Chapter: Enter Fluellen and Gower.

  Flu. Kill the poyes and the luggage, 'Tis expressely
against the Law of Armes, tis as arrant a peece of knauery
marke you now, as can bee offert in your Conscience
now, is it not?
  Gow. Tis certaine, there's not a boy left aliue, and the
Cowardly Rascalls that ranne from the battaile ha' done
this slaughter: besides they haue burned and carried away
all that was in the Kings Tent, wherefore the King
most worthily hath caus'd euery soldiour to cut his prisoners
throat. O 'tis a gallant King

   Flu. I, hee was porne at Monmouth Captaine Gower:
What call you the Townes name where Alexander the
pig was borne?
  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, saue the phrase is a litle variations

   Gower. I thinke Alexander the Great was borne in
Macedon, his Father was called Phillip of Macedon, as I
take it

   Flu. I thinke it is in Macedon where Alexander is
porne: I tell you Captaine, if you looke in the Maps of
the Orld, I warrant you sall finde in the comparisons betweene
Macedon & Monmouth, that the situations looke
you, is both alike. There is a Riuer in Macedon, & there
is also moreouer a Riuer at Monmouth, it is call'd Wye at
Monmouth: but it is out of my praines, what is the name
of the other Riuer: but 'tis all one, tis alike as my fingers
is to my fingers, and there is Salmons in both. If you
marke Alexanders life well, Harry of Monmouthes life is
come after it indifferent well, for there is figures in all
things. Alexander God knowes, and you know, in his
rages, and his furies, and his wraths, and his chollers, and
his moodes, and his displeasures, and his indignations,
and also being a little intoxicates in his praines, did in
his Ales and his angers (looke you) kill his best friend
Clytus

   Gow. Our King is not like him in that, he neuer kill'd
any of his friends

   Flu. It is not well done (marke 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
kild his friend Clytus, being in his Ales and his Cuppes; so
also Harry Monmouth being in his right wittes, and his
good iudgements, turn'd away the fat Knight with the
great belly doublet: he was full of iests, and gypes, and
knaueries, and mockes, I haue forgot his name

   Gow. Sir Iohn Falstaffe

   Flu. That is he: Ile tell you, there is good men porne
at Monmouth

   Gow. Heere comes his Maiesty.

Alarum. Enter King Harry and Burbon with prisoners. Flourish.

  King. I was not angry since I came to France,
Vntill this instant. Take a Trumpet Herald,
Ride thou vnto the Horsemen on yond hill:
If they will fight with vs, bid them come downe,
Or voyde the field: they do offend our sight.
If they'l do neither, we will come to them,
And make them sker away, as swift as stones
Enforced from the old Assyrian slings:
Besides, wee'l cut the throats of those we haue,
And not a man of them that we shall take,
Shall taste our mercy. Go and tell them so.
Enter Montioy.

  Exe. Here comes the Herald of the French, my Liege
  Glou. His eyes are humbler then they vs'd to be

   King. How now, what meanes this Herald? Knowst
thou not,
That I haue fin'd these bones of mine for ransome?
Com'st thou againe for ransome?
  Her. No great King:
I come to thee for charitable License,
That we may wander ore this bloody field,
To booke 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 limbes
In blood of Princes, and with wounded steeds
Fret fet-locke deepe in gore, and with wilde rage
Yerke out their armed heeles at their dead masters,
Killing them twice. O giue vs leaue great King,
To view the field in safety, and dispose
Of their dead bodies

   Kin. I tell thee truly Herald,
I know not if the day be ours or no,
For yet a many of your horsemen peere,
And gallop ore the field

   Her. The day is yours

   Kin. Praised be God, and not our strength for it:
What is this Castle call'd that stands hard by

   Her. They call it Agincourt

   King. 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 Maiesty) and your great Vncle Edward the Placke
Prince of Wales, as I haue read in the Chronicles, fought
a most praue pattle here in France

   Kin. They did Fluellen

   Flu. Your Maiesty sayes very true: If your Maiesties
is remembred of it, the Welchmen did good seruice in a
Garden where Leekes did grow, wearing Leekes in their
Monmouth caps, which your Maiesty know to this houre
is an honourable badge of the seruice: And I do beleeue
your Maiesty takes no scorne to weare the Leeke vppon
S[aint]. Tauies day

   King. I weare it for a memorable honor:
For I am Welch you know good Countriman

   Flu. All the water in Wye, cannot wash your Maiesties
Welsh plood out of your pody, I can tell you that:
God plesse it, and preserue it, as long as it pleases his
Grace, and his Maiesty too

   Kin. Thankes good my Countrymen

   Flu. By Ieshu, I am your Maiesties Countreyman, I
care not who know it: I will confesse it to all the Orld, I
need not to be ashamed of your Maiesty, praised be God
so long as your Maiesty is an honest man

   King. Good keepe me so.
Enter Williams.

Our Heralds go with him,
Bring me iust notice of the numbers dead
On both our parts. Call yonder fellow hither

   Exe. Souldier, you must come to the King

   Kin. Souldier, why wear'st thou that Gloue in thy
Cappe?
  Will. And't please your Maiesty, tis the gage of one
that I should fight withall, if he be aliue

   Kin. An Englishman?
  Wil. And't please your Maiesty, a Rascall that swagger'd
with me last night: who if aliue, and euer dare to
challenge this Gloue, I haue sworne to take him a boxe
a'th ere: or if I can see my Gloue in his cappe, which he
swore as he was a Souldier he would weare (if aliue) I wil
strike it out soundly

   Kin. What thinke you Captaine Fluellen, is it fit this
souldier keepe his oath

   Flu. Hee is a Crauen and a Villaine else, and't please
your Maiesty in my conscience

   King. It may bee, his enemy is a Gentleman of great
sort quite from the answer of his degree

   Flu. Though he be as good a Ientleman as the diuel is,
as Lucifer and Belzebub himselfe, it is necessary (looke
your Grace) that he keepe his vow and his oath: If hee
bee periur'd (see you now) his reputation is as arrant a
villaine and a Iacke sawce, as euer his blacke shoo trodd
vpon Gods ground, and his earth, in my conscience law
  King. Then keepe thy vow sirrah, when thou meet'st
the fellow

   Wil. So, I wil my Liege, as I liue

   King. Who seru'st thou vnder?
  Will. Vnder Captaine Gower, my Liege

   Flu. Gower is a good Captaine, and is good knowledge
and literatured in the Warres

   King. Call him hither to me, Souldier

   Will. I will my Liege.
Enter.

  King. Here Fluellen, weare thou this fauour for me, and
sticke it in thy Cappe: when Alanson and my selfe were
downe together, I pluckt this Gloue from his Helme: If
any man challenge this, hee is a friend to Alanson, and an
enemy to our Person; if thou encounter any such, apprehend
him, and thou do'st me loue

   Flu. Your Grace doo's me as great Honors as can be
desir'd in the hearts of his Subiects: I would faine see
the man, that ha's but two legges, that shall find himselfe
agreefd at this Gloue; that is all: but I would faine see
it once, and please God of his grace that I might see

   King. Know'st thou Gower?
  Flu. He is my deare friend, and please you

   King. Pray thee goe seeke him, and bring him to my
Tent

   Flu. I will fetch him.
Enter.

  King. My Lord of Warwick, and my Brother Gloster,
Follow Fluellen closely at the heeles.
The Gloue which I haue giuen him for a fauour,
May haply purchase him a box a'th' eare.
It is the Souldiers: I by bargaine should
Weare it my selfe. Follow good Cousin Warwick:
If that the Souldier strike him, as I iudge
By his blunt bearing, he will keepe his word;
Some sodaine mischiefe may arise of it:
For I doe know Fluellen valiant,
And toucht with Choler, hot as Gunpowder,
And quickly will returne an iniurie.
Follow, and see there be no harme betweene them.
Goe you with me, Vnckle of Exeter.

Exeunt.

Enter Gower and Williams.

  Will. I warrant it is to Knight you, Captaine.
Enter Fluellen.

  Flu. Gods will, and his pleasure, Captaine, I beseech
you now, come apace to the King: there is more good
toward you peraduenture, then is in your knowledge to
dreame of

   Will. Sir, know you this Gloue?
  Flu. Know the Gloue? I know the Gloue is a Gloue

   Will. I know this, and thus I challenge it.

Strikes him.

  Flu. 'Sblud, an arrant Traytor as anyes in the Vniuersall
World, or in France, or in England

   Gower. How now Sir? you Villaine

   Will. Doe you thinke Ile be forsworne?
  Flu. Stand away Captaine Gower, I will giue Treason
his payment into plowes, I warrant you

   Will. I am no Traytor

   Flu. That's a Lye in thy Throat. I charge you in his
Maiesties Name apprehend him, he's a friend of the Duke
Alansons.
Enter Warwick and Gloucester.

  Warw. How now, how now, what's the matter?
  Flu. My Lord of Warwick, heere is, praysed be God
for it, a most contagious Treason come to light, looke
you, as you shall desire in a Summers day. Heere is his
Maiestie.
Enter King and Exeter.

  King. How now, what's the matter?
  Flu. My Liege, heere is a Villaine, and a Traytor,
that looke your Grace, ha's strooke the Gloue which
your Maiestie is take out of the Helmet of Alanson

   Will. My Liege, this was my Gloue, here is the fellow
of it: and he that I gaue it to in change, promis'd to weare
it in his Cappe: I promis'd to strike him, if he did: I met
this man with my Gloue in his Cappe, and I haue been as
good as my word

   Flu. Your Maiestie heare now, sauing your Maiesties
Manhood, what an arrant rascally, beggerly, lowsie
Knaue it is: I hope your Maiestie is peare me testimonie
and witnesse, and will auouchment, that this is the Gloue
of Alanson, that your Maiestie is giue me, in your Conscience
now

   King. Giue me thy Gloue Souldier;
Looke, heere is the fellow of it:
'Twas I indeed thou promised'st to strike,
And thou hast giuen me most bitter termes

   Flu. And please your Maiestie, let his Neck answere
for it, if there is any Marshall Law in the World

   King. How canst thou make me satisfaction?
  Will. All offences, my Lord, come from the heart: neuer
came any from mine, that might offend your Maiestie

   King. It was our selfe thou didst abuse

   Will. Your Maiestie came not like your selfe: you
appear'd to me but as a common man; witnesse the
Night, your Garments, your Lowlinesse: and what
your Highnesse suffer'd vnder that shape, I beseech you
take it for your owne fault, and not mine: for had you
beene as I tooke you for, I made no offence; therefore I
beseech your Highnesse pardon me

   King. Here Vnckle Exeter, fill this Gloue with Crownes,
And giue it to this fellow. Keepe it fellow,
And weare it for an Honor in thy Cappe,
Till I doe challenge it. Giue him the Crownes:
And Captaine, you must needs be friends with him

   Flu. By this Day and this Light, the fellow ha's mettell
enough in his belly: Hold, there is twelue-pence for
you, and I pray you to serue God, and keepe you out of
prawles and prabbles, and quarrels and dissentions, and I
warrant you it is the better for you

   Will. I will none of your Money

   Flu. It is with a good will: I can tell you it will serue
you to mend your shooes: come, wherefore should you
be so pashfull, your shooes is not so good: 'tis a good
silling I warrant you, or I will change it.
Enter Herauld.

  King. Now Herauld, are the dead numbred?
  Herald. Heere is the number of the slaught'red
French

   King. What Prisoners of good sort are taken,
Vnckle?
  Exe. Charles Duke of Orleance, Nephew to the King,
Iohn Duke of Burbon, and Lord Bouchiquald:
Of other Lords and Barons, Knights and Squires,
Full fifteene hundred, besides common men

   King. This Note doth tell me of ten thousand French
That in the field lye slaine: of Princes in this number,
And Nobles bearing Banners, there lye dead
One hundred twentie six: added to these,
Of Knights, Esquires, and gallant Gentlemen,
Eight thousand and foure hundred: of the which,
Fiue hundred were but yesterday dubb'd Knights.
So that in these ten thousand they haue lost,
There are but sixteene hundred Mercenaries:
The rest are Princes, Barons, Lords, Knights, Squires,
And Gentlemen of bloud and qualitie.
The Names of those their Nobles that lye dead:
Charles Delabreth, High Constable of France,
Iaques of Chatilion, Admirall of France,
The Master of the Crosse-bowes, Lord Rambures,
Great Master of France, the braue Sir Guichard Dolphin,
Iohn Duke of Alanson, Anthonie Duke of Brabant,
The Brother to the Duke of Burgundie,
And Edward Duke of Barr: of lustie Earles,
Grandpree and Roussie, Fauconbridge and Foyes,
Beaumont and Marle, Vandemont and Lestrale.
Here was a Royall fellowship of death.
Where is the number of our English dead?
Edward the Duke of Yorke, the Earle of Suffolke,
Sir Richard Ketly, Dauy Gam Esquire;
None else of name: and of all other men,
But fiue and twentie.
O God, thy Arme was heere:
And not to vs, but to thy Arme alone,
Ascribe we all: when, without stratagem,
But in plaine shock, and euen play of Battaile,
Was euer knowne so great and little losse?
On one part and on th' other, take it God,
For it is none but thine

   Exet. 'Tis wonderfull

   King. Come, goe we in procession to the Village:
And be it death proclaymed through our Hoast,
To boast of this, or take that prayse from God,
Which is his onely

   Flu. Is it not lawfull and please your Maiestie, to tell
how many is kill'd?
  King. Yes Captaine: but with this acknowledgement,
That God fought for vs

   Flu. Yes, my conscience, he did vs great good

   King. Doe we all holy Rights:
Let there be sung Non nobis, and Te Deum,
The dead with charitie enclos'd in Clay:
And then to Callice, and to England then,
Where ne're from France arriu'd more happy men.

Exeunt.

 Chorus The two armies are situated very close to one another and the noises from each camp can be heard by the enemy. The chorus indicates the the French are eagerly waiting for the night to go away and that they are supremely overconfident in their victory the next morning. The English, meanwhile, are quietly sitting by their fires looking tired and haggard. King Henry has disguised himself as a common soldier and is visiting his men at each tent in an attempt to lift up their spirits. Act Four, Scene One Henry tells his brothers, Clarence and Gloucester, that the army is in grave danger and therefore they need even greater courage. Sir Erpingham, an elderly man, arrives. Henry asks him for his cloak and puts it on, thereby disguising himself as one of the soldiers. He commands Clarence and Gloucester to gather the princes in the camp at his pavilion. In the meantime he himself goes to visit the common soldiers. Pistol hears Henry approaching and demands his name. Henry replies with Henry le roi, French for "the King." Pistol leaves and Fluellen and Gower arrive, but are unaware that Henry is standing nearby watching them. Fluellen admonishes Gower for talking too loudly, and tells him that just because the French army is unable to be quiet, that does not mean the English army has a right to be overly loud. Both captains leave, and King Henry remarks that although unconventional at times, Fluellen is a very good captain. Three soldiers, named Bates, Court, and Williams, enter and greet King Henry, who now pretends to be a member of Erpingham's company. Henry tells them that, "I think the King is but a man, as I am" . They are unwilling to fight since they are afraid of dying the next day, but Henry tells them that there is no other place he would rather be than fighting for the King. He further adds that, "I myself heard the King say he would not be ransomed" , indicating the King will fight to the death rather than surrender. Williams, one of the soldiers, does not believe him and says that the king could easily break his word to them. Henry pretends to take offense at this, and claims that he has been challenged. He agrees to fight Williams if they both survive the battle. They trade gloves and promise to wear the gloves in their bonnets so that they will be able to recognize each other in the future. Williams, after taking the king's glove, tells him he will box him on the ears if he ever returns to accept the challenge. Bates tells the two men, "Be friends, you English fools, be friends. We have French quarrels enough" . The soldiers exit, and Henry is left alone. He remarks that the soldiers want to blame all their troubles on the King, and mimics what Williams was saying, "Let us our lives, our souls, our debts, our care-full wives, / Our children, and our sins, lay on the King" . Henry then comments, "And what have kings that privates have not too, / Save ceremony, save general ceremony?" . He insists that the only thing that separates a king from the commoners is the use of ceremony. Erpingham finds Henry and tells him that the nobles are gathered and that they are worried about him since he has been gone so long. Henry quickly says a short prayer, asking God to forgive the fact that his father usurped the throne from Richard II. Gloucester arrives and Henry returns with him to meet the nobles. Act Four, Scene Two In the French camp, the Dukes of Bourbon and Orleans and Lord Rambures discuss the wonderful morning in anticipation of the coming battle. The Constable arrives and remarks on how spirited their horses seem, and Bourbon tells him they should prick the horses hides so the blood will spray out into the English soldiers' eyes. A messenger interrupts their discourse and informs them that the English have already formed battle lines. The Constable rallies the men by telling them their appearance alone will make the English run away. Lord Grandpre enters the camp and asks the lords why they are waiting to go to battle. He tells them the English have already walked onto the battle field. He then proceeds to describe the English as "cadaver" and "desperate to their bones" . The other men laugh at the description and finally the Constable orders them to go to the field. Act Four, Scene Three The English lords and dukes are assembled, waiting for Henry to arrive and wondering what has happened to him. Clarence informs them that Henry has gone to look at the French army, which Warwick claims has sixty thousand men in it. Exeter comments that the English are thereby outnumbered five to one, and the French also have been well fed rather than on a starvation diet. Salisbury exclaims, "'Tis a fearful odds" , but he nonetheless goes to his command post to lead his troops. Henry enters the gathering from behind and overhears Warwick wishing for another ten thousand men. Henry speaks to Warwick and the assembled men and says, "No, my fair cousin. / ...The fewer men, the greater share of honour" . He tells them that any soldier who does not wish to fight with them should be allowed to leave immediately, because he does not want to share the honor of the battle with such a man. Henry then proceeds to give what is famously known as his "Crispin Day Speech" because he emphasizes that every man will always remember that on this Feast of Crispian they were wounded while defeating France for the glory of England. In some of his most famous lines, Henry states, "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers. / For he today that sheds his blood with me / Shall be my brother" . The Earl of Salisbury enters again and tells Henry that the French are already on the field of battle and marching towards them. King Henry orders his lords to take up their battle stations. He then meets with Montjoy, a messenger sent by the Constable of France, for one last negotiation. Montjoy asks him if he will agree to the terms that were previously offered him . Henry tells him to come and collect his bones himself rather then expect them to be handed over willingly. He then sends Montjoy away, telling to not come again if it is to ask him for surrender. Act Four, Scene Four Pistol, accompanied by the Boy, has come across a French soldier whom he is threatening to kill. He first makes fun of the man's French, but soon has the Boy translate for him. Pistol tells the man that he will kill him unless he pays a ransom. The man agrees to give Pistol two hundred crowns for which he is let loose and ordered to follow Pistol so that he can pay him. The Boy comments at the end that Pistol is far worse a thief than Bardolph or Nim ever were. He then remarks that if the French were only aware that most of the luggage in the camp was guarded by mere boys then they would have an easy time of stealing it. Act Four, Scene Five The French leaders, namely the Constable, Bourbon, Orleans and Rambures meet briefly on the battlefield. They all say that the day is lost and that the army is in complete disarray. Bourbon finally takes charge of the situation, saying, "The devil take order. Once more back again! / And he that will not follow Bourbon now, / Let him go home, and with his cap in hand" . The Constable agrees with him, and they return to the battle. Act Four, Scene Six Henry enters the stage with his soldiers and their prisoners. Exeter meets him and tells him that York, who lead the charge, commends himself to King Henry. Henry asks Exeter whether York is still alive. Exeter then tells how Suffolk fell first and died on the battlefield, at which point York went over to where Suffolk lay and also fell down. York told Suffolk that he would join him in heaven and died with him arm around the other man's neck. Henry is saddened by the loss of his men but does not have time for tears. He realizes that the French have regrouped on the field and are leading another attack. Henry tells his soldiers to kill their prisoners so they can keep fighting, which they do. Pistol ends the scene by saying, "Cut the throat" in French. Act Four, Scene Seven Fluellen and Gower are outside Henry's pavilion discussing the decisions that Henry has made throughout the play. Fluellen compares Henry to Alexander the Great and draws a long analogy between the two men and the places where they were born. When Fluellen mentions that Alexander killed his friend Cleitus in anger, Gower interrupts him and says, "Our King is not like him in that. He never killed any of his friends" . Fluellen tells Gower not to cut him off prematurely, and then points out that Henry turned away Sir John Falstaff. King Henry enters with his army and the new French prisoners including Bourbon and Orleans. Henry tells his herald that he was not angry before but he is now because some horsemen are standing on a hill refusing to attack the English but also refusing to retreat. He orders the Herald to inform that they should vacate the field or he will kill off all of the prisoners. Montjoy enters at that moment and begs permission from Henry to allow the French to catalog their dead and separate the noblemen from the common soldiers. Henry tells him that he does not know if he has won yet since the horsemen are still riding around the battlefield. Montjoy tells him that he has conquered the French army and that the castle located nearby is Agincourt. Henry then declares the battle to have taken place on the field Agincourt, thereby naming the battle. Fluellen comments that Henry's ancestor Edward the Black Prince won a valiant battle in France as well. Henry agrees with him. Fluellen then tells Henry that at the time the Welsh fought in a leek garden and put leeks into their hats, a symbol that is still a sign of a Welsh soldier. He lastly praises Henry as his king and tells him that he will never be ashamed of him, "so long as your majesty is an honest man" . Williams enters with Henry's glove in his cap and Henry orders Exeter to fetch him. He asks Williams why he is wearing the glove, and Williams tells him that he has a feud to settle with the owner. Henry then orders Williams to go fetch Captain Gower and bring him. Once Williams has left, Henry hands Fluellen the glove he received from Williams and tells him to wear it in his hat. He further gives instructions that Fluellen should arrest any man that challenges him on account of the glove. He then sends Fluellen to fetch Gower as well, knowing that Fluellen and Williams will meet each other. Henry tells Warwick and Gloucester what he has done, and orders them to follow Fluellen and prevent him from harming Williams. Act Four, Scene Eight Williams enters with Gower, telling Gower that Henry probably want to see him in order to knight him. Fluellen soon arrives and Williams, seeing the glove, challenges Fluellen by hitting him. Fluellen calls him a traitor and orders Gower to stand aside so he may arrest Williams. Warwick and Gloucester arrive and ask what the problem is. Henry soon appears with Exeter, and Fluellen hands Williams over to Henry. Henry matches up the two pairs of gloves and tells Williams that he was the man whom Williams promised to hit. He then has Exeter fill the glove with crowns and give it Williams, whom he tells to wear it in his cap. Williams, insulted by the way things have turned out, says, "I will none of your money" . Fluellen encourages Williams to take the money, although whether he does is ambiguous. A messenger arrives and gives Henry a list of the French dead. Henry tells his men that over ten thousand French soldiers died, a large number of whom were high ranking nobility. He is then handed another piece of paper listing the English dead, which only lists four men of high rank and twenty-five common soldiers. He orders them to go to the village and allows Fluellen to tell the soldiers how many French they killed.

