Cardinal Beaufort Character Analysis in Henry VI Part 2

Cardinal Beaufort, great-uncle to King Henry VI, is both a bishop and a political advisor in the English royal court. Despite his official position in England’s religious hierarchy, he is much less genuinely pious than Henry. Arrogant, ambitious, and vulgar, he conspires with the Duke of Suffolk against Henry’s loyal uncle and Lord Protector, the Duke of Gloucester, because he hates Gloucester and covets Gloucester’s power. After Suffolk and Cardinal Beaufort have Gloucester murdered, the Cardinal is struck by a sudden illness and, after raving in a guilty delirium about Gloucester’s ghost, dies.

Cardinal Beaufort Quotes in Henry VI Part 2

The Henry VI Part 2 quotes below are all either spoken by Cardinal Beaufort or refer to Cardinal Beaufort. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Wife:

Alas, sir, we did it for pure need.

Related Characters: Cardinal Beaufort, Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York, Sir Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester

Page Number and Citation: 2.1.170

Explanation and Analysis:

Duchess:

My joy is death—

Death, at whose name I oft have been afeard,

Because I wished this world’s eternity.

Related Characters: Dame Eleanor Cobham, Duchess of Gloucester (speaker), Cardinal Beaufort

Page Number and Citation: 2.4.89-91

Explanation and Analysis:

Gloucester:

And if my death might make this island happy

And prove the period of their tyranny,

I would expend it with all willingness.

But mine is made the prologue to their play;

For thousands more, that yet suspect no peril,

Will not conclude their plotted tragedy.

Related Characters: Sir Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester (speaker), Cardinal Beaufort, Queen Margaret, King Henry VI, William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk

Page Number and Citation: 3.1.149-154

Explanation and Analysis:

King Henry:

O Thou that judgest all things, stay my thoughts,

My thoughts that labor to persuade my soul

Some violent hands were laid on Humphrey’s life.

If my suspect be false, forgive me, God,

For judgment only doth belong to Thee.

Related Characters: King Henry VI (speaker), Cardinal Beaufort, Queen Margaret, William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk, Sir Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester

Page Number and Citation: 3.2.140-144

Explanation and Analysis:

King Henry:

What stronger breastplate than a heart untainted?

Thrice is he armed that hath his quarrel just,

And he but naked, though locked up in steel,

Whose conscience with injustice is corrupted.

Related Characters: King Henry VI (speaker), Cardinal Beaufort, Earl of Warwick, Sir Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk

Page Number and Citation: 3.2.240-243

Explanation and Analysis:

Warwick:

So bad a death argues a monstrous life.

King Henry:

Forbear to judge, for we are sinners all.

Related Characters: Earl of Warwick (speaker), King Henry VI (speaker), Sir Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, Cardinal Beaufort

Page Number and Citation: 3.3.30-31

Explanation and Analysis:

Cade:

I feel remorse in myself with his words, but I’ll bridle it. He shall die, an it be but for pleading so well for his life. Away with him! He has a familiar under his tongue; he speaks not I’ God’s name.

Related Characters: Jack Cade (speaker), Cardinal Beaufort, King Henry VI, William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk, Sir Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, Richard Plantagenet, Duke of York

Page Number and Citation: 4.7.105-108

Explanation and Analysis:

Cardinal Beaufort Character Timeline in Henry VI Part 2

The timeline below shows where the character Cardinal Beaufort appears in Henry VI Part 2. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...Henry VI, the Duke of Gloucester, the Earl of Salisbury, the Earl of Warwick, and Cardinal Beaufort meet Queen Margaret, Suffolk, the Duke of York, the Duke of Somerset, and Buckingham.... (full context)

King Henry asks Cardinal Beaufort, whom he calls “Uncle,” to finish reading the treaty. Beaufort reads the rest: since... (full context)

...and blood on claiming French territory—for nothing. He decries both the marriage and the treaty. Cardinal Beaufort questions Gloucester’s outburst and claims that England will retain France forever. When Gloucester points... (full context)

...repayment for Margaret’s travel costs and declares she should never have come to England. Warningly, Cardinal Beaufort reminds Gloucester that Henry wanted this outcome. Gloucester accuses Beaufort of hating him, then... (full context)

Cardinal Beaufort argues to the remaining lords that Gloucester is their “enemy,” reminding them that Gloucester... (full context)

...unlike the self-interested Somerset and Buckingham. He argues that Gloucester is a virtuous aristocrat, whereas Cardinal Beaufort is arrogant and vulgar. Then he points out that the common people respect Warwick... (full context)

...because he had a nightmare where his Protector’s staff was snapped in two, possibly by Cardinal Beaufort, and Somerset and Suffolk’s decapitated heads were displayed on the two pieces. (full context)

...answer the Duchess’s questions. The Duchess pays him and leaves. Left alone, Hume admits that Cardinal Beaufort and Suffolk hired him to coax the Duchess into treason and bring down Gloucester... (full context)

...for the Duchess that will permanently solve Margaret’s problem. Then he advises her that although Cardinal Beaufort is objectionable, they should temporarily ally with him to take down Gloucester. (full context)

Trumpets play as King Henry, Gloucester, the Duchess, Cardinal Beaufort, Buckingham, Salisbury, Somerset sporting a red rose, York sporting a white rose, and Warwick... (full context)

...running England badly, treating its lords like serfs, and letting France get the upper hand. Cardinal Beaufort, Buckingham, Somerset, and Margaret join in, accusing Gloucester of over-taxation and embezzlement, cruel and... (full context)

...mere infant, declares she’ll have revenge on Margaret for hitting her, and leaves. Buckingham tells Cardinal Beaufort he’ll go spy on the Duchess, predicting her anger will make her self-destructive, and... (full context)

King Henry, Queen Margaret, Gloucester, Cardinal Beaufort, Suffolk, and the rest of the hawking party enter. When Henry praises Gloucester’s falcon... (full context)

...Margaret not to egg on the lords, reminding her that “blessed are the peacemakers.” After Cardinal Beaufort declares that he’ll make peace with Gloucester “with a sword,” Gloucester and the Cardinal... (full context)

...summoned a spirit and asked it questions about King Henry and some other lords. When Cardinal Beaufort gloats to Gloucester that Gloucester probably won’t be able to keep their duel appointment,... (full context)

...that her husband won’t help her. She then warns him that Suffolk, Margaret, York, and Cardinal Beaufort are all plotting to entrap him. Gloucester brushes off her warning, claiming that he... (full context)

...with Margaret and claims that Gloucester was directly or indirectly responsible for the Duchess’s treason. Cardinal Beaufort says that Gloucester condemned minor criminals to cruel, weird executions. York insinuates that he... (full context)

...used his own money to pay soldiers rather than levying taxes on the public. When Cardinal Beaufort says that this story benefits Gloucester, Gloucester retorts that it’s true. (full context)

...accusations, he stands accused of even “mightier crimes” against King Henry—and will remain in the Cardinal’s custody until his “trial.” Henry tells Gloucester that he believes Gloucester “innocent” and hopes the... (full context)

...power, he expects thousands more will perish before the power struggle ends. He accuses the Cardinal of “malice,” Suffolk of “hate,” Buckingham of envy, York of overreaching ambition, and Margaret of... (full context)

Cardinal Beaufort tells King Henry that if Henry lets Gloucester berate Henry’s defenders, said defenders won’t... (full context)

To the Cardinal, Suffolk, and York, Margaret criticizes Henry’s passivity and emotionalism, claiming that Gloucester’s false show of... (full context)

...he did in France. York and Somerset almost fight, but Queen Margaret intervenes. Then the Cardinal proposes that York leads soldiers into Ireland to put down the rebellion. York agrees. The... (full context)

...them to go to his house for payment. After they leave, King Henry, Queen Margaret, Cardinal Beaufort, and Somerset enter. Henry orders Gloucester summoned to trial. Suffolk volunteers to fetch Gloucester.... (full context)

...arrive, accompanied by commoners. Addressing King Henry, Warwick says rumors have spread that Suffolk and Cardinal Beaufort had Gloucester killed, enraging the common people. Henry says he doesn’t know how Gloucester... (full context)

...attitude of struggle. Suffolk asks who could have killed Gloucester when he himself and the Cardinal—surely “no murderers”—had Gloucester in custody. Warwick points out that Suffolk and the Cardinal were Gloucester’s... (full context)

...When Queen Margaret asks where he’s rushing, he says he has news for King Henry: Cardinal Beaufort is dying of an acute illness and, in his delirium, is reviling God, talking... (full context)

King Henry, Salisbury, and Warwick visit Cardinal Beaufort, who is lying in bed. The Cardinal asks whether Henry is Death and tries... (full context)

Henry VI Part 2

Cardinal Beaufort Character Analysis

Cardinal Beaufort Quotes in Henry VI Part 2

Act 2, Scene 1 Quotes

Act 2, Scene 4 Quotes

Act 3, Scene 1 Quotes

Act 3, Scene 2 Quotes

Act 3, Scene 3 Quotes

Act 4, Scene 7 Quotes

Cardinal Beaufort Character Timeline in Henry VI Part 2