Henry V

Share
First folio
Modern text

Definitions

Key line

Enter the King and all his Traine before the Gates.Some citizens of Harfleur appear on the walls. Enter H5 III.iii.1.1
the King and all his train before the gatestrain (n.)
retinue, following, entourage
H5 III.iii.1.2
King.KING HENRY 
How yet resolues the Gouernour of the Towne? How yet resolves the Governor of the town?resolve (v.)

old form: resolues
decide, make up one's mind
H5 III.iii.1
This is the latest Parle we will admit: This is the latest parle we will admit:parle, parley (n.)
negotiation, meeting [between enemies under a truce, to discuss terms]
H5 III.iii.2
latest (adj.)
last, final
Therefore to our best mercy giue your selues, Therefore to our best mercy give yourselves, H5 III.iii.3
Or like to men prowd of destruction, Or, like to men proud of destruction,proud (adj.)
taking pride in, elated by the thought of
H5 III.iii.4
like to / unto (conj./prep.)
similar to, comparable with
destruction (n.)
death, slaughter
Defie vs to our worst: for as I am a Souldier, Defy us to our worst; for, as I am a soldier, H5 III.iii.5
A Name that in my thoughts becomes me best; A name that in my thoughts becomes me best,become (v.)
grace, honour, dignify
H5 III.iii.6
If I begin the batt'rie once againe, If I begin the battery once again, H5 III.iii.7
I will not leaue the halfe-atchieued Harflew, I will not leave the half-achieved Harfleur H5 III.iii.8
Till in her ashes she lye buryed. Till in her ashes she lie buried. H5 III.iii.9
The Gates of Mercy shall be all shut vp, The gates of mercy shall be all shut up, H5 III.iii.10
And the flesh'd Souldier, rough and hard of heart, And the fleshed soldier, rough and hard of heart,fleshed (adj.)

old form: flesh'd
well used to bloodshed, hardened
H5 III.iii.11
In libertie of bloody hand, shall raunge In liberty of bloody hand shall rangebloody (adj.)
bloodthirsty, warlike, ferocious
H5 III.iii.12
With Conscience wide as Hell, mowing like Grasse With conscience wide as hell, mowing like grass H5 III.iii.13
Your fresh faire Virgins, and your flowring Infants. Your fresh fair virgins, and your flowering infants. H5 III.iii.14
What is it then to me, if impious Warre, What is it then to me, if impious war,impious (adj.)
lacking reverence towards God, wicked, irreligious
H5 III.iii.15
Arrayed in flames like to the Prince of Fiends, Arrayed in flames, like to the prince of fiends,like to / unto (conj./prep.)
similar to, comparable with
H5 III.iii.16
Doe with his smyrcht complexion all fell feats, Do, with his smirched complexion, all fell featssmirched (adj.)

old form: smyrcht
marked, soiled, stained
H5 III.iii.17
feat (n.)
[wicked] deed, action, crime
fell (adj.)
cruel, fierce, savage
Enlynckt to wast and desolation? Enlinked to waste and desolation?enlink (v.)

old form: Enlynckt
connect, chain, join closely [to]
H5 III.iii.18
What is't to me, when you your selues are cause, What is't to me, when you yourselves are cause, H5 III.iii.19
If your pure Maydens fall into the hand If your pure maidens fall into the hand H5 III.iii.20
Of hot and forcing Violation? Of hot and forcing violation? H5 III.iii.21
What Reyne can hold licentious Wickednesse, What rein can hold licentious wickedness H5 III.iii.22
When downe the Hill he holds his fierce Carriere? When down the hill he holds his fierce career?career (n.)

old form: Carriere
[of a horse in a combat] charge, gallop, course
H5 III.iii.23
We may as bootlesse spend our vaine Command We may as bootless spend our vain commandbootless (adv.)

old form: bootlesse
fruitlessly, uselessly, unsuccessfully, in vain
H5 III.iii.24
Vpon th' enraged Souldiers in their spoyle, Upon th' enraged soldiers in their spoilspoil (n.)

old form: spoyle
plundering, pillaging, despoiling
H5 III.iii.25
As send Precepts to the Leuiathan, to come ashore. As send precepts to the leviathanleviathan (n.)

old form: Leuiathan
sea-monster, whale
H5 III.iii.26
Therefore, you men of Harflew, To come ashore. Therefore, you men of Harfleur, H5 III.iii.27
Take pitty of your Towne and of your People, Take pity of your town and of your people H5 III.iii.28
Whiles yet my Souldiers are in my Command, Whiles yet my soldiers are in my command, H5 III.iii.29
Whiles yet the coole and temperate Wind of Grace Whiles yet the cool and temperate wind of grace H5 III.iii.30
O're-blowes the filthy and contagious Clouds O'erblows the filthy and contagious cloudsoverblow (v.)

old form: O're-blowes
blow away, blow off
H5 III.iii.31
contagious (adj.)
pestilential, harmful, noxious
Of heady Murther, Spoyle, and Villany. Of heady murder, spoil, and villainy.spoil (n.)

old form: Spoyle
plundering, pillaging, despoiling
H5 III.iii.32
heady (adj.)

old form: headly
violent, weighty, raging
If not: why in a moment looke to see If not, why, in a moment look to see H5 III.iii.33
The blind and bloody Souldier, with foule hand The blind and bloody soldier with foul handblind (adj.)
heedless, reckless, headstrong
H5 III.iii.34
bloody (adj.)
bloodthirsty, warlike, ferocious
Desire the Locks of your shrill-shriking Daughters: Defile the locks of your shrill-shrieking daughters; H5 III.iii.35
Your Fathers taken by the siluer Beards, Your fathers taken by the silver beards, H5 III.iii.36
And their most reuerend Heads dasht to the Walls: And their most reverend heads dashed to the walls; H5 III.iii.37
Your naked Infants spitted vpon Pykes, Your naked infants spitted upon pikes,pike, pick (n.)
weapon with a long handle ending in a spearhead
H5 III.iii.38
Whiles the mad Mothers, with their howles confus'd, Whiles the mad mothers with their howls confused H5 III.iii.39
Doe breake the Clouds; as did the Wiues of Iewry, Do break the clouds, as did the wives of Jewry H5 III.iii.40
At Herods bloody-hunting slaughter-men. At Herod's bloody-hunting slaughtermen.Herod (n.)
in the Bible, a Judean king, portrayed in medieval mystery plays as a wild and angry figure
H5 III.iii.41
What say you? Will you yeeld, and this auoyd? What say you? Will you yield, and this avoid? H5 III.iii.42
Or guiltie in defence, be thus destroy'd. Or, guilty in defence, be thus destroyed? H5 III.iii.43
Enter Gouernour.Enter the Governor on the wall H5 III.iii.44.1
Gouer.GOVERNOR 
Our expectation hath this day an end: Our expectation hath this day an end.expectation (n.)
anticipation, hopefulness
H5 III.iii.44
The Dolphin, whom of Succours we entreated, The Dauphin, whom of succours we entreated,succour (n.)
reinforcements, military assistance
H5 III.iii.45
Returnes vs, that his Powers are yet not ready, Returns us that his powers are yet not readypower (n.)
armed force, troops, host, army
H5 III.iii.46
return (v.)

old form: Returnes
answer, report, say in reply [to]
To rayse so great a Siege: Therefore great King, To raise so great a siege. Therefore, great King, H5 III.iii.47
We yeeld our Towne and Liues to thy soft Mercy: We yield our town and lives to thy soft mercy.soft (adj.)
tender, compassionate, kind
H5 III.iii.48
Enter our Gates, dispose of vs and ours, Enter our gates, dispose of us and ours, H5 III.iii.49
For we no longer are defensible. For we no longer are defensible.defensible (adj.)
defendable, capable of providing a defence
H5 III.iii.50
King.KING HENRY 
Open your Gates: Open your gates. H5 III.iii.51.1
Exit Governor H5 III.iii.51
Come Vnckle Exeter, Come, uncle Exeter, H5 III.iii.51.2
Goe you and enter Harflew; there remaine, Go you and enter Harfleur; there remain, H5 III.iii.52
And fortifie it strongly 'gainst the French: And fortify it strongly 'gainst the French. H5 III.iii.53
Vse mercy to them all for vs, deare Vnckle. Use mercy to them all. For us, dear uncle, H5 III.iii.54
The Winter comming on, and Sicknesse growing The winter coming on, and sickness growing H5 III.iii.55
Vpon our Souldiers, we will retyre to Calis. Upon our soldiers, we will retire to Calais. H5 III.iii.56
To night in Harflew will we be your Guest, Tonight in Harfleur will we be your guest; H5 III.iii.57
To morrow for the March are we addrest. Tomorrow for the march are we addressed.address (v.)

old form: addrest
prepare, make ready, poise to act
H5 III.iii.58
Flourish, and enter the Towne.Flourish, and enter the town H5 III.iii.58
 Previous Act III, Scene III Next  
x

Jump directly to