Chapter: Chorus.

Now entertaine coniecture of a time,
When creeping Murmure and the poring Darke
Fills the wide Vessell of the Vniuerse.
From Camp to Camp, through the foule Womb of Night
The Humme of eyther Army stilly sounds;
That the fixt Centinels almost receiue
The secret Whispers of each others Watch.
Fire answers fire, and through their paly flames
Each Battaile sees the others vmber'd face.
Steed threatens Steed, in high and boastfull Neighs
Piercing the Nights dull Eare: and from the Tents,
The Armourers accomplishing the Knights,
With busie Hammers closing Riuets vp,
Giue dreadfull note of preparation.
The Countrey Cocks doe crow, the Clocks doe towle:
And the third howre of drowsie Morning nam'd,
Prowd of their Numbers, and secure in Soule,
The confident and ouer-lustie French,
Doe the low-rated English play at Dice;
And chide the creeple-tardy-gated Night,
Who like a foule and ougly Witch doth limpe
So tediously away. The poore condemned English,
Like Sacrifices, by their watchfull Fires
Sit patiently, and inly ruminate
The Mornings danger: and their gesture sad,
Inuesting lanke-leane Cheekes, and Warre-worne Coats,
Presented them vnto the gazing Moone
So many horride Ghosts. O now, who will behold
The Royall Captaine of this ruin'd Band
Walking from Watch to Watch, from Tent to Tent;
Let him cry, Prayse and Glory on his head:
For forth he goes, and visits all his Hoast,
Bids them good morrow with a modest Smyle,
And calls them Brothers, Friends, and Countreymen.
Vpon his Royall Face there is no note,
How dread an Army hath enrounded him;
Nor doth he dedicate one iot of Colour
Vnto the wearie and all-watched Night:
But freshly lookes, and ouer-beares Attaint,
With chearefull semblance, and sweet Maiestie:
That euery Wretch, pining and pale before,
Beholding him, plucks comfort from his Lookes.
A Largesse vniuersall, like the Sunne,
His liberall Eye doth giue to euery one,
Thawing cold feare, that meane and gentle all
Behold, as may vnworthinesse define.
A little touch of Harry in the Night,
And so our Scene must to the Battaile flye:
Where, O for pitty, we shall much disgrace,
With foure or fiue most vile and ragged foyles,
(Right ill dispos'd, in brawle ridiculous)
The Name of Agincourt: Yet sit and see,
Minding true things, by what their Mock'ries bee.
Enter.

Enter the King, Bedford, and Gloucester.

  King. Gloster, 'tis true that we are in great danger,
The greater therefore should our Courage be.
God morrow Brother Bedford: God Almightie,
There is some soule of goodnesse in things euill,
Would men obseruingly distill it out.
For our bad Neighbour makes vs early stirrers,
Which is both healthfull, and good husbandry.
Besides, they are our outward Consciences,
And Preachers to vs all; admonishing,
That we should dresse vs fairely for our end.
Thus may we gather Honey from the Weed,
And make a Morall of the Diuell himselfe.
Enter Erpingham.

Good morrow old Sir Thomas Erpingham:
A good soft Pillow for that good white Head,
Were better then a churlish turfe of France

   Erping. Not so my Liege, this Lodging likes me better,
Since I may say, now lye I like a King

   King. 'Tis good for men to loue their present paines,
Vpon example, so the Spirit is eased:
And when the Mind is quickned, out of doubt
The Organs, though defunct and dead before,
Breake vp their drowsie Graue, and newly moue
With casted slough, and fresh legeritie.
Lend me thy Cloake Sir Thomas: Brothers both,
Commend me to the Princes in our Campe;
Doe my good morrow to them, and anon
Desire them all to my Pauillion

   Gloster. We shall, my Liege

   Erping. Shall I attend your Grace?
  King. No, my good Knight:
Goe with my Brothers to my Lords of England:
I and my Bosome must debate a while,
And then I would no other company

   Erping. The Lord in Heauen blesse thee, Noble
Harry.

Exeunt.

  King. God a mercy old Heart, thou speak'st chearefully.
Enter Pistoll

   Pist. Che vous la?
  King. A friend

   Pist. Discusse vnto me, art thou Officer, or art thou
base, common, and popular?
  King. I am a Gentleman of a Company

   Pist. Trayl'st thou the puissant Pyke?
  King. Euen so: what are you?
  Pist. As good a Gentleman as the Emperor

   King. Then you are a better then the King

   Pist. The King's a Bawcock, and a Heart of Gold, a
Lad of Life, an Impe of Fame, of Parents good, of Fist
most valiant: I kisse his durtie shooe, and from heartstring
I loue the louely Bully. What is thy Name?
  King. Harry le Roy

   Pist. Le Roy? a Cornish Name: art thou of Cornish Crew?
  King. No, I am a Welchman

   Pist. Know'st thou Fluellen?
  King. Yes

   Pist. Tell him Ile knock his Leeke about his Pate vpon
S[aint]. Dauies day

   King. Doe not you weare your Dagger in your Cappe
that day, least he knock that about yours

   Pist. Art thou his friend?
  King. And his Kinsman too

   Pist. The Figo for thee then

   King. I thanke you: God be with you

   Pist. My name is Pistol call'd.
Enter.

  King. It sorts well with your fiercenesse.

Manet King.

Enter Fluellen and Gower.

  Gower. Captaine Fluellen

   Flu. 'So, in the Name of Iesu Christ, speake fewer: it
is the greatest admiration in the vniuersall World, when
the true and aunchient Prerogatifes and Lawes of the
Warres is not kept: if you would take the paines but to
examine the Warres of Pompey the Great, you shall finde,
I warrant you, that there is no tiddle tadle nor pibble bable
in Pompeyes Campe: I warrant you, you shall finde
the Ceremonies of the Warres, and the Cares of it, and
the Formes of it, and the Sobrietie of it, and the Modestie
of it, to be otherwise

   Gower. Why the Enemie is lowd, you heare him all
Night

   Flu. If the Enemie is an Asse and a Foole, and a prating
Coxcombe; is it meet, thinke you, that wee should
also, looke you, be an Asse and a Foole, and a prating Coxcombe,
in your owne conscience now?
  Gow. I will speake lower

   Flu. I pray you, and beseech you, that you will.
Enter.

  King. Though it appeare a little out of fashion,
There is much care and valour in this Welchman.
Enter three Souldiers, Iohn Bates, Alexander Court, and Michael
Williams.


  Court. Brother Iohn Bates, is not that the Morning
which breakes yonder?
  Bates. I thinke it be: but wee haue no great cause to
desire the approach of day

   Williams. Wee see yonder the beginning of the day,
but I thinke wee shall neuer see the end of it. Who goes
there?
  King. A Friend

   Williams. Vnder what Captaine serue you?
  King. Vnder Sir Iohn Erpingham

   Williams. A good old Commander, and a most kinde
Gentleman: I pray you, what thinkes he of our estate?
  King. Euen as men wrackt vpon a Sand, that looke to
be washt off the next Tyde

   Bates. He hath not told his thought to the King?
  King. No: nor it is not meet he should: for though I
speake it to you, I thinke the King is but a man, as I am:
the Violet smells to him, as it doth to me; the Element
shewes to him, as it doth to me; all his Sences haue but
humane Conditions: his Ceremonies layd by, in his Nakednesse
he appeares but a man; and though his affections
are higher mounted then ours, yet when they stoupe,
they stoupe with the like wing: therefore, when he sees
reason of feares, as we doe; his feares, out of doubt, be of
the same rellish as ours are: yet in reason, no man should
possesse him with any appearance of feare; least hee, by
shewing it, should dis-hearten his Army

   Bates. He may shew what outward courage he will:
but I beleeue, as cold a Night as 'tis, hee could wish himselfe
in Thames vp to the Neck; and so I would he were,
and I by him, at all aduentures, so we were quit here

   King. By my troth, I will speake my conscience of the
King: I thinke hee would not wish himselfe any where,
but where hee is

   Bates. Then I would he were here alone; so should he be
sure to be ransomed, and a many poore mens liues saued

   King. I dare say, you loue him not so ill, to wish him
here alone: howsoeuer you speake this to feele other
mens minds, me thinks I could not dye any where so contented,
as in the Kings company; his Cause being iust, and
his Quarrell honorable

   Williams. That's more then we know

   Bates. I, or more then wee should seeke after; for wee
know enough, if wee know wee are the Kings Subiects:
if his Cause be wrong, our obedience to the King wipes
the Cryme of it out of vs

   Williams. But if the Cause be not good, the King himselfe
hath a heauie Reckoning to make, when all those
Legges, and Armes, and Heads, chopt off in a Battaile,
shall ioyne together at the latter day, and cry all, Wee dyed
at such a place, some swearing, some crying for a Surgean;
some vpon their Wiues, left poore behind them;
some vpon the Debts they owe, some vpon their Children
rawly left: I am afear'd, there are few dye well, that dye
in a Battaile: for how can they charitably dispose of any
thing, when Blood is their argument? Now, if these men
doe not dye well, it will be a black matter for the King,
that led them to it; who to disobey, were against all proportion
of subiection

   King. So, if a Sonne that is by his Father sent about
Merchandize, doe sinfully miscarry vpon the Sea; the imputation
of his wickednesse, by your rule, should be imposed
vpon his Father that sent him: or if a Seruant, vnder
his Masters command, transporting a summe of Money,
be assayled by Robbers, and dye in many irreconcil'd
Iniquities; you may call the businesse of the Master the
author of the Seruants damnation: but this is not so:
The King is not bound to answer the particular endings
of his Souldiers, the Father of his Sonne, nor the Master
of his Seruant; for they purpose not their death, when
they purpose their seruices. Besides, there is no King, be
his Cause neuer so spotlesse, if it come to the arbitrement
of Swords, can trye it out with all vnspotted Souldiers:
some (peraduenture) haue on them the guilt of
premeditated and contriued Murther; some, of beguiling
Virgins with the broken Seales of Periurie; some,
making the Warres their Bulwarke, that haue before gored
the gentle Bosome of Peace with Pillage and Robberie.
Now, if these men haue defeated the Law, and outrunne
Natiue punishment; though they can out-strip
men, they haue no wings to flye from God. Warre is
his Beadle, Warre is his Vengeance: so that here men
are punisht, for before breach of the Kings Lawes, in
now the Kings Quarrell: where they feared the death,
they haue borne life away; and where they would bee
safe, they perish. Then if they dye vnprouided, no more
is the King guiltie of their damnation, then hee was before
guiltie of those Impieties, for the which they are
now visited. Euery Subiects Dutie is the Kings, but
euery Subiects Soule is his owne. Therefore should
euery Souldier in the Warres doe as euery sicke man in
his Bed, wash euery Moth out of his Conscience: and
dying so, Death is to him aduantage; or not dying,
the time was blessedly lost, wherein such preparation was
gayned: and in him that escapes, it were not sinne to
thinke, that making God so free an offer, he let him outliue
that day, to see his Greatnesse, and to teach others
how they should prepare

   Will. 'Tis certaine, euery man that dyes ill, the ill vpon
his owne head, the King is not to answer it

   Bates. I doe not desire hee should answer for me, and
yet I determine to fight lustily for him

   King. I my selfe heard the King say he would not be
ransom'd

   Will. I, hee said so, to make vs fight chearefully: but
when our throats are cut, hee may be ransom'd, and wee
ne're the wiser

   King. If I liue to see it, I will neuer trust his word after

   Will. You pay him then: that's a perillous shot out
of an Elder Gunne, that a poore and a priuate displeasure
can doe against a Monarch: you may as well goe about
to turne the Sunne to yce, with fanning in his face with a
Peacocks feather: You'le neuer trust his word after;
come, 'tis a foolish saying

   King. Your reproofe is something too round, I should
be angry with you, if the time were conuenient

   Will. Let it bee a Quarrell betweene vs, if you
liue

   King. I embrace it

   Will. How shall I know thee againe?
  King. Giue me any Gage of thine, and I will weare it
in my Bonnet: Then if euer thou dar'st acknowledge it,
I will make it my Quarrell

   Will. Heere's my Gloue: Giue mee another of
thine

   King. There

   Will. This will I also weare in my Cap: if euer thou
come to me, and say, after to morrow, This is my Gloue,
by this Hand I will take thee a box on the eare

   King. If euer I liue to see it, I will challenge it

   Will. Thou dar'st as well be hang'd

   King. Well, I will doe it, though I take thee in the
Kings companie

   Will. Keepe thy word: fare thee well

   Bates. Be friends you English fooles, be friends, wee
haue French Quarrels enow, if you could tell how to reckon.

Exit Souldiers.

  King. Indeede the French may lay twentie French
Crownes to one, they will beat vs, for they beare them
on their shoulders: but it is no English Treason to cut
French Crownes, and to morrow the King himselfe will
be a Clipper.
Vpon the King, let vs our Liues, our Soules,
Our Debts, our carefull Wiues,
Our Children, and our Sinnes, lay on the King:
We must beare all.
O hard Condition, Twin-borne with Greatnesse,
Subiect to the breath of euery foole, whose sence
No more can feele, but his owne wringing.
What infinite hearts-ease must Kings neglect,
That priuate men enioy?
And what haue Kings, that Priuates haue not too,
Saue Ceremonie, saue generall Ceremonie?
And what art thou, thou Idoll Ceremonie?
What kind of God art thou? that suffer'st more
Of mortall griefes, then doe thy worshippers.
What are thy Rents? what are thy Commings in?
O Ceremonie, shew me but thy worth.
What? is thy Soule of Odoration?
Art thou ought else but Place, Degree, and Forme,
Creating awe and feare in other men?
Wherein thou art lesse happy, being fear'd,
Then they in fearing.
What drink'st thou oft, in stead of Homage sweet,
But poyson'd flatterie? O, be sick, great Greatnesse,
And bid thy Ceremonie giue thee cure.
Thinks thou the fierie Feuer will goe out
With Titles blowne from Adulation?
Will it giue place to flexure and low bending?
Canst thou, when thou command'st the beggers knee,
Command the health of it? No, thou prowd Dreame,
That play'st so subtilly with a Kings Repose.
I am a King that find thee: and I know,
'Tis not the Balme, the Scepter, and the Ball,
The Sword, the Mase, the Crowne Imperiall,
The enter-tissued Robe of Gold and Pearle,
The farsed Title running 'fore the King,
The Throne he sits on: nor the Tyde of Pompe,
That beates vpon the high shore of this World:
No, not all these, thrice-gorgeous Ceremonie;
Not all these, lay'd in Bed Maiesticall,
Can sleepe so soundly, as the wretched Slaue:
Who with a body fill'd, and vacant mind,
Gets him to rest, cram'd with distressefull bread,
Neuer sees horride Night, the Child of Hell:
But like a Lacquey, from the Rise to Set,
Sweates in the eye of Phebus; and all Night
Sleepes in Elizium: next day after dawne,
Doth rise and helpe Hiperio[n] to his Horse,
And followes so the euer-running yeere
With profitable labour to his Graue:
And but for Ceremonie, such a Wretch,
Winding vp Dayes with toyle, and Nights with sleepe,
Had the fore-hand and vantage of a King.
The Slaue, a Member of the Countreyes peace,
Enioyes it; but in grosse braine little wots,
What watch the King keepes, to maintaine the peace;
Whose howres, the Pesant best aduantages.
Enter Erpingham.

  Erp. My Lord, your Nobles iealous of your absence,
Seeke through your Campe to find you

   King. Good old Knight, collect them all together
At my Tent: Ile be before thee

   Erp. I shall doo't, my Lord.
Enter.

  King. O God of Battailes, steele my Souldiers hearts,
Possesse them not with feare: Take from them now
The sence of reckning of th' opposed numbers:
Pluck their hearts from them. Not to day, O Lord,
O not to day, thinke not vpon the fault
My Father made, in compassing the Crowne.
I Richards body haue interred new,
And on it haue bestowed more contrite teares,
Then from it issued forced drops of blood.
Fiue hundred poore I haue in yeerely pay,
Who twice a day their wither'd hands hold vp
Toward Heauen, to pardon blood:
And I haue built two Chauntries,
Where the sad and solemne Priests sing still
For Richards Soule. More will I doe:
Though all that I can doe, is nothing worth;
Since that my Penitence comes after all,
Imploring pardon.
Enter Gloucester.

  Glouc. My Liege

   King. My Brother Gloucesters voyce? I:
I know thy errand, I will goe with thee:
The day, my friend, and all things stay for me.

Exeunt.

Enter the Dolphin, Orleance, Ramburs, and Beaumont.

  Orleance. The Sunne doth gild our Armour vp, my
Lords

   Dolph. Monte Cheual: My Horse, Verlot Lacquay:
Ha

   Orleance. Oh braue Spirit

   Dolph. Via les ewes & terre

   Orleance. Rien puis le air & feu

   Dolph. Cein, Cousin Orleance.
Enter Constable.

Now my Lord Constable?
  Const. Hearke how our Steedes, for present Seruice
neigh

   Dolph. Mount them, and make incision in their Hides,
That their hot blood may spin in English eyes,
And doubt them with superfluous courage: ha

   Ram. What, wil you haue them weep our Horses blood?
How shall we then behold their naturall teares?
Enter Messenger.

  Messeng. The English are embattail'd, you French
Peeres

   Const. To Horse you gallant Princes, straight to Horse.
Doe but behold yond poore and starued Band,
And your faire shew shall suck away their Soules,
Leauing them but the shales and huskes of men.
There is not worke enough for all our hands,
Scarce blood enough in all their sickly Veines,
To giue each naked Curtleax a stayne,
That our French Gallants shall to day draw out,
And sheath for lack of sport. Let vs but blow on them,
The vapour of our Valour will o're-turne them.
'Tis positiue against all exceptions, Lords,
That our superfluous Lacquies, and our Pesants,
Who in vnnecessarie action swarme
About our Squares of Battaile, were enow
To purge this field of such a hilding Foe;
Though we vpon this Mountaines Basis by,
Tooke stand for idle speculation:
But that our Honours must not. What's to say?
A very little little let vs doe,
And all is done: then let the Trumpets sound
The Tucket Sonuance, and the Note to mount:
For our approach shall so much dare the field,
That England shall couch downe in feare, and yeeld.
Enter Graundpree.

  Grandpree. Why do you stay so long, my Lords of France?
Yond Iland Carrions, desperate of their bones,
Ill-fauoredly become the Morning field:
Their ragged Curtaines poorely are let loose,
And our Ayre shakes them passing scornefully.
Bigge Mars seemes banqu'rout in their begger'd Hoast,
And faintly through a rustie Beuer peepes.
The Horsemen sit like fixed Candlesticks,
With Torch-staues in their hand: and their poore Iades
Lob downe their heads, dropping the hides and hips:
The gumme downe roping from their pale-dead eyes,
And in their pale dull mouthes the Iymold Bitt
Lyes foule with chaw'd-grasse, still and motionlesse.
And their executors, the knauish Crowes,
Flye o're them all, impatient for their howre.
Description cannot sute it selfe in words,
To demonstrate the Life of such a Battaile,
In life so liuelesse, as it shewes it selfe

   Const. They haue said their prayers,
And they stay for death

   Dolph. Shall we goe send them Dinners, and fresh Sutes,
And giue their fasting Horses Prouender,
And after fight with them?
  Const. I stay but for my Guard: on
To the field, I will the Banner from a Trumpet take,
And vse it for my haste. Come, come away,
The Sunne is high, and we out-weare the day.

Exeunt.

Enter Gloucester, Bedford, Exeter, Erpingham with all his Hoast:
Salisbury, and Westmerland.

  Glouc. Where is the King?
  Bedf. The King himselfe is rode to view their Battaile

   West. Of fighting men they haue full threescore thousand

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

   Salisb. Gods Arme strike with vs, 'tis a fearefull oddes.
God buy' you Princes all; Ile to my Charge:
If we no more meet, till we meet in Heauen;
Then ioyfully, my Noble Lord of Bedford,
My deare Lord Gloucester, and my good Lord Exeter,
And my kind Kinsman, Warriors all, adieu

   Bedf. Farwell good Salisbury, & good luck go with thee:
And yet I doe thee wrong, to mind thee of it,
For thou art fram'd of the firme truth of valour

   Exe. Farwell kind Lord: fight valiantly to day

   Bedf. He is as full of Valour as of Kindnesse,
Princely in both.
Enter the King.

  West. O that we now had here
But one ten thousand of those men in England,
That doe no worke to day

   King. What's he that wishes so?
My Cousin Westmerland. No, my faire Cousin:
If we are markt to dye, we are enow
To doe our Countrey losse: and if to liue,
The fewer men, the greater share of honour.
Gods will, I pray thee wish not one man more.
By Ioue, I am not couetous for Gold,
Nor care I who doth feed vpon my cost:
It yernes me not, if men my Garments weare;
Such outward things dwell not in my desires.
But if it be a sinne to couet Honor,
I am the most offending Soule aliue.
No 'faith, my Couze, wish not a man from England:
Gods peace, I would not loose so great an Honor,
As one man more me thinkes would share from me,
For the best hope I haue. O, doe not wish one more:
Rather proclaime it (Westmerland) through my Hoast,
That he which hath no stomack to this fight,
Let him depart, his Pasport shall be made,
And Crownes for Conuoy put into his Purse:
We would not dye in that mans companie,
That feares his fellowship, to dye with vs.
This day is call'd the Feast of Crispian:
He that out-liues this day, and comes safe home,
Will stand a tip-toe when this day is named,
And rowse him at the Name of Crispian.
He that shall see this day, and liue old age,
Will yeerely on the Vigil feast his neighbours,
And say, to morrow is Saint Crispian.
Then will he strip his sleeue, and shew his skarres:
Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot:
But hee'le remember, with aduantages,
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 remembred.
This story shall the good man teach his sonne:
And Crispine Crispian shall ne're goe by,
From this day to the ending of the World,
But we in it shall be remembred;
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're so vile,
This day shall gentle his Condition.
And Gentlemen in England, now a bed,
Shall thinke themselues accurst they were not here;
And hold their Manhoods cheape, whiles any speakes,
That fought with vs vpon Saint Crispines day.
Enter Salisbury.

  Sal. My Soueraign Lord, bestow your selfe with speed:
The French are brauely in their battailes set,
And will with all expedience charge on vs

   King. All things are ready, if our minds be so

   West. Perish the man, whose mind is backward now

   King. Thou do'st not wish more helpe from England,
Couze?
  West. Gods will, my Liege, would you and I alone,
Without more helpe, could fight this Royall battaile

   King. Why now thou hast vnwisht fiue thousand men:
Which likes me better, then to wish vs one.
You know your places: God be with you all.

Tucket. Enter Montioy.

  Mont. Once more I come to know of thee King Harry,
If for thy Ransome thou wilt now compound,
Before thy most assured Ouerthrow:
For certainly, thou art so neere the Gulfe,
Thou needs must be englutted. Besides, in mercy
The Constable desires thee, thou wilt mind
Thy followers of Repentance; that their Soules
May make a peacefull and a sweet retyre
From off these fields: where (wretches) their poore bodies
Must lye and fester

   King. Who hath sent thee now?
  Mont. The Constable of France

   King. I pray thee beare my former Answer back:
Bid them atchieue me, and then sell my bones.
Good God, why should they mock poore fellowes thus?
The man that once did sell the Lyons skin
While the beast liu'd, was kill'd with hunting him.
A many of our bodyes shall no doubt
Find Natiue Graues: vpon the which, I trust
Shall witnesse liue in Brasse of this dayes worke.
And those that leaue their valiant bones in France,
Dying like men, though buryed in your Dunghills,
They shall be fam'd: for there the Sun shall greet them,
And draw their honors reeking vp to Heauen,
Leauing their earthly parts to choake your Clyme,
The smell whereof shall breed a Plague in France.
Marke then abounding valour in our English:
That being dead, like to the bullets crasing,
Breake out into a second course of mischiefe,
Killing in relapse of Mortalitie.
Let me speake prowdly: Tell the Constable,
We are but Warriors for the working day:
Our Gaynesse and our Gilt are all besmyrcht
With raynie Marching in the painefull field.
There's not a piece of feather in our Hoast:
Good argument (I hope) we will not flye:
And time hath worne vs into slouenrie.
But by the Masse, our hearts are in the trim:
And my poore Souldiers tell me, yet ere Night,
They'le be in fresher Robes, or they will pluck
The gay new Coats o're the French Souldiers heads,
And turne them out of seruice. If they doe this,
As if God please, they shall; my Ransome then
Will soone be leuyed.
Herauld, saue thou thy labour:
Come thou no more for Ransome, gentle Herauld,
They shall haue none, I sweare, but these my ioynts:
Which if they haue, as I will leaue vm them,
Shall yeeld them little, tell the Constable

   Mont. I shall, King Harry. And so fare thee well:
Thou neuer shalt heare Herauld any more.
Enter.

  King. I feare thou wilt once more come againe for a
Ransome.
Enter Yorke.

  Yorke. My Lord, most humbly on my knee I begge
The leading of the Vaward

   King. Take it, braue Yorke.
Now Souldiers march away,
And how thou pleasest God, dispose the day.

Exeunt.

Alarum. Excursions. Enter Pistoll, French Souldier, Boy.

  Pist. Yeeld Curre

   French. Ie pense que vous estes le Gentilhome de bon qualitee

   Pist. Qualtitie calmie custure me. Art thou a Gentleman?
What is thy Name? discusse

   French. O Seigneur Dieu

   Pist. O Signieur Dewe should be a Gentleman: perpend
my words O Signieur Dewe, and marke: O Signieur
Dewe, thou dyest on point of Fox, except O Signieur
thou doe giue to me egregious Ransome

   French. O prennes miserecordie aye pitez de moy

   Pist. Moy shall not serue, I will haue fortie Moyes: for
I will fetch thy rymme out at thy Throat, in droppes of
Crimson blood

   French. Est il impossible d' eschapper le force de ton bras

   Pist. Brasse, Curre? thou damned and luxurious Mountaine
Goat, offer'st me Brasse?
  French. O perdonne moy

   Pist. Say'st thou me so? is that a Tonne of Moyes?
Come hither boy, aske me this slaue in French what is his
Name

   Boy. Escoute comment estes vous appelle?
  French. Mounsieur le Fer

   Boy. He sayes his Name is M. Fer

   Pist. M. Fer: Ile fer him, and firke him, and ferret him:
discusse the same in French vnto him

   Boy. I doe not know the French for fer, and ferret, and
firke

   Pist. Bid him prepare, for I will cut his throat

   French. Que dit il Mounsieur?
  Boy. Il me commande a vous dire que vous faite vous
prest, car ce soldat icy est disposee tout asture de couppes vostre
gorge

   Pist. Owy, cuppele gorge permafoy pesant, vnlesse
thou giue me Crownes, braue Crownes; or mangled shalt
thou be by this my Sword

   French. O Ie vous supplie pour l' amour de Dieu: ma pardonner,
Ie suis le Gentilhome de bon maison, garde ma vie, & Ie
vous donneray deux cent escus

   Pist. What are his words?
  Boy. He prayes you to saue his life, he is a Gentleman
of a good house, and for his ransom he will giue you two
hundred Crownes

   Pist. Tell him my fury shall abate, and I the Crownes
will take

   Fren. Petit Monsieur que dit il?
  Boy. Encore qu'il et contra son Iurement, de pardonner aucune
prisonner: neantmons pour les escues que vous layt a promets,
il est content a vous donnes le liberte le franchisement

   Fre. Sur mes genoux se vous donnes milles remercious, et
Ie me estime heurex que Ie intombe, entre les main d' vn Cheualier
Ie pense le plus braue valiant et tres distime signieur
d' Angleterre

   Pist. Expound vnto me boy

   Boy. He giues you vpon his knees a thousand thanks,
and he esteemes himselfe happy, that he hath falne into
the hands of one (as he thinkes) the most braue, valorous
and thrice-worthy signeur of England

   Pist. As I sucke blood, I will some mercy shew. Follow
mee

   Boy. Saaue vous le grand Capitaine?
I did neuer know so full a voyce issue from so emptie a
heart: but the saying is true, The empty vessel makes the
greatest sound, Bardolfe and Nym had tenne times more
valour, then this roaring diuell i'th olde play, that euerie
one may payre his nayles with a woodden dagger, and
they are both hang'd, and so would this be, if hee durst
steale any thing aduenturously. I must stay with the
Lackies with the luggage of our camp, the French might
haue a good pray of vs, if he knew of it, for there is none
to guard it but boyes.
Enter.

Enter Constable, Orleance, Burbon, Dolphin, and Rambures.

  Con. O Diable

   Orl. O signeur le iour et perdia, toute et perdie

   Dol. Mor Dieu ma vie, all is confounded all,
Reproach, and euerlasting shame
Sits mocking in our Plumes.

A short Alarum.

O meschante Fortune, do not runne away

   Con. Why all our rankes are broke

   Dol. O perdurable shame, let's stab our selues:
Be these the wretches that we plaid at dice for?
  Orl. Is this the King we sent too, for his ransome?
  Bur. Shame, and eternall shame, nothing but shame,
Let vs dye in once more backe againe,
And he that will not follow Burbon now,
Let him go hence, and with his cap in hand
Like a base Pander hold the Chamber doore,
Whilst a base slaue, no gentler then my dogge,
His fairest daughter is contaminated

   Con. Disorder that hath spoyl'd vs, friend vs now,
Let vs on heapes go offer vp our liues

   Orl. We are enow yet liuing in the Field,
To smother vp the English in our throngs,
If any order might be thought vpon

   Bur. The diuell take Order now, Ile to the throng;
Let life be short, else shame will be too long.
Enter.

Alarum. Enter the King and his trayne, with Prisoners.

  King. Well haue we done, thrice-valiant Countrimen,
But all's not done, yet keepe the French the field

   Exe. The D[uke]. of York commends him to your Maiesty
  King. Liues he good Vnckle: thrice within this houre
I saw him downe; thrice vp againe, and fighting,
From Helmet to the spurre, all blood he was

   Exe. In which array (braue Soldier) doth he lye,
Larding the plaine: and by his bloody side,
(Yoake-fellow to his honour-owing-wounds)
The Noble Earle of Suffolke also lyes.
Suffolke first dyed, and Yorke all hagled ouer
Comes to him, where in gore he lay insteeped,
And takes him by the Beard, kisses the gashes
That bloodily did yawne vpon his face.
He cryes aloud; Tarry my Cosin Suffolke,
My soule shall thine keepe company to heauen:
Tarry (sweet soule) for mine, then flye a-brest:
As in this glorious and well-foughten field
We kept together in our Chiualrie.
Vpon these words I came, and cheer'd him vp,
He smil'd me in the face, raught me his hand,
And with a feeble gripe, sayes: Deere my Lord,
Commend my seruice to my Soueraigne,
So did he turne, and ouer Suffolkes necke
He threw his wounded arme, and kist his lippes,
And so espous'd to death, with blood he seal'd
A Testament of Noble-ending-loue:
The prettie and sweet manner of it forc'd
Those waters from me, which I would haue stop'd,
But I had not so much of man in mee,
And all my mother came into mine eyes,
And gaue me vp to teares

   King. I blame you not,
For hearing this, I must perforce compound
With mixtfull eyes, or they will issue to.

Alarum

But hearke, what new alarum is this same?
The French haue re-enforc'd their scatter'd men:
Then euery souldiour kill his Prisoners,
Giue the word through.

Exit

 Chorus The chorus describes Henry's army boarding the ships that take the soldiers to Harfleur. They also mention that King Charles has made Henry an offer. Charles offers his daughter Catherine in marriage and will give some unprofitable dukedoms as part of the dowry. Henry does not like the offer, and chooses instead to go to war. Act Three, Scene One The scene opens in the middle of a battle to capture Harfleur. Henry says, "Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more, / Or close the wall up with our English dead" . Henry proceeds to order his men to not dishonor their glorious forefathers. He motivates his men by telling them to teach the French how to really fight, thereby rallying his men to war and victory. Act Three, Scene Two Bardolph enters crying, "On, on, on, on! To the breach, to the breach!" . Nim and Pistol tell him that the fighting is too hot there and that they would rather stay alive. The Welsh captain, Fluellen, sees them standing still and starts to beat them while shouting at them to continue moving. When Nim makes a sarcastic remark, Fluellen starts to beat him until he and the others leave. The Boy, who formerly served Falstaff, remains behind and comments that he must find a new set of masters other than the three thieves for whom he has no respect. Act Three, Scene Three Captain Fluellen and Captain Gower, representing Wales and England respectively, discuss the tunnels which are being dug to undermine the fortress at Harfleur. Fluellen tells Gower that Captain MacMorris, who is in charge of building the tunnels, is an ass who will get them all blown up because he is allowing the enemy to build counter-tunnels four feet below his tunnels. Captain MacMorris and Captain Jamy arrive. Fluellen remarks that Jamy is a marvelous man whose war tactics he respects. MacMorris tells them that the diggers were forced to quit and that he is upset because in one more hour he would have blown up the town. Fluellen offers him some advice on warfare, but mistakenly refers to MacMorris' "nation". He is corrected by the Irishman, who says, "Of my nation? What ish my nation?...Who talks of my nation?" . Fluellen wants to show the Irishman that he fully understands the disciplines of war, but MacMorris does not want to be taught by the Welshman. The town of Harfleur sounds a parley, a signal that they want to negotiate. Henry tells them it had better be the last negotiation, or he will destroy the town. He tells the governor that he will allow his men to rape the daughters, smash the heads of the fathers, and spit the infants on pikes unless there is an immediate surrender. The governor informs him that the Dauphin is unable to come to the town's defense, and that therefore he will yield the town to Henry's mercy. The gates are opened, and Henry instantly orders Exeter fortify the town against the French. Act Three, Scene Four The princess Catherine, the daughter of Charles, asks an older gentlewoman named Alice to teach her English. The entire scene is done in French, and Catherine learns the words for hand, finger, nails, foot, arm, chin, and elbow. Catherine learns the words well enough to repeat them at the end of the lesson before going to dinner. Act Three, Scene Five King Charles is upset that Henry is advancing so rapidly through France. The noblemen and the Dauphin are shocked at the fighting ability of the British, and remark that unless Henry's troops are stopped, they will be forced to work and dance like the English. They further complain that Henry is being honored by the French women for being more valiant than their own men. Charles orders his nobles to rally every man and take their army against Henry. The Constable remarks that Henry's army is fewer in number and that many of his men are sick and famished, and therefore Charles should easily win the battle. Charles lastly orders his son the Dauphin to remain with him in Rouen rather than go to battle. Act Three, Scene Six Fluellen tells Gower that he has seen Exeter valiantly defending the bridge so that Henry's troops can cross over. He then adds that Exeter has an ensign lieutenant with him named Pistol whom he also thinks is a great soldier. Gower says he does not know who Pistol is, but Pistol arrives at that moment. Pistol asks Fluellen to intercede with Exeter and free Bardolph, who has stolen a religious tablet and is set to hang for his crime. Fluellen refuses, saying he would maintain the discipline even if Bardolph were his brother. Pistol curses him and makes a rude gesture before storming away. Gower tells Fluellen that he now recognizes Pistol as a common thief, and tells Fluellen to not be deceived by the man. King Harry arrives, and Fluellen tells him that Exeter manages to win the bridge without losing a single man, other than Bardolph whom he ordered executed. Henry agrees with the execution, and tells Fluellen that if any other men are caught stealing, the same sentence should apply to them. He remarks that in war it is the gentler of the armies that emerges triumphant in the end. Montjoy arrives from King Charles and tells King Henry that France has merely been sleeping, but now the full force of the French army will fight with him. He orders Henry to depart from France. He further demands that King Charles be fully compensated for the damages Henry has done to Harfleur, and lastly wants Henry to beg mercy from Charles. Henry tells Montjoy that although his army is weak with sickness, he will continue marching into France and will have to be defeated in battle. He then tips Montjoy. Act Three, Scene Seven The French nobles are organizing near Agincourt, and Bourbon , the Constable, Rambures, and Orleans discuss their horses. Bourbon remarks that he would not change his horse for anything, and tells the other men that he even wrote a sonnet to the horse once. He starts telling them the sonnet, saying, "Wonder of nature!" . Orleans interrupts him and comments that the sonnet sounds like it is for a lover, not a horse. "I have heard a sonnet begin so to one's mistress" . Bourbon and the Constable continue talking, making sexual innuendoes concerning horses and mistresses. Bourbon finally leaves to go arm himself. The Constable and Orleans comment on how they wish it were morning so they could defeat the English army. A messenger arrives and tells the men that the English army is only fifteen hundred paces away that night. They both comment that the English are probably not enjoying the night or anticipating the morning's battle the way they are. Both noblemen are convinced they will have no trouble defeating the English the next morning.

