The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)
Page 110
Now entertain a brief passing of time when night surrounds the earth. From camp to camp, hear the hum of army sounds and the secret whispers of each sentinel’s watch. Men answer fire with fire, staring into the other’s face. Horses threaten other horses with high-pitched neighs, piercing the soundless night. From tents, you hear the men being placed in their armor. Take note of the dreadful preparation for war. The country cocks crow and the clocks toll the third hour of morning. The proud and over-lusty French, secure in their numbers, go to meet the English as night passes, like an ugly limping witch. The poor condemned English wait like sacrifices by their fire and think about the morning’s danger. Their faces are sad and lean, and their coats are worn from war. Behold the royal captain going from tent to tent crying, “Praise and glory be!” He bids them good morning with a modest smile and calls them brothers, friends, and countrymen. He appears unaware of the condition of his men, but looks fresh and cheerful so every man may take comfort from him. He looks upon each man, cold with fear, and gives them a piece of himself. Now, our scene takes us to battle at Agincourt. Watch our performance and remember our story.
Exit.
Enter King Henry, Bedford, and Gloucester.
King
Gloucester, 'tis true that we are in great danger; The greater therefore should our courage be. Good morrow, brother Bedford. God Almighty! There is some soul of goodness in things evil, Would men observingly distil it out; For our bad neighbour makes us early stirrers, Which is both healthful and good husbandry. Besides, they are our outward consciences, And preachers to us all, admonishing That we should dress us fairly for our end. Thus may we gather honey from the weed, And make a moral of the devil himself.
Gloucester, it’s true we are in great danger, so we must be more courageous. Good morning, brother Bedford. God almighty, there are still some good found among evil. Our bad neighbor makes us early risers, which is both healthy and noble. Besides, they are like preachers to us, reprimanding us so we should be ready for the end, so we may take the good from the bad and find the moral of all this.
Enter Erpingham.
Good morrow, old Sir Thomas Erpingham: A good soft pillow for that good white head Were better than a churlish turf of France.
Good morning, old Sir Thomas Erpingham. I bet you wish you had a soft pillow for that white head than the hard ground of France.
Erpingham
Not so, my liege; this lodging likes me better, Since I may say, "Now lie I like a king."
Not so, my king, this lodging is just fine by me, since I can say, “Now I lay just like a king.”
King
'Tis good for men to love their present pains Upon example; so the spirit is eased; And when the mind is quick'ned, out of doubt, The organs, though defunct and dead before, Break up their drowsy grave and newly move, With casted slough and fresh legerity. Lend me thy cloak, Sir Thomas. Brothers both, Commend me to the princes in our camp; Do my good morrow to them, and anon Desire them all to my pavilion.
It’s good for men to embrace their present pains to ease their spirits when their minds are filled with doubt. It awakens the body and gives a fresh perspective on life. Lend me your cloak, Sir Thomas. Both of you, give my pardons to the princes in our camp and tell them
good morning. Tell them they are welcome in my tent, if they would like.
Gloucester
We shall, my liege.
We will, my liege.
Erpingham
Shall I attend your Grace?
Should I go, your grace?
King
No, my good knight; Go with my brothers to my lords of England. I and my bosom must debate a while, And then I would no other company.
No, my good knight, go with my brothers to my lords of England. We must talk awhile and then I want to be alone.
Erpingham
The Lord in heaven bless thee, noble Harry!
May the Lord in heaven bless you, noble Harry!
Exit all but King Henry.
King
God-a-mercy, old heart! thou speak'st cheerfully.
God have mercy, old heart! You speak cheerfully.
Enter Pistol.
Pistol
Qui va la?
Who are you?
King
A friend.
A friend.
Pistol
Discuss unto me; art thou officer? Or art thou base, common, and popular?
Are you an officer or are you a common man?
King
I am a gentleman of a company.
I am a gentleman of one of the companies.
Pistol
Trail'st thou the puissant pike?
Do you carry a pike?
King
Even so. What are you?
Yes. What are you?
Pistol
As good a gentleman as the Emperor.
I am a gentleman as good as the emperor.
King
Then you are a better than the King.
Then you are better than the king.
Pistol
The King's a bawcock, and a heart of gold, A lad of life, an imp of fame; Of parents good, of fist most valiant. I kiss his dirty shoe, and from heart-string I love the lovely bully. What is thy name?
The king is a great man with a heart of gold. He is all about life, not fame. He comes from good parents and is most valiant. I would kiss his dirty shoe. I love him. What is your name?
King
Harry le Roy.
Harry LeRoy.
Pistol
Le Roy! a Cornish name. Art thou of Cornish crew?
That’s a Cornish name. Are you Cornish?
King
No, I am a Welshman.
No, I am a Welshman.
Pistol
Know'st thou Fluellen?
Do you know Fluellen?
King
Yes.
Yes.
Pistol
Tell him I'll knock his leek about his pate Upon Saint Davy's day.
Then, tell him, I’m going to knock his block off on St. Davy’s day.
King
Do not you wear your dagger in your cap that day, lest he knock that about yours.
You better not wear your dagger in your hat or he might knock yours off.
Pistol
Art thou his friend?
Are you his friend?
King
And his kinsman too.
And his relative, too.
Pistol
The figo for thee, then!
To hell with you, then!
King
I thank you. God be with you!
Thanks. God be with you!
Pistol
My name is Pistol call'd.
My name is Pistol.
Exit.
King
It sorts well with your fierceness.
The name suits your fierceness.
Enter Fluellen and Gower.
Gower
Captain Fluellen!
Captain Fluellen!
Fluellen
So! in the name of Jesu Christ, speak lower. It is the greatest admiration in the universal world, when the true and aunchient prerogatifes and laws of the wars is not kept. If you would take
the pains but to examine the wars of Pompey the Great, you shall find, I warrant you, that there is no tiddle taddle nor pibble pabble in Pompey's camp. I warrant you, you shall find the ceremonies of the wars, and the cares of it, and the forms of it, and the sobriety of it, and the modesty of it, to be otherwise.
In the name of Jesus, speak lower. It’s a shame when people aren’t aware of the laws of war. It would do you some good to examine the wars of Pompey, the Great. You will surely find no silliness in his camp, only the ceremonies and seriousness of war.
Gower
Why, the enemy is loud; you hear him all night.
Why? The enemy is loud. You hear them all night.
Fluellen
If the enemy is
an ass and a fool and a prating coxcomb, is it meet, think you, that we should also, look you, be an ass and a fool and a prating coxcomb? In your own conscience, now?
Should we be fools, if the enemy is? Think about it.
Gower
I will speak lower.
I will be quieter.
Fluellen
I pray you and beseech you that you will.
I hope so.
Exit Gower and Fluellen.
King
Though it appear a little out of fashion, There is much care and valour in this Welshman.
It may not be popular, but there is much care in this Welshman.
Enter three soldiers, John Bates, Alexander Court, and Michael Williams.
Court
Brother John Bates, is not that the morning which breaks yonder?
Brother John Bates, isn’t that the morning breaking over there?
Bates
I think it be; but we have no great cause to desire the approach of day.
I think it is, but we are in no hurry for it.
Williams
We see yonder the beginning of the day, but I think we shall never see the end of it. Who goes there?
We see the beginning of a new day, but I don’t think we will see the end. Who goes there?
King
A friend.
A friend.
Williams
Under what captain serve you?
What captain do you serve?
King
Under Sir Thomas Erpingham.
I serve under Sir Thomas Erpingham.
Williams
A good old commander and a most kind gentleman. I pray you, what thinks he of our estate?
He is a good old commander and kind gentleman. May I ask, what he thinks of our situation?
King
Even as men wreck'd upon a sand, that look to be wash'd off the next tide.
He thinks we look like men wrecked on a beach about to be swept out to sea.
Bates
He hath not told his thought to the King?
Has he told the king?
King
No; nor it is not meet he should. For though I speak it to you, I think the King is but a man as I am. The violet smells to him as it doth to me; the element shows to him as it doth to me; all his senses have but human conditions. His ceremonies laid by, in his nakedness he appears but a man; and though his affections are higher mounted than ours, yet, when they stoop, they stoop with the like wing. Therefore, when he sees reason of fears as we do, his fears, out of doubt, be of the same relish as ours are; yet, in reason, no man should possess him with any appearance of fear, lest he, by showing it, should dishearten his army.
No, and I don’t think he should. Even though I am telling you, the king is a man and can see the situation. He feels just like a man, and he fears just like a man, but he can’t show it like a man or else his men would sense it and become disheartened.
Bates
He may show what outward courage he will; but I believe, as cold a night as 'tis, he could wish himself in Thames up to the neck; and so I would he were, and I by him, at all adventures, so we were quit here.
He may appear courageous, but I bet he wishes he were in the Thames up to his neck. I know I would if I were him, I am so ready to be done here.
King
By my troth, I will speak my conscience of the King: I think he would not wish himself anywhere but where he is.
Honestly, I don’t think he would rather be anywhere but here.
Bates
Then I would he were here alone; so should he be sure to be ransomed, and a many poor men's lives saved.
Then, I wish he were here alone for he would surely be ransomed and many men’s lives would be spared.
King
I dare say you love him not so ill, to wish him here alone, howsoever you speak this to feel other men's minds. Methinks I could not die anywhere so contented as in the King's company, his cause being just and his quarrel honourable.
I guess you don’t love him so much, if you wish he were here alone, unless you are saying that just to feel out other men. I could not die anywhere as happily as with the king. His cause is just and his argument is honorable.
Williams
That's more than we know.
You know more than us.
Bates
Ay, or more than we should seek after; for we know enough, if we know we are the King's subjects. If his cause be wrong, our obedience to the King wipes the crime of it out of us.
Yes, or you know more than we should. Regardless of the valor in his argument, we are his subjects and must follow him.
Williams
But if the cause be not good, the King himself hath a heavy reckoning to make, when all those legs and arms and heads, chopp'd off in a battle, shall join together at the latter day and cry all, "We died at such a place"; some swearing, some crying for a surgeon, some upon their wives left poor behind them, some upon the debts they owe, some upon their children rawly left. I am afeard there are few die well that die in a battle; for how can they charitably dispose of anything, when blood is their argument? Now, if these men do not die well, it will be a black matter for the King that led them to it; who to disobey were against all proportion of subjection.
If his cause is not good, he has a heavy reckoning to make, when all the legs, arms, and heads, chopped off in battle, join together on Judgment Day and cry, “We died at France.” There are a few who will die well in battle, but how can a person expect forgiveness when they spent their lives killing? If these men go without God’s grace, the king will have a heavy price to pay, because who of his subjects could refuse him.
King
So, if a son that is by his father sent about merchandise do sinfully miscarry upon the sea, the imputation of his wickedness, by your rule, should be imposed upon his father that sent him; or if a servant, under his master's command transporting a sum of money, be assailed by robbers and die in many irreconcil'd iniquities, you may call the business of the master the author of the servant's damnation. But this is not so. The King is not bound to answer the particular endings of his soldiers, the father of his son, nor the master of his servant; for they purpose not their death, when they purpose their services. Besides, there is no king, be his cause never so spotless, if it come to the arbitrement of swords, can try it out with all unspotted soldiers. Some peradventure have on them the guilt of premeditated and contrived murder; some, of beguiling virgins with the broken seals of perjury; some, making the wars their bulwark, that have before gored the gentle bosom of Peace with pillage and robbery. Now, if these men have defeated the law and outrun native punishment, though they can outstrip men, they have no wings to fly from God. War is his beadle, war is his vengeance; so that here men are punish'd for before-breach of the King's laws in now the King's quarrel. Where they feared the death, they have borne life away; and where they would be safe, they perish. Then if they die unprovided, no more is the King guilty of their damnation than he was before guilty of those impieties for the which they are now visited. Every subject's duty is the King's; but every subject's soul is his own. Therefore should every soldier in the wars do as every sick man in his bed, wash every mote out of his conscience; and dying so, death is to him advantage; or not dying, the time was blessedly lost wherein such preparation was gained; and in him that escapes, it were not sin to think that, making God so free an offer, He let him outlive that day to see His greatness and to teach others how they should prepare.