K. Hen. Praised be God, and not our strength for it! What is this castle call'd, that stands hard by? 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. Flu. Your majesty says very true: If your majesty is remembered of it, the Welshmen did goot service in a garden where leeks did grow, wearing leeks in their Monmouth caps; which your majesty knows, to this hour is an honourable padge of the service; and, I do believe, your majesty takes no scorn to wear the leek upon saint Tavy's day. 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, can tell you that: Got pless it and preserve it, as long as it pleases his grace, and his majesty too! K. Hen. Thanks, good my countryman. Flu. 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, so long as your majesty is an honest man. K. Hen. God keep meso-our heralds go with him. Bring me just notice of the numbers dead Call yonder fellow hither. Exeunt MONTJOY On both our parts. [Points to WILLIAMS. and others. Ere. Soldier, you must come to the king. K. Hen. Soldier, why wear'st 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? Will. An't please your majesty, a rascal, that swagger'd 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. 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 goot a gentleman as the tevil is, as Lucifer and Beelzebub 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 Jack-sauce 3, as ever his plack shoe trod upon the earth, in my conscience. K. Hen. Then keep thy vow, sirrah, when thou Will. Under captain Gower, my liege. Flu. Gower is a goot captain: and is good knowledge and literature in the wars. K. Hen. Call him hither to me, soldier. 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 love me. 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. K. Hen. Knowest thou Gower? Flu. He is my dear friend, an please you. K. Hen. Pray thee, go seek him, and bring him to my tent. [Exit. Flu. I will fetch him. K. Hen. My lord of Warwick, and my brother Follow Fluellen closely at the heels: SCENE VIII. [Exeunt. Before King Henry's Pavilion. Will, I warrant, it is to knight you, captain. Flu. Captain, I peseech you now, come apace to the king: there is more goot 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. universal 'orld, or in France, or in England Flu. 'Sblud, an arrant traitor, as any's in the Gow. How now, sir? you villain! 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 of Alençon's. Enter WARWICK and GLOster. War. How now, how now! what's the matter? Flu. My lord of Warwick, here is (praised be Got 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. Hen. How now, what's the matter? Gg Flu. My liege, here is a villain and a traitor, that, | John duke of Bourbon, and lord Bouciqualt: 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, knave it is: I hope your majesty is pear me testimony, and witness, and avouchments, that this is the glove of Alençon, that your majesty is give me, in your conscience now. K. Hen. Give me thy glove, soldier; Look, here is the fellow of it. 'Twas I, indeed, thou promised'st to strike; and thou hast given me most bitter terms. Flu. An please your majesty, let his neck answer for it, if there is any martial law in the 'orld. K. Hen. How canst thou make me satisfaction? Will. All offences, my liege, come from the heart : never came any from mine, that might offend your majesty. K. Hen. It was ourself thou didst abuse. Will. Your majesty came not like yourself: you appeared to me but as a common man; witness 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. K. Hen. Here, uncle Exeter, fill this glove with - 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 Got, and keep you out of prawls, and prabbles, and quarrels, and dissensions, and, I warrant you, it is the petter for you. Will. I will none of your money. Flu. It is with a goot 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 goot: 'tis a goot silling, I warrant you, or I will change it. Enter an English Herald. K. Hen. Now, herald; are the dead number'd? Her. Here is the number of the slaughter'd French. [Delivers a Paper. K. Hen. What prisoners of good sort are taken, uncle ? Exe. Charles duke of Orleans, nephew to the king; Of other lords, and barons, knights, and 'squires, K. Hen. This note doth tell me of ten thousand That in the field lie slain : of princes in this number, John duke of Alençon; Antony duke of Brabant, [Herald presents another Paper. Exe. 'Tis wonderful! K. Hen. Come, go we in procession to the village: Flu. Is it not lawful, an please your majesty, to tell how many is killed? K. Hen. Yes, captain, but with this acknowledg ment, That God fought for us. Flu. Yes, my conscience, he did us great goot. Let there be sung Non nobis, and Te Deum, Enter CHORUS. ACT V. Be here presented. Now we bear the king Chor. Vouchsafe to those that have not read the Toward Calais: grant him there; there seen, story, That I may prompt them: and of such as have, Heave him away upon your winged thoughts, sea, Which, like a mighty whiffler 'fore the king, To welcome him? much more, and much more cause, your digestions, does not agree with it, I would desire you to eat it. Pist. Not for Cadwallader and all his goats. Flu. There is one goat for you. [Strikes him.] Will be so goot, scald knave, as eat it? Pist. Base Trojan, thou shalt die. Flu. You say very true, scald knave, when Got's will is: I will desire you to live in the mean time, and eat your victuals; come, there is sauce for it. [Striking him again.] You called me yesterday, mountain-squire; but I will make you to-day a squire of low degree. I pray you, fall to; if you can mock a leek, you can eat a leek. Gow. Enough, captain; you have astonished him. Flu. I say, I will make him eat some part of my leek, or I will peat his pate four days: Pite, I pray you; it is goot for your green wound, and your ploody coxcomb. Pist. Must I bite? Flu. Yes, certainly; and out of doubt, and out of questions too, and ambiguities. Pist. By this leek, I will most horribly revenge; I eat, and eke I swear Flu. Eat, I pray you: Will you have some more sauce to your leek? there is not enough leek to swear by. Pist. Quiet thy cudgel; thou dost see, I eat. Flu. Much goot do you, scald knave, heartily. Nay, 'pray you, throw none away; the skin is goot for your proken coxcomb. When you take occasions to see leeks hereafter, I pray you mock at them; that is all. Gow. Nay, that's right; but why wear you your shall eat. leek to-day? Saint Davy's day past. Flu. There is occasions and causes why and wherefore in all things; I will tell you, as my friend, captain Gower. The rascally, beggarly, pragging knave, Pistol, — which you and yourself, and all the 'orld, know to be no petter than a fellow, look you now, of no merits, - he is come to me, and prings me pread and salt yesterday, look you, and bid me eat my leek: it was in a place where I could not breed no contentions with him; but I will be so pold as to wear it in my cap till I see him once again, and then I will tell him a little piece of my desires. Pist. I take thy groat, in earnest of revenge. Flu. If I owe you any thing, I will pay you in cudgels; you shall be a woodmonger, and buy nothing of me but cudgels. God be wi' you, and keep you, and heal your pate. [Exit. Pist. All hell shall stir for this. Gow. Go, go; you are a counterfeit cowardly knave. Will you mock at an ancient tradition, — begun upon an honourable respect, and worn as a memorable trophy of predeceased valour, — and dare not avouch in your deeds any of your words? I have seen you gleeking 9 and galling at this gentleman twice or thrice. You thought, because he could not speak English in the native garb, he could not therefore handle an English cudgel: you find it otherwise; and henceforth, let a Welsh correction teach you a good English condition. Fare ye well. [Exit. Pist. Doth fortune play the huswife2 with me now? News have I, that my Nell is dead i' the spital 3, 9 Scoffing, sneering. 2 For jilt. ¡Temper. 3 Hospital. [Exit. SCENE II.-Troyes in Champagne. An Apart- | But grow, like savages, -as soldiers will, ment in the French King's Palace. Enter at one door, KING HENRY, BEDFORD, GLOS- Unto our brother France, and to our sister, And, princes French, and peers, health to you all! Fr. King. Right joyous are we to behold your face, Most worthy brother England; fairly met: - Q. Isa. So happy be the issue, brother England, With all my wits, my pains, and strong endeavours, Her vine, the merry cheerer of the heart, And as our vineyards, fallows, meads, and hedges, Barrier. That nothing do but meditate on blood, - K. Hen. If, duke of Burgundy, you would the peace, Whose want gives growth to the imperfections There is no answer made. K. Hen. Brother, we shall. - Go, uncle Exeter, Q. Isa. Our gracious brother, I will go with them; She is our capital demand, compris'd K. Hen. [Exeunt all but HENRY, KATHARINE, and her Gentlewoman. Fair Katharine, and most fair! Will you vouchsafe to teach a soldier terms, Such as will enter at a lady's ear, And plead his love-suit to her gentle heart? Kath. Your majesty shall mock at me; I cannot speak your England. K. Hen. O fair Katharine, if you will love me soundly with your French heart, I will be glad to hear you confess it brokenly with your English tongue. Do you like me, Kate? Kath. Pardonnez moy, me. I cannot tell vat is - like Alice. Ouy; dat de tongues of de mans is be full & quand vous avez la possession de mor, let me see, of deceits: dat is de princess. what then? Saint Dennis be my speed!) donc Kath. Sauf vostre honneur, le François que vous parlez, est meilleur que l'Anglois lequel je parle. K. Hen. The princess is the better English-vostre est France, & vous estes mienne. It is as easy woman. I'faith, Kate, my wooing is fit for thy for me, Kate, to conquer the kingdom, as to speak understanding: I am glad, thou canst speak no so much more French: I shall never move thee in better English; for, if thou couldst, thou wouldst French, unless it be to laugh at me. find me such a plain king, that thou wouldst think, I had sold my farm to buy my crown. I know no ways to mince it in love, but directly to say-I love you: then, if you urge me further than to say-Do you, in faith? I wear out my suit. Give me your answer; i'faith, do; and so clap hands and a bargain: How say you, lady? K. Hen. No, 'faith, is't not, Kate: but thy speaking of my tongue, and I thine, most truly falsely, must needs be granted to be much at one. But, Kate, dost thou understand thus much English? Canst thou love me? Kath. I cannot tell. K. Hen. Can any of your neighbours tell, Kate? I'll ask them. Come, I know thou lovest me and at night when you come into your closet, you'll question this gentlewoman about me; and I know, Kate, you will to her, dispraise those parts in me, that you love with your heart: but, good Kate, mock me mercifully; the rather, gentle princess, because I love thee cruelly. How answer you, la plus belle Catharine du monde, mon très chere et divine déesse? Kath. Your majesté 'ave fausse French enough to deceive de most sage demoiselle dat is en France. Kath. Sauf vostre honneur, me understand well. K. Hen. Marry, if you would put me to verses, or to dance for your sake, Kate, why you undid me: for the one, I have neither words nor measure; and for the other, I have no strength in measure 9, yet a reasonable measure in strength. If I could win a lady at leap-frog, or by vaulting into my saddle with my armour on my back, under the correction of bragging be it spoken, I should quickly leap for a wife. Or, if I might buffet for my love, or bound my horse for her favours, I could lay on like a butcher, and sit like a jack-an-apes, never off: but, I cannot look greenly, nor gasp out my eloquence, nor I have no cunning in protestation; only down- K. Hen. Now, fye upon my false French! By right oaths, which I never use till urged, nor never mine honour, in true English, I love thee, Kate: by break for urging. If thou canst love a fellow of which honour I dare not swear, thou lovest me; this temper, Kate, whose face is not worth sun-yet my blood begins to flatter me that thou dost, burning, that never looks in his glass for love of any notwithstanding the poor and untempering effect thing he sees there, let thine eye be thy cook. I of my visage. Now beshrew my father's ambition! speak to thee plain soldier: If thou canst love me he was always thinking of civil wars; therefore was for this, take me: if not, to say to thee that II created with a stubborn outside, with an aspect shall die, is true; but-for thy love, no; yet I love of iron, that, when I come to woo ladies, I fright And while thou livest, dear Kate, take them. But, in faith, Kate, the elder I wax, the a fellow of plain and uncoined constancy; for he better I shall appear: my comfort is, that old age, perforce must do thee right, because he hath not that ill-layer up of beauty, can do no more spoil the gift to woo in other places: for these fellows of upon my face: thou hast me, if thou hast me, at infinite tongue, that can rhyme themselves into the worst; and thou shalt wear me, if thou wear ladies' favours - they do always reason themselves me, better and better; and therefore tell me, most out again. What! a speaker is but a prater; a fair Katharine, will you have me? Put off your rhyme is but a ballad. A good leg will fall3; a maiden blushes; avouch the thoughts of your heart straight back will stoop; a black beard will turn with the looks of an empress; take me by the hand, white; a curled pate will grow bald; a fair face and say - Harry of England, I am thine: which will wither; a full eye will wax hollow: but a good word thou shalt no sooner bless mine car withal, heart, Kate, is the sun and moon; or rather the but I will tell thee aloud - England is thine Iresun, and not the moon; for it shines bright, and land is thine, France is thine, and Henry Plantanever changes, but keeps his course truly. If thou genet is thine; who, though I speak it before his would have such a one, take me: And take me, face, if he be not fellow with the best king, thou take a soldier; take a soldier, take a king: And shalt find the best king of good fellows. Come, what sayest thou then to my love? speak, my fair, your answer in broken musick; for thy voice is and fairly, I pray thee. musick, and thy English broken: therefore, queen of all, Katharine, break thy mind to me in broken English, Wilt thou have me? thee too. Kath. Is it possible dat I should love de enemy of France? K. Hen. No; it is not possible, you should love the enemy of France, Kate; but in loving me, you should love the friend of France; for I love France so well, that I will not part with a village of it; I will have it all mine: and, Kate, when France is mine, and I am yours, then yours is France, and you are mine. Kath. I cannot tell vat is dat. K. Hen. No, Kate? I will tell thee in French; which, I am sure, will hang upon my tongue like a new-married wife about her husband's neck, hardly to be shook off. Quand j'ay la possession de France, 9 In dancing. 1 i. e. Like a young lover, awkwardly. 2 He means, resembling a plain piece of metal, which has not yet received any impression. 3 Fall away. Kath. Dat is, as it shall please de roy mon pere. K. Hen. Nay, it will please him well, Kate; it shall please him, Kate. Kath. Den it shall also content me. K. Hen. Upon that I will kiss your hand, and I call you-my queen. Kath. Laissez, mon seigneur, laissez, laissez: ma foy, je ne veux point que vous abbaissez vostre grandeur, en baisant la main d'une vostre indigne serviteur; excusez moy, je vous supplie, mon très puissant seigneur. K. Hen. Then I will kiss your lips, Kate. |