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Henry V
Act 4, scene 8

Synopsis:

Contents

Characters in the Play

Entire Play

Henry V begins at the English court, where the young king is persuaded that he has a claim to the throne…

Prologue

The Chorus wishes for a far greater stage, actors, and audience. He apologizes for the scanty resources that are available…

Act 1, scene 1

The Bishop of Canterbury informs the Bishop of Ely of a bill threatening Church revenues and of a plan to…

Act 1, scene 2

At the King’s request, Canterbury provides an extensive interpretation of French law to support Henry’s claim to the French throne….

Act 2, chorus

The Chorus announces the enthusiastic support of English youth for Henry’s French campaign, but also advises that the French have…

Act 2, scene 1

King Henry’s former tavern companion Bardolph prevents Pistol and Nym from fighting over Hostess Quickly, Pistol’s wife. They are interrupted…

Act 2, scene 2

Henry, informed of the treachery of three of his friends, confronts them with their crimes. They throw themselves on his…

Act 2, scene 3

The tavern crew—Bardolph, Pistol, Nym, and the Boy—join the Hostess in mourning the dead Falstaff and, saying good-bye to the…

Act 2, scene 4

The King of France and his court plan their defense against Henry’s invasion. Exeter arrives to present the King with…

Act 3, chorus

The Chorus describes the embarkation of Henry’s fleet for France, Henry’s preparations to besiege the town of Harfleur, and the…

Act 3, scene 1

Henry delivers an oration to inspire his troops to take Harfleur.

Act 3, scene 2

Bardolph, Pistol, Nym, and the Boy withdraw from the assault on Harfleur. They are driven back to it by Captain…

Act 3, scene 3

Henry threatens the men of Harfleur with the destruction of the town and its population if they do not yield…

Act 3, scene 4

An old gentlewoman, Alice, begins to teach English to Katherine, Princess of France.

Act 3, scene 5

The French nobles speak of their shame at the success of Henry’s invasion. The French King plans to block Henry’s…

Act 3, scene 6

Captains Fluellen and Gower meet Pistol, who pleads for Bardolph, sentenced to die for robbery. Fluellen refuses to intervene and…

Act 3, scene 7

On the eve of battle, the French nobles, confident of their army’s superiority, engage in verbal competition.

Act 4, chorus

The Chorus describes the confident French and anxious English armies on the night before the battle of Agincourt, and portrays…

Act 4, scene 1

Henry borrows Erpingham’s cloak and, in this disguise, passes through his camp, meeting Pistol, overhearing a conversation between Fluellen and…

Act 4, scene 2

The French nobles, about to fight, lament that the English are so few and so weak.

Act 4, scene 3

Henry delivers an oration to his troops urging them on to win glory in the battle. Montjoy again comes to…

Act 4, scene 4

A French soldier surrenders to Pistol, who threatens him with death until the soldier promises to pay a ransom of…

Act 4, scene 5

The French nobles, shamed in their defeat, decide to die fighting.

Act 4, scene 6

Henry, in doubt about the outcome of the battle, hears of York’s and Suffolk’s deaths, and then, when a French…

Act 4, scene 7

Fluellen, in conversation with Gower, compares Henry to the classical world-conqueror Alexander the Great. Montjoy arrives to concede the French…

Act 4, scene 8

Williams and Fluellen are prevented from fighting by Warwick and Gloucester. Henry arrives and accuses Williams of promising to strike…

Act 5, chorus

The Chorus describes the great welcome accorded the English army when it returns home, the visit by the Holy Roman…

Act 5, scene 1

Fluellen avenges Pistol’s insults by making Pistol eat a leek. Pistol, humiliated, plans to return to England in the guise…

Act 5, scene 2

The Duke of Burgundy has brought about a meeting between French and English to sign a peace treaty. Henry delegates…

Act 5, epilogue

The Chorus reminds the audience that Henry died very young, leaving the kingdom to his infant son, during whose reign…
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⌜Scene 8⌝
Enter Gower and Williams.

WILLIAMS I warrant it is to knight you, captain.

Enter Fluellen, ⌜wearing Williams’s glove.⌝

FLUELLEN, ⌜to Gower⌝ God’s will and His pleasure,
 captain, I beseech you now, come apace to the
 King. There is more good toward you peradventure
5 than is in your knowledge to dream of.
WILLIAMS, ⌜to Fluellen, pointing to the glove in his own
 hat⌝ Sir, know you this glove?
FLUELLEN Know the glove? I know the glove is a glove.
WILLIAMS I know this, and thus I challenge it.
Strikes him.
FLUELLEN ’Sblood, an arrant traitor as any ’s in the
10 universal world, or in France, or in England!
GOWER, ⌜to Williams⌝ How now, sir? You villain!
WILLIAMS Do you think I’ll be forsworn?
FLUELLEN Stand away, Captain Gower. I will give treason
 his payment into plows, I warrant you.
WILLIAMS 15I am no traitor.
FLUELLEN That’s a lie in thy throat.—I charge you in
 his Majesty’s name, apprehend him. He’s a friend
 of the Duke Alençon’s.

Enter Warwick and Gloucester.

195
Henry V
ACT 4. SC. 8

WARWICK How now, how now, what’s the matter?
FLUELLEN 20My Lord of Warwick, here is, praised be
 God for it, a most contagious treason come to
 light, look you, as you shall desire in a summer’s
 day.

Enter King ⌜of England⌝ and Exeter.

 Here is his Majesty.
KING HENRY 25How now, what’s the matter?
FLUELLEN My liege, here is a villain and a traitor, that,
 look your Grace, has struck the glove which your
 Majesty is take out of the helmet of Alençon.
WILLIAMS My liege, this was my glove; here is the fellow
30 of it. And he that I gave it to in change promised to
 wear it in his cap. I promised to strike him if he did.
 I met this man with my glove in his cap, and I have
 been as good as my word.
FLUELLEN Your Majesty, hear now, saving your Majesty’s
35 manhood, what an arrant, rascally, beggarly,
 lousy knave it is. I hope your Majesty is pear me
 testimony and witness and will avouchment that
 this is the glove of Alençon that your Majesty is give
 me, in your conscience now.
KING HENRY, ⌜to Williams⌝ 40Give me thy glove, soldier.
 Look, here is the fellow 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
45 for it, if there is any martial law in the world.
KING HENRY, ⌜to Williams⌝ How canst thou make me
 satisfaction?
WILLIAMS All offenses, my lord, come from the heart.
 Never came any from mine that might offend your
50 Majesty.
KING HENRY It was ourself thou didst abuse.
WILLIAMS Your Majesty came not like yourself. You
197
Henry V
ACT 4. SC. 8

 appeared to me but as a common man; witness the
 night, your garments, your lowliness. And what
55 your Highness suffered under that shape, I beseech
 you take it for your own fault and not mine, for, had
 you been as I took you for, I made no offense.
 Therefore, I beseech your Highness pardon me.
KING HENRY 
 Here, uncle Exeter, fill this glove with crowns
60 And give it to this fellow.—Keep it, fellow,
 And wear it for an honor in thy cap
 Till 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
65 mettle enough in his belly.—Hold, there is twelvepence
 for you, and I pray you to serve God and keep
 you out of prawls and prabbles and quarrels and
 dissensions, and I warrant you it is the better for
 you.
WILLIAMS 70I will none of your money.
FLUELLEN It is with a good will. I can tell you it will
 serve you to mend your shoes. Come, wherefore
 should you be so pashful? Your shoes is not so
 good. ’Tis a good silling, I warrant you, or I will
75 change it.

Enter ⌜an English⌝ Herald.

KING HENRY Now, herald, are the dead numbered?
HERALD, ⌜giving the King a paper⌝ 
 Here is the number of the slaughtered French.
KING HENRY, ⌜to Exeter⌝ 
 What prisoners of good sort are taken, uncle?
EXETER 
 Charles, Duke of Orléans, nephew to the King;
80 John, Duke of Bourbon, and Lord Bouciqualt.
 Of other lords and barons, knights and squires,
 Full fifteen hundred, besides common men.
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Henry V
ACT 4. SC. 8

KING HENRY 
 This note doth tell me of ten thousand French
 That in the field lie slain. Of princes in this number
85 And nobles bearing banners, there lie dead
 One 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 dubbed knights.
90 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:
95 Charles Delabreth, High Constable of France;
 Jacques of Chatillon, Admiral of France;
 The Master of the Crossbows, Lord Rambures;
 Great Master of France, the brave Sir Guichard
 Dauphin;
100 John, Duke of Alençon; Anthony, Duke of Brabant,
 The brother to the Duke of Burgundy;
 And Edward, Duke of Bar. Of lusty earls:
 Grandpré and Roussi, Faulconbridge and Foix,
 Beaumont and Marle, ⌜Vaudemont⌝ and Lestrale.
105 Here was a royal fellowship of death.
 Where is the number of our English dead?
⌜Herald gives him another paper.⌝
 Edward the Duke of York, the Earl of Suffolk,
 Sir Richard Ketly, Davy Gam, esquire;
 None else of name, and of all other men
110 But 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 loss
115 On one part and on th’ other? Take it, God,
 For it is none but thine.
201
Henry V
ACT 4. SC. 8

EXETER  ’Tis wonderful.
KING HENRY 
 Come, go ⌜we⌝ in procession to the village,
 And be it death proclaimèd through our host
120 To boast of this or take that praise from God
 Which is His only.
FLUELLEN Is it not lawful, an please your Majesty, to
 tell how many is killed?
KING HENRY 
 Yes, captain, but with this acknowledgment:
125 That God fought for us.
FLUELLEN Yes, my conscience, He did us great good.
KING HENRY Do we all holy rites.
 Let there be sung Non nobis, and Te Deum,
 The dead with charity enclosed in clay,
130 And then to Calais, and to England then,
 Where ne’er from France arrived more happy men.
They exit.


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