The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)
Page 58
Has any sensible friend announced
a reward for whoever captures the traitor?
THIRD MESSENGER.
Such proclamation hath been made,
my Lord.
This announcement has been made, my lord.
Enter another MESSENGER
FOURTH MESSENGER.
Sir Thomas Lovel and Lord Marquis
Dorset,
'Tis said, my liege, in Yorkshire are in arms.
But this good comfort bring I to your Highness-
The Britaine navy is dispers'd by tempest.
Richmond in Dorsetshire sent out a boat
Unto the shore, to ask those on the banks
If they were his assistants, yea or no;
Who answer'd him they came from Buckingham
Upon his party. He, mistrusting them,
Hois'd sail, and made his course again for Britaine.
Sir Thomas Lovel and Lord Marquis Dorset
are said, my lord, to have taken up arms in Yorkshire.
But I bring your Highness this consolation–
the navy of Brittany has been split up by storms.
In Dorsetshire Richmond sent out a boat
to the shore, to ask those on the banks
if they were his friends or not;
they told him they came from Buckingham
to help him. He, not trusting them,
hoisted his sails and set off back to Brittany.
KING RICHARD.
March on, march on, since we are up in
arms;
If not to fight with foreign enemies,
Yet to beat down these rebels here at home.
March on, march on, We are ready for battle:
if we are not fighting with foreign enemies
we shall beat down these rebels here at home.
Re-enter CATESBY
CATESBY.
My liege, the Duke of Buckingham is taken-
That is the best news. That the Earl of Richmond
Is with a mighty power landed at Milford
Is colder tidings, yet they must be told.
My Lord, the Duke of Buckingham has been captured–
that is the best news. That the Earl of Richmond
has landed with a great force at Milford Haven
is not such good news, but it has to be said.
KING RICHARD.
Away towards Salisbury! While we reason
here
A royal battle might be won and lost.
Some one take order Buckingham be brought
To Salisbury; the rest march on with me.
Off to Salisbury! While we argue here
the battle for the Crown could be won and lost.
Someone make sure Buckingham is brought
to Salisbury; the rest of you march with me.
Flourish. Exeunt
LORD DERBY'S house
Enter STANLEY and SIR CHRISTOPHER URSWICK
STANLEY.
Sir Christopher, tell Richmond this from me:
That in the sty of the most deadly boar
My son George Stanley is frank'd up in hold;
If I revolt, off goes young George's head;
The fear of that holds off my present aid.
So, get thee gone; commend me to thy lord.
Withal say that the Queen hath heartily consented
He should espouse Elizabeth her daughter.
But tell me, where is princely Richmond now?
Sir Christopher, tell Richmond this from me:
that my son George Stanley is imprisoned
in the sty of the most deadly boar;
if I rebel, he loses his head;
the fear of that stops me from helping.
So, go; my best wishes to your Lord.
Also say that the Queen has given full agreement
that he should marry her daughter Elizabeth.
But tell me, where is the princely Richmond now?
CHRISTOPHER.
At Pembroke, or at Ha'rford west in Wales.
At Pembroke, or at Haverfordwest in Wales.
STANLEY.
What men of name resort to him?
Who are the men who have gone to him?
CHRISTOPHER.
Sir Walter Herbert, a renowned soldier;
Sir Gilbert Talbot, Sir William Stanley,
Oxford, redoubted Pembroke, Sir James Blunt,
And Rice ap Thomas, with a valiant crew;
And many other of great name and worth;
And towards London do they bend their power,
If by the way they be not fought withal.
Sir Walter Herbert, a famous soldier;
Sir Gilbert Talbot, Sir William Stanley,
Oxford, good Pembroke, Sir James Blunt,
Rice ap Thomas, with a brave force;
and many others of great name and worth;
they are bringing their forces to London,
if they are not fought along the way.
STANLEY.
Well, hie thee to thy lord; I kiss his hand;
My letter will resolve him of my mind. Farewell.
Well, go to your lord; I kiss his hand;
my letter will tell him of my decision.
Farewell.
Exeunt
Salisbury. An open place
Enter the SHERIFF and guard, with BUCKINGHAM, led to execution
BUCKINGHAM.
Will not King Richard let me speak with
him?
Won't King Richard let me speak with him?
SHERIFF.
No, my good lord; therefore be patient.
No, my good lord; so calm yourself.
BUCKINGHAM.
Hastings, and Edward's children, Grey, and
Rivers,
Holy King Henry, and thy fair son Edward,
Vaughan, and all that have miscarried
By underhand corrupted foul injustice,
If that your moody discontented souls
Do through the clouds behold this present hour,
Even for revenge mock my destruction!
This is All-Souls' day, fellow, is it not?
Hastings, and Edward's children, Grey, and Rivers,
holy King Henry, and your good son Edward,
Vaughan, and all who have fallen through this
underhand, corrupt, evil injustice,
if your unhappy souls
are seeing this time through the clouds
you may mock my death to take your revenge!
This is All–Souls' day, isn't it, my man?
SHERIFF.
It is, my lord.
It is, my lord.
BUCKINGHAM.
Why, then All-Souls' day is my body's
doomsday.
This is the day which in King Edward's time
I wish'd might fall on me when I was found
False to his children and his wife's allies;
This is the day wherein I wish'd to fall
By the false faith of him whom most I trusted;
This, this All-Souls' day to my fearful soul
Is the determin'd respite of my wrongs;
That high All-Seer which I dallied with
Hath turn'd my feigned prayer on my head
And given in earnest what I begg'd in jest.
Thus doth He force the swords of wicked men
To turn their own points in their masters' bosoms.
Thus Margaret's curse falls heavy on my neck.
'When he' quoth she 'shall split thy heart with sorrow,
Remember Margaret was a prophetess.'
Come lead me, officers, to the block of shame;
Wrong hath but wrong, and blame the due of blame.
Why then, All–Souls' day is judgement day for my body.
This is the day which I wished in King Edward's
time might fall on me when I was discovered to be
false to his children and his wife's allies;
<
br /> this is the day when I wished to fall
by the treacherous ways of the one whom I most trusted;
this All–Souls' day is the date set for the punishments
of my fearful soul for everything I have done wrong;
the omnipotent God whom I tried to joke with
has turned my pretend prayer back on me
and given for real what I begged for as a joke.
So he forces the swords of wicked men
to turn their points back against their masters.
So Margaret's curse has fallen heavily upon me:
she said, ‘When he splits your heart with sorrow,
remember that Margaret predicted it!’
Come, officers, lead me to the shameful place of execution;
wrong has bred wrong, and blame gets the blame it deserves.
Exeunt
Camp near Tamworth
Enter RICHMOND, OXFORD, SIR JAMES BLUNT, SIR WALTER HERBERT, and
others,
with drum and colours
RICHMOND.
Fellows in arms, and my most loving friends,
Bruis'd underneath the yoke of tyranny,
Thus far into the bowels of the land
Have we march'd on without impediment;
And here receive we from our father Stanley
Lines of fair comfort and encouragement.
The wretched, bloody, and usurping boar,
That spoil'd your summer fields and fruitful vines,
Swills your warm blood like wash, and makes his trough
In your embowell'd bosoms-this foul swine
Is now even in the centre of this isle,
Near to the town of Leicester, as we learn.
From Tamworth thither is but one day's march.
In God's name cheerly on, courageous friends,
To reap the harvest of perpetual peace
By this one bloody trial of sharp war.
My fellow soldiers, and my most loving friends,
bruised beneath the weight of tyranny;
so far we have marched into the centre
of the country without facing opposition;
and I have received from our father Stanley
a message which gives both comfort and encouragement.
The wretched, bloody and thieving boar,
who ruined your summer fields and prospering vines,
who drinks your warm blood like pig swill, and makes your
disembowelled torsos his trough–this foul pig
is right now in the middle of the country,
we have learned, near to the town of Leicester.
From Tamworth to there is just one day's march:
go happily on, brave friends, in the name of God,
so that we can create a lasting peace
through one bloody battle.
OXFORD.
Every man's conscience is a thousand men,
To fight against this guilty homicide.
Every man becomes like a thousand men,
being so determined to fight this guilty murder.
HERBERT.
I doubt not but his friends will turn to us.
I don't doubt that his friends will come over to our side.
BLUNT.
He hath no friends but what are friends for fear,
Which in his dearest need will fly from him.
The only friends he has stay with him out of fear,
when he needs them most they will run from him.
RICHMOND.
All for our vantage. Then in God's name march.
True hope is swift and flies with swallow's wings;
Kings it makes gods, and meaner creatures kings.
This is all to our advantage. So march on in God's name.
Good hope is swift and flies with a swallow's wings;
it makes kings into gods, and lower creatures into kings.
Exeunt
Bosworth Field
Enter KING RICHARD in arms, with NORFOLK, RATCLIFF,
the EARL of SURREYS and others
KING RICHARD.
Here pitch our tent, even here in Bosworth
field.
My Lord of Surrey, why look you so sad?
Pitch my tent here, right here on Bosworth Field.
Lord Surrey, why do you look so sad?
SURREY.
My heart is ten times lighter than my looks.
My heart is ten times lighter than I look.
KING RICHARD.
My Lord of Norfolk!
My Lord of Norfolk!
NORFOLK.
Here, most gracious liege.
Here, my most gracious lord.
KING RICHARD.
Norfolk, we must have knocks; ha! must we
not?
Norfolk, we're going to take some blows, we're going to have to, aren't we?
NORFOLK.
We must both give and take, my loving lord.
We're going to have to give them and take them, my loving lord.
KING RICHARD.
Up With my tent! Here will I lie to-night;
[Soldiers begin to set up the KING'S tent]
But where to-morrow? Well, all's one for that.
Who hath descried the number of the traitors?
Put my tent up! I will sleep here tonight;
but where tomorrow? Well, we'll see.
Who has counted the number of the traitors?
NORFOLK.
Six or seven thousand is their utmost power.
Six or seven thousand at most.
KING RICHARD.
Why, our battalia trebles that account;
Besides, the King's name is a tower of strength,
Which they upon the adverse faction want.
Up with the tent! Come, noble gentlemen,
Let us survey the vantage of the ground.
Call for some men of sound direction.
Let's lack no discipline, make no delay;
For, lords, to-morrow is a busy day.
Why, our army is three times that size;
besides, having the King on your side is great strength,
and those on the other side do not have it.
Get the tent up! Come, noble gentlemen,
let us have a look at the battlefield.
Call up some good strategists.
Let's keep our discipline and not waste time;
for, lords, tomorrow is a busy day.
Exeunt
Enter, on the other side of the field,
RICHMOND, SIR WILLIAM BRANDON, OXFORD, DORSET,
and others. Some pitch RICHMOND'S tent
RICHMOND.
The weary sun hath made a golden set,
And by the bright tract of his fiery car
Gives token of a goodly day to-morrow.
Sir William Brandon, you shall bear my standard.
Give me some ink and paper in my tent.
I'll draw the form and model of our battle,
Limit each leader to his several charge,
And part in just proportion our small power.
My Lord of Oxford-you, Sir William Brandon-
And you, Sir Walter Herbert-stay with me.
The Earl of Pembroke keeps his regiment;
Good Captain Blunt, bear my good night to him,
And by the second hour in the morning
Desire the Earl to see me in my tent.
Yet one thing more, good Captain, do for me-
Where is Lord Stanley quarter'd, do you know?
The tired sun has made a golden sunset,
and the bright path of his burning light
says there will be fine weather tomorrow.
Sir William Brandon, you shall carry my banner.
Bring some ink and paper to my tent.
I shall draw out the strategy for our battle,
tell each leader what he has to do,
and divide our small forces up equally.
My Lord of
Oxford–you, Sir William Brandon–
and you, Sir Walter Herbert–stay with me.
The Earl of Pembroke is with his regiment;
good Captain Blunt, wish him good night from me,
and say that by the second hour of the morning
I want to see him in my tent.
Just one more thing I'd like you to do for me, good captain:
do you know where Lord Stanley is staying?
BLUNT.
Unless I have mista'en his colours much-
Which well I am assur'd I have not done-
His regiment lies half a mile at least
South from the mighty power of the King.
Unless I have mistaken his banners–
which I'm sure I haven't–
his regiment is at least half a mile
south of the mighty forces of the King.
RICHMOND.
If without peril it be possible,
Sweet Blunt, make some good means to speak with him
And give him from me this most needful note.
If you can do it without danger,
sweet Blunt, find an opportunity to speak with him
and give him this very important note from me.
BLUNT.
Upon my life, my lord, I'll undertake it;
And so, God give you quiet rest to-night!
I swear on my life, my lord, I'll do it;
and so, may God let you sleep peacefully tonight!
RICHMOND.
Good night, good Captain Blunt. Come,
gentlemen,
Let us consult upon to-morrow's business.
In to my tent; the dew is raw and cold.
Good night, good Captain Blunt. Come, gentlemen,