Henry V

by William Shakespeare

  KATHERINE Pardonnez-moi109, I cannot tell vat is 'like me'.

  KING HENRY V An angel is like you, Kate, and you are like an

  angel.

  To Alice

  KATHERINE Que dit-il? Que je suis semblable a les anges?112

  ALICE Oui, vraiment, sauf votre grace, ainsi dit-il.113

  KING HENRY V I said so, dear Katherine, and I must not blush to

  affirm it.

  KATHERINE O bon Dieu! Les langues des hommes sont pleines de

  tromperies116.

  To Alice

  KING HENRY V What says she, fair one? That the tongues

  of men are full of deceits?

  ALICE Oui, dat de tongues of de mans is be full of deceits:

  dat is de princess.121

  KING HENRY V The princess is the better Englishwoman.122 I'faith,

  Kate, my wooing is fit123 for thy understanding. I am glad thou

  canst speak no better English, for, if thou couldst, thou

  wouldst find me such a plain125 king that thou wouldst think I

  had sold my farm to buy my crown. I know no ways to mince126

  it in love, but directly to say 'I love you.' Then if you urge me

  further than to say, 'Do you in faith?', I wear out my suit.128

  Give me your answer, i'faith, do, and so clap hands and a129

  bargain. How say you, lady?

  KATHERINE Sauf votre honneur131, me understand vell.

  KING HENRY V Marry, if you would put me to verses132 or to dance

  for your sake, Kate, why you undid133 me, for the one I have

  neither words nor measure134; and for the other, I have no

  strength in135 measure, yet a reasonable measure in strength. If

  I could win a lady at leap-frog, or by vaulting into my saddle

  with my armour on my back, under the correction of137

  bragging be it spoken, I should quickly leap into138 a wife. Or if

  I might buffet139 for my love, or bound my horse for her favours,

  I could lay on140 like a butcher and sit like a jackanapes, never

  off.141 But, before God, Kate, I cannot look greenly nor gasp out

  my eloquence, nor I have no cunning in protestation142; only

  downright143 oaths, which I never use till urged, nor never

  break for urging.144 If thou canst love a fellow of this temper,

  Kate, whose face is not worth sunburning145, that never looks

  in his glass146 for love of anything 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 liv'st, dear Kate, take a fellow of plain and uncoined150

  constancy, for he perforce must do thee right, because he

  hath not the gift to woo in other places. For these fellows of

  infinite tongue153, that can rhyme themselves into ladies'

  favours, they do always reason themselves out again. What!

  A speaker is but a prater155, a rhyme is but a ballad. A good leg

  will fall156, a straight back will stoop, a black beard will turn

  white, a curled pate will grow bald, a fair face will wither, a

  full158 eye will wax hollow: but a good heart, Kate, is the sun

  and the 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: and take me, take a

  soldier: take a soldier, take a king. And what say'st thou then

  to my love? Speak, my fair, and fairly163, I pray thee.

  KATHERINE Is it possible dat I sould love de enemy of France?

  KING HENRY V No, it is not possible you should love the enemy of

  France, Kate; but in loving me, you should love the friend166 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.

  KATHERINE I cannot tell vat is dat.

  KING HENRY V 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. Je quand sur173

  le possession de France, et quand vous avez le possession de moi --

  let me see, what then? Saint Denis175 be my speed! -- donc votre

  est France et vous etes mienne. It is as easy for me, Kate, to

  conquer the kingdom as to speak so much more French. I

  shall never move178 thee in French, unless it be to laugh at me.

  KATHERINE Sauf votre honneur, le francais que vous parlez179, il est

  meilleur que l'anglais lequel je parle.

  KING HENRY V No, faith, is't not, Kate. But thy speaking of my

  tongue, and I thine, most truly-falsely182, must needs be

  granted to be much at one.183 But, Kate, dost thou understand

  thus much English, canst thou love me?

  KATHERINE I cannot tell.

  KING HENRY V Can any of your neighbours186 tell, Kate? I'll ask

  them. Come, I know thou lovest me. And at night, when you

  come into your closet188, you'll question this gentlewoman

  about me; and I know, Kate, you will to her dispraise189 those

  parts in me that you love with your heart, but, good Kate,

  mock me mercifully, the rather, gentle princess, because I

  love thee cruelly.192 If ever thou beest mine, Kate, as I have a

  saving faith193 within me tells me thou shalt, I get thee with

  scambling194, and thou must therefore needs prove a good

  soldier-breeder. Shall not thou and I, between Saint Denis

  and Saint George, compound196 a boy, half French, half

  English, that shall go to Constantinople and take the Turk by197

  the beard? Shall we not? What say'st thou, my fair flower-de-198

  luce?

  KATHERINE I do not know dat.

  KING HENRY V No, 'tis hereafter201 to know, but now to promise: do

  but now promise, Kate, you will endeavour for your French

  part203 of such a boy; and for my English moiety take the word

  of a king and a bachelor. How answer you, la plus belle204

  Katherine du monde, mon tres chere et devin deesse?

  KATHERINE Your majestee 'ave206 fausse French enough to deceive

  de most sage207 demoiselle dat is en France.

  KING HENRY V Now, fie upon my false French! By mine honour,

  in true English, I love thee, Kate: by which honour I dare not

  swear thou lovest me, yet my blood210 begins to flatter me that

  thou dost, notwithstanding211 the poor and untempering effect

  of my visage. Now, beshrew212 my father's ambition! He was

  thinking of civil wars213 when he got me: therefore was I

  created with a stubborn outside, with an aspect214 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 age, that ill layer-up217 of beauty, can do no more spoil upon

  my face. Thou hast me, if thou hast me, at the worst; and

  thou shalt wear219 me, if thou wear me, better and better. And

  therefore tell me, most fair Katherine, will you have me? Put

  off your maiden blushes, avouch the thoughts of your heart

  with the looks of an empress, take me by the hand, 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

  Plantagenet226 is thine'; who though I speak it before his face, if

  he be not fellow with227 the best king, thou shalt find the best

  king of good fellows. Come, your answer in broken music; for

  thy voice is music and thy English broken: therefore, queen

  of all, Katherine, break230 thy mind to me in broken English;

  wilt thou have me?

  KATHERINE Dat is as it sall please de roi mon pere232.

  KING HENRY V Nay, it will please him well, Kate; it shall please

  him, Kate.

  KATHERINE Den it sall also content me.

  Tries to kiss her hand

  KING HENRY V Upon that I kiss your hand, and I call

  you my queen.

  KATHERINE Laissez, mon seigneur, laissez, laissez: ma foi, je ne veux238

  point que vous abaissiez votre grandeur en baisant la main d'une,

  de votre seigneurie, indigne serviteur. Excusez-moi, je vous

  supplie, mon tres-puissant seigneur.

  KING HENRY V Then I will kiss your lips, Kate.

  KATHERINE Les dames et demoiselles pour etre baisees devant leur243

  noces, il n'est pas la coutume de France.

  KING HENRY V Madam my interpreter, what says she?

  ALICE Dat it is not be de fashion pour les ladies of France --

  I cannot tell vat is baiser en Anglish.

  KING HENRY V To kiss.

  ALICE Your majesty entendre bettre que moi.249

  KING HENRY V It is not a fashion for the maids in France to kiss

  before they are married, would she say?

  ALICE Oui, vraiment252.

  KING HENRY V O, Kate, nice253 customs curtsy to great kings. Dear

  Kate, you and I cannot be confined within the weak list254 of a

  country's fashion: we are the makers of manners, Kate; and

  the liberty that follows our places256 stops the mouth of all find-faults,

  as I will do yours, for upholding the nice fashion of

  your country in denying me a kiss: therefore, patiently and

  yielding. You have witchcraft in your lips, Kate:

  Kisses her

  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 power [King, Queen, Burgundy] and the English Lords

  BURGUNDY God save your majesty! My royal cousin, teach you

  our princess English?

  KING HENRY V I would have her learn, my fair cousin, how

  perfectly I love her, and that is good English.

  BURGUNDY Is she not apt?268

  KING HENRY V Our tongue is rough, coz, and my condition269 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.

  BURGUNDY Pardon the frankness of my mirth, if I answer you

  for that. If you would conjure274 in her, you must make a circle:

  if conjure up love in her in his true likeness, he must appear

  naked and blind.276 Can you blame her then, being a maid yet

  rosed over with the virgin crimson of modesty277, if she deny

  the appearance of a naked blind boy in278 her naked seeing self?

  It were, my lord, a hard279 condition for a maid to consign to.

  KING HENRY V Yet they do wink and yield280, as love is blind and

  enforces.281

  BURGUNDY They are then excused, my lord, when they see not

  what they do.283

  KING HENRY V Then, good my lord, teach your cousin to consent284

  winking.

  BURGUNDY I will wink on286 her to consent, my lord, if you will

  teach her to know287 my meaning, for maids, well summered

  and warm288 kept, are like flies at Bartholomew-tide: blind,

  though they have their eyes, and then they will endure

  handling290, which before would not abide looking on.

  KING HENRY V This moral291 ties me over to time and a hot

  summer; and so I shall catch the fly, your cousin, in the latter292

  end and she must be blind too.

  BURGUNDY As love is, my lord, before it loves.294

  KING HENRY V It is so: and you may, some of you, thank love for

  my blindness, who cannot see many a fair French city for

  one fair French maid that stands in my way.

  FRENCH KING Yes, my lord, you see them perspectively298, the cities

  turned into a maid; for they are all girdled with maiden299 walls

  that war hath never entered.300

  KING HENRY V Shall Kate be my wife?

  FRENCH KING So please you.

  KING HENRY V I am content, so303 the maiden cities you talk of may

  wait on her.304 So the maid that stood in the way for my wish

  shall show me the way to my will.305

  FRENCH KING We have consented to all terms of reason.306

  KING HENRY V Is't so, my lords of England?

  WESTMORLAND The king hath granted every article:

  His daughter first, and then in sequel309 all,

  According to their firm proposed natures.

  EXETER Only he hath not yet subscribed311 this: where your

  majesty demands, that the King of France, having any

  occasion to write for matter of grant313, shall name your

  highness in this form and with this addition314 in French, Notre

  tres cher fils Henri, Roi d'Angleterre, Heritier de France: and

  thus in Latin, Praeclarissimus filius noster Henricus, Rex316

  Angliae, et Haeres Franciae.

  FRENCH KING Nor this I have not, brother, so denied,

  But your request319 shall make me let it pass.

  KING HENRY V I pray you then, in love and dear alliance,

  Let that one article rank with the rest,

  And thereupon give me your daughter.

  FRENCH KING Take her, fair son, and from her blood raise up

  Issue324 to me, that the contending kingdoms

  Of France and England, whose very shores look pale325

  With envy of each other's happiness,

  May cease their hatred, and this dear327 conjunction

  Plant neighbourhood328 and Christian-like accord

  In their sweet bosoms329, that never war advance

  His bleeding sword 'twixt England and fair France.

  LORDS Amen!

  KING HENRY V Now, welcome, Kate: and bear me witness all,

  That here I kiss her as my sovereign queen.

  Kisses her

  Flourish

  QUEEN ISABEL 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 spousal337,

  That never may ill office338, or fell jealousy,

  Which troubles oft the bed of blessed marriage,

  Thrust in between the paction340 of these kingdoms,

  To make divorce of their incorporate341 league,

  That English may as French, French Englishmen,

  Receive each other. God speak this Amen!

  ALL Amen!

  KING HENRY V Prepare we for our marriage, on which day,

  My lord of Burgundy, we'll take your oath,

  And all the peers', for surety of our leagues.347

  Then shall I swear to Kate, and you to me,

  And may our oaths well kept and prosp'rous be!

  Sennet. Exeunt

  [Epilogue]

  Enter Chorus

  CHORUS Thus far, with rough1 and all-unable
pen,

  Our bending2 author hath pursued the story,

  In little room confining mighty men,

  Mangling by starts4 the full course of their glory.

  Small time5, but in that small most greatly lived

  This star of England. Fortune made his sword;

  By which the world's best garden7 be achieved,

  And of it left his son imperial lord.

  Henry the Sixth, in infant bands9 crowned King

  Of France and England, did this king succeed,

  Whose11 state so many had the managing,

  That they lost France and made his England bleed,

  Which oft our stage hath shown; and, for their13 sake,

  In your fair minds let this acceptance take.14

  [Exit]

  TEXTUAL NOTES

  Q = First Quarto text of 1600

  F = First Folio text of 1623

  F2 = a correction introduced in the Second Folio text of 1632

  F4 = a correction introduced in the Fourth Folio text of 1685

  Ed = a correction introduced by a later editor

  SD = stage direction

  SH = speech heading (i.e. speaker's name)

  List of parts = Ed

  Prologue SH CHORUS = Ed. Not in F

  1.2.40 succedant = F2. F = succedaul 47, 54 Elbe = Ed. F = Elue 200 majesty = Ed. F = Maiesties 215 End = Q. F = And 224 dauphin spelled Dolphin throughout F 246 are = Q. F = is 315 SD Flourish = Ed. F places after Exeunt

  2.0.1 SH CHORUS = Ed. Not in F

  2.1.21 mare = Q. F = name 27 SH HOSTESS QUICKLY = Ed. F = Host. 31 drawn = Ed. F = hewne 35 Iceland spelled Island in F 71 enough. Go to = Ed. F = enough to go to 76 you, hostess = Ed. F = your Hostesse 104 that's = F2. F = that

  2.2.29 SH GREY = Ed. F = Kni. 88 furnish him = F2. F = furnish 108 a = F2. F = an 109 whoop = Ed. F = hoope 115 All = Ed. F = And 140 mark the = Ed. F = make thee 148 Henry = Q. F = Thomas 159 Which I = F2. F = Which 176 you have = Q. F = you

  2.3.15 on a table = Ed. F = and a Table 29 SH HOSTESS QUICKLY = Ed. F = Woman.

  2.4.111 pining = Q. F = priuy 137 Louvre spelled Louer in F 151 SD Flourish = Ed. After act break in F

  3.0 Act 3 = Ed. F = Actus Secundus 1 SH CHORUS = Ed. Not in F 6 fanning = Ed. F = fayning 17 Harfleur spelled Harflew in F

  3.1.7 conjure = Ed. F = commune 17 noblest = F2. F = Noblish 24 men = F4. F = me 32 Straining = Ed. F = Straying

  3.2.42 Calais spelled Callice in F 63 SH FLUELLEN = Ed. F = Welch. 77 SH JAMY = Ed. F = Scot. 81 SH MACMORRIS = Ed. F = Irish.

  3.3.32 heady = F2. F = headly 35 Defile = Ed. F = Desire

  3.4.1 parles = F2. F = parlas. Textual notes for the French-language scenes are selective, since the distinction between modernization and emendation is hard to maintain 6 Et les doigts? assigned to Alice in F 7 SH ALICE = Ed. F = Kat. 10 SH KATHERINE = Ed. F = Alice 13 Nous = Ed. Not in F 19 le = F2. F = de 45 coun = Q. F = Count Ce = F2. F = il

  3.5.7 scions spelled Syens in F 11 de = F2. F = du 43 Vaudemont = F2. F = Vandemint 45 Foix = Ed. F = Loys 46 knights = Ed. F = Kings

  3.6.8 life = Q. F = liue 30 her = Q. F = his 67 perfect spelled perfit in F 104 lenity = Q. F = Leuitie