Henry VI, part 1, Act 5 Scene 1 runs 63 lines of dialogue, spoken by 5 speakers. That is shorter than the play’s average scene length of about 102 lines. This scene is part of Act 5 of Henry VI, part 1.
Full Dialogue
King Henry Vi ♂
Have you perused the letters from the pope,
The emperor and the Earl of Armagnac?
The emperor and the Earl of Armagnac?
Gloucester ♂
I have, my lord: and their intent is this:
They humbly sue unto your excellence
To have a godly peace concluded of
Between the realms of England and of France.
They humbly sue unto your excellence
To have a godly peace concluded of
Between the realms of England and of France.
King Henry Vi ♂
How doth your grace affect their motion?
Gloucester ♂
Well, my good lord; and as the only means
To stop effusion of our Christian blood
And 'stablish quietness on every side.
To stop effusion of our Christian blood
And 'stablish quietness on every side.
King Henry Vi ♂
Ay, marry, uncle; for I always thought
It was both impious and unnatural
That such immanity and bloody strife
Should reign among professors of one faith.
It was both impious and unnatural
That such immanity and bloody strife
Should reign among professors of one faith.
Gloucester ♂
Beside, my lord, the sooner to effect
And surer bind this knot of amity,
The Earl of Armagnac, near knit to Charles,
A man of great authority in France,
Proffers his only daughter to your grace
In marriage, with a large and sumptuous dowry.
And surer bind this knot of amity,
The Earl of Armagnac, near knit to Charles,
A man of great authority in France,
Proffers his only daughter to your grace
In marriage, with a large and sumptuous dowry.
King Henry Vi ♂
Marriage, uncle! alas, my years are young!
And fitter is my study and my books
Than wanton dalliance with a paramour.
Yet call the ambassador; and, as you please,
So let them have their answers every one:
I shall be well content with any choice
Tends to God's glory and my country's weal.
And fitter is my study and my books
Than wanton dalliance with a paramour.
Yet call the ambassador; and, as you please,
So let them have their answers every one:
I shall be well content with any choice
Tends to God's glory and my country's weal.
Exeter ♂
What! is my Lord of Winchester install'd,
And call'd unto a cardinal's degree?
Then I perceive that will be verified
Henry the Fifth did sometime prophesy,
'If once he come to be a cardinal,
He'll make his cap co-equal with the crown.'
And call'd unto a cardinal's degree?
Then I perceive that will be verified
Henry the Fifth did sometime prophesy,
'If once he come to be a cardinal,
He'll make his cap co-equal with the crown.'
King Henry Vi ♂
My lords ambassadors, your several suits
Have been consider'd and debated on.
And therefore are we certainly resolved
To draw conditions of a friendly peace;
Which by my Lord of Winchester we mean
Shall be transported presently to France.
Have been consider'd and debated on.
And therefore are we certainly resolved
To draw conditions of a friendly peace;
Which by my Lord of Winchester we mean
Shall be transported presently to France.
Gloucester ♂
And for the proffer of my lord your master,
I have inform'd his highness so at large
As liking of the lady's virtuous gifts,
Her beauty and the value of her dower,
He doth intend she shall be England's queen.
I have inform'd his highness so at large
As liking of the lady's virtuous gifts,
Her beauty and the value of her dower,
He doth intend she shall be England's queen.
King Henry Vi ♂
In argument and proof of which contract,
Bear her this jewel, pledge of my affection.
And so, my lord protector, see them guarded
And safely brought to Dover; where inshipp'd
Commit them to the fortune of the sea.
CARDINAL
Bear her this jewel, pledge of my affection.
And so, my lord protector, see them guarded
And safely brought to Dover; where inshipp'd
Commit them to the fortune of the sea.
CARDINAL
Of Winchester ♂
Stay, my lord legate: you shall first receive
The sum of money which I promised
Should be deliver'd to his holiness
For clothing me in these grave ornaments.
The sum of money which I promised
Should be deliver'd to his holiness
For clothing me in these grave ornaments.
Legate ♂
I will attend upon your lordship's leisure.
CARDINAL
CARDINAL
Of Winchester ♂
[Aside] Now Winchester will not submit, I trow,
Or be inferior to the proudest peer.
Humphrey of Gloucester, thou shalt well perceive
That, neither in birth or for authority,
The bishop will be overborne by thee:
I'll either make thee stoop and bend thy knee,
Or sack this country with a mutiny.
Or be inferior to the proudest peer.
Humphrey of Gloucester, thou shalt well perceive
That, neither in birth or for authority,
The bishop will be overborne by thee:
I'll either make thee stoop and bend thy knee,
Or sack this country with a mutiny.
63 lines rendered verbatim from the dialogue corpus.
Who’s On Stage
Speaking characters in this scene
| Character | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|
| King Henry Vi | 26 | 41.3% |
| Gloucester | 18 | 28.6% |
| Of Winchester | 11 | 17.5% |
| Exeter | 6 | 9.5% |
| Legate | 2 | 3.2% |
Line distribution
The top speaker in this scene delivers 26 lines, while the scene’s average per speaker is about 13 lines.
Total speakers on stage
5 named characters speak in this scene.
Scene in Context
Position within Act 5
This is Scene 1 of 5 in Act 5 of Henry VI, part 1.
Scene length vs. play average
At 63 lines, this scene is shorter than the Henry VI, part 1 average scene in Henry VI, part 1 (~102 lines).
Adjacent scenes
Previous: Act 4 Scene 7 · Next: Act 5 Scene 2
About Act 5 Scene 1 of Henry VI, part 1
Who carries Act 5 Scene 1 of Henry VI, part 1?
King Henry Vi, with 26 lines — about 41% of the scene.
Is the scene a dialogue or a solo?
With 5 speakers and the lead holding 41% of the lines, this scene is a balanced multi-voice exchange.