DRAMATIS PERSONE. KING HENRY THE FIFTH. DUKE OF GLOSTER, DUKE OF BEDFORD, brothers to the king. DUKE OF EXETER, uncle to the king. DUKE OF YORK, cousin to the king. EARLS OF SALISBURY, WESTMORELAND, and WARWICK. BISHOP OF ELY. EARL OF CAMBRIDGE. LORD SCROOP. SIR THOMAS GREY. SIR THOMAS ERPINGHAM, GOWER, FLUELLEN, MACMORRIS, JAMY, ISABEL, queen of France. KATHARINE, daughter to Charles and Isabel. ALICE, a lady attending on her. Hostess of a tavern in Eastcheap (formerly Mrs Quickly, and now married to Pistol). Lords, Ladies, Officers, Soldiers, Citizens, Messengers, and Attendants. CHORUS. SCENE-IN ENGLAND AND IN FRANCE. KING HENRY V. PROLOGUE. Enter CHORUS. Chorus. O for a Muse of fire, that would ascend The brightest heaven of invention— A kingdom for a stage, princes to act, And monarchs to behold the swelling scene! 5 Leash'd in like hounds, should Famine, Sword, and Fire Crouch for employment. But, pardon, gentles all, The flat unraised spirit, that hath dared On this unworthy scaffold to bring forth 10 So great an object. Can this cockpit hold Suppose, within the girdle of these walls 15 20 And make imaginary puissance : Think, when we talk of horses, that you see them Who, prologue-like, your humble patience pray, [Exit. АСТ І. SCENE I.-London. An antechamber in the KING's Palace. Enter ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY and BISHOP OF ELY. CANT. My lord, I'll tell you that self bill is urg'd, Which, in the eleventh year of the last king's reign, Was like, and had indeed against us pass'd, But that the scambling and unquiet time Did push it out of further question. Ely. But how, my lord, shall we resist it now? Cant. It must be thought on. If it pass against us, Would they strip from us; being valued thus- And to the coffers of the king beside A thousand pounds by the year: thus runs the bill. Ely. This would drink deep. "Twould drink the cup and all. Ely. But what prevention ? And whipp'd the offending Adam out of him; To envelop and contain celestial spirits. With such a heady currance, scouring faults; So soon did lose his seat, and all at once, As in this king. Ely. We are blessed in the change. Cant. Hear him but reason in divinity, And, all-admiring, with an inward wish You would desire the king were made a prelate : And the mute wonder lurketh in men's ears, So that the art and practic part of life 21 25 25 Must be the mistress to this theoric: Which is a wonder, how his grace should glean it, His companies unletter'd, rude, and shallow; His hours fill'd up with riots, banquets, sports; Any retirement, any sequestration From open haunts and popularity. Ely. The strawberry grows underneath the nettle ; Cant. It must be so; for miracles are ceas'd; Ely. How now for mitigation of this bill 55 60 65 But, my good lord, 70 Doth his majesty He seems indifferent: Urg'd by the commons? Incline to it, or no? Cant. Or, rather, swaying more upon our part, And in regard of causes now in hand, As touching France—to give a greater sum Ely. How did this offer seem receiv'd, my lord? Save, that there was not time enough to hear 85 |