What counsel, lords? Edward from Belgia,
With hasty Germans and blunt Hollanders,
Hath passed in safety through the Narrow Seas,
And with his troops doth march amain to London;
And many giddy people flock to him.
What shall we do, my lords? Edward, from the Netherlands, With hasty Germans and blunt Dutch soldiers, Has crossed safely through the Narrow Sea, And with his army marches quickly to London; And many thoughtless people flock to him.
What are our options, lords? Edward has gotten help from the Netherlands—hired German and Dutch troops—and crossed the English Channel safely. Now he's marching his army toward London, and crowds of careless people are joining him.
edward's coming from the netherlands with german and dutch troops and people are joining him heading to london
Let’s levy men and beat him back again.
Let's gather men and drive him back again.
We should raise an army and push him back.
raise troops and beat him back
A little fire is quickly trodden out,
Which, being suffered, rivers cannot quench.
A small fire is quickly put out, But if it spreads, rivers cannot drown it.
A small fire is easy to stomp out, but if it gets going, even rivers can't stop it.
small fires die quick but big fires? rivers can't stop them
In Warwickshire I have true-hearted friends,
Not mutinous in peace, yet bold in war.
Those will I muster up; and thou, son Clarence,
Shalt stir up in Suffolk, Norfolk, and in Kent
The knights and gentlemen to come with thee.
Thou, brother Montague, in Buckingham,
Northampton, and in Leicestershire shalt find
Men well inclined to hear what thou command’st.
And thou, brave Oxford, wondrous well beloved,
In Oxfordshire shalt muster up thy friends.
My sovereign, with the loving citizens,
Like to his island girt in with the ocean,
Or modest Dian circled with her nymphs,
Shall rest in London till we come to him.
Fair lords, take leave and stand not to reply.
Farewell, my sovereign.
In Warwickshire I have loyal friends, Not rebellious in peace, yet brave in war. Those I will gather; and you, my son Clarence, Will stir up in Suffolk, Norfolk, and in Kent The knights and gentlemen to join you. You, brother Montague, in Buckingham, Northampton, and in Leicestershire shall find Men ready to follow your commands. And you, brave Oxford, wonderfully beloved, In Oxfordshire shall gather your supporters. My sovereign, with the loyal citizens, Like an island surrounded by the ocean, Or modest Diana circled by her nymphs, Will rest safely in London until we come to him. Noblemen, take your leave and do not hesitate. Farewell, my sovereign.
I have loyal friends all through Warwickshire—men who won't cause trouble in peacetime but who fight bravely when needed. I'll gather them. Clarence, you head to Suffolk, Norfolk, and Kent and round up the knights and gentlemen there. Brother Montague, you'll go to Buckingham, Northampton, and Leicestershire where you'll find plenty of men who'll follow your orders. Oxford, you're well-loved everywhere—go to Oxfordshire and bring your supporters. Your Majesty, with these loyal citizens around you, you'll be protected like an island surrounded by ocean, or like Diana surrounded by her nymphs. Stay safe in London while we go handle Edward. Nobles, go now—don't delay. Farewell, my sovereign.
i got loyal friends in warwickshire clarence you get suffolk and kent montague you take buckingham oxford you got oxfordshire king henry stays in london safe lets go fight
Farewell, my Hector, and my Troy’s true hope.
Go well, my greatest warrior, and my nation's real chance for victory.
Goodbye, my Hector—you're England's hope.
goodbye my hero youre england's hope
In sign of truth, I kiss your Highness’ hand.
As a sign of loyalty, I kiss your hand, Highness.
To show my loyalty, I kiss your hand, your Highness.
kissing your hand to show loyalty
Well-minded Clarence, be thou fortunate.
Good-hearted Clarence, may fortune smile upon you.
Clarence, you have my blessing—I hope fortune favors you.
good luck out there
Comfort, my lord; and so I take my leave.
My lord, take heart; and so I take my leave.
Be confident, my lord, and so I bid you farewell.
stay strong, goodbye
And thus [_kissing Henry’s hand_] I seal my truth, and bid adieu.
And in this way I confirm my loyalty, and bid you farewell.
This way I show my faithfulness, and I say goodbye.
this is me staying loyal, bye
Sweet Oxford, and my loving Montague,
And all at once, once more a happy farewell.
Dear Oxford, and my loving Montague, And all together, once more a happy farewell.
Oxford, Montague, everyone—I give you a warm final goodbye.
goodbye everyone come back safe
One of Shakespeare's most economical dramatic ironies: Henry gives his longest speech in the scene about why his virtues earn loyalty, ending with the lion-and-lamb image. Then: a shout from offstage. 'A York! A York!' The stage direction doesn't give Henry time to respond before Exeter asks 'Hark, hark, my lord, what shouts are these?' — and then the doors open and Edward is already inside. Shakespeare doesn't let the irony breathe; he lands it immediately. The gap between Henry's certainty and reality is measured in seconds of stage time. This is one of the great structural jokes in the Henry VI plays — and it hurts because Henry's self-analysis isn't wrong. He was a good, merciful king by every personal standard. He was just in the wrong century, the wrong role, and surrounded by the wrong people.
Farewell, sweet lords; let’s meet at Coventry.
Goodbye, my lords; let's meet again at Coventry.
Farewell, my lords; we'll regroup at Coventry.
meet up at coventry
Here at the palace will I rest a while.
Cousin of Exeter, what thinks your lordship?
Methinks the power that Edward hath in field
Should not be able to encounter mine.
I will rest here at the palace for a while. Cousin of Exeter, what is your opinion? It seems to me that the army Edward has in the field Should not be strong enough to match mine.
I'll stay here and rest at the palace. Cousin of Exeter, what do you think? Edward's army in the field doesn't seem like it should be strong enough to beat mine.
staying here my lord exeter edward's army can't beat ours right?
Exeter is Henry's loyal companion in the scene's quiet second half — he speaks in careful, measured doubts, the voice of a sensible man who sees clearly without being cynical. Watch for how he voices the fears Henry refuses to acknowledge.
The doubt is that he will seduce the rest.
The concern is that he will turn the others to his side.
The problem is that he might convince your other supporters to switch sides.
hes gonna convince everyone to switch sides
That’s not my fear; my meed hath got me fame.
I have not stopped mine ears to their demands,
Nor posted off their suits with slow delays;
My pity hath been balm to heal their wounds,
My mildness hath allayed their swelling griefs,
My mercy dried their water-flowing tears.
I have not been desirous of their wealth
Nor much oppressed them with great subsidies,
Nor forward of revenge, though they much erred.
Then why should they love Edward more than me?
No, Exeter, these graces challenge grace;
And when the lion fawns upon the lamb,
The lamb will never cease to follow him.
That is not my worry; my reputation has won me fame. I have not closed my ears to their complaints, Nor put off their requests with slow delays; My compassion has been a balm to heal their pain, My gentleness has calmed their violent sorrows, My mercy has dried their tears. I have not desired their wealth Nor heavily burdened them with great taxes, Nor sought quick revenge, though they often erred. Then why should they love Edward more than me? No, Exeter, these good qualities demand good qualities in return; And when the lion shows kindness to the lamb, The lamb will never stop following him.
That's not what concerns me—my kindness has made me famous. I've listened to people's complaints, I haven't delayed answering their petitions. My compassion has healed their wounds, my gentleness has calmed their grief, and my mercy has dried their tears. I haven't tried to take their wealth, and I haven't crushed them with heavy taxes, even when they made mistakes. So why would they love Edward more than me? No, Exeter, my good treatment of them should create loyalty in return. When a lion is kind to a lamb, the lamb follows him forever.
ive always been kind to them heard their problems healed their wounds not taxed them or punished them they gotta stay loyal to me
Hark, hark, my lord, what shouts are these?
Listen, my lord, what are those shouts?
My lord, do you hear that? What's all that shouting?
whats all that yelling?
Seize on the shame-faced Henry, bear him hence,
And once again proclaim us King of England.
You are the fount that makes small brooks to flow.
Now stops thy spring; my sea shall suck them dry
And swell so much the higher by their ebb.
Hence with him to the Tower. Let him not speak.
Capture the ashamed Henry, take him away, And once more announce us as King of England. You are the spring that makes small streams to flow. Now your spring stops; my ocean will drink them dry And swell so much the higher from their loss. Take him to the Tower. Do not let him speak.
Seize Henry—the shame-faced one—and get him out of here. Announce me as King of England again. You see, Henry is like a spring that feeds small streams. When that spring dries up, my ocean is going to swell bigger from all that water. Lock him in the Tower and don't let him say a word.
grab henry and get him out im king of england now he's done take him to the tower quiet
And, lords, towards Coventry bend we our course,
Where peremptory Warwick now remains.
The sun shines hot, and, if we use delay,
Cold biting winter mars our hoped-for hay.
And, lords, let us direct our course towards Coventry, where imperious Warwick currently stays. The sun shines hot, and if we delay, the harsh winter will destroy our expected harvest.
And, lords, let's head to Coventry, where Warwick is waiting. The sun is blazing right now, but if we waste time, winter will wreck everything we're hoping to gain.
let's go to coventry warwick's there if we wait too long winter will ruin everything
Away betimes, before his forces join,
And take the great-grown traitor unawares.
Brave warriors, march amain towards Coventry.
Go quickly, before his forces join together, And catch the large traitor unprepared. Brave warriors, march quickly towards Coventry.
Let's go fast before Henry's forces can unite, and surprise that traitor before he's ready. Come on, soldiers, let's march quickly toward Coventry.
go before he's ready lets hit coventry now
The Reckoning
The scene that shows the structural weakness of Henry's restored kingship: the king is left in London with a single lord while Warwick does all the actual governing. Henry gives a speech about why the people love him — and then the shout of 'A York! A York!' comes through the walls and Edward walks in and takes him. Henry's speech is answered not with loyalty but with the enemy's battle cry. The cruelty is that Henry isn't wrong about his personal qualities; he's just wrong that personal qualities are enough.
If this happened today…
A reinstated CEO is left holding the office while all the activist investors go out to raise capital and rally the board. He gives a speech to his assistant about how his employees like him because he listened to them, never imposed big restructuring fees, always answered their emails. Then there's a commotion in the lobby, the doors open, and the hostile takeover team walks in. They say: 'Seize him. We're announcing the new leadership immediately.'