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You may imagine him upon Blackheath :
Where that his lords desire him to have borne!
His bruised helmet, and his bended sword,
Before him, through the city: he forbids it,
Being free from vainness and self-glorious pride;
Giving full trophy, signal, and ostent,
Quite from himself, to God.2 But now behold,
In the quick forge and workinghouse of thought,
How London doth pour out her citizens !
The mayor, and all his brethren, in best sort,-
Like to the senators of the antique Rome,
With the plebeians swarming at their heels,--
Go forth, and fetch their conquering Cesar in:
As, by a lower but by loving likelihood,3
Were now the general of our gracious empress
(As, in good time, he may,) from Ireland coming.
Bringing rebellion broacheds on his sword,
How many would the peaceful city quit,

To welcome him? much more, and much more

cause,

Did they this Harry. Now in London place him ;
(As yet the lamentation of the French
Invites the king of England's stay at home:
The emperor's coming in behalf of France,
To order peace between them;) and omit
All the occurrences, whatever chanc'd,
Till Harry's back-return again to France;
There must we bring him; and myself have
play'd

The interim, by remembering you-'tis past.
Then brook abridgement; and your eyes advance
After your thoughts, straight back again to France.

[Exit.

SCENE I-France. An English court of guard. Enter Fluellen and Gower.

Gow. Nay, that's right; but why wear you your leek to-day? Saint Davy's day is past.

Flu. There is occasions and causes why and wherefore in all things: I will tell you, as my friend, captain Gower; The rascally, scald, beggarly; lowsy, 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 pid 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.

Enter Pistol.

Gow. Why, here he comes, swelling like a turkey-cock.

Flu. 'Tis no matter for his swellings, nor his turkey-cocks.-Got pless you, ancient Pistol! you scurvy, lowsy knave, Got pless you!

Pist. Ha! art thou Bedlam? dost thou thirst, base Trojan,

To have me fold up Parca's fatal web ?6 Hence! I am qualmish at the smell of leek. Flu. I peseech you heartily, scurvy lowsy knave. at my desires, and my requests, and my petitions. to eat, look you, this leek; because, look you, you do not love it, nor your affections, and your appetites, and your digestions, does not agree with it, I would desire you to eat it.

(1) i. e. To order it to be borne.

(2) Transferring all the honours of conquest from himself to God.

(3) Similitude.

(4) The earl of Essex in the reign of Elizabeth.

Pist. Not for Cadwallader, and all his goats. Flu. There is one goat for you. [Strikes him.] Will you be so goot, scald knave, as eat it? Pist. Base Trojan, thou shalt die.

Fh. 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.

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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 sance 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.

Pist. Good.

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Flu. Yes, verily, and in truth, you shall take it; shall eat. or I have another leek in my pocket, which you

Pist. I take thy groat, in earnest of revenge. cudgels; you shall be a woodmonger, and buy Flu. If I owe you any thing, I will pay you in nothing of me but cudgels. God be wi' you, and keep you, and heal your pate. [Exit.

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Pist. All hell shall stir for this. knave. Will you mock at an ancient tradition,Gow. Go, go; you are a counterfeit cowardly begun upon an honourable respect, and worn as a dare not avouch in your deeds any of your words? memorable trophy of predeceased valour,-and have seen you gleekings 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.9 Fare ye well. [Exit.

Pist. Doth fortune play the huswife10 with me now?

News have I, that my Nell is dead i’the spital!!
Of malady of France;

And there my rendezvous is quite cut off.
Old I do wax; and from my weary limbs
Honour is cudgell'd. Well, bawd will I turn,
And something lean to cutpurse of quick hand.
To England will I steal, and there I'll steal :
And patches will I get unto these scars,
And swear, I got them in the Gallia wars.
[Exit.

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SCENE II-Troyes in Champagne. An apartment in the French King's palace. Enter, at one door, King Henry, Bedford, Gloster, Exeter, Warwick, Westmoreland, and other lords; at another, the French king, queen Isabel, the princess Katharine, lords, ladies, &c. the duke of Burgundy, and his train.

K. Hen, Peace to this meeting, wherefore we
are met!

Unto our brother France,-and to our sister,
Health and fair time of day :-joy and good wishes
To our most fair and princely cousin Katharine;
And (as a branch and member of this royalty,
By whom this great assembly is contriv'd,)
We do salute you, duke of Burgundy ;-
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 :—
So are you princes English, every one.

Q. Isa. So happy be the issue, brother England,
Of this good day, and of this gracious meeting,
As we are now glad to behold your eyes;
Your eyes, which hitherto have borne in them
Against the French, that met them in their bent,
The fatal balls of murdering basilisks:
The venom of such looks, we fairly hope,
Have lost their quality; and that this day
Shall change all griefs, and quarrels, into love.
K. Hen To cry amen to that, thus we appear.
Q. Isa. You English princes all, I do salute you.
Bur. My duty to you both, on equal love,
Great kings of France and England! That I have
labour'd

With all my wits, my pains, and strong endeavours,
To bring your most imperial majesties
Unto this bar and royal interview,
Your mightiness on both parts best can witness.
Since then my office hath so far prevail'd,
That, face to face, and royal eye to eye,
You have congreeted; let it not disgrace me,
If I demand, before this royal view,
What rub, or what impediment, there is,
Why that the naked, poor, and mangled peace,
Dear nurse of arts, plenties, and joyful births,
Should not, in this best garden of the world,
Our fertile France, put up her lovely visage?
Alas! she hath from France too long been chas'd;
And all her husbandry doth lie on heaps,
Corrupting in its own fertility.

Her vine, the merry cheerer of the heart,
Unpruned dies: her hedges even-pleached,-
Like prisoners wildly over-grown with hair,
Put forth disorder'd twigs: her fallow leas
The daruel, hemlock, and rank fumitory,
Doth root upon; while that the coulter2 rusts,
That should deracinate3 such savagery:
The even mead, that erst brought sweetly forth
The freckled cowslip, burnet, and green clover,
Wanting the scythe, all uncorrected, rank,
Conceives by idleness: and nothing teems,
But hateful docks, rough thistles, kecksies, burs,
Losing both beauty and utility.

And as our vineyards, fallows, meads, and hedges,
Defective in their natures, grow to wildness;
Even so our houses, and ourselves, and children,
Have lost, or do not learn, for want of time,
The sciences that should become our country;
But
grow, like savages,-as soldiers will,
That nothing do but meditate on blood,-

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To swearing, and stern looks, diffus'd' attire,
And every thing that seems unnatural.
Which to reduce into our former favour,
You are assembled: and my speech entreats,
That I may know the let, why gentle peace
Should not expel these inconveniences,
And bless us with her former qualities.

K. Hen. If, duke of Burgundy, you would the peace,

Whose want gives growth to the imperfections
Which you have cited, you must buy that peace
With full accord to all our just demands;
Whose tenors and particular effects
You have, enschedul'd briefly, in your hands.
Bur. The king hath heard them; to the which,
as yet,

There is no answer made.

K. Hen. Well then, the peace, Which you before so urg'd, lies in his answer. Fr. King. I have but with a cursorary eye O'er-glanc'd the articles: pleaseth your grace To appoint some of your council presently To sit with us once more, with better heed To re-survey them, we will, suddenly, Pass our accept, and peremptory answer.

K. Hen. Brother, we shall.-Go, uncle Exeter,And brother Clarence-and you, brother Glos

ter,

Warwick-and Huntingdon,-go with the king:
And take with you free power, to ratify,
Augment, or alter, as your wisdoms best
Shall see advantageable for our dignity,
Any thing in, or out of, our demands;
And we'll consign thereto.-Will you, fair sister,
Go with the princes, or stay here with us?

Q. Isa. Our gracious brother, I will go with them; Haply, a woman's voice may do some good, When articles, too nicely urg'd, be stood on.

K. Hen. Yet leave our cousin Katharine here with us;

She is our capital demand, compris'd
Within the fore-rank of our articles.
Q. Isa. She hath good leave. [Exeunt all but
Henry, Katharine and her gentlewoman.
K. Hen.
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?

me

Kath. Pardonnez moy, I cannot tell vat is—like

K. Hen. An angel is like you, Kate; and you are like an augel.

Kath. Que dit-il? que je suis semblable à les anges?

Alice. Ouy, vraymeut, (sauf vostre grace) ainsi

dit il.

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KING HENRY V.

Ad F.

woman. I'faith, Kate, my wooing is fit for thy un-shall never move thee in French, unless it be to
derstanding: I am glad, thou canst speak no bet- laugh at me.
ter English; for, if thou couldst, thou wouldst find
me such a plain king, that thou wouldst think, I parlez, est meilleur, que l'Anglois lequel je parle.
Kath. Sauf vostre honneur, le François que vous
had sold my farm to buy my crown. I know no
ways to mince it
love, but directly to say-I love ing of my tongue, and I thine, most truly falsely,
K. Hen No, 'faith, 'tis not, Kate; but thy speak
you then, if you urge me further than to say-must needs be granted to be much at one.
Do you in faith? I wear out my suit. Give me Kate, dost thou understand thus much English?
your answer: i'faith, do; and so clap hands and a Canst thou love me?
bargain: How say you, lady?

Kath. I cannot tell.

Kath. I do not know dat.

But,

promise: do but now promise, Kate, you will endeaK. Hen. No; 'tis hereafter to know, but now to vour for your French part of such a boy; and, for my English moiety, take the word of a king, and a bachelor. How answer you, la plus belle Katharine du monde, mon tres chere et divine deesse?

Kath. Sauf vostre honneur, me understand well. K. Hen. Marry, if you would put me to verses, I'll ask them. Come, I know, thou lovest me: and K. Hen. Can any of your neighbours tell, Kate? or to dance for your sake, Kate, why you undid me at night when you come into your closet, you'll for the one, I have neither words nor measure; and question this gentlewoman about me; and I know, for the other, I have no strength in measure, yet a Kate, you will, to her, dispraise those parts in me, reasonable measure in strength. lady at leap-frog, or by vaulting into my saddle me mercifully; the rather, gentle princess, because If I could win a that you love with your heart: but, good Kate, mock with my armour on my back, under the correctionI love thee cruelly. If ever thou be'st mine, Kate, of bragging be it spoken, I should quickly leap into (as I have a saving faith within me, tells me,-thou a wife. Or, if I might buffet for my love, or bound shalt,) I get thee with scambling, and thou must my horse for her favours, I could lay on like a therefore needs prove a good soldier-breeder: Shall butcher, and sit like a jack-an-apes, never off: but, not thou and I, between Saint Dennis and Saint before God, I cannot look greenly,2 nor gasp out George, compound a boy, half French, half English, my eloquence, nor I have no cunning in protesta- that shall go to Constantinople, and take the Turk tion; only downright oaths, which I never use till by the beard? shall we not? what sayest thou, urged, nor never break for urging. If thou canst flower-de-luce? love a fellow of this temper, Kate, whose face is not worth sun-burning, that never looks in his glass for love of any thing he sees there, let thine eye be thy cook. I speak to thee plain soldier: If thou canst love me for this, take me: if not, to say to thee-that I shall die, is true; but-for thy love. by the Lord, no; yet I love thee too. And while thou livest, dear Kate, take a fellow of plain and uncoined3 constancy; for he perforce must do thee right, because to deceive the most sage demoiselle dat is en France. Kath. Your majesté 'ave fausse French enough he hath not the gift to woo in other places; for these fellows of infinite tongue, that can rhy me themselves honour, in true English, I love thee, Kate: by K. Hen. Now, fie upon my false French! By mine into ladies' favours,--they do always reason them-which honour I dare not swear, thou lovest me; yet selves out again. What! a speaker is but a prater; a rhyme is but a ballad straight back will stoop; a black beard will turn A good leg will fall 4 a white; a curled pate will grow bald; a fair face will wither; a full eye will wax hollow; but a good heart, Kate, is the sun and moon; or, rather, the sun, and not the moon; for it shines bright, and never changes, but keeps his course truly. If thou would have such a one, take me : take a soldier; take a so'dier, take a king: And And take me, what sayest thou then to my love? speak, my fair, and fairly, I pray thee.

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. de France, et quand vous avez la possession de Quand j'ay la possession moi, (let me see, what then? Saint Dennis be my speed!)-donc vostre est France, et vous este: mienne. It is as easy for me, Kate, to conquer the kingdom, as to speak so much more French: I

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my blood begins to flatter me that thou dost, not-
visage 5 Now beshrew my father's ambition! he
withstanding the poor and untempering effect of my
was thinking of civil wars when he got me; there-
fore was I created with a stubborn outside, with an
aspect of iron, that, when I come to woo ladies, I
fright them. But, in faith, Kate, the elder I wax,
the better I shall appear: my comfort is, that old
spoil upon my face: thou hast me, if thou hast me,
age, that ill-layer up of beauty, can do no more
at the worst; and thou shalt wear me, if thou wear
fair Katharine, will you have me? Put off your
me, better and better; And therefore tell me, most
with the looks of an empress; take me by the hand,
maiden blushes; avouch the thoughts of your heart
and say-Harry of England, I am thine: which
word thou shalt no sooner bless mine ear, withal,
but I will tell thee aloud-England is thine, Ire-
land is thine, France is thine, and Henry Plantage-
net is thine; who, though I speak it before his face,
if he be not fellow with the best king, thou shalt
answer in broken music; for thy voice is music,
find the best king of good fellows. Come, your
and thy English broken: therefore, queen of all,
Katharine, break thy mind to me in broken English,
Wilt thou have me?

Kath. Dat is, as it shall please de roy mon pere.
shall please him, Kate.
K Hen. Nay, it will please him well, Kate; it

Kath. Den it shall also content me.

K. Hen. Upon that I will kiss your hand, and I call you-my queen.

(4) Fall away.

(5) i. e. Though my face has no power to soften

you

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|| serviteure; excusez moy, je vous supplie, mon tres puissant seigneur.

K. Hen. Then I will kiss your lips, Kate. Kath. Les dames, et damoiselles, pour estre baisées devant leur nopces, il n'est pas le coûtume de France.

K. Hen Madam, my interpreter, what says she? Alice. Dat it is not be de fashion pour les ladies of France,-I cannot tell what is baiser, en English. K. Hen. To kiss.

Alice. Your majesty entendre bettre que moy. K. Hen. It is not the fashion for the maids in France to kiss before they are married, would she say?

Alice. Ouy, vrayment.

a fair French city, for one fair French maid that stands in my way.

Fr. King. Yes, my lord, you see them perspectively, the cities turned into a maid; for they are all girdled with maiden walls, that war hath never entered.

K. Hen. Shall Kate be my wife?
Fr. King. So please you.

K. Hen. I am content; so the maiden cities you talk of, may wait on her so the maid, that stood in the way of my wish, shall show me the way to my_will.

Fr. King. We have consented to all terms of

reason

K. Hen. Is't so, my lords of England? West. The king hath granted every article: His daughter, first; and then, in sequel, all, According to their firm proposed natures.

filz Henry roy d'Angleterre heretier de France; and thus in Latin,-Præclarissimus filius noster Henricus, rex Angliæ et hæres Francia.

K. Hen. O, Kate, nice customs curt'sy to great Exe. Only, he hath not yet subscribed this:kings. Dear Kate, you and I cannot be confined Where your majesty demands.-That the king of within the weak list of a country's fashion: we are France, having any occasion to write for matter of the makers of manners, Kate; and the liberty that grant, shall name your highness in this form, and follows our places, stops the mouths of all find-with this addition, in French,-Notre tres cher faults; as I will do yours, for upholding the nice fashion of your country, in denying me a kiss therefore, patiently, and yielding. [Kissing her.|| You have witchcraft in your lips, Kate: there is more eloquence in a sugar touch of them, than in the tongues of the French council; and they should sooner persuade Harry of England, than a general petition of monarchs. Here comes your father. Enter the French King and Queen, Burgundy, Bedford, Gloster, Exeter, Westmoreland, and other French and English Lords.

Bur. God save your majesty! my royal cousin, teach you our princess English?

K. Hen. I would have her learn, my fair cousin, how perfectly I love her; and that is good English. Bur. Is she not apt?

K. Hen. Our tongue is rough, coz; and my condition2 is not smooth so that, having neither the voice nor the heart of flattery about me, I cannot so conjure up the spirit of love in her, that he will appear in his true likeness.

Bur. Pardon the frankness of my mirth, if I answer you for that. If you would conjure in her, you must make a circle: if conjure up love in her, in his true likeness, he must appear naked, and blind: Can you blame her then, being a maid yet rosed over with the virgin crimson of modesty, if she deny the appearance of a naked blind boy in her naked seeing self? It were, my lord, a hard condition for a maid to consign to.

K. Hen. Yet they do wink, and yield; as love is blind, and enforces.

Bur. They are then excused, my lord, when they see not what they do.

K. Hen Then, good my lord, teach your cousin to consent to winking.

Fr. King. Nor this I have not, brother, so denied
But your request shall make me let it pass.
K. Hen. I pray you then, in love and dear
alliance,

Let that one article rank with the rest :

And, thereupon, give me your daughter.

Fr. King Take her, fair son; and from her
blood raise up

Issue to me that the contending kingdoms
Of France and England, whose very shores look
pale

With envy of each other's happiness,
May cease their hatred; and this dear conjunction
Plant neighbourhood and christian-like accord
In their sweet bosoms, that never war advance
His bleeding sword 'twixt England and fair France.
All. Amen!

K. Hen. Now welcome, Kate :-and bear me
witness all,

That here I kiss her as my sovereign queen.

[Flourish.

QIsa. God, the best maker of all marriages,
Combine your hearts in one, your realms in one!
As man and wife, being two, are one in love,
So be there 'twixt your kingdoms such a spousal,
That never may ill office, or fell jealousy,
Which troubles oft the bed of blessed marriage,
Thrust in between the paction of these kingdoms,
To make divorce of their incorporate league;
That English may as French, French Englishmen,
Receive each other!-God speak this Amen!
All. Amen!

K. Hen. Prepare we for our marriage :-on
which day,

Bur. I will wink on her to consent, my lord, if My lord of Burgundy, we'll take your oath, you will teach her to know my meaning: for maids, And all the peers', for surety of our leagues.— well summered and warm kept, are like flies at Bar-Then shall I swear to Kate, and you to me; tholomew-tide, blind, though they have their eves: And may our oaths well kept and prosp'rous be! and then they will endure handling, which before [Exeunt. would not abide looking on.

K. Hen. This moral ties me over to time, and a hot summer; and so I will catch the fly, your cousin, in the latter end, and she must be blind too Bur. As love is, my lord, before it loves. K. Hen. It is so: and you may, some of you, thank love for my blindness; who cannot see many (2) Temper.

(1) Slight barrier.

Enter Chorus.

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Small time, but, in that small, most greatly liv'd,
This star of England: fortune made his sword;
By which the world's best garden he achiev'd,
And of it left his son imperial lord.
Henry the Sixth, in infant bands crown'd king
Of France and England, did this king succeed:
Whose state so many had the managing,
That they lost France, and made his England
bleed:

Which oft our stage hath shown; and, for their sake,
In your fair minds let this acceptance take. [Exit.

This play has many scenes of high dignity, and many of easy merriment. The character of the king (1) France.

is well supported, except in his courtship, where he has neither the vivacity of Hal, nor the grandeur of Henry. The humour of Pistol is very happily continued: his character has perhaps been the model of all the bullies that have yet appeared on the English stage.

The lines given to the Chorus have many admirers; but the truth is, that in them a little may be praised, and much must be forgiven; nor can it be easily discovered, why the intelligence given by the Chorus is more necessary in this play, than in many others where it is omitted. The great defect of this play is, the emptiness and narrowness of the last act, which a very little diligence might have easily avoided.

JOHNSON.

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