Epilogue

Enter Chorus.

Chorus

Thus far, with rough and all-unable pen,
Our bending author hath pursued the story,
In little room confining mighty men,
Mangling by starts the full course of their glory.
Small time, but in that small most greatly lived
This star of England: Fortune made his sword;
By which the world’s best garden he achieved,
And of it left his son imperial lord.
Henry the Sixth, in infant bands crown’d King
Of France and England, did this king succeed;
Whose state so many had the managing,
That they lost France and made his England bleed:
Which oft our stage hath shown; and, for their sake,
In your fair minds let this acceptance take. Exit.

Companion

Previously

Act 5, Scene 2: The English and French courts meet to discuss peace, and Henry makes agreement depend on acceptance of his demands. While the others consider the articles, he courts Katherine with Alice interpreting, and Katherine accepts marriage if her father approves. The French king agrees to the marriage and to naming Henry heir of France, and the gathering expresses hope for lasting peace.

Who's who so far

Chorus Asks the audience to imagine Henry's welcome in England, praises his refusal of personal glory and skips the interval before his return to France.
Archbishop of Canterbury Argues that Henry has a lawful claim to France, offers to bear any sin arising from the claim and urges an invasion supported by money from the clergy.
Bishop of Ely Urges Henry to renew the military achievements of his ancestors, whose courage he says the king has inherited.
King Henry Makes peace depend on acceptance of his demands, wins agreement to marry Katherine and secures the French king's assent to naming him heir of France.
Gloucester Learns the truth about the exchanged glove and is sent with Warwick to follow Fluellen and prevent harm if Williams strikes him.
Bedford Knows about the conspiracy and explains that Henry has learned the traitors' intentions through an interception they do not suspect.
Exeter Identifies the still unsigned article requiring the French king to call Henry his son, King of England and heir of France.
Warwick Learns the truth about the exchanged glove and is sent with Gloucester to follow Fluellen and prevent harm if Williams strikes him.
Westmoreland Reports that the French king has granted every article of the proposed agreement, before Exeter identifies one that remains unsigned.
First Ambassador Speaks for the French embassy, delivering the Dauphin's rejection of Henry's claims and his mocking gift of tennis-balls.
Corporal Nym Is reported by the Boy to have been hanged, along with Bardolph.
Lieutenant Bardolph Is reported by the Boy to have been hanged, along with Nym.
Ancient Pistol Is beaten into eating Fluellen's leek, reports Doll's death and plans to return to crime in England while passing his bruises off as war wounds.
Hostess (Nell Quickly) Describes tending Falstaff as he died, insists that he is not in hell and says farewell to her husband and his companions.
Boy Said he must stay with the baggage, where Gower now reports that every boy has been killed.
Richard Earl of Cambridge Is condemned for conspiring against Henry and accepts that he took French gold while denying that it was the original cause of his intended treason.
Lord Scroop of Masham Henry's trusted confidant is exposed as a conspirator, asks forgiveness for his fault and is sent away under sentence of death.
Sir Thomas Grey Is condemned for plotting against Henry and says he rejoices that the treason was stopped, asking pardon for his fault rather than his life.
French King Agrees to Katherine's marriage to Henry and to recognising Henry as heir of France, expressing hope that their children will end the kingdoms' hatred.
Dauphin Laments the collapse of the French ranks, recalls gambling for English captives and proposes suicide out of shame.
Charles Delabreth, Constable of France Is reported killed among the French nobles.
Duke of Berri Enters with the French court and is among the dukes ordered to strengthen France's defended towns, without speaking in the scene.
Duke of Brittagne Enters with the French court and is among the dukes ordered to strengthen France's defended towns, without speaking in the scene.
Messenger Announces that Henry's ambassadors seek admission and is sent to bring them before the French king.
Captain Fluellen Answers Pistol's mockery of his leek by beating him, forcing him to eat it and making him accept a groat for his hurt head.
Gower Rebukes Pistol for mocking the Welsh leek and for assuming that Fluellen's accent means he cannot use an English cudgel.
Captain Macmorris An Irish captain involved in the siege works resents their interruption, rejects time spent debating and threatens Fluellen after a remark about his nation.
Captain Jamy A Scots captain praised by Fluellen for military knowledge promises to serve bravely or die and wants to hear the captains' debate.
Governor of Harfleur Surrenders Harfleur and its people's lives to Henry's mercy after learning that the Dauphin cannot send forces to lift the siege.
Katherine Questions loving France's enemy, accepts marriage if her father approves and objects to a kiss before marriage on grounds of French custom.
Alice Stays with Katherine during Henry's courtship and helps interpret their exchange, including Katherine's objection to kissing before marriage.
John, Duke of Bourbon Is named by Exeter as one of the captured French nobles.
Montjoy Acknowledges English victory and asks Henry for permission to count and bury the French dead.
Charles, Duke of Orleans Is named by Exeter as one of the captured French nobles.
Lord Rambures Is named as master of the crossbows among the French nobles reported dead.
Messenger in the French camp Announces to the French nobles that the English are drawn up for battle.
Sir Thomas Erpingham An elderly commander lends Henry his cloak, blesses him and returns to report that the nobles are searching for him.
John Bates A soldier who does not recognise Henry argues that obedience excuses subjects from an unjust royal cause and promises to fight despite his wish to be safely away.
Alexander Court Enters with Bates and Williams and asks whether the light they see is the approaching morning.
Michael Williams Strikes Fluellen over the glove, defends his words to the disguised king and is awarded crowns by Henry while refusing Fluellen's money.
Grandpré Is named among the French nobles reported dead on the battlefield.
Salisbury Takes leave of the English princes before going to his command, then returns to warn Henry that the French are ready to charge.
Edward, Duke of York Is named as Edward, Duke of York, among the English dead in Henry's casualty report.
French Soldier (Monsieur le Fer) Pistol's captive names himself Monsieur le Fer, offers two hundred crowns for his life and thanks his captor as a distinguished English lord.
English Herald Brings Henry written counts of the French and English dead.
Queen Isabel Joins the treaty discussions and prays that Henry and Katherine's marriage will unite both their hearts and their kingdoms.
Duke of Burgundy Has arranged the royal meeting, urges peace through an account of France's neglected land and people, and later jokes with Henry about Katherine's consent.
Clarence Is addressed as Henry's brother and sent with the French king to reconsider the treaty articles, without speaking in the scene.
Huntington Is among the lords Henry sends with the French king to reconsider the treaty articles, without speaking in the scene.

Words to know

bands: swaddling clothes wrapped around a baby
state: realm or government; here, the kingdom under Henry VI

Spoiler-free: these notes only cover what you have read.

Epilogue in brief

The Chorus enters alone and describes the author's account as limited and broken into short stages. Its image of mighty men confined in little room returns attention to the gap between historical action and theatrical means. Henry is praised as England's star, with Fortune giving him the sword by which he gained France. The speech then moves beyond his achievements to his infant son's succession as king of both countries. It attributes the loss of France and English bloodshed to the many people managing Henry VI's state, qualifying the preceding celebration with an account of what followed. A reference to events often shown on the stage places this ending beside other theatrical stories before the final appeal for acceptance.

Key quotes

In little room confining mighty men, Mangling by starts the full course of their glory.

Why it matters The Chorus describes dramatic compression as a kind of damage to the story. The apology makes the audience consider how much the performance has selected and left out.

Theatre and imaginationReputation and personal change

Whose state so many had the managing, That they lost France and made his England bleed:

Why it matters The closing account gives Henry's conquests an unstable legacy. Responsibility falls on those managing his son's realm, joining failed government to territorial loss and bloodshed.

Kingship and leadershipInheritance and the right to ruleWar and responsibilityNational identity and obedience

Themes in this chapter

Theatre and imaginationReputation and personal changeKingship and leadershipInheritance and the right to ruleWar and responsibilityNational identity and obedience

Study notes cover this chapter in full, so they include what happens in it.

Explore the study guide (includes spoilers)