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| <title>SCENE IV. France. The KING'S palace. | |
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| <tr><td class="play" align="center">The Life of King Henry the Fifth | |
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| | Act 2, Scene 4 | |
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| <H3>SCENE IV. France. The KING'S palace.</h3> | |
| <p><blockquote> | |
| <i>Flourish. Enter the FRENCH KING, the DAUPHIN, the DUKES of BERRI and BRETAGNE, the Constable, and others</i> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech1><b>KING OF FRANCE</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=1>Thus comes the English with full power upon us;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=2>And more than carefully it us concerns</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=3>To answer royally in our defences.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=4>Therefore the Dukes of Berri and of Bretagne,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=5>Of Brabant and of Orleans, shall make forth,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=6>And you, Prince Dauphin, with all swift dispatch,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=7>To line and new repair our towns of war</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=8>With men of courage and with means defendant;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=9>For England his approaches makes as fierce</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=10>As waters to the sucking of a gulf.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=11>It fits us then to be as provident</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=12>As fear may teach us out of late examples</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=13>Left by the fatal and neglected English</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=14>Upon our fields.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech2><b>DAUPHIN</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=15> My most redoubted father,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=16>It is most meet we arm us 'gainst the foe;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=17>For peace itself should not so dull a kingdom,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=18>Though war nor no known quarrel were in question,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=19>But that defences, musters, preparations,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=20>Should be maintain'd, assembled and collected,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=21>As were a war in expectation.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=22>Therefore, I say 'tis meet we all go forth</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=23>To view the sick and feeble parts of France:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=24>And let us do it with no show of fear;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=25>No, with no more than if we heard that England</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=26>Were busied with a Whitsun morris-dance:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=27>For, my good liege, she is so idly king'd,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=28>Her sceptre so fantastically borne</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=29>By a vain, giddy, shallow, humorous youth,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=30>That fear attends her not.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech3><b>Constable</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=31>O peace, Prince Dauphin!</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=32>You are too much mistaken in this king:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=33>Question your grace the late ambassadors,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=34>With what great state he heard their embassy,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=35>How well supplied with noble counsellors,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=36>How modest in exception, and withal</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=37>How terrible in constant resolution,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=38>And you shall find his vanities forespent</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=39>Were but the outside of the Roman Brutus,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=40>Covering discretion with a coat of folly;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=41>As gardeners do with ordure hide those roots</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=42>That shall first spring and be most delicate.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech4><b>DAUPHIN</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=43>Well, 'tis not so, my lord high constable;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=44>But though we think it so, it is no matter:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=45>In cases of defence 'tis best to weigh</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=46>The enemy more mighty than he seems:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=47>So the proportions of defence are fill'd;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=48>Which of a weak or niggardly projection</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=49>Doth, like a miser, spoil his coat with scanting</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=50>A little cloth.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech5><b>KING OF FRANCE</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=51> Think we King Harry strong;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=52>And, princes, look you strongly arm to meet him.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=53>The kindred of him hath been flesh'd upon us;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=54>And he is bred out of that bloody strain</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=55>That haunted us in our familiar paths:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=56>Witness our too much memorable shame</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=57>When Cressy battle fatally was struck,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=58>And all our princes captiv'd by the hand</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=59>Of that black name, Edward, Black Prince of Wales;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=60>Whiles that his mountain sire, on mountain standing,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=61>Up in the air, crown'd with the golden sun,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=62>Saw his heroical seed, and smiled to see him,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=63>Mangle the work of nature and deface</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=64>The patterns that by God and by French fathers</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=65>Had twenty years been made. This is a stem</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=66>Of that victorious stock; and let us fear</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=67>The native mightiness and fate of him.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Enter a Messenger</i></p> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech6><b>Messenger</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=68>Ambassadors from Harry King of England</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=69>Do crave admittance to your majesty.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech7><b>KING OF FRANCE</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=70>We'll give them present audience. Go, and bring them.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Exeunt Messenger and certain Lords</i></p> | |
| <A NAME=71>You see this chase is hotly follow'd, friends.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech8><b>DAUPHIN</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=72>Turn head, and stop pursuit; for coward dogs</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=73>Most spend their mouths when what they seem to threaten</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=74>Runs far before them. Good my sovereign,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=75>Take up the English short, and let them know</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=76>Of what a monarchy you are the head:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=77>Self-love, my liege, is not so vile a sin</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=78>As self-neglecting.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Re-enter Lords, with EXETER and train</i></p> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech9><b>KING OF FRANCE</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=79>From our brother England?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech10><b>EXETER</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=80>From him; and thus he greets your majesty.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=81>He wills you, in the name of God Almighty,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=82>That you divest yourself, and lay apart</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=83>The borrow'd glories that by gift of heaven,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=84>By law of nature and of nations, 'long</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=85>To him and to his heirs; namely, the crown</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=86>And all wide-stretched honours that pertain</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=87>By custom and the ordinance of times</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=88>Unto the crown of France. That you may know</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=89>'Tis no sinister nor no awkward claim,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=90>Pick'd from the worm-holes of long-vanish'd days,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=91>Nor from the dust of old oblivion raked,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=92>He sends you this most memorable line,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=93>In every branch truly demonstrative;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=94>Willing to overlook this pedigree:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=95>And when you find him evenly derived</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=96>From his most famed of famous ancestors,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=97>Edward the Third, he bids you then resign</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=98>Your crown and kingdom, indirectly held</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=99>From him the native and true challenger.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech11><b>KING OF FRANCE</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=100>Or else what follows?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech12><b>EXETER</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=101>Bloody constraint; for if you hide the crown</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=102>Even in your hearts, there will he rake for it:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=103>Therefore in fierce tempest is he coming,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=104>In thunder and in earthquake, like a Jove,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=105>That, if requiring fail, he will compel;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=106>And bids you, in the bowels of the Lord,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=107>Deliver up the crown, and to take mercy</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=108>On the poor souls for whom this hungry war</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=109>Opens his vasty jaws; and on your head</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=110>Turning the widows' tears, the orphans' cries</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=111>The dead men's blood, the pining maidens groans,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=112>For husbands, fathers and betrothed lovers,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=113>That shall be swallow'd in this controversy.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=114>This is his claim, his threatening and my message;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=115>Unless the Dauphin be in presence here,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=116>To whom expressly I bring greeting too.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech13><b>KING OF FRANCE</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=117>For us, we will consider of this further:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=118>To-morrow shall you bear our full intent</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=119>Back to our brother England.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech14><b>DAUPHIN</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=120>For the Dauphin,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=121>I stand here for him: what to him from England?</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech15><b>EXETER</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=122>Scorn and defiance; slight regard, contempt,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=123>And any thing that may not misbecome</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=124>The mighty sender, doth he prize you at.</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=125>Thus says my king; an' if your father's highness</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=126>Do not, in grant of all demands at large,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=127>Sweeten the bitter mock you sent his majesty,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=128>He'll call you to so hot an answer of it,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=129>That caves and womby vaultages of France</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=130>Shall chide your trespass and return your mock</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=131>In second accent of his ordnance.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech16><b>DAUPHIN</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=132>Say, if my father render fair return,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=133>It is against my will; for I desire</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=134>Nothing but odds with England: to that end,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=135>As matching to his youth and vanity,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=136>I did present him with the Paris balls.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech17><b>EXETER</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=137>He'll make your Paris Louvre shake for it,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=138>Were it the mistress-court of mighty Europe:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=139>And, be assured, you'll find a difference,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=140>As we his subjects have in wonder found,</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=141>Between the promise of his greener days</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=142>And these he masters now: now he weighs time</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=143>Even to the utmost grain: that you shall read</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=144>In your own losses, if he stay in France.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech18><b>KING OF FRANCE</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=145>To-morrow shall you know our mind at full.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech19><b>EXETER</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=146>Dispatch us with all speed, lest that our king</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=147>Come here himself to question our delay;</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=148>For he is footed in this land already.</A><br> | |
| </blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=speech20><b>KING OF FRANCE</b></a> | |
| <blockquote> | |
| <A NAME=149>You shall be soon dispatch's with fair conditions:</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=150>A night is but small breath and little pause</A><br> | |
| <A NAME=151>To answer matters of this consequence.</A><br> | |
| <p><i>Flourish. Exeunt</i></p> | |
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