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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)

    Enter Iohn Cobler, Robin Pewterer, Lawrence
    Costermonger.
    105Iohn Cob. All is well here, all is well maisters.
    Robin. How say you neighbour Iohn Cobler?
    I thinke it best that my neighbour
    Robin Pewterer went to Pudding lane end,
    And we will watch here at Billinsgate ward.
    110How say you neighbour Robin, how like you this?
    Robin. Marry well neighbours:
    I care not much if I goe to Pudding lanes end.
    But neighbours, and you heare any adoe about me,
    Make haste: and if I heare any ado about you,
    115I will come to you.
    Exit Robin.
    Law. Neighbor, what newes heare you of ye young Prince:
    Iohn. Marry neighbor, I heare say, he is a toward yoong(Prince,
    For if he met any by the hie way,
    120He will not let to talke with him,
    I dare not call him theefe, but sure he is one of these takingfellowes.
    Law. Indeed neighbour I heare say he is as liuely
    A young Prince as euer was.
    Iohn. I, and I heare say, if he vse it long,
    125His father will cut him off from the Crowne:
    But
    of Henry the fifth.
    But neighbour say nothing of that.
    Law. No, no, neighbour, I warrant you.
    Iohn. Neighbour, me thinkes you begin to sl}eepe,
    If you will, we will sit down,
    130For I thinke it is about midnight.
    Law. Marry content neighbour, let vs sleepe.
    Enter Dericke rouing.
    Dericke. Who, who there, who there?
    Exit Dericke.
    135Enter Robin.
    Robin. O neighbors, what mean you to sleepe,
    And such ado in the streetes?
    Ambo. How now neighbor, whats the matter?
    Enter Dericke againe.
    140Dericke. Who there, who there, who there?
    Cobler. Why what ailst thou? Here is no horses.
    Dericke. O alas man, I am robd, who there, who there?
    Robin. Hold him neighbor Cobler.
    Robin. Why I see thou art a plaine Clowne.
    145Dericke. Am I a Clowne, sownes maisters,
    Do Clownes go in silke apparell?
    I am sure all we gentlemen Clownes in Kent scant go so
    Well: Sownes you know clownes very well:
    Heare you, are you maister Constable, and you be speake?
    150For I will not take it at his hands.
    Iohn. Faith I am not maister Constable,
    But I am one of his bad officers, for he is not here.
    Dericke. Is not maister Constable here?
    Well it is no matter, ile haue the law at his hands.
    155Iohn. Nay I pray you do not take the law of vs.
    Der. Well, you are one of his beastly officers.
    Iohn. I am one of his bad officers.
    Der. Why then I charge thee looke to him.
    Cobler. Nay but heare ye sir, you seeme to be an honest
    160 Fellow, and we are poore men, and now tis night:
    And
    The famous victories
    And we would be loth to haue any thing adoo,
    Therefore I pray thee put it vp.
    Der. First, thou saiest true, I am an honest fellow,
    And a proper hansome fellow too,
    165And you seeme to be poore men, therefore I care not greatly,
    Nay, I am quickly pacified:
    But and you chance to spie the theefe,
    I pray you laie hold on him.
    Robin. Yes that we wil, I warrant you.
    170Der. Tis a wonderful thing to see how glad the knaue
    Is, now I haue forgiuen him.
    Iohn. Neighbors do ye looke about you?
    How now, who's there?
    Enter the Theefe.
    175Theefe. Here is a good fellow, I pray you which is the
    Way to the old Tauerne in Eastcheape?
    Der. Whoope hollo, now Gads Hill, knowest thou me?
    Theef. I know thee for an Asse.
    Der. And I know thee for a taking fellow,
    180Upon Gads hill in Kent:
    A bots light vpon ye.
    Theef. The whorson vilaine would be knockt.
    Der. Maisters, vilaine, and ye be men stand to him,
    And take his weapon from him, let him not passe you.
    185Iohn. My friend, what make you abroad now?
    It is too late to walke now.
    Theef. It is not too late for true men to walke.
    Law. We know thee not to be a true man.
    Theef. Why what do you meane to do with me?
    190Sownes I am one of the kings liege people.
    Der. Heare you sir, are you one of the kings liege people?
    Theef. I marry am I sir, what say you to it?
    Der. Marry sir, I say you are one of the kings filching (people.
    Cob. Come, come, lets haue him away.
    195Theef. Why what haue I done?
    Robin
    of Henry the fifth.
    Robin. Thou hast robd a poore fellow,
    And taken away his goods from him.
    Theefe. I neuer sawe him before.
    Der. Maisters who comes here?
    200Enter the Vintners boy.
    Boy. How now good man Cobler?
    Cob. How now Robin, what makes thou abroad
    At this time of night?
    Boy. Marrie I haue beene at the Counter,
    205I can tell such newes as neuer you haue heard the like.
    Cobler. What is that Robin, what is the matter?
    Boy. Why this night about two houres ago, there came
    the young Prince, and three or foure more of his compani-
    ons, and called for wine good store, and then they sent for a
    210noyse of Musitians, and were very merry for the space of
    an houre, then whether their Musicke liked them not, or
    whether they had drunke too much Wine or no, I cannot
    tell, but our pots flue against the wals, and then they drew
    their swordes, and went into the streete and fought, and
    215some tooke one part, & some tooke another, but for the space
    of halfe an houre, there was such a bloodie fray as passeth,
    and none coulde part them vntill such time as the Maior
    and Sheriffe were sent for, and then at the last with much
    adoo, they tooke them, and so the yong Prince was carried
    220to the Counter, and then about one houre after, there came
    a Messenger from the Court in all haste from the king, for
    my Lord Maior and the Sheriffe, but for what cause I
    know not.
    Cobler. Here is newes indeed Robert.
    225Law. Marry neighbour, this newes is strange indeede,
    I thinke it best neighbour, to rid our hands of this fellowe
    first.
    Theefe. What meane you to doe with me?
    Cobler. We mean to carry you to the prison, and there
    230to remaine till the Sessions day.
    B Theefe
    The famous victories
    Theef. Then I pray you let me go to the prison where
    my maister is.
    Cob. Nay thou must go to y^ecountry prison, to newgate,
    Therefore come away.
    235Theef. I prethie be good to me honest fellow.
    Der. I marry will I, ile be verie charitable to thee,
    For I will neuer leaue thee, til I see thee on the Gallowes.