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  • Title: The Famous Victories of Henry the Fifth (Quarto, 1598)
  • Editors: Karen Sawyer Marsalek, Mathew Martin
  • Coordinating editor: Janelle Jenstad

  • Copyright Queen's Men Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: Anonymous
    Editors: Karen Sawyer Marsalek, Mathew Martin
    Peer Reviewed

    The Famous Victories of Henry the Fifth (Quarto, 1598)

    The Famous Victories
    of Henry the fifth, Conteining the Hono-
    rable Battell of Agin-court.
    1Enter the yoong Prince, Ned, and Tom.
    Henry the fifth.
    COme away Ned and Tom.
    Both. Here my Lord.
    5Henr.5. Come away my Lads:
    Tell me sirs, how much gold haue you got?
    Ned. Faith my Lord, I haue got fiue hundred pound.
    Hen.5. But tell me Tom, how much hast thou got?
    Tom. Faith my Lord, some foure hundred pound.
    10Hen.5. Foure hundred poundes, brauely spoken Lads.
    But tell me sirs, thinke you not that it was a villainous
    part of me to rob my fathers Receiuers?
    Ned. Why no my Lord, it was but a tricke of youth.
    Hen.5. Faith Ned thou sayest true.
    15But tell me sirs, whereabouts are we?
    Tom. My Lord, we are now about a mile off London.
    Hen.5. But sirs, I maruell that sir Iohn Old-Castle
    Comes not away: Sounds see where he comes.
    Enters Iockey.
    20How now Iockey, what newes with thee?
    Iockey. Faith my Lord, such newes as passeth,
    For the Towne of Detfort is risen,
    A2
    The famous victories
    With hue and crie after your man,
    Which parted from vs the last night,
    25And has set vpon, and hath robd a poore Carrier.
    Hen. 5. Sownes, the vilaine that was wont to spie
    Out our booties.
    Iock. I my Lord, euen the very same.
    Hen.5. Now base minded rascal to rob a poore carrier,
    30Wel it skils not, ile saue the base vilaines life:
    I, I may: but tel me Iockey, wherabout be the Recieuers?
    Ioc. Faith my Lord, they are hard by,
    But the best is, we are a horse backe and they be a foote,
    So we may escape them.
    35Hen.5. Wel, I the vilaines come, let me alone with them.
    But tel me Iockey, how much gots thou from the knaues?
    For I am sure I got something, for one of the vilaines
    So belamd me about the shoulders,
    As I shal feele it this moneth.
    40Iock. Faith my Lord, I haue got a hundred pound.
    Hen. 5. A hundred pound, now brauely spoken Iockey:
    But come sirs, laie al your money before me,
    Now by heauen here is a braue shewe:
    But as I am true Gentleman, I wil haue the halfe
    45Of this spent to night, but sirs take vp your bags,
    Here comes the Receiuers, let me alone.
    Enters two Receiuers.
    One. Alas good fellow, what shal we do?
    I dare neuer go home to the Court, for I shall be hangd.
    50But looke, here is the yong Prince, what shal we doo?
    Hen.5. How now you vilaines, what are you?
    One Recei. Speake you to him.
    Other. No I pray, speake you to him.
    Hen.5. Why how now you rascals, why speak you not?
    55One. Forsooth we be. Pray speake you to him.
    Hen.5. Sowns, vilains speak, or ile cut off your heads.
    Other.
    of Henry the fifth.
    Other. Forsooth he can tel the tale better then I.
    One. Forsooth we be your fathers Receiuers.
    Hen.5. Are you my fathers Receiuers?
    60Then I hope ye haue brought me some money.
    One. Money, Alas sir we be robd.
    Hen.5. Robd, how many were there of them?
    One. Marry sir, there were foure of them:
    And one of them had sir Iohn Old-Castles bay Hobbie,
    65And your blacke Nag.
    Hen.5. Gogs wounds how like you this Iockey?
    Blood you vilaines: my father robd of his money abroad,
    And we robd in our stables.
    But tell me, how many were of them?
    70One recei. If it please you, there were foure of them,
    And there was one about the bignesse of you:
    But I am sure I so belambd him about the shoulders,
    That he wil feele it this month.
    Hen.5. Gogs wounds you lamd them faierly,
    75 So that they haue carried away your money.
    But come sirs, what shall we do with the vilaines?
    Both recei. I beseech your grace, be good to vs.
    Ned. I pray you my Lord forgiue them this once.
    Well stand vp and get you gone,
    80 And looke that you speake not a word of it,
    For if there be, sownes ile hang you and all your kin.
    Exit Purseuant.
    Hen.5. Now sirs, how like you this?
    Was not this brauely done?
    85For now the vilaines dare not speake a word of it,
    I haue so feared them with words.
    Now whither shall we goe?
    All. Why my Lord, you know our old hostes
    At Feuersham.
    90Hen.5. Our hostes at Feuersham, blood what shal we do (there?
    We haue a thousand pound about vs,
    A3 And
    The famous victories
    And we shall go to a pettie Ale-house,
    No, no: you know the olde Tauerne in Easstcheape,
    There is good wine: besides, there is a pretie wench
    95That can talke well, for I delight as much in their toongs,
    As any part about them.
    All. We are readie to waite vpon your grace.
    Hen.5. Gogs wounds waite, we will go altogither,
    We are all fellowes, I tell you sirs, and the King
    100My father were dead, we would be all Kings,
    Therefore come away.
    Ned. Gogs wounds, brauely spoken Harry.