Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: James D. Mardock
Peer Reviewed

Henry V (Quarto 1, 1600)

The Chronicle Historie
2525 Enter Flewellen, and Captaine Gower.
Flew. Godes plud kil the boyes and the lugyge,
Tis the arrants peece of knauery as can be desired,
In the worell now, in your conscience now.
2530Gour. Tis certaine, there is not a Boy left aliue,
And the cowerdly rascals that ran from the battell,
Themselues haue done this slaughter:
Beside, they haue carried away and burnt,
All that was in the kings Tent:
Whervpon the king caused euery prisoners
2535Throat to be cut. O he is a worthy king.
Flew. I he was born at Monmorth.
Captain Gower, what call you the place where
Alexander the big was borne?
Gour. Alexander the great.
2540Flew. Why I pray, is nat big great?
As if I say, big or great, or magnanimous,
I hope it is all one reconing,
Saue the frase is a litle varation.
Gour. I thinke Alexander the great
Was borne at Macedon
2545His father was called Philip of Macedon,
As I take it.
Flew. I thinke it was Macedon indeed where Alexander
Was borne: looke you captaine Gower,
And if you looke into the mappes of the worell well,
You shall finde litle difference betweene
Macedon and Monmorth. Looke you, there is
A Riuer in Macedon, and there is also a Riuer
In Monmorth, the Riuers name at Monmorth,
Is called Wye.
But tis out of my braine, what is the name of the other:
But tis all one, tis so like, as my fingers is to my fingers,
2555And there is Samons in both.
2555.1Looke you captaine Gower, and you marke it,
You