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Henry V

Act I, Prologue

CHORUS
      ,           ,         ,           ,        ,
      O for | a Muse | of fire,| that would | ascend
             ,        ,       ,      ,     ,
      The bright|est heav|en of | invent|ion:
          ,       ,        ,       ,           ,
      A king|dom for | a stage,| princes | to act,
           ,    ,            ,          ,         ,
      And mon|archs to | behold | the swel|ling scene.
              ,      .   T   T   T        ,         ,
      Then should | the warlike Har|ry, like | himself,
          ,          ,         ,         ,         ,
      Assume | the part | of Mars,| and at | his heels
                ,           ,             ,         ,           ,
      (Leashed^in,| like^hounds)| should fam|ine, sword,| and fire
         ,      2     ,             ,        ,        ,
      Crouch for em|ployment.| But pard|on, gent|les all:
            ,        ,       ,         ,           ,
      The flat | unrais|ed spir|its, that | have dared,
           ,        ,       ,               ,     ,
      On this | unworth|y scaf|fold, to / bring forth
           ,      .  T  T    T           ,        ,
      So great | an object. Can | this cock|pit^hold
           ,        ,           ,         ,         ,
      The vas|ty fields | of France?| Or may | we cram
          ,          ,      ,        ,      ,
      Within | this woo|den O,| the ve|ry casks
            ,         ,          ,        ,     ,
      That did | affright | the air | at Ag|incourt?
         ,         ,         ,       ,       ,
      O pard|on: since | a crook|ed fig|ure may
          ,        ,        ,        ,     ,
      Attest | in lit|tle place | a mil|lion,
           ,          ,       ,          ,         ,
      And let | us, ciph|ers to | this great | accompt,
           ,      ,    ,     ,        ,
      On your | imag|ina|ry for|ces work.
           ,        ,          ,            ,     ,
      Suppose | within | the gird|le of / these walls
           ,         ,            ,      ,      ,
      Are now | confined | two* migh|ty mon|archies,
              ,     T   T     T      ,          ,
      Whose high,| upreared, and | abut|ting fronts,
           ,   2     ,      ,        ,        ,      ->
      The per|ilous nar|row o|cean parts | asund||er.
        ,      ,     2       ,          ,             ,
      Piece | out our im|perfec|tions with | your thoughts:
       ,         ,         ,     .   T   T   T
      Into | a thous|and parts | divide one man,
            ,      ,    ,     ,     ,
      And make | imag|ina|ry pu|issance.
        ,               ,        ,         ,         ,         ->
      Think when | we talk | of hors|es, that | you see || them,
        ,      2        ,       ,     2         ,         ,
      Print|ing their proud | hoofs in the | receiv|ing earth:
            ,             ,            ,           ,          ,
      For 'tis | your thoughts | that now | must deck | our kings,
       ,             ,          ,      ,              ,
      Carry | them here | and there:| jumping | ore times;
       ,           2   ,         ,        ,      ,
      Turning | the accom|plishment | of ma|ny years
       ,          ,    ,                ,         ,
      Into | an hour|glass: for | the which | supply,
         ,         ,      ,          ,    ,
      Admit | me Chor|us to | this hist|ory;
            ,          ,          ,       ,          ,
      Who* pro|logue^like,| your hum|ble pa|tience pray,
       ,            ,      ,           ,           ,
      Gently | to hear,| kindly | to judge | our play.
 
[Exit]

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