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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)

    Enter
    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
    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
    The Chronicle Historie
    The day be ours or no:
    For yet a many of your French do keep the field.
    Hera. The day is yours.
    Kin. Praised be God therefore.
    What Castle call you that?
    Hera. We call it Agincourt.
    2620Kin. Then call we this the field of Agincourt.
    Fought on the day of Cryspin, Cryspin.
    Flew. Your grandfather of famous memorie,
    2622.1If your grace be remembred,
    2625Is do good seruice in France.
    Kin. Tis true Flewellen.
    Flew. Your Maiestie sayes verie true.
    2627.1And it please your Maiestie,
    The Wealchmen there was do good seruice,
    In a garden where Leekes did grow.
    And I thinke your Maiestie wil take no scorne,
    To weare a Leake in your cap vpon S. Dauies day.
    2635Kin. No Flewellen, for I am wealch as well as you.
    Flew. All the water in Wye wil not wash your wealch
    Blood out of you, God keep it, and preserue it,
    To his graces will and pleasure.
    2640Kin. Thankes good countryman.
    Flew. By Iesus I am your Maiesties countryman:
    I care not who know it, so long as your maiesty is an honest(man.
    2645K. God keep me so. Our Herald go with him,
    And bring vs the number of the scattred French.
    2648.1Exit Heralds.
    Call yonder souldier hither.
    2650Flew. You fellow come to the king.
    Kin. Fellow why doost thou weare that gloue in thy hat?
    Soul. And please your maiestie, tis a rascals that swagard
    With me the other day: and he hath one of mine,
    Which if euer I see, I haue sworne to strike him.
    So
    of Henry the fift.
    So hath he sworne the like to me.
    K. How think you Flewellen, is it lawfull he keep his oath?
    2662.1Fl. And it please your majesty, tis lawful he keep his vow.
    If he be periur'd once, he is as arrant a beggerly knaue,
    As treads vpon too blacke shues.
    Kin. His enemy may be a gentleman of worth.
    Flew. And if he be as good a gentleman as Lucifer
    And Belzebub, and the diuel himselfe,
    Tis meete he keepe his vowe.
    Kin. Well sirrha keep your word.
    Vnder what Captain seruest thou?
    Soul. Vnder Captaine Gower.
    Flew. Captaine Gower is a good Captaine:
    2680And hath good littrature in the warres.
    Kin. Go call him hither.
    Soul. I will my Lord. Exit souldier.
    Kin. Captain Flewellen, when Alonson and I was
    2685Downe together, I tooke this gloue off from his helmet,
    Here Flewellen, weare it. If any do challenge it,
    He is a friend of Alonsons,
    And an enemy to mee.
    Fle. Your maiestie doth me as great a fauour
    As can be desired in the harts of his subiects.
    2690I would see that man now that should chalenge this gloue:
    And it please God of his grace. I would but see him,
    That is all.
    Kin. Flewellen knowst thou Captaine Gower?
    2695Fle. Captaine Gower is my friend.
    And if it like your maiestie, I know him very well.
    Kin. Go call him hither.
    Flew. I will and it shall please your maiestie.
    2700Kin. Follow Flewellen closely at the heeles,
    The gloue he weares, it was the souldiers:
    F 2 It
    The Chronicle Historie
    It may be there will be harme betweene them,
    For I do know Flewellen valiant,
    And being toucht, as hot as gunpowder:
    2710And quickly will returne an iniury.
    Go see there be no harme betweene them.