Henry V: Act I, Scene ii; First Folio.

 

This speech is used in our interview with Nathan Winkelstein.

  1. We are glad the Dolphin is so pleasant with vs,
  2. His Present, and your paines we thanke you for:
  3. When we haue matcht our Rackets to these Balles,
  4. We will in France (by Gods grace) play a set,
  5. Shall strike his fathers Crowne into the hazard.
  6. Tell him, he hath made a match with such a Wrangler,
  7. That all the Courts of France will be disturb’d
  8. With Chaces. And we vnderstand him well,
  9. How he comes o’re vs with our wilder dayes,
  10. Not measuring what vse we made of them.
  11. We neuer valew’d this poore seate of England,
  12. And therefore liuing hence, did giue our selfe
  13. To barbarous license: As ’tis euer common,
  14. That men are merriest, when they are from home.
  15. But tell the Dolphin, I will keepe my State,
  16. Be like a King, and shew my sayle of Greatnesse,
  17. When I do rowse me in my Throne of France.
  18. For that I haue layd by my Maiestie,
  19. And plodded like a man for working dayes:
  20. But I will rise there with so full a glorie,
  21. That I will dazle all the eyes of France,
  22. Yea strike the Dolphin blinde to looke on vs,
  23. And tell the pleasant Prince, this Mocke of his
  24. Hath turn’d his balles to Gun-stones, and his soule
  25. Shall stand sore charged, for the wastefull vengeance
  26. That shall flye with them: for many a thousand widows
  27. Shall this his Mocke, mocke out of their deer hnsbands;
  28. Mocke mothers from their sonnes, mock Castles downe:
  29. And some are yet vngotten and vnborne,
  30. That shal haue cause to curse the Dolphins scorne.
  31. But this lyes all within the wil of God,
  32. To whom I do appeale, and in whose name
  33. Tel you the Dolphin, I am comming on,
  34. To venge me as I may, and to put forth
  35. My rightfull hand in a wel-hallow’d cause.
  36. So get you hence in peace: And tell the Dolphin,
  37. His Iest will sauour but of shallow wit,
  38. When thousands weepe more then did laugh at it.
  39. Conuey them with safe conduct. Fare you well.