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

by William Shakespeare

  YORK.

  Of Salisbury, who can report of him,

  That winter lion, who in rage forgets

  Aged contusions and all brush of time

  And, like a gallant in the brow of youth,

  Repairs him with occasion? This happy day

  Is not itself, nor have we won one foot,

  If Salisbury be lost.

  Who can tell me about Salisbury,

  that lion in winter, who in his anger has forgotten

  all the damage that time has done

  and, like a lively lad in the first flush of youth,

  rises to the occasion? This will not be the

  happy day that it should be, and we won't have gained

  any advantage, if Salisbury is lost.

  RICHARD.

  My noble father,

  Three times to-day I holp him to his horse,

  Three times bestrid him; thrice I led him off,

  Persuaded him from any further act;

  But still, where danger was, still there I met him;

  And like rich hangings in a homely house,

  So was his will in his old feeble body.

  But, noble as he is, look where he comes.

  My noble father,

  three times today I helped him onto his horse,

  three times he mounted; three times I led him away,

  telling him not to do anything more;

  but still, every time there was danger, he was there;

  his strength of will in his old feeble body

  was like rich tapestries in a low house.

  But, look, here he comes, noble as he is.

  [Enter SALISBURY.]

  SALISBURY.

  Now, by my sword, well hast thou fought to-day;

  By the mass, so did we all.--I thank you, Richard;

  God knows how long it is I have to live,

  And it hath pleas'd him that three times to-day

  You have defended me from imminent death.--

  Well, lords, we have not got that which we have;

  'T is not enough our foes are this time fled,

  Being opposites of such repairing nature.

  Now, I swear by my sword, you have fought well today;

  by God, we all did. I thank you, Richard;

  God knows how long I have left to live,

  and he has been kind enough to allow you to

  save me from imminent death three times today.

  Well, lords, we have not got everything we want;

  it's not enough for our enemies just to have fled for the moment,

  as they will regather themselves soon.

  YORK.

  I know our safety is to follow them;

  For, as I hear, the king is fled to London,

  To call a present court of parliament.

  Let us pursue him ere the writs go forth.--

  What says Lord Warwick? shall we after them?

  I know the best thing to do is to follow them;

  for, so I hear, the King has fled to London,

  to summon the Parliament.

  Let us chase him before the orders go out.

  What does Lord Warwick say? Shall we chase them?

  WARWICK.

  After them! nay, before them, if we can.

  Now, by my hand, lords, 'twas a glorious day;

  Saint Alban's battle won by famous York

  Shall be eterniz'd in all age to come.--

  Sound drums and trumpets!--and to London all;

  And more such days as these to us befall!

  Chase them! No, get there before them, if we can.

  Now, I swear, lords, this was a glorious day;

  the battle of St Albans won by famous York

  shall be celebrated in all the ages to come.

  Sound the drums and trumpets! Let's all head to London;

  and may we have many more such days as this!

  [Exeunt.]

  In Plain and Simple English

  KING HENRY the Sixth.

  EDWARD, Prince of Wales, his son.

  LEWIS XI, King of France.

  DUKE OF SOMERSET.

  DUKE OF EXETER.

  EARL OF OXFORD.

  EARL OF NORTHUMBERLAND.

  EARL OF WESTMORELAND.

  LORD CLIFFORD.

  RICHARD PLANTAGENET, Duke of York.

  EDWARD, Earl of March, afterwards King Edward IV., his son.

  EDMUND, Earl of Rutland, his son.

  GEORGE, afterwards Duke of Clarence, his son.

  RICHARD, afterwards Duke of Gloster, his son.

  DUKE OF NORFOLK.

  MARQUESS OF MONTAGUE.

  EARL OF WARWICK.

  EARL OF PEMBROKE.

  LORD HASTINGS.

  LORD STAFFORD.

  SIR JOHN MORTIMER, uncle to the Duke of York.

  SIR HUGH MORTIMER, uncle to the Duke of York.

  HENRY, Earl of Richmond, a youth.

  LORD RIVERS, brother to Lady Grey.

  SIR WILLIAM STANLEY.

  SIR JOHN MONTGOMERY.

  SIR JOHN SOMERVILLE.

  Tutor to Rutland.

  Mayor of York.

  Lieutenant of the Tower.

  A Nobleman. Two Keepers. A Huntsman.

  A Son that has killed his father.

  A Father that has killed his son.

  QUEEN MARGARET.

  LADY GREY, afterwards Queen to Edward IV.

  BONA, sister to the French Queen.

  Soldiers, Attendants, Messengers, Watchmen, etc.

  SCENE: England and France.

  [Alarum. Enter DUKE of YORK, EDWARD, RICHARD, NORFOLK,

  MONTAGUE, WARWICK, and Soldiers.]

  WARWICK.

  I wonder how the king escap'd our hands.

  I'm amazed the King managed to escape us.

  YORK.

  While we pursued the horsemen of the North,

  He slyly stole away and left his men,

  Whereat the great Lord of Northumberland,

  Whose warlike ears could never brook retreat,

  Cheer'd up the drooping army; and himself,

  Lord Clifford, and Lord Stafford, all abreast,

  Charg'd our main battle's front, and breaking in,

  Were by the swords of common soldiers slain.

  While we were chasing the horsemen from the North,

  he slyly sneaked off and left his men,

  and then the great Lord of Northumberland,

  who would never hear any talk of retreat,

  roused the flagging army; and he,

  Lord Clifford and Lord Stafford, all together,

  charged our front line, broke through it,

  and were killed by the swords of the common soldiers.

  EDWARD.

  Lord Stafford's father, Duke of Buckingham,

  Is either slain or wounded dangerously;

  I cleft his beaver with a downright blow.

  That this is true, father, behold his blood.

  Lord Stafford's father, Duke of Buckingham,

  has either been killed or badly wounded;

  I split his helmet with a smashing blow.

  Father, you can see his blood as evidence.

  [Showing his bloody sword.]

  MONTAGUE.

  And, brother, here 's the Earl of Wiltshire's blood,

  [To York, showing his.]

  Whom I encounter'd as the battles join'd.

  And, brother, here's the blood of the Earl of Wiltshire,

  whom I met just as the armies clashed.

  RICHARD.

  Speak thou for me, and tell them what I did.

  You can speak for me, and tell them what I did.

  [Throwing down the Duke of Somerset's head.]

  YORK.

  Richard hath best deserv'd of all my sons.--

  But is your grace dead, my Lord of Somerset?

  Richard has done best of all my sons–

  but are you really dead, my Lord of Somerset?

&nb
sp; NORFOLK.

  Such hope have all the line of John of Gaunt!

  This is what will happen to all of John of Gaunt's descendants!

  RICHARD.

  Thus do I hope to shake King Henry's head.

  I hope to be able to treat King Henry's head like this.

  WARWICK.

  And so do I.--Victorious Prince of York,

  Before I see thee seated in that throne

  Which now the house of Lancaster usurps,

  I vow by heaven these eyes shall never close.

  This is the palace of the fearful king,

  And this the regal seat; possess it, York,

  For this is thine, and not King Henry's heirs'.

  And so do I. Victorious Prince of York,

  I swear to God I shall never rest

  before I see you seated on the throne

  which the house of Lancaster has now vacated.

  This is the palace of the worried King,

  and this is his royal throne; take it, York,

  for it belongs to you, not to the heirs of King Henry.

  YORK.

  Assist me, then, sweet Warwick, and I will;

  For hither we have broken in by force.

  Help me, then, sweet Warwick, and I will;

  for we broke in here by force.

  NORFOLK.

  We'll all assist you; he that flies shall die.

  We'll all help you; anyone who runs away will die.

  YORK.

  Thanks, gentle Norfolk.--Stay by me, my lords;--

  And, soldiers, stay and lodge by me this night.

  Thanks, kind Norfolk. Stay with me, my lords;

  and, soldiers, you stay around me all night.

  WARWICK.

  And when the king comes, offer him no violence,

  Unless he seek to thrust you out perforce.

  And when the King comes, don't be violent to him,

  unless he tries to throw you out by force.

  [They retire.]

  YORK.

  The queen this day here holds her parliament,

  But little thinks we shall be of her council.

  By words or blows here let us win our right.

  The Queen is holding her parliament here today,

  but she doesn't suspect that we'll be at the meeting.

  Let's get our rights here, either by words or by fighting.

  RICHARD.

  Arm'd as we are, let 's stay within this house.

  As we are armed, let's stay inside this house.

  WARWICK.

  The bloody parliament shall this be call'd,

  Unless Plantagenet, Duke of York, be king,

  And bashful Henry depos'd, whose cowardice

  Hath made us bywords to our enemies.

  This will be called the bloody Parliament,

  unless Plantagenet, Duke of York, is made King

  and the weakling Henry is deposed, he whose cowardice

  is proverbial amongst our enemies.

  YORK.

  Then leave me not, my lords; be resolute.

  I mean to take possession of my right.

  Then stand by me, my lords; be strong.

  I intend to take what's mine.

  WARWICK.

  Neither the king, nor he that loves him best,

  The proudest he that holds up Lancaster,

  Dares stir a wing if Warwick shake his bells.

  I'll plant Plantagenet, root him up who dares.--

  Resolve thee, Richard; claim the English crown.

  Neither the King, nor any of those who love him most,

  the most proud bearer of the flag of Lancaster,

  dares make a move if Warwick threatens him.

  I'll establish the Plantagenets, and nobody dare stop me–

  be strong, Richard; claim the English crown.

  [Warwick leads York to the throne, who seats himself.]

  [Flourish. Enter KING HENRY, CLIFFORD, NORTHUMBERLAND,

  WESTMORELAND, EXETER, and the rest.]

  KING HENRY.

  My lords, look where the sturdy rebel sits,

  Even in the chair of state! belike he means,

  Back'd by the power of Warwick, that false peer,

  To aspire unto the crown and reign as king.--

  Earl of Northumberland, he slew thy father;

  And thine, Lord Clifford; and you both have vow'd revenge

  On him, his sons, his favourites, and his friends.

  My Lords, look where the rough rebel is sitting,

  right there on the throne! I expect he intends

  with the help of Warwick, that false peer,

  to take the crown and rule as king.

  Earl of Northumberland, he killed your father;

  and yours, Lord Clifford; and you have both sworn to take revenge

  on him, his sons, his favourites and his friends.

  NORTHUMBERLAND.

  If I be not, heavens be reveng'd on me!

  If I don't, may the heavens take revenge on me!

  CLIFFORD.

  The hope thereof makes Clifford mourn in steel.

  Hoping to do that is why Clifford is wearing armour as his mourning clothes.

  WESTMORELAND.

  What! shall we suffer this? let 's pluck him down;

  My heart for anger burns; I cannot brook it.

  What! Shall we put up with this? Let's pull him down;

  my heart is burning with anger; I can't stand it.

  KING HENRY.

  Be patient, gentle Earl of Westmoreland.

  Calm yourself, gentle Earl of Westmoreland.

  CLIFFORD.

  Patience is for poltroons, such as he;

  He durst not sit there had your father liv'd.

  My gracious lord, here in the parliament

  Let us assail the family of York.

  Patience is for cowards like him;

  he wouldn't dare sit there if your father was alive.

  My gracious lord, here in Parliament,

  give me permission to attack the house of York.

  NORTHUMBERLAND.

  Well hast thou spoken, cousin; be it so.

  You're speaking rightly, cousin; let this happen.

  KING HENRY.

  Ah, know you not the city favours them,

  And they have troops of soldiers at their beck?

  Ah, don't you know how the city prefers them,

  and how they have many soldiers within call?

  EXETER.

  But when the duke is slain, they'll quickly fly.

  They'll run off quick enough when the Duke is killed.

  KING HENRY.

  Far be the thought of this from Henry's heart,

  To make a shambles of the parliament-house!

  Cousin of Exeter, frowns, words, and threats

  Shall be the war that Henry means to use.--

  [They advance to the duke.]

  Thou factious Duke of York, descend my throne,

  And kneel for grace and mercy at my feet;

  I am thy sovereign.

  I'm not entertaining the notion of

  making a slaughterhouse of the Parliament!

  My cousin Exeter, frowns, words and threats

  are the weapons that Henry will use.

  You rebellious Duke of York, get off my throne,

  and beg for grace and mercy at my feet;

  I am your ruler.

  YORK.

  I am thine.

  I am yours.

  EXETER.

  For shame, come down; he made thee Duke of York.

  Get down, for shame; he created you Duke of York.

  YORK.

  'T was my inheritance, as thy earldom was.

  That was my inheritance, like your earldom.

  EXETER.

  Thy father was a traitor to the crown.

  Your father was a traitor to the crown.

  WARWICK.

  Exeter, thou art a traitor to the crown

  In fo
llowing this usurping Henry.

  Exeter, you are a traitor to the crown

  by following this false king Henry.

  CLIFFORD.

  Whom should he follow, but his natural king?

  Whom should he follow apart from his true king?

  WARWICK.

  True, Clifford; and that 's Richard, Duke of York.

  Quite right, Clifford; and the true king is Richard, Duke of York.

  KING HENRY.

  And shall I stand, and thou sit in my throne?

  And I have to stand, while you sit in my throne?

  YORK.

  It must and shall be so.

  Content thyself.

  This is how it must be, how it will be.

  You must get used to it.

  WARWICK.

  Be Duke of Lancaster; let him be king.

  You be Duke of Lancaster; let him be King.

  WESTMORELAND.

  He is both king and Duke of Lancaster;

  And that the Lord of Westmoreland shall maintain.

  He is both King and Duke of Lancaster;

  the Lord of Westmorland will support this.

  WARWICK.

  And Warwick shall disprove it. You forget

  That we are those which chas'd you from the field,

  And slew your fathers, and with colours spread

  March'd through the city to the palace gates.

  And Warwick shall prove it wrong. You've forgotten