Original Text |
Translated Text |
| Source: Folger Shakespeare Library |
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Flourish. Enter Lewis the French king, his sister
the Lady Bona, his Admiral called Bourbon,
Prince Edward, Queen Margaret, and the Earl of Oxford,
the last three wearing the red rose. Lewis sits, and riseth up again. KING LEWIS
Fair Queen of England, worthy Margaret,
Sit down with us. It ill befits thy state
And birth that thou shouldst stand while Lewis
doth sit. QUEEN MARGARET
No, mighty King of France. Now Margaret 5
Must strike her sail and learn awhile to serve
Where kings command. I was, I must confess,
Great Albion’s queen in former golden days,
But now mischance hath trod my title down
And with dishonor laid me on the ground, 10
Where I must take like seat unto my fortune
And to my humble seat conform myself. KING LEWIS
Why, say, fair queen, whence springs this deep
despair? QUEEN MARGARET
From such a cause as fills mine eyes with tears 15
And stops my tongue, while heart is drowned in cares. KING LEWIS
Whate’er it be, be thou still like thyself,
And sit thee by our side. Seats her by him.
Yield not thy neck
To Fortune’s yoke, but let thy dauntless mind 20
Still ride in triumph over all mischance.
Be plain, Queen Margaret, and tell thy grief.
It shall be eased if France can yield relief. QUEEN MARGARET
Those gracious words revive my drooping thoughts
And give my tongue-tied sorrows leave to speak. 25
Now therefore be it known to noble Lewis
That Henry, sole possessor of my love,
Is, of a king, become a banished man
And forced to live in Scotland a forlorn;
While proud ambitious Edward, Duke of York, 30
Usurps the regal title and the seat
Of England’s true-anointed lawful king.
This is the cause that I, poor Margaret,
With this my son, Prince Edward, Henry’s heir,
Am come to crave thy just and lawful aid; 35
And if thou fail us, all our hope is done.
Scotland hath will to help but cannot help;
Our people and our peers are both misled,
Our treasure seized, our soldiers put to flight,
And, as thou seest, ourselves in heavy plight. 40 KING LEWIS
Renownèd queen, with patience calm the storm
While we bethink a means to break it off. QUEEN MARGARET
The more we stay, the stronger grows our foe. KING LEWIS
The more I stay, the more I’ll succor thee. | Bonjour. We're at the French court, where Lewis (the French king, aka Louis) and Margaret discuss Henry's predicament. She and Prince Edward tell him the whole story and ask for his help. It's looking good: Lewis seems to like Margaret, and he tries to come up with a plan to calm the storm for her. |
QUEEN MARGARET
O, but impatience waiteth on true sorrow. 45 Enter Warwick, wearing the white rose. And see where comes the breeder of my sorrow. KING LEWIS
What’s he approacheth boldly to our presence? QUEEN MARGARET
Our Earl of Warwick, Edward’s greatest friend. KING LEWIS, standing
Welcome, brave Warwick. What brings thee to France? He descends. She ariseth. QUEEN MARGARET, aside
Ay, now begins a second storm to rise, 50
For this is he that moves both wind and tide. WARWICK
From worthy Edward, King of Albion,
My lord and sovereign and thy vowèd friend,
I come in kindness and unfeignèd love,
First, to do greetings to thy royal person, 55
And then to crave a league of amity,
And, lastly, to confirm that amity
With nuptial knot, if thou vouchsafe to grant
That virtuous Lady Bona, thy fair sister,
To England’s king in lawful marriage. 60 | Enter Warwick, who boldly asks Lewis to give him Lady Bona (Lewis's sis) for Edward. She'll be queen of England if he hands her over. |
QUEEN MARGARET, aside
If that go forward, Henry’s hope is done. WARWICK, speaking to Lady Bona
And, gracious madam, in our king’s behalf,
I am commanded, with your leave and favor,
Humbly to kiss your hand, and with my tongue
To tell the passion of my sovereign’s heart, 65
Where fame, late ent’ring at his heedful ears,
Hath placed thy beauty’s image and thy virtue. QUEEN MARGARET
King Lewis and Lady Bona, hear me speak
Before you answer Warwick. His demand
Springs not from Edward’s well-meant honest love, 70
But from deceit, bred by necessity;
For how can tyrants safely govern home
Unless abroad they purchase great alliance?
To prove him tyrant, this reason may suffice:
That Henry liveth still; but were he dead, 75
Yet here Prince Edward stands, King Henry’s son.
Look, therefore, Lewis, that by this league and
marriage
Thou draw not on thy danger and dishonor;
For though usurpers sway the rule awhile, 80
Yet heav’ns are just, and time suppresseth wrongs. | Warwick also tells Lady Bona that he knows of her virtue and beauty, and he sends Edward's love to her. Margaret whispers to us in the audience that if Lady Bona and Edward get hitched, it will all go downhill for Henry. So we know what's at stake. Margaret speaks up and tells Lewis and Lady Bona that Edward is a tyrant who is only trying to marry her to secure his alliance with France. The real king—Henry—is alive and well, and so is his son. |
WARWICK
Injurious Margaret! PRINCE EDWARD And why not “Queen”? WARWICK
Because thy father Henry did usurp,
And thou no more art prince than she is queen. 85 OXFORD
Then Warwick disannuls great John of Gaunt,
Which did subdue the greatest part of Spain;
And after John of Gaunt, Henry the Fourth,
Whose wisdom was a mirror to the wisest;
And after that wise prince, Henry the Fifth, 90
Who by his prowess conquerèd all France.
From these our Henry lineally descends. WARWICK
Oxford, how haps it in this smooth discourse
You told not how Henry the Sixth hath lost
All that which Henry the Fifth had gotten. 95
Methinks these peers of France should smile at that.
But, for the rest: you tell a pedigree
Of threescore and two years, a silly time
To make prescription for a kingdom’s worth. OXFORD
Why, Warwick, canst thou speak against thy liege, 100
Whom thou obeyed’st thirty and six years,
And not bewray thy treason with a blush? WARWICK
Can Oxford, that did ever fence the right,
Now buckler falsehood with a pedigree?
For shame, leave Henry, and call Edward king. 105 OXFORD
Call him my king, by whose injurious doom
My elder brother, the Lord Aubrey Vere,
Was done to death? And more than so, my father,
Even in the downfall of his mellowed years,
When nature brought him to the door of death? 110
No, Warwick, no. While life upholds this arm,
This arm upholds the house of Lancaster. WARWICK And I the house of York. | Warwick is insulted that Margaret is calling Edward a tyrant, and he says so. Henry is
the usurper here, he says. There's a whole lot of mud-throwing between
them, and Warwick and Oxford fight with one another, too. |
KING LEWIS
Queen Margaret, Prince Edward, and Oxford,
Vouchsafe, at our request, to stand aside 115
While I use further conference with Warwick. They stand aloof.
QUEEN MARGARET, aside
Heavens grant that Warwick’s words bewitch him
not.
KING LEWIS
Now, Warwick, tell me, even upon thy conscience,
Is Edward your true king? For I were loath 120
To link with him that were not lawful chosen. WARWICK
Thereon I pawn my credit and mine honor. KING LEWIS
But is he gracious in the people’s eye? WARWICK
The more that Henry was unfortunate. KING LEWIS
Then further, all dissembling set aside, 125
Tell me for truth the measure of his love
Unto our sister Bona. WARWICK Such it seems
As may beseem a monarch like himself.
Myself have often heard him say and swear 130
That this his love was an eternal plant,
Whereof the root was fixed in virtue’s ground,
The leaves and fruit maintained with beauty’s sun,
Exempt from envy but not from disdain,
Unless the Lady Bona quit his pain. 135 | Lewis interrupts the bickering to tell Margaret and her posse that he'll talk to Warwick for a sec. He asks Warwick if Edward is the "true king," because he doesn't want to end up on the wrong side. Lewis has other questions too: Is Edward gracious? Does he really love Lady Bona? Lewis doesn't want to hand Lady Bona off to a guy who's cruel and doesn't care for her. |
KING LEWIS
Now, sister, let us hear your firm resolve. LADY BONA
Your grant or your denial shall be mine.
(Speaks to Warwick.) Yet I confess that often ere this
day,
When I have heard your king’s desert recounted, 140
Mine ear hath tempted judgment to desire. KING LEWIS
Then, Warwick, thus: our sister shall be Edward’s.
And now forthwith shall articles be drawn
Touching the jointure that your king must make,
Which with her dowry shall be counterpoised.— 145
Draw near, Queen Margaret, and be a witness
That Bona shall be wife to the English king. PRINCE EDWARD
To Edward, but not to the English king. QUEEN MARGARET
Deceitful Warwick, it was thy device
By this alliance to make void my suit. 150
Before thy coming, Lewis was Henry’s friend. KING LEWIS
And still is friend to him and Margaret.
But if your title to the crown be weak,
As may appear by Edward’s good success,
Then ’tis but reason that I be released 155
From giving aid which late I promisèd.
Yet shall you have all kindness at my hand
That your estate requires and mine can yield. WARWICK
Henry now lives in Scotland at his ease,
Where, having nothing, nothing can he lose.— 160
And as for you yourself, our quondam queen,
You have a father able to maintain you,
And better ’twere you troubled him than France. QUEEN MARGARET
Peace, impudent and shameless Warwick,
Proud setter-up and puller-down of kings! 165
I will not hence till with my talk and tears,
Both full of truth, I make King Lewis behold
Thy sly conveyance and thy lord’s false love,
For both of you are birds of selfsame feather. |
|
Post blowing a horn within. KING LEWIS
Warwick, this is some post to us or thee. 170 Enter the Post. POST speaks to Warwick.
My lord ambassador, these letters are for you,
Sent from your brother, Marquess Montague.
(To Lewis.) These from our king unto your Majesty.
(To Margaret.) And, madam, these for you—from
whom, I know not. They all read their letters. 175 OXFORD, aside
I like it well that our fair queen and mistress
Smiles at her news, while Warwick frowns at his. PRINCE EDWARD, aside
Nay, mark how Lewis stamps as he were nettled.
I hope all’s for the best. KING LEWIS
Warwick, what are thy news? And yours, fair queen? 180 QUEEN MARGARET
Mine, such as fill my heart with unhoped joys. WARWICK
Mine, full of sorrow and heart’s discontent. | Mail call: letters arrive for everyone. While Margaret, Warwick, and
Lewis are reading, Oxford notices that Margaret smiles and Warwick
frowns at whatever news they just got. |
KING LEWIS
What, has your king married the Lady Grey,
And now, to soothe your forgery and his,
Sends me a paper to persuade me patience? 185
Is this th’ alliance that he seeks with France?
Dare he presume to scorn us in this manner? QUEEN MARGARET
I told your Majesty as much before.
This proveth Edward’s love and Warwick’s honesty. WARWICK
King Lewis, I here protest in sight of heaven 190
And by the hope I have of heavenly bliss,
That I am clear from this misdeed of Edward’s—
No more my king, for he dishonors me,
But most himself, if he could see his shame.
Did I forget that by the house of York 195
My father came untimely to his death?
Did I let pass th’ abuse done to my niece?
Did I impale him with the regal crown?
Did I put Henry from his native right?
And am I guerdoned at the last with shame? 200
Shame on himself, for my desert is honor!
And to repair my honor lost for him,
I here renounce him and return to Henry. He removes the white rose. My noble queen, let former grudges pass,
And henceforth I am thy true servitor. 205
I will revenge his wrong to Lady Bona
And replant Henry in his former state. | Lewis asks them what the news is. When Lewis finds out that Edward has run off and married Lady Grey, he's ticked. Warwick is shocked, too. He's embarrassed that Edward sent him all the way there to fix him up with Bona only to back out of the deal at the last minute. Not cool, man. |
QUEEN MARGARET
Warwick, these words have turned my hate to love,
And I forgive and quite forget old faults,
And joy that thou becom’st King Henry’s friend. 210 WARWICK
So much his friend, ay, his unfeignèd friend,
That if King Lewis vouchsafe to furnish us
With some few bands of chosen soldiers,
I’ll undertake to land them on our coast
And force the tyrant from his seat by war. 215
’Tis not his new-made bride shall succor him.
And as for Clarence, as my letters tell me,
He’s very likely now to fall from him
For matching more for wanton lust than honor,
Or than for strength and safety of our country. 220 LADY BONA
Dear brother, how shall Bona be revenged
But by thy help to this distressèd queen? QUEEN MARGARET
Renownèd prince, how shall poor Henry live
Unless thou rescue him from foul despair? LADY BONA
My quarrel and this English queen’s are one. 225 | Warwick turns his back on Edward and joins up with Henry's side again. Margaret forgives him and asks for Lewis's help. Bona thinks this is a great idea; after all, she's got egg on her face, too. She's just been rejected by the guy she admitted she was crushing on. It's been a busy afternoon. |
WARWICK
And mine, fair Lady Bona, joins with yours. KING LEWIS
And mine with hers and thine and Margaret’s.
Therefore at last I firmly am resolved
You shall have aid. QUEEN MARGARET
Let me give humble thanks for all, at once. 230 KING LEWIS
Then, England’s messenger, return in post,
And tell false Edward, thy supposèd king,
That Lewis of France is sending over maskers
To revel it with him and his new bride.
Thou seest what’s passed; go fear thy king withal. 235 LADY BONA
Tell him, in hope he’ll prove a widower shortly,
I wear the willow garland for his sake. QUEEN MARGARET
Tell him my mourning weeds are laid aside
And I am ready to put armor on. WARWICK
Tell him from me that he hath done me wrong, 240
And therefore I’ll uncrown him ere ’t be long.
There’s thy reward. Gives money.
Be gone. Post exits. KING LEWIS But, Warwick,
Thou and Oxford with five thousand men 245
Shall cross the seas and bid false Edward battle;
And as occasion serves, this noble queen
And prince shall follow with a fresh supply.
Yet ere thou go, but answer me one doubt:
What pledge have we of thy firm loyalty? 250 | Warwick has also heard that George might stop supporting his brother
too, so it looks like it's the perfect time to be against Edward. |
WARWICK
This shall assure my constant loyalty:
That if our queen and this young prince agree,
I’ll join mine eldest daughter, and my joy,
To him forthwith in holy wedlock bands. QUEEN MARGARET
Yes, I agree, and thank you for your motion. 255
Son Edward, she is fair and virtuous.
Therefore, delay not; give thy hand to Warwick,
And with thy hand, thy faith irrevocable,
That only Warwick’s daughter shall be thine. PRINCE EDWARD
Yes, I accept her, for she well deserves it, 260
And here, to pledge my vow, I give my hand. He gives his hand to Warwick. KING LEWIS
Why stay we now? These soldiers shall be levied,
And thou, Lord Bourbon, our High Admiral,
Shall waft them over with our royal fleet.
I long till Edward fall by war’s mischance 265
For mocking marriage with a dame of France. | Warwick takes it even further: he wants to make sure Margaret knows that he will be totally loyal to her (even though he was just insulting her up the wazoo). So he proposes that his daughter and Margaret's son (Prince Edward) get hitched. Everyone agrees: Warwick's daughter will soon be Mrs. Prince Edward. Lewis will back the new-and-improved Henry campaign to keep the crown. |
WARWICK
I came from Edward as ambassador,
But I return his sworn and mortal foe.
Matter of marriage was the charge he gave me,
But dreadful war shall answer his demand. 270
Had he none else to make a stale but me?
Then none but I shall turn his jest to sorrow.
I was the chief that raised him to the crown,
And I’ll be chief to bring him down again:
Not that I pity Henry’s misery, 275
But seek revenge on Edward’s mockery. He exits. | Once everyone leaves, Warwick thinks about what just happened. He came as an ambassador for Edward, but he's going home as Edward's "mortal foe." Hmm… isn't it weird, he says, that he was Edward's number one fan on his way to the crown, and now he'll be the one to take that crown off his head? |