The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)

by William Shakespeare

  The knave is mine honest friend, sir; therefore, I beseech your worship,

  let him be countenanced.

  I agree with your worship that he is a scoundrel, sir; but still, God forbid,

  sir, that a scoundrel never get any help from his friend.

  An honest man, sir, is able to speak for himself, when a

  scoundrel is not.

  I have served your worship truly, Sir, the past eight years; and if I cannot

  once or twice in a quarter support a scoundrel against an honest man, I

  wouldn’t seem to pull any weight with your Lordship.

  The scoundrel is a good friend of mine, sir; therefore, I beg your worship,

  give him a chance.

  SHALLOW.

  Go to; I say he shall have no wrong. Look about, Davy.

  [Exit Davy.]

  Where are you, Sir John? Come, come, come, off with your boots.

  Give me your hand, Master Bardolph.

  You go; I say he shan't suffer. Look lively, Davy.

  Where are you, Sir John? Come, come, come, get your

  boots off.

  Give me your hand, Master Bardolph.

  BARDOLPH.

  I am glad to see your worship.

  I am glad to see your worship.

  SHALLOW.

  I thank thee with all my heart, kind Master Bardolph: and

  welcome, my tall fellow [to the Page]. Come, Sir John.

  My sincerest thanks, kind Master Bardolph: and

  welcome, my tall fellow. Come, Sir John.

  FALSTAFF.

  I'll follow you, good Master Robert Shallow.

  [Exit Shallow.]

  Bardolph, look to our horses.

  [Exeunt Bardolph and Page.]

  If I were sawed into quantities, I should make four dozen of such

  bearded hermits' staves as Master Shallow. It is a wonderful thing to

  see the semblable coherence of his men's spirits and his: they, by

  observing of him, do bear themselves like foolish justices: he, by

  conversing with them, is turned into a justice-like serving-man:

  their spirits are so married in conjunction with the participation of

  society that they flock together in consent, like so many wild-geese.

  If I had a suit to Master Shallow, I would humour his men with the

  imputation of being near their master: if to his men, I would curry

  with Master Shallow that no man could better command his servants.

  It is certain that either wise bearing or ignorant carriage is

  caught, as men take diseases, one of another: therefore let men take

  heed of their company. I will devise matter enough out of this Shallow

  to keep Prince Harry in continual laughter the wearing out of six

  fashions, which is four terms, or two actions; and a' shall laugh

  without intervallums.

  O, it is much that a lie with a slight oath and a jest with a sad brow

  will do with a fellow that never had the ache in his shoulders!

  O, you shall see him laugh till his face be like a wet cloak ill laid up!

  I'll follow you, good Master Robert Shallow.

  Bardolph, see to our horses.

  If I were sawed up into bits, I

  would make four dozen walking sticks

  like Master Shallow. It's a wonderful thing to

  see the close correspondence between the spirits of his men and

  his. By looking at him, they behave

  like foolish justices; he, by talking with them,

  becomes a serving man who is like a justice. Their spirits

  are so closely allied, from living together

  so long, they have become like one solid flock, like a bunch

  of wild geese. If I wanted to bring a case before Master Shallow, I

  would flatter his men by implying that they were

  close to their master: if I wanted to work on his men, I would tell

  Master Shallow that no man had better command

  of his servants. It's obvious that either being wise or

  or ignorant behaviour can be caught, as men get diseases, one

  from another; so men should be careful whom they

  associate with. I will get enough business out of this Shallow

  to keep Prince Harry laughing continuously for the time it takes

  for six fashions to pass, which is a legal year, or two

  court cases, and he shall laugh without ceasing. Oh,

  a lie with a little swearing, and a joke with

  a sad face, will do a lot for fellow who has never

  had to work! Oh, you shall see him laugh until

  his face is creased like a wet cloak that was carelessly put away!

  SHALLOW.

  [Within.] Sir John!

  Sir John!

  FALSTAFF.

  I come, Master Shallow; I come, Master Shallow.

  I'm coming, Master Shallow; I'm coming, Master Shallow.

  [Exit.]

  [Enter Warwick and the Lord Chief-Justice, meeting.]

  WARWICK.

  How now, my lord chief-justice! whither away?

  Hello there, my Lord Chief Justice! Where are you off to?

  CHIEF JUSTICE.

  How doth the king?

  How is the King?

  WARWICK.

  Exceeding well; his cares are now all ended.

  He's very well; he has no more worries.

  CHIEF JUSTICE.

  I hope, not dead.

  I hope he's not dead.

  WARWICK.

  He 's walk'd the way of nature;

  And to our purposes he lives no more.

  He has gone the way nature intends;

  and for us on Earth he is no longer alive.

  CHIEF JUSTICE.

  I would his Majesty had call'd me with him:

  The service that I truly did his life

  Hath left me open to all injuries.

  I wish his Majesty had taken me with him:

  the faithful service I gave him during his life

  has left me open to attack.

  WARWICK.

  Indeed I think the young king loves you not.

  Indeed I think that the young king does not like you.

  CHIEF JUSTICE.

  I know he doth not, and do arm myself

  To welcome the condition of the time,

  Which cannot look more hideously upon me

  Than I have drawn it in my fantasy.

  I know he doesn't, and I am preparing myself

  to face what's coming,

  which can't be any worse

  than I'm imagining.

  [Enter Lancaster, Clarence, Gloucester, Westmoreland, and

  others.]

  WARWICK.

  Here comes the heavy issue of dead Harry:

  O that the living Harry had the temper

  Of him, the worst of these three gentlemen!

  How many nobles then should hold their places,

  That must strike sail to spirits of vile sort!

  Here come the sad children of dead Harry:

  if only the living Harry had the quality

  of the worst of these three gentlemen!

  If they did how many noblemen would keep their places,

  who are going to have to give way to the lowest kind of people!

  CHIEF JUSTICE.

  O God, I fear all will be overturn'd!

  O God, I fear we will all be overthrown!

  LANCASTER.

  Good morrow, cousin Warwick, good morrow.

  Good morning cousin Warwick, good morning.

  GLOUCESTER & CLARENCE.

  Good morrow, cousin.

  Good morning, cousin.

  LANCASTER.

  We meet like men that had forgot to speak.

  We are meeting like men who have forgotten how to speak.

  WARWICK.

&
nbsp; We do remember; but our argument

  Is all too heavy to admit much talk.

  We do remember; but the thing we have to speak about

  is too sad for too much talk.

  LANCASTER.

  Well, peace be with him that hath made us heavy!

  Well, may peace be with the one who has made us sad!

  CHIEF JUSTICE.

  Peace be with us, lest we be heavier!

  May peace be with us, in case we become sadder!

  GLOUCESTER.

  O, good my lord, you have lost a friend indeed;

  And I dare swear you borrow not that face

  Of seeming sorrow, it is sure your own.

  Oh, my good lord, you have certainly lost a friend;

  and I would be prepared to swear that you are not

  faking that sorrow, it is definitely genuine.

  LANCASTER.

  Though no man be assured what grace to find,

  You stand in coldest expectation:

  I am the sorrier; would 'twere otherwise.

  Though no man can be certain of finding good treatment,

  your chances seem extremely poor:

  I'm sorry; I wish it was different.

  CLARENCE.

  Well, you must now speak Sir John Falstaff fair;

  Which swims against your stream of quality.

  Well, now you must speak politely to Sir John Falstaff;

  which goes against both your nature and your position.

  CHIEF JUSTICE.

  Sweet Princes, what I did, I did in honour,

  Led by the impartial conduct of my soul;

  And never shall you see that I will beg

  A ragged and forestall'd remission.

  If truth and upright innocency fail me,

  I'll to the king my master that is dead,

  And tell him who hath sent me after him.

  Sweet Princes, what I did, I did honourably,

  doing what I thought was right in my heart;

  and you will never see me begging

  for shabby and grudging forgiveness.

  If truth, innocence and decency won't do,

  I'll go to my dead master the king

  and tell him who sent me following him.

  WARWICK.

  Here comes the prince.

  Here comes the Prince.

  [Enter King Henry the Fifth, attended.]

  CHIEF JUSTICE.

  Good morrow; and God save your majesty!

  Good morning, and God save your Majesty!

  KING.

  This new and gorgeous garment, majesty,

  Sits not so easy on me as you think.

  Brothers, you mix your sadness with some fear:

  This is the English, not the Turkish court;

  Not Amurath an Amurath succeeds,

  But Harry Harry. Yet be sad, good brothers,

  For, by my faith, it very well becomes you:

  Sorrow so royally in you appears

  That I will deeply put the fashion on

  And wear it in my heart: why then, be sad;

  But entertain no more of it, good brothers,

  Than a joint burden laid upon us all.

  For me, by heaven, I bid you be assured,

  I'll be your father and your brother too;

  Let me but bear your love, I'll bear your cares:

  Yet weep that Harry 's dead, and so will I;

  But Harry lives, that shall convert those tears

  By number into hours of happiness.

  This new and gorgeous title, Majesty,

  is not as welcome to me as you think.

  Brothers, your sorrow is mixed with fear:

  this is the English court, not the Turkish;

  it's not an Amurath succeeding an Amurath,

  but a Harry a Harry. But be sad, good brothers,

  for, I swear, it certainly suits you:

  sorrow looks so regal in you

  that I will adopt the fashion myself

  and keep it in my heart: why then, be sad;

  but don't take on more than your share,

  good brothers, of the burden we are all suffering.

  For I swear to you by heaven

  that I shall be your father and your brother too;

  let me have your love and I will carry your worries:

  but weep for Harry's death, and so will I;

  but this Harry who is alive will convert those tears

  one by one into hours of happiness.

  PRINCES.

  We hope no otherwise from your majesty.

  We expected no different from your Majesty.

  KING.

  You all look strangely on me: and you most;

  You are, I think, assured I love you not.

  You are all looking at me oddly: you most of all;

  you are certain, I think, that I do not like you.

  CHIEF JUSTICE.

  I am assured, if I be measured rightly,

  Your majesty hath no just cause to hate me.

  I am certain, if I am judged fairly,

  that your Majesty has no reason to hate me.

  KING.

  No!

  How might a prince of my great hopes forget

  So great indignities you laid upon me?

  What! rate, rebuke, and roughly send to prison

  The immediate heir of England! Was this easy?

  May this be wash'd in Lethe, and forgotten?

  No!

  How can a Prince of my great position forget

  the great insults you have done me?

  What! To berate, criticise and throw into prison

  the direct heir to the throne of England! Was this kind?

  Should this be washed away in the streams of forgetfulness?

  CHIEF JUSTICE.

  I then did use the person of your father;

  The image of his power lay then in me;

  And, in the administration of his law,

  Whiles I was busy for the commonwealth,

  Your highness pleased to forget my place,

  The majesty and power of law and justice,

  The image of the king whom I presented,

  And struck me in my very seat of judgement;

  Whereon, as an offender to your father,

  I gave bold way to my authority

  And did commit you. If the deed were ill,

  Be you contented, wearing now the garland,

  To have a son set your decrees at nought,

  To pluck down justice from your awful bench,

  To trip the course of law and blunt the sword

  That guards the peace and safety of your person;

  Nay, more, to spurn at your most royal image,

  And mock your workings in a second body.

  Question your royal thoughts, make the case yours;

  Be now the father and propose a son,

  Hear your own dignity so much profaned,

  See your most dreadful laws so loosely slighted,

  Behold yourself so by a son disdain'd;

  And then imagine me taking your part

  And in your power soft silencing your son:

  After this cold considerance, sentence me;

  And, as you are a king, speak in your state

  What I have done that misbecame my place,

  My person, or my liege's sovereignty.

  I was merely following the wishes of your father;

  I was the representative of his power;

  and as I was administering his law,

  working for the kingdom,

  your Highness decided to ignore my position,

  and the majesty and power of law and justice,

  the counterpart of the king whom I represented,

  and hit me right there in my own court;

  and so, as you had insulted your father,

  I exercised my authority

  and sent you to prison. If I did wrong,

  think how you would feel, now you ar
e King,

  if you had a son who ignored your laws?

  Who pulled your judges from their respected seats?

  Who ignored the law, so damaging the sword

  which is there to protect you?

  And even worse, to show disrespect for your royal image,

  mocking your laws as passed by your representative?

  Examine your royal thoughts, put yourself in this place,

  you be the father, and imagine a son,

  here your own dignity so insulted,

  see your most important laws lightly ignored,

  see yourself treated with such contempt by your son:

  and then imagine me taking your side,

  and as your representative gently silencing your son.

  Once you have thought of this then sentence me;

  and, as you are King, in a proper regal way

  say what I have done that was not fitting for my position,

  who I am, or the rule of my master.

  KING.

  You are right, justice, and you weigh this well;

  Therefore still bear the balance and the sword:

  And I do wish your honours may increase,

  Till you do live to see a son of mine

  Offend you and obey you, as I did.

  So shall I live to speak my father's words:

  "Happy am I, that have a man so bold,

  That dares do justice on my proper son;

  And not less happy, having such a son,

  That would deliver up his greatness so

  Into the hands of justice." You did commit me:

  For which I do commit into your hand

  The unstained sword that you have used to bear;

  With this remembrance, that you use the same

  With the like bold, just and impartial spirit

  As you have done 'gainst me. There is my hand.