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Act 1, Scene 2
Henry VI, Part 1 Translation Act 1, Scene 3
Enter GLOUCESTER, with his Serving-men in blue coats
GLOUCESTER
I am come to survey the Tower this day: Since Henry's death, I fear, there is conveyance. Where be these warders, that they wait not here? Open the gates; 'tis Gloucester that calls.
GLOUCESTER
I came to have a look at the Tower today. Ever since Henry's death, I am afraid there is only trickery in the world. Where are the guards? Why aren't they waiting here? Open the gates, Gloucester calls you!
FIRST WARDER
[Within] Who's there that knocks so imperiously?
First Serving-Man
It is the noble Duke of Gloucester.
FIRST WARDER
[Inside] Who is knocking in such an arrogant manner?
First Serving-Man
It's the noble Duke of Gloucester.
SECOND WARDER
[Within] Whoe'er he be, you may not be let in.
First Serving-Man
Villains, answer you so the lord protector?
SECOND WARDER
[Inside] I don't care who he is. You can't go in.
First Serving-Man
Villains, is that how you answer your lord protector?
FIRST WARDER
[Within] The Lord protect him! so we answer him:We do no otherwise than we are will'd.
FIRST WARDER
[Inside] Our answer is that the Lord will protect him. We only do what we are ordered.
GLOUCESTER
Who willed you? Or whose will stands but mine? There's none protector of the realm but I. Break up the gates, I'll be your warrantize. Shall I be flouted thus by dunghill grooms?
GLOUCESTER
Who ordered you? Whose order should you follow apart from mine? I am the only protector of the kingdom. Open the gates, I can guarantee that it will be fine. Should I be made fun of by some boys who take care of the horses?
Gloucester's men rush at the Tower Gates, and WOODVILE the Lieutenant speaks within
WOODVILE
What noise is this? What traitors have we here?
WOODVILE
What is this noise? What traitors do we have here?
GLOUCESTER
Lieutenant, is it you whose voice I hear?Open the gates; here's Gloucester that would enter.
GLOUCESTER
Lieutenant, is it your voice that I hear? Open the gates. It's me, Gloucester, and I'd like to come in.
WOODVILE
Have patience, noble duke; I may not open; The Cardinal of Winchester forbids: From him I have express commandment That thou nor none of thine shall be let in.
WOODVILE
Be patient, great duke. I can't open the gate because the Cardinal of Winchester forbids it. He gave me an order that neither you nor your men should be allowed inside.
GLOUCESTER
Faint-hearted Woodvile, prizest him 'fore me? Arrogant Winchester, that haughty prelate, Whom Henry, our late sovereign, ne'er could brook? Thou art no friend to God or to the king: Open the gates, or I'll shut thee out shortly. Serving-Men Open the gates unto the lord protector, Or we'll burst them open, if that you come not quickly.
GLOUCESTER
Woodvile, you coward! Does he mean more to you than I do? Arrogant Winchester, he is a proud priest. Henry, our last king, couldn't stand him! You are not a friend to God or to the king. Open the gates or I will have you thrown out immediately. Open the gates to your lord protector, servants. Or else we'll break them, if you aren't quick!
Enter to the Protector at the Tower Gates, BISHOP OF WINCHESTER and his men in tawny coats
WINCHESTER
How now, ambitious Humphry! What means this?
WINCHESTER
What's going on, ambitious Humphry! What is the meaning of all this?
GLOUCESTER
Peel'd priest, dost thou command me to be shut out?
GLOUCESTER
You, bald priest, command me to be kept outside?
WINCHESTER
I do, thou most usurping proditor,And not protector, of the king or realm.
WINCHESTER
I do, you traitor! Yes, you are a traitor and not a protector of the king and the kingdom.
GLOUCESTER
Stand back, thou manifest conspirator, Thou that contrivedst to murder our dead lord; Thou that givest whores indulgences to sin: I'll canvass thee in thy broad cardinal's hat, If thou proceed in this thy insolence.
GLOUCESTER
Stand back! You are obviously scheming against me. You plotted to murder our dead lord, you allowed whores to sin. I'll watch you, in your cardinal's hat, if you carry on with your disrespect towards me.
WINCHESTER
Nay, stand thou back, I will not budge a foot:This be Damascus, be thou cursed Cain,To slay thy brother Abel, if thou wilt.
WINCHESTEr
No, you stand back! I will not move one inch. Imagine, if you want, that this is Damascus and you are the cursed Cain, who will kill your brother Abel.
GLOUCESTER
I will not slay thee, but I'll drive thee back:Thy scarlet robes as a child's bearing-clothI'll use to carry thee out of this place.
GLOUCESTER
I won't kill you, but I will push you back. I'll use your red clothes to carry you out of here like a child.
WINCHESTER
Do what thou darest; I beard thee to thy face.
WINCHESTER
Do what you wish but I will defy you.
GLOUCESTER
What! am I dared and bearded to my face? Draw, men, for all this privileged place; Blue coats to tawny coats. Priest, beware your beard, I mean to tug it and to cuff you soundly: Under my feet I stamp thy cardinal's hat: In spite of pope or dignities of church, Here by the cheeks I'll drag thee up and down.
GLOUCESTER
What? You challenge me and defy me? Attack, men, even though we are in a location where it's illegal to draw swords! Blue coats against brown. Priest, be careful with your beard, I plan on pulling it and handcuffing you. I will stamp on your cardinal's hat, even though to do so goes against the pope and the church. Here, I pull your cheeks and drag you up and down.
WINCHESTER
Gloucester, thou wilt answer this before the pope.
WINCHESTER
Gloucester, you will answer for this before the pope.
GLOUCESTER
Winchester goose, I cry, a rope! a rope! Now beat them hence; why do you let them stay? Thee I'll chase hence, thou wolf in sheep's array. Out, tawny coats! out, scarlet hypocrite!
GLOUCESTER
Winchester, you goose! Bring me a rope, a rope! Fight them here! Why do you let them stay? I'll chase after you, you wolf in sheep's skin. Leave, brown coats! Leave, you hypocrite!
Here GLOUCESTER's men beat out WINCHESTER's men, and enter in the hurly- burly the Mayor of London and his Officers
MAYOR
Fie, lords! That you, being supreme magistrates,Thus contumeliously should break the peace!
MAYOR
Ugh, lords! How could you, as the supreme magistrates, so disgracefully break the peace?
GLOUCESTER
Peace, mayor! Thou know'st little of my wrongs:Here's Beaufort, that regards nor God nor king,Hath here distrain'd the Tower to his use.
GLOUCESTER
Calm down, mayor. You don't know how badly I've been treated. Here we have Beaufort, who doesn't respect God or the king. He took over the Tower for his own use.
WINCHESTER
Here's Gloucester, a foe to citizens, One that still motions war and never peace, O'ercharging your free purses with large fines, That seeks to overthrow religion, Because he is protector of the realm, And would have armour here out of the Tower, To crown himself king and suppress the prince.
WINCHESTER
Here we have Gloucester, an enemy to the people. He still promotes war instead of peace, and charges you high taxes. He wants to eliminate religion because he is the protector of the kingdom and wants weapons from the Tower, so he can crown himself king and crush the prince.
GLOUCESTER
I will not answer thee with words, but blows.
GLOUCESTER
I won't answer you with words, but with my sword.
Here they skirmish again
MAYOR
Naught rests for me in this tumultuous strife But to make open proclamation: Come, officer; as loud as e'er thou canst, Cry.
MAYOR
All that remains for me to do in this disorderly conflict is give a statement. Come, officer, and scream as loud as you can.
OFFICER
All manner of men assembled here in arms this day against God's peace and the king's, we charge and command you, in his highness' name, to repair to your several dwelling-places; and not to wear, handle, or use any sword, weapon, or dagger, henceforward, upon pain of death.
OFFICER
We order every armed man gathered here today against God's peace and the king's, to go back to your homes, in the name of his highness. Don't wear, handle or use any sword, weapon, or dagger from now on, or you will be punished with death.
GLOUCESTER
Cardinal, I'll be no breaker of the law:But we shall meet, and break our minds at large.
GLOUCESTER
Cardinal, I will not break the law. But we shall meet and share our thoughts.
WINCHESTER
Gloucester, we will meet; to thy cost, be sure:Thy heart-blood I will have for this day's work.
WINCHESTER
Gloucester, we will meet, for sure. I will have your blood for this day's work.
MAYOR
I'll call for clubs, if you will not away.This cardinal's more haughty than the devil.
MAYOR
I will call for weapons, if you won't go away. This cardinal is more disdainful than the devil.
GLOUCESTER
Mayor, farewell: thou dost but what thou mayst.
GLOUCESTER
Goodbye, Mayor. You are only doing what you have to.
WINCHESTER
Abominable Gloucester, guard thy head;For I intend to have it ere long.
WINCHESTER
Hateful Gloucester, watch out for your head because I intend to have it soon.
Exeunt, severally, GLOUCESTER and WINCHESTER with their Serving-men
MAYOR
See the coast clear'd, and then we will depart.Good God, these nobles should such stomachs bear!I myself fight not once in forty year.
MAYOR
Now make sure the coast is clear and then we will leave. Good God, these noble lords have such a bad temper! I myself have not fought in forty years.
Exeunt
