Henry V by William Shakespeare
Act 5 - Scene 0
Prologue.
Chorus : Vouchsafe to those that have not read the story,
[p]That I may prompt
them: and of such as have,
[p]I humbly pray them to admit the
excuse
[p]Of time, of numbers and due course of things,
[p]Which
cannot in their huge and proper life
[p]Be here presented. Now we bear
the king
[p]Toward Calais: grant him there; there seen,
[p]Heave him
away upon your winged thoughts
[p]Athwart the sea. Behold, the English
beach
[p]Pales in the flood with men, with wives and boys,
[p]Whose
shouts and claps out-voice the deep mouth'd sea,
[p]Which like a
mighty whiffler 'fore the king
[p]Seems to prepare his way: so let him
land,
[p]And solemnly see him set on to London.
[p]So swift a pace
hath thought that even now
[p]You may imagine him upon
Blackheath;
[p]Where that his lords desire him to have borne
[p]His
bruised helmet and his bended sword
[p]Before him through the city: he
forbids it,
[p]Being free from vainness and self-glorious
pride;
[p]Giving full trophy, signal and ostent
[p]Quite from himself
to God. But now behold,
[p]In the quick forge and working-house of
thought,
[p]How London doth pour out her citizens!
[p]The mayor and
all his brethren in best sort,
[p]Like to the senators of the antique
Rome,
[p]With the plebeians swarming at their heels,
[p]Go forth and
fetch their conquering Caesar in:
[p]As, by a lower but loving
likelihood,
[p]Were now the general of our gracious empress,
[p]As in
good time he may, from Ireland coming,
[p]Bringing rebellion broached
on his sword,
[p]How many would the peaceful city quit,
[p]To welcome
him! much more, and much more cause,
[p]Did they this Harry. Now in
London place him;
[p]As yet the lamentation of the French
[p]Invites
the King of England's stay at home;
[p]The emperor's coming in behalf
of France,
[p]To order peace between them; and omit
[p]All the
occurrences, whatever chanced,
[p]Till Harry's back-return again to
France:
[p]There must we bring him; and myself have play'd
[p]The
interim, by remembering you 'tis past.
[p]Then brook abridgment, and
your eyes advance,
[p]After your thoughts, straight back again to
France.
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Next: Act 5 - Scene 1
