Internet Shakespeare Editions

About this text

  • Title: Henry V (Modern, Folio)
  • 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 (Modern, Folio)

    [4.7]
    2525Enter Fluellen and Gower.
    Fluellen
    Kill the poys and the luggage! 'Tis expressly against the law of arms. 'Tis as arrant a piece of knavery, mark you now, as can be offer't. In your conscience now, is it not?
    2530Gower
    'Tis certain there's not a boy left alive, and the cowardly rascals that ran from the battle ha' done this slaughter. Besides, they have burned and carried away all that was in the king's tent, wherefore the king most worthily hath caused every soldier to cut his 2535prisoner's throat. Oh, 'tis a gallant king.
    Fluellen
    Ay, he was porn at Monmouth, Captain Gower. What call you the town's name where Alexander the Pig was born?
    Gower
    Alexander the Great.
    2540Fluellen
    Why, I pray you, is not "pig" great? The pig, or the great, or the mighty, or the huge, or the magnanimous, are all one reckonings, save the phrase is a little variations.
    Gower
    I think Alexander the Great was born in 2545Macedon. His father was called Philip of Macedon, as I take it.
    Fluellen
    I think it is in Macedon where Alexander is porn. I tell you, captain, if you look in the maps of the 'orld, I warrant you sall find, in the comparisons 2550between Macedon and Monmouth, that the situations, look you, is both alike. There is a river in Macedon, and there is also moreover a river at Monmouth. It is called Wye at Monmouth, but it is out of my prains what is the name of the other river. But 'tis all one, 'tis alike as my fingers 2555is to my fingers, and there is salmons in both. If you mark Alexander's life well, Harry of Monmouth's life is come after it indifferent well, for there is figures in all things. Alexander, God knows, and you know, in his rages, and his furies, and his wraths, and his cholers, and 2560his moods, and his displeasures, and his indignations, and also being a little intoxicates in his prains, did in his ales and his angers, look you, kill his best friend Cleitus.
    Gower
    Our king is not like him in that. He never killed 2565any of his friends.
    Fluellen
    It is not well done, mark you now, to take the tales out of my mouth ere it is made and finished. I speak but in the figures and comparisons of it. As Alexander killed his friend Cleitus, being in his ales and his cups, so 2570also Harry Monmouth, being in his right wits, and his good judgments, turned away the fat knight with the great belly-doublet. He was full of jests, and gipes, and knaveries, and mocks. I have forgot his name.
    Sir John Falstaff.
    2575Fluellen
    That is he. I'll tell you, there is good men porn at Monmouth.
    Here comes his majesty.
    Alarum. Enter King Harry[, Exeter, Warwick, Gloucester, an English herald, and others, with] Bourbon [and other] prisoners. Flourish.
    2580King Henry
    I was not angry since I came to France
    Until this instant. Take a trumpet, herald.
    Ride thou unto the horsemen on yon hill.
    If they will fight with us, bid them come down,
    Or void the field. They do offend our sight.
    2585If they'll do neither, we will come to them
    And make them skirr away as swift as stones
    Enforcèd from the old Assyrian slings.
    Besides, we'll cut the throats of those we have,
    And not a man of them that we shall take
    2590Shall taste our mercy. Go and tell them so.
    Enter Montjoy.
    Exeter
    Here comes the herald of the French, my liege.
    Gloucester
    His eyes are humbler than they used to be.
    King Henry
    How now, what means this, herald? Know'st 2595thou not
    That I have fined these bones of mine for ransom?
    Com'st thou again for ransom?
    Montjoy
    No, great king.
    I come to thee for charitable license,
    2600That we may wander o'er this bloody field
    To book our dead and then to bury them,
    To sort our nobles from our common men.
    For many of our princes -- woe the while --
    Lie drowned and soaked in mercenary blood;
    2605So do our vulgar drench their peasant limbs
    In blood of princes, and the wounded steeds
    Fret fetlock deep in gore, and with wild rage
    Jerk out their armèd heels at their dead masters,
    Killing them twice. O, give us leave, great king,
    2610To view the field in safety and dispose
    Of their dead bodies.
    King Henry
    I tell thee truly, herald,
    I know not if the day be ours or no,
    For yet a many of your horsemen peer
    2615And gallop o'er the field.
    Montjoy
    The day is yours.
    King Henry
    Praisèd be God and not our strength for it.
    What is this castle called that stands hard by?
    Montjoy
    They call it Agincourt.
    2620King Henry
    Then call we this the field of Agincourt,
    Fought on the day of Crispin Crispianus.
    Fluellen
    Your grandfather of famous memory, an't please your majesty, and your great uncle Edward the Plack Prince of Wales, as I have read in the chronicles, fought 2625a most prave pattle here in France.
    King Henry
    They did, Fluellen.
    Fluellen
    Your majesty says very true. If your majesties is remembered of it, the Welshmen did good service in a garden where leeks did grow, wearing leeks in their 2630Monmouth caps, which your majesty know to this hour is an honorable badge of the service. And I do believe your majesty takes no scorn to wear the leek upon Saint Tavy's day.
    King Henry
    I wear it for a memorable honor,
    2635For I am Welsh, you know, good countryman.
    Fluellen
    All the water in Wye cannot wash your majesty's Welsh plood out of your pody, I can tell you that. God pless it, and preserve it, as long as it pleases his grace, and his majesty too.
    2640King Henry
    Thanks, good my countryman.
    Fluellen
    By Jeshu, I am your majesty's countryman. I care not who know it; I will confess it to all the 'orld. I need not to be ashamed of your majesty, praised be God, so long as your majesty is an honest man.
    2645King Henry
    God keep me so. --
    Enter Williams.
    Our heralds go with him.
    Bring me just notice of the numbers dead
    On both our parts. --
    [Exeunt Montjoy, English heralds, and Gower.]
    Call yonder fellow hither.
    2650Exeter
    [To Williams] Soldier, you must come to the king.
    King Henry
    Soldier, why wear'st thou that glove in thy cap?
    Williams
    An't please your majesty, 'tis the gage of one that I should fight withal, if he be alive.
    2655King Henry
    An Englishman?
    Williams
    An't please your majesty, a rascal that swaggered with me last night, who, if alive and ever dare to challenge this glove, I have sworn to take him a box o'th'ear; or if I can see my glove in his cap, which he 2660swore as he was a soldier he would wear, if alive, I will strike it out soundly.
    King Henry
    What think you, Captain Fluellen? Is it fit this soldier keep his oath?
    Fluellen
    He is a craven and a villain else, an't please 2665your majesty, in my conscience.
    King Henry
    It may be his enemy is a gentleman of great sort, quite from the answer of his degree.
    Fluellen
    Though he be as good a gentleman as the devil is, as Lucifer and Belzebub himself, it is necessary, look 2670your grace, that he keep his vow and his oath. If he be perjured, see you now, his reputation is as arrant a villain and a jack-sauce as ever his black shoe trod upon God's ground and his earth, in my conscience, law.
    King Henry
    Then keep thy vow, sirrah, when thou meet'st 2675the fellow.
    Williams
    So I will, my liege, as I live.
    King Henry
    Who serv'st thou under?
    Williams
    Under Captain Gower, my liege.
    Fluellen
    Gower is a good captain, and is good 2680knowledge and literatured in the wars.
    King Henry
    Call him hither to me, soldier.
    Williams
    I will, my liege.
    Exit.
    King Henry
    Here, Fluellen, wear thou this favor for me and stick it in thy cap. [Gives him Williams's glove] When Alençon and myself were 2685down together I plucked this glove from his helm. If any man challenge this, he is a friend to Alençon and an enemy to our person. If thou encounter any such, apprehend him, and thou dost me love.
    Fluellen
    Your grace does me as great honors as can be 2690desired in the hearts of his subjects. I would fain see the man that has but two legs that shall find himself aggrief'd at this glove. That is all, but I would fain see it once an't please God of his grace that I might see.
    King Henry
    Know'st thou Gower?
    2695Fluellen
    He is my dear friend, an't please you.
    King Henry
    Pray thee, go seek him and bring him to my tent.
    Fluellen
    I will fetch him.
    Exit.
    King Henry
    My lord of Warwick and my brother Gloucester,
    2700Follow Fluellen closely at the heels.
    The glove which I have given him for a favor
    May haply purchase him a box o'th'ear.
    It is the soldier's. I by bargain should
    Wear it myself. Follow, good cousin Warwick.
    2705If that the soldier strike him -- as I judge
    By his blunt bearing he will keep his word --
    Some sudden mischief may arise of it.
    For I do know Fluellen valiant
    And touched with choler, hot as gunpowder,
    2710And quickly will return an injury.
    Follow, and see there be no harm between them. --
    Go you with me, uncle of Exeter.
    Exeunt.