No Fear Shakespeare

Henry V

William Shakespeare

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Act 2, Prologue, Page 2

Original Text

Modern Text

30




35




40

Ere he take ship for France, and in Southampton.
Linger your patience on, and we’ll digest
Th' abuse of distance, force a play.
The sum is paid, the traitors are agreed,
The king is set from London, and the scene
Is now transported, gentles, to Southampton.
There is the playhouse now, there must you sit,
And thence to France shall we convey you safe
And bring you back, charming the narrow seas
To give you gentle pass; for, if we may,
We’ll not offend one stomach with our play.
But, till the king come forth, and not till then,
Unto Southampton do we shift our scene.
shifts, friends, to Southampton. That’s where you must pretend the theater is; that’s where you must sit. From there we’ll safely carry you to France and back, calming the waters of the Channel to provide you with a smooth voyage. For if we can help it, we’d just as soon nobody was made sick by our play. But we won’t shift the scene to Southampton until Henry reappears.
Exit
The CHORUS exits.

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