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
    Now if his cause be bad, I think it will be a greeuous matter(to him.

    King. Why so you may say, if a man send his seruant
    1998.1As Factor into another Countrey,
    And he by any meanes miscarry,
    You may say the businesse of the maister,
    Was the author of his seruants misfortune.
    1995Or if a sonne be imployd by his father,
    1995.1And he fall into any leaud action, you may say the father
    Was the author of his sonnes damnation.
    But the master is not to answere for his seruants,
    The father for his sonne, nor the king for his subiects:
    2005For they purpose not their deaths, whē they craue their ser-(uices:
    Some there are that haue the gift of premeditated
    2010Murder on them:
    Others the broken seale of Forgery, in beguiling maydens.
    Now if these outstrip the lawe,
    Yet they cannot excape Gods punishment.
    War is Gods Beadel. War is Gods vengeance:
    Euery mans seruice is the kings:
    But euery mans soule is his owne.
    2025Therfore I would haue euery soldier examine himselfe,
    And wash euery moath out of his conscience:
    That in so doing, he may be the readier for death:
    Or not dying, why the time was well spent,
    Wherein such preparation was made.
    3. Lord. Yfaith he saies true:
    2035Euery mans fault on his owne head,
    I would not haue the king answere for me.
    Yet I intend to fight lustily for him.
    King. Well, I heard the king, he wold not be ransomde.
    20402. L. I he said so, to make vs fight:
    But when our throates be cut, he may be ransomde,
    And we neuer the wiser.
    King. If I liue to see that, Ile neuer trust his word againe.
    2. Lord.