The theme, as well as its treatment and the spirit which informs the whole, is essentially epic and lyrical rather than dramatic; and the words addressed by Ben Jonson to the arch-patriot among English poets - the poet of the Ballad of Agincourt, "his friend, Michael Drayton' - might more justly be applied to the patriot-dramatist of Agincourt,

"Look how we read the Spartans were inflamed
With bold Tyrtæus' verse; when thou art named
So shall our English youths urge on, and cry,
An Agincourt! an Agincourt! or die!"

1 Ben Jonson's Vision on the Muses of his Friend, Michael Drayton. Jonson seems to have objected to Shakespeare's method in Henry V. See Prologue to Every Man in his Humour (added to the play after 1601),

"He rather prays you will be pleased to see

One such, to-day, as other plays should be;
Where neither chorus wafts you o'er the seas," etc.

Towards the end of his career, in his Winter's Tale, Shakespeare spoke again, in the person of the Chorus Time (iv. 1. 7–9), in defence of his

66 power

To o'erthrow law, and in one self-born hour

To plant and o'erwhelm custom."

THE LIFE

OF

KING HENRY V

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ

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 GrandprÉ, 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.

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,
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,

The flat unraised spirits that have dared

On this unworthy scaffold to bring forth

So great an object. Can this cockpit hold

The vasty fields of France? or may we cram
Within this wooden O the very casques
That did affright the air at Agincourt?

10

O, pardon! since a crooked figure may
Attest in little place a million;

15

9

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,
Whose high upreared and abutting fronts
The perilous narrow ocean parts asunder.
Piece out our imperfections with your thoughts;
Into a thousand parts divide one man,
And make imaginary puissance;

Think, when we talk of horses, that you see them
Printing their proud hoofs i' the receiving earth;
For 'tis your thoughts that now must deck our kings,
Carry them here and there; jumping o'er times,
Turning the accomplishment of many years
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.

ACT I.

30

[Exit.

SCENE I. London. An ante-chamber in the
KING's palace.

Enter the ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY, and the
BISHOP OF ELY.

Cant. My lord, I'll tell you; that self bill is

urged

Which in the eleventh year of the last king's reign Was like, and had indeed against us pass'd,