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  • Title: Henry V (Folio 1, 1623)
  • 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 (Folio 1, 1623)

    86The Life of Henry the Fift.
    2165Enter the Dolphin, Orleance, Ramburs, and
    Beaumont.
    Orleance. The Sunne doth gild our Armour vp, my
    Lords.
    Dolph. Monte Cheual: My Horse, Verlot Lacquay:
    2170Ha.
    Orleance. Oh braue Spirit.
    Dolph. Via les ewes & terre.
    Orleance. Rien puis le air & feu.
    Dolph. Cein, Cousin Orleance. Enter Constable.
    2175Now my Lord Constable?
    Const. Hearke how our Steedes, for present Seruice
    neigh.
    Dolph. Mount them, and make incision in their Hides,
    That their hot blood may spin in English eyes,
    2180And doubt them with superfluous courage: ha.
    Ram. What, wil you haue them weep our Horses blood?
    How shall we then behold their naturall teares?
    Enter Messenger.
    Messeng. The English are embattail'd, you French
    2185Peeres.
    Const. To Horse you gallant Princes, straight to Horse.
    Doe but behold yond poore and starued Band,
    And your faire shew shall suck away their Soules,
    Leauing them but the shales and huskes of men.
    2190There is not worke enough for all our hands,
    Scarce blood enough in all their sickly Veines,
    To giue each naked Curtleax a stayne,
    That our French Gallants shall to day draw out,
    And sheath for lack of sport. Let vs but blow on them,
    2195The vapour of our Valour will o're-turne them.
    'Tis positiue against all exceptions, Lords,
    That our superfluous Lacquies, and our Pesants,
    Who in vnnecessarie action swarme
    About our Squares of Battaile, were enow
    2200To purge this field of such a hilding Foe;
    Though we vpon this Mountaines Basis by,
    Tooke stand for idle speculation:
    But that our Honours must not. What's to say?
    A very little little let vs doe,
    2205And all is done: then let the Trumpets sound
    The Tucket Sonuance, and the Note to mount:
    For our approach shall so much dare the field,
    That England shall couch downe in feare, and yeeld.
    Enter Graundpree.
    2210Grandpree. Why do you stay so long, my Lords of France?
    Yond Iland Carrions, desperate of their bones,
    Ill-fauoredly become the Morning field:
    Their ragged Curtaines poorely are let loose,
    And our Ayre shakes them passing scornefully.
    2215Bigge Mars seemes banqu'rout in their begger'd Hoast,
    And faintly through a rustie Beuer peepes.
    The Horsemen sit like fixed Candlesticks,
    With Torch-staues in their hand: and their poore Iades
    Lob downe their heads, dropping the hides and hips:
    2220The gumme downe roping from their pale-dead eyes,
    And in their pale dull mouthes the Iymold Bitt
    Lyes foule with chaw'd-grasse, still and motionlesse.
    And their executors, the knauish Crowes,
    Flye o're them all, impatient for their howre.
    2225Description cannot sute it selfe in words,
    To demonstrate the Life of such a Battaile,
    In life so liuelesse, as it shewes it selfe.
    Const. They haue said their prayers,
    And they stay for death.
    2230Dolph. Shall we goe send them Dinners, and fresh Sutes,

    And giue their fasting Horses Prouender,
    And after fight with them?
    Const. I stay but for my Guard: on
    To the field, I will the Banner from a Trumpet take,
    2235And vse it for my haste. Come, come away,
    The Sunne is high, and we out-weare the day. Exeunt.

    Enter Gloucester, Bedford, Exeter, Erpingham
    with all his Hoast: Salisbury, and
    Westmerland.
    2240Glouc. Where is the King?
    Bedf. The King himselfe is rode to view their Bat-
    taile.
    West. Of fighting men they haue full threescore thou-
    sand.
    2245Exe. There's fiue to one, besides they all are fresh.
    Salisb. Gods Arme strike with vs, 'tis a fearefull oddes.
    God buy' you Princes all; Ile to my Charge:
    If we no more meet, till we meet in Heauen;
    Then ioyfully, my Noble Lord of Bedford,
    2250My deare Lord Gloucester, and my good Lord Exeter,
    And my kind Kinsman, Warriors all, adieu.
    Bedf. Farwell good Salisbury, & good luck go with thee:
    And yet I doe thee wrong, to mind thee of it,
    For thou art fram'd of the firme truth of valour.
    2255Exe. Farwell kind Lord: fight valiantly to day.
    Bedf. He is as full of Valour as of Kindnesse,
    Princely in both.
    Enter the King.
    West. O that we now had here
    2260But one ten thousand of those men in England,
    That doe no worke to day.
    King. What's he that wishes so?
    My Cousin Westmerland. No, my faire Cousin:
    If we are markt to dye, we are enow
    2265To doe our Countrey losse: and if to liue,
    The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
    Gods will, I pray thee wish not one man more.
    By Ioue, I am not couetous for Gold,
    Nor care I who doth feed vpon my cost:
    2270It yernes me not, if men my Garments weare;
    Such outward things dwell not in my desires.
    But if it be a sinne to couet Honor,
    I am the most offending Soule aliue.
    No 'faith, my Couze, wish not a man from England:
    2275Gods peace, I would not loose so great an Honor,
    As one man more me thinkes would share from me,
    For the best hope I haue. O, doe not wish one more:
    Rather proclaime it (Westmerland) through my Hoast,
    That he which hath no stomack to this fight,
    2280Let him depart, his Pasport shall be made,
    And Crownes for Conuoy put into his Purse:
    We would not dye in that mans companie,
    That feares his fellowship, to dye with vs.
    This day is call'd the Feast of Crispian:
    2285He that out-liues this day, and comes safe home,
    Will stand a tip-toe when this day is named,
    And rowse him at the Name of Crispian.
    He that shall see this day, and liue old age,
    Will yeerely on the Vigil feast his neighbours,
    2290And say, to morrow is Saint Crispian.
    Then will he strip his sleeue, and shew his skarres:
    Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot:
    But hee'le remember, with aduantages,
    What feats he did that day. Then shall our Names,
    2295Familiar in his mouth as household words,
    Harry
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