Enter Chorus. | |
| Chor. Vouchsafe to those that have not read the story, | |
| That I may prompt them: and of such as have, | |
| I humbly pray them to admit the excuse | 4 |
| Of time, of numbers, and due course of things, | |
| Which cannot in their huge and proper life | |
| Be here presented. Now we bear the king | |
| Toward Calais: grant him there; there seen, | 8 |
| Heave him away upon your winged thoughts | |
| Athwart the sea. Behold, the English beach | |
| Pales in the flood with men, with wives, and boys, | |
| Whose shouts and claps out-voice the deep-mouth’d sea, | 12 |
| Which, like a mighty whiffler ’fore the king, | |
| Seems to prepare his way: so let him land | |
| And solemnly see him set on to London. | |
| So swift a pace hath thought that even now | 16 |
| You may imagine him upon Blackheath; | |
| Where that his lords desire him to have borne | |
| His bruised helmet and his bended sword | |
| Before him through the city: he forbids it, | 20 |
| Being free from vainness and self-glorious pride; | |
| Giving full trophy, signal and ostent, | |
| Quite from himself, to God. But now behold, | |
| In the quick forge and working-house of thought, | 24 |
| How London doth pour out her citizens. | |
| The mayor and all his brethren in best sort, | |
| Like to the senators of the antique Rome, | |
| With the plebeians swarming at their heels, | 28 |
| Go forth and fetch their conquering Cæsar in: | |
| As, by a lower but loving likelihood, | |
| Were now the general of our gracious empress,— | |
| As in good time he may,—from Ireland coming, | 32 |
| Bringing rebellion broached on his sword, | |
| How many would the peaceful city quit | |
| To welcome him! much more, and much more cause, | |
| Did they this Harry. Now in London place him; | 36 |
| As yet the lamentation of the French | |
| Invites the King of England’s stay at home,— | |
| The emperor’s coming in behalf of France, | |
| To order peace between them;—and omit | 40 |
| All the occurrences, whatever chanc’d, | |
| Till Harry’s back-return again to France: | |
| There must we bring him; and myself have play’d | |
| The interim, by remembering you ’tis past. | 44 |
| Then brook abridgment, and your eyes advance, | |
| After your thoughts, straight back again to France. [Exit. | |
