Classic Poem

A councell braue our K ing did hold
w i th many a lord & kinght,
in whom he trulye vnderstands
how ffrance w i thheld his right.

therefor a braue embassador
vnto the K ing he sent,
tha t he might ffully vnderstand
his mind & whole entente,

desiring him, as freindlye sort,
his lawfull wright to yeeld,
or else he sware by dint of sword
to win the same in feild.

the K ing of ffrance, w i th all his lords
who heard this message plaine,
vnto our braue embassador
did answer in disdaine;

who sayd, " our K ing was yett but younge
& of a tender age;
wherfor I way not for his warres,
nor care not for his rage,

" whose knowledge eke in ffeats of armes,
whose sickill [is] but verry small,
whose tender ioynts more ffitter are
to tosse a Tennys ball. "

a tunn of Tennys balls therfore,
in pryde and great disdaine
he sends to Noble Henery the 5 th ,
who recompenced his paine

& when our K ing this message hard
he waxed w r ath in his hart,
& said " he wold such balls p ro vyde
tha t shold make all france to smart "

an army great our K ing p re pared,
tha t was both good & strong;
& from Sowthampton is our K ing
w i th all his Nauye gone.

he landed in ffrance both safe and sound
w i th all his warlike traine;
vnto a towne called Harffleete first
he marched vp amaine.

and when he had beseeged the same,
against these fensed walls
to batter downe their statlye towers
he sent his English Balls.

And he bad them yeeld [up to him]
themselues & eke their towne,
or else he sware vnto the earth
w i th cannon to beate them downe.

the great gunn of Caleis was vpsett,
he mounted against those walls;
the strongest steepele in the towne,
he threw downe bells & all.

then those tha t were the gou er nors
their woefull hands did wringe;
the brought their Keyes in humble sort
vnto our gracious K ing .

& when the towne was woone and last,
the ffrenchmen out the threw,
& placed there 300 englishmen
tha t wold to him be true.

this being done, our Noble K ing
marched vp & downe tha t land, —
& not a ffrenchman ffor his liffe
durst once his fforce w i thstand, —

till he came to Agincourt;
& as it was his chance,
to ffind the K ing in readinesse,
w i th him was all the power of ffrance,

a mightye host they had p re pared
off armed souldiers then,
w hi ch was noe lesse (the chronicle sayes)
then 600000 men.

the K ing of ffrance tha t well did know
the number of our men,
in vanting pride vnto our K ing
sends one of his heralds then

to vnderstand what he wold giue
for the ransome of his liffe,
when in tha t feild he had taken him
amiddst tha t bloody striffe.

& when our K ing the Message heard,
did straight the answer make,
saying, " before tha t thing shold come to passe,
many of their harts shold ake!

" vnto your proud p re sumptuss prince
declare this thing, " q uo th hee,
my owne harts blood shall pay the price;
nought else he getts of me. "

then all the night the frenchman Lyen,
w i th triumphe, mirth, & Ioy;
the next morning they mad full accomp[t]
our Armye to destroye

& for our K ing & all his Lords
at dice the playd apace,
& for our comon souldiers coates
they set a prize but base,

8 pence for a redd coate,
& a groate was sett to a white;
because they color was soe light,
they sett noe better buy itt.

the cheerfull day at last was come;
our K ing w i th Noble hart
did pray his valliant soldiers all
to play a worthye p ar t,

& not to shrinke from fainting foes,
whose fearfull harts in ffeeld
wold by their feirce couragious stroakes
be soone in-forced to yeeld;

" regard not of their multitude,
tho they are more then wee,
for eche of vs well able is
to beate downe ffrenchmen 3;

" yett let eu er ye man p ro vide himselfe
a strong substantiall stake,
& set it right before himselfe,
the horsmans force to breake. "

& then bespake the Duke of yorke
" O noble K ing , " said hee,
" the leading of tha t battell braue
vouch[s]afe to giue it me! "

" god amercy, cosen yorke, " sayes hee,
" I doe grant thee thy request;
Marche you on couragiouslye,
& I will guide the rest. "

then came the bragginge frenchmen downe
w i th cruell force & might,
w i th whome our noble K ing began
a harde & cruell ffight.

our English archers discharged their shafts
as thicke as hayle in skye,
& many a frenchman in tha t feelde
tha t happy day did dye;

ffor the horssmen stumbled on our stakes,
& soe their liues they lost;
& many a frenchman there was tane
for p ri soners to their cost.

10000 ffrenchmen there were slaine
of enemies in the ffeeld,
& neere as many prisoners tane
tha t day were fforced to yeeld.

thus had our K ing a happy day
& victorye ou er ffrance;
he brought his foes vnder his ffeete
tha t late in pride did prance.

when they were at the Maine battell there
w i th all their might & forces, then
a crye came ffrom our English tents
tha t we were robbed all them;

for the Duke of Orleance, w i th a band of men,
to our English tents they came;
all our Iewells & treasure tha t they haue taken,
& many of our boyes haue slaine.

much greeved was K ing Harry therat, —
this was against the law of armes then, —
comands eu er ye souldier on paine of death
to slay eu er ye prisoner then.

200000 ffrenchemen our Englishmen had,
some 2, & some had one;
eu er ye one was commanded by sound of trumpett
to slay his prisoner then.

& then the followed vpon the maine battell;
the ffrenchmen the fled then
towards the citye of Paris
as fast as the might gone.

but then ther was neu er a peere w i th-in france
of all those Nobles then,
of all those worthye Disse peeres,
durst come to K ing Harry then.

but then Katherine, the K ing s fayre daughter there,
being proued apparant his heyre,
w i th her maidens in most sweet attire
to K ing Harry did repayre;

& when shee came before our K ing ,
shee kneeled vpon her knee,
desiring him tha t his warres wold cease,
& tha t he her loue wold bee.

there-vpon our English Lords then agreed
w i th the Peeres of ffrance then;
soe he Marryed Katherine, the K ing s faire daughter,
& was crowned K ing in Paris then.