 | King Henry V. Or The Conquest of France |  |
SCENE VIII.
Another part of the Field.Enter Gower and Williams.
Wil.
I warrant it is to knight you, Captain.
Enter Fluellen.
Flu.
God's will and his pleasure, Captain, I beseech
you now come apace to the King: there is more good
toward your peradventure, than is in your knowledge
to dream of.
Wil.
Sir, know you this glove?
Flu.
Know the glove? I know the glove is a glove.
Wil.
I know this, and thus I challenge it.
[Strikes him.
Flu.
'Sbud, an arrant traitor as any's in the universal
world, in France or England.
Gower.
How now, Sir? you villain!
Wil.
Do you think I'll be forsworn?
Flu.
Stand away, Captain Gower, I will give treason
his payment into plows, I warrant you.
Wil.
I am no traitor.
Flu.
That's a lie in thy throat. I charge you in his
Majesty's name apprehend him, he's a friend of the
Duke of Alençon's.
Glou.
How now, how now, what's the matter?
Flu.
My lord Gloucester, here is, praised be God
for it, a most contagious treason come to light, look
you, as you shall desire in a summer's day. Here is
his Majesty.
Enter King Henry, Bedford, Exeter, and Attendants.
K. Henry.
How now, what's the matter?
Flu.
My Liege, here is a villain and a traitor, that,
look your grace, has struck the glove which your Majesty
is take out of the helmet of Alençon.
Wil.
My Liege, this was my glove, here is the
fellow of it; and he that I gave it to in change, promis'd
to wear it in his cap; I promis'd to strike him if
he did; I met this man with my glove in his cap,
and I have been as good as my word.
Flu.
Your Majesty hear now, saving your Majesty's
manhood, what an arrant, rascally, beggarly, lowsy
knave it is; I hope your Majesty is pear me testimonies,
and witnesses, and avouchments, that this is the
glove of Alençon that your Majesty is give me, in your
conscience now.
K. Henry.
Give me thy glove, soldier; look, here
is the fellow of it; 'twas me indeed thou promised'st
to strike, and thou hast given me most bitter terms.
Flu.
An please your Majesty, let his neck answer
for it, if there is any martial law in the world.
K. Henry.
How canst thou make me satisfaction?
Wil.
All offences, my Lord, come from the heart;
never came any from mine that might offend your
Majesty.
K. Henry.
It was ourself thou didst abuse.
Wil.
Your Majesty came not like yourself; you appear'd
to me but as a common man; witness the night,
suffer'd under that shape, I beseech you take it
for your fault and not mine; for had you been as I
took you for, I made no offence; therefore I beseech
your highness pardon me.
K. Henry.
Here, uncle Exeter, fill this glove with crowns,
And give it to this fellow. Keep, soldier,
And wear it for an honour in thy cap,
'Till I do challenge it. Give him the crowns:
And captain you must needs be friends with him.
Flu.
By this day and this light, the fellow has mettle
enough in his body; hold, there is twelve-pence
for you, and I pray you to serve God, and keep you
out of prawls and prabbles, and quarrels and dissentions,
and I warrant you it is the better for you.
Wil.
I will none of your money.
Flu.
It is with a good will; I can tell you it will
serve you to mend your shooes; come, wherefore
should you be so pashful; your shooes is not so good;
'tis a good silling I warrant you, or I will change it.
Enter English Herald.
K. Henry.
Are the dead number'd?
[Herald gives a paper.
What prisoners of good sort are taken, uncle?
Exe.
Charles Duke of Orleans, nephew to the King;
John Duke of Bourbon, and Lord Bouchiquald:
Of other Lords and Barons, Knights and 'Squires,
Full fifteen hundred, besides common men.
K. Henry.
This note doth tell me of ten thousand French
Slain in the field; of Princes in this number,
And Nobles bearing banners, there lye dead
One hundred twenty-six; added to these,
Of Knights, Esquires, and gallant gentlemen,
Five hundred were but yesterday dubb'd Knights;
So that in these ten thousand they have lost,
There are but sixteen hundred mercenaries:
The rest are Princes, Barons, Lords, Knights, 'Squires,
And gentlemen of blood and quality.
Here was a royal fellowship of death!
Where is the number of our English dead?
Exe.
Edward the Duke of York, the Earl of Suffolk,
Sir Richard Ketley, Davy Gam, Esquire;
None else of name: and of all other men,
But five and twenty.
K. Henry.
O Heav'n, thy arm was here!
And not to us, but to thy arm alone
Ascribe we all.
Come, go we in procession to the village:
And be it death proclaim'd through our host,
To boast of this, or take that praise from God,
Which is his only.
Flu.
Is it not lawful, an please your Majesty, to tell
how many is kill'd?
K. Henry.
Yes, Captain; but with this acknowledgement,
That God fought for us.
Flu.
Yes, my conscience, he did us great good.
K. Henry.
Do we all holy rites;
The dead with charity enclos'd in clay,
We will to Calais and to England then,
Where ne'er from France arrived more happy men.
[Exeunt.
| King Henry V. Or The Conquest of France | |