Henry V – Act 5 Scene 2

KING HENRY V

Peace to this meeting, wherefore we are met!

We meet in peace; let’s make our meeting peaceful!

Unto our brother France, and to our sister,

I wish the King of France, and wish his queen,

Health and fair time of day; joy and good wishes

Good health and happiness; joy and good wishes

To our most fair and princely cousin Katharine;

To our most regal, gorgeous cousin Katharine;

And, as a branch and member of this royalty,

And, as a member of this royal family,

By whom this great assembly is contrived,

Who’s organised this sovereign get-together,

We do salute you, Duke of Burgundy;

I do salute you, Duke of Burgundy.

And, princes French, and peers, health to you all!

Good health to all you lords and you French princes!

KING OF FRANCE

Right joyous are we to behold your face,

We’re overjoyed to see you here in person,

Most worthy brother England; fairly met:

Most worthy King of England; you are welcome,

So are you, princes English, every one.

And so are all you English princes: welcome.

QUEEN ISABEL

So happy be the issue, brother England,

Let’s hope we’re happy with the outcome, England,

Of this good day and of this gracious meeting,

Of this delightful meeting here today

As we are now glad to behold your eyes;

As we are happy now to see your eyes;

Your eyes, which hitherto have borne in them

Your eyes that previously have held a viewpoint

Against the French, that met them in their bent,

Against the French, so much so that they seemed

The fatal balls of murdering basilisks:

Like cannonballs shot from the fabled serpent.

The venom of such looks, we fairly hope,

The venom of your eyes, we truly hope,

Have lost their quality, and that this day

Has lost that quality, and that today

Shall change all griefs and quarrels into love.

We’ll change our animosity to love.

KING HENRY V

To cry amen to that, thus we appear.

Amen to that; and that is why we’re here.

QUEEN ISABEL

You English princes all, I do salute you.

All English princes, you are welcome here.

BURGUNDY

My duty to you both, on equal love,

My loyalty is equal to you both,

Great Kings of France and England! That I have laboured,

Great Kings of France and England! That I’ve worked,

With all my wits, my pains and strong endeavours,

So hard with all the effort I could muster

To bring your most imperial majesties

To bring your regal majesties together

Unto this bar and royal interview,

To this tribunal and royal discussion,

Your mightiness on both parts best can witness.

I hope that both your highnesses can see that.

Since then my office hath so far prevailed

And since, so far, my work here has resulted

That, face to face and royal eye to eye,

When meeting face to face and eye to eye,

You have congreeted, let it not disgrace me,

You have exchanged warm greetings, if I may

If I demand, before this royal view,

Suggest, in front of both your majesties,

What rub or what impediment there is,

In clarifying what issues remain,

Why that the naked, poor and mangled Peace,

That broken, damaged peace so far prevented,

Dear nurse of arts and joyful births,

A peace that fosters art and happiness,

Should not in this best garden of the world

And why in the best garden of the world,

Our fertile France, put up her lovely visage?

Our fertile France, we can’t see Peace’s face?

Alas, she hath from France too long been chased,

Alas, we’ve not seen peace in France for so long

And all her husbandry doth lie on heaps,

That all our work and harvest lies in heaps,

Corrupting in its own fertility.

Preventing it from growing once again.

Her vine, the merry cheerer of the heart,

Her vineyards, that all cheer us up with wine,

Unpruned dies; her hedges even-pleached,

Die out, unpruned. Her unkempt hedges look

Like prisoners wildly overgrown with hair,

Like prisoners with wild and straggly hair,

Put forth disordered twigs; her fallow leas

Caused by the untrimmed twigs. Unplanted fields

The darnel, hemlock and rank fumitory

Awash with poisonous weeds, hemlock and nightshade

Doth root upon, while that the coulter rusts

Deep-rooted, while the plough-blade rusts away

That should deracinate such savagery;

That should be used, uprooting this destruction.

The even mead, that erst brought sweetly forth

The tended meadow, that once cultivated

The freckled cowslip, burnet and green clover,

The cowslips, burnets, and green clover plants,

Wanting the scythe, all uncorrected, rank,

That needed cutting, left uncut have rotted,

Conceives by idleness and nothing teems

Through idleness, so now there’s nothing growing

But hateful docks, rough thistles, kecksies, burs,

But dock leaves, thistles, withered stalks and burdock,

Losing both beauty and utility.

Both ugly and devoid of use to us.

And as our vineyards, fallows, meads and hedges,

And as our vineyards, empty fields and hedges,

Defective in their natures, grow to wildness,

Go rogue when left untended, growing wild,

Even so our houses and ourselves and children

Our houses and ourselves and children also

Have lost, or do not learn for want of time,

Have lost, or cannot learn through lack of time,

The sciences that should become our country;

The skills that ought to make our country proud.

But grow like savages, – as soldiers will

Instead, they grow like savages – like soldiers

That nothing do but meditate on blood, –

That don’t do anything but think of blood –

To swearing and stern looks, diffused attire

And swear, appearing stern, with scruffy clothing

And every thing that seems unnatural.

And everything appears to not be right.

Which to reduce into our former favour

In order to return to former glories,

You are assembled: and my speech entreats

You’ve gathered here. And I’m imploring you

That I may know the let, why gentle Peace

To tell me of the reason why this Peace

Should not expel these inconveniences

Can’t rid us of the maladies that plague us

And bless us with her former qualities.

And take us back to where we used to be.

KING HENRY V

If, Duke of Burgundy, you would the peace,

If, Duke of Burgundy, you want this peace

Whose want gives growth to the imperfections

That, lacking now, has caused the things to fail

Which you have cited, you must buy that peace

That you have listed, you must buy that peace by

With full accord to all our just demands;

Agreeing to the fair demands we’ve made,

Whose tenors and particular effects

Of which the terms and clauses we demand

You have enscheduled briefly in your hands.

Are listed in the document you’re holding.

BURGUNDY

The king hath heard them; to the which as yet

The king has read them; his reply, as yet,

There is no answer made.

Has not been made.

KING HENRY V

Well then the peace,

Well then the peace you crave

Which you before so urged, lies in his answer.

As you described before, rests on his answer.

KING OF FRANCE

I have but with a cursorary eye

I’ve only briefly cast my eyes upon

O'erglanced the articles: pleaseth your grace

These documents. If you desire, your grace,

To appoint some of your council presently

To allocate some representatives

To sit with us once more, with better heed

To sit with us again, with better judgement

To re-survey them, we will suddenly

To survey every point again, we will

Pass our accept and peremptory answer.

Deliver our acceptance and our answer.

KING HENRY V

Brother, we shall. Go, uncle Exeter,

Brother, we will. Go, uncle Exeter,

And brother Clarence, and you, brother Gloucester,

And brother Clarence, and you, brother Gloucester,

Warwick and Huntingdon, go with the king;

Warwick and Huntingdon, go with the king;

And take with you free power to ratify,

And know that you’re empowered to ratify,

Augment, or alter, as your wisdoms best

To modify, or alter, as you see fit

Shall see advantageable for our dignity,

If it proves advantageous to us,

Any thing in or out of our demands,

By adding or removing our demands,

And we'll consign thereto. Will you, fair sister,

And I’ll agree to them. Will you, kind sister,

Go with the princes, or stay here with us?

Go with the princes, or stay here with us?

QUEEN ISABEL

Our gracious brother, I will go with them:

My gracious brother, I will go with them:

Haply a woman's voice may do some good,

I feel a woman’s voice may help to ease

When articles too nicely urged be stood on.

The sticking points that are mere niceties.

KING HENRY V

Yet leave our cousin Katharine here with us:

But leave my cousin Katharine here with me:

She is our capital demand, comprised

She is my main demand, as is declared

Within the fore-rank of our articles.

Within the first few pages of our contract.

QUEEN ISABEL

She hath good leave.

She’s free to stay.

KING HENRY V

Fair Katharine, and most fair,

Sweet Katharine, beautiful,

Will you vouchsafe to teach a soldier terms

Will you agree to teach a soldier words

Such as will enter at a lady's ear

That will allow a lady to interpret

And plead his love-suit to her gentle heart?

That he is pleading love to win her heart?

KATHARINE

Your majesty shall mock at me;

Your majesty is making fun of me;

I cannot speak your England.

I cannot speak your English.

KING HENRY V

O fair Katharine, if you will love me soundly with

Oh beautiful Katharine, if you will love me completely with

your French heart, I will be glad to hear you

your French heart, I will be happy to hear you

confess it brokenly with your English tongue. Do

state it in your broken English. Do

you like me, Kate?

you like me, Kate?

KATHARINE

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

I’m sorry, I don’t know what you mean by ‘like me.’

KING HENRY V

An angel is like you, Kate, and you are like an angel.

An angel is like you, Kate, and you are like an angel.

KATHARINE

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

What did he say? That I am like the angels?

ALICE

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

Yes, truly, saving your grace, that’s what he said.

KING HENRY V

I said so, dear Katharine; and I must not blush

That’s what I said, dear Katharine; and I won’t blush

to affirm it.

if I have to say it again.

KATHARINE

O bon Dieu! Les langues des hommes sont

Oh, good God! The tongues of men are

pleines de tromperies.

full of deceit.

KING HENRY V

What says she, fair one? That the tongues of men

What does she say, kind lady? That the tongues of men

are full of deceits?

are full of deceit?

ALICE

Oui, dat de tongues of de mans is be full of

Yes, that the tongues of men are full of

deceits: dat is de princess.

deceits. That is what the princess said.

KING HENRY V

The princess is the better Englishwoman. I' faith,

Her suspicion of me makes her English already. In truth,

Kate, my wooing is fit for thy understanding: I am

Kate, my wooing matches your level of understanding. I am

glad thou canst speak no better English; for, if

glad you can’t speak better English, for if

thou couldst, thou wouldst find me such a plain king

you did, you would find me to be such a bland king

that thou wouldst think I had sold my farm to buy my

you would think I’ve sold my farm to buy my

crown. I know no ways to mince it in love, but

crown. I’m no good with evocative words in love, except

directly to say 'I love you:' then if you urge me

to say directly, ‘I love you.’ But if you insist that I

farther than to say 'do you in faith?' I wear out

further commit by saying ‘do you really?’, I’d have nothing

my suit. Give me your answer; i' faith, do: and so

more I could say. Tell me your answer; do it truthfully. And so

clap hands and a bargain: how say you, lady?

let’s shake hands and make a deal. What do you reckon, lady?

KATHARINE

Sauf votre honneur, me understand vell.

Saving your honour, I understand you well.

KING HENRY V

Marry, if you would put me to verses or to dance for

Well, if you want me to write poetry or to dance for

your sake, Kate, why you undid me: for the one, I

you, Kate, well you’ve beaten me already. For poetry, I

have neither words nor measure, and for the other, I

have neither the words nor the skills, and for dancing,

have no strength in measure, yet a reasonable

I have no strengths you can measure, although I do have

measure in strength. If I could win a lady at

a measure of strength. If I could win a lady’s heart by

leap-frog, or by vaulting into my saddle with my

doing a leapfrog, or by jumping into my saddle while wearing

armour on my back, under the correction of bragging

my armour, although I might be criticised for bragging

be it spoken, I should quickly leap into a wife.

by some people, I’d quickly jump into bed with a wife.

Or if I might buffet for my love, or bound my horse

Or if I could box to win someone’s love, or make my horse jump

for her favours, I could lay on like a butcher and

to impress her, I could land blows like a butcher and

sit like a jack-an-apes, never off. But, before God,

hold on to a horse like a monkey, never falling off. But, by God,

Kate, I cannot look greenly nor gasp out my

Kate, I cannot make a lovesick gaze nor effusively

eloquence, nor I have no cunning in protestation;

verbalise love, and I’m clueless with elaborate vows;

only downright oaths, which I never use till urged,

I only make promises, and only then when encouraged, and

nor never break for urging. If thou canst love a

I never break them, however much encouraged. If you can love

fellow of this temper, Kate, whose face is not worth

someone like this, Kate, whose face is so ugly it’s not worth

sun-burning, that never looks in his glass for love

protecting from the sun; who never looks fondly in the mirror

of any thing he sees there, let thine eye be thy

at anything he sees there, then let your gaze prepare

cook. I speak to thee plain soldier: If thou canst

me how you want me. I speak like a normal soldier. If you can

love me for this, take me: if not, to say to thee

love me like this, then take me; if you can’t, then I’ll tell you

that I shall die, is true; but for thy love, by the

that I’ll die, and that’s the truth. But do that for your love? Good

Lord, no; yet I love thee too. And while thou

God, no; although I do love you too. And while you’re

livest, dear Kate, take a fellow of plain and

alive, dear Kate, take the hand of a man who is plain

uncoined constancy; for he perforce must do thee right,

and uncomplicated, because he will do right by you,

because he hath not the gift to woo in other

because he doesn’t have the capacity to go off wooing

places: for these fellows of infinite tongue, that

elsewhere. For these chaps with the gift of the gab, who

can rhyme themselves into ladies' favours, they do

can reel off poetry to win a lady’s affection, they always

always reason themselves out again. What! A

talk themselves out of love again. You know, a

speaker is but a prater; a rhyme is but a ballad. A

chatty person speaks gibberish; a poem is just a song. A

good leg will fall; a straight back will stoop; a

good leg will buckle; a straight back will curve over; a

black beard will turn white; a curled pate will grow

black beard will turn grey; a head with curly hair will go

bald; a fair face will wither; a full eye will wax

bald; a beautiful face will wrinkle; piercing eyes will

hollow: but a good heart, Kate, is the sun and the

glaze over; but a good heart, Kate, is like the sun and the

moon; or, rather, the sun, and not the moon; for it

moon; or, rather, the sun, not the moon; for it

shines bright and never changes, but keeps his

shines brightly, never changing, and always where you

course truly. If thou would have such a one, take

expect to see it. If you want someone like that, take

me; and take me, take a soldier; take a soldier,

me; and take me as a soldier; and take a soldier

take a king. And what sayest thou then to my love?

as a king. So what do you say to my love I’m offering you?

Speak, my fair, and fairly, I pray thee.

Tell me, my beautiful, and tell me straight, I urge you.

KATHARINE

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

Is it possible for me to love the enemy of France?

KING HENRY V

No; it is not possible you should love the enemy of

No, it is not possible for you to love the enemy of

France, Kate: but, in loving me, you should love

France, Kate, but if you love me, you will be loving

the friend of France; for I love France so well that

the friend of France. For I love France so much that

I will not part with a village of it; I will have it

I will not let a single village be taken; it will

all mine: and, Kate, when France is mine and I am

all be mine. And, Kate, when France is mine and I am

yours, then yours is France and you are mine.

yours, then France is yours and you are mine.

KATHARINE

I cannot tell vat is dat.

I cannot tell what that means.

KING HENRY V

No, Kate? I will tell thee in French; which I am

No, Kate? I will tell you in French then, which I am

sure will hang upon my tongue like a new-married

sure will stick to my tongue like a newly married

wife about her husband's neck, hardly to be shook

wife clinging to her husband’s neck, impossible to shake

off. Je quand sur le possession de France, et quand

off. When I have possession of France, and when

vous avez le possession de moi, – let me see, what

you have possession of me, – let me see, what’s the

then? Saint Denis be my speed! – donc votre est

next part? Saint Denis, help me out quickly! – then France

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

is yours and you are mine. It would be as easy for me,

Kate, to conquer the kingdom as to speak so much

Kate, to reconquer France as it would be for me to speak much

more French: I shall never move thee in French,

more French. I will never move you with my French,

unless it be to laugh at me.

unless it is to make you laugh.

KATHARINE

Sauf votre honneur, le Francois que vous parlez, il

Saving your honour, the French you speak is

est meilleur que l'Anglois lequel je parle.

better than the English that I speak.

KING HENRY V

No, faith, is't not, Kate: but thy speaking of my

No, in truth, it is not, Kate. But the way you speak my

tongue, and I thine, most truly-falsely, must needs

language, and me yours, both warmly but badly,

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

we do much the same as each other. But, Kate, do you

understand thus much English, canst thou love me?

understand this much English: can you love me?

KATHARINE

I cannot tell.

I do not know.

KING HENRY V

Can any of your neighbours tell, Kate? I'll ask

Do any of your neighbours know, Kate? I’ll ask

them. Come, I know thou lovest me: and at night,

them. Come on, I know you love me. And at night,

when you come into your closet, you'll question this

when you go into your dressing room, you’ll ask your

gentlewoman about me; and I know, Kate, you will to

lady-in-waiting about me; and I know, Kate, you will

her dispraise those parts in me that you love with

criticise those parts of me that you actually love with

your heart: but, good Kate, mock me mercifully; the

all your heart. But, good Kate, make fun of me kindly;

rather, gentle princess, because I love thee

because, gentle princess, I love you

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

fiercely. If ever you are mine, Kate, as I have a

saving faith within me tells me thou shalt, I get

sneaking feeling that you will be, I’ll win

thee with scambling, and thou must therefore needs

you in a scuffle, and you will therefore be

prove a good soldier-breeder: shall not thou and I,

able to raise fine soldier children. Shan’t you and I,

between Saint Denis and Saint George, compound a

merging French Saint Denis and English Saint George, make a

boy, half French, half English, that shall go to

boy, half French, half English, who will go to

Constantinople and take the Turk by the beard?

Constantinople to fight and defeat the Turks?

Shall we not? What sayest thou, my fair

Shan’t we? What do you say to that, my beautiful

flower-de-luce?

fleur-de-lis?

KATHARINE

I do not know dat.

I do not know that.

KING HENRY V

No; 'tis hereafter to know, but now to promise: do

No; you can only know later, but you can promise now. Just

but now promise, Kate, you will endeavour for your

make the promise now, Kate, and you will try to make the

French part of such a boy; and for my English moiety

French part of such a boy; and for my English half of the deal,

take the word of a king and a bachelor. How answer

accept my word as king and bachelor. What do you

you, la plus belle Katharine du monde, mon tres cher

say to that, most beautiful Katharine in the world, my very dear

et devin deesse?

and devine goddess?

KATHARINE

Your majestee ave fausse French enough to deceive de

Your majesty has enough false French to deceive

most sage demoiselle dat is en France.

the most savvy young lady in France.

KING HENRY V

Now, fie upon my false French! By mine honour, in

Now, damn my awful French! On my honour, spoken in

true English, I love thee, Kate: by which honour I

plain English, I love you, Kate. And by my honour I

dare not swear thou lovest me; yet my blood begins to

cannot swear that you love me, but my blood is starting to

flatter me that thou dost, notwithstanding the poor

tease me by telling me you do, despite my ugly

and untempering effect of my visage. Now, beshrew

face being unable to melt your heart. Now, damn

my father's ambition! He was thinking of civil wars

my father’s ambition! He was dreaming of civil war

when he got me: therefore was I created with a

when he made me, and that’s why I was made with a

stubborn outside, with an aspect of iron, that, when

hard exterior, like iron, so that, when

I come to woo ladies, I fright them. But, in faith,

I try to woo ladies, I scare them off. But, in truth,

Kate, the elder I wax, the better I shall appear:

Kate, the older I get, the better I’ll look.

my comfort is, that old age, that ill layer up of

I’m comforted that old age, that tends to cover up ones

beauty, can do no more, spoil upon my face: thou

beauty, can’t do any more damage to my face. You’ll

hast me, if thou hast me, at the worst; and thou

get me, if you take me, at my worst; and you’ll

shalt wear me, if thou wear me, better and better:

wear me like clothes, if you wear me, which improve with age.

and therefore tell me, most fair Katharine, will you

And so tell me, beautiful Katharine, will you

have me? Put off your maiden blushes; avouch the

marry me? Don’t blush, young virgin; match the

thoughts of your heart with the looks of an empress;

desires of your heart with the appearance of an empress.

take me by the hand, and say 'Harry of England I am

Take me by the hand, and say, ‘Harry of England, I am

thine:' which word thou shalt no sooner bless mine

yours.’ And no sooner than I’ve heard the word blessing my

ear withal, but I will tell thee aloud 'England is

ears will I tell you aloud: ‘England is

thine, Ireland is thine, France is thine, and Henry

yours, Ireland is yours, France is yours, and Henry

Plantagenet is thine;' who though I speak it before

Plantagenet is yours.’ And though I say it to

his face, if he be not fellow with the best king,

myself, if I don’t rank amongst the very best kings,

thou shalt find the best king of good fellows.

you’ll find that I’m the best king of good company.

Come, your answer in broken music; for thy voice is

So, state your answer in broken English verse; for your voice is

music and thy English broken; therefore, queen of

music and your English is broken. And so, queen of

all, Katharine, break thy mind to me in broken

everything, Katharine, reveal your mind to me in broken

English; wilt thou have me?

English: will you marry me?

KATHARINE

Dat is as it sall please de roi mon pere.

That is as it shall please the king, my father.

KING HENRY V

Nay, it will please him well, Kate it shall please

Indeed, it will please him greatly, Kate, it will please

him, Kate.

him, Kate.

KATHARINE

Den it sall also content me.

Then it will also please me.

KING HENRY V

Upon that I kiss your hand, and I call you my queen.

With that, I will kiss your hand, and I will call you my queen.

KATHARINE

Laissez, mon seigneur, laissez, laissez: ma foi, je

Let go, my lord, let go, let go! My word, I

ne veux point que vous abaissiez votre grandeur en

would not want you to lower your greatness by

baisant la main d'une de votre seigeurie indigne

kissing the hand of one of your lordship’s unworthy

serviteur; excusez-moi, je vous supplie, mon

servants. Forgive me, I beg you, my

tres-puissant seigneur.

most mighty lord.

KING HENRY V

Then I will kiss your lips, Kate.

Then I will kiss your lips, Kate.

KATHARINE

Les dames et demoiselles pour etre baisees devant

The women and young ladies must not be kissed before

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

their wedding, as it’s not the custom in France.

KING HENRY V

Madam my interpreter, what says she?

Madam my interpreter, what does she say?

ALICE

Dat it is not be de fashion pour les ladies of

That it is not the custom for the ladies of

France, – I cannot tell vat is baiser en Anglish.

France…I do not know how to say ‘baiser’ in English.

KING HENRY V

To kiss.

To kiss.

ALICE

Your majesty entendre bettre que moi.

Your majesty understands better than me.

KING HENRY V

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

It is not the custom for the young maidens of France to kiss

before they are married, would she say?

before they are married – is that what she’s saying?

ALICE

Oui, vraiment.

Yes, exactly.

KING HENRY V

O Kate, nice customs curtsy to great kings. Dear

Oh Kate, sweet customs bow down to great kings. Dear

Kate, you and I cannot be confined within the weak

Kate, you and I must not be constrained by the feeble

list of a country's fashion: we are the makers of

list of customs in a country: we are the ones defining

manners, Kate; and the liberty that follows our

behaviour, Kate; and the freedom that our positions

places stops the mouth of all find-faults; as I will

grant us prevents others finding faults in our actions, as I will

do yours, for upholding the nice fashion of your

do to yours, for implementing the prim custom of

country in denying me a kiss: therefore, patiently

France that prevents me from kissing you. So, be calm

and yielding.

and let it happen.

[KISSING HER]

You have witchcraft in your lips, Kate: there is

I am bewitched by your lips, Kate. There is

more eloquence in a sugar touch of them than in the

more eloquence in their sugary touch than is in the

tongues of the French council; and they should

tongues of the entire French council; and they’d

sooner persuade Harry of England than a general

more readily win over Harry of England than a

petition of monarchs. Here comes your father.

petition from many monarchs. Here comes your father.

BURGUNDY

God save your majesty! My royal cousin, teach you

God save your majesty! My royal cousin, have you taught

our princess English?

our princess English?

KING HENRY V

I would have her learn, my fair cousin, how

My dear cousin, I wanted her to learn how

perfectly I love her; and that is good English.

perfectly I love her; and that is good English.

BURGUNDY

Is she not apt?

Isn’t she a quick learner?

KING HENRY V

Our tongue is rough, coz, and my condition is not

English is rough, cousin, and my temperament is not

smooth; so that, having neither the voice nor the

exactly smooth, so lacking both the language and

heart of flattery about me, I cannot so conjure up

the ability to flatter, I can’t really summon

the spirit of love in her, that he will appear in

Cupid in her, so that he shows up in

his true likeness.

his true likeness.

BURGUNDY

Pardon the frankness of my mirth, if I answer you

Forgive the directness of my humour, if I answer you

for that. If you would conjure in her, you must

on that point. If you want to summon her, you must

make a circle; if conjure up love in her in his true

draw a ring around her; if you’re to summon Cupid in his true

likeness, he must appear naked and blind. Can you

likeness, he must appear naked and blind. Can you

blame her then, being a maid yet rosed over with the

blame her then, being a blushing virgin, bright

virgin crimson of modesty, if she deny the appearance

red through her modesty, if she denies allowing a

of a naked blind boy in her naked seeing self?

naked blind boy to appear as she sees herself standing naked?

It were, my lord, a hard condition for a maid

It is, my lord, a hard condition for a virgin

to consign to.

to permit happening.

KING HENRY V

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

Yet they shut their eyes, succumbing, for love is blindly forceful.

BURGUNDY

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

They are then excused, my lord, when they can’t see

what they do.

what they’re doing.

KING HENRY V

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

Then, my lord, teach your cousin to consent with her eyes shut.

BURGUNDY

I will wink on her to consent, my lord, if you will

I will wink at her to get her consent my lord, if you will

teach her to know my meaning: for maids, well

teach her to know what I mean. For virgins that live well

summered and warm kept, are like flies at

through the summer and are kept warm are like flies

Bartholomew-tide, blind, though they have their

at the feast of Saint Bartholomew, blind even though they still

eyes; and then they will endure handling, which

have eyes; and then they can be caught by hand, which

before would not abide looking on.

beforehand would not be possible.

KING HENRY V

This moral ties me over to time and a hot summer;

This lesson makes me wait until we have a hot summer,

and so I shall catch the fly, your cousin, in the

and that’s when I’ll catch the fly, your cousin, in the

latter end and she must be blind too.

latter end of summer when she is blind too.

BURGUNDY

As love is, my lord, before it loves.

Love is blind, my lord, before it starts to love.

KING HENRY V

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

So it is: and some of you might want to thank love for

my blindness, who cannot see many a fair French city

my blindness, because I can’t see many a lovely French city

for one fair French maid that stands in my way.

because a lovely French maid is standing in my way.

KING OF FRANCE

Yes, my lord, you see them perspectively, the cities

Yes, my lord, you see them in perspective, those cities

turned into a maid; for they are all girdled with

that are like virgins; for they are all bordered by

maiden walls that war hath never entered.

virgin walls that war has never entered.

KING HENRY V

Shall Kate be my wife?

Will Kate be my wife?

KING OF FRANCE

So please you.

If you’d like.

KING HENRY V

I am content; so the maiden cities you talk of may

I am happy; so long as those virgin cities you spoke of come

wait on her: so the maid that stood in the way for

with her. So the virgin who stood in the way of what I

my wish shall show me the way to my will.

wanted will show me the way to get what I want.

KING OF FRANCE

We have consented to all terms of reason.

I have agreed to all the reasonable demands.

KING HENRY V

Is't so, my lords of England?

Is that so, my lords of England?

WESTMORELAND

The king hath granted every article:

The king’s agreed to every single clause.

His daughter first, and then in sequel all,

His daughter first, and after that, all things,

According to their firm proposed natures.

Exactly as we had proposed them to him.

EXETER

Only he hath not yet subscribed this:

But as of yet, he’s not agreed to this point:

Where your majesty demands, that the King of France,

The one where your majesty demands the King of France

having any occasion to write for matter of grant,

has to sign something off legally,

shall name your highness in this form and with this

his majesty will sign the form with this

addition in French, Notre tres cher fils Henri, Roi

addition in French: Our very dear son Henry, King

d'Angleterre, Heritier de France; and thus in

of England, Heir of France. And the same in

Latin, Praeclarissimus filius noster Henricus, Rex

Latin: Our most illustrious son Henry, King

Angliae, et Haeres Franciae.

of England, and Heir of France.

KING OF FRANCE

Nor this I have not, brother, so denied,

And I have also not denied this, brother,

But your request shall make me let it pass.

But if you ask me to, I will agree.

KING HENRY V

I pray you then, in love and dear alliance,

I ask you then, in love and partnership,

Let that one article rank with the rest;

Let’s add that article to all the others;

And thereupon give me your daughter.

And, doing so, permit I wed your daughter.

KING OF FRANCE

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

Take her, good son, and with her, go produce

Issue to me; that the contending kingdoms

Descendants for me; so the warring kingdoms

Of France and England, whose very shores look pale

Of France and England, whose own shores look pale

With envy of each other's happiness,

In envy at the other’s happiness,

May cease their hatred, and this dear conjunction

May stop their hatred, and this happy marriage

Plant neighbourhood and Christian-like accord

Make them be neighbourly and Christian-like

In their sweet bosoms, that never war advance

In both their hearts, so war will not advance

His bleeding sword 'twixt England and fair France.

The bleeding swords of England and sweet France.

ALL

Amen!

Amen!

KING HENRY V

Now, welcome, Kate: and bear me witness all,

Now, welcome, Kate: and everyone, bear witness,

That here I kiss her as my sovereign queen.

My kissing her here as my sovereign queen.

[Flourish]

QUEEN ISABEL

God, the best maker of all marriages,

God, the best maker of all marriages,

Combine your hearts in one, your realms in one!

Combine your hearts and kingdoms both together!

As man and wife, being two, are one in love,

As man and wife, two people turn to one,

So be there 'twixt your kingdoms such a spousal,

So we have unity between our kingdoms

That never may ill office, or fell jealousy,

So never may we fall out, or be jealous,

Which troubles oft the bed of blessed marriage,

Which might upset the blessing of this marriage,

Thrust in between the paction of these kingdoms,

Which sometimes forces conflict between kingdoms,

To make divorce of their incorporate league;

And separate the unity between them.

That English may as French, French Englishmen,

Let English treat the French, and French the English

Receive each other. God speak this Amen!

As one. To which we say to God, Amen!

ALL

Amen!

Amen!

KING HENRY V

Prepare we for our marriage – on which day,

So let’s prepare our marriage – on this day,

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

My Lord of Burgundy, we all will swear,

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

You and your peers to honour this alliance.

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

Then I will swear to Kate, and you to me;

And may our oaths well kept and prosperous be!

And may our oaths prevail prosperously!