Previous
Act 2, Scene 3
Henry VI, Part 1 Translation Act 2, Scene 4
Enter the Earls of SOMERSET, SUFFOLK, and WARWICK; RICHARD PLANTAGENET, VERNON, and another Lawyer
PLANTAGENET
Great lords and gentlemen, what means this silence?Dare no man answer in a case of truth?
PLANTAGENET
What do you mean by this silence, great lords and gentlemen? Do none of you dare to answer in the name of truth?
SUFFOLK
Within the Temple-hall we were too loud;The garden here is more convenient.
SUFFOLK
We were too loud inside the Temple hall, so here in the garden is more convenient.
PLANTAGENET
Then say at once if I maintain'd the truth;Or else was wrangling Somerset in the error?
PLANTAGENET
Then tell me immediately if I told the truth, or to put it another way: was the argumentative Somerset wrong?
Ask LitCharts AI:
The answer to your questions
Get instant explanations to your questions about anything we cover.
Powered by LitCharts content and AI.
Learn More
Powered by LitCharts content and AI.
Ask LitCharts AI:
The answer to your questions
Ask LitCharts AI:
The answer to your questions
Learn More
SUFFOLK
Faith, I have been a truant in the law,And never yet could frame my will to it;And therefore frame the law unto my will.
SUFFOLK
It is true that I have been negligent in the law, and never could adapt my will to it, and instead I adapt the law onto my will.
SOMERSET
Judge you, my Lord of Warwick, then, between us.
SOMERSET
My lord of Warwick, decide, then between us.
WARWICK
Between two hawks, which flies the higher pitch; Between two dogs, which hath the deeper mouth; Between two blades, which bears the better temper: Between two horses, which doth bear him best; Between two girls, which hath the merriest eye; I have perhaps some shallow spirit of judgement; But in these nice sharp quillets of the law, Good faith, I am no wiser than a daw.
WARWICK
Between two hawks, which flies to the higher point? Between two dogs, which has the deeper bark? Between two swords' blades, which has the better quality? Between two horses, which carries himself best? Between two girls, which has the prettier eye? Maybe I have a naive sense of judgement, but in these precise, sharp, fine distinctions of the law, I'm no smarter than a jackdaw.
PLANTAGENET
Tut, tut, here is a mannerly forbearance:The truth appears so naked on my sideThat any purblind eye may find it out.
PLANTAGENET
Tut tut! Here is a courteous reluctance to be involved. The truth looks so obvious from where I'm standing that anyone, even someone partially blind, could discover it.
SOMERSET
And on my side it is so well apparell'd,So clear, so shining and so evidentThat it will glimmer through a blind man's eye.
SOMERSET
And from where I'm standing, it is so well dressed, so clear, shining and evident that it could shine through a blind man's eye.
PLANTAGENET
Since you are tongue-tied and so loath to speak, In dumb significants proclaim your thoughts: Let him that is a true-born gentleman And stands upon the honour of his birth, If he suppose that I have pleaded truth, From off this brier pluck a white rose with me.
PLANTAGENET
Since you are unable to express yourself clearly and hate to speak, show us your thoughts in dumb signs. Let him—a true-born gentleman who values the honor of his birth—pluck a white rose with me from this bush here, if he thinks that I have spoken the truth.
SOMERSET
Let him that is no coward nor no flatterer,But dare maintain the party of the truth,Pluck a red rose from off this thorn with me.
SOMERSET
Let him that is no coward or flatterer, but who dares to tell the real truth, pluck a red rose with me, from this thorn.
WARWICK
I love no colours, and without all colourOf base insinuating flatteryI pluck this white rose with Plantagenet.
WARWICK
I don't love any color and without all colors of lowly subtle flattery, I pluck this white rose with Plantagenet.
SUFFOLK
I pluck this red rose with young SomersetAnd say withal I think he held the right.
SUFFOLK
I pluck this red rose with young Somerset and I will also say that I think he is in the right.
VERNON
Stay, lords and gentlemen, and pluck no more, Till you conclude that he upon whose side The fewest roses are cropp'd from the tree Shall yield the other in the right opinion.
VERNON
Stop, lords and gentlemen and don't pluck any more, until you agree that whichever side has the fewest roses taken from the tree, shall admit to the other that he is right.
SOMERSET
Good Master Vernon, it is well objected:If I have fewest, I subscribe in silence.
SOMERSET
Good master Vernon, that's a good argument that you bring forward. If I have the fewest, I submit in silence.
PLANTAGENET
And I.
PLANTAGENET
As will I.
VERNON
Then for the truth and plainness of the case.I pluck this pale and maiden blossom here,Giving my verdict on the white rose side.
VERNON
Then, for the sake of the truth and the plainness of the case, I pluck this pale and pure blossom here, by which I give a verdict on the white rose side.
SOMERSET
Prick not your finger as you pluck it off,Lest bleeding you do paint the white rose redAnd fall on my side so, against your will.
SOMERSET
Don't prick your finger as you pluck it off, or else your bleeding may paint the white rose red and put you on my side, against your will.
VERNON
If I my lord, for my opinion bleed,Opinion shall be surgeon to my hurtAnd keep me on the side where still I am.
VERNON
If I bleed for my opinion, my lord, opinion shall be the doctor to my wound and keep me on the side I was on before.
SOMERSET
Well, well, come on: who else?
SOMERSET
Well, well, come on! Anyone else?
LAWYER
Unless my study and my books be false,The argument you held was wrong in you:
LAWYER
Unless my studies and my books were incorrect, the argument you believed in was wrong.
To SOMERSET
LAWYER
In sign whereof I pluck a white rose too.
LAWYER
As a sign of that, I also pluck a white rose.
PLANTAGENET
Now, Somerset, where is your argument?
PLANTAGENET
Somerset, where is your argument now?
SOMERSET
Here in my scabbard, meditating thatShall dye your white rose in a bloody red.
SOMERSET
Here, in the sheath of my sword, thinking on that which shall dye your white rose a bloody red.
PLANTAGENET
Meantime your cheeks do counterfeit our roses;For pale they look with fear, as witnessingThe truth on our side.
PLANTAGENET
In the meantime, your cheeks imitate our roses, since they look white with fear, as they can see that the truth is on our side.
SOMERSET
No, Plantagenet, 'Tis not for fear but anger that thy cheeks Blush for pure shame to counterfeit our roses, And yet thy tongue will not confess thy error.
SOMERSET
No, Plantagenet. It is not with fear but with anger that your cheeks blush out of pure shame, which imitates our roses. And yet your tongue will not admit that you're wrong.
PLANTAGENET
Hath not thy rose a canker, Somerset?
PLANTAGENET
Does not your rose have a canker, Somerset?
SOMERSET
Hath not thy rose a thorn, Plantagenet?
SOMERSET
Does not your rose have a thorn, Plantagenet?
PLANTAGENET
Ay, sharp and piercing, to maintain his truth;Whiles thy consuming canker eats his falsehood.
PLANTAGENET
Ah yes, sharp and piercing to maintain its truth, while your hungry canker eats all its falsehood.
SOMERSET
Well, I'll find friends to wear my bleeding roses,That shall maintain what I have said is true,Where false Plantagenet dare not be seen.
SOMERSET
Well, I'll find friends who will wear my bleeding roses and they shall maintain that what I have said is true, where the dishonest Plantagenet doesn't dare to be seen.
PLANTAGENET
Now, by this maiden blossom in my hand,I scorn thee and thy fashion, peevish boy.
PLANTAGENET
Now, by this pure blossom in my hand, I shall mock you and your fashion of wearing a red rose, you foolish boy.
SUFFOLK
Turn not thy scorns this way, Plantagenet.
SUFFOLK
Don't point your mockery this way, Plantagenet.
PLANTAGENET
Proud Pole, I will, and scorn both him and thee.
PLANTAGENET
Proud Pole, I will and mock both him and you.
SUFFOLK
I'll turn my part thereof into thy throat.
SUFFOLK
I'll throw the mockery back down your throat.
SOMERSET
Away, away, good William de la Pole!We grace the yeoman by conversing with him.
SOMERSET
Let's go away, good William de la Pole! We favor the gentleman by talking to him.
WARWICK
Now, by God's will, thou wrong'st him, Somerset; His grandfather was Lionel Duke of Clarence, Third son to the third Edward King of England: Spring crestless yeomen from so deep a root?
WARWICK
Now, by God's will, you do him wrong, Somerset. His grandfather was Lionel Duke of Clarence, third son to the third Edward King of England. Do yeomen without a heraldic base to their family tree come from such a line?
PLANTAGENET
He bears him on the place's privilege,Or durst not, for his craven heart, say thus.
PLANTAGENET
He relies on the fact that this is a privileged place, but does not, since he has a heart of a coward, say so.
SOMERSET
By him that made me, I'll maintain my words On any plot of ground in Christendom. Was not thy father, Richard Earl of Cambridge, For treason executed in our late king's days? And, by his treason, stand'st not thou attainted, Corrupted, and exempt from ancient gentry? His trespass yet lives guilty in thy blood; And, till thou be restored, thou art a yeoman.
SOMERSET
I'll keep to my word on any plot on the ground in the Christian land, by him that made me. Wasn't your father, Richard Earl of Cambridge, executed for treason in the days of our last king? And because of this treason, are you not stained, corrupted and excluded from the ancient aristocracy? His sin still lives in your blood, full of guilt. And until you are reinstated, you are only a servant.
PLANTAGENET
My father was attached, not attainted, Condemn'd to die for treason, but no traitor; And that I'll prove on better men than Somerset, Were growing time once ripen'd to my will. For your partaker Pole and you yourself, I'll note you in my book of memory, To scourge you for this apprehension: Look to it well and say you are well warn'd.
PLANTAGENET
My father was arrested, not stained. He was condemned to die for treason, but he was no traitor. And I'll prove that to men better than you, Somerset, given the opportunity. Your supporter Pole and yourself, I will make sure to remember so I can punish you for your opinion. Beware of it and don't say that you weren't warned.
SOMERSET
Ah, thou shalt find us ready for thee still;And know us by these colours for thy foes,For these my friends in spite of thee shall wear.
SOMERSET
Ah, you will find out that we'll be ready for you and you'll know us by the colors of your enemies, because we will wear these in spite of you.
PLANTAGENET
And, by my soul, this pale and angry rose, As cognizance of my blood-drinking hate, Will I for ever and my faction wear, Until it wither with me to my grave Or flourish to the height of my degree.
PLANTAGENET
And I swear by my soul that I will wear this pale and angry rose as a badge of my blood-drinking hate forever, until it goes with me to my grave, or grow to the highest point of my rank.
SUFFOLK
Go forward and be choked with thy ambition!And so farewell until I meet thee next.
SUFFOLK
Go ahead and suffocate on your ambition! And so, goodbye, until I see you next time.
Exit
SOMERSET
Have with thee, Pole. Farewell, ambitious Richard.
SOMERSET
I will go with you, Pole. Goodbye, ambitious Richard.
Exit
PLANTAGENET
How I am braved and must perforce endure it!
PLANTAGENET
Now I am insulted and must therefore bear it!
WARWICK
This blot that they object against your house Shall be wiped out in the next parliament Call'd for the truce of Winchester and Gloucester; And if thou be not then created York, I will not live to be accounted Warwick. Meantime, in signal of my love to thee, Against proud Somerset and William Pole, Will I upon thy party wear this rose: And here I prophesy: this brawl to-day, Grown to this faction in the Temple-garden, Shall send between the red rose and the white A thousand souls to death and deadly night.
WARWICK
This claim that they bring forward to accuse your house will be eliminated in the next parliament. Make peace between Winchester and Gloucester, and if you will not be named York, then I won't live to be called Warwick. In the meantime, as a sign of my love for you, against the proud Somerset and William Pole, I will wear the rose of your side. I predict that this argument here today, the forming of two opposing sides in the Temple garden, will send a thousand people between the red rose and the white, to death and deadly night.
PLANTAGENET
Good Master Vernon, I am bound to you,That you on my behalf would pluck a flower.
PLANTAGENET
Good master Vernon, I thank you that you would pluck a flower in my name.
VERNON
In your behalf still will I wear the same.
VERNON
In your name I will continue to wear it.
LAWYER
And so will I.
LAWYER
And so will I.
PLANTAGENET
Thanks, gentle sir.Come, let us four to dinner: I dare sayThis quarrel will drink blood another day.
PLANTAGENET
Thanks, gentlemen. Come, let's go to dinner. I dare say that this argument will draw blood some other day.
Exeunt
