SCENE III.-The English Camp.

Enter the English Host; GLOUCESTER, BEDFORD, EXETER, SALISBURY, and WESTMORELAND. Glou. Where is the king?

Bed. The king himself is rode to view their battle.

West. Of fighting men they have full threescore thousand.

Exe. There's five to one; besides, they all are fresh.

Sal. God's arm strike with us! 'tis a fearful odds. God be wi' you, princes all; I'll to my charge: If we no more meet till we meet in heaven, Then, joyfully, my noble Lord of Bedford, My dear Lord Gloucester, and my good Lord Exeter,

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And my kind kinsman, warriors all, adieu ! Bed. Farewell, good Salisbury; and good luck go with thee! Exe. Farewell, kind lord. day:

Fight valiantly to

And yet I do thee wrong to mind thee of it, For thou art fram'd of the firm truth of valour. Exit SALISBURY.

Bed. He is as full of valour as of kindness; Princely in both.

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K. Hen. What's he that wishes so? My cousin Westmoreland? No, my fair cousin : If we are mark'd to die, we are enow To do our country loss; and if to live, The fewer men, the greater share of honour. God's will! I pray thee, wish not one man more. By Jove, I am not covetous for gold, Nor care I who doth feed upon my cost; It yearns me not if men my garments wear; Such outward things dwell not in my desires : But if it be a sin to covet honour, I am the most offending soul alive.

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No, faith, my coz, wish not a man from England: God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour As one man more, methinks, would share from me, For the best hope I have. O! do not wish one

more:

Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,

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That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made,
And crowns for convoy put into his purse :
We would not die in that man's company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.
This day is call'd the feast of Crispian :
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian':

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Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say These wounds I had on Crispin's day.'
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember with advantages
What feats he did that day. Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words,
Harry the king, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester,
Be in their flowing cups freshly remember'd.
This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered;
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile
This day shall gentle his condition :
And gentlemen in England now a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not
here,

And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.
Re-enter SALISBURY.

Sal. My sovereign lord, bestow yourself with speed:

The French are bravely in their battles set,
And will with all expedience charge on us.

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K. Hen. All things are ready, if our minds be so. West. Perish the man whose mind is backward now!

K. Hen. Thou dost not wish more help from England, coz?

West. God's will! my liege, would you and I alone,

Without more help, could fight this royal battle! K. Hen. Why, now thou hast unwish'd five thousand men ;

Which likes me better than to wish us one. You know your places: God be with you all!

Tucket. Enter MONTJOY.

Mont. Once more I come to know of thee,
King Harry,

If for thy ransom thou wilt now compound, *
Before thy most assured overthrow :
For certainly thou art so near the gulf
Thou needs must be englutted. Besides, in mercy,
The constable desires thee thou wilt mind
Thy followers of repentance; that their souls
May make a peaceful and a sweet retire
From off these fields, where, wretches, their
poor bodies
Must lie and fester.
K. Hen.
Who hath sent thee now!
Mont. The Constable of France.

K. Hen. I pray thee, bear my former answer back:

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Bid them achieve me and then sell my bones. Good God! why should they mock poor fellows thus ?

The man that once did sell the lion's skin
While the beast liv'd, was kill'd with hunting him.
A many of our bodies shall no doubt
Find native graves; upon the which, I trust,
Shall witness live in brass of this day's work;
And those that leave their valiant bones in France,
Dying like men, though buried in your dunghills.
They shall be fam'd; for there the sun shall
greet them,

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And draw their honours reeking up to heaven,
Leaving their earthly parts to choke your clime,
The smell whereof shall breed a plague in France.
Mark then abounding valour in our English,
That being dead, like to the bullet's grazing,
Break out into a second course of mischief,
Killing in relapse of mortality.

Let me speak proudly: tell the constable
We are but warriors for the working-day;
Our gayness and our gilt are all besmirch'd 110
With rainy marching in the painful field;
There's not a piece of feather in our host-
Good argument, I hope, we will not fly-
And time hath worn us into slovenry :

But, by the mass, our hearts are in the trim;
And my poor soldiers tell me, yet ere night
They'll be in fresher robes, or they will pluck
The gay new coats o'er the French soldiers' heads,
And turn them out of service. If they do this,
As, if God please, they shall, my ransom then
Will soon be levied. Herald, save thou thy
labour;

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Or I will fetch thy rim out at thy throat
In drops of crimson blood.

Fr. Sold. Est il impossible d'eschapper la force

de ton bras?

Pist. Brass, cur!

Thou damned and luxurious mountain goat, 20 Offer'st me brass?

Fr. Sold. O pardonnez moy!

Fr. Sold. Petit monsieur, que dit-il ? Boy. Encore qu'il est contre son jurement de pardonner aucun prisonnier; neant-moins, pour les escus que vous l'avez promis, il est content de vous donner la liberté, le franchisement.

Fr. Sold. Sur mes genoux je vous donne mille remerciemens; et je m'estime heureux que je suis tombé entre les mains d'un chevalier, je pense, le plus brave, vaillant, et très-distingué seigneur d'Angleterre. 60 Pist. Expound unto me, boy.

Boy. He gives you, upon his knees, a thousand thanks; and he esteems himself happy that he hath fallen into the hands of one, as he thinks, the most brave, valorous, and thrice-worthy signieur of England.

Pist. As I suck blood, I will some mercy show. Follow me!

Boy. Suivez vous le grand capitaine.

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Exeunt PISTOL and French Soldier. I did never know so full a voice issue from so empty a heart: but the saying is true, 'The empty vessel makes the greatest sound.' Bardolph and Nym had ten times more valour than this roaring devil i' the old play, that every one may pare his nails with a wooden dagger; and they are both hanged; and so would this be if he durst steal any thing adventurously. I must stay with the lackeys, with the luggage of our camp: the French might have a good prey of us if he knew of it; for there is none to guard it but boys. Exit. 81

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Exe. In which array, brave soldier, doth he lie, Larding the plain; and by his bloody side, Yoke-fellow to his honour-owing wounds, The noble Earl of Suffolk also lies. Suffolk first died; and York, all haggled over, Comes to him, where in gore he lay insteep'd, And takes him by the beard, kisses the gashes That bloodily did yawn upon his face; And cries aloud, Tarry, dear cousin Suffolk! My soul shall thine keep company to heaven; Tarry, sweet soul, for mine, then fly abreast, As in this glorious and well-foughten field We kept together in our chivalry!' Upon these words I came and cheer'd him up; He smil'd me in the face, raught me his hand, And, with a feeble gripe, says 'Dear my lord, Commend my service to my sovereign." So did he turn, and over Suffolk's neck He threw his wounded arm, and kiss'd his lips; And so espous'd to death, with blood he seal'd A testament of noble-ending love. The pretty and sweet manner of it forc'd Those waters from me which I would have

stopp'd;

But I had not so much of man in me,
And all my mother came into mine eyes
And gave me up to tears.

K. Hen.
I blame you not;
For, hearing this, I must perforce compound
With mistful eyes, or they will issue too.

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30

Alarum. But, hark! what new alarum is this same ?

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king's tent; wherefore the king most worthily hath caused every soldier to cut his prisoner's throat. O! 'tis a gallant king. Flu. Ay, he was porn at Monmouth, Captain Gower. What call you the town's name where Alexander the Pig was born?

Gow. Alexander the Great.

Flu. Why, I pray you, is not pig great? the pig, or the great, or the mighty, or the huge, or the magnanimous, are all one reckonings, save the phrase is a little variations.

Gow. I think Alexander the Great was born in Macedon his father was called Philip of Macedon, as I take it.

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Flu. I think it is in Macedon where Alexander is porn. I tell you, captain, if you look in the maps of the 'orld, I warrant you sall find, in the comparisons between Macedon and Monmouth, that the situations, look you, is both alike. There is a river in Macedon, and there is also moreover a river at Monmouth: it is called Wye at Monmouth; but it is out of my prains what is the name of the other river; but 'tis all one, 'tis alike as my fingers is to my fingers, and there is salmons in both. If you mark Alexander's life well, Harry of Monmouth's life is come after it indifferent well; for there is figures in all things. Alexander, God knows, and you know, in his rages, and his furies, and his wraths, and his cholers, and his moods, and his displeasures, and his indignations, and also being a little intoxicates in his prains, did, in his ales and his angers, look you, kill his pest friend, Cleitus.

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Gow. Our king is not like him in that: he never killed any of his friends.

Flu. It is not well done, mark you now. to take the tales out of my mouth, ere it is made and finished. I speak but in the figures and comparisons of it: as Alexander killed his friend Cleitus, being in his ales and his cups, so also Harry Monmouth, being in his right wits and his good judgments, turned away the fat knight with the great belly-doublet: he was full of jests, and gipes, and knaveries, and mocks; I have forgot his name.

Gow. Sir John Falstaff.

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Flu. That is he. I'll tell you there is good men porn at Monmouth.

Gow. Here comes his majesty.

Alarum. Enter King HENRY, with a Part of the English Forces; WARWICK, GLOUCESTER, EXETER, and Others.

K. Hen. I was not angry since I came to France Until this instant. Take a trumpet, herald;

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Ride thou unto the horsemen on yon 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 skirr 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 MONTJOY.

Exe. Here comes the herald of the French, my liege.

Glou. His eyes are humbler than they us'd to be. K. Hen. How now! what means this, herald? know'st thou not

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That I have fin'd these bones of mine for ransom?
Com'st thou again for ransom?
Mont.
No, great king:
I come to thee for charitable license,
That we may wander o'er this bloody field
To look our dead, and then to bury them;
To sort our nobles from our common men;
For many of our princes, woe the while!
Lie drown'd and soak'd in mercenary blood;
So do our vulgar drench their peasant limbs
In blood of princes; and their wounded steeds
Fret fetlock 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. Hen.

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I tell thee truly, herald, I know not if the day be ours or no ; For yet a many of your horsemen peer And gallop o'er the field.

Mont.

The day is yours.

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K. Hen. Praised be God, and not our strength, for it! What is this castle call'd that stands hard by? Mont. They call it Agincourt.

K. Hen. Then call we this the field of Agincourt,

Fought on the day of Crispin Crispianus.

Flu. Your grandfather of famous memory, an 't please your majesty, and your great-uncle Edward the Plack Prince of Wales, as I have read in the chronicles, fought a most prave pattle here in France.

K. Hen. They did, Fluellen.

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Flu. Your majesty says very true. If your majesties is remembered of it, the Welshmen 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 badge of the service; and I do believe your majesty takes no scorn to wear the leek upon Saint Tavy's day.

can

K. Hen. I wear it for a memorable honour; For I am Welsh, you know, good countryman. Flu. All the water in Wye cannot wash your majesty's Welsh plood out of your pody, tell you that: God pless it and preserve it, as long as it pleases his grace, and his majesty too! K. Hen. Thanks, good my countryman. Flu. By Cheshu, I am your majesty's 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.

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K. Hen. God keep me so! Our heralds go with him:

Bring me just notice of the numbers dead
On both our parts. Call yonder fellow hither.
Points to WILLIAMS. Exeunt MONTJOY
and Others.

Exe. Soldier, you must come to the king. K. Hen. Soldier, why wearest thou that glove in thy cap?

Will. An't please your majesty, 'tis the gage of one that I should fight withal, if he be alive. K. Hen. An Englishman?

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Will. An't please your majesty, a rascal that swaggered with me last night; who, if a' live and ever dare to challenge this glove, I have sworn to take him a box o' the ear: or if I can see my glove in his cap, which he swore as he was a soldier he would wear if alive, I will strike it out soundly.

K. Hen. What think you, Captain Fluellen? is it fit this soldier keep his oath ?

Flu. He is a craven and a villain else, an 't please your majesty, in my conscience.

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K. Hen. 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 gentleman 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 perjured, see you now, his reputation is as arrant a villain and a Jacksauce as ever his black shoe trod upon God's ground and his earth, in my conscience, la!

K. Hen. Then keep thy vow, sirrah, when thou meetest the fellow.

Will. So I will, my liege, as I live.
K. Hen. Who servest thou under?

Will. Under Captain Gower, my liege.

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Flu. Gower is a good captain, and is good knowledge, and literatured in the wars. K. Hen. Call him hither to me, soldier. Will. I will, my liege.

Exit.

K. Hen. Here, Fluellen; wear thou this favour for me and stick it in thy cap. When Alençon and myself were down together I plucked this glove from his helm: if any man challenge this, he is a friend to Alençon, and an enemy to our person; if thou encounter any such, apprehend him, an thou dost me love.

Flu. Your grace does me as great honours as can be desired in the hearts of his subjects: I would fain see the man that has but two legs that shall find himself aggriefed at this glove, that is all; but I would fain see it once, and please God of his grace that I might see. K. Hen. Knowest thou Gower? Flu. He is my dear friend, an 't please you. K. Hen. Pray thee, go seek him, and bring him to my tent.

Flu. I will fetch him.

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Exit.

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SCENE VIII-Before King HENRY'S Pavilion.
Enter GOWER and WILLIAMS.
Will. I warrant it is to knight you, captain.
Enter FLUELLEN.

Flu. God's will and his pleasure, captain, I peseech 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?

ness the night, your garments, your lowliness; and what your highness suffered under that shape, I beseech you, take it for your own fault and not mine for had you been as I took you for I made no offence; therefore, I beseech your highness, pardon me.

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K. Hen. 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 pelly. Hold, there is twelve pence for you, and I pray you to serve God, and keep you out of prawls, and prabbles,

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Will. I know this; and thus I challenge it. Strikes him. Flu. 'Sblood! an arrant traitor as any 's in the universal 'orld, or in France, or in England. Gow. 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 Alençon's.

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Enter WARWICK and GLOUCESTER. 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. Ilen. How now! what's the matter? Flu. My liege, here is a villain and a traitor, that, look your grace, has struck the glove which your majesty is take out of the helmet of Alençon. Will. My liege, this was my glove; here is the fellow of it; and he that I gave it to in change promised to wear it in his cap: I promised to strike him if he did. I met this 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, lousy knave it is. I hope your majesty is pear me testimony and witness, and will avouchment that this is the glove of Alençon that your majesty is give me; in your conscience now?

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you, it is the petter for you.

Will. I will none of your money.

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Flu. It is with a good will; I can tell you it will serve you to mend your shoes: come, wherefore should you be so pashful? your shoes is not so good: 'tis a good silling, I warrant you, or I will change it.

Exe. Charles Duke of Orleans, nephew to the king;

John Duke of Bourbon, and Lord Bouciqualt: Of other lords and barons, knights and squires, Full fifteen hundred, besides common men.

K. Hen. This note doth tell me of ten thousand French

That in the field lie slain of princes, in this number,

And nobles bearing banners, there lie 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 lie dead :
Charles Delabreth, high constable of France;
Jacques of Chatillon, admiral of France;
The master of the cross-bows, Lord Rambures;
Great-master of France, the brave Sir Guischard
Dauphin ;

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