Original Text |
Translated Text |
| Source: Folger Shakespeare Library |
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| Henry VI has his coronation at Paris. Confetti all around, yo. |
Enter Fastolf. FASTOLF
My gracious sovereign, as I rode from Callice
To haste unto your coronation, 10
A letter was delivered to my hands,
Writ to your Grace from th’ Duke of Burgundy. He hands the King a paper. TALBOT
Shame to the Duke of Burgundy and thee!
I vowed, base knight, when I did meet thee next,
To tear the Garter from thy craven’s leg, 15
(tearing it off)
Which I have done, because unworthily
Thou wast installèd in that high degree.—
Pardon me, princely Henry and the rest.
This dastard, at the battle of Patay,
When but in all I was six thousand strong 20
And that the French were almost ten to one,
Before we met or that a stroke was given,
Like to a trusty squire did run away;
In which assault we lost twelve hundred men.
Myself and divers gentlemen besides 25
Were there surprised and taken prisoners.
Then judge, great lords, if I have done amiss,
Or whether that such cowards ought to wear
This ornament of knighthood—yea or no? | Only it would be a tiny bit better if Fastolfe didn't arrive right after with the news that Burgundy has switched sides. Talbot is really angry with Fastolfe. You can see why, of course—it's not so easy to be cheerful when someone's cowardice has led to your imprisonment. Especially if the guy ran away again when you were winning. And now he's back saying one of your most powerful allies has switched sides. Talbot actually tears the garter off Fastolfe's leg. The garter in this case is a symbol of a particular kind of knighthood Fastolfe holds—the knights of the Garter are a particular kind of English knight. Talbot reminds the lords of Fastolfe's cowardice. He apologizes for losing it in front of the king and lords, but he asks if he wasn't right to do it. |
GLOUCESTER
To say the truth, this fact was infamous 30
And ill beseeming any common man,
Much more a knight, a captain, and a leader. TALBOT
When first this Order was ordained, my lords,
Knights of the Garter were of noble birth,
Valiant and virtuous, full of haughty courage, 35
Such as were grown to credit by the wars;
Not fearing death nor shrinking for distress,
But always resolute in most extremes.
He then that is not furnished in this sort
Doth but usurp the sacred name of knight, 40
Profaning this most honorable Order,
And should, if I were worthy to be judge,
Be quite degraded, like a hedge-born swain
That doth presume to boast of gentle blood. | Gloucester agrees that Fastolfe is pretty cowardly. Talbot describes all the awesome things that used to be true of the knights of the Garter—they used to be full of courage, proven in battle, all that good stuff. Fastolfe doesn't deserve to be one of them. |
KING HENRY, to Fastolf
Stain to thy countrymen, thou hear’st thy doom. 45
Be packing therefore, thou that wast a knight.
Henceforth we banish thee on pain of death. Fastolf exits. And now, my lord protector, view the letter
Sent from our uncle, Duke of Burgundy.
He hands the paper to Gloucester. GLOUCESTER
What means his Grace that he hath changed his style? 50
No more but, plain and bluntly, “To the King”!
Hath he forgot he is his sovereign?
Or doth this churlish superscription
Pretend some alteration in good will?
What’s here? (Reads.) 55
I have upon especial cause,
Moved with compassion of my country’s wrack,
Together with the pitiful complaints
Of such as your oppression feeds upon,
Forsaken your pernicious faction 60
And joined with Charles, the rightful king of France.
O monstrous treachery! Can this be so?
That in alliance, amity, and oaths
There should be found such false dissembling guile? | The King agrees, strips Fastolfe of his knighthood, and sends him packing, banished on pain of death.
They then turn their attention to the letter from Burgundy announcing his defection to the French side. It's not very respectful, for a letter addressed to a king, and the King decides to send Talbot to talk to Burgundy and give him a hard time. |
KING HENRY
What? Doth my Uncle Burgundy revolt? 65 GLOUCESTER
He doth, my lord, and is become your foe. KING HENRY
Is that the worst this letter doth contain? GLOUCESTER
It is the worst, and all, my lord, he writes. KING HENRY
Why, then, Lord Talbot there shall talk with him
And give him chastisement for this abuse.— 70
How say you, my lord, are you not content? TALBOT
Content, my liege? Yes. But that I am prevented,
I should have begged I might have been employed. KING HENRY
Then gather strength and march unto him straight;
Let him perceive how ill we brook his treason 75
And what offense it is to flout his friends. TALBOT
I go, my lord, in heart desiring still
You may behold confusion of your foes. He exits. | Talbot says he would have begged for the assignment if the King hadn't given it, then heads off to argue with Burgundy. |
Enter Vernon, with a white rose, and Basset,
with a red rose. VERNON
Grant me the combat, gracious sovereign. BASSET
And me, my lord, grant me the combat too. 80 YORK, indicating Vernon
This is my servant; hear him, noble prince. SOMERSET, indicating Basset
And this is mine, sweet Henry; favor him. KING HENRY
Be patient, lords, and give them leave to speak.—
Say, gentlemen, what makes you thus exclaim,
And wherefore crave you combat, or with whom? 85 VERNON
With him, my lord, for he hath done me wrong. BASSET
And I with him, for he hath done me wrong. KING HENRY
What is that wrong whereof you both complain?
First let me know, and then I’ll answer you. | Remember Vernon and Basset? They spent the last act fighting over the quarrel between York and Somerset. Now they turn up and ask the king if they can duel each other. The king sensibly says he'd like to know why they want to duel before he makes a decision. |
BASSET
Crossing the sea from England into France, 90
This fellow here with envious carping tongue
Upbraided me about the rose I wear,
Saying the sanguine color of the leaves
Did represent my master’s blushing cheeks
When stubbornly he did repugn the truth 95
About a certain question in the law
Argued betwixt the Duke of York and him,
With other vile and ignominious terms.
In confutation of which rude reproach,
And in defense of my lord’s worthiness, 100
I crave the benefit of law of arms. VERNON
And that is my petition, noble lord;
For though he seem with forgèd quaint conceit
To set a gloss upon his bold intent,
Yet know, my lord, I was provoked by him, 105
And he first took exceptions at this badge,
Pronouncing that the paleness of this flower
Bewrayed the faintness of my master’s heart. | They explain the quarrel, mentioning the red and white roses that proved so symbolic earlier. |
YORK
Will not this malice, Somerset, be left? SOMERSET
Your private grudge, my Lord of York, will out, 110
Though ne’er so cunningly you smother it. KING HENRY
Good Lord, what madness rules in brainsick men
When for so slight and frivolous a cause
Such factious emulations shall arise!
Good cousins both, of York and Somerset, 115
Quiet yourselves, I pray, and be at peace. YORK
Let this dissension first be tried by fight,
And then your Highness shall command a peace. SOMERSET
The quarrel toucheth none but us alone;
Betwixt ourselves let us decide it then. 120 YORK, throwing down a gage
There is my pledge; accept it, Somerset. | York asks if they can't leave this malice behind. He may be sincere or he may be sarcastic, but either way, Somerset isn't convinced—he assumes York still has a grudge against him and shows little inclination to make peace. The King tries to make peace, but York and Somerset push for a duel first. Somerset says he and York should duel directly, and York literally throws down the gauntlet. |
VERNON, to Somerset
Nay, let it rest where it began at first. BASSET, to Somerset
Confirm it so, mine honorable lord. GLOUCESTER
Confirm it so? Confounded be your strife,
And perish you with your audacious prate! 125
Presumptuous vassals, are you not ashamed
With this immodest clamorous outrage
To trouble and disturb the King and us?—
And you, my lords, methinks you do not well
To bear with their perverse objections, 130
Much less to take occasion from their mouths
To raise a mutiny betwixt yourselves.
Let me persuade you take a better course. EXETER
It grieves his Highness. Good my lords, be friends. | Vernon and Basset egg their masters on. Gloucester yells at them for disturbing the King. More politely, he tells York and Somerset they shouldn't duel and proposes another way. Exeter also says York and Somerset should be friends. |
KING HENRY
Come hither, you that would be combatants: 135
Henceforth I charge you, as you love our favor,
Quite to forget this quarrel and the cause.—
And you, my lords, remember where we are:
In France, amongst a fickle wavering nation.
If they perceive dissension in our looks, 140
And that within ourselves we disagree,
How will their grudging stomachs be provoked
To willful disobedience and rebel!
Besides, what infamy will there arise
When foreign princes shall be certified 145
That for a toy, a thing of no regard,
King Henry’s peers and chief nobility
Destroyed themselves and lost the realm of France!
O, think upon the conquest of my father,
My tender years, and let us not forgo 150
That for a trifle that was bought with blood.
Let me be umpire in this doubtful strife.
I see no reason if I wear this rose
That anyone should therefore be suspicious
I more incline to Somerset than York. 155
He puts on a red rose.
Both are my kinsmen, and I love them both.
As well they may upbraid me with my crown
Because, forsooth, the King of Scots is crowned.
But your discretions better can persuade
Than I am able to instruct or teach; 160
And therefore, as we hither came in peace,
So let us still continue peace and love.
Cousin of York, we institute your Grace
To be our regent in these parts of France;—
And good my Lord of Somerset, unite 165
Your troops of horsemen with his bands of foot;
And like true subjects, sons of your progenitors,
Go cheerfully together and digest
Your angry choler on your enemies.
Ourself, my lord protector, and the rest, 170
After some respite, will return to Callice;
From thence to England, where I hope ere long
To be presented, by your victories,
With Charles, Alanson, and that traitorous rout. Flourish. All but York, Warwick, Exeter, Vernon exit. | The King gives a speech, telling them that they should forget the quarrel. He reminds them that they are in France and says that any disunity will make the French more likely to rebel against the English. He asks them to make up for the sake of his father and his own youth. This is all pretty good. Henry is showing leadership, and his rhetoric's not half bad. It's all pretty king-y of him. But then Henry does something suddenly and disastrously wrong: He takes the red rose and pins it on, claiming quite sincerely that he's equally fond of Somerset and York and no one will think he's favoring one over the other. This is kind of like putting on the campaign badge of one presidential candidate the day before the election and saying you don't really care who wins. You may be sincere, but no one's going to believe you. Then Henry VI puts York in charge of this part of France. He also asks Somerset to work with him there and fight their enemies, not each other. The king says he's heading back to England soon but hopes they will be victorious shortly. |
WARWICK
My Lord of York, I promise you the King 175
Prettily, methought, did play the orator. YORK
And so he did, but yet I like it not
In that he wears the badge of Somerset. WARWICK
Tush, that was but his fancy; blame him not.
I dare presume, sweet prince, he thought no harm. 180 YORK
And if iwis he did—but let it rest.
Other affairs must now be managèd. York, Warwick and Vernon exit.
Exeter remains. | Afterward, Warwick says the King did a pretty good job at the old oratory. York agrees, but says he isn't too happy about the King wearing Somerset's badge. Warwick says the King didn't mean anything by it, which is likely all too true (Henry's young, remember, and a little naïve). York sounds like he would have been pretty unhappy if the King had meant to take Somerset's side over his, but he checks himself and says there are other things to do. Then everyone but Exeter leaves the stage. |
EXETER
Well didst thou, Richard, to suppress thy voice,
For had the passions of thy heart burst out,
I fear we should have seen deciphered there 185
More rancorous spite, more furious raging broils,
Than yet can be imagined or supposed.
But howsoe’er, no simple man that sees
This jarring discord of nobility,
This shouldering of each other in the court, 190
This factious bandying of their favorites,
But sees it doth presage some ill event.
’Tis much when scepters are in children’s hands,
But more when envy breeds unkind division:
There comes the ruin; there begins confusion. 195 He exits. | Exeter speculates to the audience that Richard, Duke of York, may be an angry type; he also says the fighting in the court is a bad sign, and something bad is coming. He says it's tough to make things work when the king is a child, but what makes things really go south is when envy causes strife. |