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History of Henry V

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Act IV, Scene 8

Before KING HENRY’S pavilion.

       
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[Enter GOWER and WILLIAMS]

  • Williams. I warrant it is to knight you, captain.

[Enter FLUELLEN]

  • Fluellen. God's will and his pleasure, captain, I beseech you
    now, come apace to the king: there is more good 2710
    toward you peradventure than is in your knowledge to dream of.
  • Fluellen. Know the glove! I know the glove is glove.
  • Williams. I know this; and thus I challenge it.

[Strikes him]

  • Fluellen. 'Sblood! an arrant traitor as any is in the
    universal world, or in France, or in England!
  • Gower. How now, sir! you villain!
  • Williams. Do you think I'll be forsworn?
  • Fluellen. Stand away, Captain Gower; I will give treason his 2720
    payment into ploughs, I warrant you.
  • Fluellen. That's a lie in thy throat. I charge you in his
    majesty's name, apprehend him: he's a friend of the
    Duke Alencon's. 2725

[Enter WARWICK and GLOUCESTER]

  • Fluellen. 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 2730
    his majesty.

[Enter KING HENRY and EXETER]

  • Henry V. How now! what's the matter?
  • Fluellen. My liege, here is a villain and a traitor, that,
    look your grace, has struck the glove which your 2735
    majesty is take out of the helmet of Alencon.
  • Williams. 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 2740
    have been as good as my word.
  • Fluellen. 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 2745
    this is the glove of Alencon, that your majesty is
    give me; in your conscience, now?
  • Henry V. Give me thy glove, soldier: look, here is the
    fellow of it.
    'Twas I, indeed, thou promised'st to strike; 2750
    And thou hast given me most bitter terms.
  • Fluellen. An please your majesty, let his neck answer for it,
    if there is any martial law in the world.
  • Henry V. How canst thou make me satisfaction?
  • Williams. All offences, my lord, come from the heart: never 2755
    came any from mine that might offend your majesty.
  • Henry V. It was ourself thou didst abuse.
  • Williams. 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 2760
    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.
  • Henry V. Here, uncle Exeter, fill this glove with crowns, 2765
    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.
  • Fluellen. By this day and this light, the fellow has mettle 2770
    enough in his belly. 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 better for you.
  • Williams. I will none of your money. 2775
  • Fluellen. 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.

[Enter an English Herald]

  • Henry V. Now, herald, are the dead number'd?
  • Herald. Here is the number of the slaughter'd French.
  • Henry V. What prisoners of good sort are taken, uncle?
  • Duke of Exeter. Charles Duke of Orleans, nephew to the king;
    John Duke of Bourbon, and Lord Bouciqualt: 2785
    Of other lords and barons, knights and squires,
    Full fifteen hundred, besides common men.
  • Henry V. 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 2790
    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, 2795
    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; 2800
    Jaques of Chatillon, admiral of France;
    The master of the cross-bows, Lord Rambures;
    Great Master of France, the brave Sir Guichard Dolphin,
    John Duke of Alencon, Anthony Duke of Brabant,
    The brother of the Duke of Burgundy, 2805
    And Edward Duke of Bar: of lusty earls,
    Grandpre and Roussi, Fauconberg and Foix,
    Beaumont and Marle, Vaudemont and Lestrale.
    Here was a royal fellowship of death!
    Where is the number of our English dead? 2810
    [Herald shews him another paper]
    Edward the Duke of York, the Earl of Suffolk,
    Sir Richard Ketly, Davy Gam, esquire:
    None else of name; and of all other men
    But five and twenty. O God, thy arm was here; 2815
    And not to us, but to thy arm alone,
    Ascribe we all! When, without stratagem,
    But in plain shock and even play of battle,
    Was ever known so great and little loss
    On one part and on the other? Take it, God, 2820
    For it is none but thine!
  • Henry V. Come, go we in procession to the village.
    And be it death proclaimed through our host
    To boast of this or take the praise from God 2825
    Which is his only.
  • Fluellen. Is it not lawful, an please your majesty, to tell
    how many is killed?
  • Henry V. Yes, captain; but with this acknowledgement,
    That God fought for us. 2830
  • Fluellen. Yes, my conscience, he did us great good.
  • Henry V. Do we all holy rites;
    Let there be sung 'Non nobis' and 'Te Deum;'
    The dead with charity enclosed in clay:
    And then to Calais; and to England then: 2835
    Where ne'er from France arrived more happy men.

[Exeunt]