Under this thick-grown brake we’ll shroud ourselves,
For through this laund anon the deer will come;
And in this covert will we make our stand,
Culling the principal of all the deer.
We'll hide ourselves beneath this dense brush, because soon the deer will come through this clearing, and we'll take our position in this hidden spot to select the best animals from the herd.
We'll crouch down under this thick brush here. The deer will come through this opening soon, and we'll pick off the best ones from where we're hidden.
hide in the brush deer will come through we'll take the best ones
I’ll stay above the hill, so both may shoot.
I'll position myself above the hill so that we both can shoot.
I'll stand up on the hill so we can both get a clean shot.
i'll stay on the hill so we can both shoot
That cannot be; the noise of thy crossbow
Will scare the herd, and so my shoot is lost.
Here stand we both, and aim we at the best;
And, for the time shall not seem tedious,
I’ll tell thee what befell me on a day
In this self place where now we mean to stand.
That won't work - your crossbow will make noise and scare the herd away, and then I lose my opportunity to shoot. We both need to stand right here and aim at the best deer. To pass the time and keep from getting bored, I'll tell you about something that happened to me one day in this very place where we're planning to hunt now.
No way - your crossbow will make too much noise and scare all the deer away, and then I won't be able to shoot. We both need to stay right here and aim for the best ones. To pass the time, I'll tell you about something that happened to me right here before.
your crossbow will scare them we both stand here let me tell you what happened here once
The two keepers are some of Shakespeare's most politically interesting minor characters. They're not villains. They don't hate Henry, have no grudge, no ideology. They simply work for whoever is king. When Henry presses them on whether they've broken their oaths to him, the First Keeper's answer is one of the sharpest lines in the play: 'No, for we were subjects but while you were king.' It's legally defensible, philosophically interesting, and utterly devastating to Henry's argument. The keeper is saying: my oath was conditional on your kingship. When that ended, the oath ended. Henry's counter-argument — that he was anointed in holy oil, that the divine sanction doesn't expire when the political situation shifts — is the Lancastrian position in a nutshell. But the keepers have already moved on. The scene is a dramatization of political philosophy: what makes a king? Anointing, lineage, and God's sanction — or the practical fact of who holds the power?
Here comes a man; let’s stay till he be past.
Here comes a man - let's wait until he passes by.
Here comes someone - let's wait for him to go past.
someone's coming let's wait for him to pass
From Scotland am I stolen, even of pure love,
To greet mine own land with my wishful sight.
No, Harry, Harry, ’tis no land of thine;
Thy place is filled, thy sceptre wrung from thee,
Thy balm washed off wherewith thou wast anointed.
No bending knee will call thee Caesar now,
No humble suitors press to speak for right,
No, not a man comes for redress of thee;
For how can I help them and not myself?
1 KEEPER.
Ay, here’s a deer whose skin’s a keeper’s fee.
This is the quondam king; let’s seize upon him.
From Scotland I came back, stolen away by my own love, To greet my own country with my longing eyes. No, Henry, Henry, this land isn't yours anymore; Your position is filled, your scepter has been forced from your hands, The holy oil that anointed you has been washed away. No one will bend their knee and call you Caesar now, No humble people come to speak to you for justice, Not a single person comes asking you for help; For how can I help them when I cannot help myself? KEEPER. Yes, here's a deer whose skin is the keeper's payment. This is the former king; let's seize him.
I came back from Scotland because I love this place, I wanted to see my own country again with my own eyes. But this isn't even my land anymore, Henry. Your position is gone, your power is gone, The sacred blessing that made you king is washed away. Nobody bows to you. Nobody comes to you for help. How can you help people when you can't even help yourself? KEEPER. Look, there's a deer, and we hunters get paid for catching deer. That's the old king right there. Let's take him.
came back to england but lost it all no one bows to me can't help myself [keeper sees him] oh that's the old king let's grab him
Let me embrace thee, sour adversity,
For wise men say it is the wisest course.
2 KEEPER.
Why linger we? Let us lay hands upon him.
1 KEEPER.
Forbear awhile; we’ll hear a little more.
Let me accept you, difficult circumstances, Because wise men say that's the smartest thing to do. KEEPER. Why are we waiting? Let's grab him. KEEPER. Wait a moment; let's hear a little more.
Let me welcome hardship, Because smart people know that's the right way to handle this. KEEPER. Why are we waiting? Let's take him. KEEPER. Hold on; let's listen to what he has to say.
accepting the hard times that's what wise ppl do [keeper] let's take him [other keeper] wait, listen more
Henry's line 'My crown is in my heart, not on my head' is the definitive statement of what has always been wrong with him as a political king — and right about him as a human being. Throughout the play, his advisors have told him that kingship requires external force, visible authority, the willingness to punish enemies. Henry has always responded with his version of kingship: inward, spiritual, virtuous. The crown he values is contentment — the peace of someone who has done no wrong. The problem, as the play keeps demonstrating, is that a crown in the heart does nothing to stop armies. You cannot rule a country from inside your own virtue. And yet — there is something here that the play refuses to dismiss. Henry has a quality none of the other characters possess: he is genuinely at peace with himself. Margaret is furious, York is ambitious, Richard is calculating. Henry is sad, but not corrupted. Whether that makes him a saint or a failure depends on what you think kingship is for.
My queen and son are gone to France for aid;
And, as I hear, the great commanding Warwick
Is thither gone to crave the French King’s sister
To wife for Edward. If this news be true,
Poor queen and son, your labour is but lost,
For Warwick is a subtle orator,
And Lewis a prince soon won with moving words.
By this account, then, Margaret may win him,
For she’s a woman to be pitied much.
Her sighs will make a batt’ry in his breast,
Her tears will pierce into a marble heart;
The tiger will be mild whiles she doth mourn,
And Nero will be tainted with remorse
To hear and see her plaints, her brinish tears.
Ay, but she’s come to beg, Warwick to give;
She on his left side craving aid for Henry;
He on his right asking a wife for Edward.
She weeps and says her Henry is deposed;
He smiles and says his Edward is installed;
That she, poor wretch, for grief can speak no more;
Whiles Warwick tells his title, smooths the wrong,
Inferreth arguments of mighty strength,
And in conclusion wins the King from her
With promise of his sister, and what else,
To strengthen and support King Edward’s place.
O Margaret, thus ’twill be; and thou, poor soul,
Art then forsaken, as thou went’st forlorn.
2 KEEPER.
Say, what art thou, that talk’st of kings and queens?
My wife and son have gone to France to get help; And as I hear, the great commanding Warwick Has gone there to ask the French King's sister To be a wife for Edward. If this news is true, Poor wife and son, your work will be wasted, Because Warwick is a clever speaker, And Lewis is a prince who is easily won over with moving words. By this account, Margaret might succeed with him, Because she's a woman who deserves pity. Her sighs will strike like an arrow in his heart, Her tears will cut through even a marble heart; The tiger will become gentle while she mourns, And even Nero would feel shame To see and hear her sorrows and her bitter tears. Yes, but she comes to beg, while Warwick comes to give; She on his left side asking for help for Henry; He on his right asking for a wife for Edward. She weeps and says her Henry is deposed; He smiles and says his Edward is put in power; So that she, poor woman, from grief cannot speak anymore; While Warwick tells his story, smooths over the wrongs, Brings forward arguments of great strength, And in the end wins the King from her With a promise of his sister, and other things too, To strengthen and support King Edward's position. Oh Margaret, this is how it will be; and you, poor soul, Are then abandoned, as you were when you left.
My wife and son went to France to get military help. But Warwick is already there, and he's asking the French King To give his sister as a wife to Edward. If that's true, then my wife and son are wasting their time. Warwick is too good at talking, and the French King is easy to convince. Margaret might do well—she's a woman people feel sorry for. Her sadness can move people, even the hardest hearts. Even a tiger would stop fighting if she cried, even Nero would feel bad. But here's the problem: she comes to beg for help, And Warwick comes to make a deal. She's on one side saying 'Henry is king,' And he's on the other side saying 'Edward is king.' She cries and tells what happened to Henry. He smiles and announces Edward's victory. She can't even speak from sadness. Meanwhile, Warwick smooths everything over with his words, Makes it all sound good, brings up strong arguments, And wins the King over with promises of his sister and everything else. Oh Margaret, that's what's going to happen. You're going to lose, Just like you lost when you had to leave.
my wife & son are in france asking for help but warwick's already there marrying off the king's sister to edward instead they're gonna lose warwick's too good at talking margaret can't compete even tho she's got the sad story warwick wins everything
More than I seem, and less than I was born to:
A man at least, for less I should not be;
And men may talk of kings, and why not I?
2 KEEPER.
Ay, but thou talk’st as if thou wert a king.
More than I appear to be, and less than I was born to be: A man, at least; for I should be no less than that; And men can talk about kings, and so can I. KEEPER. Yes, but you talk as if you were a king.
I'm more than I look like right now, but less than I was meant to be. At least I'm still a man, and that's the minimum. Men talk about kings, and I'm a man, so why can't I? KEEPER. Yeah, but you talk like you actually are a king.
i'm more than i look but less than i should be i'm still a man tho men can talk about kings [keeper] you talk like u are one
Why, so I am, in mind; and that’s enough.
2 KEEPER.
But, if thou be a king, where is thy crown?
Well, yes, I am, in my mind; and that's enough. KEEPER. But if you're a king, where is your crown?
Yes, I am a king—in my head at least. And that should be enough. KEEPER. But if you're a king, where's your crown?
im a king in my mind that's enough [keeper] where's ur crown
My crown is in my heart, not on my head;
Not decked with diamonds and Indian stones,
Not to be seen. My crown is called content;
A crown it is that seldom kings enjoy.
2 KEEPER.
Well, if you be a king crowned with content,
Your crown content and you must be contented
To go along with us; for, as we think,
You are the king King Edward hath deposed;
And we his subjects, sworn in all allegiance,
Will apprehend you as his enemy.
My crown is in my heart, not on my head; Not decorated with diamonds and stones from India, Not visible to the eye. My crown is called contentment; It's a crown that few kings ever experience. KEEPER. Well, if you're a king crowned with contentment, Your crown of contentment and you must be willing To go along with us; because, we think, You are the king that King Edward has deposed; And we are his subjects, sworn in total loyalty, Will arrest you as his enemy.
My crown is inside my heart, not sitting on my head. It's not made of diamonds or Indian gems, You can't see it. My crown is contentment. And that's a crown most kings never get to wear. KEEPER. Okay, so if you're crowned with contentment, Then you need to be content with coming with us. Because we believe you're the king Edward threw out. We're his loyal subjects, and we have to arrest you as his enemy.
my crown's in my heart not on my head no diamonds, can't see it it's contentment kings don't get that [keeper] if u got that crown u gotta come w/ us ur edward's enemy
Readers of the raw play data may notice something odd about 3-1: many of the Keepers' lines appear as stage directions rather than speeches. This is a known textual issue in the play's sources — the 1595 octavo (an earlier version sometimes called 'The True Tragedy of Richard Duke of York') printed parts of 3-1 in a confused format. The Folio text (1623) corrects this, properly labeling the Keepers' dialogue as speech. What we have in many digital editions reflects the ambiguous manuscript tradition. Shakespeare clearly wrote a full conversation with two distinct Keepers' voices — the First is more cautious and thoughtful, the Second more blunt. The confusing formatting in some source texts doesn't change the theatrical reality: these are speaking characters with individuated voices, not stage directions.
But did you never swear, and break an oath?
2 KEEPER.
No, never such an oath; nor will not now.
But did you never swear an oath and break it? KEEPER. No, never such an oath; and I won't now.
But haven't you ever sworn an oath and then broken it? KEEPER. No, never an oath like that; and I'm not starting now.
u ever break an oath [keeper] no never
Where did you dwell when I was King of England?
2 KEEPER.
Here in this country, where we now remain.
Where were you living when I was King of England? KEEPER. Here in this country, where we still remain.
Where were you when I was King of England? KEEPER. Right here, where we still are.
where were u when i was king [keeper] right here
I was anointed king at nine months old;
My father and my grandfather were kings,
And you were sworn true subjects unto me.
And tell me, then, have you not broke your oaths?
1 KEEPER.
No, for we were subjects but while you were king.
I was anointed king when I was nine months old; My father and my grandfather were both kings, And you swore to be true subjects to me. So tell me, haven't you broken your oaths? KEEPER. No, because we were subjects only while you were king.
I was crowned king when I was only nine months old. My father was king, my grandfather was king, And you swore to be my loyal subjects. So didn't you break those oaths? KEEPER. No, because we were only subjects as long as you were king.
i was anointed when i was 9 months old my family were all kings u swore to me [keeper] we were subjects while u were king
Why, am I dead? Do I not breathe a man?
Ah, simple men, you know not what you swear.
Look, as I blow this feather from my face,
And as the air blows it to me again,
Obeying with my wind when I do blow,
And yielding to another when it blows,
Commanded always by the greater gust,
Such is the lightness of you common men.
But do not break your oaths; for of that sin
My mild entreaty shall not make you guilty.
Go where you will, the King shall be commanded;
And be you kings; command, and I’ll obey.
1 KEEPER.
We are true subjects to the King, King Edward.
What, am I dead? Do I not breathe as a man? Oh, simple men, you don't understand what you're swearing. Look, as I blow this feather from my face, And as the air blows it back to me again, Obeying my wind when I blow, And giving way to another wind when it blows, Always controlled by the stronger gust, That's how light and changeable you common men are. But don't break your oaths; because of that sin My gentle request won't make you guilty. Go where you will; the King will be in command; And be you kings; command, and I'll obey. KEEPER. We are loyal subjects to the King, King Edward.
What, am I dead? Don't I still breathe like a man? You simple men, you don't know what you're swearing to. Watch this feather. I blow it away from my face. Then the air blows it back to me. It obeys whichever wind is blowing. It follows the stronger breeze. That's what you people are like—you blow whichever way power goes. But I won't make you feel guilty about breaking your oaths. Go ahead, serve whoever you want. Edward can be king. You can be kings too, and I'll follow your orders. KEEPER. We're loyal to King Edward.
i'm not dead i'm still a man u don't know what u're swearing to watch this feather it goes where the wind blows that's u people u follow the stronger power i won't blame u go serve edward i'll follow whoever wins [keeper] we serve edward
So would you be again to Henry
If he were seated as King Edward is.
1 KEEPER.
We charge you, in God’s name and the King’s
To go with us unto the officers.
So you would serve Henry again If he were in power like Edward is. KEEPER. We order you, in God's name and the King's, To come with us to the officers.
So you'd serve me again if I were in power like Edward. KEEPER. We're ordering you, in the name of God and the King, To come with us to see the authorities.
so u'd serve me if i had power [keeper] come w/ us by god's name and the king's
In God’s name, lead; your king’s name be obeyed,
And what God will, that let your king perform;
And what he will, I humbly yield unto.
In God's name, lead on; let your king's name be obeyed, And let what God wants your king to do, that he will perform; And what God wants, I humbly submit to.
Let's go, in God's name. Serve King Edward. Do what God wants you to do through him. I'll accept whatever God wants for me.
let's go serve edward what god wants i accept it
The Reckoning
This scene is one of the play's quiet masterpieces. Henry enters a forest to find peace and delivers a meditation on Margaret's probably-failed diplomatic mission to France — and then is arrested by two ordinary men who have simply transferred their loyalty to whoever sits on the throne. The philosophical debate about oaths and legitimacy that follows is brief, clear, and devastating: these men are not cruel, not political, and not particularly interested. They're just subjects doing their job for whichever king seems to have the job. Henry accepts this with extraordinary grace. The audience leaves feeling something between pity and awe.
If this happened today…
The ousted CEO of a company — living quietly in exile in another country — slips back home to walk around the old office building, not to reclaim anything, just because he misses it. He starts talking to himself about how the new CEO's diplomatic deal is probably going to fall through. Two security guards recognize him, realize their company now has a contract with the new CEO to apprehend him, and politely but firmly say he has to come with them. He tries to explain that they used to work for him. They say yes, but that was then. He goes quietly.