • Editors: Karen Sawyer Marsalek, Mathew Martin
  • 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
    Editors: Karen Sawyer Marsalek, Mathew Martin
    Peer Reviewed

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

    Enter the King with his Lords.
    Hen.4. Come my Lords, I see it bootes me not to take
    any physick, for all the Phisitians in the world cannot cure
    me, no not one. But good my Lords, remember my last
    675wil and Testament concerning my sonne, for truly my
    Lordes, I doo not thinke but he wil proue as valiant and
    victorious a King, as euer raigned in England.
    Both. Let heauen and earth be witnesse betweene vs, if
    we accomplish not thy wil to the vttermost.
    680Hen.4. I giue you most vnfained thãks, good my lords,
    Draw the Curtaines and depart my chamber a while,
    And cause some Musicke to rocke me a sleepe. (Exeunt Lords.
    He sleepeth.
    Enter
    of Henry the fifth.
    Enter the Prince.
    685Hen.5. Ah Harry, thrice vnhappie, that hath neglect so
    long from visiting of thy sicke father, I wil goe, nay but
    why doo I not go to the Chamber of my sick father, to com=
    fort the melancholy soule of his bodie, his soule said I, here
    is his bodie indeed, but his soule is, whereas it needs no bo=
    690die. Now thrice accursed Harry, that hath offended thy fa=
    ther so much, and could not I craue pardon for all. Oh my
    dying father, curst be the day wherin I was borne, and ac=
    cursed be the houre wherin I was begotten, but what shal
    I do? if weeping teares which come too late, may suffice the
    695negligence neglected to some, I wil weepe day and night
    vntil the fountaine be drie with weeping.
    Exit.
    Enter Lord of Exeter and Oxford.
    Exe. Come easily my Lord, for waking of the King.
    700Hen.4. Now my Lords.
    Oxf. How doth your Grace feele your selfe?
    Hen.4. Somewhat better after my sleepe,
    But good my Lords take off my Crowne,
    Remoue my chaire a litle backe, and set me right.
    705 Ambo. And please your grace, the crown is takẽ away.
    Hen.4. The Crowne taken away,
    Good my Lord of Oxford, go see who hath done this deed:
    No doubt tis some vilde traitor that hath done it,
    To depriue my sonne, they that would do it now,
    710Would seeke to scrape and scrawle for it after my death.
    Enter Lord of Oxford with the Prince.
    Oxf. Here and please your Grace,
    Is my Lord the yong Prince with the Crowne.
    Hen.4. Why how now my sonne?
    715I had thought the last time I had you in schooling,
    I had giuen you a lesson for all,
    And do you now begin againe?
    Why tel me my sonne,
    Doest
    The famous victories
    Doest thou thinke the time so long,
    720That thou wouldestt haue it before the
    Breath be out of my mouth?
    Hen.5. Most soueraign Lord, and welbeloued father,
    I came into your Chamber to comfort the melancholy
    Soule of your bodie, and finding you at that time
    725Past all recouerie, and dead to my thinking,
    God is my witnesse: and what should I doo,
    But with weeping tears lament y^e death of you my father,
    And after that, seeing the Crowne, I tooke it:
    And tel me my father, who might better take it then I,
    730After your death? but seeing you liue,
    I most humbly render it into your Maiesties hands,
    And the happiest man aliue, that my father liue:
    And liue my Lord and Father, for euer.
    Hen.4. Stand vp my sonne,
    735Thine answere hath sounded wel in mine eares,
    For I must need confesse that I was in a very sound sleep,
    And altogither vnmindful of thy comming:
    But come neare my sonne,
    And let me put thee in possession whilst I liue,
    740That none depriue thee of it after my death.
    Hen.5. Well may I take it at your maiesties hands,
    But it shal neuer touch my head, so lõg as my father liues.
    He taketh the Crowne.
    Hen.4. God giue thee ioy my sonne,
    745God blesse thee and make thee his seruant,
    And send thee a prosperous raigne.
    For God knowes my sonne, how hardly I came by it,
    And how hardly I haue maintained it.
    Hen.5. Howsoeuer you came by it, I know not,
    750But now I haue it from you, and from you I wil keepe it:
    And he that seekes to take the Crowne from my head,
    Let him looke that his armour be thicker then mine,
    Or I will pearce him to the heart,
    Were
    of Henry the fifth.
    Were it harder then brasse or bollion.
    755Hen.4. Nobly spoken, and like a King.
    Now trust me my Lords, I feare not but my sonne
    Will be as warlike and victorious a Prince,
    As euer raigned in England.
    L.Ambo. His former life shewes no lesse.
    760Hen.4. Wel my lords, I know not whether it be for sleep,
    Or drawing neare of drowsie summer of death,
    But I am verie much giuen to sleepe,
    Therefore good my Lords and my sonne,
    Draw the Curtains, depart my Chamber,
    765And cause some Musicke to rocke me a sleepe.
    Exeunt omnes.
    The King dieth.
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