now, you undo me: for what I have to say is of mine own making; and what indeed I should say will, I doubt, prove mine own marring. But to the purpose, and so to the venture.-Be it known to you, as it is very well,-I was lately here in the end of a displeasing play, to pray your patience for it, and to promise you a better. I did mean, indeed, to pay you with this; which, if, like an ill venture, it come unluckily home, I break, and you, my gentle creditors, lose. Here I promised you I would be, and here I commit my body to your mercies: bate me some, and I will pay you some, and, as most debtors do, promise you infinitely.

If my tongue cannot entreat you to acquit me, will you command me to use my legs? and yet that were but light payment, to dance out of your debt. But a good conscience will make any possible satisfaction, and so will I. All the gentlewomen here have forgiven me: if the gentlemen will not, then the gentlemen do not agree with the gentlewomen, which was never seen before in such an assembly.

One word more, I beseech you. If you be not too much cloyed with fat meat, our humble author will continue the story, with Sir John in it, and make you merry with fair Katharine of France: where, for anything I know, Falstaff shall die of a sweat, unless already he be killed with your hard opinions; for Oldcastle died a martyr, and this is not the man. My tongue is weary; when my legs are too, I will bid you good-night: and so kneel down before you; -but, indeed, to pray for the queen.

KING HENRY V.

KING HENRY THE FIFTH.

DUKE OF GLOSTER, 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,

Conspirators against the KING.

SIR THOMAS ERPINGHAM, GOWER, FLUELLEN, MACMORRIS, JAMY, Officers in KING HENRY's Army.

BATES, COURT, WILLIAMS, Soldiers in the same.

NYM, BARDOLPH, PISTOL, formerly Servants to FALSTAFF, now Soldiers in the same.

Boy, Servant to them. A Herald. Chorus.

CHARLES THE SIXTH, King of France.

LOUIS, the Dauphin.

DUKES OF BURGUNDY, ORLEANS, and BOURBON.
The Constable of France.

RAMBURES and GRANDPREE, 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 the PRINCESS KATHARINE.
QUICKLY, PISTOL's Wife, an Hostess.

Lords, Ladies, Officers, French and English Soldiers,
Messengers, and Attendants.

SCENE,-At the beginning of the Play, lies in ENGLAND; but afterwards wholly in FRANCE.

KING HENRY V.

Enter Chorus.

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 spirit that hath dar'd
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?
O, pardon! since a crooked figure may
Attest in little place a million;

And let us, ciphers to this great accompt,
On your imaginary forces work.

Suppose within the girdle of these walls
Are now confin'd 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.

VOL. III.

2 D