Page:Henry V (1918) Yale.djvu/47

Henry the Fifth, II. iv

Which of a weak and niggardly projection

Doth like a miser spoil his coat with scanting

A little cloth.

Fr. King. Think we King Harry strong;

And; princes, look you strongly arm to meet him.

The kindred of him hath been flesh'd upon us,

And he is bred out of that bloody strain

That haunted us in our familiar paths:

Witness our too much memorable shame

When Cressy battle fatally was struck

And all our princes captiv'd by the hand

Of that black name, Edward Black Prince of Wales;

Whiles that his mountain sire, on mountain standing,

Up in the air, crown'd with the golden sun,

Saw his heroical seed, and smil'd to see him

Mangle the work of nature, and deface

The patterns that by God and by French fathers

Had twenty years been made. This is a stem

Of that victorious stock; and let us fear

The native mightiness and fate of him.

Mess. Ambassadors from Harry King of England

Do crave admittance to your majesty.

Fr. King. We'll give them present audience. Go, and bring them.

[Exeunt Messenger and certain Lords.]

You see this chase is hotly follow'd, friends.

Dau. Turn head, and stop pursuit; for coward dogs

Most spend their mouths when what they seem to threaten

 46 projection: calculation

50 been flesh'd: preyed; cf. n.

57 mountain sire: mighty father

64 fate: what he is destined to perform

67 present: immediate 