Thursday, March 29, 2012

Henry V at the Battle of St. Crispin by the Shakespearean Penguin Players

Henry V
by William Shakespeare
Act 4 Scene 3

(to lay out the scene)
  
Henry and his troops are about to go into battle against
the French on Saint Crispin's Day. His Cousin Westmoreland
laments the fact that he wishes for more Englishman to join
the beleaguered and badly outnumbered English forces in
battle against the French.

*******

Westmoreland
 

O that we now had here


But one ten thousand of those men in England
That do no work to-day!

*******

In response to this,
Henry address his cousin

*****


God's peace! I would not lose so great an honour
As one man more methinks would share from me
For the best hope I have. O, do not wish one more!
Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host,


That he which hath no stomach to this fight,
Let him depart; his passport shall be made,
And crowns for convoy put into his purse;


We would not die in that man's company
That fears his fellowship to die with us.


This day is call'd the feast of Crispian.
He that outlives this day, and comes safe home,


Will stand a tip-toe when this day is nam'd,
And rouse him at the name of Crispian.
He that shall live this day, and see old age,
Will yearly on the vigil feast his neighbours,
And say 'To-morrow is Saint Crispian.'


Then will he strip his sleeve and show his scars,
And say 'These wounds I had on Crispian's day.'


Old men forget; yet all shall be forgot,
But he'll remember, with advantages,
What feats he did that day.


Then shall our names,
Familiar in his mouth as household words-
Harry the King, Bedford and Exeter,
Warwick and Talbot, Salisbury and Gloucester-
Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb'red.


This story shall the good man teach his son;
And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by,
From this day to the ending of the world,
But we in it shall be remembered-


We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;


For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile,
This day shall gentle his condition;


And gentlemen in England now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,
And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks
That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

********

A cultural presentation by ZeroBear PolyBear, LLC.
all rights and a few lefts reserved.

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