much against my manhood, if I should take from another's pocket, to put into mine; for it is plain pocketting up of wrongs. I must leave them, and seek some better service: their villany goes against my weak stomach, and therefore I must cast it up. [Exit. SCENE III. The Palace of the KING of FRANCE. Flourish of Drums and Trumpets. of Enter the KING of FRANCE, the DAUPHIN, the DUKE of BURGUNDY, the CONSTABLE FRANCE, BOURBON, LORDS, and GUARDS. Fr. King. Thus come the English with full power upon us; And more than carefully it us concerns, To answer royally in our defences: Therefore the Dukes of Berry, and of Bretagne, With men of courage, and with means defendant; It fits us then to be as provident As fear may teach us, out of late examples Dau. My most redoubted father, It is most meet we arm us 'gainst the foe; For peace itself should not so dull a kingdom, (Tho' war, nor no known quarrel, were in question,) But that defences, musters, preparations, Therefore, I say, 'tis meet we all go forth, To view the sick and feeble parts of France : No, with no more, than if we heard that England For, my good liege, she is so idly king'd, By a vain, giddy, shallow, humourous youth, Const. O peace, Prince Dauphin! You are too much mistaken in this king; Dau. Well, 'tis not so, my lord high constable; Fr. King. Think we king Harry strong; Of that black name, Edward, black prince of Wales; Whiles that his mountain sire,-on mountain standing, Up in the air, crown'd with the golden sun,— Mangle the work of nature, and deface The patterns that by Heaven, and by French fathers, Had twenty years been made. This is a stem Of that victorious stock; and let us fear Enter MONTJOY. Mont. Embassadors from Henry king of England Do crave admittance to your majesty. Fr. King. We'll give them present audience. Go, and bring them. [Exit MONTJOY. You see, this chase is hotly follow'd, friends. Dau. Turn head, and stop pursuit; for coward dogs Most spend their mouths, when what they seem to threaten, Runs far before them. Good my sovereign, Take up the English short; and let them know As self-neglecting. Enter MONTJOY, EXETER, and Two ENGLISH LORDS. Fr. King. From our brother England? Exe. From him; and thus he greets your majesty. He wills you, in the awful name of Heav'n, The borrow'd glories, that, By law of nature, and of nations, 'long To him, and to his heirs; namely, the crown, Unto the crown of France. That you may know, [Presents a Pedigree. Edward the third, he bids you then resign Exe. Bloody constraint; for if you hide the crown E'en in your hearts, there will he rake for it: And therefore in fierce tempest is he coming, In thunder, and in earthquake, like a Jove; That, if requiring fail, he may compell:This is his claim, his threat'ning, and my message; Unless the Dauphin be in presence here, To whom expressly I bring greeting too. Fr. King. For us, we will consider of this further; To-morrow shall you bear our full intent Back to our brother England. Dau. For the Dauphin, I stand here for him.-What to him from England? The mighty sender, doth he prize you at: Dau. Say, if my father render fair reply, It is against my will; for I desire Nothing but odds with England; to that end, I did present him with those Paris balls. Exe. He'll make your Paris Louvre shake for it: And, be assur'd, you'll find a difference Between the promise of his greener days, And these he masters now :-now, he weighs time Fr. King. To-morrow you shall know our mind at full. Exe. Despatch us with all speed, lest that our king Come here himself to question our delay; For he is footed in this land already. Fr. King. You shall be soon despatch'd, with fair conditions: A night is but small breath, and little pause, [Flourish of Drums and Trumpets. Exeunt. ACT THE THIRD, SCENE I. Before the Gates of Harfleur. Shouts-Alarums-Cannon. Enter KING HENRY, EXETER, GLOSTER, BEDFord, WESTMORELAND, GOWER, LORDS, CAPTAIN, and SOLDIERS. K. Hen. Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more; Or close the wall up with our English dead! [Shouts-Charge-Cannon.-Exeunt. Enter BOY, PISTOL, NYM, and Bardolph. Bard. On, on, on, on, on! to the breach! to the breach! |