Henry VIII: Act 5, Scene 2 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 5, Scene 2 of Henry VIII from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury. (Pages, Footboys, Grooms, and other servants attend at the Council door.) CRANMER I hope I am not too late, and yet the gentleman That was sent to me from the Council prayed me To make great haste. He tries the door. All fast? What means this? Ho! Who waits there? 5 Enter Keeper. Sure you know me! KEEPER Yes, my lord, But yet I cannot help you. CRANMER Why? KEEPER Your Grace must wait till you be called for. 10 CRANMER So.	Rushing to the council meeting, Cranmer hopes he's not too late. He's about to go into the Council Chamber when a keeper stops him.
Enter Doctor Butts. BUTTS, aside This is a piece of malice. I am glad I came this way so happily. The King Shall understand it presently. Butts exits. CRANMER, aside ’Tis Butts, 15 The King’s physician. As he passed along How earnestly he cast his eyes upon me! Pray heaven he sound not my disgrace. For certain This is of purpose laid by some that hate me— God turn their hearts! I never sought their malice— 20 To quench mine honor. They would shame to make me Wait else at door, a fellow councillor, ’Mong boys, grooms, and lackeys. But their pleasures Must be fulfilled, and I attend with patience.	Dr. Butts, the king's doctor, enters and remarks that there must be malice in the air. Then he leaves. Cranmer says to himself that it's strange that he—one of the council member—has to wait outside. He hopes Butts will be a pal and be nice to him.
Enter the King and Butts at a window above. BUTTS I’ll show your Grace the strangest sight. 25 KING What’s that, Butts? BUTTS I think your Highness saw this many a day. KING Body o’ me, where is it? BUTTS There, my lord: 30 The high promotion of his Grace of Canterbury, Who holds his state at door, ’mongst pursuivants, Pages, and footboys. KING Ha! ’Tis he indeed. Is this the honor they do one another? 35 ’Tis well there’s one above ’em yet. I had thought They had parted so much honesty among ’em— At least good manners—as not thus to suffer A man of his place, and so near our favor, To dance attendance on their Lordships’ pleasures, 40 And at the door, too, like a post with packets. By holy Mary, Butts, there’s knavery! Let ’em alone, and draw the curtain close. We shall hear more anon. They draw the curtain.	Butts and Henry look out of a window above Cranmer. Butts points out Cranmer to the king, and says it's strange for the Archbishop of Canterbury to rub elbows with pages and footboys outside. You're right, Henry says. That is Cranmer waiting outside. Wait, so that means something is not right. It's a trap! Henry decides they will hear about it later, but for now, should keep watching the council meeting from above.