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Act 3, Scene 2
Henry IV, Part 2 Translation Act 4, Scene 1
Enter the ARCHBISHOP of York, MOWBRAY, HASTINGS, and others
ARCHBISHOP
What is this forest called?
ARCHBISHOP
What is this forest called?
HASTINGS
'Tis Gaultree Forest, an ’t shall please your Grace.
HASTINGS
This is Gaultree Forest, your grace.
ARCHBISHOP
Here stand, my lords, and send discoverers forth To know the numbers of our enemies.
ARCHBISHOP
We will wait here, my lords, and we will send men ahead of us to find out how many enemy troops there are.
HASTINGS
We have sent forth already.
HASTINGS
We have already sent these men.
ARCHBISHOP
'Tis well done. My friends and brethren in these great affairs, I must acquaint you that I have received New-dated letters from Northumberland, Their cold intent,tenor, and substance, thus: Here doth he wish his person, with such powers As might hold sortance with hisquality, The which he could not levy; whereupon He is retired, to ripe his growing fortunes, To Scotland, and concludes in hearty prayers That your attempts may overlive the hazard And fearful melting of their opposite.
ARCHBISHOP
Well done. My friends and allies in this great mission, I must tell you about some news I've received in these recent letters from Northumberland. They have a frosty tone and the contents are as follows: he says that he would like to be here himself, with an army that matches his own reputation, but he hasn't managed to raise one. Therefore, he has decided to go to Scotland to help his own fortunes. He ends by saying that he is praying for your armies to defeat the danger and the power of the enemy.
MOWBRAY
Thus do the hopes we have in him touch ground And dash themselves to pieces.
MOWBRAY
I suppose that means any hopes we had for him might as well be thrown away and destroyed.
Enter a MESSENGER
HASTINGS
Now, what news?
HASTINGS
What's happening?
MESSENGER
West of this forest, scarcely off a mile, In goodly form comes on the enemy, And, by the ground they hide, Ijudge their number Upon or near the rate of thirty thousand.
MESSENGER
The enemy is strong and barely a mile from here, to the west of this forest. Looking at the amount of space the troops are taking up, I would guess there were almost thirty thousand of them.
MOWBRAY
The just proportion that we gave them out. Let us sway on and face them in the field.
MOWBRAY
The exact number we predicted. Let's keep going and get ready to fight them.
Enter WESTMORELAND
ARCHBISHOP
What well-appointed leader fronts us here?
ARCHBISHOP
What well-chosen leader is coming here to confront us?
MOWBRAY
I think it is my Lord of Westmoreland.
MOWBRAY
I think it's Lord Westmoreland.
WESTMORELAND
Health and fair greeting from our general, The Prince Lord John and Duke of Lancaster.
WESTMORELAND
Our general, the Prince Lord John, Duke of Lancaster, sends his greetings and hopes that you are in good health.
ARCHBISHOP
Say on, my Lord of Westmoreland, in peace, What doth concern your coming.
ARCHBISHOP
Tell us in peace, Lord Westmoreland: why have you come here?
WESTMORELAND
Then, my lord, Unto your Grace do I in chief address The substance of my speech. If that rebellion Came like itself, in base and abject routs, Led on by bloody youth, guarded with rags, And countenanced by boys and beggary I say, if damn’d commotion so appeared In his true, native, and most proper shape, You, reverend father, and these noble lords Had not been here to dressthe ugly form Of base and bloody insurrection With yourfair honors. You, Lord Archbishop, Whose see is by a civil peace maintained, Whose beard the silver hand of peace hath touched, Whose learning and good letters peace hath tutored, Whose white investments figure innocence, The dove and very blessèd spirit of peace, Wherefore do you so ill translate yourself Out of the speech of peace, that bears such grace, Into the harsh and boist'rous tongue of war, Turning your books to graves, your ink to blood, Your pens to lances, and yourtongue divine To a trumpet and a point of war?
WESTMORELAND
Well, my lord, it is to your Grace that I need to address the main part of my speech. If this rebellion looked like it normally does in its truest form; if it were run by a poor mob, led by bloody young men in rags, with boys and beggars supporting it, I am telling you that—as a holy man—you and these noble lords would not be honoring this bloody event with your presence. Lord Archbishop, you maintain peace and order in your district. Your beard has turned grey as a sign of your peaceful life. Your learning and writing have followed the teachings of peace. And your white robes make you almost like a dove—a blessed symbol of peace itself. Why have you decided to translate yourself from the graceful and soft language of peace to the harsh and violent language of war? You have turned your books into graves, your ink into blood, your pens into spears, and your holy tongue into a trumpet that calls men to arms.
ARCHBISHOP
Wherefore do I this? So the question stands. Briefly, to this end: we are all diseased, And with our surfeiting and wanton hours Have brought ourselves into a burning fever, And we must bleed for it; of which disease Our late King Richard, being infected, died. But, my most noble Lord of Westmoreland, I take not on mehere as a physician, Nor do I as an enemy to peace Troop in the throngs of military men, But rather show awhile like fearful war To diet rank minds sick of happiness And purge th' obstructions which begin to stop Our very veins of life. Hear me more plainly. I have inequal balance justly weighed What wrongs our arms may do, what wrongs we suffer, And find our griefs heavier than our offenses. We see which way the stream of time doth run And are enforced from our most quiet there By the rough torrent of occasion, And have the summary of all our griefs, When time shall serve, to show in articles; Which long ere this we offered to the King Andmight by no suit gain our audience. When we are wrongedand would unfold our griefs, We are denied access unto his person Even by those men that most have done us wrong. The dangers of the days but newly gone, Whose memory is written on the earth With yet appearing blood, and the examples Of every minute’s instance, present now, Hath put us in these ill-beseeming arms, Not to break peace or any branch of it, But to establish here apeace indeed, Concurring both in name and quality.
ARCHBISHOP
But why do I do all of this? That's the real question. The short answer is, we're all sick. We've eaten too much and stayed up too late and now we've given ourselves a burning fever. And the only way to cure it is with the blood shed in battle. This is the same disease that Richard, our late King, was infected with and from which he later died. But, my noble Lord of Westmoreland, I'm not claiming to be any kind of doctor here who can fix these problems. Nor am I marching with our troops as an enemy of peace. I am simply showing them what terrible war is like, to stop their minds from becoming bloated with ease and luxury. Therefore, I clear out the obstructions which are blocking up our arteries and our veins—blocking up our ability to live well. Let me say that more plainly. I've carefully considered the options, weighing up how much harm our weapons could do against the harm that is already being inflicted on us. And I think that the injustices done to us are worse that any that we will commit in battle. We can see the direction that things are going in, and so we are forced to step away from our quiet lives and into a time of violence. We have written out a summary of all of our complaints, and we will publish them when the time is right. We tried to show them to the King a long time ago, but we couldn't get a meeting with him. We were wronged. But when we tried to make our complaints, we were denied access to the very person who had wronged us in the first place. We are wearing this inappropriate armor right now because of the recent battle—the memory of which is still stained on the ground—and also because of the awful things happening every minute, at this current time. We are not trying to destroy peace, or even any small part of peace. Instead, we want to establish a peace that actually means something and actually works.
WESTMORELAND
When ever yet was your appeal denied? Wherein have you been gallèd by the King? What peer hath been suborned tograte on you, That you should seal this lawless bloody book Of forged rebellion with a seal divine And consecrate commotion’s bitter edge?
WESTMORELAND
When were you denied access to the King? How has the King made you so angry? What lord has been secretly sent out to harass you—so much so that you would put your divine seal of approval on a fraudulent and lawless rebellion, consecrating such a violent disturbance?
ARCHBISHOP
My brother general, the commonwealth, To brother born an household cruelty, I make my quarrel in particular.
ARCHBISHOP
The main reasons I am involved in this rebellion include the injustices done to my fellow Englishmen, and my own brother Scroop's cruel murder.
WESTMORELAND
There is no need of any such redress, Or if there were,it not belongs to you.
WESTMORELAND
There's no need to claim any compensation for that. And even if there were, that need doesn't belong to you.
MOWBRAY
Why not to him in part, and to us all That feel the bruises of the days before And suffer the condition of these times To lay a heavy and unequal hand Upon our honors?
MOWBRAY
Why shouldn't he at least get a little back? Why shouldn't all of us be allowed to get something back—all of us who've suffered during these recent wars and whose honors are ruined by the awful things happening right now?
WESTMORELAND
O, my good Lord Mowbray, Construe the times to theirnecessities, And you shall say indeed it is the time, And not the King, that doth you injuries. Yet for your part, it not appears to me Either from the King or in the present time That you should have an inch of any ground To build a grief on. Were you not restored To allthe Duke of Norfolk’s signories, Your noble and right well remembered father’s?
WESTMORELAND
Oh, my good lord Mowbray, if you can understand these times by just considering the inevitability of what has happened, you will see that it is the terrible situation that harms you—and not the King himself. But as for you individually, it seems to me that you don't have any kind of foundation to build an argument on—not against the King and not against your present situation either. Haven't you just been given all of the estates and honors of your noble and esteemed late father, the Duke of Norfolk?
MOWBRAY
What thing, in honor, had my father lost, That need to be revived and breathed in me? The King that loved him, as the state stood then, Was force perforce compelled tobanish him, And then that Harry Bolingbroke and he, Being mounted and both rousèd in their seats, Their neighing coursers daring of the spur, Their armèd stavesin charge, their beavers down, Their eyes of fire sparking through sights of steel And the loud trumpet blowing them together, Then, then, when there was nothing could have stayed My father from the breast of Bolingbroke, O, when the King did throw his warder down— His own life hung upon the staff he threw— Then threw he down himself and all their lives That by indictment and by dint of sword Have since miscarried under Bolingbroke.
MOWBRAY
But what honor did my father lose that I now need to restore and bring back? The old King, Richard, loved my father. But he was forced to banish him because of the way things were. And then, my father and Harry Bolingbroke challenged each other to a duel. They were both mounted on their horses and were ready to charge at each other. Their horses were neighing, ready to gallop forward, when the signal was given. Their steel-tipped spears were ready to attack. Their face-guards were on. Their eyes were burning through the slight gaps in their helmets. Then the trumpet sounded. And although nothing could have stopped my father from killing Bolingbroke, King Richard ended the fight before it began by throwing down his royal staff. When he threw down the staff, he threw down his own life—and the lives of every man that has died fighting for Bolingbroke.
WESTMORELAND
You speak, Lord Mowbray, now you know not what. The Earl of Hereford was reputed then In England the most valiant gentleman. Who knows on whom fortune would then have smiled? But if your father had been victor there, He ne'er had borne it out of Coventry; For all the country in a general voice Cried hate upon him; and all their prayers and love Were set on Hereford, whom they doted on And blessed and graced, indeed more than the King. But this is mere digression from my purpose. Here come I from our princely general To know your griefs, totell you from his Grace That he will give you audience; and wherein It shall appear that your demands are just, You shall enjoy them, everything set off That might so much as think you enemies.
WESTMORELAND
You don't know what you're talking about, Lord Mowbray. At that time, Bolingbroke was considered the bravest gentleman in all of England. Who knows who would have won the duel? But if your father had won in that duel, he would never have made it out of Coventry alive. For the country hated him, while they loved and prayed for Bolingbroke. They blessed him and worshipped him more than they did King Richard at the time. But I am forgetting the reason that I came here. I have been sent here by the Prince, our general, to know what your complaints are, and to tell you that his Grace is prepared to listen to them. If it seems like your demands are fair, then you will get what you want—unless it is something that would make you enemies of the Prince.
MOWBRAY
But he hath forced us to compel this offer; And it proceeds from policy, not love.
MOWBRAY
But he's only listening to us because we've forced him to. He doesn't listen out of love. Instead, he listens because he thinks it's the right political move!
WESTMORELAND
Mowbray, you overween to take it so. This offer comes from mercy, not from fear. For, lo, within a ken our army lies, Upon mine honor, all too confident To give admittance to a thought of fear. Our battle is more fullof names than yours, Our men more perfect in the use ofarms, Our armor all as strong, our cause the best. Thenreason will our hearts should be as good. Say you not then our offer is compelled.
WESTMORELAND
Mowbray, you are too presumptuous in thinking that. This offer comes out of mercy, not our of fear. For, look, our army is just over there. On my honor, our army is far too confident to even entertain the idea of being afraid. Our army is full of men far more renowned than your troops. Our soldiers know how to use weapons incredibly well. Our armor is just as strong as yours, and our cause is even better. It's only right that we're just as ready as you are. So don't say that the Prince has been forced to make this offer; it's a choice.
MOWBRAY
Well, by my will, we shall admit no parley.
MOWBRAY
Well, I declare that we refuse to meet with him.
WESTMORELAND
That argues but the shame of your offense. A rotten case abides no handling.
WESTMORELAND
That just shows that you're ashamed of what you're doing. Something that's rotten will crumble if it is touched.
HASTINGS
Hath the Prince John a full commission, In very ample virtue of his father, To hear and absolutely to determine Of what conditions we shall stand upon?
HASTINGS
Has Prince John been given complete authority by his father to hear our demands and decide what to do from there?
WESTMORELAND
That is intended in the General’s name. I muse you makeso slight a question.
WESTMORELAND
That's a given, since he is the General. I'm surprised you'd even ask such a question.
ARCHBISHOP
Then take, my Lord of Westmoreland, this schedule, For this contains our general grievances. Each several article herein redressed, All members of our cause, bothhere and hence, That are insinewed to this action, Acquitted by a true substantial form And present execution of our wills To us and to our purposes confined, We come within our awful banks again And knit our powers to the arm of peace.
ARCHBISHOP
Well then, my Lord of Westmoreland, take this document. It contains a list of our main complaints. If every complaint we have made is addressed and everyone involved in this rebellion—both here and elsewhere—is fully pardoned, and all of our demands are met right away, then we will return to our rightful places and work together to try to come to a peaceful agreement.
WESTMORELAND
This will I show the General. Please you, lords, In sight of both our battles we may meet, And either end inpeace, which God so frame, Or to the place of difference call the swords Which must decide it.
WESTMORELAND
I will show this to the General. If you don't mind, let's meet again in a place where both of our armies can see us. That way, the discussions can either end in peace—which I hope is God's will—or we can go straight to the battlefield to decide the outcome.
ARCHBISHOP
My lord, we will do so.
ARCHBISHOP
My lord, we will do that.
Exit WESTMORELAND
MOWBRAY
There is a thing within my bosom tells me That no conditions of our peace can stand.
MOWBRAY
Something in my heart tells me that even if we agreed to peace, it wouldn't last.
HASTINGS
Fear you not that. If we can make our peace Upon such large terms and so absolute As our conditions shall consist upon, Our peace shall stand as firm as rocky mountains.
HASTINGS
Don't worry about that. If we can come to an agreement based on great terms and stand firm on the conditions we have requested, then our peace will last as long as rocky mountains.
MOWBRAY
Yea, but our valuation shall be such That every slight and false-derivèd cause, Yea, every idle, nice, and wanton reason, Shall to the King taste of this action, That, were our royal faiths martyrs in love, We shall be winnowed with so rough a wind That even our corn shall seem as light as chaff And good from bad find no partition.
MOWBRAY
Yes, but in the future the King will think so little of us that every slight, false accusation—yes, every stupid, meaningless thing—will remind him of now. Even if we could prove our loyalty to the King by dying, he would be so suspicious of us that even the good things we do for him won't matter—he won't be able to separate them from the bad things we've already done.
ARCHBISHOP
No, no, my lord. Note this: the King is weary Of daintyand such picking grievances, For he hath found to end one doubt by death Revives two greater in the heirs of life; And therefore will he wipe his tables clean And keep no telltale to his memory That may repeat and history his loss To new remembrance. For full well he knows He cannot so precisely weed this land As his misdoubts present occasion; His foes are so enrooted with his friends That, plucking to unfix an enemy, He doth unfasten so and shake a friend; So that this land, like an offensive wife That hath enraged him on to offerstrokes, As he is striking holds his infant up And hangs resolved correction in the arm That was upreared to execution.
ARCHBISHOP
No, no, my lord. Know this. The King is tired of picking fights over every small thing. For he has found that if he ends one problem by killing someone, it just makes two bigger problems for the people who are left behind. Therefore, he wants to wipe the slate clean, and forget about anything which might remind him of the violent past. For he knows that he can't just get rid of every little problem that crops up. His enemies like roots grown among his friends, so much so that if he tried to pull up an enemy, he'd also be pulling up and getting rid of a friend. This country is behaving just like a disobedient wife, who, when she is just about to be beaten by her husband, holds up their baby in defense and makes him pause mid-action—stopping the arm that was about to carry out the punishment.
HASTINGS
Besides, the King hath wasted all his rods On late offenders, that he now doth lack The very instruments ofchastisement, So that his power, like to a fangless lion, May offer but not hold.
HASTINGS
Besides, the King has already used up all of his anger and punishments on the recent rebellion. He has nothing left to punish us with. He's weak, like a lion without its teeth. He can threaten us, but he can't actually do anything.
ARCHBISHOP
'Tis very true, And therefore be assured, my good Lord Marshal, If we do now make our atonement well, Our peace will, like a broken limb united, Grow stronger forthe breaking.
ARCHBISHOP
That's very true. So be assured, my good Lord Marshal, that if we can reach reconciliation, our peaceful agreement will be like a broken limb. It will just grow stronger after it is broken.
MOWBRAY
Be it so. Here is returned my Lord of Westmoreland.
MOWBRAY
I hope you're right. Look, Lord Westmoreland is back.
Enter WESTMORELAND
WESTMORELAND
The Prince is here at hand. Pleaseth your lordship To meet his Grace just distance ’tween our armies.
WESTMORELAND
The Prince is close by. If you are ready, will your Lordship come and meet his Grace at a spot halfway between our two armies?
MOWBRAY
Your Grace of York, in God’s name then set forward.
MOWBRAY
Your Grace, Archbishop of York: go forward and meet him in God's name.
ARCHBISHOP
Before, and greet his Grace.— [to WESTMORELAND] My lord, we come.
ARCHBISHOP
Lead on, and I will go and meet his Grace.
[To WESTMORELAND] My lord, we will come.
The ARCHBISHOP, MOWBRAY, YORK, HASTINGS and the others go forward
Enter Prince John of LANCASTER and officers with him
LANCASTER
You are well encountered here, my cousin Mowbray.— Goodday to you, gentle Lord Archbishop,— And so to you, Lord Hastings, and to all. — My Lord of York, it better showed with you When that your flock, assembled by the bell, Encircled you to hear with reverence Your exposition on the holy text Than now to see you here, aniron man talking, Cheering a rout of rebels with your drum, Turning the word to sword, and life to death. Thatman that sits within a monarch’s heart And ripens in the sunshine of his favor, Would he abuse the countenance of the King, Alack, what mischiefs might he set abroach In shadow of such greatness! With you, Lord Bishop, It is even so. Who hath not heard it spoken How deep you were within the books of God, To us the speakerin His parliament, To us th' imagined voice of God himself, The very opener and intelligencer Between the grace, the sanctities, of heaven, And our dull workings? O, who shall believe But you misuse the reverence of your place, Employ the countenance and grace of heaven As a false favorite doth his prince’s name, In deeds dishonorable? You have ta'en up, Under the counterfeitedzeal of God, The subjects of His substitute, my father, And both against the peace of heaven and him Have here up-swarmed them.
LANCASTER
It's good to see you, Mowbray. Good day to you, gentle Archbishop. The same to you, Lord Hastings, and to all of you. Archbishop, I would prefer to see you with your congregation—called together by the church bell, waiting excitedly to hear your sermons—than to see you here, clothed in armor. Now you cheer on a crowd of rebels with your war drum, speaking only of violence, and turning your life into death. When a man who is loved by the King—and prospers under this love—abuses this favor and turns against him, alas! What terrible things a man like that can do, hidden in the shadow of a great man. That's how it is with you, Lord Archbishop. Who hasn't heard people say how incredible your religious knowledge is? That's why you were our representative in God's very parliament—the man we almost thought of as God's own voice. You are supposed to be the interpreter of and messenger between God's heavenly actions and our own foolish behavior. Oh, now who doesn't think that you have abused the sacred position you hold, using this pretense of religion to do awful things—just like a lying lord uses the Prince's good name? Under this fake pretense of religion, you have encouraged the subjects of God's deputy—my father the King—to rise up against the peace of heaven and the King himself.
ARCHBISHOP
Good my Lord of Lancaster, I am not here against your father’s peace, But, as I told my Lord of Westmoreland, The time misordered doth, in common sense, Crowd us and crush us to this monstrous form To hold our safety up. Isent your Grace The parcels and particulars of our grief, The which hath been with scorn shoved from the court, Whereon this Hydra son of war is born, Whose dangerous eyes may well be charmed asleep With grant of our most just and right desires, And true obedience, of this madness cured, Stoop tamely to the foot of majesty.
ARCHBISHOP
My good Lord of Lancaster, I am not here as an enemy to your father or to his peace. Just as I told my Lord of Westmoreland, and as everyone can see, these disturbed times have forced us and driven us to do these monstrous deeds to keep ourselves safe. I sent your Grace the specific details of our complaints, a document which has already been ignored at court. That's why this Hydra-like war has started. You can calm this beast by agreeing to the justified and right things that we have demanded. If that is done, then this mad disease—this war—will be cured. And then the monster will curl up at your feet, tame and contented.
MOWBRAY
If not, we ready are to try our fortunes To the last man.
MOWBRAY
If you don't agree to our demands, then we're ready to fight until the last man is standing.
HASTINGS
And though we here fall down, We have supplies to second our attempt; If they miscarry, theirs shall second them, And so success of mischief shall be born, And heir from heir shall hold this quarrel up Whiles England shall have generation.
HASTINGS
And even if those of us who are here are defeated, we have reinforcements who can take over for us. If they fail, they have their own reinforcements as well. The war will go on like this, passed down from father to son, until England has a new beginning.
LANCASTER
You are too shallow, Hastings, much too shallow To sound the bottom of the after-times.
LANCASTER
You are not clever enough, Hastings, not clever enough to see that far into the future.
WESTMORELAND
Pleaseth your Grace to answer them directly How far forth you do like their articles.
WESTMORELAND
Your Grace, why don't you tell them what you thought about their list of complaints?
LANCASTER
I like them all, and do allow them well, And swear hereby the honor of my blood, My father’s purposes have been mistook, And some about him have too lavishly Wrested his meaning and authority. [to ARCHBISHOP] My lord, these griefs shall be with speed redressed; Upon my soul, they shall. If this may please you, Discharge your powers unto their several counties, As we will ours, and here, between the armies, Let’s drink togetherfriendly and embrace, That all their eyes may bear those tokens home Of our restorèd love and amity.
LANCASTER
I am happy with all of them. And I agree that they are all suitable complaints. I swear on my family's honor that my father's intentions have been misunderstood—and some of his men have acted too boldly and done things that he would never have agreed to do.
[To the ARCHBISHOP] My lord, we will put right these wrongs as quickly as we can; I promise you that. If you are happy with this, then break up your armies, and send them back to where they came from. We will do the same with ours. And here, in the spot between the two armies, let's have a drink together and embrace, knowing that these men will go home and tell others that we are friends again.
ARCHBISHOP
I take your princely word for these redresses.
ARCHBISHOP
I will take your word, as a prince, that you will do these things.
LANCASTER
I give it you, and will maintain my word, And thereuponI drink unto your Grace.
LANCASTER
I give you my word and I will stick to it. And with that, I toast to your Grace.
HASTINGS
Go, captain, and deliver to the army This news of peace. Let them have pay, and part. I know it will well please them. Hie thee, captain.
HASTINGS
Go, captain, and tell the army the news of peace. Pay them what we owe them, and then let them go. I know they will be pleased with this. Off you go, captain.
Exit officer
ARCHBISHOP
To you, my noble Lord of Westmoreland.
ARCHBISHOP
Here's to you, my noble Lord of Westmoreland.
WESTMORELAND
I pledge your Grace, and if you knew what pains I have bestowed to breed this present peace, You would drink freely. But my love to you Shall show itself more openlyhereafter.
WESTMORELAND
The same to your Grace. If you knew how much I have done to try to bring about this peaceful agreement, you'd just keep drinking. But my love for you will be more obvious from now on.
ARCHBISHOP
I do not doubt you.
ARCHBISHOP
I don't doubt it.
WESTMORELAND
I am glad of it.— Health to my lord and gentle cousin, Mowbray.
WESTMORELAND
I'm glad.
[To MOWBRAY] And here's to your good health, my gentle Mowbray.
MOWBRAY
You wish me health in very happy season, For I am on the sudden something ill.
MOWBRAY
Your wish of good health comes at a very good moment, for I suddenly feel quite ill.
ARCHBISHOP
Against ill chances men are ever merry, But heaviness foreruns the good event.
ARCHBISHOP
Men are always cheerful when bad situations await them, but a heavy heart is a sign that something good will happen.
WESTMORELAND
Therefore be merry, coz; since sudden sorrow Serves to say thus: “Some good thing comes tomorrow.”
WESTMORELAND
So be happy, friend. For your sudden feeling of sadness is just a sign to tell you that something good will happen tomorrow.
ARCHBISHOP
Believe me, I am passing light in spirit.
ARCHBISHOP
Believe me, I am feeling very light-hearted right now.
MOWBRAY
So much the worse if your own rule be true.
MOWBRAY
Well if the rule you just said is true, then that's not a good thing.
Shouts within
LANCASTER
The word of peace is rendered. Hark how they shout.
LANCASTER
The news of peace has been delivered. Listen to how they shout.
MOWBRAY
This had been cheerful after victory.
MOWBRAY
They sound like they're cheering a victory.
ARCHBISHOP
A peace is of the nature of a conquest, For then both parties nobly are subdued, And neither party loser.
ARCHBISHOP
A peaceful agreement is a kind of victory, because both sides may nobly stop fighting, but neither of them loses.
LANCASTER
Go, my lord, And let our army be dischargèd too.
LANCASTER
Go, my lord, and let our army go as well.
Exit WESTMORELAND
And, good my lord, so please you, let our trains March by us, that we may peruse the men We should have coped withal.
Good Archbishop, let's tell both of our armies to march past us here, so that we can see the men that we would have been fighting against.
ARCHBISHOP
Go, good Lord Hastings, And ere they be dismissed, let them march by.
ARCHBISHOP
Go, good Lord Hastings. Tell them to march past us before they leave.
Exit HASTINGS
LANCASTER
I trust, lords, we shall lie tonight together.
LANCASTER
I hope, lords, that we will spend the night here together.
Enter WESTMORELAND
Now, cousin, wherefore stands our army still?
Now, why is our army still standing ready?
WESTMORELAND
The leaders, having charge from you to stand, Will not go off until they hear you speak.
WESTMORELAND
The leaders were ordered by you to stay exactly where they are, and they refuse to move until you give them another order.
LANCASTER
They know their duties.
LANCASTER
They know their duties, that's for sure.
Enter HASTINGS
HASTINGS
My lord, our army is dispersed already. Like youthful steers unyoked, they take their courses East, west, north, south, or, like a school broke up, Each hurries toward his home and sporting-place.
HASTINGS
My lord, our army has already dispersed. They've set off east, west, north and south—just like young bulls who have been untied, or like children after school, hurrying home or to play somewhere.
WESTMORELAND
Good tidings, my Lord Hastings, for the which I do arrest thee, traitor, of high treason. — And you, Lord Archbishop, and you, Lord Mowbray, Of capital treason I attach you both.
WESTMORELAND
What good news, Lord Hastings. Now I have heard it, I arrest you, traitor, for high treason. As for you, Lord Archbishop, and you, Lord Mowbray, I arrest you both of capital treason.
MOWBRAY
Is this proceeding just and honorable?
MOWBRAY
Is this action just and honorable?
WESTMORELAND
Is your assembly so?
WESTMORELAND
Was your rebellion just and honorable?
ARCHBISHOP
Will you thus break your faith?
ARCHBISHOP
Are you going to break the faithful promise you made us?
LANCASTER
I pawned thee none. I promised you redress of these same grievances Whereof you did complain, which, by minehonor, I will perform with a most Christian care. But for you rebels, look to taste the due Meet for rebellionand such acts as yours. Most shallowly did you these arms commence, Fondly brought here, and foolishly sent hence. — Strike up our drums; pursue the scattered stray. God, and not we, hath safely fought today. — Some guard these traitors to the block of death, Treason’s true bedand yielder-up of breath.
LANCASTER
I never promised you this. I promised you that I would make up for the complaints you had made, and satisfy your demands. And, I swear on my honor, I will do that as carefully as I can. As for you, rebels: you will have to pay the price for this rebellion, and will get what you deserve for the awful things you have done. You started these wars about trivial things; brought your army here without thinking; and foolishly dismissed them too early. Strike up the drums! Capture the soldiers who are still running away. It is God who has fought today and God who has won. Guards, take these traitors to where they will be executed. That is where treason is meant to be, and that is where this rebellion will take its last breath.
Exeunt
