William Shakespeare: The Life of King Henry V

ACT FOURTH. 1. SCENE I. The English camp at Agincourt. (continued)

WILLIAMS.
A good old commander and a most kind gentleman. I
pray you, what thinks he of our estate?

KING HENRY.
Even as men wreck'd upon a sand, that look to be
wash'd off the next tide.

BATES.
He hath not told his thought to the King?

KING HENRY.
No; nor it is not meet he should. For though I speak it to you,
I think the King is but a man as I am. The violet smells to him
as it doth to me; the element shows to him as it doth to me; all
his senses have but human conditions. His ceremonies laid by,
in his nakedness he appears but a man; and though his affections
are higher mounted than ours, yet, when they stoop, they stoop
with the like wing. Therefore, when he sees reason of fears as we
do, his fears, out of doubt, be of the same relish as ours are;
yet, in reason, no man should possess him with any appearance of
fear, lest he, by showing it, should dishearten his army.

BATES.
He may show what outward courage he will; but I believe, as
cold a night as 'tis, he could wish himself in Thames up to the
neck; and so I would he were, and I by him, at all adventures, so
we were quit here.

KING HENRY.
By my troth, I will speak my conscience of the King: I think he
would not wish himself anywhere but where he is.

BATES.
Then I would he were here alone; so should he be sure to be
ransomed, and a many poor men's lives saved.

KING HENRY.
I dare say you love him not so ill, to wish him here alone,
howsoever you speak this to feel other men's minds. Methinks
I could not die anywhere so contented as in the King's company,
his cause being just and his quarrel honourable.

WILLIAMS.
That's more than we know.