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PROLOGUE.
Enter Chorus.[4511]
Chor. O for a Muse of fire, that would ascend
The brightest heaven of invention,
A kingdom for a stage, princes to act
And monarchs to behold the swelling scene!
Then should the warlike Harry, like himself,5
Assume the port of Mars; and at his heels,
Leash'd in like hounds, should famine, sword and fire
Crouch for employment. But pardon, gentles all,[4512]
The flat unraised spirits that have dared[4513]
On this unworthy scaffold to bring forth10
So great an object: can this cockpit hold
The vasty fields of France? or may we cram[4514]
Within this wooden O the very casques
That did affright the air at Agincourt?
O, pardon! since a crooked figure may15
Attest in little place a million;
And let us, ciphers to this great accompt,
On your imaginary forces work.
Suppose within the girdle of these walls
Are now confined two mighty monarchies,[4515]20
Whose high upreared and abutting fronts
The perilous narrow ocean parts asunder:[4516]
Piece out our imperfections with your thoughts;
Into a thousand parts divide one man,
And make imaginary puissance;25
Think, when we talk of horses, that you see them
Printing their proud hoofs i' the receiving earth;[4517]
For 'tis your thoughts that now must deck our kings,[4518]
Carry them here and there; jumping o'er times,
Turning the accomplishment of many years30
Into an hour-glass: for the which supply,
Admit me Chorus to this history;
Who prologue-like your humble patience pray,
Gently to hear, kindly to judge, our play. [Exit.
The brightest heaven of invention,
A kingdom for a stage, princes to act
And monarchs to behold the swelling scene!
Then should the warlike Harry, like himself,5
Assume the port of Mars; and at his heels,
Leash'd in like hounds, should famine, sword and fire
Crouch for employment. But pardon, gentles all,[4512]
The flat unraised spirits that have dared[4513]
On this unworthy scaffold to bring forth10
So great an object: can this cockpit hold
The vasty fields of France? or may we cram[4514]
Within this wooden O the very casques
That did affright the air at Agincourt?
O, pardon! since a crooked figure may15
Attest in little place a million;
And let us, ciphers to this great accompt,
On your imaginary forces work.
Suppose within the girdle of these walls
Are now confined two mighty monarchies,[4515]20
Whose high upreared and abutting fronts
The perilous narrow ocean parts asunder:[4516]
Piece out our imperfections with your thoughts;
Into a thousand parts divide one man,
And make imaginary puissance;25
Think, when we talk of horses, that you see them
Printing their proud hoofs i' the receiving earth;[4517]
For 'tis your thoughts that now must deck our kings,[4518]
Carry them here and there; jumping o'er times,
Turning the accomplishment of many years30
Into an hour-glass: for the which supply,
Admit me Chorus to this history;
Who prologue-like your humble patience pray,
Gently to hear, kindly to judge, our play. [Exit.
FOOTNOTES:
[4511] Prologue. Enter Chorus.] Enter Prologue. Ff.
[4513] spirits that have] Staunton. Spirits, that hath Ff. spirit, that hath Rowe.
[4514] fields] F1. field F2 F3 F4.
[4515] monarchies] F1. monarches F2. monarchs F3 F4.
[4516] The perilous narrow] Perilous, the narrow Warburton.
[4517] receiving] receding Capell conj.
[4518] kings] king Johnson conj.