 First folio
| Modern text
| Definitions
| Key line
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| Enter Richard, Edward, and Mountague. | Enter Richard, Edward, and Montague | | 3H6 I.ii.1 |
| Richard. | RICHARD | | |
| Brother, though I bee youngest, giue mee leaue. | Brother, though I be youngest, give me leave. | | 3H6 I.ii.1 |
| Edward. | EDWARD | | |
| No, I can better play the Orator. | No, I can better play the orator. | | 3H6 I.ii.2 |
| Mount. | MONTAGUE | | |
| But I haue reasons strong and forceable. | But I have reasons strong and forcible. | | 3H6 I.ii.3 |
| Enter the Duke of Yorke. | Enter the Duke of York | | 3H6 I.ii.4 |
| Yorke. | YORK | | |
| Why how now Sonnes, and Brother, at a strife? | Why, how now, sons and brother! At a strife? | | 3H6 I.ii.4 |
| What is your Quarrell? how began it first? | What is your quarrel? How began it first? | | 3H6 I.ii.5 |
| Edward. | EDWARD | | |
| No Quarrell, but a slight Contention. | No quarrel, but a slight contention. | contention (n.)quarrel, dispute, strife | 3H6 I.ii.6 |
| Yorke. | YORK | | |
| About what? | About what? | | 3H6 I.ii.7 |
| Rich. | RICHARD | | |
| About that which concernes your Grace and vs, | About that which concerns your grace and us – | | 3H6 I.ii.8 |
| The Crowne of England, Father, which is yours. | The crown of England, father, which is yours. | | 3H6 I.ii.9 |
| Yorke. | YORK | | |
| Mine Boy? not till King Henry be dead. | Mine, boy? Not till King Henry be dead. | | 3H6 I.ii.10 |
| Richard. | RICHARD | | |
| Your Right depends not on his life, or death. | Your right depends not on his life or death. | right (n.)just claim, rights, title | 3H6 I.ii.11 |
| Edward. | EDWARD | | |
| Now you are Heire, therefore enioy it now: | Now you are heir; therefore enjoy it now. | | 3H6 I.ii.12 |
| By giuing the House of Lancaster leaue to breathe, | By giving the house of Lancaster leave to breathe, | breathe (v.)catch breath, pause, rest | 3H6 I.ii.13 |
| It will out-runne you, Father, in the end. | It will outrun you, father, in the end. | outrun (v.)
old form: out-runne escape, avoid, elude | 3H6 I.ii.14 |
| Yorke. | YORK | | |
| I tooke an Oath, that hee should quietly reigne. | I took an oath that he should quietly reign. | quietly (adv.)in peace, undisturbed | 3H6 I.ii.15 |
| Edward. | EDWARD | | |
| But for a Kingdome any Oath may be broken: | But for a kingdom any oath may be broken; | | 3H6 I.ii.16 |
| I would breake a thousand Oathes, to reigne one yeere. | I would break a thousand oaths to reign one year. | | 3H6 I.ii.17 |
| Richard. | RICHARD | | |
| No: God forbid your Grace should be forsworne. | No; God forbid your grace should be forsworn. | forswear (v), past forms forsworn, forswore
old form: forsworneswear falsely, perjure [oneself], break one's word | 3H6 I.ii.18 |
| Yorke. | YORK | | |
| I shall be, if I clayme by open Warre. | I shall be, if I claim by open war. | | 3H6 I.ii.19 |
| Richard. | RICHARD | | |
| Ile proue the contrary, if you'le heare mee speake. | I'll prove the contrary, if you'll hear me speak. | | 3H6 I.ii.20 |
| Yorke. | YORK | | |
| Thou canst not, Sonne: it is impossible. | Thou canst not, son; it is impossible. | | 3H6 I.ii.21 |
| Richard. | RICHARD | | |
| An Oath is of no moment, being not tooke | An oath is of no moment, being not took | moment (n.)importance, weight, consequence | 3H6 I.ii.22 |
| Before a true and lawfull Magistrate, | Before a true and lawful magistrate | | 3H6 I.ii.23 |
| That hath authoritie ouer him that sweares. | That hath authority over him that swears: | | 3H6 I.ii.24 |
| Henry had none, but did vsurpe the place. | Henry had none, but did usurp the place. | place (n.)position, post, office, rank | 3H6 I.ii.25 |
| Then seeing 'twas he that made you to depose, | Then, seeing 'twas he that made you to depose, | depose (v.)swear, take an oath [from] | 3H6 I.ii.26 |
| Your Oath, my Lord, is vaine and friuolous. | Your oath, my lord, is vain and frivolous. | vain (adj.)
old form: vaine worthless, idle, useless, empty | 3H6 I.ii.27 |
| | frivolous (adj.)
old form: friuolousgroundless, insufficient, paltry | |
| Therefore to Armes: and Father doe but thinke, | Therefore to arms! And, father, do but think | | 3H6 I.ii.28 |
| How sweet a thing it is to weare a Crowne, | How sweet a thing it is to wear a crown; | | 3H6 I.ii.29 |
| Within whose Circuit is Elizium, | Within whose circuit is Elysium | Elysiummythological location of heaven | 3H6 I.ii.30 |
| | circuit (n.)enclosed space, ambit, compass | |
| And all that Poets faine of Blisse and Ioy. | And all that poets feign of bliss and joy. | feign (v.)
old form: faine depict, imagine, conjure up | 3H6 I.ii.31 |
| Why doe we linger thus? I cannot rest, | Why do we linger thus? I cannot rest | | 3H6 I.ii.32 |
| Vntill the White Rose that I weare, be dy'de | Until the white rose that I wear be dyed | | 3H6 I.ii.33 |
| Euen in the luke-warme blood of Henries heart. | Even in the lukewarm blood of Henry's heart. | | 3H6 I.ii.34 |
| Yorke. | YORK | | |
| Richard ynough: I will be King, or dye. | Richard, enough! I will be king or die. | | 3H6 I.ii.35 |
| Brother, thou shalt to London presently, | Brother, thou shalt to London presently, | presently (adv.)immediately, instantly, at once | 3H6 I.ii.36 |
| And whet on Warwick to this Enterprise. | And whet on Warwick to this enterprise. | whet on (v.)encourage, incite, egg on | 3H6 I.ii.37 |
| Thou Richard shalt to the Duke of Norfolke, | Thou, Richard, shalt to the Duke of Norfolk | | 3H6 I.ii.38 |
| And tell him priuily of our intent. | And tell him privily of our intent. | intent (n.)intention, purpose, aim | 3H6 I.ii.39 |
| | privily (adv.)
old form: priuily secretly, privately, stealthily | |
| You Edward shall vnto my Lord Cobham, | You, Edward, shall unto my Lord Cobham, | | 3H6 I.ii.40 |
| With whom the Kentishmen will willingly rise. | With whom the Kentishmen will willingly rise; | | 3H6 I.ii.41 |
| In them I trust: for they are Souldiors, | In them I trust, for they are soldiers, | | 3H6 I.ii.42 |
| Wittie, courteous, liberall, full of spirit. | Witty, courteous, liberal, full of spirit. | liberal (adj.)
old form: liberallnoble, tasteful, refined | 3H6 I.ii.43 |
| | witty (adj.)
old form: Wittieclever, quick, intelligent | |
| While you are thus imploy'd, what resteth more? | While you are thus employed, what resteth more | rest (v.)remain [to be done], be left | 3H6 I.ii.44 |
| But that I seeke occasion how to rise, | But that I seek occasion how to rise, | occasion (n.)circumstance, opportunity | 3H6 I.ii.45 |
| And yet the King not priuie to my Drift, | And yet the King not privy to my drift, | privy
old form: priuie informed [of], made aware [of] | 3H6 I.ii.46 |
| | drift (n.)plan, intention, aim | |
| Nor any of the House of Lancaster. | Nor any of the house of Lancaster? | | 3H6 I.ii.47 |
| Enter Gabriel. | Enter a Messenger | | 3H6 I.ii.48.1 |
| But stay, what Newes? Why comm'st thou in such poste? | But stay; what news? Why comest thou in such post? | stay (v.)linger, tarry, delay | 3H6 I.ii.48 |
| | post, inin haste, at top speed | |
| Gabriel. | MESSENGER | | |
| The Queene, With all the Northerne Earles and Lords, | The Queen with all the northern earls and lords | | 3H6 I.ii.49 |
| Intend here to besiege you in your Castle. | Intend here to besiege you in your castle. | | 3H6 I.ii.50 |
| She is hard by, with twentie thousand men: | She is hard by with twenty thousand men; | hard (adv.)close, near | 3H6 I.ii.51 |
| And therefore fortifie your Hold, my Lord. | And therefore fortify your hold, my lord. | hold (n.)stronghold, castle, fortress | 3H6 I.ii.52 |
| Yorke. | YORK | | |
| I, with my Sword. What? think'st thou, that we feare them? | Ay, with my sword. What! Thinkest thou that we fear them? | | 3H6 I.ii.53 |
| Edward and Richard, you shall stay with me, | Edward and Richard, you shall stay with me; | | 3H6 I.ii.54 |
| My Brother Mountague shall poste to London. | My brother Montague shall post to London. | post (v.)
old form: poste hasten, speed, ride fast | 3H6 I.ii.55 |
| Let Noble Warwicke, Cobham, and the rest, | Let noble Warwick, Cobham, and the rest, | | 3H6 I.ii.56 |
| Whom we haue left Protectors of the King, | Whom we have left protectors of the King, | | 3H6 I.ii.57 |
| With powrefull Pollicie strengthen themselues, | With powerful policy strengthen themselves, | policy (n.)
old form: Pollicie stratagem, cunning, intrigue, craft | 3H6 I.ii.58 |
| And trust not simple Henry, nor his Oathes. | And trust not simple Henry nor his oaths. | simple (adj.)foolish, silly, stupid | 3H6 I.ii.59 |
| Mount. | MONTAGUE | | |
| Brother, I goe: Ile winne them, feare it not. | Brother, I go; I'll win them, fear it not; | fear (v.)
old form: feare doubt, mistrust | 3H6 I.ii.60 |
| And thus most humbly I doe take my leaue. | And thus most humbly I do take my leave. | | 3H6 I.ii.61 |
| Exit Mountague. | Exit | | 3H6 I.ii.61 |
| Enter Mortimer, and | Enter Sir John Mortimer and Sir Hugh Mortimer, | | 3H6 I.ii.62.1 |
| his Brother. | his brother | | 3H6 I.ii.62.2 |
| York. | YORK | | |
| Sir Iohn, and Sir Hugh Mortimer, mine Vnckles, | Sir John and Sir Hugh Mortimer, mine uncles, | | 3H6 I.ii.62 |
| You are come to Sandall in a happie houre. | You are come to Sandal in a happy hour; | happy (adj.)
old form: happie opportune, appropriate, propitious, favourable | 3H6 I.ii.63 |
| The Armie of the Queene meane to besiege vs. | The army of the Queen mean to besiege us. | | 3H6 I.ii.64 |
| Iohn. | SIR JOHN | | |
| Shee shall not neede, wee'le meete her in the field. | She shall not need; we'll meet her in the field. | field (n.)field of battle, battleground, field of combat | 3H6 I.ii.65 |
| Yorke. | YORK | | |
| What, with fiue thousand men? | What, with five thousand men? | | 3H6 I.ii.66 |
| Richard. | RICHARD | | |
| I, with fiue hundred, Father, for a neede. | Ay, with five hundred, father, for a need. | need, for a
old form: needeif necessary, if need be, at a pinch | 3H6 I.ii.67 |
| A Woman's generall: what should we feare? | A woman's general; what should we fear? | | 3H6 I.ii.68 |
| A March afarre off. | A march afar off | | 3H6 I.ii.69 |
| Edward. | EDWARD | | |
| I heare their Drummes: / Let's set our men in order, | I hear their drums; let's set our men in order, | | 3H6 I.ii.69 |
| And issue forth, and bid them Battaile straight. | And issue forth and bid them battle straight. | straight (adv.)straightaway, immediately, at once | 3H6 I.ii.70 |
| Yorke. | YORK | | |
| Fiue men to twentie: though the oddes be great, | Five men to twenty! Though the odds be great, | | 3H6 I.ii.71 |
| I doubt not, Vnckle, of our Victorie. | I doubt not, uncle, of our victory. | | 3H6 I.ii.72 |
| Many a Battaile haue I wonne in France, | Many a battle have I won in France, | | 3H6 I.ii.73 |
| When as the Enemie hath beene tenne to one: | When as the enemy hath been ten to one; | | 3H6 I.ii.74 |
| Why should I not now haue the like successe? | Why should I not now have the like success? | like (adj.)same, similar, alike, equal | 3H6 I.ii.75 |
| Alarum. Exit. | Exeunt | | 3H6 I.ii.75 |