The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)
Page 155
KING.
Why, Warwick, hath thy knee forgot to bow?--
Old Salisbury, shame to thy silver hair,
Thou mad misleader of thy brainsick son!
What, wilt thou on thy death-bed play the ruffian,
And seek for sorrow with thy spectacles?
O, where is faith? O, where is loyalty?
If it be banish'd from the frosty head,
Where shall it find a harbour in the earth?
Wilt thou go dig a grave to find out war,
And shame thine honourable age with blood?
Why art thou old, and want'st experience?
Or wherefore dost abuse it, if thou hast it?
For shame! in duty bend thy knee to me
That bows unto the grave with mickle age.
Why, Warwick, have you forgotten how to bow?
Old Salisbury, shame on your silver head,
madly leading your mad son astray!
What, are you going to be a scoundrel on your deathbed,
and go looking for sorrow?
Oh, where is faith? Oh, where is loyalty?
If it has disappeared from the heads of old men,
where shall it be found anywhere on Earth?
Are you going to start a war on the edge of the grave,
and shame your venerability with blood?
Why are you lacking the wisdom of age?
Or if you have it, why are you misusing it?
For shame! Bend your knee out of respect for me,
as it is bending down towards the grave.
SALISBURY.
My lord, I have consider'd with myself
The title of this most renowned duke,
And in my conscience do repute his grace
The rightful heir to England's royal seat.
My Lord, I have thought to myself
about the claims of this good Duke,
and in all conscience I believe that he
is the rightful heir to the throne of England.
KING.
Hast thou not sworn allegiance unto me?
Haven't you sworn allegiance to me?
SALISBURY.
I have.
I have.
KING.
Canst thou dispense with heaven for such an oath?
Can you get heaven to forgive you for breaking such an oath?
SALISBURY.
It is great sin to swear unto a sin,
But greater sin to keep a sinful oath.
Who can be bound by any solemn vow
To do a murtherous deed, to rob a man,
To force a spotless virgin's chastity,
To reave the orphan of his patrimony,
To wring the widow from her custom'd right,
And have no other reason for this wrong
But that he was bound by a solemn oath?
It is a great sin to swear to commit a sin,
but it is a greater sin to keep a sinful oath.
Who should have to keep any oath which makes
him commit murder, robbery,
rape a virgin,
steal the inheritance of an orphan,
take away the rights of a widow,
when he has no other excuse for his crimes
than that he was bound by a solemn oath?
QUEEN.
A subtle traitor needs no sophister.
A cunning traitor needs nobody to argue for him.
KING.
Call Buckingham, and bid him arm himself.
Call Buckingham, and tell him to arm himself.
YORK.
Call Buckingham, and all the friends thou hast,
I am resolv'd for death or dignity.
Call Buckingham, and all the friends you have,
I shall have either death or the crown.
CLIFFORD.
The first I warrant thee if dreams prove true.
If dreams come true I promise you the first.
WARWICK.
You were best to go to bed and dream again,
To keep thee from the tempest of the field.
You'd better go to bed and dream again,
to stay away from the stormy battlefield.
CLIFFORD.
I am resolv'd to bear a greater storm
Than any thou canst conjure up to-day;
And that I'll write upon thy burgonet,
Might I but know thee by thy household badge.
I am strong enough to survive a greater storm
than any that you can create today;
and I shall prove that in beating on your head,
if I can identify you by your family crest.
WARWICK.
Now, by my father's badge, old Nevil's crest,
The rampant bear chain'd to the ragged staff,
This day I'll wear aloft my burgonet,
As on a mountain top the cedar shows
That keeps his leaves in spite of any storm,
Even to affright thee with the view thereof.
Now, my father's badge, old Nevil's crest,
a rampant bear chained to a ragged pole,
I shall wear today on my helmet,
just like a cedar tree on a mountaintop
which keeps its leaves no matter what the storm,
so I can terrify you when you see it.
CLIFFORD.
And from thy burgonet I'll rend thy bear
And tread it under foot with all contempt,
Despite the bear-herd that protects the bear.
And from your helmet I'll tear off your bear,
and contemptuously stamp on it,
despite the bear keeper which protects it.
YOUNG CLIFFORD.
And so to arms, victorious father,
To quell the rebels and their complices.
And so let's arm ourselves, victorious father,
to suppress the rebels and their accomplices.
RICHARD.
Fie! charity, for shame! speak not in spite,
For you shall sup with Jesu Christ to-night.
Really! Show some manners! Don't speak spitefully,
for you shall be eating with Jesus Christ tonight.
YOUNG CLIFFORD.
Foul stigmatic, that's more than thou canst
tell.
You revolting cripple, that's more than you can say.
RICHARD.
If not in heaven, you'll surely sup in hell.
If it's not in heaven, you'll definitely be eating in hell.
[Exeunt severally.]
[Alarums to the battle. Enter WARWICK.]
WARWICK.
Clifford of Cumberland, 't is Warwick calls;
And if thou dost not hide thee from the bear,
Now, when the angry trumpet sounds alarum
And dead men's cries do fill the empty air,
Clifford, I say, come forth and fight with me!
Proud northern lord, Clifford of Cumberland,
Warwick is hoarse with calling thee to arms.--
[Enter YORK.]
How now, my noble lord! what, all afoot?
Clifford of Cumberland, this is Warwick calling you;
and if you are not hiding from the bear,
now, when the angry trumpet sounds the charge,
and the cries of dead men fill the empty air,
Clifford, I say, come out and find me!
Proud northern lord, Clifford of Cumberland,
Warwick's voice is worn out with challenging you–
What's this, my noble Lord! Why are you on foot?
YORK.
The deadly-handed Clifford slew my steed,
But match to match I have encount'red him,
And made a prey for carrion kites and crows
Even of the bonny beast he lov'd so well.
The deadly Clifford killed my horse,
but I have matched him blow for blow,
and the handsome animal he loved so much
is now prey fo
r the carrion birds.
[Enter old CLIFFORD.]
WARWICK.
Of one or both of us the time is come.
One or both of us is going to die.
YORK.
Hold, Warwick, seek thee out some other chase,
For I myself must hunt this deer to death.
Wait, Warwick, go and hunt something else,
I must finish this one myself.
WARWICK.
Then, nobly, York; 't is for a crown thou fight'st.--
As I intend, Clifford, to thrive to-day,
It grieves my soul to leave thee unassail'd.
Then do it nobly, York; you're fighting for a Crown.
Clifford, I swear as I intend to do well today,
I'm deeply sorry not to attack you.
[Exit.]
CLIFFORD.
What seest thou in me, York? why dost thou pause?
What can you see in me, York? Why are you waiting?
YORK.
With thy brave bearing should I be in love
But that thou art so fast mine enemy.
You are so noble I would be very fond of you
if you were not so determined to be my enemy.
CLIFFORD.
Nor should thy prowess want praise and esteem
But that 't is shown ignobly and in treason.
And your great abilities would be praised and valued by me,
if they weren't being used for ignoble and treasonous purposes.
YORK.
So let it help me now against thy sword
As I in justice and true right express it!
May my powers now help me against your sword,
as I am using them for justice and to claim my true rights!
CLIFFORD.
My soul and body on the action both!
I commit both my soul and my body to this action!
YORK.
A dreadful lay!--Address thee instantly.
A dreadful bet! Come on guard at once!
[They fight, and Clifford falls.]
CLIFFORD.
La fin couronne les oeuvres.
This is the end of everything.
[Dies.]
YORK.
Thus war hath given thee peace, for thou art still.
Peace with his soul, heaven, if it be thy will!
So war has brought you peace, for you are lying still.
Heaven, give his soul peace, if that is your will!
[Exit.]
[Enter young CLIFFORD.]
YOUNG CLIFFORD.
Shame and confusion! all is on the rout;
Fear frames disorder, and disorder wounds
Where it should guard.--O war, thou son of hell,
Whom angry heavens do make their minister,
Throw in the frozen bosoms of our part
Hot coals of vengeance!--Let no soldier fly.
He that is truly dedicate to war
Hath no self-love; nor he that loves himself
Hath not essentially but by circumstance
The name of valour.--[Seeing his dead father.]
O, let the vile world end,
And the premised flames of the last day
Knit earth and heaven together!
Now let the general trumpet blow his blast,
Particularities and petty sounds
To cease!--Wast thou ordain'd, dear father,
To lose thy youth in peace, and to achieve
The silver livery of advised age,
And in thy reverence and thy chair-days, thus
To die in ruffian battle?--Even at this sight
My heart is turn'd to stone; and while 't is mine
It shall be stony. York not our old men spares;
No more will I their babes; tears virginal
Shall be to me even as the dew to fire,
And beauty that the tyrant oft reclaims
Shall to my flaming wrath be oil and flax.
Henceforth I will not have to do with pity;
Meet I an infant of the house of York,
Into as many gobbets will I cut it
As wild Medea young Absyrtus did.
In cruelty will I seek out my fame.--
Come, thou new ruin of old Clifford's house:
As did Aeneas old Anchises bear,
So bear I thee upon my manly shoulders;
But then Aeneas bare a living load,
Nothing so heavy as these woes of mine.
Shame and confusion! Everyone is scattered:
fear has driven out discipline, and that now causes harm
where it should have been our defence. War, you son of hell,
who the angry heavens use as their agent,
throw into the frozen hearts of our side
hot coals of revenge! Don't let any soldier retreat.
Someone who truly dedicates himself to war
has no love for himself; someone who loves himself
is not really brave, only becomes so through
circumstances. O, let the horrible world end,
and the predestined flames of the last day
join heaven and earth together;
let the trumpet blow for everyone,
individual affairs and petty noises
must cease! Were you predestined, dear father,
to spend your youth in peace, and to reach
the silver haired heights of wise old age,
and in what should have been your respected retirement,
to die in a rough battle? This sight
turns my heart to stone: and while I am still alive,
it shall be stony. York does not spare our old men;
I shall not spare their babies: the tears of virgins
will be like dew on a fire to me;
and beauty, which often manages to calm the tyrant,
will be like oil thrown on the flame of my anger.
From now on I shall show no pity:
if I meet a child of the house of York
I shall cut into as many pieces as
wild Medea did with young Absyrtus:
I shall make myself famous for my cruelty.
Come, newest ruins of the old house of Clifford,
I shall carry you upon my manly shoulders
as Aeneas carried old Anchises;
but then Aeneas was carrying a living man,
which was nothing like as heavy as these sorrows of mine.
[Exit, bearing off his father. Enter RICHARD and SOMERSET to
fight. SOMERSET
is killed.]
RICHARD.
So, lie thou there;
For underneath an alehouse' paltry sign,
The Castle in Saint Alban's, Somerset
Hath made the wizard famous in his death.
Sword, hold thy temper; heart, be wrathful still;
Priests pray for enemies, but princes kill.
So, you lie there;
under the vulgar sign of the Inn of
the Castle in St Albans, Somerset
has fulfilled the wizard's prophecy.
Sword, keep strong; heart, keep your anger;
priests pray for their enemies, but princes kill them.
[Exit.]
[Fight: excursions. Enter KING, QUEEN, and others.]
QUEEN.
Away, my lord! you are slow; for shame, away!
Retreat, my lord! You are slow; for shame, retreat!
KING HENRY.
Can we outrun the heavens? good Margaret, stay.
Can we run faster than the will of God? Good Margaret, stay.
QUEEN.
What are you made of? you'll nor fight nor fly;
Now is it manhood, wisdom, and defence,
To give the enemy way, and to secure us
By what we can, which can no more but fly.
[Alarum afar off.]
If you be ta'en, we then should see the bottom
Of all our fortunes; but if we haply scape,
/> As well we may, if not through your neglect,
We shall to London get, where you are lov'd,
And where this breach now in our fortunes made
May readily be stopp'd.
Was sort of man are you? You won't fight or fly;
the only manly, wise and safe course
is to give way to the enemy, and to make ourselves safe
by any means we can, which can only be by running.
If you are captured, then that will be the end
of all our hopes; but if we fortunately escaped,
as we may well do, if you stop wasting time,
we shall get to London, where you are loved,
and where we can repair this damage
to our fortunes.
[Enter young CLIFFORD.]
YOUNG CLIFFORD.
But that my heart's on future mischief set,
I would speak blasphemy ere bid you fly.
But fly you must; uncurable discomfit
Reigns in the hearts of all our present parts.
Away, for your relief! and we will live
To see their day and them our fortune give.
Away, my lord, away!
If it wasn't for the fact that my heart sees future trouble,
I would rather blaspheme than tell you to flee.
But flee you must; irretrievable defeat
has found its way into the heart of all our forces.
Fly, for your protection! And we will live
to see them have their day and take our fortune.
Fly, my lord, fly!
[Exeunt.]
[Alarum. Retreat. Enter YORK, RICHARD, WARWICK, and Soldiers,
with drum and colours.]