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النشر الإلكتروني

7

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Bardolph,

Pistol,

Formerly Servants to Falstaff, now Soldiers in the
King's Army.

Boy,

Bates,

Court,

Williams,

Soldiers.

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Grandpree,

Governor of Harfleur.

Mountjoy, a Herald.

Ambafadors to the King of England.

Ifabel, Queen of France.

Catharine, Daughter to the King of France.

Alice, a Lady attending on the Princess Catharine.

Quickly, Piftol's Wife, an Hoftefs.

CHORUS.

Lords, Meffengers, French and English Soldiers, with other Attendants. The SCENE, at the beginning of the Play, lies in England;

lut afterwards, wholly in France

PRO.

**

For a Mufe of fire, that would afcend
The brightest heaven of invention!
A kingdom for a ftage, Princes to act,
And Monarchs to behold the fwelling fcene!
Then fhould the warlike Harry, like himself,
Affume the port of Mars; and, at his heels,
(Leafht in, like hounds.) should famine, fword and fire
Crouch for employment. Pardon, gentles all,
The flat unraifed fpirit, that hath dar'd,
On this unworthy fcaffold, to bring forth
So great an object. Can this Cock-pit hold
The vafty field of France? or may we cram,
Within this wooden O, the very cafkes
That did affright the air, at Agincourt?
O, pardon; fince a crooked figure may
Atteft in little place a million;

And let us, cyphers to this great accompt,
On your imaginary forces work.
Suppofe within the girdle of thefe walls
Are now confin'd two mighty monarchies;
Whofe high up-rear'd, and abutting fronts
Perillous, the narrow ocean parts afunder.
Piece out our imperfections with your thoughts:
Into a thousand parts divide one man,
And make imaginary puissance :

Think, when we talk of horses, that you fee them
Printing their proud hoofs i' th' receiving earth.
For 'tis your thoughts that now must deck our Kings,
Carry them here, and there; jumping o'er times;
Turning th' accomplishment of many years
Into an hour-giafs: for the which fupply,
Admit me Chorus to this hiftory;

Who, prologue-like, your humble patience pray,
Gently to hear, kindly to judge, our Play.

The

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