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

by William Shakespeare

  Wait, Humphrey Duke of Gloucester.

  Before you go,

  give up your staff; Henry will now be protector

  to himself, and God shall be my hope,

  my support, my guide and He shall light my path.

  And go in peace, Humphrey, you are no less loved

  than when you were my protector.

  QUEEN.

  I see no reason why a king of years

  Should be to be protected like a child.--

  God and King Henry govern England's realm.

  Give up your staff, sir, and the king his realm.

  I can see no reason why a king who has reached adulthood

  should need to be protected like a child–

  let God and King Henry govern the kingdom of England.

  Give up your staff, sir, and give the king his kingdom.

  GLOSTER.

  My staff? Here, noble Henry, is my staff.

  As willingly do I the same resign

  As e'er thy father Henry made it mine;

  And even as willingly at thy feet I leave it

  As others would ambitiously receive it.

  Farewell, good king; when I am dead and gone,

  May honourable peace attend thy throne!

  My staff? Here, noble Henry, is my staff.

  I resign it just as willingly

  as your father Henry gave it to me;

  I am just as glad to leave it at your feet

  as some ambitious others would be to have it.

  Farewell, good King; after I am dead and gone,

  may honourable peace surround your throne!

  [Exit.]

  QUEEN.

  Why, now is Henry king, and Margaret queen;

  And Humphrey Duke of Gloster scarce himself,

  That bears so shrewd a maim; two pulls at once--

  His lady banish'd, and a limb lopp'd off.

  This staff of honour raught, there let it stand

  Where it best fits to be, in Henry's hand.

  Why, now Henry's king, and Margaret queen;

  and Humphrey Duke of Gloucester is hardly the same man,

  having taken such a terrible injury; two injuries at once–

  his lady exiled, and a limb chopped off.

  Now let this staff, made of honour, rest

  where it is best suited, in Henry's hand.

  SUFFOLK.

  Thus droops this lofty pine and hangs his sprays;

  Thus Eleanor's pride dies in her youngest days.

  So this great pine bends down and his branches droop;

  so Eleanor's pride dies in her youth.

  YORK.

  Lords, let him go.--Please it your majesty,

  This is the day appointed for the combat;

  And ready are the appellant and defendant,

  The armourer and his man, to enter the lists,

  So please your highness to behold the fight.

  Lords, let him go. If you please, your Majesty,

  this is the day chosen for the combat;

  and the accuser and the defendant are ready,

  the armourer and his servant, to take to the field,

  so would your Highness please come and see the fight.

  QUEEN.

  Ay, good my lord; for purposely therefore

  Left I the court, to see this quarrel tried.

  Yes, my good lord; this is the reason

  I left the court, to see this argument settled.

  KING.

  O' God's name, see the lists and all things fit.

  Here let them end it; and God defend the right!

  In the name of God, make sure everything is in order.

  Let them finish their quarrel here; may God let the right man win!

  YORK.

  I never saw a fellow worse bested,

  Or more afraid to fight, than is the appellant,

  The servant of his armourer, my lords.

  I never saw a fellow so inferior,

  or more afraid to fight, than the accuser,

  the servant of his armourer, my lords.

  [Enter at one door, HORNER the Armourer, and his

  Neighbours, drinking to him so much that he is

  drunk; and he enters with a drum before him and

  his staff with a sand-bag fastened to it; and at the

  other door PETER, his man, with a drum and sandbag,

  and Prentices drinking to him.]

  1 NEIGHBOUR.

  Here, neighbour Horner, I drink to you in a cup of

  sack; and fear not, neighbour, you shall do well enough.

  Here, neighbour Horner, I drink your health with a cup of

  sack; and do not worry, neighbour, you will do well enough.

  2 NEIGHBOUR.

  And here, neighbour, here's a cup of charneco.

  And here neighbour, here's a cup of sweet wine.

  3 NEIGHBOUR.

  And here's a pot of good double beer, neighbour;

  drink, and fear not your man.

  And here's a pot of good strong beer, neighbour;

  drink, and don't be afraid of your opponent.

  HORNER.

  Let it come, i' faith, and I'll pledge you all; and a

  fig for Peter!

  Bring it on, I swear, and I'll drink to you all; and

  Peter be damned!

  1 PRENTICE.

  Here, Peter, I drink to thee; and be not afraid.

  Here, Peter, I drink to your health; don't be afraid.

  2 PRENTICE.

  Be merry, Peter, and fear not thy master: fight

  for credit of the prentices.

  Be happy, Peter, and don't be afraid of your master: fight

  for the credit of the apprentices.

  PETER.

  I thank you all; drink, and pray for me, I pray you, for I

  think I have taken my last draught in this world.--Here, Robin,

  an if I die, I give thee my apron;--and, Will, thou shalt have my

  hammer;--and here, Tom, take all the money that I have.--O Lord

  bless me! I pray God! for I am never able to deal with my master,

  he hath learnt so much fence already.

  I thank you all; drink, and pray for me, I pray for you, because I

  think I have had my last drink in this world.–Here, Robin,

  if I die, I want you to have my apron; and, will you shall have my

  hammer; and here, Tom, take all the money that I have–oh Lord

  bless me! I pray to God! I shall never be able to deal with my master,

  he is so well trained in fencing.

  SALISBURY.

  Come, leave your drinking and fall to blows.--

  Sirrah, what's thy name?

  Come, lay off your drinking and get fighting.

  Sir, what's your name?

  PETER.

  Peter, forsooth.

  Peter, by God.

  SALISBURY.

  Peter? what more?

  Peter? What else?

  PETER.

  Thump.

  Thump.

  Salisbury.

  Thump! then see thou thump thy master well.

  Thump! Make sure you give you master a good thumping.

  HORNER.

  Masters, I am come hither, as it were, upon my man's instigation,

  to prove him a knave and myself an honest man; and touching the

  Duke of York, I will take my death, I never meant him any ill,

  nor the

  king, nor the queen;--and therefore, Peter, have at thee with a

  downright

  blow!

  Masters, I have come here, as it were, at my man's request,

  to show that he is a scoundrel and I am an honest man; and with reference to the

  Duke of York, I swear on my life, I never meant him any harm, nor the

  king, nor the Queen; and therefore, Peter, you're going to get a beating!

  YORK.

  Dispatch; this knave
's tongue begins to double.--

  Sound, trumpets, alarum to the combatants!

  Hurry up; this scoundrel is starting to run off at the mouth.

  Sound the trumpets, give the signal to the combatants.

  [Alarum. They fight, and Peter strikes him down.]

  HORNER.

  Hold, Peter, hold! I confess, I confess treason.

  Wait, Peter, wait! I admit, I admit my treason.

  [Dies.]

  YORK.

  Take away his weapon.--Fellow, thank God, and the good

  wine in thy master's way.

  Take away his weapon. Fellow, thank God and the good

  wine which handicapped your master.

  PETER.

  O God, have I overcome mine enemies in this presence? O

  Peter, thou hast prevail'd in right!

  O God, have I beat my enemies in front of these people? Oh

  Peter, your cause has been proved just!

  KING.

  Go, take hence that traitor from our sight,

  For by his death we do perceive his guilt;

  And God in justice hath reveal'd to us

  The truth and innocence of this poor fellow,

  Which he had thought to have murther'd wrongfully.--

  Come, fellow, follow us for thy reward.

  Go, take that traitor out of my sight,

  for his death proves his guilt;

  God through his justice has revealed to us

  the truth and innocence of this poor fellow,

  which he was accused of wrongfully distorting.

  Come, fellow, follow us to get your reward.

  [Sound a flourish. Exeunt.]

  [Enter GLOSTER and his Servingmen, in mourning cloaks.]

  GLOSTER.

  Thus sometimes hath the brightest day a cloud,

  And after summer evermore succeeds

  Barren winter, with his wrathful nipping cold;

  So cares and joys abound, as seasons fleet.

  Sirs, what's o'clock?

  So sometimes the brightest day has clouds,

  and after summer there will always come

  the barren winter, with his angry nipping cold;

  so sorrows and happiness alternate with the seasons.

  Sirs, what's the time?

  SERVINGMEN.

  Ten, my lord.

  Ten, my lord.

  GLOSTER.

  Ten is the hour that was appointed me

  To watch the coming of my punish'd duchess.

  Uneath may she endure the flinty streets,

  To tread them with her tender-feeling feet.--

  Sweet Nell, ill can thy noble mind abrook

  The abject people gazing on thy face

  With envious looks, laughing at thy shame,

  That erst did follow thy proud chariot-wheels

  When thou didst ride in triumph through the streets.--

  But, soft! I think she comes; and I'll prepare

  My tear-stain'd eyes to see her miseries.

  Ten is the time that I was told

  to watch for the coming of my punished duchess.

  She will find it's hard to walk the flinty streets,

  treading them under her sensitive feet.

  Sweet Nell, it will be hard for your noble mind to stand

  the common people looking at your face

  with hatred, laughing at your shame,

  who once followed your proud chariot wheels

  when you rode in triumph through the streets.

  But, wait! I think she's coming; and I'll wipe

  my tearstained eyes so I can see her misery.

  [Enter the DUCHESS OF GLOSTER in a white sheet,

  and a taper burning in her hand; with SIR JOHN STANLEY,

  the Sheriff, and Officers.]

  SERVINGMEN.

  So please your Grace, we'll take her from the

  sheriff.

  If your Grace wishes, we can take her from the Sheriff.

  GLOSTER.

  No, stir not for your lives; let her pass by.

  No, you must not risk your lives; let her pass by.

  DUCHESS.

  Come you, my lord, to see my open shame?

  Now thou dost penance too. Look how they gaze!

  See how the giddy multitude do point,

  And nod their heads, and throw their eyes on thee!

  Ah, Gloster, hide thee from their hateful looks,

  And, in thy closet pent up, rue my shame,

  And ban thine enemies, both mine and thine!

  Have you come, my lord, to see my public shame?

  Now you are doing penance too. Look how they stare!

  See how the stupid masses point,

  and nod their heads, and glare at you!

  Ah, Gloucester, hide yourself from their hateful looks,

  and, shut up in your room, regret my shame,

  and curse your enemies, both yours and mine!

  GLOSTER.

  Be patient, gentle Nell; forget this grief.

  Calm yourself, gentle Nell; forget your sorrow.

  DUCHESS.

  Ah, Gloster, teach me to forget myself!

  For whilst I think I am thy married wife,

  And thou a prince, protector of this land,

  Methinks I should not thus be led along,

  Mail'd up in shame, with papers on my back,

  And follow'd with a rabble that rejoice

  To see my tears and hear my deep-fet groans.

  The ruthless flint doth cut my tender feet,

  And when I start, the envious people laugh

  And bid me be advised how I tread.

  Ah, Humphrey, can I bear this shameful yoke?

  Trow'st thou that e'er I'll look upon the world,

  Or count them happy that enjoy the sun?

  No; dark shall be my light and night my day;

  To think upon my pomp shall be my hell.

  Sometimes I'll say, I am Duke Humphrey's wife,

  And he a prince and ruler of the land;

  Yet so he rul'd and such a prince he was

  As he stood by whilst I, his forlorn duchess,

  Was made a wonder and a pointing-stock

  To every idle rascal follower.

  But be thou mild and blush not at my shame,

  Nor stir at nothing till the axe of death

  Hang over thee, as, sure, it shortly will;

  For Suffolk, he that can do all in all

  With her that hateth thee and hates us all,

  And York, and impious Beaufort, that false priest,

  Have all lim'd bushes to betray thy wings,

  And, fly thou how thou canst, they'll tangle thee;

  But fear not thou until thy foot be snar'd,

  Nor never seek prevention of thy foes.

  Ah, Gloucester, teach me to forget myself!

  For while I am your married wife,

  and you are Prince, protector of this land,

  I do not think I should be led along like this,

  wrapped up in shame, with signs on my back,

  followed by a rabble who rejoice

  to see my tears and hear my heartfelt groans.

  The ruthless stones cut at my tender feet,

  and when I flinch, the hateful people laugh

  and tell me to watch my step.

  Ah, Humphrey can I tolerate this shame?

  Do you think I will ever look at the world again,

  and think that those who enjoy the sun are happy?

  No, darkness shall be my light and night my day;

  my torture will be to think of my good times.

  Sometimes I will say, I am Duke Humphrey's wife,

  and he is a prince and ruler of the land;

  but he was such a prince and ruled in such a way

  that he stood by whilst I, his abandoned Duchess,

  was made a spectacle and a laughingstock

  for every lazy rascal who followed me.

  But be co
ntent and do not blush at my shame,

  do nothing until the axe of death

  hangs over you, as it certainly will soon;

  for Suffolk, he who has complete control

  of her who hates you and hates us all,

  and York, and blasphemous Beaufort, that false priest,

  have put out their traps to catch your wings,

  and, whichever way you fly, they'll tangle you up;

  but don't worry until you're actually trapped,

  don't try to strike at your enemy first.

  GLOSTER.

  Ah, Nell, forbear! thou aimest all awry.

  I must offend before I be attainted;

  And had I twenty times so many foes,

  And each of them had twenty times their power,

  All these could not procure me any scath

  So long as I am loyal, true, and crimeless.

  Wouldst have me rescue thee from this reproach?

  Why, yet thy scandal were not wip'd away,

  But I in danger for the breach of law.

  Thy greatest help is quiet, gentle Nell.

  I pray thee, sort thy heart to patience;

  These few days' wonder will be quickly worn.

  Ah, Nell, stop this! You've got it all wrong.

  I must do something wrong before I can be criticised;

  and if I had twenty times as many enemies,

  and each of them had twenty times their power,

  all of them couldn't make any charges stick

  as long as I am loyal, true and innocent.

  Do you want me to rescue you from this punishment?

  Why, that would take away the scandal,

  but put me in danger for breaking the law.

  Your greatest assistance is to be calm, sweet Nell.

  I pray that you can resign yourself to being patient;