The Life of King Henry the Fifth - Уильям Шекспир

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treasure, uncle?

        EXETER. Tennis-balls, my liege.

        KING HENRY. We are glad the Dauphin is so pleasant with us;

          His present and your pains we thank you for.

          When we have match'd our rackets to these balls,

          We will in France, by God's grace, play a set

          Shall strike his father's crown into the hazard.

          Tell him he hath made a match with such a wrangler

          That all the courts of France will be disturb'd

          With chaces. And we understand him well,

          How he comes o'er us with our wilder days,

          Not measuring what use we made of them.

          We never valu'd this poor seat of England;

          And therefore, living hence, did give ourself

          To barbarous licence; as 'tis ever common

          That men are merriest when they are from home.

          But tell the Dauphin I will keep my state,

          Be like a king, and show my sail of greatness,

          When I do rouse me in my throne of France;

          For that I have laid by my majesty

          And plodded like a man for working-days;

          But I will rise there with so full a glory

          That I will dazzle all the eyes of France,

          Yea, strike the Dauphin blind to look on us.

          And tell the pleasant Prince this mock of his

          Hath turn'd his balls to gun-stones, and his soul

          Shall stand sore charged for the wasteful vengeance

          That shall fly with them; for many a thousand widows

          Shall this his mock mock of their dear husbands;

          Mock mothers from their sons, mock castles down;

          And some are yet ungotten and unborn

          That shall have cause to curse the Dauphin's scorn.

          But this lies all within the will of God,

          To whom I do appeal; and in whose name,

          Tell you the Dauphin, I am coming on,

          To venge me as I may and to put forth

          My rightful hand in a well-hallow'd cause.

          So get you hence in peace; and tell the Dauphin

          His jest will savour but of shallow wit,

          When thousands weep more than did laugh at it.

          Convey them with safe conduct. Fare you well.

Exeunt AMBASSADORS

        EXETER. This was a merry message.

        KING HENRY. We hope to make the sender blush at it.

          Therefore, my lords, omit no happy hour

          That may give furth'rance to our expedition;

          For we have now no thought in us but France,

          Save those to God, that run before our business.

          Therefore let our proportions for these wars

          Be soon collected, and all things thought upon

          That may with reasonable swiftness ad

          More feathers to our wings; for, God before,

          We'll chide this Dauphin at his father's door.

          Therefore let every man now task his thought

          That this fair action may on foot be brought. Exeunt

      ACT II. PROLOGUE

      Flourish. Enter CHORUS

        CHORUS. Now all the youth of England are on fire,

          And silken dalliance in the wardrobe lies;

          Now thrive the armourers, and honour's thought

          Reigns solely in the breast of every man;

          They sell the pasture now to buy the horse,

          Following the mirror of all Christian kings

          With winged heels, as English Mercuries.

          For now sits Expectation in the air,

          And hides a sword from hilts unto the point

          With crowns imperial, crowns, and coronets,

          Promis'd to Harry and his followers.

          The French, advis'd by good intelligence

          Of this most dreadful preparation,

          Shake in their fear and with pale policy

          Seek to divert the English purposes.

          O England! model to thy inward greatness,

          Like little body with a mighty heart,

          What mightst thou do that honour would thee do,

          Were all thy children kind and natural!

          But see thy fault! France hath in thee found out

          A nest of hollow bosoms, which he fills

          With treacherous crowns; and three corrupted men-

          One, Richard Earl of Cambridge, and the second,

          Henry Lord Scroop of Masham, and the third,

          Sir Thomas Grey, knight, of Northumberland,

          Have, for the gilt of France- O guilt indeed! -

          Confirm'd conspiracy with fearful France;

          And by their hands this grace of kings must die-

          If hell and treason hold their promises,

          Ere he take ship for France- and in Southampton.

          Linger your patience on, and we'll digest

          Th' abuse of distance, force a play.

          The sum is paid, the traitors are agreed,

          The King is set from London, and the scene

          Is now transported, gentles, to Southampton;

          There is the play-house now, there must you sit,

          And thence to France shall we convey you safe

          And bring you back, charming the narrow seas

          To give you gentle pass; for, if we may,

          We'll not offend one stomach with our play.

          But, till the King come forth, and not till then,

          Unto Southampton do we shift our scene. Exit

      SCENE I. London. Before the Boar's Head Tavern, Eastcheap

      Enter CORPORAL NYM and LIEUTENANT BARDOLPH

        BARDOLPH. Well met, Corporal Nym.

        NYM. Good morrow, Lieutenant Bardolph.

        BARDOLPH.

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