William Shakespeare: The Life of King Henry V

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

[Enter Erpingham.]

ERPINGHAM.
My lord, your nobles, jealous of your absence,
Seek through your camp to find you.

KING HENRY.
Good old knight,
Collect them all together at my tent.
I'll be before thee.

ERPINGHAM.
I shall do't, my lord.

[Exit.]

KING HENRY.
O God of battles! steel my soldiers' hearts.
Possess them not with fear. Take from them now
The sense of reckoning, if the opposed numbers
Pluck their hearts from them. Not to-day, O Lord,
O, not to-day, think not upon the fault
My father made in compassing the crown!
I Richard's body have interred new,
And on it have bestow'd more contrite tears
Than from it issued forced drops of blood.
Five hundred poor I have in yearly pay,
Who twice a day their wither'd hands hold up
Toward heaven, to pardon blood; and I have built
Two chantries, where the sad and solemn priests
Sing still for Richard's soul. More will I do;
Though all that I can do is nothing worth,
Since that my penitence comes after all,
Imploring pardon.

[Enter Gloucester.]

GLOUCESTER.
My liege!

KING HENRY.
My brother Gloucester's voice? Ay;
I know thy errand, I will go with thee.
The day, my friends, and all things stay for me.

[Exeunt.]