Act 5 — KING HENRY THE FIFTH.
Reading edition
DRAMATIS PERSONÆ[L].
King Henry the Fifth.
Duke of Gloucester, brothers to the King.
Duke of Bedford,
Duke of Exeter, uncle to the King.
Duke of York, cousin to the King.
Earls of Salisbury, Westmoreland, and Warwick.
Archbishop of Canterbury.
Bishop of Ely.
Earl of Cambridge.
Lord Scroop.
Sir Thomas Grey.
Sir Thomas Erpingham, Gower, Fluellen, Macmorris, Jamy, officers in King Henry's army.
Bates, Court, Williams, soldiers in the same.
Pistol, Nym, Bardolph.
Boy.
A Herald.
Charles the Sixth, king of France.
Lewis, the Dauphin.
Dukes of Burgundy, Orleans, and Bourbon.
The Constable of France.
Rambures and Grandpre, French Lords.
Governor of Harfleur.
Montjoy, a French Herald.
Ambassadors to the King of England.
Isabel, Queen of France.
Katharine, daughter to Charles and Isabel.
Alice, a lady attending on her.
Hostess of a tavern in Eastcheap, formerly Mistress Quickly, and now married to Pistol.
Lords, Ladies, Officers, Soldiers, Citizens, Messengers, and Attendants.
Chorus.
Scene: England; afterwards France.
THE LIFE OF
KING HENRY V.
PROLOGUE.
Enter Chorus.[4511]
Chor. 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! Then should the warlike Harry, like himself,5 Assume the port of Mars; and at his heels, Leash'd in like hounds, should famine, sword and fire Crouch for employment. But pardon, gentles all,[4512] The flat unraised spirits that have dared[4513] On this unworthy scaffold to bring forth10 So great an object: can this cockpit hold The vasty fields of France? or may we cram[4514] Within this wooden O the very casques That did affright the air at Agincourt? O, pardon! since a crooked figure may15 Attest in little place a million; And let us, ciphers to this great accompt, On your imaginary forces work. Suppose within the girdle of these walls Are now confined two mighty monarchies,[4515]20 Whose high upreared and abutting fronts The perilous narrow ocean parts asunder:[4516] Piece out our imperfections with your thoughts; Into a thousand parts divide one man, And make imaginary puissance;25 Think, when we talk of horses, that you see them Printing their proud hoofs i' the receiving earth;[4517] For 'tis your thoughts that now must deck our kings,[4518] Carry them here and there; jumping o'er times, Turning the accomplishment of many years30 Into an hour-glass: 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. [Exit.