The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)
Page 57
If thou didst fear to break an oath with Him,
The unity the King my husband made
Thou hadst not broken, nor my brothers died.
If thou hadst fear'd to break an oath by Him,
Th' imperial metal, circling now thy head,
Had grac'd the tender temples of my child;
And both the Princes had been breathing here,
Which now, two tender bedfellows for dust,
Thy broken faith hath made the prey for worms.
What canst thou swear by now?
The wrong done to God is worst of all.
If you were afraid to break an oath with God,
you would not have broken the unity
my husband the King made, and my brothers would not have died.
If you had feared to break an oath to God
then the crown which is now on your head
would be on the tender head of my child;
both princes would still be alive instead
of lying side-by-side in their graves,
made worm food by your broken promises.
What can you swear by now?
KING RICHARD.
The time to come.
The future.
QUEEN ELIZABETH.
That thou hast wronged in the time
o'erpast;
For I myself have many tears to wash
Hereafter time, for time past wrong'd by thee.
The children live whose fathers thou hast slaughter'd,
Ungovern'd youth, to wail it in their age;
The parents live whose children thou hast butchered,
Old barren plants, to wail it with their age.
Swear not by time to come; for that thou hast
Misus'd ere us'd, by times ill-us'd o'erpast.
You have wronged that by your behaviour in the past;
I have many tears to be cried
in the future, for your wrongs in the past.
There are children alive whose fathers you have slaughtered,
leaderless youths, who will mourn it when they are older;
there are parents alive whose children you have butchered,
old barren plants, who will mourn it when they're older.
Don't swear by the future; you have already
abused it, by your behaviour in the past.
KING RICHARD.
As I intend to prosper and repent,
So thrive I in my dangerous affairs
Of hostile arms! Myself myself confound!
Heaven and fortune bar me happy hours!
Day, yield me not thy light; nor, night, thy rest!
Be opposite all planets of good luck
To my proceeding!-if, with dear heart's love,
Immaculate devotion, holy thoughts,
I tender not thy beauteous princely daughter.
In her consists my happiness and thine;
Without her, follows to myself and thee,
Herself, the land, and many a Christian soul,
Death, desolation, ruin, and decay.
It cannot be avoided but by this;
It will not be avoided but by this.
Therefore, dear mother-I must call you so-
Be the attorney of my love to her;
Plead what I will be, not what I have been;
Not my deserts, but what I will deserve.
Urge the necessity and state of times,
And be not peevish-fond in great designs.
Only let me prosper in the dangerous affairs
of this war if I intend to repent! May I damn myself!
May heaven and fate keep me from happiness!
Day, do not give me your light; night do not give me rest!
May all planets which bring good luck be opposed
to my business! –if, with the love of a sweet heart,
perfect devotion, holy thoughts,
I do not win your beautiful princely daughter.
My happiness and yours rests in her;
without her death, desolation, ruin and decay
will come to you and to me, to her,
the country, and many Christian souls.
This is the only way it can be avoided;
nothing else will do.
Therefore, dear mother–that's what I must call you–
be the advocate of my love to her;
urge what I will be, not what I have been;
not what I deserve, but what I will deserve in future.
Speak of what is needed in this time,
and make sure you emphasise the importance of these matters.
QUEEN ELIZABETH.
Shall I be tempted of the devil thus?
Shall I let the devil tempt me like this?
KING RICHARD.
Ay, if the devil tempt you to do good.
Yes, if the devil tempts you to do good.
QUEEN ELIZABETH.
Shall I forget myself to be myself?
Shall I not be true to myself?
KING RICHARD.
Ay, if your self's remembrance wrong
yourself.
Yes, if doing that will do you harm.
QUEEN ELIZABETH.
Yet thou didst kill my children.
But you killed my children.
KING RICHARD.
But in your daughter's womb I bury them;
Where, in that nest of spicery, they will breed
Selves of themselves, to your recomforture.
But I will bury them in your daughter's womb;
and in that phoenix nest they will breed
copies of themselves, for your consolation.
QUEEN ELIZABETH.
Shall I go win my daughter to thy will?
Will I go and win your daughter over to your wishes?
KING RICHARD.
And be a happy mother by the deed.
And make yourself a happy mother by doing so.
QUEEN ELIZABETH.
I go. Write to me very shortly,
And you shall understand from me her mind.
I shall go. Write to me very soon,
and I will tell you what she's thinking.
KING RICHARD.
Bear her my true love's kiss; and so, farewell.
Kissing her. Exit QUEEN ELIZABETH
Relenting fool, and shallow, changing woman!
Enter RATCLIFF; CATESBY following
How now! what news?
Take her my kiss of true love; and so, farewell.
Forgiving fool, and shallow, changeable woman!
Hello there! What's the news?
RATCLIFF.
Most mighty sovereign, on the western coast
Rideth a puissant navy; to our shores
Throng many doubtful hollow-hearted friends,
Unarm'd, and unresolv'd to beat them back.
'Tis thought that Richmond is their admiral;
And there they hull, expecting but the aid
Of Buckingham to welcome them ashore.
Your great Majesty, on the western coast
there is a strong navy; many frightened
and weak hearted friends have gone to the shore,
unarmed and without the resolution to repel them.
It is thought that Richmond is leading them;
they are riding at anchor, just waiting for the help
of Buckingham to welcome them ashore.
KING RICHARD.
Some light-foot friend post to the Duke of
Norfolk.
Ratcliff, thyself-or Catesby; where is he?
Somebody ride quickly to the Duke of Norfolk.
Ratcliff, you–or Catesby; where is he?
CATESBY.
Here, my good lord.
Here, my good lord.
KING RICHARD.
Catesby, fly to the Duke.
Catesby, hurry to the Duke.
CATESBY.
I will my lord, with all convenient haste.
I will, m
y lord, as quickly as I can.
KING RICHARD.
Ratcliff, come hither. Post to Salisbury;
When thou com'st thither-[To CATESBY]Dull,
unmindfull villain,
Why stay'st thou here, and go'st not to the Duke?
Ratcliff, come here. Hurry to Salisbury;
when you get there–[to Catesby] you dull, stupid villain,
why are you staying here, and not going to the Duke?
CATESBY.
First, mighty liege, tell me your Highness' pleasure,
What from your Grace I shall deliver to him.
First, great King, tell me what your Highness wants,
what message I should give him from your Grace.
KING RICHARD.
O, true, good Catesby. Bid him levy straight
The greatest strength and power that he can make
And meet me suddenly at Salisbury.
That's true, good Catesby. Tell him to raise the greatest
force that he can as quickly as possible
and meet me at once at Salisbury.
CATESBY.
I go.
I'm going.
Exit
RATCLIFF.
What, may it please you, shall I do at Salisbury?
What, if you please, shall I do at Salisbury?
KING RICHARD.
Why, what wouldst thou do there before I
go?
Why, what would you be doing them before I get there?
RATCLIFF.
Your Highness told me I should post before.
Your Highness told me I should ride ahead.
KING RICHARD.
My mind is chang'd.
Enter LORD STANLEY
Stanley, what news with you?
I've changed my mind.
Stanley, what news have you got?
STANLEY.
None good, my liege, to please you with
the hearing;
Nor none so bad but well may be reported.
No good news, my lord, to please your ears;
but no news so bad I can't tell you it.
KING RICHARD.
Hoyday, a riddle! neither good nor bad!
What need'st thou run so many miles about,
When thou mayest tell thy tale the nearest way?
Once more, what news?
Hello, a riddle! Not good or bad!
Why do you need to go such a roundabout way
when you can tell me your tale directly?
I ask you again, what news?
STANLEY.
Richmond is on the seas.
Richmond is on the sea.
KING RICHARD.
There let him sink, and be the seas on him!
White-liver'd runagate, what doth he there?
Let him sink there, and have the sea on him!
Lily livered runaway, what's he doing there?
STANLEY.
I know not, mighty sovereign, but by guess.
I don't know, great King, I can only guess.
KING RICHARD.
Well, as you guess?
Well, what do you guess?
STANLEY.
Stirr'd up by Dorset, Buckingham, and Morton,
He makes for England here to claim the crown.
That he has been encouraged by Dorset, Buckingham and Morton,
and is coming here to England to claim the crown.
KING RICHARD.
Is the chair empty? Is the sword unsway'd?
Is the King dead, the empire unpossess'd?
What heir of York is there alive but we?
And who is England's King but great York's heir?
Then tell me what makes he upon the seas.
Is the throne empty? Does no one hold the sword?
Is the king dead, does nobody own the empire?
What heir of York is alive apart from me?
And who is the King of England apart from the heir of great York?
So tell me what he's doing on the sea.
STANLEY.
Unless for that, my liege, I cannot guess.
Unless it's for that, my lord, I can't guess.
KING RICHARD.
Unless for that he comes to be your liege,
You cannot guess wherefore the Welshman comes.
Thou wilt revolt and fly to him, I fear.
Unless he's coming to be your Lord,
you cannot guess why the Welshman is coming.
You will revolt and fly to him, I fear.
STANLEY.
No, my good lord; therefore mistrust me not.
No, my good lord; do not mistrust me.
KING RICHARD.
Where is thy power then, to beat him back?
Where be thy tenants and thy followers?
Are they not now upon the western shore,
Safe-conducting the rebels from their ships?
Where are your forces then, to beat him back?
Where are your tenants and your followers;
aren't they now on the western shore,
helping the rebels to disembark?
STANLEY.
No, my good lord, my friends are in the north.
No, my good lord, my friends are in the North.
KING RICHARD.
Cold friends to me. What do they in the
north,
When they should serve their sovereign in the west?
They are no use to me. What are they doing in the North
when they should be serving their king in the West?
STANLEY.
They have not been commanded, mighty King.
Pleaseth your Majesty to give me leave,
I'll muster up my friends and meet your Grace
Where and what time your Majesty shall please.
They have not had their orders, mighty king.
If your Majesty will give me permission,
I will gather up my friends and meet your Grace
at any place and time your Majesty orders.
KING RICHARD.
Ay, ay, thou wouldst be gone to join with
Richmond;
But I'll not trust thee.
I see, you would go and join Richmond;
but I won't trust you.
STANLEY.
Most mighty sovereign,
You have no cause to hold my friendship doubtful.
I never was nor never will be false.
Most mighty King,
you have no reason to doubt my friendship.
I was never, nor will I ever be, false.
KING RICHARD.
Go, then, and muster men. But leave behind
Your son, George Stanley. Look your heart be firm,
Or else his head's assurance is but frail.
Then go and gather your men. But leave your son,
George Stanley, behind. Make sure you stay loyal,
or his head will pay the price.
STANLEY.
So deal with him as I prove true to you.
Treat him according to my behaviour.
Exit
Enter a MESSENGER
MESSENGER.
My gracious sovereign, now in Devonshire,
As I by friends am well advertised,
Sir Edward Courtney and the haughty prelate,
Bishop of Exeter, his elder brother,
With many moe confederates, are in arms.
My gracious king, I have been told by friends
that in Devonshire Sir Edward Courtney and the arrogant priest
the Bishop of Exeter, his older brother,
with many other confederates, have taken up arms.
Enter another MESSENGER
SECOND MESSENGER.
In Kent, my liege, the Guilfords are in
arms;
And every hour more competitors
Flock to the rebels, and their power grows strong.
In Kent, my lord, the Guildfords have taken up arms;
and eve
ry hour more forces
flock to the rebels, and they are growing strong.
Enter another MESSENGER
THIRD MESSENGER.
My lord, the army of great Buckingham-
My Lord, the army of great Buckingham–
KING RICHARD.
Out on you, owls! Nothing but songs of
death?[He strikes him]
There, take thou that till thou bring better news.
Get out, owls! Do you have nothing but songs of death?
There, take that until you bring better news.
THIRD MESSENGER.
The news I have to tell your Majesty
Is that by sudden floods and fall of waters
Buckingham's army is dispers'd and scatter'd;
And he himself wand'red away alone,
No man knows whither.
The news I have to tell your majesty
is that due to sudden floods and change of tides
Buckley's army is dispersed and scattered;
and he himself has gone away alone,
no man knows where.
KING RICHARD.
I cry thee mercy.
There is my purse to cure that blow of thine.
Hath any well-advised friend proclaim'd
Reward to him that brings the traitor in?
I beg your pardon.
Take my purse as compensation for that blow.