Henry V – Act 4 Scene 1

KING HENRY V

Gloucester, 'tis true that we are in great danger;

Gloucester, it’s true that we are in great danger;

The greater therefore should our courage be.

And so our courage must be greater still.

Good morrow, brother Bedford. God Almighty!

Good morning, brother Bedford. God Almighty!

There is some soul of goodness in things evil,

There’s something good in everything that’s evil,

Would men observingly distil it out.

If only we would take the time to look.

For our bad neighbour makes us early stirrers,

Such as our foe that makes us get up early,

Which is both healthful and good husbandry:

Which is a healthy thing to do, and prudent.

Besides, they are our outward consciences,

Besides, they’re like our conscience staring at us,

And preachers to us all, admonishing

And, like a preacher issuing a warning,

That we should dress us fairly for our end.

Advising we prepare ourselves for death.

Thus may we gather honey from the weed,

Thus, we will benefit from something bad,

And make a moral of the devil himself.

And learn a moral lesson from the devil.

[ENTER ERPINGHAM]

Good morrow, old Sir Thomas Erpingham:

Good morning, old Sir Thomas Erpingham:

A good soft pillow for that good white head

Your grey hair should be resting on a pillow

Were better than a churlish turf of France.

Instead of on this hostile grass of France.

ERPINGHAM

Not so, my liege: this lodging likes me better,

Not true, my lord: I much prefer to sleep here,

Since I may say 'Now lie I like a king.'

So I can say, ‘I’m sleeping like a king.’

KING HENRY V

'Tis good for men to love their present pains

It’s good that men can tolerate discomfort

Upon example; so the spirit is eased:

Through leading by example; it is soothing.

And when the mind is quickened, out of doubt,

And with our spirits stirred, without a doubt,

The organs, though defunct and dead before,

Our body parts, though broken earlier,

Break up their drowsy grave and newly move,

Snap out of lethargy and move again,

With casted slough and fresh legerity.

As snakes stay fresh by shedding tired skin.

Lend me thy cloak, Sir Thomas. Brothers both,

Lend me your cloak, Sir Thomas. Both of you,

Commend me to the princes in our camp;

Give my regards to nobles in our camp;

Do my good morrow to them, and anon

Wish them good day from me, and after that

Desire them all to my pavilion.

Request they all come to my army tent.

GLOUCESTER

We shall, my liege.

We will, my lord.

ERPINGHAM

Shall I attend your grace?

Shall I come with your grace?

KING HENRY V

No, my good knight;

No, sir;

Go with my brothers to my lords of England:

Go with my brothers to the noblemen.

I and my bosom must debate awhile,

I need to spend some time in contemplation,

And then I would no other company.

And therefore I would like to be alone.

ERPINGHAM

The Lord in heaven bless thee, noble Harry!

The Lord in heaven bless you, noble Harry!

KING HENRY V

God-a-mercy, old heart! Thou speak'st cheerfully.

My thanks to you, old friend – you’ve cheered me up.

PISTOL

Qui va la?

Who goes there?

KING HENRY V

A friend.

A friend.

PISTOL

Discuss unto me; art thou officer?

Reveal to me: are you an officer?

Or art thou base, common and popular?

Or are you a plebeian commoner?

KING HENRY V

I am a gentleman of a company.

I am a ranking soldier in a squadron.

PISTOL

Trail'st thou the puissant pike?

Do you carry a powerful battle spear?

KING HENRY V

Even so. What are you?

I do. And who are you?

PISTOL

As good a gentleman as the emperor.

As noble as the emperor himself.

KING HENRY V

Then you are a better than the king.

So you’re superior then to the king.

PISTOL

The king's a bawcock, and a heart of gold,

The king’s a fine man with a heart of gold,

A lad of life, an imp of fame;

A lively chap, a famous child;

Of parents good, of fist most valiant.

Well raised, and brave when fighting with his fists.

I kiss his dirty shoe, and from heart-string

I’d kiss his dirty shoes; with all my heart

I love the lovely bully. What is thy name?

I love that decent man. What is your name?

KING HENRY V

Harry le Roy.

Harry le Roy.

PISTOL

Le Roy! A Cornish name: art thou of Cornish crew?

Le Roy! A Cornish name: are you from Cornwall?

KING HENRY V

No, I am a Welshman.

No, I am a Welshman.

PISTOL

Know'st thou Fluellen?

Do you know Fluellen?

KING HENRY V

Yes.

Yes.

PISTOL

Tell him, I'll knock his leek about his pate

Tell him, I’ll knock his leek badge off his head

Upon Saint Davy's day.

When it’s St David’s day.

KING HENRY V

Do not you wear your dagger in your cap that day,

You better not wear your dagger in your cap that day,

lest he knock that about yours.

in case he hits you around your head.

PISTOL

Art thou his friend?

Are you his friend?

KING HENRY V

And his kinsman too.

And his kinsman as well.

PISTOL

The figo for thee, then!

I’ll flip you the bird, then!

KING HENRY V

I thank you: God be with you!

Well, thank you: God be with you!

PISTOL

My name is Pistol called.

My name is Pistol.

KING HENRY V

It sorts well with your fierceness.

Your name matches your fierceness.

GOWER

Captain Fluellen!

Captain Fluellen!

FLUELLEN

So! In the name of Jesu Christ, speak lower. It is

Oi! For Christ’s sake, speak quieter. It is

the greatest admiration of the universal world, when

the most astonishing thing in the world when

the true and aunchient prerogatifes and laws of the

the real ancient prerogatives and laws of

wars is not kept: if you would take the pains but to

war are not observed. If you could be bothered to

examine the wars of Pompey the Great, you shall

study the wars of Pompey the Great, you will

find, I warrant you, that there is no tiddle toddle

find, I assure you, that there is no chitter-chatter

nor pibble pabble in Pompey's camp; I warrant you,

nor jibber-jabber in Pompey’s camp. I assure you,

you shall find the ceremonies of the wars, and the

you will find military ceremonies, and the

cares of it, and the forms of it, and the sobriety

discipline, and the structure, and the sober

of it, and the modesty of it, to be otherwise.

execution, and the humility, unlike what we’ve got here.

GOWER

Why, the enemy is loud; you hear him all night.

Well, our enemy is noisy; you can hear them all night.

FLUELLEN

If the enemy is an ass and a fool and a prating

If the enemy is an idiot and a fool and waffling

coxcomb, is it meet, think you, that we should also,

twerp, is it appropriate, do you think, that we should also,

look you, be an ass and a fool and a prating

you see, act like an idiot and a fool and a waffling

coxcomb? In your own conscience, now?

twerp? What do you reckon now?

GOWER

I will speak lower.

I will speak quieter.

FLUELLEN

I pray you and beseech you that you will.

I beg and implore you do that.

KING HENRY V

Though it appear a little out of fashion,

Although he is a rather quirky chap,

There is much care and valour in this Welshman.

This Welshman is both careful and he’s brave.

COURT

Brother John Bates, is not that the morning which

Brother John Bates, isn’t that the sign of morning

breaks yonder?

breaking over the horizon?

BATES

I think it be: but we have no great cause to desire

I think it is: but we don’t have any reason to wish for

the approach of day.

the day to arrive.

WILLIAMS

We see yonder the beginning of the day, but I think

Over there we see the beginning of the day, but I don’t

we shall never see the end of it. Who goes there?

think we’ll ever see the end of it. Who goes there?

KING HENRY V

A friend.

A friend.

WILLIAMS

Under what captain serve you?

Under what captain do you serve?

KING HENRY V

Under Sir Thomas Erpingham.

Under Sir Thomas Erpingham.

WILLIAMS

A good old commander and a most kind gentleman: I

He’s a good old commander and a decent gentleman.

pray you, what thinks he of our estate?

Tell me, what does he think of the current situation?

KING HENRY V

Even as men wrecked upon a sand, that look to be

He thinks we’re like shipwrecked men on a sandbank,

washed off the next tide.

waiting to be washed away on the next high tide.

BATES

He hath not told his thought to the king?

Has he not shared these thoughts with the king?

KING HENRY V

No; nor it is not meet he should. For, though I

No, nor would it be appropriate for him to do so. Because,

speak it to you, I think the king is but a man, as I

although it might not be appropriate to say so, the king is just

am: the violet smells to him as it doth to me: the

a man like me: a violet smells the same to him as it does me;

element shows to him as it doth to me; all his

air and water appear the same to him as to me; all

senses have but human conditions: his ceremonies

his senses are merely human conditions; without his royal

laid by, in his nakedness he appears but a man; and

pageantry, he’s just a man when seen naked;

though his affections are higher mounted than ours,

though his aspirations are higher than ours,

yet, when they stoop, they stoop with the like

when he falls – like a falcon swoops for prey – he falls the

wing. Therefore when he sees reason of fears, as we

same way we do. So when he sees a reason to be fearful, like

do, his fears, out of doubt, be of the same relish

we do, without a doubt his fears will be just the same

as ours are: yet, in reason, no man should possess

as ours. But, it makes sense that no one should fill him

him with any appearance of fear, lest he, by showing

with fear by appearing scared, in case he shows that

it, should dishearten his army.

fear and disheartens his army.

BATES

He may show what outward courage he will; but I

He can demonstrate whatever courage he likes; but I

believe, as cold a night as 'tis, he could wish

think, however cold it is tonight, he is wishing

himself in Thames up to the neck; and so I would he were,

he was up to his neck in the River Thames; and so do I,

and I by him, at all adventures, so we were quit here.

standing beside him, whatever the risk, to get out of here.

KING HENRY V

By my troth, I will speak my conscience of the king:

In honesty, I’ll tell you what I think about the king:

I think he would not wish himself any where but

I think he wouldn’t wish to be anywhere other than

where he is.

where he is now.

BATES

Then I would he were here alone; so should he be sure

Then I wish he was here alone, so he could be

to be ransomed, and a many poor men's lives saved.

held to ransom, and many a poor man’s life be saved.

KING HENRY V

I dare say you love him not so ill, to wish him here

I bet you don’t dislike him so much that you’d wish he were

alone, howsoever you speak this to feel other men's

here alone; you’re just saying that to figure out what the

minds: methinks I could not die any where so

other men think. Personally, I don’t think I could die anywhere

contented as in the king's company; his cause being

as contentedly as here with the king, because his rationale

just and his quarrel honourable.

is right and his argument is honourable.

WILLIAMS

That's more than we know.

Whether right and honourable is more than we actually know.

BATES

Ay, or more than we should seek after; for we know

Yes, or more than we should try to find out; for all we need to

enough, if we know we are the kings subjects: if

know is that we are under the rule of the king: if

his cause be wrong, our obedience to the king wipes

the king’s rationale is wrong, our obedience to the king rids

the crime of it out of us.

us of any guilt.

WILLIAMS

But if the cause be not good, the king himself hath

But if the king’s rationale isn’t good, the king himself has

a heavy reckoning to make, when all those legs and

a high price to pay, because all those legs and

arms and heads, chopped off in battle, shall join

arms and heads that get chopped off in battle will join

together at the latter day and cry all 'We died at

together on Judgement Day, shouting, ‘We died at

such a place;' some swearing, some crying for a

that place;’ some will be swearing, some crying for a

surgeon, some upon their wives left poor behind

surgeon, some will wail for their wives left poor when

them, some upon the debts they owe, some upon their

they died, some worried about debts they owe, some by

children rawly left. I am afeard there are few die

their children harshly left behind. I’m afraid that few people die

well that die in a battle; for how can they

well in a battle, for how can one die with

charitably dispose of any thing, when blood is their

dignity and grace when bloodshed is all they are

argument? Now, if these men do not die well, it

seeking? Now, if these men don’t die honourably,

will be a black matter for the king that led them to

it will be a grave charge against the king for causing their

it; whom to disobey were against all proportion of

deaths; for they had no choice but to obey his

subjection.

orders.

KING HENRY V

So, if a son that is by his father sent about

So, if a son – sent by his father on a

merchandise do sinfully miscarry upon the sea, the

business trip – commits a sin, and is then shipwrecked, then,

imputation of his wickedness by your rule, should be

by your logic, the son’s sins should be paid for by

imposed upon his father that sent him: or if a

his father who sent him on the trip. Or, if a

servant, under his master's command transporting a

servant – fulfilling the orders of his master – is delivering

sum of money, be assailed by robbers and die in

a sum of money but is then robbed and dies without

many irreconciled iniquities, you may call the

praying for his sins to be forgiven, you are saying that

business of the master the author of the servant's

his master is responsible for the servant’s

damnation: but this is not so: the king is not

damnation. But this isn’t the case: the king is not

bound to answer the particular endings of his soldiers,

responsible for how each of his soldiers dies, just as the

the father of his son, nor the master of his

father is not responsible for his son, nor the master for his

servant; for they purpose not their death, when

servant; for they don’t intend them to die when

they purpose their services. Besides, there is no

they commanded them into their service. Besides, there is no

king, be his cause never so spotless, if it come to

king, even if his rationale were spotless, who can

the arbitrement of swords, can try it out with all

put together a fighting army where all the soldiers

unspotted soldiers: some peradventure have on them

have spotless characters as well. Some soldiers will carry

the guilt of premeditated and contrived murder;

the guilt of planning a premeditated murder;

some, of beguiling virgins with the broken seals of

some will have seduced virgins by lying to

perjury; some, making the wars their bulwark, that

them; some will use the war as defence against the

have before gored the gentle bosom of peace with

fact they violently broke the peace before through

pillage and robbery. Now, if these men have

pillage and robbery. Now, if these men have

defeated the law and outrun native punishment,

escaped justice and not been punished for it,

though they can outstrip men, they have no wings to

they might be able to outrun men, but they won’t escape

fly from God: war is his beadle, war is vengeance;

the justice of God. War is God’s constable and avenger:

so that here men are punished for before-breach of

in war, men are punished for crimes committed before

the king's laws in now the king's quarrel:

the king gave his orders in a battle the king has now ordered.

where they feared the death, they have borne life away;

Where they feared death before, they escaped with their lives,

and where they would be safe, they perish: then if

and where they thought they were safe, they died. So if

they die unprovided, no more is the king guilty of

they die without repenting their sins, the king is no more guilty

their damnation than he was before guilty of those

of their damnation than he was guilty of those

impieties for the which they are now visited. Every

sins for which God is now holding them to account. Every

subject's duty is the king's; but every subject's

person’s duty is to obey the king; but every person’s

soul is his own. Therefore should every soldier in

soul is their own. And so every soldier in

the wars do as every sick man in his bed, wash every

a war should do what a sick man in bed does, namely

mote out of his conscience: and dying so, death

pray to purge his conscience of sin. Then if he dies, his death

is to him advantage; or not dying, the time was

will be advantageous, taking him to heaven; or if he lives, the

blessedly lost wherein such preparation was gained:

time was blessed when he made his preparations for death.

and in him that escapes, it were not sin to think

And for those that survive, it’s fair to think

that, making God so free an offer, He let him

that, after offering God an easy chance to kill him, God let him

outlive that day to see His greatness and to teach

survive that day to bear witness to God’s greatness and teach

others how they should prepare.

others how to prepare for their deaths.

WILLIAMS

'Tis certain, every man that dies ill, the ill upon

It’s true that every man that dies without repenting is

his own head, the king is not to answer it.

responsible for it themselves, and the king is not to blame.

BATES

But I do not desire he should answer for me; and

But I don’t want him to shoulder my guilt, and

yet I determine to fight lustily for him.

yet I am determined to fight fiercely for him.

KING HENRY V

I myself heard the king say he would not be ransomed.

I heard the king say he will not pay a ransom if captured.

WILLIAMS

Ay, he said so, to make us fight cheerfully: but

Yes, he said that to make us fight enthusiastically. But

when our throats are cut, he may be ransomed, and we

when our throats are cut, he might pay the ransom and we

ne'er the wiser.

will never know.

KING HENRY V

If I live to see it, I will never trust his word after.

If I live to see him do that, I will never trust him again.

WILLIAMS

You pay him then. That's a perilous shot out of an

So you’ll make him pay for it? That’s as dangerous as firing

elder-gun, that a poor and private displeasure can

a wooden toy pop-gun, thinking that a poor man can have any

do against a monarch! You may as well go about to

influence on the monarch! You may as well try to

turn the sun to ice with fanning in his face with a

turn the sun to ice by fanning it with a

peacock's feather. You'll never trust his word

peacock’s feather. You’ll never trust his word

after! Come, 'tis a foolish saying.

again! Come on, that’s a ridiculous thing to say.

KING HENRY V

Your reproof is something too round: I should be

Your rebuttal is too blunt: I would be

angry with you, if the time were convenient.

angry with you if the time allowed.

WILLIAMS

Let it be a quarrel between us, if you live.

Then let’s continue the quarrel if you survive.

KING HENRY V

I embrace it.

I’ll do that.

WILLIAMS

How shall I know thee again?

How will I recognise you again?

KING HENRY V

Give me any gage of thine, and I will wear it in my

Give me something of yours, and I will wear it in my

bonnet: then, if ever thou darest acknowledge it, I

hat. Then, if you ever dare to acknowledge that it’s yours, I

will make it my quarrel.

will continue the argument with you.

WILLIAMS

Here's my glove: give me another of thine.

Here’s my glove: give me something of yours.

KING HENRY V

There.

There.

WILLIAMS

This will I also wear in my cap: if ever thou come

I will also wear this in my hat: if you ever come

to me and say, after to-morrow, 'This is my glove,'

to me and say, after tomorrow, ‘This is my glove,’

by this hand, I will take thee a box on the ear.

I swear I will clip you round the ear.

KING HENRY V

If ever I live to see it, I will challenge it.

If I ever live to see it again, I’ll ask you for it.

WILLIAMS

Thou darest as well be hanged.

You might as well dare to be hanged.

KING HENRY V

Well. I will do it, though I take thee in the

Well. I will do it, even if I meet you in the

king's company.

company of the king.

WILLIAMS

Keep thy word: fare thee well.

Keep your word. I wish you well.

BATES

Be friends, you English fools, be friends: we have

Be friends, you English fools, be friends: we have

French quarrels enow, if you could tell how to reckon.

Frenchmen to quarrel with now, in case you hadn’t noticed.

KING HENRY V

Indeed, the French may lay twenty French crowns to

Indeed, the French might gamble twenty French coins to one

one, they will beat us; for they bear them on their

that they will beat us. After all, they carry their

shoulders: but it is no English treason to cut

coins on their shoulders. But it’s not treasonous for English

French crowns, and to-morrow the king himself will

to chip away at the French coins, and tomorrow the king

be a clipper.

himself will be chipping away at coins.

[EXEUNT SOLDIERS]

Upon the king! Let us our lives, our souls,

Let’s blame the king! Let’s take our lives and souls,

Our debts, our careful wives,

Our debts, our careful wives,

Our children and our sins lay on the king!

Our children and our sins and blame the king!

We must bear all. O hard condition,

A king must bear it all. It’s difficult,

Twin-born with greatness, subject to the breath

It comes with leadership, exposed to views

Of every fool, whose sense no more can feel

Of fools insensitive to any views

But his own wringing! What infinite heart's-ease

Except their own! What endless peace of mind

Must kings neglect, that private men enjoy!

Can private men enjoy, yet kings can’t have!

And what have kings, that privates have not too,

And what do kings have that civilians don’t,

Save ceremony, save general ceremony?

Except, of course, for pomp and ceremony?

And what art thou, thou idle ceremony?

And what’s the point of you, then, ceremony?

What kind of god art thou, that suffer'st more

If ceremony is a god, why suffer

Of mortal griefs than do thy worshippers?

More than your citizens who worship you?

What are thy rents? What are thy comings in?

What do you earn from this, hey, ceremony?

O ceremony, show me but thy worth!

Oh ceremony, show me what you’re worth then!

What is thy soul of adoration?

What makes a ceremony so adored?

Art thou aught else but place, degree and form,

Well, is there more to you than place and style,

Creating awe and fear in other men?

Designed to instil fear in other men?

Wherein thou art less happy being feared

But, as you’re feared, you’re more unhappy than

Than they in fearing.

The citizens that fear you.

What drink'st thou oft, instead of homage sweet,

Instead of loyal homage, why do you drink

But poisoned flattery? O, be sick, great greatness,

Pure flattery that’s poisonous? You’re sick,

And bid thy ceremony give thee cure!

And seek to cure yourself with ceremony!

Think'st thou the fiery fever will go out

Do you think that your raging temperature

With titles blown from adulation?

Will dissipate with royal adulation?

Will it give place to flexure and low bending?

Will it be cured by people bowing to you?

Canst thou, when thou command'st the beggar's knee,

Can you, by ordering a man to kneel,

Command the health of it? No, thou proud dream,

Insist his knee gets healthy? No, dream on,

That play'st so subtly with a king's repose;

You merely make it hard for kings to rest;

I am a king that find thee, and I know

I am a king who’s found you out, and know

'Tis not the balm, the sceptre and the ball,

It’s not the ointment, sceptre nor the orb,

The sword, the mace, the crown imperial,

The sword nor club, and nor the royal crown,

The intertissued robe of gold and pearl,

And nor the robe that’s made with gold and pearls,

The farced title running 'fore the king,

And nor the fancy titles of the king,

The throne he sits on, nor the tide of pomp

The throne he sits on, nor pomposity

That beats upon the high shore of this world,

That crashes on the world like waves at high tide,

No, not all these, thrice-gorgeous ceremony,

No, none of these things, gorgeous ceremony,

Not all these, laid in bed majestical,

If they were laid out on a royal bed

Can sleep so soundly as the wretched slave,

Could help me sleep more soundly than a pauper,

Who with a body filled and vacant mind

Whose belly’s full and empty mind is free

Gets him to rest, crammed with distressful bread;

To let him sleep, full of the bread he worked for;

Never sees horrid night, the child of hell,

He never suffers hell-begotten nightmares,

But, like a lackey, from the rise to set

But working from the break of day to sunset,

Sweats in the eye of Phoebus and all night

He sweats under the sun and then all night

Sleeps in Elysium; next day after dawn,

He sleeps like he’s in heaven; then the next day

Doth rise and help Hyperion to his horse,

He’s up to help the sun rise in the sky,

And follows so the ever-running year,

And does this every day of every year

With profitable labour, to his grave:

With useful work until the day he dies;

And, but for ceremony, such a wretch,

And so, except for ceremony, this man

Winding up days with toil and nights with sleep,

Who spends his days at work and nights asleep,

Had the fore-hand and vantage of a king.

Is richer and more privileged than a king.

The slave, a member of the country's peace,

The poor man, who enjoys our peaceful country,

Enjoys it; but in gross brain little wots

Is rarely bothered in his simple mind

What watch the king keeps to maintain the peace,

That our king rarely rests to keep the peace,

Whose hours the peasant best advantages.

Whose efforts he has reaped the pleasures of.

ERPINGHAM

My lord, your nobles, jealous of your absence,

My lord, your noblemen are missing you,

Seek through your camp to find you.

And looking for you in the camp.

KING HENRY V

Good old knight,

Dear knight,

Collect them all together at my tent:

Go round them up and bring them to my tent:

I'll be before thee.

I’ll go there now.

ERPINGHAM

I shall do't, my lord.

I will do that, my lord.

KING HENRY V

O God of battles! Steel my soldiers' hearts;

Oh God of war! Give courage to my soldiers;

Possess them not with fear; take from them now

Don’t make them scared; remove their tendency

The sense of reckoning, if the opposed numbers

To calculate the odds if they’re outnumbered

Pluck their hearts from them. Not to-day, O Lord,

That plucks their courage from them. Not today,

O, not to-day, think not upon the fault

Oh, not today, don’t think about the crime

My father made in compassing the crown!

My father perpetrated for the crown!

I Richard's body have interred anew;

I had Richard’s remains reburied nobly;

And on it have bestowed more contrite tears

And I have cried more broken-hearted tears

Than from it issued forced drops of blood:

Than drops of blood that fell from Richard’s body.

Five hundred poor I have in yearly pay,

Each year, I pay five hundred lowly paupers

Who twice a-day their withered hands hold up

To put their hands together twice a day

Toward heaven, to pardon blood; and I have built

And pray to heaven for forgiveness; I’ve made

Two chantries, where the sad and solemn priests

Two funds that pay for sad and solemn priests

Sing still for Richard's soul. More will I do;

To sing for Richard’s soul. And I’ll do more;

Though all that I can do is nothing worth,

Though none of this has any real value,

Since that my penitence comes after all,

For I’m repenting once the crime’s committed

Imploring pardon.

And asking for forgiveness.

GLOUCESTER

My liege!

My lord!

KING HENRY V

My brother Gloucester's voice? Ay;

Is that my brother Gloucester’s voice? Yes;

I know thy errand, I will go with thee:

I know why you are here; I’ll come with you:

The day, my friends and all things stay for me.

It’s time I told my army what to do.