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

by William Shakespeare

  YORK.

  Humphrey of Buckingham, I accept thy greeting.

  Art thou a messenger, or come of pleasure?

  Humphrey of Buckingham, I accept your greeting.

  Do you have a message, or is this a social visit?

  BUCKINGHAM.

  A messenger from Henry, our dread liege,

  To know the reason of these arms in peace;

  Or why thou, being a subject as I am,

  Against thy oath and true allegiance sworn,

  Should raise so great a power without his leave,

  Or dare to bring thy force so near the court.

  I bring a message from Henry, our awesome king,

  to ask why you have raised an army in peacetime;

  or why you, being a subject like me,

  have raised such a great force without his permission,

  which goes against your true oath of allegiance,

  and why you dare to bring your forces so close to the court.

  YORK.

  [Aside.] Scarce can I speak, my choler is so great:

  O, I could hew up rocks and fight with flint,

  I am so angry at these abject terms;

  And now, like Ajax Telamonius,

  On sheep or oxen could I spend my fury.

  I am far better born than is the king,

  More like a king, more kingly in my thoughts;

  But I must make fair weather yet a while,

  Till Henry be more weak and I more strong.--

  Buckingham, I prithee, pardon me,

  That I have given no answer all this while;

  My mind was troubled with deep melancholy.

  The cause why I have brought this army hither

  Is to remove proud Somerset from the king,

  Seditious to his grace and to the state.

  I can hardly speak, this makes me so angry:

  oh, I could pull up rocks and fight with flints,

  these insulting expressions make me so cross;

  I could take out my anger on sheep or oxen

  like Ajax Telamonius.

  I am far more nobly born than the king is,

  I am more likely a king, I think more like a king;

  but I must go along with things as they are for awhile,

  until Henry is weaker and I am stronger.

  Buckingham, please excuse me for not giving you

  an answer all this time;

  my mind was greatly disturbed.

  The reason I bought this army here

  is to take arrogant Somerset away from the King,

  as he is a traitor to the king and to the country.

  BUCKINGHAM.

  That is too much presumption on thy part;

  But if thy arms be to no other end,

  The king hath yielded unto thy demand.

  The Duke of Somerset is in the Tower.

  You should not take this business on yourself;

  but if that's all that your forces are for,

  the King has agreed to your demand.

  The Duke of Somerset is in the Tower.

  YORK.

  Upon thine honour, is he prisoner?

  You swear, he is a prisoner?

  BUCKINGHAM.

  Upon mine honour, he is prisoner.

  I swear he is, on my honour.

  YORK.

  Then, Buckingham, I do dismiss my powers.--

  Soldiers, I thank you all; disperse yourselves;

  Meet me to-morrow in Saint George's field,

  You shall have pay and everything you wish.--

  And let my sovereign, virtuous Henry,

  Command my eldest son, nay, all my sons,

  As pledges of my fealty and love,

  I'll send them all as willing as I live;

  Lands, goods, horse, armour, anything I have,

  Is his to use, so Somerset may die.

  Then, Buckingham, I shall send away my forces.

  Soldiers, I thank you all; split up;

  meet me tomorrow in St George's field,

  you shall be paid and be given everything you want.

  And let my king, good Henry,

  have command of my eldest son, no, all my sons,

  I'll willingly send them to him

  as a sign of my loyalty and love;

  anything I have, land, goods, horses, armour,

  is at his disposal, if Somerset dies.

  BUCKINGHAM.

  York, I commend this kind submission;

  We twain will go into his highness' tent.

  York, I'm glad to see this proper submission;

  let's both go to his Highness' tent.

  [Enter KING and Attendants.]

  KING.

  Buckingham, doth York intend no harm to us,

  That thus he marcheth with thee arm in arm?

  Buckingham, York is walking arm in arm with you;

  does this mean that he means us no harm?

  YORK.

  In all submission and humility

  York doth present himself unto your highness.

  Youk presents himself to your Highness

  with all submission and humbleness.

  KING.

  Then what intends these forces thou dost bring?

  Then why have you bought these forces with you?

  YORK.

  To heave the traitor Somerset from hence,

  And fight against that monstrous rebel Cade,

  Who since I heard to be discomfited.

  To throw down the traitor Somerset,

  and to fight the terrible rebel Cade,

  whom I have heard since has been suppressed.

  [Enter IDEN, with CADE's head.]

  IDEN.

  If one so rude and of so mean condition

  May pass into the presence of a king,

  Lo, I present your grace a traitor's head,

  The head of Cade, whom I in combat slew.

  If such a rough and lowborn man

  can come into the presence of the King,

  I want to present your grace with a traitor's head,

  the head of Cade, whom I killed in combat.

  KING.

  The head of Cade!--Great God, how just art Thou!--

  O, let me view his visage, being dead,

  That living wrought me such exceeding trouble.

  Tell me, my friend, art thou the man that slew him?

  The head of Cade! Great God, how just you are!

  O, let me see the face of the dead one who, while

  he was alive, caused me so much trouble.

  Tell me, my friend, are you the man who killed him?

  IDEN.

  I was, an 't like your majesty.

  I was, if your Majesty pleases.

  KING.

  How art thou call'd? and what is thy degree?

  What's your name? And what's your position?

  IDEN.

  Alexander Iden, that's my name;

  A poor esquire of Kent, that loves his king.

  My name is Alexander Iden;

  I am a poor squire of Kent, who loves his king.

  BUCKINGHAM.

  So please it you, my lord, 't were not amiss

  He were created knight for his good service.

  If you please, my lord, it would be a good thing

  for him to be made a knight for this good service.

  KING.

  Iden, kneel down. [He kneels.] Rise up a knight.

  We give thee for reward a thousand marks,

  And will that thou thenceforth attend on us.

  Iden, kneel down. Rise up as a knight.

  You shall have a thousand marks as your reward,

  and I order for you to become part of the court.

  IDEN.

  May Iden live to merit such a bounty,

  And never live but true unto his liege!

  May Iden live long enough to deserve such generosity,

  and throughout his life never be anything but faithful to his King! />
  [Rises.]

  [Enter QUEEN and SOMERSET.]

  KING.

  See, Buckingham, Somerset comes with the queen.

  Go, bid her hide him quickly from the duke.

  See Buckingham, Somerset is coming with the Queen.

  Go, tell her to hide him quickly from the Duke.

  QUEEN.

  For thousand Yorks he shall not hide his head,

  But boldly stand and front him to his face.

  He will not hide his head if there were a thousand Yorks,

  but boldly stand and face him like a man.

  YORK.

  How now! is Somerset at liberty?

  Then, York, unloose thy long-imprisoned thoughts,

  And let thy tongue be equal with thy heart.

  Shall I endure the sight of Somerset?

  False king! why hast thou broken faith with me,

  Knowing how hardly I can brook abuse?

  King did I call thee? no, thou art not king,

  Not fit to govern and rule multitudes,

  Which dar'st not, no, nor canst not rule a traitor.

  That head of thine doth not become a crown;

  Thy hand is made to grasp a palmer's staff,

  And not to grace an awful princely sceptre.

  That gold must round engirt these brows of mine,

  Whose smile and frown, like to Achilles' spear,

  Is able with the change to kill and cure.

  Here is a hand to hold a sceptre up

  And with the same to act controlling laws.

  Give place; by heaven, thou shalt rule no more

  O'er him whom heaven created for thy ruler.

  What's this! Is Somerset free?

  Then, York, speak what's been long in your mind,

  and let your tongue match your heart.

  Do I have to tolerate the sight of Somerset?

  False king! Why have you broken your promise to me,

  knowing how badly I take insults?

  Did I call you king? No, you are not a king,

  you are not fit to govern and rule people,

  seeing as you cannot even rule over a traitor.

  Your head does not deserve a crown;

  your hand was made to hold a pilgrim's stick,

  not to wield the sceptre of authority.

  That golden crown should be on my head,

  someone whose smile and frown is like Achilles' spear,

  able to kill or cure as it wishes.

  Here is a hand that can bear the weight of the sceptre,

  and use it to pass strong laws.

  Give way to me; by heaven, you shall no longer rule over

  someone whom heaven made to rule you.

  SOMERSET.

  O monstrous traitor!--I arrest thee, York,

  Of capital treason 'gainst the king and crown.

  Obey, audacious traitor; kneel for grace.

  You monstrous traitor! I arrest you, York,

  for capital treason against the king and the crown.

  Obey me, horrible traitor; kneel and ask for pardon.

  YORK.

  Wouldst have me kneel? first let me ask of these

  If they can brook I bow a knee to man.--

  Sirrah, call in my sons to be my bail.--

  [Exit Attendant.]

  I know, ere thy will have me go to ward,

  They'll pawn their swords for my enfranchisement.

  You want me to kneel? First let me ask my

  people if they think I should bow my knee to any man.

  Sir, call in my sons as my bail–

  I know that they will hand over their swords to keep me

  free rather than have me go to prison.

  QUEEN.

  Call hither Clifford; bid him come amain,

  To say if that the bastard boys of York

  Shall be the surety for their traitor father.

  Call Clifford here; tell him to come at once,

  to say whether the bastard boys of York

  shall stand bail for their traitor father.

  [Exit Buckingham.]

  YORK.

  O blood-bespotted Neapolitan,

  Outcast of Naples, England's bloody scourge!

  The sons of York, thy betters in their birth,

  Shall be their father's bail; and bane to those

  That for my surety will refuse the boys!

  You bloodstained Neapolitan,

  thrown out of Naples, a great harm to England!

  The sons of York, who are more noble than you,

  will stand bail for their father; and a curse on those

  who refuse to take the boys as my guarantee!

  [Enter EDWARD and RICHARD.]

  See where they come; I'll warrant they'll make it good.

  Here they come; I guarantee they'll do as I said.

  [Enter old CLIFFORD and his SON.]

  QUEEN.

  And here comes Clifford to deny their bail.

  And here comes Clifford to refuse their bail.

  CLIFFORD.

  Health and all happiness to my lord the king!

  All health and happiness to my lord the king!

  [Kneels.]

  YORK.

  I thank thee, Clifford; say, what news with thee?

  Nay, do not fright us with an angry look.

  We are thy sovereign, Clifford, kneel again;

  For thy mistaking so, we pardon thee.

  I thank you, Clifford; what news do you have?

  No, do not cast angry looks at me.

  I am your king, Clifford, kneel back down;

  I forgive you for this error.

  CLIFFORD.

  This is my king, York, I do not mistake;

  But thou mistakes me much to think I do.--

  To Bedlam with him! is the man grown mad?

  This is my king, York, I have not made a mistake;

  you have made a great mistake to think that I have.

  Take him to an asylum! Has the man gone mad?

  KING.

  Ay, Clifford; a bedlam and ambitious humour

  Makes him oppose himself against his king.

  Yes, Clifford; madness and an ambitious temperament

  have made him set himself up against his king.

  CLIFFORD.

  He is a traitor; let him to the Tower,

  And chop away that factious pate of his.

  He is a traitor; take him to the Tower,

  and chop off that rebellious head of his.

  QUEEN.

  He is arrested, but will not obey;

  His sons, he says, shall give their words for him.

  He has been arrested, but he won't obey;

  he says that his sons will stand bail for him.

  YORK.

  Will you not, sons?

  Won't you, sons?

  EDWARD.

  Ay, noble father, if our words will serve.

  Yes, noble father, if they will take our word.

  RICHARD.

  And if words will not, then our weapons shall.

  And if they won't take our words, then we shall use our weapons.

  CLIFFORD.

  Why, what a brood of traitors have we here!

  Why, what a family of traitors we have here!

  YORK.

  Look in a glass, and call thy image so;

  I am thy king, and thou a false-heart traitor.--

  Call hither to the stake my two brave bears,

  That with the very shaking of their chains

  They may astonish these fell-lurking curs.

  Bid Salisbury and Warwick come to me.

  Look in a mirror, and call yourself a traitor;

  I am your king, and you area false-hearted traitor.

  Bring my two brave bears forward to the stake,

  who will petrify these low down dogs

  just by shaking their chains.

  Tel Salisbury and Warwick to come to me.

  [Enter the EARLS OF WARWICK and
SALISBURY.]

  CLIFFORD.

  Are these thy bears? we'll bait thy bears to death,

  And manacle the bear-herd in their chains,

  If thou dar'st bring them to the baiting-place.

  Are these your bears? We shall tease your bears to death,

  and tie their leader up in their own chains,

  if you dare to bring them here.

  RICHARD.

  Oft have I seen a hot o'erweening cur

  Run back and bite because he was withheld,

  Who, being suffer'd with the bear's fell paw,

  Hath clapp'd his tail between his legs and cried;

  And such a piece of service will you do

  If you oppose yourselves to match Lord Warwick.

  I have often seen a proud and vicious dog

  run back and bite someone for holding him back,

  who, once he had faced the terrible paw of the bear,

  clapped his tail between his legs and whined;

  this is how you will behave

  if you try and take on Lord Warwick.

  CLIFFORD.

  Hence, heap of wrath, foul indigested lump,

  As crooked in thy manners as thy shape!

  Get out of here, malicious scum, revolting malformed lump,

  with manners as twisted as your body!

  YORK.

  Nay, we shall heat you thoroughly anon.

  Well, we shall give you a good beating soon.

  CLIFFORD.

  Take heed, lest by your heat you burn yourselves.

  Be careful, in case you burn yourselves with your own passion.