Great Master of France, the brave Sir Guichard Dol

phin,

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, Fauconberg and Foix,
Beaumont and Marle, Vaudemont and Lestrale.
Here was a royal fellowship of death!

Where is the number of our English dead?

[Herald shews 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

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

On one part and on th' other? Take it, God,
For it is none but thine!

EXE.

"T is wonderful!

102 Davy Gam] David Gam or Ab Llewelyn, a Welsh warrior who was faithful to Henry IV during Glendower's revolt. Before he fell at Agincourt it is recorded of him that he was ordered to discover the strength of the enemy and reported to the king "There are enough to be killed, enough to take prisoners, and enough to run away." Raleigh tells this story in his History of the World, Bk. v, Sec. iii (ed. 1829, vi, 273).

104 But five and twenty] Holinshed mentions a report to this effect, but adds that greater credit attaches to the allegation that the English loss at the battle of Agincourt was between five and six hundred

men.

100

110

K. HEN. Come, go we in procession to the village:
And be it death proclaimed through our host

To boast of this or take that praise from God
Which is his only.

FLU. Is it not lawful, an't please your majesty, to tell how many is killed?

K. HEN. Yes, captain; but with this acknowledge

ment,

That God fought for us.

FLU. Yes, my conscience, he did us great good.
K. HEN. 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.

[Exeunt.

120

POUCHSAFE TO THOSE that have not read the story, That I may prompt them: and of such as have,

I humbly pray them to admit the excuse

Of time, of numbers and due course of things,

Which cannot in their huge and proper life

Be here presented. Now we bear the king

Toward Calais: grant him there; there seen,

Heave him away upon your winged thoughts

Athwart the sea. Behold, the English beach

Pales in the flood with men, with wives and boys, Whose shouts and claps out-voice the deep-mouth'd

10

sea,

Which like a mighty whiffler 'fore the king
Seems to prepare his way: so let him land,
And solemnly see him set on to London.
So swift a pace hath thought, that even now
You may imagine him upon Blackheath;
Where that his lords desire him to have borne
His bruised helmet and his bended sword
Before him through the city: he forbids it,
Being free from vainness and self-glorious pride;
Giving full trophy, signal and ostent
Quite from himself to God. But now behold,
In the quick forge and working-house of thought,
How London doth pour out her citizens !
The mayor and all his brethren in best sort,
Like to the senators of the antique Rome,
With the plebeians swarming at their heels,
Go forth and fetch their conquering Cæsar in:
As, by a lower but loving likelihood,

Were now the general of our gracious empress,

12 whiffler] an officer who marches at the head of a procession to clear the way. It is said to be derived from "whiffle," a fife or pipe, which the man on occasion blew to give notice of his approach. But in Elizabethan days he invariably carried in his hands only a light staff. set forward.

14 solemnly... set on] in solemn state

21-22 Giving full trophy... to God] Transferring all credit for the honours, trophies, tokens, or signs and outward show of the victory from himself to God.

25 in best sort] in best array.

29 by a lower... likelihood] to take a similitude or similar event, of inferior importance, but exciting no less affectionate emotion. 30-32 Were now... his sword] This is a reference to Robert Devereux, second Earl of Essex, Queen Elizabeth's favourite, who was at the

20

30

As in good time he may, from Ireland coming,
Bringing rebellion broached on his sword,

How many would the peaceful city quit,

To welcome him! much more, and much more cause,
Did they this Harry. Now in London place him;
As yet the lamentation of the French

Invites the King of England's stay at home;
The emperor's coming in behalf of France,
To order peace between them; and omit
All the occurrences, whatever chanced,
Till Harry's back return again to France:
There must we bring him; and myself have play'd
The interim, by remembering you 't is past.
Then brook abridgement, and your eyes advance,
After your thoughts, straight back again to France.

[Exit.

time of the production of this play Lord Deputy of Ireland, and was engaged in repressing a native rebellion. He had passed through London on 27 March, 1599, on his way to Ireland, and had been accorded a great popular ovation. Shakespeare's anticipation of his triumphant return was not realised. His government of Ireland proved a failure, and he came home in September in disgrace.

32 broached] spitted, transfixed.

38-39 The emperor's coming... between them] Sigismund, Emperor of Germany, came to England on 14 May, 1416, on a mission of mediation between England and France.

40