Day Twelve

Henry VI, Part 1

3.1

SYNOPSIS

Henry enters Parliament with some of his guys and there is much infighting, back-biting, name-calling, etc., especially between Gloucester and Winchester. Henry brokers a somewhat-peace between the two. When the mayor arrives, he tells W and G about their men chasing each other with rocks (as they were "forbidden late to carry any weapons"); the rock-throwers eventually wind up in Parliament putting eveyrone in danger with their rock throwing. After some dangerous moments where G and W and H6 urge the rock-throwers (with "bloody pates") to stop to little avail, the violnece stops, G and W shake hands and make a tenuous peace.

Gloucester
here, Winchester, I offer thee my hand.

Then, moments later...

Winchester

Well, Duke of Gloucester, I will yield to thee;

Love for thy love and hand for hand I give.

...although they both reveal in asides they don't plan on keeping the peace.

Gloucester
So help me God, as I dissemble not!

Winchester
So help me God, as I intend it not!

Warwick then reads to the parliament about Plantagenet, who wants his rightful place to be restored. H6 does so, and names him: Earl of Cambridge, Duke of York.  Gloucester then convinces H6 to go to France, be crowned king there, and maybe end the war.  Exeter talks to himself about an old phrophecy that said H5 would win and rule over everything, and H6 would lose it all, and how he wished he could die before something like that happened.


Exeter
Exeter doth wish
His days may finish ere that hapless time.

IMPRESSIONS

Well, alright, H6 is all grown up now in the blink of a Star Wars-style screen wipe. He and a bunch of his guys go to Parliament, and all the guys bust out with a ahsouting match that seems to be mostly about influence, and whom has it over H6.  Most of this scene is taken up with this sort of discord which I wouldn't think anything more of if it wasn't for the end, and Exeter's strange prophecy...I say it's strange, but it's really not at all.  As I know nothing of this History, I'm pretty sure that was all foreshadowing.  And the fact that there are two more H6 plays...well, I'm pretty sure I am going to read all about the body rotting.


Exeter
As fest'red members rot but by degree,
Till bones and flesh and sinews fall away,
So will this base and envious discord  breed.


It's interesting as there has been very little magic or witchcraft, just men (and a lady!) dealing with each other, but what is it about H6 that breeds this discord?  Was it there all along and H5 repressed it?  This seems to be a thing long brewing and I guess appeasing Plantagenet is not enough.  We will see.

LINE OF THE DAY

When H6 asks the stone-throwers to knock it off if they love him, one of the stone-throwers replies:

1st Servingman
Nay, if we be forbidden stones, we'll fall to it with our teeth.

Funny, but also indicative of how little control H6 has over his peeps, and how it will all bite him in the ass one day.