The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)
Page 59
let us discuss tomorrow's business.
Come into my tent; it is a chilly night.
[They withdraw into the tent]
Enter, to his-tent, KING RICHARD, NORFOLK,
RATCLIFF, and CATESBY
KING RICHARD.
What is't o'clock?
What's the time?
CATESBY.
It's supper-time, my lord;
It's nine o'clock.
It's suppertime, my lord;
it's nine o'clock.
KING RICHARD.
I will not sup to-night.
Give me some ink and paper.
What, is my beaver easier than it was?
And all my armour laid into my tent?
I shall not eat tonight.
Give me some ink and paper.
Is my visor moving easier than it was?
And has all my armour been laid out in my tent?
CATESBY.
It is, my liege; and all things are in readiness.
It is, my lord: everything is ready.
KING RICHARD.
Good Norfolk, hie thee to thy charge;
Use careful watch, choose trusty sentinels.
Good Norfolk, go about your duties;
keep a careful watch, use trusty sentries.
NORFOLK.
I go, my lord.
I'm going, my lord.
KING RICHARD.
Stir with the lark to-morrow, gentle Norfolk.
Be up at dawn tomorrow, gentle Norfolk.
NORFOLK.
I warrant you, my lord.
I promise I shall, my lord.
Exit
KING RICHARD.
Catesby!
Catesby!
CATESBY.
My lord?
My lord?
KING RICHARD.
Send out a pursuivant-at-arms
To Stanley's regiment; bid him bring his power
Before sunrising, lest his son George fall
Into the blind cave of eternal night.
Exit CATESBY
Fill me a bowl of wine. Give me a watch.
Saddle white Surrey for the field to-morrow.
Look that my staves be sound, and not too heavy.
Ratcliff!
Send out a Herald
to Stanley's regiment; tell him to bring his forces
before sunrise, to prevent the death
of his son George.
Fill a bowl of wine for me. Give me a candle.
Saddle my white horse Surrey for the battle tomorrow;
check that my lances are in good condition and not too heavy.
Ratcliffe!
RATCLIFF.
My lord?
My lord?
KING RICHARD.
Saw'st thou the melancholy Lord
Northumberland?
Did you see the melancholy Lord Northumberland?
RATCLIFF.
Thomas the Earl of Surrey and himself,
Much about cock-shut time, from troop to troop
Went through the army, cheering up the soldiers.
Thomas the Earl of Surrey and himself,
round about sunset, went from troop to troop
throughout the Army, cheering up soldiers.
KING RICHARD.
So, I am satisfied. Give me a bowl of wine.
I have not that alacrity of spirit
Nor cheer of mind that I was wont to have.
Set it down. Is ink and paper ready?
Well, that's good. Give me a bowl of wine.
I haven't got the same high spirits
or cheerful mind that I am used to having.
Put it down. Is the ink and paper ready?
RATCLIFF.
It is, my lord.
It is, my lord.
KING RICHARD.
Bid my guard watch; leave me.
Ratcliffe, about the mid of night come to my tent
And help to arm me. Leave me, I say.
Tell my sentries to keep guard; leave me.
Ratcliffe, around the middle of the night come to my tent
and help to arm. Leave me, I say.
Exit RATCLIFF. RICHARD sleeps
Enter DERBY to RICHMOND in his tent;
LORDS attending
DERBY.
Fortune and victory sit on thy helm!
May fortune and victory attend you!
RICHMOND.
All comfort that the dark night can afford
Be to thy person, noble father-in-law!
Tell me, how fares our loving mother?
May all the comfort that the dark night can spare
come to you, noble father-in-law!
Tell me, how is my loving mother?
DERBY.
I, by attorney, bless thee from thy mother,
Who prays continually for Richmond's good.
So much for that. The silent hours steal on,
And flaky darkness breaks within the east.
In brief, for so the season bids us be,
Prepare thy battle early in the morning,
And put thy fortune to the arbitrement
Of bloody strokes and mortal-staring war.
I, as I may-that which I would I cannot-
With best advantage will deceive the time
And aid thee in this doubtful shock of arms;
But on thy side I may not be too forward,
Lest, being seen, thy brother, tender George,
Be executed in his father's sight.
Farewell; the leisure and the fearful time
Cuts off the ceremonious vows of love
And ample interchange of sweet discourse
Which so-long-sund'red friends should dwell upon.
God give us leisure for these rites of love!
Once more, adieu; be valiant, and speed well!
As a stand-in for her I give you her blessing,
she prays continually for your good fortune.
Enough of that. The silent hours move on,
and in the east the darkness is starting to fade.
In brief, for that is what the time demands,
prepare for battle early in the morning,
and put your faith to the test
of bloody blows and deadly war.
I'll do what I can–which isn't as much as
I would wish–to deceive the King
and assist you in this uncertain battle.
But I can't be too obvious in my support of you;
if it was seen, your brother, young George,
will be executed in front of his father.
Farewell; our hurry and these desperate times
prevent the usual courtesies of love
and exchange of sweet conversation
which should exist between long parted friends.
May God give us time for this in the future.
Farewell once more: be brave, and good luck.
RICHMOND.
Good lords, conduct him to his regiment.
I'll strive with troubled thoughts to take a nap,
Lest leaden slumber peise me down to-morrow
When I should mount with wings of victory.
Once more, good night, kind lords and gentlemen.
Exeunt all but RICHMOND
O Thou, whose captain I account myself,
Look on my forces with a gracious eye;
Put in their hands Thy bruising irons of wrath,
That they may crush down with a heavy fall
The usurping helmets of our adversaries!
Make us Thy ministers of chastisement,
That we may praise Thee in the victory!
To Thee I do commend my watchful soul
Ere I let fall the windows of mine eyes.
Sleeping and waking, O, defend me still!
Good lords, escort him to his regiment.
I'll fight my troubled thoughts and take a nap,
in case tiredness should weigh me down tomorrow
>
when I should be climbing on wings of victory.
Once more, good night, kind lords and gentlemen.
Oh God, for whom I am fighting,
look on my forces with a kind eye;
put your bruising weapons of anger in their hands,
so that they can crush down with great blows
the thieving helmets of our adversaries!
Make us the agents of your punishment,
so that we can praise you with victory.
I offer my watchful soul to you
before I close my eyes:
sleeping and waking, always defend me!
[Sleeps]
Enter the GHOST Of YOUNG PRINCE EDWARD,
son to HENRY THE SIXTH
GHOST.
[To RICHARD]Let me sit heavy on thy soul
to-morrow!
Think how thou stabb'dst me in my prime of youth
At Tewksbury; despair, therefore, and die!
[To RICHMOND]Be cheerful, Richmond; for the wronged
souls
Of butcher'd princes fight in thy behalf.
King Henry's issue, Richmond, comforts thee.
[To Richard] Let the guilt of me sit heavy on your soul tomorrow!
Think how you stabbed me in the prime of my youth
at Tewkesbury; therefore, despair, and die!
[To Richmond] Be happy, Richmond; for the wronged souls
of murdered princes are fighting on your side.
The son of King Henry, Richmond, comforts you.
Enter the GHOST of HENRY THE SIXTH
GHOST.
[To RICHARD]When I was mortal, my anointed
body
By thee was punched full of deadly holes.
Think on the Tower and me. Despair, and die.
Harry the Sixth bids thee despair and die.
[To RICHMOND]Virtuous and holy, be thou conqueror!
Harry, that prophesied thou shouldst be King,
Doth comfort thee in thy sleep. Live and flourish!
[To Richard] When I was alive, my sacred body
was punched full of deadly holes by you.
Think of the Tower and me. Despair, and die.
Henry the Sixth orders you to despair and die.
[To Richmond] Good and holy, may you triumph!
Harry, who prophesied that you would be King,
comforts you in your sleep. Live and prosper!
Enter the GHOST of CLARENCE
GHOST.
[To RICHARD]Let me sit heavy in thy soul
to-morrow! I that was wash'd to death with fulsome wine,
Poor Clarence, by thy guile betray'd to death!
To-morrow in the battle think on me,
And fall thy edgeless sword. Despair and die!
[To RICHMOND]Thou offspring of the house of Lancaster,
The wronged heirs of York do pray for thee.
Good angels guard thy battle! Live and flourish!
[To Richard] Let me weigh heavily on your conscience tomorrow!
I am poor Clarence, drowned in that thick wine,
sent to death by your cunning!
Think of me in battle tomorrow,
and fall on your blunted sword. Despair and die!
[To Richmond]
You descendant of the house of Lancaster,
the wronged heirs of York are praying for you.
May good angels stand by you in battle! Live and prosper!
Enter the GHOSTS of RIVERS, GREY, and VAUGHAN
GHOST OF RIVERS.[To RICHARD]Let me sit heavy in thy
soul to-morrow,
Rivers that died at Pomfret! Despair and die!
[To Richard] Let me sit heavily on your conscience tomorrow,
Rivers who died at Pomfret! Despair and die!
GHOST OF GREY.
[To RICHARD]Think upon Grey, and let
thy soul despair!
[To Richard] Think of Grey, and let your soul despair!
GHOST OF VAUGHAN.
[To RICHARD]Think upon Vaughan,
and with guilty fear
Let fall thy lance. Despair and die!
[To Richard] Think of Vaughan, and drop your lance
with guilty fear. Despair and die!
ALL.
[To RICHMOND]Awake, and think our wrongs in
Richard's bosom
Will conquer him. Awake and win the day.
Wake up, and believe that the wrong Richard has done
Will conquer him. Awake and be victorious.
Enter the GHOST of HASTINGS
GHOST.
[To RICHARD]Bloody and guilty, guiltily awake,
And in a bloody battle end thy days!
Think on Lord Hastings. Despair and die.
[To RICHMOND] Quiet untroubled soul, awake, awake!
Arm, fight, and conquer, for fair England's sake!
[To Richard] Bloody and guilty, wake up guilty,
and end your days in a bloody battle!
Think of Lord Hastings. Despair and die.
[to Richmond] Quiet untroubled soul, wake up, wake up!
Arm yourself, fight and conquer for the sake of fair England!
Enter the GHOSTS of the two young PRINCES
GHOSTS.
[To RICHARD]Dream on thy cousins smothered in
the Tower.
Let us be lead within thy bosom, Richard,
And weigh thee down to ruin, shame, and death!
Thy nephews' souls bid thee despair and die.
[To RICHMOND]Sleep, Richmond, sleep in peace, and
wake in joy;
Good angels guard thee from the boar's annoy!
Live, and beget a happy race of kings!
Edward's unhappy sons do bid thee flourish.
Dream of your cousins smothered in the tower.
Let us be like lead inside your heart, Richard,
and weigh you down to cause you ruin, shame and death!
The souls of your nephews order you to despair and die.
[To Richmond] Sleep, Richmond, sleep in peace, and wake happy;
may good angels guard you from the attacks of the boar!
Live, and be father to a happy line of kings!
Edward's unhappy sons order you to prosper.
Enter the GHOST of LADY ANNE, his wife
GHOST.
[To RICHARD]Richard, thy wife, that wretched
Anne thy wife
That never slept a quiet hour with thee
Now fills thy sleep with perturbations.
To-morrow in the battle think on me,
And fall thy edgeless sword. Despair and die.
[To RICHMOND]Thou quiet soul, sleep thou a quiet sleep;
Dream of success and happy victory.
Thy adversary's wife doth pray for thee.
[To Richard] Richard, your wife, wretched Anne your wife,
who never had a quiet hour of sleep with you
now fills your sleep with worry.
Think of me in battle tomorrow,
and let your blunt sword fall. Despair and die.
[ to Richmond] You innocent soul, sleep a quiet sleep;
dream of success and happy victory.
Your enemy's wife is praying for you.
Enter the GHOST of BUCKINGHAM
GHOST.
[To RICHARD]The first was I that help'd thee
to the crown;
The last was I that felt thy tyranny.
O, in the battle think on Buckingham,
And die in terror of thy guiltiness!
Dream on, dream on of bloody deeds and death;
Fainting, despair; despairing, yield thy breath!
[To RICHMOND]I died for hope ere I could lend thee aid;
But cheer thy heart and be thou not dismay'd:
God and good angels fight on Richmond's side;
And Richard falls in height of all his pride.
[To Richard] I was the leader in helping you to the Crown;
I wa
s the last one who suffered your tyranny.
Oh, in the battle think of Buckingham,
and die in terror at your guilt!
Dream on, dream of bloody deeds and death;
in your weakness, despair; when you despair, die!
[To Richmond] I died in despair before I could help you;
but be cheerful, do not be dismayed:
God and the good angels are fighting on your side;
and Richard shall fall at the height of his pride.
[The GHOSTS vanish. RICHARD starts out of his dream]
KING RICHARD.
Give me another horse. Bind up my wounds.
Have mercy, Jesu! Soft! I did but dream.
O coward conscience, how dost thou afflict me!
The lights burn blue. It is now dead midnight.
Cold fearful drops stand on my trembling flesh.
What do I fear? Myself? There's none else by.
Richard loves Richard; that is, I am I.
Is there a murderer here? No-yes, I am.
Then fly. What, from myself? Great reason why-
Lest I revenge. What, myself upon myself!
Alack, I love myself. Wherefore? For any good
That I myself have done unto myself?
O, no! Alas, I rather hate myself
For hateful deeds committed by myself!
I am a villain; yet I lie, I am not.
Fool, of thyself speak well. Fool, do not flatter.
My conscience hath a thousand several tongues,
And every tongue brings in a several tale,
And every tale condemns me for a villain.
Perjury, perjury, in the high'st degree;
Murder, stern murder, in the dir'st degree;
All several sins, all us'd in each degree,
Throng to the bar, crying all 'Guilty! guilty!'
I shall despair. There is no creature loves me;