Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    King Henry VI: Part One In Plain and Simple English (A Modern Translation and the Original Version)
    King Henry VI: Part One In Plain and Simple English (A Modern Translation and the Original Version)
    King Henry VI: Part One In Plain and Simple English (A Modern Translation and the Original Version)
    Ebook436 pages3 hours

    King Henry VI: Part One In Plain and Simple English (A Modern Translation and the Original Version)

    By BookCaps

    ()

    Read preview

    About this ebook

    Henry VI, Part I is one of Shakespeare's most famous histories. But let's face it...if you don't understand it, then you are not alone.

    If you have struggled in the past reading Shakespeare, then we can help you out. Our books and apps have been used and trusted by millions of students worldwide.

    Plain and Simple English books, let you see both the original and the modern text (modern text is underneath in italics)--so you can enjoy Shakespeare, but have help if you get stuck on a passage.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherBookCaps
    Release dateSep 17, 2012
    ISBN9781301434695
    King Henry VI: Part One In Plain and Simple English (A Modern Translation and the Original Version)
    Author

    BookCaps

    We all need refreshers every now and then. Whether you are a student trying to cram for that big final, or someone just trying to understand a book more, BookCaps can help. We are a small, but growing company, and are adding titles every month.Visit www.bookcaps.com to see more of our books, or contact us with any questions.

    Read more from Book Caps

    Related authors

    Related to King Henry VI

    Titles in the series (71)

    View More
    View More

    Related ebooks

    Classics For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      The Death Of Chivalry

      Nov 26, 2020

      The Death Of Chivalry
      10 min read

    • Article

      The Foul-mouthed Miller And The Prim Prioress

      Jan 3, 2024

      HAT Geoffrey Chaucer’s ‘drasty rhyming is nat worth a toord’ (his ‘dirty rhyming isn’t worth a turd’), the Host’s pungent dismissal in Chaucer’s best-known, but incomplete poem The Canterbury Tales, is a verdict that, with good reason, posterity has

      4 min read

    • Article

      The Trauma Of War

      Jul 14, 2021

      The Trauma Of War
      8 min read

    • Article

      Wars Of The Roses

      Mar 27, 2020

      Wars Of The Roses
      10 min read

    • Article

      Henry V’s Troubled Legacy

      Aug 4, 2022

      Henry V’s Troubled Legacy
      10 min read

    • Article

      Play At Crystal Palace

      May 14, 2020

      Play At Crystal Palace
      8 min read

    • Article

      The Art Of Diplomacy

      Jun 11, 2020

      The Art Of Diplomacy
      6 min read

    • Article

      Crazy For Cider

      Aug 25, 2021

      JAMES CROWDEN is a poet, shepherd and total cider nut. In this, at least his third book on the subject, there is no other drink but that it suffers from his passion for cider, apple brandy and cider’s delicate, sweet sister, perry—and almost no momen

      5 min read

    • Article

      Battle Of The Five Kings

      Jun 16, 2022

      Battle Of The Five Kings
      5 min read

    • Article

      You’re Descended from Royalty and So Is Everybody Else

      Jan 4, 2018

      Charlemagne, Carolingian King of the Franks, Holy Roman Emperor, the great European conciliator; your ancestor. I am making an assumption that you are broadly of European descent, which is not statistically unreasonable but certainly not definitive.

      11 min read

    • Article

      The Kings and Queens of Hearts

      Sep 2, 2021

      The Kings and Queens of Hearts
      8 min read

    • Article

      Going Dutch

      Dec 8, 2021

      THIS work covers a period neatly book-ended by two sea journeys: those of Matilda, William the Conqueror’s Flemish-speaking wife, and the Dutch William of Orange in 1688. Between the two dates, the fortunes of Anglo-Dutch literary relations, like tho

      5 min read

    • Article

      A Muse Of Fire

      Oct 11, 2022

      A Muse Of Fire
      2 min read

    • Article

      Battle Of Ivry

      Apr 22, 2021

      Battle Of Ivry
      8 min read

    • Article

      Professor Nigel Saul

      Jan 28, 2021

      Professor Nigel Saul
      4 min read

    • Article

      Queen Elizabeth I

      Aug 2, 2023

      Queen Elizabeth I
      6 min read

    • Article

      His Honor On The Line

      Jan 9, 2024

      His Honor On The Line
      10 min read

    • Article

      Admiration And Intimacy

      Sep 1, 2021

      Admiration And Intimacy
      7 min read

    • Article

      The Accession

      May 2, 2019

      King Edward VII died in harness. On the fourth of May, 1910, it was my duty as Home Secretary to homage a Bishop. The King performed this ceremony in a very small sitting-room leading out of his bedroom. Assisted by the Bishop of Winchester, I brough

      3 min read

    • Article

      Georges Clemenceau

      Aug 2, 2023

      Georges Clemenceau
      7 min read

    • Article

      The Ways Of Siege Warfare

      Mar 1, 2022

      The Ways Of Siege Warfare
      9 min read

    • Article

      Field Of The Cloth Of Gold

      May 14, 2020

      Field Of The Cloth Of Gold
      4 min read

    • Article

      Battle Of Shrewsbury

      Oct 5, 2023

      Battle Of Shrewsbury
      7 min read

    • Article

      Dunkirk And The Dunes

      Nov 6, 2018

      Dunkirk And The Dunes
      18 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for King Henry VI

    0 ratings

    0 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words

      Book preview

      King Henry VI - BookCaps

      About This Series

      The Classic Retold series started as a way of telling classics for the modern reader—being careful to preserve the themes and integrity of the original. Whether you want to understand Shakespeare a little more or are trying to get a better grasp of the Greek classics, there is a book waiting for you!

      The series is expanding every month. Visit BookCaps.com to see all the books in the series, and while you are there join the Facebook page, so you are first to know when a new book comes out.

      Characters

      KING HENRY the Sixth

      DUKE OF GLOUCESTER, uncle to the King, and Protector

      DUKE OF BEDFORD, uncle to the King, and Regent of France

      THOMAS BEAUFORT, Duke of Exeter, great-uncle to the King

      HENRY BEAUFORT, great-uncle to the King, Bishop of Winchester,

      and afterwards Cardinal

      JOHN BEAUFORT, Earl, afterwards Duke, of Somerset

      RICHARD PLANTAGENET, son of Richard, late Earl of Cambridge,

      afterwards Duke of York

      EARL OF WARWICK

      EARL OF SALISBURY

      EARL OF SUFFOLK

      LORD TALBOT, afterwards Earl of Shrewbury

      JOHN TALBOT, his son

      EDMUND MORTIMER, Earl of March

      SIR JOHN FASTOLFE

      SIR WILLIAM LUCY

      SIR WILLIAM GLANSDALE

      SIR THOMAS GARGRAVE

      Mayor of London

      WOODVILE, Lieutenant of the Tower

      VERNON, of the White-Rose or York faction

      BASSET, of the Red-Rose or Lancaster faction

      A Lawyer, Mortimer's Keepers

      CHARLES, Dauphin, and afterwards King, of France

      REIGNIER, Duke of Anjou, and titular King of Naples

      DUKE OF BURGUNDY

      DUKE OF ALENCON

      BASTARD OF ORLEANS

      Governor of Paris

      Master-Gunner of Orleans and his Son

      General of the French forces in Bordeaux

      A French Sergeant A Porter

      An old Shepherd, father to Joan la Pucelle

      MARGARET, daughter to Reignier, afterwards married to

      King Henry

      COUNTESS OF AUVERGNE

      JOAN LA PUCELLE, Commonly called Joan of Arc

      Lords, Warders of the Tower, Heralds, Officers, Soldiers,

      Messengers, and Attendants

      Fiends appearing to La Pucelle

      SCENE: Partly in England, and partly in France

      Comparative Edition

      Act I

      SCENE I

      Westminster Abbey.

      Dead March. Enter the funeral of King Henry the Fifth, attended

      on

      by the Duke of Bedford, Regent of France; the Duke of Gloucester,

      Protector; the Duke of Exeter, the Earl of Warwick, the Bishop of

      Winchester, Heralds, &c.

      BEDFORD.

      Hung be the heavens with black, yield day to night!

      Comets, importing change of times and states,

      Brandish your crystal tresses in the sky,

      And with them scourge the bad revolting stars

      That have consented unto Henry's death!

      King Henry the Fifth, too famous to live long!

      England ne'er lost a king of so much worth.

      Hang the skies with black, day give way to night!

      Comets, showing the change of times and nations,

      stream your crystal tails across the sky,

      and with them whip the horrid rebellious stars

      which agreed to let Henry die!

      King Henry the Fifth, too great for a long life!

      England never lost such a valuable king.

      GLOUCESTER.

      England ne'er had a king until his time.

      Virtue he had, deserving to command:

      His brandish'd sword did blind men with his beams:

      His arms spread wider than a dragon's wings;

      His sparkling eyes, replete with wrathful fire,

      More dazzled and drove back his enemies

      Than mid-day sun fierce bent against their faces.

      What should I say? his deeds exceed all speech:

      He ne'er lift up his hand but conquered.

      England never had a true king until him.

      He had goodness, he deserved to lead:

      when he waved his sword it blinded men with its reflection:

      his arms spread wider than a dragon's wings;

      his sparkling eyes, full of angry fire,

      drove back and dazzled his enemies

      more than the midday sun shining straight in their faces.

      What can I say? There are no words to express his great deeds:

      he never moved without conquering.

      EXETER.

      We mourn in black: why mourn we not in blood?

      Henry is dead and never shall revive:

      Upon a wooden coffin we attend,

      And death's dishonourable victory

      We with our stately presence glorify,

      Like captives bound to a triumphant car.

      What! shall we curse the planets of mishap

      That plotted thus our glory's overthrow?

      Or shall we think the subtle-witted French

      Conjurers and sorcerers, that afraid of him

      By magic verses have contriv'd his end?

      We mourn by wearing black: why do we not mourn by shedding blood?

      Henry is dead and will never come back:

      we are waiting on a wooden coffin,

      and death's dishonourable victory

      is being glorified by our stately presence,

      like prisoners tied to a chariot in a triumph.

      What! Are we going to think that unlucky stars

      overthrew the glory of our king?

      Or do we believe that the cunning French

      magicians and sorcerers, through fear of him,

      cast magic spells to bring about his death?

      WINCHESTER.

      He was a king bless'd of the King of kings;

      Unto the French the dreadful judgment-day

      So dreadful will not be as was his sight.

      The battles of the Lord of hosts he fought:

      The Church's prayers made him so prosperous.

      He was a king blessed by Jesus;

      the French won't find Judgement Day

      as terrible as facing him.

      He fought his battles for God:

      the prayers of the church ensured his success.

      GLOUCESTER.

      The church! where is it? Had not churchmen pray'd,

      His thread of life had not so soon decay'd:

      None do you like but an effeminate prince,

      Whom, like a school-boy, you may over-awe.

      The church! Where are they? If the churchmen hadn't prayed,

      he would not have died so soon:

      all you want is a girlish prince,

      whom you can dominate like a schoolboy.

      WINCHESTER.

      Gloucester, whate'er we like, thou art Protector,

      And lookest to command the Prince and realm.

      Thy wife is proud; she holdeth thee in awe,

      More than God or religious churchmen may.

      Gloucester, whatever we want, you are Regent,

      and you have command over the Prince and the country.

      Your wife is arrogant; she's the one who dominates you,

      more than God or religious churchmen can.

      GLOUCESTER.

      Name not religion, for thou lov'st the flesh,

      And ne'er throughout the year to church thou go'st,

      Except it be to pray against thy foes.

      Do not speak of religion, for you love worldly things,

      and you never go to church at any time of year,

      except to say prayers against your enemies.

      BEDFORD.

      Cease, cease these jars and rest your minds in peace:

      Let's to the altar: heralds, wait on us:

      Instead of gold, we'll offer up our arms;

      Since arms avail not, now that Henry's dead.

      Posterity, await for wretched years,

      When at their mothers' moist eyes babes shall suck,

      Our isle be made a nourish of salt tears,

      And none but women left to wail the dead.

      Henry the Fifth, thy ghost I invocate:

      Prosper this realm, keep it from civil broils,

      Combat with adverse planets in the heavens!

      A far more glorious star thy soul will make

      Than Julius Caesar or bright--

      Stop these arguments and be peaceful:

      let's go to the altar: heralds, attend us:

      instead of gold, will make an offering of our weapons,

      as we have no use for them now, now that Henry is dead.

      We can expect the future to be wretched,

      and babies shall drink the tears of their mothers,

      the island shall feed on salt tears alone,

      and there will be none but women left to mourn the dead.

      Henry the Fifth, I summon up your ghost:

      make this country prosperous, keep it from civil war,

      fight the influence of the unlucky planets!

      Your soul will make far more glorious start

      than Julius Caesar, or bright–

      [Enter a Messenger.]

      MESSENGER.

      My honourable lords, health to you all!

      Sad tidings bring I to you out of France,

      Of loss, of slaughter, and discomfiture:

      Guienne, Champagne, Rheims, Orleans,

      Paris, Guysors, Poictiers, are all quite lost.

      My honourable lords, good health!

      I bring you sad news from France,

      of loss, slaughter and frustration:

      Guienne, Champagne, Reims, Orleans,

      Paris, Guysors, Poitiers, they have all been lost.

      BEDFORD.

      What say'st thou, man, before dead Henry's corse?

      Speak softly; or the loss of those great towns

      Will make him burst his lead and rise from death.

      What are you saying, man, in front of the body of dead Henry?

      Speak softly, or the loss of those great towns

      will make him burst out of his coffin and rise from the dead.

      GLOUCESTER.

      Is Paris lost? Is Rouen yielded up?

      If Henry were recall'd to life again,

      These news would cause him once more yield the ghost.

      Is Paris lost? Has Rouen been surrendered?

      If Henry were called back to life,

      this news would make him give up the ghost again.

      EXETER.

      How were they lost? What treachery was us'd?

      How were they lost? What treachery was there?

      MESSENGER.

      No treachery; but want of men and money.

      Amongst the soldiers this is muttered,

      That here you maintain several factions,

      And whilst a field should be dispatch'd and fought,

      You are disputing of your generals:

      One would have lingering wars with little cost;

      Another would fly swift, but wanteth wings;

      A third thinks, without expense at all,

      By guileful fair words peace may be obtain'd.

      Awake, awake, English nobility!

      Let not sloth dim your honours new-begot:

      Cropp'd are the flower-de-luces in your arms;

      Of England's coat one half is cut away.

      There was no treachery, there was a lack of men and money.

      The soldiers are saying that

      there are several different parties here at court,

      and when the battles should be swiftly fought,

      you are arguing over details:

      one wants long wars with little expense;

      another wants to act swiftly, but doesn't have the means;

      a third thinks that peace can be got without

      any expense, just through using cunning fair words.

      Wake up, English noblemen!

      Don't let laziness spoil your newly won honours:

      the fleur-de-lis have been cropped from your coat of arms;

      you have lost half of it.

      EXETER.

      Were our tears wanting to this funeral,

      These tidings would call forth their flowing tides.

      If this funeral was not making us cry,

      this news would start us.

      BEDFORD.

      Me they concern; Regent I am of France.

      Give me my steeled coat. I'll fight for France.

      Away with these disgraceful wailing robes!

      Wounds will I lend the French instead of eyes,

      To weep their intermissive miseries.

      This is my business; I am Regent of France.

      Bring me my chainmail. I shall fight for France.

      Enough of these disgraceful mourning clothes!

      I'll give the French wounds instead of eyes,

      through which they will cry for their regular miseries.

      [Enter to them another Messenger.]

      MESSENGER.

      Lords, view these letters full of bad mischance.

      France is revolted from the English quite,

      Except some petty towns of no import:

      The Dauphin Charles is crowned king in Rheims;

      The Bastard of Orleans with him is join'd;

      Reignier, Duke of Anjou, doth take his part;

      The Duke of Alencon flieth to his side.

      Lords, read these letters full of bad news.

      France has completely revolted against England,

      except for some little towns of no importance:

      the Dauphin Charles has been crowned King at Rheims;

      the Bastard of Orleans has joined with him;

      Reignier, Duke of Anjou, is on his side;

      the Duke of Alencon is hastening to join him.

      EXETER.

      The Dauphin crowned king! all fly to him!

      O, whither shall we fly from this reproach?

      The Dauphin crowned as King! Everyone rushes to him!

      Oh, how shall we escape the shame of this?

      GLOUCESTER.

      We will not fly, but to our enemies' throats.

      Bedford, if thou be slack, I'll fight it out.

      We will not flee, except towards our enemies' throats.

      Bedford, if you won't agree, I'll do the fighting.

      BEDFORD.

      Gloucester, why doubt'st thou of my forwardness?

      An army have I muster'd in my thoughts,

      Wherewith already France is overrun.

      Gloucester, why do you doubt my willingness?

      I have already planned how to raise an army,

      which in my mind has already conquered France.

      [Enter another Messenger.]

      MESSENGER.

      My gracious lords, to add to your laments,

      Wherewith you now bedew King Henry's hearse,

      I must inform you of a dismal fight

      Betwixt the stout Lord Talbot and the French.

      My gracious lords, to add to your tears,

      with which you now soak King Henry's hearse,

      I must tell you about a terrible fight

      between the brave Lord Talbot and the French.

      WINCHESTER.

      What! wherein Talbot overcame? is't so?

      What! Which Talbot won? Is that it?

      MESSENGER.

      O, no; wherein Lord Talbot was o'erthrown:

      The circumstance I'll tell you more at large.

      The tenth of August last this dreadful lord,

      Retiring from the siege of Orleans,

      Having full scarce six thousand in his troop,

      By three and twenty thousand of the French

      Was round encompassed and set upon.

      No leisure had he to enrank his men;

      He wanted pikes to set before his archers;

      Instead whereof sharp stakes pluck'd out of hedges

      They pitched in the ground confusedly,

      To keep the horsemen off from breaking in.

      More than three hours the fight continued;

      Where valiant Talbot above human thought

      Enacted wonders with his sword and lance:

      Hundreds he sent to hell, and none durst stand him;

      Here, there, and every where, enrag'd he slew:

      The French exclaim'd, the devil was in arms;

      All the whole army stood agaz'd on him.

      His soldiers spying his undaunted spirit

      A Talbot! a Talbot! cried out amain,

      And rush'd into the bowels of the battle.

      Here had the conquest fully been seal'd up,

      If Sir John Fastolfe had not play'd the coward.

      He, being in the vaward, plac'd behind

      With purpose to relieve and follow them,

      Cowardly fled, not having struck one stroke.

      Hence grew the general wreck and massacre;

      Enclosed were they with their enemies:

      A base Walloon, to win the Dauphin's grace,

      Thrust Talbot with a spear into the back;

      Whom all France with their chief assembled strength

      Durst not presume to look once in the face.

      Oh no: in which Lord Talbot was defeated.

      I'll tell you more about what happened.

      On the tenth of August, this fearsome Lord

      was retreating from the siege of Orleans,

      with hardly six thousand men in his force,

      and he was encircled and set upon

      by twenty three thousand French.

      He had no time to get his men into battle order;

      he had no pikes to put in front of his archers,

      and had to make do with sharp stakes cut from the hedges

      which they stuck irregularly in the ground,

      to stop the cavalry from breaking through.

      The fight continued for more than three hours,

      and brave Talbot did miraculous things with his

      sword and spear, unimaginable things.

      He sent hundreds to hell, and nobody could resist him.

      In his anger he killed those all around him.

      The French said that the devil had taken up arms,

      and the whole army watched him astonished.

      His soldiers, seeing his undaunted spirit,

      all shouted out, To Talbot, to Talbot!,

      And rushed into the heart of the battle.

      The battle would then have been completely won,

      if Sir John Fastolfe hadn't been a coward.

      He was at the back, having been placed there

      to follow them and provide reinforcements,

      but he fled like a coward, having not struck a single blow.

      So the general ruin and slaughter grew.

      They were surrounded with their enemies.

      A low villain, to win the approval of the Dauphin,

      stabbed Talbot in the back with a spear–

      someone whom all of France, with all their army there,

      did not dare to look one time in the face.

      BEDFORD.

      Is Talbot slain? then I will slay myself,

      For living idly here in pomp and ease,

      Whilst such a worthy leader, wanting aid,

      Unto his dastard foemen is betray'd.

      Has Talbot been killed? Then I will kill myself,

      as punishment for living the good life here,

      while such a great leader, lacking assistance,

      was betrayed to his horrible enemies.

      MESSENGER.

      O no, he lives; but is took prisoner,

      And Lord Scales with him, and Lord Hungerford:

      Most of the rest slaughter'd or took likewise.

      Oh no, he lives; but he is a prisoner,

      along with Lord Scales, and Lord Hungerford:

      most of the rest have been killed or otherwise are prisoners like them.

      BEDFORD.

      His ransom there is none but I shall pay:

      I'll hale the Dauphin headlong from his throne:

      His crown shall be the ransom of my friend;

      Four of their lords I'll change for one of ours.

      Farewell, my masters; to my task will I;

      Bonfires in France forthwith I am to make

      To keep our great Saint George's feast withal:

      Ten thousand soldiers with me I will take,

      Whose bloody deeds shall make all Europe quake.

      Nobody but I shall pay the ransom for him:

      I'll throw the Dauphin headfirst from his throne:

      his crown shall be the price he pays for my friend;

      I'll exchange four of their lords for this one of ours.

      Farewell, my masters; I'm going to work;

      I'm going to light a bonfire in France to

      celebrate the feast of our great Saint George:

      I shall take ten thousand soldiers with me,

      and all of Europe shall quake at their bloody deeds.

      MESSENGER.

      So you had need; for Orleans is besieg'd;

      The English army is grown weak and faint:

      The Earl of Salisbury craveth supply,

      And hardly keeps his men from mutiny,

      Since they, so few, watch such a multitude.

      You will need them; for Orleans is under siege;

      the English army has become weak and faint:

      the Earl of Salisbury is desperate for supplies,

      and can hardly keep his men from mutiny,

      since they are so few, and are confronted by so many.

      EXETER.

      Remember, lords, your oaths to Henry sworn,

      Either to quell the Dauphin utterly,

      Or bring him in obedience to your yoke.

      Remember, lords, the oaths you swore to Henry,

      that you would either completely overthrow the Dauphin,

      or make him obedient to us.

      BEDFORD.

      I do remember it, and here take my leave

      To go about my preparation.

      I do remember, and I'm leaving now

      to go and get ready.

      [Exit.]

      GLOUCESTER.

      I'll to the Tower with all the haste I can,

      To view the artillery and munition;

      And then I will proclaim young Henry king.

      I'll go to the Tower as quickly as I can,

      to inspect the artillery and ammunition;

      and then I will declare young Henry as king.

      [Exit.]

      EXETER.

      To Eltham will I, where the young King is,

      Being ordain'd his special governor;

      And for his safety there I'll best devise.

      I shall go to Eltham, where the young king is,

      as I am appointed his special governor;

      and there I shall make the best plan possible for his safety.

      [Exit.]

      WINCHESTER.

      Each hath his place and function to attend:

      I am left out; for me nothing remains.

      But long I will not be Jack out of office:

      The King from Eltham I intend to steal,

      And sit at chiefest stern of public weal.

      Everyone has his job and duty to do:

      I have been left out; there's nothing left for me.

      But I won't be left out for long:

      I intend to smuggle the king away from Eltham,

      and become the one who steers the path of the country.

      [Exeunt.]

      SCENE II.

      France. Before Orleans

      [Sound a Flourish. Enter Charles, Alencon, and Reignier,

      marching with Drum and Soldiers.]

      CHARLES.

      Mars his true moving, even as in the heavens

      So in the earth, to this day is not known:

      Late did he shine upon the English side;

      Now we are victors; upon us he smiles.

      What towns of any moment but we have?

      At pleasure here we lie near Orleans;

      Otherwhiles the famish'd English, like pale ghosts,

      Faintly besiege us one hour in a month.

      What the god of war really intends, on heaven

      or on earth, is not clear today:

      recently he favoured the English side;

      now we have triumphed; he favours us.

      What important towns are there that we don't have?

      We can rest easy here near Orleans,

      while from time to time the starving English, like pale ghosts,

      weakly attack us for an hour each month.

      ALENCON.

      They want their porridge and their fat bull beeves

      Either they must be dieted like mules,

      And have their provender tied to their

      Enjoying the preview?
      Page 1 of 1