How we cite our quotes: (Act.Scene.Line)
Quote #1
GLOUCESTER
England ne'er had a king until his time.
Virtue he had, deserving to command;
His brandished sword did blind men with his beams;
His arms spread wider than a dragon's wings;
His sparkling eyes, replete with wrathful fire,
More dazzled and drove back his enemies
Than midday sun fierce bent against their faces. (1.1.8-14)
Quote #2
BEDFORD
Let's to the altar.—Heralds wait on us.—
Instead of gold, we'll offer up our arms,
Since arms avail not, now that Henry's dead.
Posterity, await for wretched years
When at their mothers' moistened eyes babes shall
suck,
Our isle be made a nourish of salt tears,
And none but women left to wail the dead. (1.1.45-52)
Bedford says there really isn't any point in fighting if Henry's not there to lead them, and also that there won't be any men left in England, just women weeping over all the dead. Bedford's prediction underlines the nobles' fear that only a stereotypically macho man can protect the kingdom, and things will go badly now that Henry V is dead.
Shmoop isn't endorsing Bedford's view of women here—but he does have a point that England could be in trouble. The death of a strong and charismatic leader is pretty bad news, especially when his successor is literally a baby.
Quote #3
CHARLES
Mars his true moving, even as in the heavens
So in the Earth, to this day is not known.
Late did he shine upon the English side;
Now we are victors; upon us he smiles.
What towns of any moment but we have?
At pleasure here we lie near Orleance.
Otherwhiles, the famished English, like pale ghosts,
Faintly besiege us one hour in a month. (1.2.1-8)
Mars is as macho as it gets—he's the god of war in the Greek pantheon—so when Charles says Mars is on their side, he's pretty happy about how the French are doing. He even compares the English to ghosts. Which, you know, may be a little premature.