Henry VI, Part Two In Plain and Simple English (Digital Download)
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A Kingdom on the Brink


Immerse yourself in the gripping drama of a kingdom teetering on the edge of chaos. "Henry VI, Part 2" is one of Shakespeare's monumental histories, offering a deep dive into the turbulent heart of a nation divided. While it's an undisputed masterpiece, the Bard's nuanced prose can sometimes elude the modern reader. But if Shakespeare's words have ever felt like a challenging puzzle, rest assured, you're in good company.


In the intricate mosaic of the Wars of the Roses, each part of the "Henry VI" trilogy casts light on a unique facet of the conflict. "Henry VI, Part 1" lays out the seeds of discord, painting a bleak picture of lost territories in France and the simmering unrest at home. "Henry VI, Part 3" brings forth the gruesome specter of warfare. But it's in "2 Henry VI" where the tectonic plates of ambition, betrayal, and power truly collide. Watch as King Henry grapples with unruly nobles, mourns the loss of his loyal advisor, Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, and contends with the ambitious Duke of York. Feel the tension build to the explosive First Battle of St Albans, the cataclysmic event that marked the dawn of the Wars of the Roses.


Spanning from the fallout after Henry V's death to the ascent of Henry VII, this play, combined with the others in the tetralogy, offers a panoramic view of a tumultuous era, a whirlwind of loyalty and treachery, valor, and villainy.


To illuminate Shakespeare's masterpiece for the 21st century, BookCaps presents a meticulously crafted modern translation of "Henry VI, Part 2." Dive into an accessible and captivating narrative that echoes the essence of the original while making it more relatable than ever. With the original and its modern counterpart side by side, traverse the stormy seas of Shakespeare's genius, and discover a timeless tale of a realm in upheaval.

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EXCERT FROM HENRY VI: PART ONE MODERN ENGLISH

Act I
SCENE I. London. The palace [Flourish of trumpets:  then hautboys. Enter the KING, GLOSTER,

SALISBURY, WARWICK, and CARDINAL BEAUFORT, on the

one side; the QUEEN, SUFFOLK, YORK, SOMERSET, and

BUCKINGHAM, on the other.]

SUFFOLK.

As by your high imperial Majesty

I had in charge at my depart for France,

As procurator to your excellence,

To marry Princess Margaret for your grace,

So, in the famous ancient city Tours,

In presence of the Kings of France and Sicil,

The Dukes of Orleans, Calaber, Bretagne, and Alencon,

Seven earls, twelve barons, and twenty reverend bishops,

I have perform'd my task and was espous'd,

And humbly now upon my bended knee,

In sight of England and her lordly peers,

Deliver up my title in the queen

To your most gracious hands, that are the substance

Of that great shadow I did represent:

The happiest gift that ever marquess gave,

The fairest queen that ever king receiv'd.

Following the orders your most imperial majesty

gave me as I left for France,

as agent for your excellency,

to marry Princess Margaret on your behalf,

so, in the famous ancient city of Tours,

in the presence of the kings of France and Sicily,

the Dukes of Orleans, Calaber, Brittany and Alencon,

seven earls, twelve barons and twenty holy bishops,

I performed my task and was married as your representative,

and now I kneel humbly before you,

with the people and peers of England as my witness,

and hand over my rights to the Queen

into your most gracious hands, the physical manifestation

of the greatness that I represented:

the best gift any Marquis ever gave,

the most beautiful fair Queen that was ever welcomed by a King.

 

KING.

Suffolk, arise.--Welcome, Queen Margaret.

I can express no kinder sign of love

Than this kind kiss.--O Lord, that lends me life,

Lend me a heart replete with thankfulness!

For thou hast given me in this beauteous face

A world of earthly blessings to my soul,

If sympathy of love unite our thoughts.

Suffolk, stand up. Welcome, Queen Margaret.

I can give you no sweeter sign of love

than this sweet kiss. Oh God, who gave me life,

make my heart be grateful!

For you have given my soul a world full

of earthly blessings with this beautiful face,

if we become united in our love.

QUEEN.

Great King of England and my gracious lord,

The mutual conference that my mind hath had,

By day, by night, waking and in my dreams,

In courtly company or at my beads,

With you, mine alder-liefest sovereign,

Makes me the bolder to salute my king

With ruder terms, such as my wit affords

And over-joy of heart doth minister.

Great King of England and my gracious lord,

by day, by night, waking and in my dreams,

in noble company or doing my house work,

the shared thoughts that I've had with you

my most beloved sovereign,

emboldens me to greet my king

with familiarity, as far as my wit can manage

and my brimming heart allows.

KING.

Her sight did ravish, but her grace in speech,

Her words yclad with wisdom's majesty,

Makes me from wondering fall to weeping joys;

Such is the fulness of my heart's content.--

Lords, with one cheerful voice welcome my love.

Her looks are enchanting, but her grace in speech,

with her words full of the majesty of wisdom,

makes me change from amazement to weeping happiness;

this is how overjoyed my heart is.

Lords, be unanimous in happily welcoming my love.

ALL.

[Kneeling] Long live Queen Margaret, England's

happiness!

Long live Queen Margaret, the joy of England!

QUEEN.

We thank you all.

I thank you all.

[Flourish.]

SUFFOLK.

My Lord Protector, so it please your grace,

Here are the articles of contracted peace

Between our sovereign and the French king Charles,

For eighteen months concluded by consent.

My Lord Protector, if you please,

here is the peace treaty agreed

between our king and the French King Charles,

agreed to last the next eighteen months

GLOSTER.

[Reads] 'Imprimis, It is agreed between the French king

Charles and William de la Pole, Marquess of Suffolk, ambassador

for Henry King of England, that the said Henry shall espouse the

Lady Margaret, daughter unto Reignier King of Naples, Sicilia,

and Jerusalem, and crown her Queen of England ere the thirtieth

of May next ensuing. Item, that the duchy of Anjou and the

county of Maine shall be released and delivered to the king her

father'--

“Firstly, it is agreed between the French king

Charles and William de la Pole Marquis of Suffolk, ambassador

for Henry King of England, that the aforementioned Henry shall marry

Lady Margaret, daughter of Reignier King of Naples, Sicily

and Jerusalem, and crown her as Queen of England before next

May the thirtieth. Next, the Duchy of Anjou and the

county of Maine shall be freed and handed over to her father the King–"

[Lets the paper fall.]

KING.

Uncle, how now!

Uncle, what's this!

GLOSTER.

Pardon me, gracious lord;

Some sudden qualm hath struck me at the heart

And dimm'd mine eyes, that I can read no further.

Excuse me, gracious lord;

some sudden tremor affected my heart

and clouded my eyes, so I can read no more.

KING.

Uncle of Winchester, I pray, read on.

My uncle of Winchester, please carry on reading.

CARDINAL.

[Reads] 'Item, It is further agreed between them,

that the duchies of Anjou and Maine shall be released and

delivered over to the king her father, and she sent over of the

King of

England's own proper cost and charges, without having any dowry.'

“Item, it is further agreed between them

that the duchies of Anjou and Maine shall be freed and

handed over to her father the King, and she shall be sent over

to be supported and maintained by King of England, without any dowry."

KING.

They please us well.--Lord marquess, kneel down.

We here create thee the first duke of Suffolk,

And girt thee with the sword.--Cousin of York,

We here discharge your grace from being regent

I' the parts of France, till term of eighteen months

Be full expir'd.--Thanks, uncle Winchester,

Gloster, York, Buckingham, Somerset,

Salisbury, and Warwick;

We thank you all for this great favour done

In entertainment to my princely queen.

Come, let us in, and with all speed provide

To see her coronation be perform'd.

I am happy with these conditions. Lord Marquis, kneel down.

I now create you the first Duke of Suffolk,

and touch you with my sword. Cousin of York,

I hereby relieve your grace of the duties of Regent

over the French territories, until eighteen months

are up. Thank you, uncle Winchester,

Gloucester, York, Buckingham, Somerset,

Salisbury, and Warwick;

I thank you all for the great kindness you have done me

in welcoming my princely Queen.

Come, let's go inside, and as quickly as possible prepare

for her coronation.

[Exeunt King, Queen, and Suffolk.]

GLOSTER.

Brave peers of England, pillars of the state,

To you Duke Humphrey must unload his grief,

Your grief, the common grief of all the land.

What! did my brother Henry spend his youth,

His valour, coin, and people, in the wars?

Did he so often lodge in open field,

In winter's cold and summer's parching heat,

To conquer France, his true inheritance?

And did my brother Bedford toil his wits

To keep by policy what Henry got?

Have you yourselves, Somerset, Buckingham,

Brave York, Salisbury, and victorious Warwick,

Receiv'd deep scars in France and Normandy?

Or hath mine uncle Beaufort and myself,

With all the learned counsel of the realm,

Studied so long, sat in the council-house

Early and late, debating to and fro

How France and Frenchmen might be kept in awe,

And had his highness in his infancy

Crowned in Paris in despite of foes?

And shall these labours and these honours die?

Shall Henry's conquest, Bedford's vigilance,

Your deeds of war, and all our counsel die?

O peers of England, shameful is this league!

Fatal this marriage, cancelling your fame,

Blotting your names from books of memory,

Razing the characters of your renown,

Defacing monuments of conquer'd France,

Undoing all, as all had never been!

Brave peers of England, pillars of the state,

Duke  Humphrey must reveal his sorrow to you,

your sorrow, the shared sorrow of the whole country.

What! Did my brother Henry not spent his youth,

his bravery, money and people on wars?

Did he not spend so many days living in the fields,

in the cold of winter and the scorching heat of summer,

to conquer France, his true inheritance?

And did my brother Bedford not rack his brains

to keep through politics what Henry had won?

Have you yourselves, Somerset, Buckingham,

brave York, Salisbury, and triumphant Warwick,

not suffered steep wounds fighting in France and Normandy?

Did my uncle Beaufort and myself not,

with all the most learned advisers in the country,

study for so long, sitting in the council chamber

from morning till night, debating amongst us

how France and the Frenchmen could be kept under control,

and did we not have his Highness as a child

crowned in Paris against the opposition of his enemies?

Will all this labour and brave behaviour be for nothing?

Shall Henry's victory, Bedford's careful stewardship,

your efforts in battle and all our debating be for nothing?

Oh peers of England, this is a shameful alliance!

A fatal marriage, which wipes out your fame,

erases your names from the books of history,

scratching out the letters which told of your great deeds,

tearing down the monuments to our victories in France,

taking away everything, as if it had never existed!

CARDINAL.

Nephew, what means this passionate discourse,

This peroration with such circumstance?

For France, 't is ours; and we will keep it still.

Nephew, what do you mean by this passionate speech,

this oratory which seems to be so full of foreboding?

France belongs to us; and we shall keep it.

GLOSTER.

Ay, uncle, we will keep it if we can,

But now it is impossible we should.

Suffolk, the new-made duke that rules the roost,

Hath given the duchy of Anjou and Maine

Unto the poor King Reignier, whose large style

Agrees not with the leanness of his purse.

Yes, uncle, we would keep it if we could,

but now that is impossible.

Suffolk, the newly created duke who now is favourite,

has given the Duchy of Anjou and Maine

to the poor King Reignier, whose great titles

are not matched by his wealth.

SALISBURY.

Now, by the death of Him that died for all,

These counties were the keys of Normandy!--

But wherefore weeps Warwick, my valiant son?

I swear, on the cross of Jesus,

those counties are the key to holding Normandy!

But why is my brave son Warwick weeping?

WARWICK.

For grief that they are past recovery;

For, were there hope to conquer them again,

My sword should shed hot blood, mine eyes no tears.

Anjou and Maine! myself did win them both,

Those provinces these arms of mine did conquer;

And are the cities that I got with wounds

Deliver'd up again with peaceful words?

Mort Dieu!

From grief that they cannot be recovered;

for, if there were any chance of re-conquering them,

my sword would be spilling blood, instead of my eyes spilling tears.

Anjou and Maine! I conquered them both,

I won those provinces with these arms of mine;

so are the cities that I received wounds to win

being returned with peaceful words?

My God!

YORK.

For Suffolk's duke, may he be suffocate,

That dims the honour of this warlike isle!

France should have torn and rent my very heart,

Before I would have yielded to this league.

I never read but England's kings have had

Large sums of gold and dowries with their wives;

And our King Henry gives away his own,

To match with her that brings no vantages.

May the Duke of Suffolk be suffocated

for tarnishing the honour of this military island!

France would have had to tell my heart

before I would have agreed to this alliance.

I have never read of any English king who did not have

large  payments of gold and goods as dowries for their wives;

our King Henry has given away what he owned,

to marry someone who brings nothing with her.

GLOSTER.

A proper jest, and never heard before,

That Suffolk should demand a whole fifteenth

For costs and charges in transporting her!

She should have staid in France, and starv'd in France,

Before--

It's a good joke, never seen before,

that Suffolk was allowed to raise a six percent tax

to pay for the expense of bringing her here!

She should have stayed in France, and starved in France,

before–

CARDINAL.

My Lord of Gloster, now ye grow too hot;

It was the pleasure of my lord the King.

My Lord of Gloucester, now you are getting too angry;

it was what my lord the king wished.

GLOSTER.

My Lord of Winchester, I know your mind;

'T is not my speeches that you do mislike,

But 't is my presence that doth trouble ye.

Rancour will out.

Proud prelate, in thy face

I see thy fury; if I longer stay,

We shall begin our ancient bickerings.--

Lordings, farewell; and say, when I am gone,

I prophesied France will be lost ere long.

My Lord of Winchester, I know what you're thinking;

it's not what I'm saying that you object to,

but my presence here.

Spite will show itself.

Arrogant Bishop, I can see your anger

in your face; if I stay here longer,

we will recommence our old arguments–

Lords, farewell; after I'm gone remember

that I predicted that France will be lost before long.
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