Original Text |
Translated Text |
| Source: Folger Shakespeare Library |
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Enter Bolingbroke, Duke of Hereford, and
Northumberland. BOLINGBROKE
How far is it, my lord, to Berkeley now? NORTHUMBERLAND Believe me, noble lord,
I am a stranger here in Gloucestershire.
These high wild hills and rough uneven ways
Draws out our miles and makes them wearisome. 5
And yet your fair discourse hath been as sugar,
Making the hard way sweet and delectable.
But I bethink me what a weary way
From Ravenspurgh to Cotshall will be found
In Ross and Willoughby, wanting your company, 10
Which, I protest, hath very much beguiled
The tediousness and process of my travel.
But theirs is sweetened with the hope to have
The present benefit which I possess,
And hope to joy is little less in joy 15
Than hope enjoyed. By this the weary lords
Shall make their way seem short as mine hath done
By sight of what I have, your noble company. BOLINGBROKE
Of much less value is my company
Than your good words. But who comes here? 20 | The scene opens in Gloucestershire (a county in southwest England), where Bolingbroke and Northumberland are leading Henry's army toward Cotswold to meet up with Berkeley, Ross, and Willoughby (the other noblemen who have decided to join "Team Henry"). |
Enter Harry Percy. NORTHUMBERLAND It is my son, young Harry Percy,
Sent from my brother Worcester whencesoever.—
Harry, how fares your uncle? PERCY
I had thought, my lord, to have learned his health of
you. 25 NORTHUMBERLAND Why, is he not with the Queen? PERCY
No, my good lord, he hath forsook the court,
Broken his staff of office, and dispersed
The Household of the King. NORTHUMBERLAND
What was his reason? He was not so resolved 30
When last we spake together. PERCY
Because your Lordship was proclaimèd traitor.
But he, my lord, is gone to Ravenspurgh
To offer service to the Duke of Hereford,
And sent me over by Berkeley to discover 35
What power the Duke of York had levied there,
Then with directions to repair to Ravenspurgh. | Northumberland's son Henry Percy shows up. He says Northumberland's
brother Worcester left the court and is on his way to join Henry's army
because Northumberland had been declared a traitor. |
NORTHUMBERLAND
Have you forgot the Duke of Hereford, boy? PERCY
No, my good lord, for that is not forgot
Which ne’er I did remember. To my knowledge 40
I never in my life did look on him. NORTHUMBERLAND
Then learn to know him now. This is the Duke. PERCY, to BolingbrokeMy gracious lord, I tender you my service,
Such as it is, being tender, raw, and young,
Which elder days shall ripen and confirm 45
To more approvèd service and desert. BOLINGBROKE
I thank thee, gentle Percy, and be sure
I count myself in nothing else so happy
As in a soul rememb’ring my good friends;
And as my fortune ripens with thy love, 50
It shall be still thy true love’s recompense.
My heart this covenant makes, my hand thus seals it. Gives Percy his hand. NORTHUMBERLAND, to Percy
How far is it to Berkeley, and what stir
Keeps good old York there with his men of war? PERCY
There stands the castle by yon tuft of trees, 55
Manned with three hundred men, as I have heard,
And in it are the Lords of York, Berkeley, and
Seymour,
None else of name and noble estimate. | Northumberland yells at his son for not showing Henry enough respect. |
Enter Ross and Willoughby. NORTHUMBERLAND
Here come the Lords of Ross and Willoughby, 60
Bloody with spurring, fiery red with haste. BOLINGBROKE
Welcome, my lords. I wot your love pursues
A banished traitor. All my treasury
Is yet but unfelt thanks, which, more enriched,
Shall be your love and labor’s recompense. 65 ROSS
Your presence makes us rich, most noble lord. WILLOUGHBY
And far surmounts our labor to attain it. BOLINGBROKE
Evermore thank’s the exchequer of the poor,
Which, till my infant fortune comes to years,
Stands for my bounty. But who comes here? 70 | Ross and Willoughby show up. Bolingbroke thanks them for coming and
promises to reward them. For now he offers them all he has: his thanks. |
Enter Berkeley. NORTHUMBERLAND
It is my Lord of Berkeley, as I guess. BERKELEY, to Bolingbroke
My Lord of Hereford, my message is to you. BOLINGBROKE
My lord, my answer is—to “Lancaster”;
And I am come to seek that name in England.
And I must find that title in your tongue 75
Before I make reply to aught you say. | Berkeley arrives to deliver a message to Bolingbroke and calls him "my lord of Hereford" (since Henry is the Duke of Hereford). This irritates Bolingbroke, who replies he'll only answer to the name "Lancaster," the title Richard took away. (Remember, because Henry's dad has died, the dukedom of Lancaster was supposed to pass down to Henry, but then King Richard stepped in and stole the land.) |
BERKELEY
Mistake me not, my lord, ’tis not my meaning
To rase one title of your honor out.
To you, my lord, I come, what lord you will,
From the most gracious regent of this land, 80
The Duke of York, to know what pricks you on
To take advantage of the absent time,
And fright our native peace with self-borne arms. | Berkeley's message is from the Duke of York. It goes something like
this: "Dear Henry, in case you forgot, you've been officially banished
from England. So what the heck do you think you're doing showing up here
with a big army? Love, Uncle York.) |
Enter York. BOLINGBROKE
I shall not need transport my words by you.
Here comes his Grace in person. He kneels. 85
My noble uncle. YORK
Show me thy humble heart and not thy knee,
Whose duty is deceivable and false. BOLINGBROKE, standing My gracious uncle— YORK Tut, tut! 90
Grace me no grace, nor uncle me no uncle.
I am no traitor’s uncle, and that word “grace”
In an ungracious mouth is but profane.
Why have those banished and forbidden legs
Dared once to touch a dust of England’s ground? 95
But then, more why: why have they dared to march
So many miles upon her peaceful bosom,
Frighting her pale-faced villages with war
And ostentation of despisèd arms?
Com’st thou because the anointed king is hence? 100
Why, foolish boy, the King is left behind
And in my loyal bosom lies his power.
Were I but now lord of such hot youth
As when brave Gaunt thy father and myself
Rescued the Black Prince, that young Mars of men, 105
From forth the ranks of many thousand French,
O, then, how quickly should this arm of mine,
Now prisoner to the palsy, chastise thee
And minister correction to thy fault! | As Bolingbroke is about to reply, York appears in person. Bolingbroke kneels and calls him "uncle." York says, "show me thy humble heart, and not thy knee." York says he is "no traitor's uncle," and asks again why Bolingbroke has returned from his banishment to disturb England's peace while the "anointed King" is away. |
BOLINGBROKE
My gracious uncle, let me know my fault. 110
On what condition stands it and wherein? YORK
Even in condition of the worst degree,
In gross rebellion and detested treason.
Thou art a banished man and here art come,
Before the expiration of thy time, 115
In braving arms against thy sovereign. BOLINGBROKE
As I was banished, I was banished Hereford,
But as I come, I come for Lancaster.
And, noble uncle, I beseech your Grace
Look on my wrongs with an indifferent eye. 120
You are my father, for methinks in you
I see old Gaunt alive. O, then, my father,
Will you permit that I shall stand condemned
A wandering vagabond, my rights and royalties
Plucked from my arms perforce and given away 125
To upstart unthrifts? Wherefore was I born?
If that my cousin king be king in England,
It must be granted I am Duke of Lancaster.
You have a son, Aumerle, my noble cousin.
Had you first died and he been thus trod down, 130
He should have found his uncle Gaunt a father
To rouse his wrongs and chase them to the bay.
I am denied to sue my livery here,
And yet my letters patents give me leave.
My father’s goods are all distrained and sold, 135
And these, and all, are all amiss employed.
What would you have me do? I am a subject,
And I challenge law. Attorneys are denied me,
And therefore personally I lay my claim
To my inheritance of free descent. 140 | Bolingbroke is all, "Gee, Uncle York. What on earth have I done wrong?" Rebellion and treason, York says. Bolingbroke gets up off his knee, stands, and says that technically, he was banished as the Duke of Hereford. Since he's now the Duke of Lancaster, he should get to come home. After all, King Richard didn't say anything about the Duke of Lancaster being banished. Then Bolingbroke plays the dead dad card and tells his uncle York to cut him some slack. Bolingbroke also points out that if Richard can take away his inheritance, then maybe Henry should take away Richard's (the crown). |
NORTHUMBERLAND, to YorkThe noble duke hath been too much abused. ROSS, to York
It stands your Grace upon to do him right. WILLOUGHBY, to York
Base men by his endowments are made great. YORK
My lords of England, let me tell you this:
I have had feeling of my cousin’s wrongs 145
And labored all I could to do him right.
But in this kind to come, in braving arms,
Be his own carver and cut out his way
To find out right with wrong, it may not be.
And you that do abet him in this kind 150
Cherish rebellion and are rebels all. | Northumberland, Ross, and Willoughby join in and try to convince York
that Bolingbroke has been wronged. York agrees in principle, but says
that Henry shouldn't have shown up with an army. It sort of sends the
wrong message. |
NORTHUMBERLAND
The noble duke hath sworn his coming is
But for his own, and for the right of that
We all have strongly sworn to give him aid.
And let him never see joy that breaks that oath. 155 YORK
Well, well. I see the issue of these arms.
I cannot mend it, I must needs confess,
Because my power is weak and all ill-left.
But if I could, by Him that gave me life,
I would attach you all and make you stoop 160
Unto the sovereign mercy of the King.
But since I cannot, be it known unto you
I do remain as neuter. So fare you well—
Unless you please to enter in the castle
And there repose you for this night. 165 | Northumberland chimes in that Henry has sworn to come only to claim his own property and not to take over England. (Get your highlighters out, because this is important.) York gives up. He says he's too weak to stop Henry from rebelling. It's late and Henry's army has had a big day, so York generously offers to let them all spend the night at the king's castle so they can be bright-eyed and bushy tailed in the morning. (This is weird, right?) |
BOLINGBROKE
An offer, uncle, that we will accept.
But we must win your Grace to go with us
To Bristow Castle, which they say is held
By Bushy, Bagot, and their complices,
The caterpillars of the commonwealth, 170
Which I have sworn to weed and pluck away. YORK
It may be I will go with you; but yet I’ll pause,
For I am loath to break our country’s laws.
Nor friends nor foes, to me welcome you are.
Things past redress are now with me past care. 175
They exit. | Bolingbroke is all, "Thanks Uncle York, but I need to get to Bristol Castle ASAP so I can take care of Bushy and Green. Why don't you come with?" York pauses. He really hates it when people like Henry break the laws of the land, but he finally agrees to go with Henry. (Hmm... If York is as loyal to the king as he says he is, why the heck is joining up with "Team Henry"?) |