Henry VI Part 1: Act 5, Scene 1 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 5, Scene 1 of Henry VI Part 1 from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Sennet. Enter King, Gloucester, and Exeter, with Attendants. KING HENRY, to Gloucester Have you perused the letters from the Pope, The Emperor, and the Earl of Armagnac? GLOUCESTER I have, my lord, and their intent is this: They humbly sue unto your Excellence To have a godly peace concluded of 5 Between the realms of England and of France. KING HENRY How doth your Grace affect their motion? GLOUCESTER Well, my good lord, and as the only means To stop effusion of our Christian blood And stablish quietness on every side. 10	The King, Gloucester, and Exeter are discussing the King's mail. The Pope, who is a figure of great political power as well as spiritual significance, has written and asked England and France to make peace. The King asks Gloucester's advice, and Gloucester says it would be nice if they could stop killing each other and live a quiet life.
KING HENRY Ay, marry, uncle, for I always thought It was both impious and unnatural That such immanity and bloody strife Should reign among professors of one faith. GLOUCESTER Besides, my lord, the sooner to effect 15 And surer bind this knot of amity, The Earl of Armagnac, near knit to Charles, A man of great authority in France, Proffers his only daughter to your Grace In marriage, with a large and sumptuous dowry. 20 KING HENRY Marriage, uncle? Alas, my years are young; And fitter is my study and my books Than wanton dalliance with a paramour. Yet call th’ Ambassadors and, as you please, So let them have their answers every one. 25 An Attendant exits. I shall be well content with any choice Tends to God’s glory and my country’s weal.	We also learn that the Earl of Armagnac, a powerful man in France, has offered his daughter in marriage with a magnificent dowry if that will help conclude the peace deal. The King says he's pretty young to get married, and should probably be doing his homework instead of wooing a bride. He calls the marriage a "wanton dalliance," which seems a little harsh on poor Mademoiselle Armagnac—it sounds more like the way you'd describe a mistress than a wife. Henry may just be too young and clueless to realize that this could be offensive; he certainly doesn't seem to know much about love. He does say he'll be content with any choice that will advance God's glory and the good of his country. This is a noble sentiment, but doesn't seem like the most passionate idea of marriage out there.
Enter Winchester, dressed in cardinal’s robes, and the Ambassador of Armagnac, a Papal Legate, and another Ambassador. EXETER, aside What, is my Lord of Winchester installed And called unto a cardinal’s degree? Then I perceive that will be verified 30 Henry the Fifth did sometime prophesy: “If once he come to be a cardinal, He’ll make his cap coequal with the crown.” KING HENRY My Lords Ambassadors, your several suits Have been considered and debated on; 35 Your purpose is both good and reasonable, And therefore are we certainly resolved To draw conditions of a friendly peace, Which by my Lord of Winchester we mean Shall be transported presently to France. 40	Winchester and some ambassadors turn up. Exeter gives Winchester a hard time about advancing to the rank of cardinal, and says that Henry the Fifth thought Winchester would be trying to equal the King if he got the Cardinal's role. The King says he's good with peace and it will all be arranged.
GLOUCESTER, to the Ambassador of Armagnac And for the proffer of my lord your master, I have informed his Highness so at large As, liking of the lady’s virtuous gifts, Her beauty, and the value of her dower, He doth intend she shall be England’s queen. 45 KING HENRY, handing a jewel to the Ambassador In argument and proof of which contract, Bear her this jewel, pledge of my affection.— And so, my Lord Protector, see them guarded And safely brought to Dover, where, inshipped, Commit them to the fortune of the sea. 50 All except Winchester and Legate exit.	Gloucester tells the ambassador from the Earl of Armagnac that the King likes the Earl's daughter and wants to make her queen. This is kind of odd: Shouldn't Henry be saying this himself? And shouldn't he have decided one way or the other earlier in the scene? This is probably another way of showing his youth and naiveté. The King does send a jewel to the Earl's daughter at least. Fingers crossed it's a nice one.
WINCHESTER Stay, my Lord Legate; you shall first receive The sum of money which I promisèd Should be delivered to his Holiness For clothing me in these grave ornaments. LEGATE I will attend upon your Lordship’s leisure. He exits. 55 WINCHESTER Now Winchester will not submit, I trow, Or be inferior to the proudest peer. Humphrey of Gloucester, thou shalt well perceive That neither in birth or for authority The Bishop will be overborne by thee. 60 I’ll either make thee stoop and bend thy knee, Or sack this country with a mutiny. He exits.	As the scene ends, we get a presumably private moment where Winchester pays off the Pope's representative for making him a cardinal. He also says how happy he is that he'll now be of equal rank with Gloucester, adding that he'll make Gloucester bow to him or else he'll sack the whole country with a mutiny. Which seems a little excessive.

Original Text

Translated Text

Sennet. Enter King, Gloucester, and Exeter,
with Attendants.

KING HENRY, to Gloucester
Have you perused the letters from the Pope,
The Emperor, and the Earl of Armagnac?

GLOUCESTER
I have, my lord, and their intent is this:
They humbly sue unto your Excellence
To have a godly peace concluded of 5
Between the realms of England and of France.

KING HENRY
How doth your Grace affect their motion?

GLOUCESTER
Well, my good lord, and as the only means
To stop effusion of our Christian blood
And stablish quietness on every side. 10

The King, Gloucester, and Exeter are discussing the King's mail. The Pope, who is a figure of great political power as well as spiritual significance, has written and asked England and France to make peace.

The King asks Gloucester's advice, and Gloucester says it would be nice if they could stop killing each other and live a quiet life.

KING HENRY
Ay, marry, uncle, for I always thought
It was both impious and unnatural
That such immanity and bloody strife
Should reign among professors of one faith.

GLOUCESTER
Besides, my lord, the sooner to effect 15
And surer bind this knot of amity,
The Earl of Armagnac, near knit to Charles,
A man of great authority in France,
Proffers his only daughter to your Grace
In marriage, with a large and sumptuous dowry. 20

KING HENRY
Marriage, uncle? Alas, my years are young;
And fitter is my study and my books
Than wanton dalliance with a paramour.
Yet call th’ Ambassadors and, as you please,
So let them have their answers every one. 25

An Attendant exits.

I shall be well content with any choice
Tends to God’s glory and my country’s weal.

We also learn that the Earl of Armagnac, a powerful man in France, has offered his daughter in marriage with a magnificent dowry if that will help conclude the peace deal.

The King says he's pretty young to get married, and should probably be doing his homework instead of wooing a bride. He calls the marriage a "wanton dalliance," which seems a little harsh on poor Mademoiselle Armagnac—it sounds more like the way you'd describe a mistress than a wife. Henry may just be too young and clueless to realize that this could be offensive; he certainly doesn't seem to know much about love.

He does say he'll be content with any choice that will advance God's glory and the good of his country. This is a noble sentiment, but doesn't seem like the most passionate idea of marriage out there.

Enter Winchester, dressed in cardinal’s robes,
and the Ambassador of Armagnac, a Papal Legate,
and another Ambassador.

EXETER, aside
What, is my Lord of Winchester installed
And called unto a cardinal’s degree?
Then I perceive that will be verified 30
Henry the Fifth did sometime prophesy:
“If once he come to be a cardinal,
He’ll make his cap coequal with the crown.”

KING HENRY
My Lords Ambassadors, your several suits
Have been considered and debated on; 35
Your purpose is both good and reasonable,
And therefore are we certainly resolved
To draw conditions of a friendly peace,
Which by my Lord of Winchester we mean
Shall be transported presently to France. 40

Winchester and some ambassadors turn up. Exeter gives Winchester a hard time about advancing to the rank of cardinal, and says that Henry the Fifth thought Winchester would be trying to equal the King if he got the Cardinal's role.

The King says he's good with peace and it will all be arranged.

GLOUCESTER, to the Ambassador of Armagnac
And for the proffer of my lord your master,
I have informed his Highness so at large
As, liking of the lady’s virtuous gifts,
Her beauty, and the value of her dower,
He doth intend she shall be England’s queen. 45

KING HENRY, handing a jewel to the Ambassador
In argument and proof of which contract,
Bear her this jewel, pledge of my affection.—
And so, my Lord Protector, see them guarded
And safely brought to Dover, where, inshipped,
Commit them to the fortune of the sea. 50

All except Winchester and Legate exit.

Gloucester tells the ambassador from the Earl of Armagnac that the King likes the Earl's daughter and wants to make her queen. This is kind of odd: Shouldn't Henry be saying this himself? And shouldn't he have decided one way or the other earlier in the scene? This is probably another way of showing his youth and naiveté.

The King does send a jewel to the Earl's daughter at least. Fingers crossed it's a nice one.

WINCHESTER
Stay, my Lord Legate; you shall first receive
The sum of money which I promisèd
Should be delivered to his Holiness
For clothing me in these grave ornaments.

LEGATE
I will attend upon your Lordship’s leisure. He exits. 55

WINCHESTER
Now Winchester will not submit, I trow,
Or be inferior to the proudest peer.
Humphrey of Gloucester, thou shalt well perceive
That neither in birth or for authority
The Bishop will be overborne by thee. 60
I’ll either make thee stoop and bend thy knee,
Or sack this country with a mutiny.

He exits.

As the scene ends, we get a presumably private moment where Winchester pays off the Pope's representative for making him a cardinal. He also says how happy he is that he'll now be of equal rank with Gloucester, adding that he'll make Gloucester bow to him or else he'll sack the whole country with a mutiny. Which seems a little excessive.

Henry VI Part 1: Act 5, Scene 1 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 5, Scene 1 of Henry VI Part 1 from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text

Translated Text

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