King Henry the Fifth Part 16

_Glo._ His eyes are humbler than they us'd to be.

_Enter MONTJOY,(N) and attendants, R.H. MONTJOY uncovers and kneels._

_K. Hen._ How now! what means this, herald?

Com'st thou again for ransom?

_Mont._ No, great king: I come to thee for charitable licence, That we may wander o'er this b.l.o.o.d.y field To book our dead, and then to bury them; To sort our n.o.bles 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._ I tell thee truly, herald, I know not if the day be ours or no; For yet a many of your hors.e.m.e.n peer And gallop o'er the field.

_Mont._ The day is yours.

_K. Hen._ Praised be Heaven, 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 Crispia.n.u.s.

[_Loud flourish of Trumpets, and shouts of the soldiers.

MONTJOY rises from his knee, and stands R._

_Flu._ (L.) 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._ (C.) They did, Fluellen.

_Flu._ Your majesty says very true: if your majesties is remembered of it, the Welshman did goot service in a garden where leeks did grow, wearing leeks in their Monmouth caps;[29] 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, I can tell you that: Heaven 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, praised be Heaven, so long as your majesty is an honest man.

_K. Hen._ Heaven keep me so!--Our herald go with him: Bring me just notice of the numbers dead On both our parts.--

[_Exeunt MONTJOY and attendants, with English Herald, R.H._

Call yonder fellow hither.

[_Points to WILLIAMS, who is standing in the ranks up the stage, L._

_Exe._ Soldier, you must come to the king.

_K. Hen._ (C.) Soldier, why wear'st thou that glove in thy cap?

_Will._ (_kneels R._) An't please your majesty, 'tis the gage of one that I should fight withal, if he be alive.

[_Rises from his knee._

_K. Hen._ An Englishman?

_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._ (L.) 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,[30] quite from the answer of his degree.[31]

_Flu._ Though he be as goot a gentleman as the tevil is, as Lucifer and Belzebub himself, it is necessary, look your grace, that he keep his vow and his oath.

_K. Hen._ Then keep thy vow, sirrah, when thou meet'st the fellow.

_Will._ So I will, my liege, as I live.

_K. Hen._ Who servest thou under?

_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.

_Will._ I will, my liege.

[_Exit, R.H._

_K. Hen._ Here, Fluellen; wear thou this favour for me, and stick it in thy cap: When Alencon and myself were down together,(O) I plucked this glove from his helm: if any man challenge this, he is a friend to Alencon 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.

_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.

_Flu._ (L.) I will fetch him.

[_Crosses to R., and exit R.H._

_K. Hen._ (L.C.) My lord of Warwick,--and my brother Gloster,

[_Both advance to the KING._

Follow Fluellen closely at the heels: The glove which I have given him for a favour May haply purchase him a box o' the ear; It is the soldier's; I, by bargain, should Wear it myself. Follow, good cousin Warwick: