The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)
Page 48
You will find us both at Crosby House.
Exit CATESBY
BUCKINGHAM.
Now, my lord, what shall we do if we
perceive
Lord Hastings will not yield to our complots?
Now, my lord, what shall we do if we discover
Lord Hastings will not join in with our plots?
RICHARD.
Chop off his head-something we will
determine.
And, look when I am King, claim thou of me
The earldom of Hereford and all the movables
Whereof the King my brother was possess'd.
Top of his head–something we'll decide on.
And, when I am king, you can claim from me
the earldom of Hereford and all thepersonal possessions
which the king my brother owned.
BUCKINGHAM.
I'll claim that promise at your Grace's hand.
I'll shake your Grace's hand on that.
RICHARD.
And look to have it yielded with all kindness.
Come, let us sup betimes, that afterwards
We may digest our complots in some form.
And you will find it gives to you kindly.
Come, let's eat early, so that afterwards
we can discuss our plots.
Exeunt
Before LORD HASTING'S house
Enter a MESSENGER to the door of HASTINGS
MESSENGER.
My lord, my lord!
My lord, my lord!
[Knocking]
HASTINGS.
[Within]Who knocks?
Who's knocking?
MESSENGER.
One from the Lord Stanley.
Someone from Lord Stanley.
HASTINGS.
[Within]What is't o'clock?
What time is it?
MESSENGER.
Upon the stroke of four.
Four o'clock exactly.
Enter LORD HASTINGS
HASTINGS.
Cannot my Lord Stanley sleep these tedious
nights?
Can't my Lord Stanley get to sleep in these long nights?
MESSENGER.
So it appears by that I have to say.
First, he commends him to your noble self.
It seems so from what I have to say.
Firstly, he sends you his greetings.
HASTINGS.
What then?
Then what?
MESSENGER.
Then certifies your lordship that this night
He dreamt the boar had razed off his helm.
Besides, he says there are two councils kept,
And that may be determin'd at the one
Which may make you and him to rue at th' other.
Therefore he sends to know your lordship's pleasure-
If you will presently take horse with him
And with all speed post with him toward the north
To shun the danger that his soul divines.
Then he informs your Lordship that this night
he dreams that a boar tour of his helmet.
Besides that, he says there will be two meetings,
and what is decided at one
may be bad for you and him at the other.
So he has sent to ask what your lordship wants to do–
if you want to join him at once in riding
as fast as possible to the north
to escape the danger he feels in his soul.
HASTINGS.
Go, fellow, go, return unto thy lord;
Bid him not fear the separated council:
His honour and myself are at the one,
And at the other is my good friend Catesby;
Where nothing can proceed that toucheth us
Whereof I shall not have intelligence.
Tell him his fears are shallow, without instance;
And for his dreams, I wonder he's so simple
To trust the mock'ry of unquiet slumbers.
To fly the boar before the boar pursues
Were to incense the boar to follow us
And make pursuit where he did mean no chase.
Go, bid thy master rise and come to me;
And we will both together to the Tower,
Where, he shall see, the boar will use us kindly.
Go, fellow, go, go back to your Lord;
tell him not to worry about the divided Council:
his honour and myself will be at one of them,
and my good friend Catesby will be at the other;
there is nothing that can happen which affects us
which I shall not hear about.
Tell him his fears are groundless;
and as for his dreams, I'm amazed he so stupid
as to believe the foolish things created by restless sleep.
To run from the boar before the boar chases us
encourages the boar to follow us
and start a chase where before he had no intention of doing so.
Go, tell your master to get up and come to me;
and we will both go together to the Tower,
where, he shall see, the boar will treat us kindly.
MESSENGER.
I'll go, my lord, and tell him what you say.
I shall go, my lord, and tell him what you say.
Exit
Enter CATESBY
CATESBY.
Many good morrows to my noble lord!
Many good mornings to my noble lord!
HASTINGS.
Good morrow, Catesby; you are early stirring.
What news, what news, in this our tott'ring state?
Good morning, Catesby; you are up early.
What's the news, what's the news, in our precarious country?
CATESBY.
It is a reeling world indeed, my lord;
And I believe will never stand upright
Till Richard wear the garland of the realm.
The world is certainly reeling, my lord;
I don't believe it can ever be settled again
until Richard is wearing the garland of the kingdom.
HASTINGS.
How, wear the garland! Dost thou mean the
crown?
What, wear the garland! Do you mean the crown?
CATESBY.
Ay, my good lord.
Yes, my good lord.
HASTINGS.
I'll have this crown of mine cut from my
shoulders
Before I'll see the crown so foul misplac'd.
But canst thou guess that he doth aim at it?
I'll have my head cut off my shoulders
before I see the crown put in such a foul place.
But do you think he's trying to get it?
CATESBY.
Ay, on my life; and hopes to find you forward
Upon his party for the gain thereof;
And thereupon he sends you this good news,
That this same very day your enemies,
The kindred of the Queen, must die at Pomfret.
Yes, I swear to it; and he hopes that you will
join with his party to help him;
and for that reason he is sending you this good news,
that on this very day your enemies,
the relatives of the Queen, will die at Pomfret.
HASTINGS.
Indeed, I am no mourner for that news,
Because they have been still my adversaries;
But that I'll give my voice on Richard's side
To bar my master's heirs in true descent,
God knows I will not do it to the death.
Indeed, I won't shed any tears for that,
because they have remained as my enemies;
Bart to lend my voice to Richard's side
and block the true descent of my master's heirs
is something I will not do to the day I die.
CATESBY.
God ke
ep your lordship in that gracious mind!
May God keep your Lordship steadfast in that thought!
HASTINGS.
But I shall laugh at this a twelve month hence,
That they which brought me in my master's hate,
I live to look upon their tragedy.
Well, Catesby, ere a fortnight make me older,
I'll send some packing that yet think not on't.
But I shall still be laughing at this year from now,
that the ones who made my master hate me
are going to die while I live to see it.
Well, Catesby, before another fortnight has passed,
I shall finish off some who little suspect it at the moment.
CATESBY.
'Tis a vile thing to die, my gracious lord,
When men are unprepar'd and look not for it.
It's a terrible thing to die, my gracious lord,
for men who are not expecting it and are unprepared.
HASTINGS.
O monstrous, monstrous! And so falls it out
With Rivers, Vaughan, Grey; and so 'twill do
With some men else that think themselves as safe
As thou and I, who, as thou knowest, are dear
To princely Richard and to Buckingham.
O terrible, terrible! And that's how it is
with Rivers, Vaughan and Grave; and that's how it will be
with some men who think they are safe
as you and I, who, as you know, are dear
to the princely Richard and to Buckingham.
CATESBY.
The Princes both make high account of you-
[Aside]For they account his head upon the bridge.
The Princes both speak very highly of you–
[Aside] They shall have your head high on a spike on the bridge.
HASTINGS.
I know they do, and I have well deserv'd it.
Enter LORD STANLEY
Come on, come on; where is your boar-spear, man?
Fear you the boar, and go so unprovided?
I know they do, and I have very much earned it.
Come on, come on; where is your boar spear, man?
You are scared of the boar, and yet you go about unprepared?
STANLEY.
My lord, good morrow; good morrow, Catesby.
You may jest on, but, by the holy rood,
I do not like these several councils, I.
Good morning, my lord; good morning, Catesby.
You can joke, but, by God,
I don't like these divided councils.
HASTINGS.
My lord, I hold my life as dear as yours,
And never in my days, I do protest,
Was it so precious to me as 'tis now.
Think you, but that I know our state secure,
I would be so triumphant as I am?
My Lord, my life is as important to me as yours is to you,
and I swear it has never been in all my life
as precious to me as it is now.
Do you think that I would be as happy as I am
if I didn't know that we were quite safe?
STANLEY.
The lords at Pomfret, when they rode from
London,
Were jocund and suppos'd their states were sure,
And they indeed had no cause to mistrust;
But yet you see how soon the day o'ercast.
This sudden stab of rancour I misdoubt;
Pray God, I say, I prove a needless coward.
What, shall we toward the Tower? The day is spent.
The lords who are now at Pomfret, when they wrote from London,
were happy and thought that they were safe,
and indeed they had no reason for mistrust;
but you see how quickly the day can become overcast.
This sudden stab of anger makes me worried;
I pray to God that I am shown to be a talent for no reason.
Well, shall we go to the Tower? Dawn is breaking.
HASTINGS.
Come, come, have with you. Wot you what, my
Lord?
To-day the lords you talk'd of are beheaded.
Come along then. Do you know what, my Lord?
Today the lord's you spoke of being beheaded.
STANLEY.
They, for their truth, might better wear their
heads
Than some that have accus'd them wear their hats.
But come, my lord, let's away.
For their truthfulness they might deserve to keep their heads
more than some who accuse them deserve their hats.
But come, my lord, let's go.
Enter HASTINGS, a pursuivant
HASTINGS.
Go on before; I'll talk with this good fellow.
Exeunt STANLEY and CATESBY
How now, Hastings! How goes the world with thee?
Go on ahead; I shall talk to this good fellow.
Hello there, Hastings! How are things with you?
PURSUIVANT.
The better that your lordship please to ask.
All the better as your lordship is so kind to ask.
HASTINGS.
I tell thee, man, 'tis better with me now
Than when thou met'st me last where now we meet:
Then was I going prisoner to the Tower
By the suggestion of the Queen's allies;
But now, I tell thee-keep it to thyself-
This day those enemies are put to death,
And I in better state than e'er I was.
I tell you, man, things are better with me now
man when you last met me here:
then I was going as a prisoner to the Tower
at the suggestion of the Queen's allies;
but now, I can tell you–keep it to yourself–
that today those enemies being put to death,
and I am better than I've ever been.
PURSUIVANT.
God hold it, to your honour's good content!
May God keep you in that state, for your honour's happiness!
HASTINGS.
Gramercy, Hastings; there, drink that for me.
Great thanks, Hastings; there, have a drink on me.
[Throws him his purse]
PURSUIVANT.
I thank your honour.
I thank your honour.
Exit
Enter a PRIEST
PRIEST.
Well met, my lord; I am glad to see your honour.
Hello there, my lord; I'm glad to see your honour.
HASTINGS.
I thank thee, good Sir John, with all my heart.
I am in your debt for your last exercise;
Come the next Sabbath, and I will content you.
I thank you, good Sir John, with all my heart.
I still owe you for your loss discourse;
come next Sunday, and I will pay you.
[He whispers in his ear]
PRIEST.
I'll wait upon your lordship.
I shall attend your lordship.
Enter BUCKINGHAM
BUCKINGHAM.
What, talking with a priest, Lord
Chamberlain!
Your friends at Pomfret, they do need the priest:
Your honour hath no shriving work in hand.
What, talking to a priest, Lord Chamberlain!
Your friends at Pomfret, they're the ones who need a priest:
your honour doesn't need to make a confession.
HASTINGS.
Good faith, and when I met this holy man,
The men you talk of came into my mind.
What, go you toward the Tower?
I swear, when I met this holy man,
the men you are speaking of came to my mind.
What, are you going to the Tower?
BUCKINGHAM.
I do, my lord, but long I cannot stay there;
I s
hall return before your lordship thence.
I am, my lord, but I can't stay there long;
I will be back from there before your lordship.
HASTINGS.
Nay, like enough, for I stay dinner there.
Well, that's likely enough, because I'm staying there for dinner.
BUCKINGHAM.
[Aside]And supper too, although thou
knowest it not.-
Come, will you go?
[Aside] And supper too, although you don't know it.–
Come, will you go?
HASTINGS.
I'll wait upon your lordship.
I'll attend your lordship.
Exeunt
Pomfret Castle
Enter SIR RICHARD RATCLIFF, with halberds, carrying the Nobles,
RIVERS, GREY, and VAUGHAN, to death
RIVERS.
Sir Richard Ratcliff, let me tell thee this:
To-day shalt thou behold a subject die
For truth, for duty, and for loyalty.
Sir Richard Ratcliff, let me tell you this:
today you will see a subject die
for truth, for duty and for loyalty.
GREY.
God bless the Prince from all the pack of you!