The Life of Henry the Fifth: ACT IV
Introduction ACT I ACT II ACT III ACT IV PROLOGUE. SCENE I. The English camp at Agincourt. SCENE II. The French camp. SCENE III. The English camp. SCENE IV. The field of battle. SCENE V. Another part of the field. SCENE VI. Another part of the field. SCENE VII. Another part of the field. SCENE VIII. Before KING HENRY'S pavilion. ACT V About the Play Feedback			Search: All the plays Hamlet Coriolanus Julius Caesar King Lear Macbeth Othello Romeo and Juliet Richard II Richard III Titus Andronicus Antony and Cleopatra Timon of Athens Henry IV Part 1 Henry IV Part 2 Henry the Fifth Henry VI Part 1 Henry VI Part 2 Henry VI Part 3 Henry VIII King John Pericles Troilus and Cressida All's Well... As You Like It The Comedy of Errors Cymbeline A Midsummer... Love's Labour's Lost Measure for Measure The Merry Wives... Much Ado about Nothing The Merchant of Venice Twelfth Night The Taming of... The Tempest The Two Gentlemen... The Winter's Tale    for: PROLOGUE. Enter Chorus Chorus       Now entertain conjecture of a time       When creeping murmur and the poring dark       Fills the wide vessel of the universe.       From camp to camp through the foul womb of night 5     The hum of either army stilly sounds,       That the fixed sentinels almost receive       The secret whispers of each other's watch:       Fire answers fire, and through their paly flames       Each battle sees the other's umber'd face; 10    Steed threatens steed, in high and boastful neighs       Piercing the night's dull ear, and from the tents       The armourers, accomplishing the knights,       With busy hammers closing rivets up,       Give dreadful note of preparation: 15    The country cocks do crow, the clocks do toll,       And the third hour of drowsy morning name.       Proud of their numbers and secure in soul,       The confident and over-lusty French       Do the low-rated English play at dice; 20    And chide the cripple tardy-gaited night       Who, like a foul and ugly witch, doth limp       So tediously away. The poor condemned English,       Like sacrifices, by their watchful fires       Sit patiently and inly ruminate 25    The morning's danger, and their gesture sad       Investing lank-lean; cheeks and war-worn coats       Presenteth them unto the gazing moon       So many horrid ghosts. O now, who will behold       The royal captain of this ruin'd band 30    Walking from watch to watch, from tent to tent,       Let him cry 'Praise and glory on his head!'       For forth he goes and visits all his host.       Bids them good morrow with a modest smile       And calls them brothers, friends and countrymen. 35    Upon his royal face there is no note       How dread an army hath enrounded him;       Nor doth he dedicate one jot of colour       Unto the weary and all-watched night,       But freshly looks and over-bears attaint 40    With cheerful semblance and sweet majesty;       That every wretch, pining and pale before,       Beholding him, plucks comfort from his looks:       A largess universal like the sun       His liberal eye doth give to every one, 45    Thawing cold fear, that mean and gentle all,       Behold, as may unworthiness define,       A little touch of Harry in the night.       And so our scene must to the battle fly;       Where--O for pity!--we shall much disgrace 50    With four or five most vile and ragged foils,       Right ill-disposed in brawl ridiculous,       The name of Agincourt. Yet sit and see,       Minding true things by what their mockeries be. Exit Return to top of page ... or ... Go to next scene