The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)
Page 25
The Duchess had died an hour before I arrived.
YORK.
God for his mercy! what a tide of woes
Comes rushing on this woeful land at once!
I know not what to do. I would to God,
So my untruth had not provok'd him to it,
The King had cut off my head with my brother's.
What, are there no posts dispatch'd for Ireland?
How shall we do for money for these wars?
Come, sister-cousin, I would say-pray, pardon me.
Go, fellow, get thee home, provide some carts,
And bring away the armour that is there.
Exit SERVINGMAN
Gentlemen, will you go muster men?
If I know how or which way to order these affairs
Thus disorderly thrust into my hands,
Never believe me. Both are my kinsmen.
T'one is my sovereign, whom both my oath
And duty bids defend; t'other again
Is my kinsman, whom the King hath wrong'd,
Whom conscience and my kindred bids to right.
Well, somewhat we must do.-Come, cousin,
I'll dispose of you. Gentlemen, go muster up your men
And meet me presently at Berkeley.
I should to Plashy too,
But time will not permit. All is uneven,
And everything is left at six and seven.
May God have mercy, what a tide of sorrow
comes rushing over this sad land at once!
I don't know what to do, I wish to God,
as long as it wasn't because of any disloyalty,
that the King had cut my head off with my brother's.
What, has nobody sent messages to Ireland?
How shall we pay for these wars?
Come, sister–cousin, I should say, please excuse me.
Go, fellow, go home, get some carts
and bring the armour which is there.
Gentlemen, will you go and gather your forces?
If I say I know how to deal with this business
which has been thrust so chaotically into my hands,
don't believe me. They are both my kinsmen:
one is my king, who I am bound by oath and
duty to defend; but then the other
is my kinsman, whom the king has wronged,
and my conscience and my kinship with him tells me to side with him.
Well, we must do something. Come, cousin,
I'll see you safe. Gentleman, go and gather your forces,
and meet me at once at Berkeley.
I should go to Plashy too,
but there isn’t time. Everything is disordered,
it's all at sixes and sevens.
Exeunt YORK and QUEEN
BUSHY.
The wind sits fair for news to go to Ireland.
But none returns. For us to levy power
Proportionable to the enemy
Is all unpossible.
It's a good wind to take news to Ireland,
but none comes back. It's completely impossible
for us to raise forces which could
match the enemy.
GREEN.
Besides, our nearness to the King in love
Is near the hate of those love not the King.
Besides, our love for the King is pretty much equal
to the hatred of those who do not love him.
BAGOT.
And that is the wavering commons; for their love
Lies in their purses; and whoso empties them,
By so much fills their hearts with deadly hate.
And those are the changeable common people; their love
depends on their purses; anyone who empties them
puts the same amount of hate in their hearts.
BUSHY.
Wherein the King stands generally condemn'd.
And so the king is widely condemned for that.
BAGOT.
If judgment lie in them, then so do we,
Because we ever have been near the King.
If judgement depends on them, we are condemned too,
because of our closeness to the King.
GREEN.
Well, I will for refuge straight to Bristow Castle.
The Earl of Wiltshire is already there.
Well, I will seek refuge at once in Bristow Castle.
The Earl of Wiltshire is already there.
BUSHY.
Thither will I with you; for little office
Will the hateful commons perform for us,
Except like curs to tear us all to pieces.
Will you go along with us?
I'll go there with you; we won't get
any favours from the common people,
they'll just tear us to pieces like dogs.
Will you come along with us?
BAGOT.
No; I will to Ireland to his Majesty.
Farewell. If heart's presages be not vain,
We three here part that ne'er shall meet again.
No; I will go to the king in Ireland.
Farewell. If my suspicions are correct,
we three shall never meet again.
BUSHY.
That's as York thrives to beat back Bolingbroke.
That depends on whether York manages to defeat Bolingbroke.
GREEN.
Alas, poor Duke! the task he undertakes
Is numb'ring sands and drinking oceans dry.
Where one on his side fights, thousands will fly.
Farewell at once-for once, for all, and ever.
Alas, poor Duke! He might as well try
to count the sand and drink the oceans dry.
For every one who fights on his side, thousands will desert.
Farewell at once–for once, for all, and for ever.
BUSHY.
Well, we may meet again.
Well, we may meet again.
BAGOT.
I fear me, never.
I fear we never will.
Exeunt
Gloucestershire
Enter BOLINGBROKE and NORTHUMBERLAND, forces
BOLINGBROKE.
How far is it, my lord, to Berkeley now?
How far is it, my lord, to Berkeley now?
NORTHUMBERLAND.
Believe me, noble lord,
I am a stranger here in Gloucestershire.
These high wild hills and rough uneven ways
Draws out our miles, and makes them wearisome;
And yet your fair discourse hath been as sugar,
Making the hard way sweet and delectable.
But I bethink me what a weary way
From Ravenspurgh to Cotswold will be found
In Ross and Willoughby, wanting your company,
Which, I protest, hath very much beguil'd
The tediousness and process of my travel.
But theirs is sweet'ned with the hope to have
The present benefit which I possess;
And hope to joy is little less in joy
Than hope enjoy'd. By this the weary lords
Shall make their way seem short, as mine hath done
By sight of what I have, your noble company.
Believe me, noble Lord,
I am a stranger here in Gloucestershire.
These wild high hills and rough uneven roads
make our journey seem longer and more tiring,
and yet your fair speech has been like sugar,
making this hard journey sweet and delightful.
But I think about what a weary journey
it will be from Ravenspurgh to the Cotswolds
for Ross and Willoughby, without your company,
which I must say has very much compensated for
the tedious process of my travels.
But their journey is sweetened with the hope of gaining
the benefits which I now have,
and to hope for happiness is almost as goo
d
as having it. This will make the journey seem
shorter for the weary lords, as your noble company
has done for me.
BOLINGBROKE.
Of much less value is my company
Than your good words. But who comes here?
Your kind words are worth much more
than my company. But who is this?
Enter HARRY PERCY
NORTHUMBERLAND.
It is my son, young Harry Percy,
Sent from my brother Worcester, whencesoever.
Harry, how fares your uncle?
It is my son, young Harry Percy,
sent from my brother Worcester, wherever he is.
Harry, how is your uncle getting on?
PERCY.
I had thought, my lord, to have learn'd his health of
you.
I thought, my lord, that I would have learned that from you.
NORTHUMBERLAND.
Why, is he not with the Queen?
Why, is he not with the Queen?
PERCY.
No, my good lord; he hath forsook the court,
Broken his staff of office, and dispers'd
The household of the King.
No, my good lord; he has left the court,
broken his staff of office, and sent away
all the King's servants.
NORTHUMBERLAND.
What was his reason?
He was not so resolv'd when last we spake together.
Why did he do this?
He wasn't that way inclined last time we spoke.
PERCY.
Because your lordship was proclaimed traitor.
But he, my lord, is gone to Ravenspurgh,
To offer service to the Duke of Hereford;
And sent me over by Berkeley, to discover
What power the Duke of York had levied there;
Then with directions to repair to Ravenspurgh.
Because your lordship has been declared a traitor.
But he, my lord, has gone to Ravenspurgh,
to offer his services to the Duke of Hereford;
he sent me over via Berkeley, to discover
what forces the Duke of York had raised there;
then I have orders to go on to Ravenspurgh.
NORTHUMBERLAND.
Have you forgot the Duke of Hereford, boy?
Have you forgotten the Duke of Hereford, boy?
PERCY.
No, my good lord; for that is not forgot
Which ne'er I did remember; to my knowledge,
I never in my life did look on him.
No, my good lord; I can't forget something
which I have never known; as far as I know,
I have never seen him in my life.
NORTHUMBERLAND.
Then learn to know him now; this is the Duke.
Then get to know him now; this is the Duke.
PERCY.
My gracious lord, I tender you my service,
Such as it is, being tender, raw, and young;
Which elder days shall ripen, and confirm
To more approved service and desert.
My gracious lord, I offer you my service,
such as it is, being tender, raw and young;
it will get better with time, and be able
to serve you better, with better reward.
BOLINGBROKE.
I thank thee, gentle Percy; and be sure
I count myself in nothing else so happy
As in a soul rememb'ring my good friends;
And as my fortune ripens with thy love,
It shall be still thy true love's recompense.
My heart this covenant makes, my hand thus seals it.
I thank you, kind Percy; and rest assured
that nothing makes me happier
than remembering my good friends in my heart;
as my fortunes increase with your love,
you shall be rewarded.
I make this contract with my heart, and seal it with a handshake.
NORTHUMBERLAND.
How far is it to Berkeley? And what stir
Keeps good old York there with his men of war?
How far is it to Berkeley? And what event
keeps good old York there with his forces?
PERCY.
There stands the castle, by yon tuft of trees,
Mann'd with three hundred men, as I have heard;
And in it are the Lords of York, Berkeley, and Seymour-
None else of name and noble estimate.
There is the castle, by that stand of trees,
guarded by three hundred men, my reports say;
inside are the Lords of York, Berkeley and Seymour–
nobody else of importance.
Enter Ross and WILLOUGHBY
NORTHUMBERLAND.
Here come the Lords of Ross and Willoughby,
Bloody with spurring, fiery-red with haste.
Here come the Lords of Ross and Willoughby,
their horses are bloody with spurring, they are bright red with hurry.
BOLINGBROKE.
Welcome, my lords. I wot your love pursues
A banish'd traitor. All my treasury
Is yet but unfelt thanks, which, more enrich'd,
Shall be your love and labour's recompense.
Welcome, my lords. I know you're following, for love,
a banished traitor. All I can offer you
at the moment is intangible thanks, but when I get more,
I will reward your love and your efforts.
ROSS.
Your presence makes us rich, most noble lord.
Your presence makes us rich, most noble lord.
WILLOUGHBY.
And far surmounts our labour to attain it.
And is worth far more than the work we had to gain it.
BOLINGBROKE.
Evermore thanks, the exchequer of the poor;
Which, till my infant fortune comes to years,
Stands for my bounty. But who comes here?
More thanks, the Treasury of the poor;
until my potential fortune is realised
take my thanks as an IOU. But who is this?
Enter BERKELEY
NORTHUMBERLAND.
It is my Lord of Berkeley, as I guess.
I think it is my Lord of Berkeley.
BERKELEY.
My Lord of Hereford, my message is to you.
My Lord of Hereford, my message is to you.
BOLINGBROKE.
My lord, my answer is-'to Lancaster';
And I am come to seek that name in England;
And I must find that title in your tongue
Before I make reply to aught you say.
My lord, my answer is–‘to Lancaster’;
I have come to find that title in England;
and you must use it to me
before I reply to anything you say.
BERKELEY.
Mistake me not, my lord; 'tis not my meaning
To raze one title of your honour out.
To you, my lord, I come-what lord you will-
From the most gracious regent of this land,
The Duke of York, to know what pricks you on
To take advantage of the absent time,
And fright our native peace with self-borne arms.
Don't mistake me, my lord; I have no intention
of depriving you of any of your honourable titles.
I come to you, my lord–whatever lord you want to be–
from the most gracious regent of this land,
the Duke of York, to ask why you are
taking advantage of the King's absence
and disturbing the peace of the country with your forces.
Enter YORK, attended
BOLINGBROKE.
I shall not need transport my words by you;
Here comes his Grace in person. My noble uncle!
&nb
sp; I don't need to pass on my message through you;
here comes his grace in person. My noble uncle!
[Kneels]
YORK.
Show me thy humble heart, and not thy knee,
Whose duty is deceivable and false.
Show me your humble heart, don't just kneel,
anybody can fake that.
BOLINGBROKE.
My gracious uncle!-
My gracious uncle!–
YORK.
Tut, tut!
Grace me no grace, nor uncle me no uncle.
I am no traitor's uncle; and that word 'grace'
In an ungracious mouth is but profane.
Why have those banish'd and forbidden legs
Dar'd once to touch a dust of England's ground?
But then more 'why?'-why have they dar'd to march
So many miles upon her peaceful bosom,
Frighting her pale-fac'd villages with war
And ostentation of despised arms?
Com'st thou because the anointed King is hence?
Why, foolish boy, the King is left behind,
And in my loyal bosom lies his power.
Were I but now lord of such hot youth
As when brave Gaunt, thy father, and myself
Rescued the Black Prince, that young Mars of men,
From forth the ranks of many thousand French,
O, then how quickly should this arm of mine,
Now prisoner to the palsy, chastise the
And minister correction to thy fault!
Tut tut!
Don't call me your grace, and don't call me uncle.
I am not a traitor's uncle; and that the word “grace"