King. I was not angry since I came to France, Vntill this instant. Take a Trumpet Herald, Ride thou vnto the Hors.e.m.e.n on yond hill: If they will fight with vs, bid them come downe, Or voyde the field: they do offend our sight.
If they"l do neither, we will come to them, And make them sker away, as swift as stones Enforced from the old a.s.syrian slings: Besides, wee"l cut the throats of those we haue, And not a man of them that we shall take, Shall taste our mercy. Go and tell them so.
Enter Montioy.
Exe. Here comes the Herald of the French, my Liege Glou. His eyes are humbler then they vs"d to be
King. How now, what meanes this Herald? Knowst thou not, That I haue fin"d these bones of mine for ransome?
Com"st thou againe for ransome?
Her. No great King: I come to thee for charitable License, That we may wander ore this b.l.o.o.d.y field, To booke our dead, and then to bury them, To sort our n.o.bles from our common men.
For many of our Princes (woe the while) Lye drown"d and soak"d in mercenary blood: So do our vulgar drench their peasant limbes In blood of Princes, and with wounded steeds Fret fet-locke deepe in gore, and with wilde rage Yerke out their armed heeles at their dead masters, Killing them twice. O giue vs leaue great King, To view the field in safety, and dispose Of their dead bodies
Kin. I tell thee truly Herald, I know not if the day be ours or no, For yet a many of your hors.e.m.e.n peere, And gallop ore the field
Her. The day is yours
Kin. Praised be G.o.d, and not our strength for it: What is this Castle call"d that stands hard by
Her. They call it Agincourt
King. Then call we this the field of Agincourt, Fought on the day of Crispin Crispia.n.u.s
Flu. Your Grandfather of famous memory (an"t please your Maiesty) and your great Vncle Edward the Placke Prince of Wales, as I haue read in the Chronicles, fought a most praue pattle here in France
Kin. They did Fluellen
Flu. Your Maiesty sayes very true: If your Maiesties is remembred of it, the Welchmen did good seruice in a Garden where Leekes did grow, wearing Leekes in their Monmouth caps, which your Maiesty know to this houre is an honourable badge of the seruice: And I do beleeue your Maiesty takes no scorne to weare the Leeke vppon S[aint]. Tauies day
King. I weare it for a memorable honor: For I am Welch you know good Countriman
Flu. All the water in Wye, cannot wash your Maiesties Welsh plood out of your pody, I can tell you that: G.o.d plesse it, and preserue it, as long as it pleases his Grace, and his Maiesty too
Kin. Thankes good my Countrymen
Flu. By Ieshu, I am your Maiesties Countreyman, I care not who know it: I will confesse it to all the Orld, I need not to be ashamed of your Maiesty, praised be G.o.d so long as your Maiesty is an honest man
King. Good keepe me so.
Enter Williams.
Our Heralds go with him, Bring me iust notice of the numbers dead On both our parts. Call yonder fellow hither
Exe. Souldier, you must come to the King
Kin. Souldier, why wear"st thou that Gloue in thy Cappe?
Will. And"t please your Maiesty, tis the gage of one that I should fight withall, if he be aliue
Kin. An Englishman?
Wil. And"t please your Maiesty, a Rascall that swagger"d with me last night: who if aliue, and euer dare to challenge this Gloue, I haue sworne to take him a boxe a"th ere: or if I can see my Gloue in his cappe, which he swore as he was a Souldier he would weare (if aliue) I wil strike it out soundly
Kin. What thinke you Captaine Fluellen, is it fit this souldier keepe his oath
Flu. Hee is a Crauen and a Villaine else, and"t please your Maiesty in my conscience
King. It may bee, his enemy is a Gentleman of great sort quite from the answer of his degree
Flu. Though he be as good a Ientleman as the diuel is, as Lucifer and Belzebub himselfe, it is necessary (looke your Grace) that he keepe his vow and his oath: If hee bee periur"d (see you now) his reputation is as arrant a villaine and a Iacke sawce, as euer his blacke shoo trodd vpon G.o.ds ground, and his earth, in my conscience law King. Then keepe thy vow sirrah, when thou meet"st the fellow
Wil. So, I wil my Liege, as I liue
King. Who seru"st thou vnder?
Will. Vnder Captaine Gower, my Liege
Flu. Gower is a good Captaine, and is good knowledge and literatured in the Warres
King. Call him hither to me, Souldier
Will. I will my Liege.
Enter.
King. Here Fluellen, weare thou this fauour for me, and sticke it in thy Cappe: when Alanson and my selfe were downe together, I pluckt this Gloue from his Helme: If any man challenge this, hee is a friend to Alanson, and an enemy to our Person; if thou encounter any such, apprehend him, and thou do"st me loue
Flu. Your Grace doo"s me as great Honors as can be desir"d in the hearts of his Subiects: I would faine see the man, that ha"s but two legges, that shall find himselfe agreefd at this Gloue; that is all: but I would faine see it once, and please G.o.d of his grace that I might see
King. Know"st thou Gower?
Flu. He is my deare friend, and please you
King. Pray thee goe seeke him, and bring him to my Tent
Flu. I will fetch him.
Enter.
King. My Lord of Warwick, and my Brother Gloster, Follow Fluellen closely at the heeles.
The Gloue which I haue giuen him for a fauour, May haply purchase him a box a"th" eare.
It is the Souldiers: I by bargaine should Weare it my selfe. Follow good Cousin Warwick: If that the Souldier strike him, as I iudge By his blunt bearing, he will keepe his word; Some sodaine mischiefe may arise of it: For I doe know Fluellen valiant, And toucht with Choler, hot as Gunpowder, And quickly will returne an iniurie.
Follow, and see there be no harme betweene them.
Goe you with me, Vnckle of Exeter.
Exeunt.
Enter Gower and Williams.
Will. I warrant it is to Knight you, Captaine.
Enter Fluellen.
Flu. G.o.ds will, and his pleasure, Captaine, I beseech you now, come apace to the King: there is more good toward you peraduenture, then is in your knowledge to dreame of
Will. Sir, know you this Gloue?
Flu. Know the Gloue? I know the Gloue is a Gloue
Will. I know this, and thus I challenge it.