The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)
Page 137
that's my golden target.
Arrogant Lancaster shan't overthrow my rights,
or hold a sceptre in his childish fist,
or wear the crown upon his head,
his pious mentality isn't suited to it.
So, York, wait awhile until the time is right;
keep alert while others are asleep,
and find out the secrets of the country;
until Henry, full of the joys of love,
with his new bride, the Queen England bought at such a price,
and Humphrey and the peers are fighting.
Then I will hold up the milk white rose,
whose sweet perfume will fill the air,
and under my flag I will fight for York,
taking on the house of Lancaster;
and, by force if necessary, I will make the one who has
brought fair England down through his unmilitary rule
hand the crown over to me.
[Exit.]
[Enter DUKE HUMPHREY and his wife ELEANOR]
DUCHESS.
Why droops my lord, like over-ripen'd corn,
Hanging the head at Ceres' plenteous load?
Why doth the great Duke Humphrey knit his brows,
As frowning at the favours of the world?
Why are thine eyes fix'd to the sullen earth,
Gazing on that which seems to dim thy sight?
What see'st thou there? King Henry's diadem,
Enchas'd with all the honours of the world?
If so, gaze on, and grovel on thy face,
Until thy head be circled with the same.
Put forth thy hand, reach at the glorious gold.
What, is't too short? I'll lengthen it with mine,
And, having both together heav'd it up,
We'll both together lift our heads to heaven,
And never more abase our sight so low
As to vouchsafe one glance unto the ground.
Why does my lord hang his head like corn
bowed down by the heavy weight of his overripe ears?
Why does the great Duke Humphrey furrow his brow,
as if frowning at the beauties of the world?
Why are your eyes so downcast,
looking at something which seems to bring you tears?
What can you see there? King Henry's crown,
in grave with all the titles of the world?
If so, keep looking, keep frowning,
until you have that crown on your head.
Put out your hand, reach for the glorious gold.
What, you can't reach? Let me help you,
and, having picked it up together,
we shall both lift our heads up to heaven,
and never again let our sight drop so low
that we have to even look once at the ground.
GLOSTER.
O Nell, sweet Nell, if thou dost love thy lord,
Banish the canker of ambitious thoughts;
And may that thought when I imagine ill
Against my king and nephew, virtuous Henry,
Be my last breathing in this mortal world!
My troublous dreams this night doth make me sad.
Oh Nell, sweet Nell, if you love your lord,
never allow yourself such ambitious thoughts;
and if I ever think of doing harm
to my King and nephew, good Henry,
may that be my last living thought!
It's the bad dreams I've had tonight which make me sad.
DUCHESS.
What dream'd my lord? Tell me, and I'll requite it
With sweet rehearsal of my morning's dream.
What did my lord dream of? Tell me, and I'll repay you
by telling you about the sweet dream I had this morning.
GLOSTER.
Methought this staff, mine office-badge in court,
Was broke in twain;--by whom I have forgot,
But, as I think, it was by the cardinal,--
And on the pieces of the broken wand
Were plac'd the heads of Edmund Duke of Somerset
And William de la Pole, first duke of Suffolk.
This was my dream; what it doth bode, God knows.
I dreamt this staff, the symbol of my position at court,
was broken in half; I have forgotten by whom,
but I imagine it was by the Cardinal–
and on the pieces of the broken stick
they placed the heads of Edmund Duke of Somerset
and William de la Pole, first Duke of Suffolk.
That's what I dreamt; what it means, God knows.
DUCHESS.
Tut, this was nothing but an argument
That he that breaks a stick of Gloster's grove
Shall lose his head for his presumption.
But list to me, my Humphrey, my sweet duke:
Methought I sat in seat of majesty
In the cathedral church of Westminster
And in that chair where kings and queens are crown'd,
Where Henry and Dame Margaret kneel'd to me
And on my head did set the diadem.
Tut, all this was doing was showing
that someone who breaks a stick of Gloucester's
will lose his head for his arrogance.
But listen to me, my Humphrey, my sweet Duke:
I thought I sat on the throne
in the cathedral church at Westminster,
in the throne where kings and queens are crowned,
and Henry and Lady Margaret kneeled to me
and put the crown on my head.
GLOSTER.
Nay, Eleanor, then must I chide outright.
Presumptuous dame, ill-nurtur'd Eleanor,
Art thou not second woman in the realm,
And the protector's wife, belov'd of him?
Hast thou not worldly pleasure at command,
Above the reach or compass of thy thought?
And wilt thou still be hammering treachery,
To tumble down thy husband and thyself
From top of honour to disgrace's feet?
Away from me, and let me hear no more!
No, Eleanor, then I must openly admonish you.
You arrogant lady, badly raised Eleanor,
aren't you the second lady of the country,
and the wife of the Regent, loved by him?
Don't you have every pleasure you
could want, more than you could think of?
And you still want to think of treachery,
to throw your husband and yourself from
the highest position to the lowest disgrace?
Get out, and don't let me hear this again!
DUCHESS.
What, what, my lord! are you so choleric
With Eleanor for telling but her dream?
Next time I'll keep my dreams unto myself,
And not be check'd.
What's this is my lord! Are you so angry
with Eleanor for just telling you her dream?
Next time I'll keep my dreams to myself,
and not be criticised.
GLOSTER.
Nay, be not angry; I am pleas'd again.
No, don't be angry; I'm happy with you again.
[Enter Messenger.]
MESSENGER.
My lord protector, 't is his highness' pleasure
You do prepare to ride unto Saint Alban's,
Whereas the king and queen do mean to hawk.
My lord protector, it's his Highness' wish
that you should prepare to ride to St Albans,
where the king and queen mean to go hawking.
GLOSTER.
I go.--Come, Nell, thou wilt ride with us?
I'm coming. Come, Nell, will you ride with us?
DUCHESS.
Yes, my good lord, I'll follow presently.
[Exeunt Gloster and Messenger.]
Follow I must; I cannot go before
>
While Gloster bears this base and humble mind.
Were I a man, a duke, and next of blood,
I would remove these tedious stumbling-blocks
And smooth my way upon their headless necks;
And, being a woman, I will not be slack
To play my part in Fortune's pageant.--
Where are you there? Sir John! nay, fear not, man,
We are alone; here's none but thee and I.
Yes, my good lord, I'll follow at once.
I must be a follower; I can't lead
while Gloucester still thinks in this low-down way.
If I were a man, a Duke, and next in line to the throne,
I would remove these tedious stumbling blocks,
and climb to the throne on their headless necks;
and, being a woman, I won't fail
to play my part in the games of fate.
Where are you? Sir John! No, don't be afraid, man,
we're alone; there's no one here but you and me.
[Enter HUME.]
HUME.
Jesus preserve your royal majesty!
Jesus save your royal majesty!
DUCHESS.
What say'st thou? majesty! I am but grace.
What are you saying? Majesty! I'm just a duchess.
HUME.
But, by the grace of God, and Hume's advice,
Your grace's title shall be multiplied.
Yes, but by the grace of God, and with Hume's advice,
your Grace will get far greater titles.
DUCHESS.
What say'st thou, man? hast thou as yet conferr'd
With Margery Jourdain, the cunning witch,
With Roger Bolingbroke, the conjurer?
And will they undertake to do me good?
What are you saying, man? Have you yet spoken
to Margery Jourdain, the cunning witch,
and Roger Bolingbroke, the conjurer?
Will they work for me?
HUME.
This they have promised,--to show your highness
A spirit rais'd from depth of underground,
That shall make answer to such questions
As by your Grace shall be propounded him.
They have promised to show your Highness
a spirit raised from the depths of hell,
who will answer any questions
your Grace wants to ask him.
DUCHESS.
It is enough; I'll think upon the questions.
When from Saint Alban's we do make return,
We'll see these things effected to the full.
Here, Hume, take this reward; make merry, man,
With thy confederates in this weighty cause.
That's good, I'll think of some questions.
When we come back from St Albans,
we shall carry these things out.
Here, Hume, take this reward; have a good time, man,
with your accomplices in this great business.
[Exit.]
HUME.
Hume must make merry with the duchess' gold,
Marry, and shall. But, how now, Sir John Hume!
Seal up your lips, and give no words but mum;
The business asketh silent secrecy.
Dame Eleanor gives gold to bring the witch;
Gold cannot come amiss, were she a devil.
Yet have I gold flies from another coast.
I dare not say, from the rich cardinal
And from the great and new-made Duke of Suffolk,
Yet I do find it so; for, to be plain,
They, knowing Dame Eleanor's aspiring humour,
Have hired me to undermine the duchess
And buzz these conjurations in her brain.
They say ' A crafty knave does need no broker;'
Yet am I Suffolk and the cardinal's broker.
Hume, if you take not heed, you shall go near
To call them both a pair of crafty knaves.
Well, so its stands; and thus, I fear, at last
Hume's knavery will be the duchess' wrack,
And her attainture will be Humphrey's fall.
Sort how it will, I shall have gold for all.
Hume must have a good time with the Duchess' gold,
and he certainly shall. But, watch out, Sir John Hume!
Close up your lips, keep silent;
this business demands silence and secrecy.
Dame Eleanor gave me gold to bring the witch;
gold is always good, if she was a devil.
But I have gold coming from another direction.
I wouldn't dare say it comes from the rich Cardinal
and from the great newly created Duke of Suffolk,
but it does; for, to put it plainly,
they, knowing of Dame Eleanor's ambitions,
have hired me to undermine the Duchess
and get her thinking about this magic.
They say, “A crafty scoundrel doesn't need an agent;"
but I am agent to Suffolk and the Cardinal.
Hume, if you're not careful, you are just about
to call them both the parents crafty scoundrels.
Well, that's how it is; and, I fear that in the end
my plotting will be the ruin of the Duchess,
and the stain on her will bring down Humphrey.
However it turns out, I'll be paid for it.
[Exit.]
[Enter PETER and other PETITIONERS.]
1 PETITIONER.
My masters, let's stand close; my lord protector
will come this way by and by, and then we may deliver our
supplications in the quill.
My masters, let's stand together; my lord protector
will come this way soon, and then we can deliver our
petitions directly to him.
2 PETITIONER.
Marry, the Lord protect him, for he's a good
man! Jesu bless him!
I'd certainly ask the lord to protect him, for he is a good
man! May Jesus bless him!
[Enter SUFFOLK and QUEEN.]
PETER.
Here 'a comes, methinks, and the queen with him.
I'll be the first, sure.
Here he comes, I think, and the Queen as well.
I'll get in there first.
2 PETITIONER.
Come back, fool; this is the Duke of Suffolk and
not my lord protector.
Come back, fool; this is the Duke of Suffolk and
not the lord protector.
SUFFOLK.
How now, fellow! wouldst any thing with me?
Hello there, fellow! Do you want something from me?
1 PETITIONER.
I pray, my lord, pardon me; I took ye for my lord
protector.
Please excuse me, my lord; I mistook you for
the lord protector.
QUEEN.
[Reading] 'To my Lord Protector!' Are your supplications
to his lordship? Let me see them; what is thine?
“To my Lord protector!" Are your petitions
to his Lordship? Let me see them; what's yours?
1 PETITIONER.
Mine is, an 't please your grace, against John
Goodman, my lord cardinal's man, for keeping my house and lands,
and wife and all, from me.
If you please your Grace, mine is against John
Goodman, a servant of my Lord Cardinal, for keeping my house and land,
my wife and all, away from me.
SUFFOLK.
Thy wife too! that's some wrong, indeed.--What's
yours?--What's here! [Reads] 'Against the Duke of Suffolk for
enclosing
the commons of Melford.'--How now, sir knave!
Your wife as well! That's certainly some wrong. What's
yours? What's this! “Against the Duke of Suffolk for enclosing
the co
mmon lands of Melford." What's this, you scoundrel!
2 PETITIONER.
Alas, sir, I am but a poor petitioner of our
whole township.
Alas, Sir, I am just a poor petitioner representing
our whole town.
PETER.
[Giving his petition] Against my master, Thomas Horner,
for saying that the Duke of York was rightful heir to the crown.
This is against my master, Thomas Horner,
for saying that the Duke of York was the rightful heir of the Crown.
QUEEN.
What say'st thou? did the Duke of York say he was
rightful heir to the crown?
What are you saying? Did the Duke of York say he was
the rightful heir of the crown?
PETER.
That my master was? no, forsooth; my master said that he
was, and that the king was an usurper.
That my master was? No, indeed; my master said that he
was, and that the king was a usurper.
SUFFOLK.
Who is there? [Enter Servant.] Take this fellow in, and
send for his master with a pursuivant presently.--We'll hear more
of your matter before the king.
Who's there? Take this fellow inside, and
send a herald to fetch his master.–We'll hear more
of this business in front of the King.
[Exit Servant with Peter.]
QUEEN.
And as for you, that love to be protected
Under the wings of our protector's grace,
Begin your suits anew and sue to him.
[Tears the supplications.]
Away, base cullions!--Suffolk, let them go.
And as for you, who love to be protected
by the grace of our protector,
you can start again and go and ask him.