Original: Now, York, or never, steel thy fearful thoughts,
Modern: Now, York, it’s now or never—strengthen your nervous thoughts,

Original: And change misdoubt to resolution:
Modern: And turn your doubts into firm determination:

Original: Be that thou hopest to be, or what thou art
Modern: Either become what you hope to be, or accept what you are

Original: Resign to death; it is not worth the enjoying:
Modern: And give up on life; it’s not worth living otherwise:

Original: Let pale-faced fear keep with the mean-born man,
Modern: Let cowardly fear stay with common-born men,

Original: And find no harbour in a royal heart.
Modern: And find no place in a royal heart.

Original: Faster than spring-time showers comes thought on thought,
Modern: Faster than spring rain, one thought follows another,

Original: And not a thought but thinks on dignity.
Modern: And every thought is focused on achieving high rank.

Original: My brain more busy than the labouring spider
Modern: My brain works harder than a busy spider

Original: Weaves tedious snares to trap mine enemies.
Modern: Spinning complicated traps to catch my enemies.

Original: Well, nobles, well, ‘tis politicly done,
Modern: Well, nobles, well, it’s a clever political move,

Original: To send me packing with an host of men:
Modern: To send me away with an army of men:

Original: I fear me you but warm the starved snake,
Modern: I’m afraid you’re just warming up a hungry snake,

Original: Who, cherish’d in your breasts, will sting your hearts.
Modern: Who, after you’ve taken care of him, will turn and attack you.

Original: ‘Twas men I lack’d and you will give them me:
Modern: I needed soldiers and you’re giving them to me:

Original: I take it kindly; and yet be well assured
Modern: I accept gratefully; but you can be absolutely sure

Original: You put sharp weapons in a madman’s hands.
Modern: You’re putting deadly weapons in a crazy person’s hands.

Original: Whiles I in Ireland nourish a mighty band,
Modern: While I’m in Ireland building up a powerful army,

Original: I will stir up in England some black storm
Modern: I will start some terrible chaos in England

Original: Shall blow ten thousand souls to heaven or hell;
Modern: That will kill ten thousand people;

Original: And this fell tempest shall not cease to rage
Modern: And this deadly storm won’t stop raging

Original: Until the golden circuit on my head,
Modern: Until the golden crown is on my head,

Original: Like to the glorious sun’s transparent beams,
Modern: Like the glorious sun’s bright rays,

Original: Do calm the fury of this mad-bred flaw.
Modern: Calms the violence of this insane conflict.

Original: And, for a minister of my intent,
Modern: And, to serve as an agent of my plan,

Original: I have seduced a headstrong Kentishman,
Modern: I have persuaded a stubborn man from Kent,

Original: John Cade of Ashford,
Modern: John Cade of Ashford,

Original: To make commotion, as full well he can,
Modern: To create rebellion, which he’s very capable of doing,

Original: Under the title of John Mortimer.
Modern: Pretending to be John Mortimer.

Original: In Ireland have I seen this stubborn Cade
Modern: In Ireland I’ve seen this tough Cade

Original: Oppose himself against a troop of kerns,
Modern: Fight against a group of Irish foot soldiers,

Original: And fought so long, till that his thighs with darts
Modern: And fight so long, until his thighs were covered with arrows

Original: Were almost like a sharp-quill’d porpentine;
Modern: And looked almost like a porcupine with sharp quills;

Original: And, in the end being rescued, I have seen
Modern: And, after finally being rescued, I’ve seen

Original: Him caper upright like a wild Morisco,
Modern: Him dance around like a wild Morris dancer,

Original: Shaking the bloody darts as he his bells.
Modern: Shaking the bloody arrows like a dancer shakes his bells.

Original: Full often, like a shag-hair’d crafty kern,
Modern: Many times, disguised as a shaggy-haired cunning Irish soldier,

Original: Hath he conversed with the enemy,
Modern: He has talked with the enemy,

Original: And undiscover’d come to me again
Modern: And without being detected, come back to me

Original: And given me notice of their villanies.
Modern: And told me about their evil plans.

Original: This devil here shall be my substitute;
Modern: This devil will act in my place;

Original: For that John Mortimer, which now is dead,
Modern: Because that John Mortimer, who is now dead,

Original: In face, in gait, in speech, he doth resemble:
Modern: He resembles in appearance, walk, and speech:

Original: By this I shall perceive the commons’ mind,
Modern: Through this I’ll learn what the common people think,

Original: How they affect the house and claim of York.
Modern: How they feel about the York family and my claim to the throne.

Original: Say he be taken, rack’d and tortured,
Modern: Even if he’s captured, put on the rack and tortured,

Original: I know no pain they can inflict upon him
Modern: I know there’s no pain they can cause him

Original: Will make him say I moved him to those arms.
Modern: That will make him say I urged him to take up weapons.

Original: Say that he thrive, as ‘tis great like he will,
Modern: If he succeeds, which is very likely he will,

Original: Why, then from Ireland come I with my strength
Modern: Well, then I’ll return from Ireland with my army

Original: And reap the harvest which that rascal sow’d;
Modern: And claim the rewards that scoundrel earned;

Original: For Humphrey being dead, as he shall be,
Modern: Because with Humphrey dead, as he will be,

Original: And Henry put apart, the next for me.
Modern: And Henry removed from power, I’m next in line.

Henry VI, Part II opens with King Henry VI’s marriage to Margaret of Anjou, which was arranged as part of a peace treaty with France. The marriage proves politically disastrous, as Henry has agreed to surrender Maine and Anjou to France and provide no dowry, angering the English nobles. The Duke of Gloucester, Henry’s uncle and Lord Protector, opposes the marriage terms, while Cardinal Beaufort and the Duke of Suffolk, who arranged the marriage, work to undermine Gloucester’s influence. Queen Margaret quickly emerges as an ambitious figure who resents Gloucester’s power and begins plotting against him alongside Suffolk and other nobles.

The central conflict develops around the destruction of Gloucester, known as “Good Duke Humphrey.” Through a series of machinations involving his wife Eleanor’s involvement with conjurers and fortune-tellers, Gloucester is stripped of his position as Lord Protector. Eleanor is banished after being convicted of witchcraft, leaving Gloucester vulnerable. Margaret, Suffolk, Cardinal Beaufort, and others conspire to have Gloucester arrested on charges of treason. Before he can defend himself in trial, Gloucester is murdered in his bed, likely on Suffolk’s orders, shocking King Henry and the common people who loved Gloucester.

The aftermath of Gloucester’s murder destabilizes the realm further. Suffolk is banished by Henry after popular outcry against him, but he is captured and killed by pirates during his exile. Cardinal Beaufort dies tormented by guilt over Gloucester’s death. Meanwhile, Jack Cade leads a popular rebellion in Kent, claiming to be John Mortimer and demanding justice for the common people. Cade’s forces march on London, causing chaos and executing several nobles and officials before the rebellion is eventually suppressed. The play concludes with the return of Richard, Duke of York, from Ireland with an army, ostensibly to remove the remaining “traitors” around the king but actually to press his own claim to the throne, setting the stage for the Wars of the Roses that will dominate the final play in the trilogy.