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Speeches (Lines) for Williams
in "Henry V"

Total: 28

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# Act, Scene, Line
(Click to see in context)
Speech text

1

IV,1,1938

Bates. I think it be: but we have no great cause to desire
the approach of day.

Williams. We see yonder the beginning of the day, but I think
we shall never see the end of it. Who goes there?


2

IV,1,1941

Henry V. A friend.

Williams. Under what captain serve you?


3

IV,1,1943

Henry V. Under Sir Thomas Erpingham.

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


4

IV,1,1975

Henry V. 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 any where so
contented as in the king's company; his cause being
just and his quarrel honourable.

Williams. That's more than we know.


5

IV,1,1980

Bates. Ay, or more than we should seek after; for we know
enough, if we know we are the kings subjects: if
his cause be wrong, our obedience to the king wipes
the crime of it out of us.

Williams. But if the cause be not good, the king himself hath
a heavy reckoning to make, when all those legs and
arms and heads, chopped off in battle, shall join
together at the latter day and cry all 'We died at
such a place;' some swearing, some crying for a
surgeon, some upon their wives left poor behind
them, some upon the debts they owe, some upon their
children rawly left. I am afeard there are few die
well that die in a battle; for how can they
charitably dispose of any thing, when blood is their
argument? Now, if these men do not die well, it
will be a black matter for the king that led them to
it; whom to disobey were against all proportion of
subjection.


6

IV,1,2035

Henry V. So, if a son that is by his father sent about
merchandise do sinfully miscarry upon the sea, the
imputation of his wickedness by your rule, should be
imposed upon his father that sent him: or if a
servant, under his master's command transporting a
sum of money, be assailed by robbers and die in
many irreconciled iniquities, you may call the
business of the master the author of the servant's
damnation: but this is not so: the king is not
bound to answer the particular endings of his
soldiers, the father of his son, nor the master of
his servant; for they purpose not their death, when
they purpose their services. Besides, there is no
king, be his cause never so spotless, if it come to
the arbitrement of swords, can try it out with all
unspotted soldiers: some peradventure have on them
the guilt of premeditated and contrived murder;
some, of beguiling virgins with the broken seals of
perjury; some, making the wars their bulwark, that
have before gored the gentle bosom of peace with
pillage and robbery. Now, if these men have
defeated the law and outrun native punishment,
though they can outstrip men, they have no wings to
fly from God: war is his beadle, war is vengeance;
so that here men are punished for before-breach of
the king's laws in now the king's quarrel: where
they feared the death, they have borne life away;
and where they would be safe, they perish: then if
they die unprovided, no more is the king guilty of
their damnation than he was before guilty of those
impieties for the which they are now visited. Every
subject's duty is the king's; but every subject's
soul is his own. Therefore should every soldier in
the wars do as every sick man in his bed, wash every
mote out of his conscience: and dying so, death
is to him advantage; or not dying, the time was
blessedly lost wherein such preparation was gained:
and in him that escapes, it were not sin to think
that, making God so free an offer, He let him
outlive that day to see His greatness and to teach
others how they should prepare.

Williams. 'Tis certain, every man that dies ill, the ill upon
his own head, the king is not to answer it.


7

IV,1,2040

Henry V. I myself heard the king say he would not be ransomed.

Williams. Ay, he said so, to make us fight cheerfully: but
when our throats are cut, he may be ransomed, and we
ne'er the wiser.


8

IV,1,2044

Henry V. If I live to see it, I will never trust his word after.

Williams. You pay him then. That's a perilous shot out of an
elder-gun, that a poor and private displeasure can
do against a monarch! you may as well go about to
turn the sun to ice with fanning in his face with a
peacock's feather. You'll never trust his word
after! come, 'tis a foolish saying.


9

IV,1,2052

Henry V. Your reproof is something too round: I should be
angry with you, if the time were convenient.

Williams. Let it be a quarrel between us, if you live.


10

IV,1,2054

Henry V. I embrace it.

Williams. How shall I know thee again?


11

IV,1,2058

Henry V. Give me any gage of thine, and I will wear it in my
bonnet: then, if ever thou darest acknowledge it, I
will make it my quarrel.

Williams. Here's my glove: give me another of thine.


12

IV,1,2060

Henry V. There.

Williams. This will I also wear in my cap: if ever thou come
to me and say, after to-morrow, 'This is my glove,'
by this hand, I will take thee a box on the ear.


13

IV,1,2064

Henry V. If ever I live to see it, I will challenge it.

Williams. Thou darest as well be hanged.


14

IV,1,2067

Henry V. Well. I will do it, though I take thee in the
king's company.

Williams. Keep thy word: fare thee well.


15

IV,7,2643

Henry V. Soldier, why wearest thou that glove in thy cap?

Williams. An't please your majesty, 'tis the gage of one that
I should fight withal, if he be alive.


16

IV,7,2646

Henry V. An Englishman?

Williams. An't please your majesty, a rascal that swaggered
with me last night; who, if alive and ever dare to
challenge this glove, I have sworn to take him a box
o' th' ear: or if I can see my glove in his cap,
which he swore, as he was a soldier, he would wear
if alive, I will strike it out soundly.


17

IV,7,2666

Henry V. Then keep thy vow, sirrah, when thou meetest the fellow.

Williams. So I will, my liege, as I live.


18

IV,7,2668

Henry V. Who servest thou under?

Williams. Under Captain Gower, my liege.


19

IV,7,2672

Henry V. Call him hither to me, soldier.

Williams. I will, my liege.


20

IV,8,2707

(stage directions). [Enter GOWER and WILLIAMS]

Williams. I warrant it is to knight you, captain.


21

IV,8,2712

Fluellen. God's will and his pleasure, captain, I beseech you
now, come apace to the king: there is more good
toward you peradventure than is in your knowledge to dream of.

Williams. Sir, know you this glove?


22

IV,8,2714

Fluellen. Know the glove! I know the glove is glove.

Williams. I know this; and thus I challenge it.


23

IV,8,2719

Gower. How now, sir! you villain!

Williams. Do you think I'll be forsworn?


24

IV,8,2722

Fluellen. Stand away, Captain Gower; I will give treason his
payment into ploughs, I warrant you.

Williams. I am no traitor.


25

IV,8,2737

Fluellen. My liege, here is a villain and a traitor, that,
look your grace, has struck the glove which your
majesty is take out of the helmet of Alencon.

Williams. My liege, this was my glove; here is the fellow of
it; and he that I gave it to in change promised to
wear it in his cap: I promised to strike him, if he
did: I met this man with my glove in his cap, and I
have been as good as my word.


26

IV,8,2755

Henry V. How canst thou make me satisfaction?

Williams. All offences, my lord, come from the heart: never
came any from mine that might offend your majesty.


27

IV,8,2758

Henry V. It was ourself thou didst abuse.

Williams. Your majesty came not like yourself: you appeared to
me but as a common man; witness the night, your
garments, your lowliness; and what your highness
suffered under that shape, I beseech you take it for
your own fault and not mine: for had you been as I
took you for, I made no offence; therefore, I
beseech your highness, pardon me.


28

IV,8,2775

Fluellen. By this day and this light, the fellow has mettle
enough in his belly. Hold, there is twelve pence
for you; and I pray you to serve Got, and keep you
out of prawls, and prabbles' and quarrels, and
dissensions, and, I warrant you, it is the better for you.

Williams. I will none of your money.


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