Richard II: Act 5, Scene 6 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 5, Scene 6 of Richard II from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Scene 6 Enter King Henry, with the Duke of York. KING HENRY Kind uncle York, the latest news we hear Is that the rebels have consumed with fire Our town of Ciceter in Gloucestershire, But whether they be ta’en or slain we hear not. Enter Northumberland. Welcome, my lord. What is the news? 5 NORTHUMBERLAND First, to thy sacred state wish I all happiness. The next news is: I have to London sent The heads of Oxford, Salisbury, Blunt, and Kent. The manner of their taking may appear At large discoursèd in this paper here. 10 He gives King Henry a paper. KING HENRY We thank thee, gentle Percy, for thy pains, And to thy worth will add right worthy gains.	Henry chills at his new pad, Windsor Castle. We find out that there's been a rebel uprising against Henry. The rebels have burned down the town of Cirencester, but Henry hasn't heard whether they've been captured or killed. Northumberland comes in to announce that he just had a bunch of Henry's enemies beheaded (Salisbury, Spencer, Blunt, and Kent). Their heads have been Fed-Exed to London. Henry is grateful. He says he owes Northumberland a solid.
Enter Lord Fitzwater. FITZWATER My lord, I have from Oxford sent to London The heads of Brocas and Sir Bennet Seely, Two of the dangerous consorted traitors 15 That sought at Oxford thy dire overthrow. KING HENRY Thy pains, Fitzwater, shall not be forgot. Right noble is thy merit, well I wot.	Fitzwater comes in to say that two more traitors, Brocas and Seely, have also been beheaded. Henry promises not to forget his service.
Enter Harry Percy with the Bishop of Carlisle. PERCY The grand conspirator, Abbot of Westminster, With clog of conscience and sour melancholy 20 Hath yielded up his body to the grave. But here is Carlisle living, to abide Thy kingly doom and sentence of his pride. KING HENRY Carlisle, this is your doom: Choose out some secret place, some reverend room, 25 More than thou hast, and with it joy thy life. So, as thou liv’st in peace, die free from strife; For, though mine enemy thou hast ever been, High sparks of honor in thee have I seen.	Henry Percy comes in with Carlisle as his prisoner. Westminster, he reports, is dead. The king tells Carlisle that, despite being his enemy, he's got to give him props for being so brave and honorable. Instead of beheading Carlisle, Henry says he can spend the rest of his days under house arrest.
Enter Exton and Servingmen with the coffin. EXTON Great king, within this coffin I present 30 Thy buried fear. Herein all breathless lies The mightiest of thy greatest enemies, Richard of Bourdeaux, by me hither brought. KING HENRY Exton, I thank thee not, for thou hast wrought A deed of slander with thy fatal hand 35 Upon my head and all this famous land. EXTON From your own mouth, my lord, did I this deed. KING HENRY They love not poison that do poison need, Nor do I thee. Though I did wish him dead, I hate the murderer, love him murderèd. 40 The guilt of conscience take thou for thy labor, But neither my good word nor princely favor. With Cain go wander through shades of night, And never show thy head by day nor light. Exton exits. Lords, I protest my soul is full of woe 45 That blood should sprinkle me to make me grow. Come mourn with me for what I do lament, And put on sullen black incontinent. I’ll make a voyage to the Holy Land To wash this blood off from my guilty hand. 50 Servingmen lift the coffin to carry it out. March sadly after. Grace my mournings here In weeping after this untimely bier. They exit, following the coffin.	Exton enters with a coffin and is all "Ta da! Here's Richard and he's DEAD, just like you wanted!" Henry is all, "OMG! Richard's dead? Why did you kill him!" Exton's confused, since he got the order straight from Henry's mouth. Henry waffles. He admits that he wanted Richard dead, but now that he is he hates the man who murdered him. Henry banishes Exton. (We're guessing that just looking at Exton makes Henry feel all guilty.) Henry quickly thinks up a way to make up for all of sins: he decides to start a Holy War so God will forgive him. (Hmm, we wonder how that's going to work out.) They all exit, carrying out the big, creepy coffin. To be continued in Henry IV Part 1...

Original Text

Translated Text

Scene 6

Enter King Henry, with the Duke of York.

KING HENRY
Kind uncle York, the latest news we hear
Is that the rebels have consumed with fire
Our town of Ciceter in Gloucestershire,
But whether they be ta’en or slain we hear not.

Enter Northumberland.

Welcome, my lord. What is the news? 5

NORTHUMBERLAND
First, to thy sacred state wish I all happiness.
The next news is: I have to London sent
The heads of Oxford, Salisbury, Blunt, and Kent.
The manner of their taking may appear
At large discoursèd in this paper here. 10

He gives King Henry a paper.

KING HENRY
We thank thee, gentle Percy, for thy pains,
And to thy worth will add right worthy gains.

Henry chills at his new pad, Windsor Castle.

We find out that there's been a rebel uprising against Henry. The rebels have burned down the town of Cirencester, but Henry hasn't heard whether they've been captured or killed.

Northumberland comes in to announce that he just had a bunch of Henry's enemies beheaded (Salisbury, Spencer, Blunt, and Kent). Their heads have been Fed-Exed to London.

Henry is grateful. He says he owes Northumberland a solid.

Enter Lord Fitzwater.

FITZWATER
My lord, I have from Oxford sent to London
The heads of Brocas and Sir Bennet Seely,
Two of the dangerous consorted traitors 15
That sought at Oxford thy dire overthrow.

KING HENRY
Thy pains, Fitzwater, shall not be forgot.
Right noble is thy merit, well I wot.

Fitzwater comes in to say that two more traitors, Brocas and Seely, have also been beheaded.

Henry promises not to forget his service.

Enter Harry Percy with the Bishop of Carlisle.

PERCY
The grand conspirator, Abbot of Westminster,
With clog of conscience and sour melancholy 20
Hath yielded up his body to the grave.
But here is Carlisle living, to abide
Thy kingly doom and sentence of his pride.

KING HENRY Carlisle, this is your doom:
Choose out some secret place, some reverend room, 25
More than thou hast, and with it joy thy life.
So, as thou liv’st in peace, die free from strife;
For, though mine enemy thou hast ever been,
High sparks of honor in thee have I seen.

Henry Percy comes in with Carlisle as his prisoner. Westminster, he reports, is dead.

The king tells Carlisle that, despite being his enemy, he's got to give him props for being so brave and honorable. Instead of beheading Carlisle, Henry says he can spend the rest of his days under house arrest.

Enter Exton and Servingmen with the coffin.

EXTON
Great king, within this coffin I present 30
Thy buried fear. Herein all breathless lies
The mightiest of thy greatest enemies,
Richard of Bourdeaux, by me hither brought.

KING HENRY
Exton, I thank thee not, for thou hast wrought
A deed of slander with thy fatal hand 35
Upon my head and all this famous land.

EXTON
From your own mouth, my lord, did I this deed.

KING HENRY
They love not poison that do poison need,
Nor do I thee. Though I did wish him dead,
I hate the murderer, love him murderèd. 40
The guilt of conscience take thou for thy labor,
But neither my good word nor princely favor.
With Cain go wander through shades of night,
And never show thy head by day nor light.

Exton exits.

Lords, I protest my soul is full of woe 45
That blood should sprinkle me to make me grow.
Come mourn with me for what I do lament,
And put on sullen black incontinent.
I’ll make a voyage to the Holy Land
To wash this blood off from my guilty hand. 50

Servingmen lift the coffin to carry it out.

March sadly after. Grace my mournings here
In weeping after this untimely bier.

They exit, following the coffin.

Exton enters with a coffin and is all "Ta da! Here's Richard and he's DEAD, just like you wanted!"

Henry is all, "OMG! Richard's dead? Why did you kill him!"

Exton's confused, since he got the order straight from Henry's mouth.

Henry waffles. He admits that he wanted Richard dead, but now that he is he hates the man who murdered him.

Henry banishes Exton. (We're guessing that just looking at Exton makes Henry feel all guilty.)

Henry quickly thinks up a way to make up for all of sins: he decides to start a Holy War so God will forgive him. (Hmm, we wonder how that's going to work out.)

They all exit, carrying out the big, creepy coffin.

To be continued in Henry IV Part 1...

Richard II: Act 5, Scene 6 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 5, Scene 6 of Richard II from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text

Translated Text

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