Yes, but he's dead. Off with the traitor's head,
and put it in the place where your father's now is.
And now on to London in triumphant procession,
to be crowned as the royal king of England;
from there Warwick shall go across the sea to France,
and ask them for the Lady Bona as your Queen.
This way you shall form an alliance of these countries,
and, having France as your friend, you will not fear
the scattered enemy who hopes to rise again;
for although they cannot do you any great harm,
you can expect them to still cause some annoyance.
First I will see the coronation,
and then I will cross the sea to Brittany
to arrange this marriage, if my lord agrees.
EDWARD.
Even as thou wilt, sweet Warwick, let it be;
For in thy shoulder do I build my seat,
And never will I undertake the thing
Wherein thy counsel and consent is wanting.--
Richard, I will create thee Duke of Gloster;--
And George, of Clarence.--Warwick, as ourself,
Shall do and undo as him pleaseth best.
I agree to whatever you suggest, sweet Warwick;
you are the foundation on which I place my throne,
and I will never do anything
if your advice disagrees with it.
Richard, I will make you Duke of Gloucester;
and George, Duke of Clarence. Warwick, representing me,
will undertake whatever he thinks is best.
RICHARD.
Let me be Duke of Clarence, George of Gloster,
For Gloster's dukedom is too ominous.
Let me be Duke of Clarence, George of Gloucester,
the dukedom of Gloucester is unlucky.
WARWICK.
Tut! that's a foolish observation;
Richard, be Duke of Gloster. Now to London,
To see these honours in possession.
Tut! That's a foolish thing to say;
Richard, be Duke of Gloucester. Now let's go to London,
to take possession of what we have won.
[Exeunt.]
[Enter two Keepers, with crossbows in their hands.]
1 KEEPER.
Under this thick-grown brake we'll shroud ourselves,
For through this laund anon the deer will come;
And in this covert will we make our stand,
Culling the principal of all the deer.
We'll hide in this thick clump of trees,
for the deer will come through this glade soon;
we'll make our hide in this wood,
and kill the biggest deer.
2 KEEPER.
I'll stay above the hill, so both may shoot.
I'll stop up the hill, so both of us can shoot.
1 KEEPER.
That cannot be; the noise of thy crossbow
Will scare the herd, and so my shoot is lost.
Here stand we both, and aim we at the best;
And, for the time shall not seem tedious,
I'll tell thee what befell me on a day
In this self place where now we mean to stand.
We can't do that; the noise of my crossbow
will scare the herd, so my shot will be wasted.
Let's both stand here, and aim at the best deer;
and to pass the time
I'll tell you what happened to me once
right in this place where we are going to hide.
2 KEEPER.
Here comes a man; let's stay till he be past.
There's someone coming; let's wait until he's gone.
[Enter KING HENRY, disguised, with a prayer-book.]
KING HENRY.
From Scotland am I stolen, even of pure love,
To greet mine own land with my wishful sight.
No, Harry, Harry, 't is no land of thine;
Thy place is fill'd, thy sceptre wrung from thee,
Thy balm wash'd off wherewith thou wast anointed.
No bending knee will call thee Caesar now,
No humble suitors press to speak for right;
No, not a man comes for redress of thee,
For how can I help them, and not myself?
I have sneaked away from Scotland, out of pure love,
to take a longing look at my own country.
No, Harry, Harry, it's not your country;
your throne has been filled, your sceptre has been seized from you,
the ointment with which you were anointed washed off.
Nobody will now call you Caesar and kneel to you,
no humble petitioners will ask for the right to speak to you;
no, no man comes for justice from you,
for how can I help them, when I can't help myself?
1 KEEPER.
Ay, here's a deer whose skin's a keeper's fee.
This is the quondam king; let's seize upon him.
Look, here's a deer whose skin is worth a gamekeeper's wages.
This is the former king; let's grab him.
KING HENRY.
Let me embrace thee, sour adversity;
For wise men say it is the wisest course.
Let me welcome you, harsh hardship;
wise men say this is the best thing to do.
2 KEEPER.
Why linger we? let us lay hands upon him.
Why are we waiting? Let's grab him.
1 KEEPER.
Forbear awhile; we'll hear a little more.
Wait a while; let's hear a little more.
KING HENRY.
My queen and son are gone to France for aid;
And, as I hear, the great commanding Warwick
Is thither gone to crave the French king's sister
To wife for Edward. If this news be true,
Poor queen and son, your labour is but lost,
For Warwick is a subtle orator,
And Lewis a prince soon won with moving words.
By this account then Margaret may win him,
For she's a woman to be pitied much.
Her sighs will make a batt'ry in his breast,
Her tears will pierce into a marble heart;
The tiger will be mild whiles she doth mourn,
And Nero will be tainted with remorse
To hear and see her plaints, her brinish tears.
Ay, but she's come to beg, Warwick to give;
She on his left side craving aid for Henry,
He on his right asking a wife for Edward.
She weeps and says her Henry is depos'd,
He smiles and says his Edward is install'd;
That she, poor wretch, for grief can speak no more;
Whiles Warwick tells his title, smooths the wrong,
Inferreth arguments of mighty strength,
And, in conclusion, wins the king from her,
With promise of his sister, and what else,
To strengthen and support King Edward's place.
O Margaret, thus 't will be! and thou, poor soul,
Art then forsaken, as thou went'st forlorn!
My queen and my son have gone to France for help;
and, so I hear, the great commander Warwick
has gone there to ask the French king's sister
to marry Edward. If this news is true,
you are wasting your time, poor Queen and son,
for Warwick is a cunning speaker,
and Louis is a prince who is easily won over with words.
Perhaps because of this Margaret might succeed with him,
for she is a woman who should be very much pitied.
Her sighs will launch an assault on his chest,
her tears will cut into his marble heart;
the tiger will be gentle while she mourns,
and Nero will be touched by remorse
to hear and see her woes, her sal
t tears.
Yes, but she's come to beg, Warwick has something to give;
she will be on his left side asking for help for Henry,
he will be on the right asking for a wife and support.
She will weep and say her Henry has been overthrown,
he will smile and say his Edward has been crowned;
she, poor wretch, will not be able to say any more through grief;
Warwick will tell his story, smoothing over the wrongs,
laying out very strong arguments,
and, in the end, he'll win the king over to his side,
he will promise him his sister, and who knows what else,
to strengthen and support King Edward's position.
Oh Margaret, this is what will happen! And you, poor soul,
will then be lost, having gone there abandoned!
2 KEEPER.
Say, what art thou, that talk'st of kings and queens?
Tell us who you are, talking of kings and queens?
KING HENRY.
More than I seem, and less than I was born to;
A man at least, for less I should not be;
And men may talk of kings, and why not I?
I'm more when I appear to be, and less than I was born for;
I am at least a man, I wouldn't be any less;
and men can talk of kings, why shouldn't I?
2 KEEPER.
Ay, but thou talk'st as if thou wert a king.
Yes, but you talk as if you were king.
KING HENRY.
Why, so I am, in mind; and that's enough.
Why, I am, in my mind; and that's sufficient.
2 KEEPER.
But, if thou be a king, where is thy crown?
But if you are a king, where is your crown?
KING HENRY.
My crown is in my heart, not on my head,
Not deck'd with diamonds and Indian stones,
Not to be seen; my crown is call'd content,
A crown it is that seldom kings enjoy.
My crown is in my heart, not on my head,
not covered with diamonds and Indian stones,
it cannot be seen; my crown is happiness,
a crown that kings seldom have.
2 KEEPER.
Well, if you be a king crown'd with content,
Your crown content and you must be contented
To go along with us; for, as we think,
You are the king King Edward hath depos'd,
And we his subjects, sworn in all allegiance,
Will apprehend you as his enemy.
Well, if you are a king crowned with happiness,
your crown of happiness and you must be happy
to come along with us; for we think that
you are the king whom King Edward has overthrown,
and as we are his sworn loyal subjects
we shall arrest you as his enemy.
KING HENRY.
But did you never swear, and break an oath?
Didn't you ever swear to something and break your oath?
2 KEEPER.
No, never such an oath; nor will not now.
No, never; and I shan't do now.
KING HENRY.
Where did you dwell when I was King of England?
Where did you live when I was king of England?
2 KEEPER.
Here in this country, where we now remain.
Here in this country, where we are now.
KING HENRY.
I was anointed king at nine months old,
My father and my grandfather were kings,
And you were sworn true subjects unto me;
And tell me, then, have you not broke your oaths?
I was crowned as king when I was nine months old,
my father and grandfather were kings,
and you were sworn as loyal subjects of mine;
so then tell me, haven't you broken your oaths?
1 KEEPER.
No;
For we were subjects but while you were king.
No;
we were only your subjects while you were the King.
KING HENRY.
Why, am I dead? do I not breathe, a man?
Ah, simple men! you know not what you swear.
Look, as I blow this feather from my face,
And as the air blows it to me again,
Obeying with my wind when I do blow,
And yielding to another when it blows,
Commanded always by the greater gust,
Such is the lightness of you common men.
But do not break your oaths; for of that sin
My mild entreaty shall not make you guilty.
Go where you will, the king shall be commanded;
And be you kings, command, and I'll obey.
Why, am I dead? Am I not a breathing man?
Ah, simple men! You don't know what you've sworn to.
Look at this feather that I blow away from my face,
and see how the air blows it back to me again;
obeying me when I blow on it,
surrendering to someone else when they blow,
always ruled by the strongest breath,
that is how weak you common men are.
But don't break your oaths; the little favour
I ask you will not make you guilty of that sin.
Wherever you want to go, the King will be at your command;
if you are kings, command, and I'll obey.
1 KEEPER.
We are true subjects to the king,--King Edward.
We are loyal subjects of the King–King Edward.
KING HENRY.
So would you be again to Henry
If he were seated as King Edward is.
And you would be a loyal subject of Henry,
if he were in King Edward's place.
1 KEEPER.
We charge you, in God's name and the king's
To go with us unto the officers.
We order you, in the name of God and the king,
to come with us to the constables.
KING HENRY.
In God's name lead; your king's name be obey'd;
And what God will, that let your king perform;
And what he will, I humbly yield unto.
Lead on in the name of God; obey the name of your king;
let your king do what God wants him to;
and what he wants, I will humbly agree to.
[Exeunt.]
[Enter KING EDWARD, GLOSTER, CLARENCE, and LADY GREY.]
KING EDWARD.
Brother of Gloster, at Saint Alban's field
This lady's husband, Sir John Grey, was slain,
His land then seiz'd on by the conqueror;
Her suit is now to repossess those lands,
Which we in justice cannot well deny,
Because in quarrel of the house of York
The worthy gentleman did lose his life.
My brother Gloucester, at the Battle of St Albans
Sir John Grey, this lady's husband, was killed,
and his land was seized by the victor;
she is now asking for the return of those lands,
which we cannot justifiably refuse,
because the good gentleman lost his life
fighting for the house of York.
GLOSTER.
Your highness shall do well to grant her suit;
It were dishonour to deny it her.
Your Highness would be quite right to grant her request;
it would be dishonourable to refuse.
KING EDWARD.
It were no less; but yet I'll make a pause.
It certainly would; but I shan't make a decision at once.
GLOSTER.
[Aside to Clarence.] Yea; is it so?
I see the lady hath a thing to grant
Before the king will grant her humble suit.
Is that how it is?
I see the lady
will have to give something
before the King will give her what she wants.
CLARENCE.
[Aside to Gloster.] He knows the game;
how true he keeps the wind!
He knows what's going on;
he's playing the game well!
GLOSTER.
[Aside to Clarence.] Silence!
Silence!
KING EDWARD.
Widow, we will consider of your suit,
And come some other time to know our mind.
Widow, I shall consider your request,
come back some other time for my decision.
LADY GREY.
Right gracious lord, I cannot brook delay;
May it please your highness to resolve me now,
And what your pleasure is shall satisfy me.
Truly gracious lord, I cannot wait;
would your Highness please give me your decision now,
whatever you decide I will accept.
GLOSTER.
[Aside to Clarence.] Ay, widow?
then I'll warrant you all your lands,
An if what pleases him shall pleasure you.
Fight closer, or, good faith, you'll catch a blow.
Yes, widow?
Then I guarantee you'll get your land back,
if you agree to enjoy the same things that he wants.
Watch yourself, or by goodness you'll take a hit.
CLARENCE.
[Aside to Gloster.] I fear her not, unless she chance
to fall.
I'm not worried for her, unless she happens
to fall.
GLOSTER.
[Aside to CLARENCE.] God forbid that, for he'll take
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) Page 165