Chorus

The presenter of the action, usually distinctively dressed (see Prologue Sp1 n.), and to be imagined as contemporary with the audience, rather than with the characters of the play.

The English

King Henry V

The eldest son (1386–1422) of King Henry IV, Henry reigned from 1413 until his death. He is mentioned in Richard II as the “unthrifty son” of King Henry IV (R2 5.3.1), and figures as the protagonist in 1 Henry IV and 2 Henry IV. While this play’s title promises “The Life” of Henry V, it focuses almost entirely on the first of his three campaigns in France, in 1415. Among his domestic accomplishments are the establishment of English, not Anglo-Norman French, as the language of government, which may be reflected in Shakespeare’s portrait of a king who struggles to speak French, and the unification of his kingdom after civil wars that troubled his father’s reign. Shakespeare’s audience would also have known him as a persecutor of the Lollards, a heretical Christian movement that advocated English translation of the bible, and whose agitation in early 1414 Henry quickly quelled (see Para55).

Duke of Clarence, brother to the king

Thomas of Lancaster, first Duke of Clarence (1387–1421), was the second son of Henry IV. He speaks no lines in the Folio version of this play, though he is on stage in 1.2 and is addressed in 5.2 (A5 Sc2 Sp11). He has a speaking role in the Quarto version of Henry V (substituting for Bedford), as well as in 2 Henry IV. Historically, Clarence took very little part in the 1415 campaign, being invalided home with dysentery at the siege of Harfleur, though he did participate in later French campaigns, meeting his death at the battle of Baugé.

Duke of Bedford, brother to the king

John of Lancaster, first Duke of Bedford (1389–1435), was the third son of Henry IV. He appears as Bedford in folio Henry V and 1 Henry VI, and as Prince John of Lancaster in the Henry IV plays. After King Henry’s death, Bedford was named Regent, but focused his energy on the war in France, while his younger brother Humphrey of Gloucester became Lord Protector. Contrary to Shakespeare’s depiction, he was neither at Agincourt nor at the Treaty of Troyes, serving as Lieutenant of England throughout the 1415 campaign.

Duke of Gloucester, brother to the king

Humphrey of Lancaster, first Duke of Gloucester (1391–1447) was the fourth and youngest son of Henry IV. He appears as a main character in 1 Henry VI and in 2 Henry VI, which includes, as its Folio title promises, the tragic “death of the Good Duke HVMFREY” (F1 2H6 sig. M2v). Historically, he was instrumental in the siege of Harfleur, and was wounded at Agincourt:

“The duke of Glocester the kings brother was sore wounded about the hips, and borne downe to the ground, so that he fell backwards, with his feet towards his enimies, whom the king bestrid, and like a brother valiantlie rescued from his enimies, & so sauing his life, caused him to be conueied out of the fight, into a place of more safetie.” (Holinshed, Chronicles, 1587 555)

Gloucester was not present (contrary to the play) at the Treaty of Troyes. He became Lord Protector of England during the minority of Henry VI, and died in disgrace after his wife Eleanor Cobham was accused of sorcery.

Duke of Exeter, uncle to the king

Thomas Beaufort (ca. 1377–1426), Henry’s “Uncle of Exeter” (A2 Sc2 Sp13) was the illegitimate (later legitimated) son of John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, and therefore half-brother of Henry IV. He was not created Duke of Exeter until 1416. He held Harfleur for the English during the 1415 campaign, and he was present at the Treaty of Troyes, as in the play; Shakespeare’s seeming confusion over his presence at Agincourt seems to have come from Holinshed, who wrongly places him at the battle (Holinshed, Chronicles, 1587 553).

Duke of York, cousin to the king

Edward of Norwich, second Duke of York (1373–1415), was a first cousin of Henry V. He appears as the Duke of Aumerle in Richard II, but is unseen in the Henry IV plays. His title was inherited from his father Edmund Langley (the Duke of York in Richard II), and passed eventually to his nephew Richard, whose claim to the throne precipitated the Wars of the Roses, as dramatized in 2 Henry VI and 3 Henry VI. Shakespeare makes explicit neither his connection to Richard II nor his offspring’s claim, nor for that matter the fact that his younger brother was Cambridge, the traitor of 2.2. York’s death at Agincourt is the tragic theme of 4.6, though historically his death was less chivalry than ignoble accident: he smothered to death under a pile of corpses when unhorsed in the chaos of battle.

Earl of Westmorland, cousin to the king

Ralph Neville (1364–1425) was Henry V’s cousin (A1 Sc2 Sp5) and Exeter’s brother-in-law by virtue of his marriage to John of Gaunt’s daughter, and appears as a supporter of Henry IV in 1 Henry IV and 2 Henry IV. Historically he remained in England during the Agincourt campaign, serving as warden of the Scottish marches (see A1 Sc2 Sp17 n.).

Earl of Warwick

Richard Beauchamp, thirteenth Earl of Warwick (1382–1439), also appears in 1 Henry VI. His presence at Agincourt is unhistorical; various sources have him either holding Calais for the English or returning to England with Clarence after Harfleur.

Earl of Salisbury

Thomas Montacute or Montagu, fourth Earl of Salisbury (1388–1428), was one of the peers who tried Cambridge for treason, fought at Harfleur and Agincourt, and led English forces in France until his death at the siege of Orléans. See A4 Sc3 Sp5 n.

Earl of Huntingdon

John Holland, Earl of Huntingdon (1395–1447), is addressed in 5.2, but speaks no lines. See A5 Sc2 SD1 n.

Archbishop of Canterbury

Henry Chichele (ca. 1364–1443), was closely involved in crown and international affairs during his long tenure as Archbishop of Canterbury (1414–1442).

Bishop of Ely

John Fordham (ca. 1340–1425). Holinshed does not mention a second bishop in his account of Canterbury’s speech; Ely may have been chosen to appear in 1.1 because of contemporary rather than historical associations (see annotations to A1 Sc1 Sp3, A1 Sc1 Sp12). Despite his historical presence at the Treaty of Troyes, Shakespeare does not include Ely in 5.2, and his presence seems to have been edited out of the play for the shorter version behind Q.

Richard Earl of Cambridge, conspirator

Richard Plantagenet, third Earl of Cambridge (ca. 1375–5 August 1415), was the second son of Edmund of Langley, Duke of York, and younger brother of Edward of Norwich, (York in Henry V). He was the father of Richard, Duke of York, and grandfather of Edward IV and Richard III. See A2 Sc2 Sp28 n.

Henry, Lord Scrope of Masham, conspirator

Henry Scrope, third Baron of Masham (ca. 1376–1415), was a loyal supporter of King Henry IV, who made him Lord Treasurer and Knight of the Garter in 1410, and a close friend of Henry V, who sent him on diplomatic missions to France in the years leading up to the 1415 campaign. His motives for participation in the Southampton plot are unknown. See A2 Sc2 Sp5 n.

Sir Thomas Grey, conspirator

Sir Thomas Grey of Heaton Moor, Northumberland (1384–1415) was a son-in-law to Ralph Neville (Westmorland) and a brother of Sir John Grey, who served with distinction in the French campaigns.

Ancient Pistol

An ancient (OED ensign, n.7) is a standard-bearer.

Pistol, whose name suggests both the notoriously inaccurate and noisy firearm and, through its likely pronunciation (pizzle), a penis (see A2 Sc1 Sp17 n.), is a recurring comic character who appears in 2 Henry IV and Merry Wives as an associate of Sir John Falstaff. His appearance here in a more major role suggested to John Dover Wilson that he was a late replacement for Falstaff, who had originally been intended—as the epilogue to 2 Henry IV suggests—to participate in Henry’s French wars. A3 Sc6 Sp23 suggests that he was originally played with a beard.

Since, as Malone argues, Pistol is elsewhere called merely ancient and not lieutenant (Plays), some editors have considered this phrase an error and, taking their cue from the Quarto reading, “Ensigne” (Q1 H5 C4r), have eliminated “lieutenant”. Craik suggests that listing the two ranks side by side represents an authorial correction unnoticed by the compositor (King Henry V). Gurr retains the Folio reading, glossing the phrase “sub-lieutenant”, but this retention is unnecessary (King Henry V). Since “ancient” (or “aunchient”) describes his position as standard-bearer, not his rank, it is quite possible for Pistol to be both, i.e., an ancient with the rank of lieutenant. The Oxford editors made the case for modernizing Pistol’s rank to “Ensign”, but since “Ancient Pistol” is the more recognized name of the character I have chosen not to do so. At any rate, since ensign is chiefly now a naval rank, such a modernization would be somewhat inaccurate. See A2 Sc1 Sp2 n.

Hostess, formerly Mistress Quickly, married to Pistol

Mistress of an inn, perhaps with the connotation of prostitution. The Hostess is evidently the same character who appears in the Henry IV plays as the keeper of an Eastcheap tavern and in Merry Wives as a suburban housekeeper. She is a wife in 1 Henry IV, a widow in 2 Henry IV, and the unmarried object of Pistol’s affection in Merry Wives. She is named Mistress Quickly in the dialogue and some speech prefixes in those plays, but only gets a first name, Nell, in Henry V (A2 Sc1 Sp7). The Hostess was originally played by a boy actor.

Lieutenant Bardolph

One of the companions of Sir John Falstaff in 1 Henry IV, 2 Henry IV, and Merry Wives, recognizable for his red complexion (see A2 Sc1 Sp24 n.). For his military rank, see A2 Sc1 Sp2 n.

Corporal Nym

Nym appears in Merry Wives as a companion of Sir John Falstaff. For his rank see A2 Sc1 Sp1 n. and A2 Sc1 Sp2 n. His name means “thief” or “to thieve” (OED Nim, n.1, v. 4.). The puritan Nicholas, in Middleton’s The Puritan, comically uses the word—as Bardolph and Nym use purchase (A3 Sc2 Sp10)—as a euphemism to satisfy his legalistic scruples:

“

Nicholas

That’s the word literal, thou shalt not steal. And would you wish me to steal then?

Pieboard

No, faith, that were too much, to speak truth. Why, wilt thou nim it from him?

Nicholas

That I will.

” (Middleton 1.4.143–146)

Boy

The page, or serving boy, attendant upon Falstaff, the boy appears in 2 Henry IV and (with the name Robin) Merry Wives. The role originally required a boy actor with the ability to speak French, and may have been doubled, as it is in some modern productions, with the role of Catherine.

Sir Thomas Erpingham

Thomas Erpingham (ca. 1355–1428) was a soldier and loyal retainer to three generations of Lancasters: John of Gaunt, Henry Bolingbroke (later Henry IV), and Henry V. He commanded the archers at Agincourt; see A4 Sc1 Sp1 n.

Gower, an English Captain

An English captain

Like the other three captains in 3.2, Gower is Shakespeare’s invention, and as the representative of the English he is understandably the least caricatured of the four. Taylor argues that he is the “Master Gower” of 2 Henry IV (F1 2H4 G3r), but the name might also allude to the famous English poet John Gower—whom Shakespeare would later stage as the presenter of Pericles—and hence signify a characteristically English surname.

Fluellen, a Welsh captain

Fluellen’s name is a phonetic rendering of the common Welsh surname Llewellyn, but since he is based on no historical figure and exists solely as a dramatic character, there is no need to emend the name to its more usual spelling, as Gurr does. Shakespeare’s spelling reflects English practice: a William Fluellen appears on a list of recusants living in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1590 (see Brownlow, John Shakespeare’s recusancy). The character was popular enough to appear, with Macmorris, in a 1720 comedy, Charles Molloy’s The Half-pay Officers, with half-parodic lines taken liberally from Shakespeare’s play. Lisa Hopkins suggests that Flewellen must have been played by the same Welsh-accented actor who had portrayed Glendower in 1 Henry IV “and is thus, in the double-haunted world of these plays, his symbolic replacement” (Hopkins 64).

Jamy, a Scottish captain

Jamy is not a characteristic Scots surname. The name might be, as Gurr suggests, an acknowledgement of Scottish King James I’s participation in Henry V’s 1420 French campaign (see Holinshed, Chronicle, 1587 577, 580); others have suggested that Shakespeare had King James VI (later, as James I of England, the playing company’s patron) in mind.

Macmorris, an Irish captain

See A3 Sc2 Sp13 n.

Alexander Court, a soldier

A soldier

Herald

an officer in charge of bearing messages between royalty and in keeping track of the names and coats of arms of the nobility.

The French

French King, Charles VI

King Charles VI (1380–1422), was known both as Charles the Beloved and, because of occasional bouts of insanity (probably schizophrenia), Charles the Mad. His madness is not mentioned by Shakespeare, who knew from his source that the French king suffered from an “old disease of frensie” (Holinshed, Chronicle, 1587 547). Charles outlived Henry V by two months.

Queen Isabeau

Isabeau of Bavaria, queen consort to Charles VI (1385–1422), took a prominent role in government to help fill the gap left by her husband’s frequent mental illness, and was instrumental in approving the Treaty of Troyes. Her role was originally played by a boy actor.

Louis the Dauphin, their son

Louis (1397–1415) was the eldest surviving son of Charles and Isabeau to hold the title of dauphin; ten years younger than King Henry, he did not fight at Agincourt, but died, probably of dysentery, shortly after the battle. He was succeeded as dauphin by his brother John, and then in 1417 by his brother Charles, who assassinated Duke John of Burgundy and later became the King Charles VII depicted by Shakespeare in 1 Henry VI. Historically, the “certain dukedoms” that Henry claimed chiefly included the much-contested Guienne, one of the dauphin’s holdings, and thus Henry’s claim was a personal affront to the crown prince (see Curry 20–22). On the traditional title of the heir to the French throne, derived from the dolphin heraldry he carried, see A1 Sc2 Sp22 n. The role requires the ability to speak French.

Catherine, their daughter

Catherine (1401–1437) was Henry’s Queen consort from the Treaty of Troyes until his death, after which she secretly married the Welsh soldier Owain Tudor, founding the Tudor dynasty. As Queen Elizabeth’s great-great-grandmother, she provided much of the legitimacy for her rule, and her appearance in the play underscores the discussion of female succession and the Salic law in 1.2. Her role was originally played by a boy actor who could speak French.

Alice, Catherine’s waiting woman

Another boy actor’s role requiring the ability to speak French. Alice is referred to as “an old gentlewoman” (A3 Sc4 SD1).

Constable of France

Charles d’Albret (d. 1415) held the office of Constable of France—a chief officer of the French royal household who commanded the army in the king’s absence—from 1402–1411 and again from 1413 until his death at Agincourt, at which he was nominal commander (along with Marshal Jean Boucicaut) of the French forces. On the spelling of his name, see A3 Sc5 Sp8 n.

Duke of Burgundy

The Burgundy who speaks in 5.2 is Philip the Good (1396–1467), and should perhaps therefore be acted by a young man. He succeeded his father, John the Fearless—mentioned at A3 Sc5 Sp8 and A4 Sc8 Sp32—in 1419. See A4 Sc8 Sp32 n.

Duke of Bourbon

John I, Duke of Bourbon (1381–1434) was a maternal uncle to King Charles VI. He was captured at Agincourt and lived out his remaining years in England.

Duke of Orléans

Charles, Duke of Orléans (1394–1465) was a nephew of King Charles VI and head of the Armagnac faction of French nobles, enemies of the Burgundians, who had assassinated Charles’s father in 1407. Because he was in line for the French throne, after his capture at Agincourt he was deemed too important to ransom, and lived as a prisoner in England for twenty-four years.

Duke of Berry

John, Duke of Berry (1340–1416) was the son of King John II and uncle to Charles VI, during whose bouts of insanity he sometimes served as regent. A herald in his employ is one of the chief historical accounts of Agincourt, but though he appears onstage in the play in 2.4 and possibly 3.5, his is a mute role.

Lord Rambures

David, Sire de Rambures (1364–1415) was a strong supporter of John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy, and the master of the crossbowmen (both an honourific title and a command position) at Agincourt, where he died.

Lord Grandpré

Holinshed lists an Earl of Grandpré among the French lords slain at Agincourt, as do some contemporary accounts of the battle, but no specific details survive.

Montjoy, the Herald

Shakespeare takes “Montjoy” to be a name, when it was in fact the title of the chief herald, or king-of-arms, of the French, as instituted in 1406 by Charles VI. Taken from the French battle cry “Montjoie Saint Denis!”, a montjoy (from the Latin Mons Gaudii) is a heap of stones by a roadside (OED montjoy, n.), used by armies to act as signposts leading soldiers to a battle, hence an appropriate metaphor for a herald of war. In Famous Victories, the battle of Agincourt is begun with the stage direction “The French-men cry within, S. Dennis, S. Dennis. Mount, Ioy, Saint Dennis” (F1 FV F1r).

I have not regularized to the more usual “Mountjoye” or “Montjoie”, as the Folio’s spelling (“Montioy”) represents a fictional character as Shakespeare envisioned him. By coincidence, “Mountjoy” was the surname of the family from whom Shakespeare rented lodgings in London sometime before 1604, as well as of Elizabeth’s governor in Ireland from 1600–1603 (see A5 Sc0 Sp1 n.).

Governor

Contemporary accounts differ as to who was captain of Harfleur during the siege (see Curry 84–85).

Ambassador to England

Holinshed mentions an embassy from the Archbishop of Bourges (Chronicles, 1587 547), and in Famous Victories this is equated with the earlier embassy of the tennis balls (FV sig. D3r), also depicted in 1.2, but Shakespeare gives no indication that the ambassador is a prelate. The second ambassador is a mute role.

French Soldier, Monsieur le Fer

Monsieur le Fer (Fr. “iron”): “an incongruous enough name for a soldier who yields to Pistol” (Craik, Henry V). The role requires the ability to speak French.