Internet Shakespeare Editions

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

Henry V (Quarto 1, 1600)

of Henry the fift

You shall finde our King is come after Alexander.
God knowes, and you know, that Alexander in his
Bowles, and his alles, and his wrath, and his displeasures,
And indignations, was kill his friend Clitus.
Gower. I but our King is not like him in that,
For he neuer killd any of his friends.
Flew. Looke you, tis not well done to take the tale out
Of a mans mouth, ere it is made an end and finished:
I speake in the comparisons, as Alexander is kill
His friend Clitus: so our King being in his ripe
2570Wits and iudgements, is turne away, the fat knite
With the great belly doublet: I am forget his name.
Gower. Sir Iohn Falstaffe.
2575Flew. I, I thinke it is Sir Iohn Falstaffe indeed,
I can tell you, theres good men borne at Monmorth.
Enter King and the Lords.
2580King. I was not angry since I came into France,
Vntill this houre.
Take a trumpet Herauld,
And ride vnto the horsmen on yon hill:
If they will fight with vs bid them come downe,
Or leaue the field, they do offend our sight:
2585Will they do neither, we will come to them,
And make them skyr away, as fast
As stones enforst from the old Assirian slings.
Besides, weele cut the throats of those we haue,
And not one aliue shall taste our mercy.
Enter the Herauld.
Gods will what meanes this? knowst thou not
That we haue fined these bones of ours for ransome?
Herald. I come great king for charitable fauour,
To sort our Nobles from our common men,
2602.1We may haue leaue to bury all our dead,
Which in the field lye spoyled and troden on.
Kin. I tell thee truly Herauld, I do not know whether
F The