Henry V — Act 4, Scene 8 · Shakespeare for Bharat

WILLIAMS

I warrant it is to knight you, captain.

FLUELLEN

God's will and his pleasure, captain, I beseech younow, come apace to the king: there is more goodtoward you peradventure than is in your knowledge to dream of.

WILLIAMS

Sir, know you this glove?

FLUELLEN

Know the glove! I know the glove is glove.

WILLIAMS

I know this; and thus I challenge it.

FLUELLEN

'Sblood! an arrant traitor as any is in theuniversal world, or in France, or in England!

GOWER

How now, sir! you villain!

WILLIAMS

Do you think I'll be forsworn?

FLUELLEN

Stand away, Captain Gower; I will give treason hispayment into ploughs, I warrant you.

WILLIAMS

I am no traitor.

FLUELLEN

That's a lie in thy throat. I charge you in hismajesty's name, apprehend him: he's a friend of theDuke Alencon's.

WARWICK

How now, how now! what's the matter?

FLUELLEN

My Lord of Warwick, here is--praised be God for it!--a most contagious treason come to light, lookyou, as you shall desire in a summer's day. Here ishis majesty.

KING HENRY V

How now! what's the matter?

FLUELLEN

My liege, here is a villain and a traitor, that,look your grace, has struck the glove which yourmajesty is take out of the helmet of Alencon.

WILLIAMS

My liege, this was my glove; here is the fellow ofit; and he that I gave it to in change promised towear it in his cap: I promised to strike him, if hedid: I met this man with my glove in his cap, and Ihave been as good as my word.

FLUELLEN

Your majesty hear now, saving your majesty'smanhood, what an arrant, rascally, beggarly, lousyknave it is: I hope your majesty is pear metestimony and witness, and will avouchment, thatthis is the glove of Alencon, that your majesty isgive me; in your conscience, now?

KING HENRY V

Give me thy glove, soldier: look, here is thefellow of it.'Twas I, indeed, thou promised'st to strike;And thou hast given me most bitter terms.

FLUELLEN

An please your majesty, let his neck answer for it,if there is any martial law in the world.

KING HENRY V

How canst thou make me satisfaction?

WILLIAMS

All offences, my lord, come from the heart: nevercame any from mine that might offend your majesty.

KING HENRY V

It was ourself thou didst abuse.

WILLIAMS

Your majesty came not like yourself: you appeared tome but as a common man; witness the night, yourgarments, your lowliness; and what your highnesssuffered under that shape, I beseech you take it foryour own fault and not mine: for had you been as Itook you for, I made no offence; therefore, Ibeseech your highness, pardon me.

KING HENRY V

Here, uncle Exeter, fill this glove with crowns,And give it to this fellow. Keep it, fellow;And wear it for an honour in thy capTill I do challenge it. Give him the crowns:And, captain, you must needs be friends with him.

FLUELLEN

By this day and this light, the fellow has mettleenough in his belly. Hold, there is twelve pencefor you; and I pray you to serve Got, and keep youout of prawls, and prabbles' and quarrels, anddissensions, and, I warrant you, it is the better for you.

WILLIAMS

I will none of your money.

FLUELLEN

It is with a good will; I can tell you, it willserve you to mend your shoes: come, wherefore shouldyou be so pashful? your shoes is not so good: 'tisa good silling, I warrant you, or I will change it.

KING HENRY V

Now, herald, are the dead number'd?

Herald

Here is the number of the slaughter'd French.

KING HENRY V

What prisoners of good sort are taken, uncle?

EXETER

Charles Duke of Orleans, nephew to the king;John Duke of Bourbon, and Lord Bouciqualt:Of other lords and barons, knights and squires,Full fifteen hundred, besides common men.

KING HENRY V

This note doth tell me of ten thousand FrenchThat in the field lie slain: of princes, in this number,And nobles bearing banners, there lie deadOne hundred twenty six: added to these,Of knights, esquires, and gallant gentlemen,Eight thousand and four hundred; of the which,Five hundred were but yesterday dubb'd knights:So that, in these ten thousand they have lost,There are but sixteen hundred mercenaries;The rest are princes, barons, lords, knights, squires,And gentlemen of blood and quality.The names of those their nobles that lie dead:Charles Delabreth, high constable of France;Jaques of Chatillon, admiral of France;The master of the cross-bows, Lord Rambures;Great Master of France, the brave Sir Guichard Dolphin,John Duke of Alencon, Anthony Duke of Brabant,The brother of the Duke of Burgundy,And Edward Duke of Bar: of lusty earls,Grandpre and Roussi, Fauconberg and Foix,Beaumont and Marle, Vaudemont and Lestrale.Here was a royal fellowship of death!Where is the number of our English dead?

KING HENRY V

Edward the Duke of York, the Earl of Suffolk,Sir Richard Ketly, Davy Gam, esquire:None else of name; and of all other menBut five and twenty. O God, thy arm was here;And not to us, but to thy arm alone,Ascribe we all! When, without stratagem,But in plain shock and even play of battle,Was ever known so great and little lossOn one part and on the other? Take it, God,For it is none but thine!

EXETER

'Tis wonderful!

KING HENRY V

Come, go we in procession to the village.And be it death proclaimed through our hostTo boast of this or take the praise from GodWhich is his only.

FLUELLEN

Is it not lawful, an please your majesty, to tellhow many is killed?

KING HENRY V

Yes, captain; but with this acknowledgement,That God fought for us.

FLUELLEN

Yes, my conscience, he did us great good.

KING HENRY V

Do we all holy rites;Let there be sung 'Non nobis' and 'Te Deum;'The dead with charity enclosed in clay:And then to Calais; and to England then:Where ne'er from France arrived more happy men.