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Act 2, Scene 2
Henry VI, Part 2 Translation Act 2, Scene 3
Sound trumpets. Enter KING HENRY VI, QUEEN MARGARET, GLOUCESTER, YORK, SUFFOLK, and SALISBURY; the DUCHESS, MARGARET JOURDAIN, SOUTHWELL, HUME, and BOLINGBROKE, under guard
KING HENRY VI
Stand forth, Dame Eleanor Cobham, Gloucester's wife: In sight of God and us, your guilt is great: Receive the sentence of the law for sins Such as by God's book are adjudged to death. You four, from hence to prison back again; From thence unto the place of execution: The witch in Smithfield shall be burn'd to ashes, And you three shall be strangled on the gallows. You, madam, for you are more nobly born, Despoiled of your honour in your life, Shall, after three days' open penance done, Live in your country here in banishment, With Sir John Stanley, in the Isle of Man.
KING HENRY VI
Stand forward, Dame Eleanor Cobham, Gloucester's wife. In sight of God and us, your guilt is great. Accept the sentence of the law for sins that the Bible punishes with death. You four will be sent back to prison again and from there to the place of execution. The witch will be burned to ashes in Smithfield,and you three will be hanged on the gallows.[To DUCHESS] Madam, because you are more nobly born, will be stripped of your honor in your life. After three days of public suffering is done, you'll live in your country here in banishment in the custody of Sir John Stanley, in the Isle of Man.
DUCHESS
Welcome is banishment; welcome were my death.
DUCHESS
My banishment is welcome; I wish I were dead.
GLOUCESTER
Eleanor, the law, thou see'st, hath judged thee:I cannot justify whom the law condemns.
GLOUCESTER
Eleanor, you see that it was the law that has judged you. I cannot excuse someone condemned by the law.
Exeunt DUCHESS and other prisoners, guarded
GLOUCESTER
Mine eyes are full of tears, my heart of grief. Ah, Humphrey, this dishonour in thine age Will bring thy head with sorrow to the ground! I beseech your majesty, give me leave to go; Sorrow would solace and mine age would ease.
GLOUCESTER
My eyes are full of tears, my heart full of grief. Ah, Humphrey, this dishonor in your old age will bring your head to the ground with sorrow! I beg your majesty, let me go. My sorrow and old age needs comfort.
KING HENRY VI
Stay, Humphrey Duke of Gloucester: ere thou go, Give up thy staff: Henry will to himself Protector be; and God shall be my hope, My stay, my guide and lantern to my feet: And go in peace, Humphrey, no less beloved Than when thou wert protector to thy King.
KING HENRY VI
Wait, Humphrey Duke of Gloucester. Before you go, give up your staff of office. Henry will be a Protector to himself, and God will be my hope, my support, my guide, and light to my feet. And go in peace, Humphrey, not less beloved than when you were Protector to your king.
QUEEN MARGARET
I see no reason why a king of years Should be to be protected like a child. God and King Henry govern England's realm. Give up your staff, sir, and the king his realm.
QUEEN MARGARET
I don't see why an adult king should be protected like a child. God and King Henry rule England's kingdom. Give up your staff, sir and give up the kingdom to the king.
GLOUCESTER
My staff? Here, noble Henry, is my staff: As willingly do I the same resign As e'er thy father Henry made it mine; And even as willingly at thy feet I leave it As others would ambitiously receive it. Farewell, good king: when I am dead and gone, May honourable peace attend thy throne!
GLOUCESTER
My staff? [Hands over the staff of office] Here, noble Henry, is my staff. I give it up as willingly as your father Henry gave it to me, and I leave it at your feet as willingly as others would ambitiously take it. Goodbye, good king. When I am dead and gone, may you reign in honorable peace!
Exit
QUEEN MARGARET
Why, now is Henry king, and Margaret queen; And Humphrey Duke of Gloucester scarce himself, That bears so shrewd a maim; two pulls at once; His lady banish'd, and a limb lopp'd off. This staff of honour raught, there let it stand Where it best fits to be, in Henry's hand.
QUEEN MARGARET
Now Henry is king and Margaret is queen and Humphrey Duke of Gloucester is no longer himself, since he suffers such a serious injury. Two wounds at once: his lady is banished and his limb is cut off. Since we've taken his staff, let's leave it where it should be, in Henry's hand.
SUFFOLK
Thus droops this lofty pine and hangs his sprays;Thus Eleanor's pride dies in her youngest days.
SUFFOLK
And so drops this majestic tree and hangs his branches. And so Eleanor's pride dies in its prime.
YORK
Lords, let him go. Please it your majesty, This is the day appointed for the combat; And ready are the appellant and defendant, The armourer and his man, to enter the lists, So please your highness to behold the fight.
YORK
Lords, forget him. If it pleases your majesty, this is the day agreed for the duel. The challenger and defendant, the armorer and his man, are ready to enter the designated fighting area, if your highness would like to see the fight.
QUEEN MARGARET
Ay, good my lord; for purposely thereforeLeft I the court, to see this quarrel tried.
QUEEN MARGARET
Yes, that's all right, my lord. Since I have left the court specifically so I can see this fight.
KING HENRY VI
O God's name, see the lists and all things fit:Here let them end it; and God defend the right!
KING HENRY VI
Oh, God's name, let's prepare the fighting area and everything else. Let them end it here and God defend whoever's in the right!
YORK
I never saw a fellow worse bested,Or more afraid to fight, than is the appellant,The servant of this armourer, my lords.
YORK
My lords, I've never seen a man worse prepared or more afraid to fight than this challenger, the servant of the armorer.
Enter at one door, HORNER, the Armourer, and his Neighbours, drinking to him so much that he is drunk; and he enters with a drum before him and his staff with a sand-bag fastened to it; and at the other door PETER, his man, with a drum and sand-bag, and 'Prentices drinking to him
FIRST NEIGHBOUR
Here, neighbour Horner, I drink to you in a cup ofsack: and fear not, neighbour, you shall do well enough.
FIRST NEIGHBOUR
Here, neighbor Horner! I drink to you with a cup of white wine. Don't be afraid, neighbor. You'll do all right.
SECOND NEIGHBOUR
And here, neighbour, here's a cup of charneco.
SECOND NEIGHBOUR
And here, neighbor, here's a cup of a port wine.
THIRD NEIGHBOUR
And here's a pot of good double beer, neighbour:drink, and fear not your man.
THIRD NEIGHBOUR
And here's a pot of good very strong beer, neighbor. Drink and don't be afraid.
HORNER
Let it come, i' faith, and I'll pledge you all; anda fig for Peter!
HORNER
Let it come! I toast you all, and a fig for Peter!
FIRST 'PRENTICE
Here, Peter, I drink to thee: and be not afraid.
FIRST 'PRENTICE
Here, Peter. I drink to you! And don't be afraid.
SECOND 'PRENTICE
Be merry, Peter, and fear not thy master: fightfor credit of the 'prentices.
SECOND 'PRENTICE
Be happy, Peter and do not be afraid of your master. Fight for the apprentices.
PETER
I thank you all: drink, and pray for me, I pray you; for I think I have taken my last draught in this world. Here, Robin, an if I die, I give thee my apron: and, Will, thou shalt have my hammer: and here, Tom, take all the money that I have. O Lord bless me! I pray God! For I am never able to deal with my master, he hath learnt me so much fence already.
PETER
Thank you all! Drink and pray for me and I'll pray for you. I think I have drunk my last drink in this world. Here, Robin. If I die, I give you my apron. And Will, you shall have my hammer. And here, Tom, take all the money I have. Oh, Lord bless me! I am praying to God! Because I'll never be able to defeat my master, since he taught me everything I know about fencing.
SALISBURY
Come, leave your drinking, and fall to blows.Sirrah, what's thy name?
SALISBURY
Come, stop your drinking and start fighting. Sir, what's your name?
PETER
Peter, forsooth.
PETER
Peter, please.
SALISBURY
Peter! What more?
SALISBURY
Peter, and what else!?
PETER
Thump.
PETER
Thump.
SALISBURY
Thump! Then see thou thump thy master well.
SALISBURY
Thump! Then hopefully you hit your master well.
HORNER
Masters, I am come hither, as it were, upon my man's instigation, to prove him a knave and myself an honest man: and touching the Duke of York, I will take my death, I never meant him any ill, nor the king, nor the queen: and therefore, Peter, have at thee with a downright blow!
HORNER
Masters, I am here, as it were, because my servant provoked me to prove that he's a villain and I'm an honest man. And concerning the Duke of York, I stake my life on it—I never meant to do him any wrong, nor the king, nor the queen. And so, Peter, here I come with my first blow!
YORK
Dispatch: this knave's tongue begins to double.Sound, trumpets, alarum to the combatants!
YORK
Get on with it. This villain's tongue is starting to annoy us. Sound, trumpets, call the fighters to arms!
Alarum. They fight, and PETER strikes him down
HORNER
Hold, Peter, hold! I confess, I confess treason.
HORNER
Stop, Peter, stop! I confess, I confess treason.
Dies
YORK
Take away his weapon. Fellow, thank God, and thegood wine in thy master's way.
YORK
Take away his weapon.
[To PETER] You, thank God and the good wine that prevented your master from fighting well.
PETER
O God, have I overcome mine enemy in this presence?O Peter, thou hast prevailed in right!
PETER
Oh God, have I defeated my enemy in the presence of the king? Oh, Peter, you have won rightfully!
KING HENRY VI
Go, take hence that traitor from our sight; For his death we do perceive his guilt: And God in justice hath revealed to us The truth and innocence of this poor fellow, Which he had thought to have murder'd wrongfully. Come, fellow, follow us for thy reward.
KING HENRY VI
Go, take the traitor from our sight. His death proves that he was guilty, and God in justice has revealed to us the truth and innocence of this poor man, who would have been murdered wrongfully. Come, man, follow us for your reward.
Sound a flourish. Exeunt
