Henry V

---

Oh, 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.

Then should the warlike harry,

like himself,

assume the port of Mars...

and at his heels,

leashed in like hounds,

should famine, sword and fire

crouch for employment.

But pardon, gentles all,

the flat, unraised spirits...

that have dared

on this unworthy scaffold...

to bring forth

so great an object.

Can this cockpit hold

the vasty fields of France

or may we cram

within this wooden "o"...

the very casques that did affright

the air at Agincourt?

Oh, pardon.

Let us, ciphers

to this great account,

on your imaginary forces work.

For it is your thoughts

that now must deck our kings,

carry them here, there,

jumping o'er times,

turning the accomplishment of

many years into an hourglass.

For the which supply,

admit me, chorus, to this history,

who, prologue-like,

your humble patience pray...

gently to hear,

kindly to judge...

our play!

My lord, I'll tell you.

That self bill is urged,

which, in the 11th year...

of the last king's reign was

like to have passed against us.

But how, my lord,

shall we resist it now?

It must be thought on.

If it pass against us, we lose the

better half of our possession.

But what prevention?

The king is full of grace

and fair regard.

And a true lover

of the holy church.

The courses of his youth

promised it not.

Since his addiction

was to courses vain,

his hours filled up

with riots, banquets,

sports and never noted

in him any study.

But, my good lord,

how now for the mitigation...

Of this bill

urged by the commons?

Doth his majesty incline

to it or no?

He seems...

indifferent,

or rather swaying more

upon our part.

For I have made an offer

to his majesty,

as touching France.

Where is my gracious

lord of Canterbury?

God and his angels guard your sacred

throne and make you long become it.

Sure we thank you.

My learned lord,

we pray you to proceed...

and justly and religiously unfold...

why the law salique

that they have in France,

or should or should not

bar us in our claim.

And pray, take heed

how you impawn our person,

how you awake

our sleeping sword of war.

We charge you,

in the name of God, take heed.

For never two such kingdoms did

contend without much fall of blood.

Then hear me,

gracious sovereign.

There is no bar to make against

your highness' claim to France...

but this, which they

produce from Pharamond.

"In terram salicam

mulieres ne succedant."

"No woman shall succeed

in Salique land."

Which Salique land

the French unjustly gloze...

to be the realm of France.

Yet their own authors

faithfully affirm...

that the land Salique

lies in Germany...

between the floods

of Sala and of Elbe.

Then doth it well appear

the Salique law...

was not devised

for the realm of France,

nor did the French possess

the Salique land...

until 421 years after

defunction of king Pharamond,

idly supposed

the founder of this law.

King Pepin,

which deposed childeric,

did, as heir general,

being descended of blithild,

which was the daughter

to king Clothair,

make claim and title

to the crown of France.

Hugh Capet, also, who usurped the

crown of Charles, the duke of Lorraine,

sole heir male of the true line

and stock of Charles the great,

could not keep quiet in his conscience

wearing the crown of France...

until satisfied that fair queen

Isabel, his grandmother,

was lineal

of the Lady Ermengare,

daughter to Charles,

the aforesaid duke of Lorraine,

by the which marriage the line

of Charles the great...

was reunited

to the crown of France.

So it is clear

as is the summer sun.

All appear to hold in right

and title of the female.

So do the kings of France...

unto this day.

Howbeit, they would hold up

this salique law...

to bar your highness

claiming from the female.

May I, with right

and conscience,

make this claim?

The sin upon my head,

dread sovereign.

Stand for your own.

Unwind your bloody flag.

Your brother kings

and monarchs of the earth...

do all expect that you

should rouse yourself...

as did the former lions

of your blood.

Never king of England had nobles

richer and more loyal subjects...

whose hearts have left

their bodies here in England...

and lie pavilioned

in the fields of France.

Oh, let their bodies follow,

my dear liege,

with blood and sword and fire

to win your right.

In aid whereof,

we of the spirituality

will raise your highness...

such a mighty sum

as never did the clergy...

at one time bring in to

any of your ancestors.

Call in the messengers

sent from the Dauphin.

Now are we well resolved,

and by God's help and yours,

the noble sinews of our power,

France being ours,

we'll bend it to our all...

or break it all to pieces.

Now are we well prepared to know the

pleasure of our fair cousin Dauphin.

Your highness, lately sending into France

did claim some certain dukedoms...

in the right of your great

predecessor, king Edward III.

In answer of which claim,

the prince, my master,

says that you savor

too much of your youth.

He therefore sends you, meeter for

your spirit, this tun of treasure.

And in lieu of this, desires

you let those dukedoms...

that you claim

hear no more of you.

This the Dauphin speaks.

What... treasure, uncle?

Tennis balls, my liege.

We are glad the Dauphin

is so pleasant with us.

His present and your pains

we thank you for.

When we have matched

our rackets to these balls,

we will in France,

by God's grace,

play a set shall strike his

father's crown into the hazard.

And we understand him well,

how he comes o'er us

with our wilder days,

not measuring what use

we made of them.

But tell the Dauphin

I will keep my state,

be like a king and show

my sail of greatness...

when I do rouse me

in my throne of France.

And tell the pleasant prince

this mock of his...

hath turned his balls

to gunstones,

and his soul

shall stand sore charged...

for the wasteful vengeance

that shall fly with them.

For many a thousand widows

shall this his mock,

mock out of

their dear husbands,

mock mothers from their sons,

mock castles down.

And some are yet ungotten

and unborn...

that shall have cause

to curse the Dauphin's scorn.

So get you hence in peace,

and tell the Dauphin...

his jest... will savor

but of shallow wit...

when thousands weep

more than did laugh at it.

Convey them with safe conduct.

Fare you well.

This was a merry message.

We hope to make the sender

blush at it.

Therefore, my lords,

omit no happy hour...

that may give furtherance

to our expedition.

For we have now no thought

in us but France,

save those to God

that run before our business.

Therefore, let every man

now task his thought...

that this fair action

may on foot be brought.

Now all the youth of

England are on fire...

and silken dalliance

in the wardrobe lies.

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