We shall much disgrace,
With four or five most vile and ragged foils,
Right ill disposed in brawl ridiculous,
The name of Agincourt.[1]
The actual fighting tended to be sketchy and symbolical. There were alarums and excursions, much beating of drums and blowing of trumpets. But the stage was often only on the outskirts of the main battle.[2] It served for a duel of protagonists, or for a flight and pursuit of stragglers; and when all was over a triumphant train marched across it. There may be a succession of 'excursions' of this kind, in which the stage may be supposed, if you like, to stand for different parts of a battle-field.[3] Battle scenes have little need for background; the inn at St. Albans in Henry VI is an exception due to the fulfilment of an oracular prophecy.[4] A more natural indication of milieu is a tent, and battle scenes merge into camp scenes, in which the tents are sometimes elaborate pavilions, with doors and even locks to the doors. Seats and tables may be available, and the action is clearly sometimes within an opened tent.[5] Two opposing
- [Footnote: *sus, II. i. 417, 'this wood; where in ambushment lie'. For a river
cf. p. 51, n. 8 (Locrine).]in her bed'; 1 Troilus]*
- ↑ Hen. V, IV, prol. 49.
- ↑ 1 Tamb. 705, 'Sound trumpets to the battell, and he runs in'; 1286, 'They sound the battell within, and stay'; 2 Tamb. 2922, 'Sound to the battell, and Sigismond comes out wounded'; 1 Contention, sc. xii. 1, 'Alarmes within, and the Chambers be discharged, like as it were a fight at sea'.
- ↑ Alphonsus, II. i, ii; 1 Hen. IV, V. i-iv. The whole of Edw. III, III, IV, V, is spread over Creçy and other vaguely located battle-fields in France.
- ↑ 1 Contention, sc. xxii. 1, 'Alarmes to the battaile, and then enter the Duke of Somerset and Richard fighting, and Richard kils him vnder the signe of the Castle in saint Albones'. The s.d. of 2 Hen. VI, V. ii. 66, is only 'Enter Richard, and Somerset to fight', but the dialogue shows that the 'alehouse paltry sign' was represented.
- ↑ 1 Contention, sc. xxii, 62 (with the alehouse), 'Alarmes againe, and then enter three or foure, bearing the Duke of Buckingham wounded to his Tent'; 2 Tamb. IV. i. 3674, 'Amyras and Celebinus issues from the tent where Caliphas sits a sleepe' . . . 3764 (after Caliphas has spoken from within the tent), 'He goes in and brings him out'; Locrine, 1423, 'mee thinkes I heare some shriking noise. That draweth near to our pauillion'; James IV, 2272, 'Lords, troop about my tent'; Edw. I, 1595, 'King Edward . . . goes into the Queenes Chamber, the Queenes Tent opens, shee is discouered in her bed' . . . 1674, 'They close the Tent' . . . 1750, 'The Queenes Tent opens' . . . 1867, 'The Nurse closeth the Tent' . . . 1898, 'Enter . . . to giue the Queene Musicke at her Tent', and in a later scene, 2141, 'They all passe . . . to the Kings pavilion, the King sits in his Tent with his pages about him' . . . 2152, 'they all march to the Chamber. Bishop speakes to her [the Queen
