Bourbon with Prisoners, Lords and Attendants. Flourish.
K. Henry.
I was not angry since I came to France,
Until this instant. Take a Trumpet, Herald,
-- 1357 --
Ride thou unto the Horsemen on yond Hill:
If they will fight with us, bid them come down,
Or void the Field; they do offend our sight.
If they'll do neither, we will come to them,
And make them sker away, as swift as stones
Enforced 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,
Shall taste our Mercy. Go and tell them so.
Enter Mountjoy.
Exe.
Here comes the Herald of the French, my Liege.
Glo.
His Eyes are humbler than they us'd to be.
K. Henry.
How now, what means their Herald? Know'st thou not,
That I have fin'd these Bones of mine for Ransom?
Com'st thou again for Ransom?
Mount.
No, great King:
I come to thee for charitable License,
That 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,
Lye drown'd and soak'd in mercenary Blood:
So do our vulgar drench their peasant Limbs
In blood of Princes, and with wounded Steeds
Fret fet-lock deep in gore, and with wild rage
Yerk out their armed heels at their dead Masters,
Killing them twice. O give us leave, great King,
To view the Field in safety, and dispose
Of their dead Bodies.
K. Henry.
I tell thee truly, Herald,
I know not whether the day be ours or no,
For yet a many of your Horsemen peer,
And gallop o'er the Field.
Mount.
The day is yours.
K. Henry.
Praised be God, and not our strength for it:
What is this Castle call'd, that stands hard by?
Mount.
They call it Agincourt.
K. Henry.
Then call we this the Field of Agincourt,
Fought on the day of Crispin Crispianus.
-- 1358 --
Flu.
Your Grandfather of famous Memory, an't please
your Majesty, and your great Unkle Edward the Plack
Prince of Wales, as I have read in the Chronicles, fought
most prave pattle here in France.
K. Henry.
They did, Fluellen.
Flu.
Your Majesty says very true: If your Majesties is remembred
of it, the Welchmen did good service in a Garden
where Leeks did grow, wearing Leeks in their Monmouth
Caps, which your Majesty know to this hour is an honourable
Padge of the service; and I do believe your Majesty
takes no scorn to wear the Leek upon St. Tavie's day.
K. Henry.
I wear it for a memorable Honour:
For I am Welch, you know, good Countryman.
Flu.
All the Water in Wye cannot wash your Majesties
Welsh plood out of your pody, I can tell you that: God
pless, and preserve it, as long as it pleases his Grace, and
his Majesty too.
K. Henry.
Thanks, good my Countryman.
Flu.
By Jeshu, I am your Majesties 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.
K. Henry.
God keep me so.
Enter Willams.
Our Heralds go with him,
Bring me just notice of the numbers dead
On both our Parts. Call yonder Fellow hither.
Exe.
Soldier, you must come to the King.
K. Henry.
Soldier, why wear'st thou that Glove in thy Cap?
Will.
And't please your Majesty, 'tis the Gage of one that
I should fight withal, if he be alive.
K. Henry.
An Englishman?
Will.
An't please your Majesty, a Rascal that swagger'd
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 swore as he
was a Soldier he would wear, (if alive) will strike it out
soundly.
K. Henry.
What think you, Captain Fluellen, is it fit this
Soldier keep his Oath?
-- 1359 --
Flu.
He is a Craven and a Villain else, and't please your
Majesty, in my Conscience.
K. Henry.
It may be, his Enemy is a Gentleman of great
Sort, quite from the answer of his Degree.
Flu.
Though he be as good a Jentleman as the Devil is,
as Lucifer and Belzebub himself, it is necessary, look your
Grace, that he keep his Vow and his Oath: If he be perjur'd,
see you now, his Reputation is as arrant a Villain
and a Jack sawce, as ever his black shoo trod upon God's
Ground, and his Earth, in my Conscience, Law.
K. Henry.
Then keep thy Vow, Sirrah, when thou meet'st
the Fellow.
Will.
So I will, my Liege, as I live.
K. Henry.
Who serv'st thou under?
Will.
Under Captain Gower, my Liege.
Flu.
Gower is a good Captain, and is good knowledge
and literatured in the Wars.
K. Henry.
Call him hither to me, Soldier.
Will.
I will, my Liege.
[Exit.
K. Henry.
Here Fluellen, wear thou this Favour for me,
and stick it in thy Cap; when Alanson and my self were
down together, I pluck'd this Glove from his Helm; if any
Man challenge this, he is a Friend to Alanson, and an Enemy
to our Person; if thou encounter any such, apprehend
him, and thou do'st me love.
Flu.
Your Grace does me as great Honours, as can be
desir'd in the Hearts of his Subjects: I would fain see the
Man, that has but two Legs, that shall find himself agriev'd
at this Glove; that is all; but I would fain see it once, and
please God of his Grace that I might see.
K. Henry.
Know'st thou Gower?
Flu.
He is my dear Friend, and please you.
K. Henry.
Pray thee go seek him, and bring him to my Tent?
Flu.
I will fetch him.
[Exit.
K. Henry.
My Lord of Warwick, and my Brother Glo'ster,
Follow Fluellen closely at the Heels,
The Glove which I have given him for a Favour
May haply purchase him a Box o'th'Ear.
It is the Soldier's; I by bargain should
Wear it my self. Follow, good Cousin Warwick:
If that the Soldier strike him, as I judge
-- 1360 --
By this blunt bearing, he will keep his Word;
Some sudden mischief may arise of it:
For I do know Fluellen valiant,
And touch'd with Choler, hot as Gunpowder,
And quickly will return an Injury.
Follow, and see there be not harm between them.
Go you with me, Uncle of Exeter.
[Exeunt.
Enter Gower and Williams.
Will.
I warrant it is to Knight you, Captain.
Enter Fluellen.
Flu.
God's Will, and his Pleasure, Captain, I beseech
you now, come apace to the King: There is more good toward
you peradventure, than is in your knowledge to dream
of.
Will.
Sir, know you this Glove?
Flu.
Know the Glove? I know the Glove is a Glove.
Will.
I know this, and thus I challenge it.
[Strikes him.
Flu.
'Sbud, an arrant Traitor as any's in the Universal
World, or in France, or in England.
Gower.
How now, Sir? you Villain.
Will.
Do you think I'll be forsworn?
Flu.
Stand away, Captain Gower, I will give Treason his
payment into Plows, I warrant you.
Will.
I am no Traitor.
Flu.
That's a Lie in thy Throat. I charge you in his
Majesty's Name apprehend him, he's a Friend of the Duke
Alanson's.
Enter Warwick and Gloucestes.
War.
How now, how now, what's the matter?
Flu.
My Lord of Warwick, here is, praised be God for
it, a most contagious Treason come to light, look you, as
you shall desire in a Summer's Day. Here is his Majesty.
Enter King Henry and Exeter.
K. Henry.
How now, what's the matter?
Flu.
My Liege, here is a Villain and a Traitor, that,
look your Grace, ha's struck the Glove which your Majesty
is take out of the Helmet of Alanson.
Will.
My Liege, this was my Glove, here is the Fellow
of it; and he that I gave it to in change, promis'd to wear
it in his Cap; I promis'd to strike him, if he did; I met this
-- 1361 --
Man with my Glove in his Cap, and I have been as good
as my word.
Flu.
Your Majesty hear now, saving your Majesty's Manhood,
what an arrant, rascally, beggarly, lowsie Knave it
is; I hope your Majesty is pear me Testimony and Witness,
and will avouchment, that this is the Glove of Alanson,
that your Majesty is give me, in your Conscience
now.
K. Henry.
Give me thy Glove, Soldier;
Look, here is the fellow of it:
'Twas I indeed thou promisedst to strike.
And thou hast given me most bitter terms.
Flu.
And please your Majesty, let his Neck answer for it,
if there is any Marshal Law in the World.
K. Henry.
How canst thou make me Satisfaction?
Will.
All Offences, my Lord, come from the Heart; never
came any from mine, that might offend your Majesty.
K. Henry.
It was our self thou didst abuse.
Will.
Your Majesty came not like your self; you appear'd
to me but as a common Man; witness the Night,
your Garments, your Lowliness; and what your Highness
suffer'd under that shape, I beseech you take it for your
fault, and not mine; for had you been as I took you for,
I made no offence; therefore I beseech your Highness
pardon me.
K. Henry.
Here, Uncle Exeter, fill this Glove with Crowns,
And give it to this Fellow. Keep it Fellow,
And wear it for an Honour in thy Cap,
'Till I do challenge it. Give him the Crowns:
And, Captain, you must needs be friends with him.
Flu.
By this Day and this Light, the Fellow has mettle
enough in his Belly; hold, there is twelve-pence for you,
and I pray you serve God, and keep you out of prawls and
prabbles, and quarrels and dissentions, and I warrant you it
is the better for you.
Will.
I will none of your Mony.
Flu.
It is with a good will; I can tell you it will serve
you to mend your Shooes; come, wherefore should you be
so pashful; your Shooes is not so good; 'tis a good Silling
I warrant you, or I will change it.
-- 1362 --
Enter Herald.
K. Henry.
Now Herald, are the dead numbred?
Her.
Here is the number of the slaughter'd French.
K. Henry.
What Prisoners of good sort are taken, Uncle?
Exe.
Charles Duke of Orleans, Nephew to the King;
John Duke of Bourbon, and Lord Bouchiquald:
Of other Lords and Barons, Knights and Squires,
Full fifteen hundred, besides common Men.
K. Henry.
This Note doth tell me of ten thousand French
That in the Field lye slain; of Princes in this number,
And Nobles bearing Banners, there lye dead
One hundred twenty six; added to these,
Of Knights, Esquires, and gallant Gentlemen,
Eight thousand and four hundred; of the which,
Five hundred were but yesterday dubb'd Knights:
So that in these ten thousand they have lost,
There are but sixteen hundred Mercenaries:
The rest are Princes, Barons, Lords, Knights, Squires,
And Gentlemen of Blood and Quality.
The Names of those their Nobles that lye dead:
Charles Delabreth, High Constable of France,
Jacques of Chatilion, Admiral of France,
The Master of the Cross-Bows, Lord Rambures,
Great Master of France, the brave Sir Guichard Dauphin,
John Duke of Alenson, Anthonio Duke of Brabant,
The Brother to the Duke of Burgundy,
And Edward Duke of Barr: Of lusty Earls,
Grandpree and Roussie, Faulconbridge and Foyes,
Beaumont and Marle, Vaudemont and Lestrale.
Here was a Royal Fellowship of Death.
Where is the number of our English dead?
Edward the Duke of York, the Earl of Suffolk,
Sir Richard Ketley, Davy Gam Esquire;
None else of name; and of all other Men,
But five and twenty.
O God, thy Arm was here:
And not to us, but to thy Arm alone,
Ascribe we all. When, without stratagem,
But in plain shock, and even play of Battel,
Was ever known so great and little Loss?
-- 1363 --
On one part and on th' other, take it, God,
For it is none's, but thine.
Exe.
'Tis wonderful.
K. Henry.
Come, go we in Procession to the Village:
And be it death proclaimed through our Host,
To boast of this, or take that Praise from God,
Which is his only.
Flu.
Is it not lawful, and please your Majesty, to tell how
many is kill'd?
K. Henry.
Yes, Captain; but with this acknowledgment,
That God fought for us.
Flu.
Yes, my conscience, he did us great good.
K. Henry.
Do we all holy Rights;
Let there be sung Non nobis, and Te Deum,
The dead with charity enclos'd in Clay:
And then to Calais, and to England then,
Where ne'er from France arriv'd more happy Men.
[Exeunt.
Charles Gildon [1709–1710], The works of Mr. William Shakespear; in six [seven] volumes. Adorn'd with Cuts. Revis'd and Corrected, with an Account of the Life and Writings of the Author. By N. Rowe ([Vol. 7] Printed for E. Curll... and E. Sanger [etc.], London) [word count] [S11401].
