The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (221 page)

KING HENRY THE SIXTH.

HUMPHREY, Duke of Gloster, his uncle.

CARDINAL BEAUFORT, Bishop of Winchester,

great-uncle to the King.

RICHARD PLANTAGENET, Duke of York.

EDWARD and RICHARD, his sons.

DUKE OF SOMERSET.

DUKE OF SUFFOLK.

DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM.

LORD CLIFFORD.

YOUNG CLIFFORD, his son.

EARL OF SALISBURY.

EARL OF WARWICK.

LORD SCALES.

LORD SAY.

SIR HUMPHREY STAFFORD, and WILLIAM

 STAFFORD, his brother.

SIR JOHN STANLEY.

VAUX.

MATTHEW GOFFE.

A Sea-Captain, Master, and Master's-Mate, and WALTER

 WHITMORE.

Two Gentlemen, prisoners with Suffolk.

JOHN HUME and JOHN SOUTHWELL, priests.

ROGER BOLINGBROKE, a conjurer.

THOMAS HORNER, an armourer.  PETER, his man.

Clerk of Chatham.  Mayor of Saint Albans.

SIMPCOX, an impostor.

ALEXANDER IDEN, a Kentish gentleman.

JACK CADE, a rebel.

GEORGE BEVIS, JOHN HOLLAND, DICK the butcher,

 SMITH the weaver, MICHAEL, etc., followers of Cade.

Two Murderers.

MARGARET, Queen to King Henry.

ELEANOR, Duchess of Gloster.

MARGARET JOURDAIN, a witch.

Wife to Simpcox.

Lords, Ladies, and Attendants, Petitioners, Aldermen, a Herald,

a Beadle, Sheriff, and Officers, Citizens, Prentices,

Falconers, Guards, Soldiers, Messengers, &c.

A Spirit.

SCENE:  England.

[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