# Henry V (1918) Yale/Text/Act I

Layout 2
ACT FIRST
Scene One
[London. An Antechamber in the King's Palace]
Enter the two Bishops of Canterbury and Ely.
Cant. My lord, I'll tell you; that self bill is urg'd, Which in th' eleventh year of the last king's reign Was like, and had indeed against us pass'd, But that the scambling and unquiet time 4 Did push it out of further question.
Ely. But how, my lord, shall we resist it now?
Cant. It must be thought on. If it pass against us, We lose the better half of our possession; 8 For all the temporal lands which men devout By testament have given to the church Would they strip from us; being valu'd thus: As much as would maintain, to the king's honour, 12 Full fifteen earls and fifteen hundred knights, Six thousand and two hundred good esquires; ​And, to relief of lazars and weak age, Of indigent faint souls past corporal toil, 16 A hundred almshouses right well supplied; And to the coffers of the king beside, A thousand pounds by the year. Thus runs the bill.
Ely. This would drink deep.
Cant.'T would drink the cup and all.
Ely. But what prevention? 21
Cant. The king is full of grace and fair regard.
Ely. And a true lover of the holy church.
Cant. The courses of his youth promis'd it not. 24 The breath no sooner left his father's body But that his wildness, mortified in him, Seem'd to die too; yea, at that very moment, Consideration like an angel came, 28 And whipp'd the offending Adam out of him, Leaving his body as a paradise, To envelop and contain celestial spirits. Never was such a sudden scholar made; 32 Never came reformation in a flood, With such a heady currance, scouring faults; Nor never Hydra-headed wilfulness So soon did lose his seat and all at once 36 As in this king.
Ely.We are blessed in the change.
Cant. Hear him but reason in divinity, And, all-admiring, with an inward wish You would desire the king were made a prelate: 40 Hear him debate of commonwealth affairs, You would say it hath been all in all his study: List his discourse of war, and you shall hear ​A fearful battle render'd you in music: 44 Turn him to any cause of policy, The Gordian knot of it he will unloose, Familiar as his garter; that, when he speaks, The air, a charter'd libertine, is still, 48 And the mute wonder lurketh in men's ears, To steal his sweet and honey'd sentences; So that the art and practic part of life Must be the mistress to this theoric: 52 Which is a wonder how his Grace should glean it, Since his addiction was to courses vain; His companies unletter'd, rude, and shallow; His hours fill'd up with riots, banquets, sports; 56 And never noted in him any study, Any retirement, any sequestration From open haunts and popularity.
Ely. The strawberry grows underneath the nettle, And wholesome berries thrive and ripen best 61 Neighbour'd by fruit of baser quality: And so the prince obscur'd his contemplation Under the veil of wildness; which, no doubt, 64 Grew like the summer grass, fastest by night, Unseen, yet crescive in his faculty.
Cant. It must be so; for miracles are ceas'd; And therefore we must needs admit the means How things are perfected.
Ely.But, my good lord, 69 How now for mitigation of this bill Urg'd by the commons? Doth his majesty Incline to it, or no?
​Cant.He seems indifferent, 72 Or rather swaying more upon our part Than cherishing the exhibiters against us; For I have made an offer to his majesty, Upon our spiritual convocation, 76 And in regard of causes now in hand, Which I have open'd to his Grace at large, As touching France, to give a greater sum Than ever at one time the clergy yet 80 Did to his predecessors part withal.
Ely. How did this offer seem receiv'd, my lord?
Cant. With good acceptance of his majesty; Save that there was not time enough to hear,— 84 As I perceiv'd his Grace would fain have done,— The severals and unhidden passages Of his true titles to some certain dukedoms, And generally to the crown and seat of France, Deriv'd from Edward, his great-grandfather. 89
Ely. What was the impediment that broke this off?
Cant. The French ambassador upon that instant Crav'd audience; and the hour I think is come To give him hearing: is it four o'clock? 93
Ely. It is.
Cant. Then go we in to know his embassy; Which I could with a ready guess declare 96 Before the Frenchman speak a word of it.
Ely. I'll wait upon you, and I long to hear it.
Exeunt.
Scene Two
[The Presence Chamber]
Enter the King, Humphrey [Duke of Gloucester], Bedford, Clarence, Warwick, Westmoreland, and Exeter [with Attendants].
K. Hen. Where is my gracious lord of Canterbury?
Exe. Not here in presence.
K. Hen.Send for him, good uncle.
West. Shall we call in the ambassador, my liege?
K. Hen. Not yet, my cousin: we would be resolv'd, 4 Before we hear him, of some things of weight That task our thoughts, concerning us and France.
Enter [the] two Bishops.
Cant. God and his angels guard your sacred throne, And make you long become it!
K. Hen.Sure, we thank you. My learned lord, we pray you to proceed, 9 And justly and religiously unfold Why the law Salique that they have in France Or should, or should not, bar us in our claim. 12 And God forbid, my dear and faithful lord, That you should fashion, wrest, or bow your reading, Or nicely charge your understanding soul With opening titles miscreate, whose right 16 Suits not in native colours with the truth; For God doth know how many now in health Shall drop their blood in approbation ​Of what your reverence shall incite us to. 20 Therefore take heed how you impawn our person, How you awake our sleeping sword of war: We charge you in the name of God, take heed; For never two such kingdoms did contend 24 Without much fall of blood; whose guiltless drops Are every one a woe, a sore complaint, 'Gainst him whose wrongs give edge unto the swords That make such waste in brief mortality. 28 Under this conjuration speak, my lord, For we will hear, note, and believe in heart, That what you speak is in your conscience wash'd As pure as sin with baptism. 32
Cant. Then hear me, gracious sovereign, and you peers, That owe yourselves, your lives, and services To this imperial throne. There is no bar To make against your highness' claim to France 36 But this, which they produce from Pharamond, In terram Salicam mulieres ne succedant, 'No woman shall succeed in Salique land': Which Salique land the French unjustly gloze 40 To be the realm of France, and Pharamond - The founder of this law and female bar. Yet their own authors faithfully affirm That the land Salique is in Germany, 44 Between the floods of Sala and of Elbe; Where Charles the Great, having subdu'd the Saxons, There left behind and settled certain French; Who, holding in disdain the German women 48 For some dishonest manners of their life, ​Established then this law; to wit, no female Should be inheritrix in Salique land: Which Salique, as I said, 'twixt Elbe and Sala, Is at this day in Germany call'd Meisen. 53 Then doth it well appear the Salique law Was not devised for the realm of France; Nor did the French possess the Salique land 56 Until four hundred one-and-twenty years After defunction of King Pharamond, Idly suppos'd the founder of this law; Who died within the year of our redemption 60 Four hundred twenty-six; and Charles the Great Subdu'd the Saxons, and did seat the French Beyond the river Sala, in the year Eight hundred five. Besides, their writers say, King Pepin, which deposed Childeric, 65 Did, as heir general, being descended Of Blithild, which was daughter to King Clothair, Make claim and title to the crown of France. 68 Hugh Capet also, who usurp'd the crown Of Charles the Duke of Lorraine, sole heir male Of the true line and stock of Charles the Great, To find his title with some shows of truth,— 72 Though in pure truth, it was corrupt and naught,— Convey'd himself as th' heir to the Lady Lingare, Daughter to Charlemain, who was the son To Lewis the emperor, and Lewis the son 76 Of Charles the Great. Also King Lewis the Tenth, Who was sole heir to the usurper Capet, Could not keep quiet in his conscience, Wearing the crown of France, till satisfied 80 ​That fair Queen Isabel, his grandmother, Was lineal of the Lady Ermengare, Daughter to Charles the aforesaid Duke of Lorraine: By the which marriage the line of Charles the Great 84 Was re-united to the crown of France. So that, as clear as is the summer's sun, King Pepin's title, and Hugh Capet's claim, King Lewis his satisfaction, all appear 88 To hold in right and title of the female: So do the kings of France unto this day; Howbeit they would hold up this Salique law To bar your highness claiming from the female; And rather choose to hide them in a net 93 Than amply to imbar their crooked titles Usurp'd from you and your progenitors.
K. Hen. May I with right and conscience make this claim? 96
Cant. The sin upon my head, dread sovereign! For in the book of Numbers is it writ: 'When the man dies, let the inheritance Descend unto the daughter.' Gracious lord, 100 Stand for your own; unwind your bloody flag; Look back into your mighty ancestors: Go, my dread lord, to your great-grandsire's tomb, From whom you claim; invoke his warlike spirit, 104 And your great-uncle's, Edward the Black Prince, Who on the French ground play'd a tragedy, Making defeat on the full power of France; Whiles his most mighty father on a hill 108 Stood smiling to behold his lion's whelp Forage in blood of French nobility.
​O noble English! that could entertain With half their forces the full pride of France, And let another half stand laughing by, 113 All out of work, and cold for action.
Ely. Awake remembrance of these valiant dead, And with your puissant arm renew their feats: You are their heir, you sit upon their throne, The blood and courage that renowned them Runs in your veins; and my thrice-puissant liege Is in the very May-morn of his youth, 120 Ripe for exploits and mighty enterprises.
Exe. Your brother kings and monarchs of the earth Do all expect that you should rouse yourself, As did the former lions of your blood. 124
West. They know your Grace hath cause and means and might; So hath your highness; never King of England Had nobles richer, and more loyal subjects, Whose hearts have left their bodies here in England 128 And lie pavilion'd in the fields of France.
Cant. O! let their bodies follow, my dear liege, With blood and sword and fire to win your right; In aid whereof we of the spiritualty 132 Will raise your highness such a mighty sum As never did the clergy at one time Bring in to any of your ancestors.
K. Hen. We must not only arm to invade the French, 136 But lay down our proportions to defend Against the Scot, who will make road upon us ​With all advantages.
Cant. They of those marches, gracious sovereign, 140 Shall be a wall sufficient to defend Our inland from the pilfering borderers.
K. Hen. We do not mean the coursing snatchers only, But fear the main intendment of the Scot, 144 Who hath been still a giddy neighbour to us; For you shall read that my great-grandfather Never went with his forces into France But that the Scot on his unfurnish'd kingdom Came pouring, like the tide into a breach, 149 With ample and brim fulness of his force, Galling the gleaned land with hot assays, Girding with grievous siege castles and towns; That England, being empty of defence, 153 Hath shook and trembled at the ill neighbourhood.
Cant. She hath been then more fear'd than harm'd, my liege; For hear her but exampled by herself: 156 When all her chivalry hath been in France And she a mourning widow of her nobles, She hath herself not only well defended, But taken and impounded as a stray 160 The King of Scots; whom she did send to France, To fill King Edward's fame with prisoner kings, And make your chronicle as rich with praise As is the ooze and bottom of the sea 164 With sunken wrack and sumless treasuries.
West. But there's a saying very old and true;
'If that you will France win, Then with Scotland first begin': 168
For once the eagle England being in prey, To her unguarded nest the weasel Scot Comes sneaking and so sucks her princely eggs, Playing the mouse in absence of the cat, 172 To tear and havoc more than she can eat.
Exe. It follows then the cat must stay at home: Yet that is but a crush'd necessity; Since we have locks to safeguard necessaries 176 And pretty traps to catch the petty thieves. While that the armed hand doth fight abroad, The advised head defends itself at home: For government, though high and low and lower, 180 Put into parts, doth keep in one consent, Congreeing in a full and natural close, Like music.
Cant.Therefore doth heaven divide The state of man in divers functions, 184 Setting endeavour in continual motion; To which is fixed, as an aim or butt, Obedience: for so work the honey-bees, Creatures that by a rule in nature teach 188 The act of order to a peopled kingdom. They have a king and officers of sorts; Where some, like magistrates, correct at home, Others, like merchants, venture trade abroad, 192 Others, like, soldiers, armed in their stings, Make boot upon the summer's velvet buds; Which pillage they with merry march bring home To the tent-royal of their emperor: 196 ​Who, busied in his majesty, surveys The singing masons building roofs of gold, The civil citizens kneading up the honey, The poor mechanic porters crowding in 200 Their heavy burdens at his narrow gate, The sad-ey'd justice, with his surly hum, Delivering o'er to executors pale The lazy yawning drone. I this infer, 204 That many things, having full reference To one consent, may work contrariously; As many arrows, loosed several ways, Come to one mark; as many ways meet in one town; 208 As many fresh streams meet in one salt sea; As many lines close in the dial's centre; So may a thousand actions, once afoot, End in one purpose, and be all well borne 212 Without defeat. Therefore to France, my liege. Divide your happy England into four; Whereof take you one quarter into France, And you withal shall make all Gallia shake. 216 If we, with thrice such powers left at home, Cannot defend our own doors from the dog, Let us be worried and our nation lose The name of hardiness and policy. 220
K. Hen. Call in the messengers sent from the Dauphin. [Exit an Attendant.] Now are we well resolv'd; and by God's help, And yours, the noble sinews of our power, France being ours, we'll bend it to our awe 224 Or break it all to pieces: or there we'll sit, Ruling in large and ample empery ​O'er France and all her almost kingly dukedoms, Or lay these bones in an unworthy urn, 228 Tombless, with no remembrance over them: Either our history shall with full mouth Speak freely of our acts, or else our grave, Like Turkish mute, shall have a tongueless mouth, 232 Not worshipp'd with a waxen epitaph.
Enter Ambassadors of France.
Now are we well prepar'd to know the pleasure Of our fair cousin Dauphin; for we hear Your greeting is from him, not from the king.
First Amb. May 't please your majesty to give us leave 237 Freely to render what we have in charge; Or shall we sparingly show you far off The Dauphin's meaning and our embassy? 240
K. Hen. We are no tyrant, but a Christian king; Unto whose grace our passion is as subject As are our wretches fetter'd in our prisons: Therefore with frank and with uncurbed plainness 244 Tell us the Dauphin's mind.
First Amb.Thus then, in few. Your highness, lately sending into France, Did claim some certain dukedoms, in the right Of your great predecessor, King Edward the Third. 248 In answer of which claim, the prince our master Says that you savour too much of your youth, And bids you be advis'd there's nought in France ​That can be with a nimble galliard won; 252 You cannot revel into dukedoms there. He therefore sends you, meeter for your spirit, This tun of treasure; and, in lieu of this, Desires you let the dukedoms that you claim 256 Hear no more of you. This the Dauphin speaks.
K. Hen. What treasure, uncle?
Exe. Tennis-balls, my liege.
K. Hen. We are glad the Dauphin is so pleasant with us: His present and your pains we thank you for: When we have match'd our rackets to these balls, 261 We will in France, by God's grace, play a set Shall strike his father's crown into the hazard. Tell him he hath made a match with such a wrangler 264 That all the courts of France will be disturb'd With chaces. And we understand him well, How he comes o'er us with our wilder days, Not measuring what use we made of them. 268 We never valu'd this poor seat of England; And therefore, living hence, did give ourself To barbarous licence; as 'tis ever common That men are merriest when they are from home. 272 But tell the Dauphin I will keep my state, Be like a king and show my sail of greatness When I do rouse me in my throne of France: For that I have laid by my majesty 276 And plodded like a man for working-days, But I will rise there with so full a glory That I will dazzle all the eyes of France, ​Yea, strike the Dauphin blind to look on us. 280 And tell the pleasant prince this mock of his Hath turn'd his balls to gun-stones; and his soul Shall stand sore-charged for the wasteful vengeance That shall fly with them: for many a thousand widows 284 Shall this his mock mock out of their dear husbands; Mock mothers from their sons, mock castles down; And some are yet ungotten and unborn That shall have cause to curse the Dauphin's scorn. 288 But this lies all within the will of God, To whom I do appeal; and in whose name Tell you the Dauphin I am coming on, To venge me as I may and to put forth 292 My rightful hand in a well-hallow'd cause. So get you hence in peace; and tell the Dauphin His jest will savour but of shallow wit When thousands weep more than did laugh at it. 296 Convey them with safe conduct. Fare you well.
Exeunt Ambassadors.
Exe. This was a merry message.
K. Hen. We hope to make the sender blush at it. Therefore, my lords, omit no happy hour 300 That may give furtherance to our expedition; For we have now no thought in us but France, Save those to God, that run before our business. Therefore let our proportions for these wars 304 Be soon collected, and all things thought upon That may with reasonable swiftness add More feathers to our wings; for, God before, 307 We'll chide this Dauphin at his father's door. ​Therefore let every man now task his thought, That this fair action may on foot be brought.
Exeunt.
Footnotes to Act I
Scene One
​Scene One S. d. Bishops; cf. n. 1 self: same 3 like: likely (to pass) 4 scambling: turbulent 5 question: consideration ​15 lazars: beggars (especially lepers) 26 mortified: subdued 28 Consideration: reflection 34 heady currance: headlong current 35 Hydra-headed: many-headed; cf. n. 36 his: its 43 List: listen to ​45 cause of policy: political question 46 Gordian knot; cf. n. 47 that: so that 48 charter'd: privileged 51 art; cf. n. practic: practical 52 theoric: theory 55 companies: companions 57 never noted: there was never noted 58 sequestration: withdrawal 59 popularity: low company 63 contemplation: thoughtful nature 66 crescive in his faculty: increasing by its own power ​73 upon our part: to our side 74 exhibiters: i.e., those who presented the bill in Parliament 76 Upon: upon the authority of 81 withal: with 86 severals: details passages: lines of succession 89 Edward; cf. n. 95 embassy: message
Scene Two
​4 cousin: title of courtesy used by the sovereign in addressing a nobleman 4, 5 resolv'd . . . of: satisfied about 6 task: trouble 8 become: grace 11 law Salique: Salic law; cf. n. 12 Or: either 14 wrest: pervert 15 nicely: sophistically charge: burden 16 opening: disclosing miscreate: dishonestly invented 19 approbation: proof ​21 impawn: pledge 28 mortality: human life 37 Pharamond: legendary Frankish king 40 gloze: interpret 45 floods: rivers 46 Charles the Great: Charlemagne 49 dishonest: unchaste ​57 Cf. n. 58 defunction: death 65 King Pepin; cf. n. 69 Hugh Capet; cf. n. 72 find: provide 74 Convey'd himself: passed himself off 75 Charlemain: i.e., Charles the Bald 77 Lewis the Tenth; cf. n. ​82 lineal: direct descendant 88 King Lewis his: King Lewis' 93 them: themselves 94 Cf. n. 98 Numbers; cf. Numb. 27. 8. 106-114 Cf. n. ​114 for: for want of 116 puissant: powerful 120 May-morn of his youth; cf. n. 126 So hath your highness; cf. n. 132 spiritualty: clergy 137 lay . . . proportions: estimate the requisite number of troops 138 road: inroad ​140 marches: borders 143 coursing snatchers: marauding pilferers 144 intendment: intention 145 still: always giddy: unstable 148 unfurnish'd: undefended 151 assays: attacks 155 fear'd: frightened 160 impounded: imprisoned; cf. n. 165 wrack: wreckage ​169 in prey: in search of prey 175 crush'd: forced 181 parts: used in the musical sense consent: harmony 182 Congreeing: agreeing close: cadence 190 sorts: different ranks 194 Make boot upon: plunder ​199 civil: civilian 202 sad-ey'd: sober-looking 203 executors: executioners 216 withal: therewith 220 policy: political wisdom 226 empery: empire ​231 freely: generously 233 worshipp'd: honored waxen: perishable 245 in few: briefly 251 be advis'd: consider ​252 galliard: a lively dance 254 meeter: more fitting 255 tun: a cask in lieu of: in return for 259 pleasant: facetious 263 hazard: part of a tennis-court 266 chaces; cf. n. 267 comes o'er: taunts 269 seat: throne 270 living hence; cf. n. ​282 gun-stones: cannon balls (originally made of stone) 287 ungotten: not begotten 304 proportions: levies 307 God before: with God's help ​