Publisher's Synopsis
This is an easy-to-read retelling of William Shakespeare's history play "2 Henry VI," aka "Henry VI, Part 2." People who read this version first will find it much easier to understand the language of the original play.An excerpt: As thunder sounded and lightning flashed, a spirit arose and said, "Adsum.""Adsum" is Latin for "I am present."Margery Jourdain the witch said, "Asnath, by the eternal God, whose name and power you tremble at, answer what I shall ask because until you speak, you shall not pass from hence.""Asnath" was an anagram form for "Sathan," which is a form of the name "Satan."The spirit replied, "Ask what thou wilt. I wish that I had already finished answering your questions!"The questions to be asked were already written down. Roger Bolingbroke the conjuror read, "First about the King: What shall become of him?"The spirit replied, "The Duke yet lives whom Henry shall depose, but him outlive and die a violent death."Like many such answers, this answer was equivocal. Would the Duke depose Henry, or would Henry depose the Duke? Would Henry outlive the Duke and die a violent death, or would the Duke outlive Henry and die a violent death?Southwell wrote down the answer.Roger Bolingbroke the conjuror read, "What fates await the Duke of Suffolk?"The spirit replied, "By water shall he die, and take his end."Again, this answer was ambiguous. "He shall die by water" can mean 1) "He shall drown," or 2) "He shall die on a seashore." Or as will be seen, it could also have a much different meaning.Roger Bolingbroke the conjuror read, "What shall befall the Duke of Somerset?"The spirit replied, "Let him shun castles. Safer shall he be upon the sandy plains than where castles mounted stand. Have done, for more I hardly can endure."Again, this answer was ambiguous. It could mean, "Let him shun castles mounted high on mountains." Or as will be seen, it could also have a much different meaning.Roger Bolingbroke the conjuror said to the spirit, "Descend to darkness and the burning lake! False fiend, leave!"Thunder sounded and lightning flashed as the spirit exited.