“But if the cause be not good, the King himself hath a heavy reckoning to make when all those legs and arms and heads chopp’d off in a 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 anything 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; who to disobey were against all proportion of subjection.”
--Henry V, IV, i
Faith, I am much put in heart by a learned dispute that took place amongst the great and good of Washington DC, there at my Theatre where the honest players do know me right well. A dispute it was of the rights and wrongs of the invasion of one country by another: in specific, that of France by King Harry the Fifth in the year of our lord 1415. And the arbiter was that august lady Dame Judi Dench, whom I esteem full high, and who late made such noble work of my Countess in All’s Well that Ends Well. An thou wouldst see ministers and newsminions make antics of themselves, go thou there. (Be warned: those scurvy dogs of the broadsheet may require a registration of thee.)
And thyself, gentle reader? Hast seen my Henry V play’d, or read it perchance? Think’st thou I favour, or disfavour these wars? I wit well that since my time, many masters of play have order’d it play’d one way or t’other. Master Olivier and young Master Branagh had each their differing ideas, certes. Now truly, what is thine? That I would know.