My masters, let’s stand close. My Lord Protector will come this way by
and by, and then we may deliver our supplications in the quill.
My friends, let's stay close together. The Lord Protector will come by soon, and then we can hand over our written petitions.
Everyone, stay close. The Protector will pass by soon, and then we can submit our petitions.
stay close protector coming soon well give him our petitions
Marry, the Lord protect him, for he’s a good man! Jesu bless him!
Indeed, may God protect him, for he's a good man! May Jesus bless him!
Yeah, God protect him. He's a good man! Jesus bless him!
bless the protector he's solid
Here he comes, methinks, and the Queen with him. I’ll be the first,
sure.
Here he comes, I think, and the Queen is with him. I'll definitely be first.
Here he comes, I think. The Queen's with him. I'll be first, no question.
here he comes queens with him im first
Come back, fool! This is the Duke of Suffolk and not my Lord Protector.
Wait, go back! That's the Duke of Suffolk, not the Lord Protector we're looking for!
Come back, idiot! That's the Duke of Suffolk, not the Protector.
come back fool thats suffolk not protector
How now, fellow; wouldst anything with me?
1 PETITIONER.
I pray, my lord, pardon me, I took ye for my Lord Protector.
Hello there, fellow; do you want anything from me? I beg your pardon, sir; I took you for my Lord Protector.
Hey—what do you want? Sorry, I thought you were the Protector.
yo what u want? my bad thought u were protector
[_Reading_.] “To my Lord Protector.” Are your supplications to his
lordship? Let me see them. What is thine?
1 PETITIONER.
Mine is, an ’t please your grace, against John Goodman, my Lord
Cardinal’s man, for keeping my house and lands, and wife and all, from
me.
Are these petitions for the Protector? Let me see them. What is yours? It's against John Goodman, the Cardinal's servant, for taking my house, my lands, and my wife - everything - from me, your grace.
Are these for the Protector? Let me look at them. What's your complaint? It's about John Goodman, who works for the Cardinal - he's stolen your house, your lands, and your wife too?
u complaining to the protector? let me see mine is against john goodman the cardinal's man he took my house lands and wife
Thy wife too! That’s some wrong, indeed.—What’s yours?—What’s here!
Your wife too! That's quite an injustice, certainly.—What's your complaint?—What's this one?
Your wife? That's a real wrong!—What's yours?—What's this?
ur wife too thats wrong what u got what's this
[_Reads_.] _Against the Duke of Suffolk for enclosing the commons of
Melford._ How now, sir knave!
This petition is against the Duke of Suffolk for taking over the common land of Melford. Well now, what have we here!
Here's one saying Suffolk stole the common land in Melford for himself. Well, that's interesting!
suffolk enclosed the commons of melford took them for himself
Alas, sir, I am but a poor petitioner of our whole township.
Alas, sir, I'm just a poor petitioner representing my whole township.
Sir, I'm just a poor guy speaking for our whole town.
im just poor representing my town
[_Giving his petition_.] Against my master, Thomas Horner, for saying
that the Duke of York was rightful heir to the crown.
A petition against my master Thomas Horner for saying that the Duke of York had the rightful claim to the crown.
I'm reporting my master Thomas Horner - he said the Duke of York should be the rightful king.
my master thomas horner said york was the rightful heir to the throne
What sayst thou? Did the Duke of York say he was rightful heir to the
crown?
What are you saying? Did York claim he should be king?
Wait, York said he should be king?
york said he's the heir
That my master was? No, forsooth, my master said that he was, and that
the King was an usurper.
No, it wasn't my master. My master said that he was the rightful heir and that you are an usurper.
No, my master said York should be king and that you're not the real king.
master said york's the real king
Who is there?
Who is there?
Who is this?
who is it
Take this fellow in, and send for his master with a pursuivant
presently.—We’ll hear more of your matter before the King.
Take this man into custody and send an officer to fetch his master immediately. We'll discuss your business further before the King.
Arrest him and send an officer to get his master right now. We'll talk about this more in front of the King.
take him fetch his master now kings gonna hear this
And as for you, that love to be protected
Under the wings of our Protector’s grace,
Begin your suits anew, and sue to him.
And as for those of you who want to be protected under our Protector's grace, begin your requests anew and bring them to him.
If you want the Protector's help, go petition him instead.
go ask the protector
Away, base cullions!—Suffolk, let them go.
Away, you worthless cowards! Suffolk, let them leave.
Get out, you cowards! Suffolk, let them go.
out cowards lets go suffolk
When Gloucester rules that Horner and Peter must fight, he's invoking a legal procedure that felt ancient even to Shakespeare's audience. Trial by combat — wager of battle — rested on the theological premise that God would give strength to the righteous party. By the 1440s (the play's setting) it was archaic; by the 1590s (Shakespeare's time) it was nearly extinct, though technically legal until 1818 in England. Shakespeare uses it twice in this play for dark comic effect: Peter Thump, a small terrified craftsman, must fight his armorer employer. The comedy is that Horner arrives drunk in 2-3 and loses — proving, by divine logic, that he really did say York was the rightful king. God, it turns out, has a sense of irony.
Come, let’s be gone.
Come on, we should leave.
Let's leave.
let's go
My Lord of Suffolk, say, is this the guise,
Is this the fashion in the court of England?
Is this the government of Britain’s isle,
And this the royalty of Albion’s king?
What, shall King Henry be a pupil still
Under the surly Gloucester’s governance?
Am I a queen in title and in style,
And must be made a subject to a duke?
I tell thee, Pole, when in the city Tours
Thou ran’st atilt in honour of my love
And stol’st away the ladies’ hearts of France,
I thought King Henry had resembled thee
In courage, courtship, and proportion.
But all his mind is bent to holiness,
To number Ave-Maries on his beads.
His champions are the prophets and apostles,
His weapons holy saws of sacred writ,
His study is his tilt-yard, and his loves
Are brazen images of canonized saints.
I would the college of the cardinals
Would choose him pope and carry him to Rome
And set the triple crown upon his head!
That were a state fit for his holiness.
My Lord of Suffolk, is this how things work in the court of England? Is this how Britain's island is governed? Is this the royalty of England's king? What, shall King Henry always be a student under the rough Gloucester's rule? Am I a queen only in title and style and must be made subject to a duke? I remember when you jousted in Tours for my love and won the ladies' hearts of France. I thought King Henry would be like you in courage and skill. But his mind is bent only to holiness, counting prayers on his beads. His champions are prophets and apostles, his weapons are holy sayings. His study is prayer, and his loves are statues of saints. I wish the cardinals would choose him pope and carry him to Rome and place the triple crown on his head! That would be a fitting place for his holiness.
My Lord of Suffolk, is this how your court works? Is this how you run England? Will King Henry always be controlled by Gloucester? I'm the queen, but I'm treated like a subject of a duke? When you jousted for me in Tours, you seemed so brave and skilled. But Henry? He's constantly at prayer, counting beads. His whole life is religion—prayers, prophets, saints. Maybe he should just become a pope and go to Rome. That's all he seems to care about.
henry's obsessed with religion i'm the queen but gloucester rules he should just be a pope
Madam, be patient. As I was cause
Your highness came to England, so will I
In England work your grace’s full content.
Madam, be patient. As I was the cause that your highness came to England, so will I make sure your grace's desires are fully satisfied in England.
Madam, be patient. I brought you to England, and I'll make sure you get what you want here.
patience / i'll get u what u want
Beside the haughty Protector, have we Beaufort
The imperious churchman, Somerset, Buckingham,
And grumbling York; and not the least of these
But can do more in England than the King.
Besides the haughty Protector, we have Beaufort the proud churchman, Somerset, Buckingham, and grumbling York; and none of these is less powerful than the King himself.
Besides Gloucester, there's the Cardinal, Somerset, Buckingham, and York—and they're all more powerful than the king.
too many powerful lords
And he of these that can do most of all
Cannot do more in England than the Nevilles;
Salisbury and Warwick are no simple peers.
And whoever of these can do most cannot do more in England than the Nevilles; Salisbury and Warwick are no ordinary nobles.
But even they aren't as powerful as the Nevilles—Salisbury and Warwick are major players too.
nevilles are even more powerful
Not all these lords do vex me half so much
As that proud dame, the Lord Protector’s wife.
She sweeps it through the court with troops of ladies,
More like an empress than Duke Humphrey’s wife.
Strangers in court do take her for the Queen.
She bears a duke’s revenues on her back,
And in her heart she scorns our poverty.
Shall I not live to be avenged on her?
Contemptuous base-born callet as she is,
She vaunted ’mongst her minions t’ other day
The very train of her worst wearing gown
Was better worth than all my father’s lands
Till Suffolk gave two dukedoms for his daughter.
Not all these lords bother me half as much as that proud dame, the Lord Protector's wife. She sweeps through the court with crowds of ladies, more like an empress than Duke Humphrey's wife. Strangers in court mistake her for the Queen. She wears expensive clothes fitting a duchess and scorns our poverty in her heart. Shall I not live to be avenged on her? This contemptuous base-born woman boasted among her servants the other day that even the hem of her worst gown was worth more than all my father's lands until Suffolk gave two dukedoms for his daughter.
What bothers me most is Eleanor, Humphrey's wife. She struts through court like she's the empress, not a duke's wife. People think she's the queen! She wears fancy clothes and looks down on me. One of her servants told me she bragged that her worst dress was worth more than my father's entire lands. That's until you gave two dukedoms for me.
eleanor acts like the queen she's so arrogant and looks down on me can't wait for revenge
Madam, myself have limed a bush for her
And placed a quire of such enticing birds
That she will light to listen to the lays
And never mount to trouble you again.
So let her rest; and, madam, list to me,
For I am bold to counsel you in this:
Although we fancy not the Cardinal,
Yet must we join with him and with the lords
Till we have brought Duke Humphrey in disgrace.
As for the Duke of York, this late complaint
Will make but little for his benefit.
So, one by one, we’ll weed them all at last,
And you yourself shall steer the happy helm.
Madam, I myself have prepared a trap for her and placed such tempting birds that she will listen to the songs and never trouble you again. Let her be, and madam, listen to me: although we dislike the Cardinal, we must join with him and the other lords until we have brought Duke Humphrey into disgrace. As for the Duke of York, this recent complaint will hurt him little. So one by one we'll remove them all at last, and you yourself shall steer the happy helm.
Madam, I've already set a trap for Eleanor that she'll fall right into. Don't worry about her. But listen: even though we don't like the Cardinal, we need to work with him and the others to destroy Humphrey first. Then we can deal with York. One by one we'll get rid of all of them, and you'll be in charge.
eleanor's already trapped first we destroy humphrey then u rule everything
Somerset, Buckingham, Salisbury, York, Warwick and the Duchess of
Gloucester.
These nobles are present: Somerset, Buckingham, Salisbury, York, Warwick, and the Duchess of Gloucester.
We've got Somerset, Buckingham, Salisbury, York, Warwick, and the Duchess of Gloucester here.
the lords r here: som buck sal york war duke's wife
For my part, noble lords, I care not which;
Or Somerset or York, all’s one to me.
For my part, noble lords, I care not which; Somerset or York, it's all the same to me.
I don't care who's regent—Somerset or York, it makes no difference to me.
don't care who's regent
If York have ill demeaned himself in France,
Then let him be denied the regentship.
If York has behaved badly in France, then let him be denied the regentship.
If York failed in France, he shouldn't be regent.
if york failed, no regentship
If Somerset be unworthy of the place,
Let York be regent; I will yield to him.
If Somerset is unfit for this place, let York be regent; I will give in to him.
If Somerset's not good enough, York can have it. I'll accept that.
fine with york if needed
Whether your Grace be worthy, yea or no,
Dispute not that; York is the worthier.
Whether your grace is worthy or not, don't argue about it; York is the more worthy.
Don't argue—York is clearly the better choice.
york's better period
Ambitious Warwick, let thy betters speak.
Ambitious Warwick, let your betters speak.
Warwick, be quiet and let your superiors talk.
shut up warwick
The Cardinal’s not my better in the field.
The Cardinal is not my superior in the field.
The Cardinal's not better than me in war.
cardinal's not better than me
All in this presence are thy betters, Warwick.
Everyone here is your better, Warwick.
Everyone in this room outranks you.
everyone's better than u
Warwick may live to be the best of all.
Perhaps in time, Warwick will prove himself the greatest of all of us.
Maybe I'll end up being the best of you all.
i'll be the best eventually
Peace, son!—And show some reason, Buckingham,
Why Somerset should be preferred in this.
Calm down, boy! Buckingham, explain to me why Somerset deserves this position over York.
Calm down. Buckingham, explain why Somerset is the better choice.
explain why somerset's better
Because the King, forsooth, will have it so.
Because the King wants it so.
Because the King says so.
king wants somerset
Madam, the King is old enough himself
To give his censure. These are no women’s matters.
Madam, the King is old enough himself to make his own judgment. These are not women's matters.
The King is grown up and can decide for himself. This isn't a woman's business.
king can decide himself
Margaret's speech in this scene — cataloguing the lords who outpower Henry, identifying Eleanor as the key target, correctly reading Suffolk as her most useful ally — is the sharpest political analysis in the first act. She has arrived in a foreign court with no allies, no money, and a husband who would rather pray than govern, and within days she has correctly diagnosed the power structure and begun to act. This does not make her admirable — she will go on to manipulate Henry into destroying the one man protecting him. But it makes her genuinely formidable. The play's tragedy is partly that England needed a competent ruler, and it got one — in the wrong body, at the wrong moment, with the wrong priorities.
If he be old enough, what needs your grace
To be Protector of his excellence?
If he is old enough, what need is there for your grace to be Protector of his excellence?
If he's grown up, why do we need a Protector?
if he's grown why need protector
Madam, I am Protector of the realm,
And at his pleasure will resign my place.
Madam, I am Protector of the realm and will resign my place whenever it pleases him.
I'm Protector of the realm, and I'll step down whenever the King wants me to.
i'm protector & will resign if he wants
Resign it then, and leave thine insolence.
Since thou wert king—as who is king but thou?—
The commonwealth hath daily run to wrack,
The Dauphin hath prevailed beyond the seas,
And all the peers and nobles of the realm
Have been as bondmen to thy sovereignty.
Then resign it and abandon your arrogance. Since you became Protector—as if you were king—the commonwealth has daily worsened, the Dauphin has won victories overseas, and all the nobles have been like slaves to your rule.
Then resign and stop being so arrogant. Ever since you've been in charge, everything's gotten worse. The French are winning, and all the nobles are treated like your servants.
resign / everything's worse since u took over
The commons hast thou racked; the clergy’s bags
Are lank and lean with thy extortions.
You have drained the commons; the clergy's coffers are empty and lean from your extortions.
You've squeezed the common people and emptied the Church's money through your greed.
u've squeezed everyone dry
Thy sumptuous buildings and thy wife’s attire
Have cost a mass of public treasury.
Your luxurious buildings and your wife's expensive clothes have cost a large amount of public money.
Your fancy buildings and your wife's wardrobe have wasted tons of public money.
ur buildings & wife cost fortunes
Thy cruelty in execution
Upon offenders hath exceeded law,
And left thee to the mercy of the law.
Your cruelty in executing offenders has gone beyond the law and made you subject to legal punishment.
You've been too cruel in punishing people, and now you deserve punishment yourself.
ur cruelty deserves punishment
Thy sale of offices and towns in France,
If they were known, as the suspect is great,
Would make thee quickly hop without thy head.
Your sale of offices and towns in France, if they were known—and suspicion is great—would cause you to lose your head quickly.
If people knew you sold offices and French towns, you'd be executed.
sold offices & towns / should be executed
Give me my fan. What minion! Can ye not?
Give me my fan. You wretched servant! Can't you do anything?
Give me my fan. What are you, useless? Can't you even do that?
give me my fan cmon what are u useless
I cry your mercy, madam; was it you?
I beg your pardon, madam; was it you?
I'm sorry, madam. Was that you?
my bad madam was that u
Was’t I! Yea, I it was, proud Frenchwoman.
Could I come near your beauty with my nails,
I’d set my ten commandments in your face.
Was it I! Yes, I it was, proud Frenchwoman. If I could reach your beauty with my nails, I would scratch my ten commandments into your face.
Yes, it was me! You proud Frenchwoman! If I could reach you, I'd scratch your face with my fingernails.
i did it / i'd scratch ur face
Sweet aunt, be quiet; ’twas against her will.
Sweet aunt, be quiet; it was not her intention.
My dear aunt, please calm down. She didn't mean to do it.
aunt chill she didnt mean to
Against her will! Good King, look to ’t in time;
She’ll hamper thee and dandle thee like a baby.
Though in this place most master wear no breeches,
She shall not strike Dame Eleanor unrevenged.
She didn't mean to! Good King, take notice: she will control you and treat you like a baby. Though in this place most men are not the ones in charge, she will not strike Dame Eleanor without getting revenge.
She didn't mean to! Listen, your Majesty, you better watch this. That woman is going to boss you around and treat you like an infant. Most men in this world wear the pants, but not here—she's taking over, and nobody messes with Eleanor without paying for it.
she didnt mean to? right shes gonna control u like ur a baby and nobody messes with eleanor
Lord Cardinal, I will follow Eleanor,
And listen after Humphrey, how he proceeds.
She’s tickled now; her fume needs no spurs,
She’ll gallop far enough to her destruction.
Lord Cardinal, I will follow Eleanor and listen to what Humphrey does. She's angry now; she needs no spur to make her run to her own destruction.
Cardinal, I'll follow Eleanor and see what Humphrey does. She's furious; she'll destroy herself without help from us.
eleanor will destroy herself
Now, lords, my choler being overblown
With walking once about the quadrangle,
I come to talk of commonwealth affairs.
As for your spiteful false objections,
Prove them, and I lie open to the law;
But God in mercy so deal with my soul
As I in duty love my king and country!
But, to the matter that we have in hand:
I say, my sovereign, York is meetest man
To be your regent in the realm of France.
Now, lords, my anger being cooled after walking about the yard, I come to speak of commonwealth affairs. As for your spiteful false charges, prove them and I am subject to the law. But God show mercy to my soul as I in duty love my king and country! But to the matter we have in hand: I say, my sovereign, York is the most fitting man to be your regent in France.
My anger is cooled now after my walk. Let me address this properly. Your accusations are false—prove them if you can. But I swear by God that I love my king and country. Now, about the regentship: York is the best choice for regent in France.
my anger's cooled / i love the king / york's best for regent
Before we make election, give me leave
To show some reason, of no little force,
That York is most unmeet of any man.
Before we make a decision, let me show you powerful reasons why York is the most unfit of any man.
Before you decide, let me explain why York is the worst possible choice.
york's the worst choice
I’ll tell thee, Suffolk, why I am unmeet:
First, for I cannot flatter thee in pride;
Next, if I be appointed for the place,
My Lord of Somerset will keep me here
Without discharge, money, or furniture,
Till France be won into the Dauphin’s hands.
Last time, I danced attendance on his will
Till Paris was besieged, famished, and lost.
I'll tell you, Suffolk, why I'm unfit: first, because I cannot flatter you with pride; next, if I'm appointed, Somerset will keep me here without pay, supplies, or money until France is lost to the Dauphin. Last time I waited on his will until Paris was besieged, starved, and lost.
I'll tell you why I'm supposedly unfit. First, I won't flatter you like others do. Second, if I get the job, Somerset will sabotage me and starve me of resources until we lose France. Last time he did exactly that and we lost Paris.
somerset will sabotage me / lost paris before
The moment when Margaret slaps Eleanor is one of the most discussed stage directions in Shakespeare — partly because it's not entirely clear whether it's scripted or improvised within the fiction. The stage direction reads 'she gives the Duchess a box on the ear' — but the context suggests Margaret may be using the dropped fan as a pretext. Productions have played this as accident (emphasizing the irony), as deliberate assault (emphasizing Margaret's aggression), and as a calculated test of how Eleanor will react. Eleanor's response — 'I'd set my ten commandments in your face' — tells us everything about her character: outraged, specific, physical. The slap sets up the power dynamic between these two women that will drive the first half of the play.
That can I witness, and a fouler fact
Did never traitor in the land commit.
I can witness that, and no fouler betrayal did any traitor ever commit in this land.
I can confirm that, and it's one of the worst acts of betrayal ever.
worst betrayal ever
Peace, headstrong Warwick!
Peace, headstrong Warwick!
Be quiet, Warwick!
shut up warwick
Image of pride, why should I hold my peace?
You embody nothing but arrogance! Why should I stay quiet?
You're all pride! Why should I stay silent?
why should i be quiet
Because here is a man accused of treason.
Pray God the Duke of York excuse himself!
There's a man here with a serious treason charge against him. I hope York can clear his name!
Because there's a treason accusation here. God help York if he can't defend himself!
treason accusation against york
Doth anyone accuse York for a traitor?
Does anyone accuse York of being a traitor?
Who's accusing me of treason?
who's accusing me
What mean’st thou, Suffolk? Tell me, what are these?
What do you mean, Suffolk? Tell me, what is this?
What are you talking about, Suffolk? What's going on?
what's this about suffolk
Please it your majesty, this is the man
That doth accuse his master of high treason.
His words were these: that Richard, Duke of York
Was rightful heir unto the English crown,
And that your majesty was an usurper.
If it please your majesty, this is the man who accuses his master of high treason. His words were: the Duke of York was the rightful heir to the English crown and that your majesty is an usurper.
Your majesty, this man says his master claimed York should be king and that you're not the real king.
master said york's real king / you're fake
Say, man, were these thy words?
Say, man, were these your words?
Did you really say these things?
u say this
Horner speaks with the bluster of someone who knows he's guilty and can't quite hide it — his denials are too emphatic. Watch for how his 'God is my witness' protests ring hollow against Peter's terrified specificity.
An ’t shall please your majesty, I never said nor thought any such
matter. God is my witness, I am falsely accused by the villain.
If it please your majesty, I never said or thought any such thing. God is my witness; I am falsely accused by this villain.
Your majesty, I never said anything like that. God knows I'm being lied about.
i didn't say it / he's lying
By these ten bones, my lords, he did speak them to me in the garret one
night as we were scouring my Lord of York’s armour.
By these ten bones, my lords, he said these things to me in the attic one night while we were cleaning the Duke of York's armor.
I swear by my bones, he said this to me in the attic when we were polishing York's armor.
he said it in the attic
Base dunghill villain and mechanical,
I’ll have thy head for this thy traitor’s speech!—
I do beseech your royal majesty,
Let him have all the rigour of the law.
Base low-born villain and common worker! I'll have your head for this treason! I beg your royal majesty, give him the full punishment of the law.
You dirty common criminal! I'll execute you for this! Your majesty, punish him with everything the law allows.
traitor / execute him
Alas, my lord, hang me if ever I spake the words. My accuser is my
prentice; and when I did correct him for his fault the other day, he
did vow upon his knees he would be even with me. I have good witness of
this, therefore I beseech your majesty, do not cast away an honest man
for a villain’s accusation.
Mercy, my lord! Hang me if I ever spoke those words. My accuser is my apprentice; when I corrected him for a fault the other day, he swore he'd be even with me. I have good witnesses to this, so I beg your majesty, don't destroy an honest man for a villain's accusation.
I'm innocent! My accuser is just my apprentice who I disciplined. He's lying to get revenge. I have witnesses. Please don't execute an honest man on a liar's word.
apprentice is lying / he wants revenge / i'm innocent
Uncle, what shall we say to this in law?
Uncle, what does the law say we should do about this?
Uncle, what's the legal procedure here?
what's the law say
This doom, my lord, if I may judge:
Let Somerset be regent o’er the French,
Because in York this breeds suspicion;
And let these have a day appointed them
For single combat in convenient place,
For he hath witness of his servant’s malice.
This is the law, and this Duke Humphrey’s doom.
This is my judgment, my lord: let Somerset be regent of France because York's involvement in this causes suspicion. Let these two have a day appointed for single combat in a convenient place since he has evidence of his servant's anger. This is the law, and this is Duke Humphrey's ruling.
Here's my judgment: Somerset should be regent because York's involved here and it looks suspicious. These two should fight each other in single combat—trial by combat. That's the law, and that's my decision.
somerset regent / they fight / trial by combat
I humbly thank your royal Majesty.
Your majesty, I'm grateful for your wisdom and justice.
Thank you, your majesty.
thanks
And I accept the combat willingly.
Yes, I will gladly face him in combat.
I'll fight.
ready to fight
Alas, my lord, I cannot fight; for God’s sake, pity my case! The spite
of man prevaileth against me. O Lord, have mercy upon me! I shall never
be able to fight a blow. O Lord, my heart!
Mercy, my lord, I cannot fight. For God's sake, have pity on me! People are against me and I can't help it. Oh God, have mercy on me! I'll never be able to throw a punch. Oh God, my heart!
Please, my lord, I can't fight! For God's sake, have mercy! Everyone's against me. I can't fight! Please!
i can't fight / have mercy
Sirrah, or you must fight or else be hanged.
You must either fight or be hanged.
You either fight or you hang.
fight or die
Away with them to prison; and the day
Of combat shall be the last of the next month.
Come, Somerset, we’ll see thee sent away.
Take them to prison. The combat will be on the last day of next month. Come, Somerset, we'll see you sent away.
Take them to prison. The fight will be a month from now. Somerset, let's go arrange your mission.
prison till next month's combat
The Reckoning
The scene is a showcase of how the new power structure — Margaret and Suffolk — actually operates: by seizing control of access to justice, humiliating the existing hierarchy, and turning every incident into a weapon. Margaret emerges here as the play's most politically active character, contemptuous of her pious husband and everyone around him. The slap to Eleanor's face is the most visible act in the scene, but the quiet plotting in the first half is where the real damage is done. Peter Thump's terror at being ordered to fight his master provides dark comic relief — a little man caught in enormous forces.
If this happened today…
New CEO's spouse starts intercepting employee HR complaints that were meant for the outgoing division head. She tears them up, makes a mental note of who's causing trouble, and then has a heated meeting with her inner circle about why the old guard still has so much informal power. Meanwhile, in the same meeting, someone reveals that a low-level factory worker has accused his boss of saying the company founder's family shouldn't actually own the business — and the whole room pivots to deal with that potential scandal. The worker is told he has to fight his boss to prove the accusation. He begs not to.