Henry V

Share
First folio
Modern text

Definitions

Key line

Enter Fluellen and Gower.Enter Fluellen and Gower H5 V.i.1
Gower. GOWER 
Nay, that's right: but why weare you your Leeke Nay, that's right; but why wear you your leek H5 V.i.1
to day? S. Dauies day is past.today? Saint Davy's day is past. H5 V.i.2
Flu. FLUELLEN 
There is occasions and causes why and whereforeThere is occasions and causes why and wherefore H5 V.i.3
in all things: I will tell you asse my friend, Captainein all things. I will tell you ass my friend, Captain H5 V.i.4
Gower; the rascally, scauld, beggerly, lowsie, praggingGower: the rascally, scauld, beggarly, lousy, praggingscald, scall, scauld (adj.)
contemptible, vile, scabby
H5 V.i.5
Knaue Pistoll, which you and your selfe, and all the World,knave, Pistol – which you and yourself and all the worldknave (n.)

old form: Knaue
scoundrel, rascal, rogue
H5 V.i.6
know to be no petter then a fellow, looke you now, of noknow to be no petter than a fellow, look you now, of no H5 V.i.7
merits: hee is come to me, and prings me pread and sault merits – he is come to me and prings me pread and salt H5 V.i.8
yesterday, looke you, and bid me eate my Leeke: it was in a yesterday, look you, and bid me eat my leek. It was in a H5 V.i.9
place where I could not breed no contention with him; place where I could not breed no contention with him; H5 V.i.10
but I will be so bold as to weare it in my Cap till I see but I will be so bold as to wear it in my cap till I see H5 V.i.11
him once againe, and then I will tell him a little piece ofhim once again, and then I will tell him a little piece of H5 V.i.12
my desires.my desires. H5 V.i.13
Enter Pistoll.Enter Pistol H5 V.i.14
Gower. GOWER 
Why heere hee comes, swelling like a Turky-cock.Why, here he comes, swelling like a turkey-cock. H5 V.i.14
Flu. FLUELLEN 
'Tis no matter for his swellings, nor his Turky-cocks. 'Tis no matter for his swellings nor his turkey-cocks. H5 V.i.15
God plesse you aunchient Pistoll: you scuruie God pless you, Aunchient Pistol! You scurvy, H5 V.i.16
lowsie Knaue, God plesse you.lousy knave, God pless you! H5 V.i.17
Pist. PISTOL 
Ha, art thou bedlam? doest thou thirst, base Troian, Ha, art thou bedlam? Dost thou thirst, base Troyan,Troyan, Trojan (n.)

old form: Troian
fellow, knave
H5 V.i.18
base (adj.)
low-born, lowly, plebeian, of lower rank
bedlam (adj.)
mad, crazed, frantic
to haue me fold vp Parcas fatall Web? To have me fold up Parca's fatal web? H5 V.i.19
Hence; I am qualmish at the smell of Leeke.Hence! I am qualmish at the smell of leek. H5 V.i.20
Flu. FLUELLEN 
I peseech you heartily, scuruie lowsie Knaue, I peseech you heartily, scurvy, lousy knave, H5 V.i.21
at my desires, and my requests, and my petitions, to eate,at my desires, and my requests, and my petitions, to eat, H5 V.i.22
looke you, this Leeke; because, looke you, you doe not loue look you, this leek. Because, look you, you do not love H5 V.i.23
it, nor your affections, and your appetites and yourit, nor your affections, and your appetites, and your H5 V.i.24
disgestions doo's not agree with it, I would desire you to digestions, doo's not agree with it, I would desire you to H5 V.i.25
eate it.eat it. H5 V.i.26
Pist. PISTOL 
Not for Cadwallader and all his Goats.Not for Cadwallader and all his goats!Cadwallader (n.)
[pron: kad'walader] last of the British kings, 7th-c
H5 V.i.27
Flu.FLUELLEN 
There is one Goat for you. Strikes him.There is one goat for you. (He strikes him) H5 V.i.28
Will you be so good, scauld Knaue, as eate it?Will you be so good, scauld knave, as eat it?scald, scall, scauld (adj.)
contemptible, vile, scabby
H5 V.i.29
Pist. PISTOL 
Base Troian, thou shalt dye.Base Troyan, thou shalt die! H5 V.i.30
Flu. FLUELLEN 
You say very true, scauld Knaue, when GodsYou say very true, scauld knave, when God's H5 V.i.31
will is: I will desire you to liue in the meane time, andwill is. I will desire you to live in the meantime, and H5 V.i.32
eate your Victuals: come, there is sawce for it. eat your victuals – come, there is sauce for it. (He strikes H5 V.i.33
You call'd me yesterday Mountaine-Squier, him again) You called me yesterday mountain-squire,mountain-squire (n.)
squire of barren land
H5 V.i.34
but I will make you to day a squire of low degree. I pray but I will make you today a squire of low degree. I pray H5 V.i.35
you fall too, if you can mocke a Leeke, you can eate a Leeke.you fall to – if you can mock a leek, you can eat a leek. H5 V.i.36
Gour. GOWER 
Enough Captaine, you haue astonisht him.Enough, Captain, you have astonished him.astonish, 'stonish (v.)

old form: astonisht
fill with wonder, amaze, astound
H5 V.i.37
Flu. FLUELLEN 
I say, I will make him eate some part of my leeke,I say, I will make him eat some part of my leek, H5 V.i.38
or I will peate his pate foure dayes: bite I pray you, it isor I will peat his pate four days. Bite, I pray you, it ispate (n.)
head, skull
H5 V.i.39
good for your greene wound, and your ploodie Coxecombe.good for your green wound and your ploody coxcomb.green (adj.)
fresh, recent, new
H5 V.i.40
coxcomb (n.)

old form: Coxecombe
head
Pist. PISTOL 
Must I bite.Must I bite? H5 V.i.41
Flu. FLUELLEN 
Yes certainly, and out of doubt and out of Yes, certainly, and out of doubt, and out of H5 V.i.42
question too, and ambiguities.question too, and ambiguities. H5 V.i.43
Pist. PISTOL 
By this Leeke, I will most horribly reuenge I eate By this leek, I will most horribly revenge – I eat H5 V.i.44
and eate I sweare.and eat, I swear –  H5 V.i.45
Flu. FLUELLEN 
Eate I pray you, will you haue some more Eat, I pray you; will you have some more H5 V.i.46
sauce to your Leeke: there is not enough Leeke to sweare sauce to your leek? There is not enough leek to swear H5 V.i.47
by.by. H5 V.i.48
Pist. PISTOL 
Quiet thy Cudgell, thou dost see I eate.Quiet thy cudgel, thou dost see I eat. H5 V.i.49
Flu. FLUELLEN 
Much good do you scald knaue, heartily. Much good do you, scauld knave, heartily. H5 V.i.50
Nay, pray you throw none away, the skinne is good for Nay, pray you throw none away, the skin is good for H5 V.i.51
your broken Coxcombe; when you take occasions to seeyour broken coxcomb. When you take occasions to see H5 V.i.52
Leekes heereafter, I pray you mocke at 'em, that is all.leeks hereafter, I pray you mock at 'em, that is all. H5 V.i.53
Pist. PISTOL 
Good.Good! H5 V.i.54
Flu. FLUELLEN 
I, Leekes is good: hold you, there is a groat toAy, leeks is good. Hold you, there is a groat togroat (n.)
fourpenny piece
H5 V.i.55
heale your pate.heal your pate.pate (n.)
head, skull
H5 V.i.56
Pist. PISTOL 
Me a groat?Me a groat? H5 V.i.57
Flu. FLUELLEN 
Yes verily, and in truth you shall take it, or I Yes, verily and in truth you shall take it, or I H5 V.i.58
haue another Leeke in my pocket, which you shall eate.have another leek in my pocket which you shall eat. H5 V.i.59
Pist. PISTOL 
I take thy groat in earnest of reuenge.I take thy groat in earnest of revenge.earnest (n.)
pledge, instalment, deposit, payment in advance
H5 V.i.60
Flu. FLUELLEN 
If I owe you any thing, I will pay you in If I owe you anything, I will pay you in H5 V.i.61
Cudgels, you shall be a Woodmonger, and buy nothing cudgels – you shall be a woodmonger, and buy nothing H5 V.i.62
of me but cudgels: God bu'y you, and keepe you, &healeof me but cudgels. God bye you, and keep you, and heal H5 V.i.63
your pate.your pate. H5 V.i.64
ExitExit H5 V.i.64
Pist. PISTOL 
All hell shall stirre for this.All hell shall stir for this! H5 V.i.65
Gow. GOWER 
Go, go, you are a counterfeit cowardly Knaue,Go, go, you are a counterfeit cowardly knave.knave (n.)

old form: Knaue
scoundrel, rascal, rogue
H5 V.i.66
counterfeit (adj.)
pretended, feigned, sham
will you mocke at an ancient Tradition began vppon anWill you mock at an ancient tradition, begun upon an H5 V.i.67
honourable respect, and worne as a memorable Tropheehonourable respect, and worn as a memorable trophytrophy (n.)

old form: Trophee
token of victory, evidence of valour
H5 V.i.68
of predeceased valor, and dare not auouch in your of predeceased valour, and dare not avouch in youravouch (v.)

old form: auouch
justify, warrant, defend
H5 V.i.69
deeds any of your words. I haue seene you gleeking & deeds any of your words? I have seen you gleeking andgleek (v.)
make a pointed joke, jest, gibe
H5 V.i.70
galling at this Gentleman twice or thrice. You thought, galling at this gentleman twice or thrice. You thought,gall (v.)
scoff, jeer, mock
H5 V.i.71
because he could not speake English in the natiue garb, because he could not speak English in the native garb,garb (n.)
manner, style, fashion
H5 V.i.72
he could not therefore handle an English Cudgell: you he could not therefore handle an English cudgel. You H5 V.i.73
finde it otherwise, and henceforth let a Welsh correction, find it otherwise, and henceforth let a Welsh correction H5 V.i.74
teach you a good English condition, fare ye well.teach you a good English condition. Fare ye well.fare ... well (int.)
goodbye [to an individual]
H5 V.i.75
condition (n.)
state, way of life
ExitExit H5 V.i.75
Pist. PISTOL 
Doeth fortune play the huswife with me now?Doth Fortune play the housewife with me now?housewife, huswife (n.)
[pron: 'huzif] hussy, wanton, minx
H5 V.i.76
Fortune (n.)
Roman goddess, shown as a woman at a spinning-wheel, or controlling a rudder, and as blind
Newes haue I that my Doll is dead i'th Spittle News have I that my Doll is dead i'th' spitalspital (n.)

old form: Spittle
hospital
H5 V.i.77
of a malady of France, Of malady of France,malady of France
venereal disease
H5 V.i.78
and there my rendeuous is quite cut off:And there my rendezvous is quite cut off.rendezvous (n.)

old form: rendeuous
refuge, retreat, haven
H5 V.i.79
Old I do waxe, and from my wearie limbes Old I do wax, and from my weary limbswax (v.)

old form: waxe
grow, become, turn
H5 V.i.80
honour is Cudgeld. Well, Baud Ile turne, Honour is cudgelled. Well, bawd I'll turn,bawd (n.)

old form: Baud
pimp, procurer, pander, go-between
H5 V.i.81
and something leane to Cut-purse of quicke hand: And something lean to cutpurse of quick hand.something (adv.)
a little, to some extent
H5 V.i.82
cutpurse (n.)

old form: Cut-purse
pickpocket, thief, robber
To England will I steale, and there Ile steale:To England will I steal, and there I'll – steal; H5 V.i.83
And patches will I get vnto these cudgeld scarres,And patches will I get unto these cudgelled scars, H5 V.i.84
And swore I got them in the Gallia warres. And swear I got them in the Gallia wars.Gallia (n.)
old name for France [Gaul]
H5 V.i.85
Exit.Exit H5 V.i.85
 Previous Act V, Scene I Next  
x

Jump directly to