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

by William Shakespeare

  QUEEN MARGARET.

  Heavens grant that Warwick's words bewitch him

  not!

  May heaven grant that Warwick doesn't manage to bewitch

  him with his words!

  [They stand aloof.]

  KING LEWIS.

  Now, Warwick, tell me, even upon thy conscience,

  Is Edward your true king? for I were loath

  To link with him that were not lawful chosen.

  Now, Warwick, tell me truthfully,

  is Edward your rightful king? I would hate

  to support someone who had no legal right.

  WARWICK.

  Thereon I pawn my credit and mine honour.

  I would stake my reputation on it.

  KING LEWIS.

  But is he gracious in the people's eye?

  But do the people regard him as royal?

  WARWICK.

  The more that Henry was unfortunate.

  More than they did Henry.

  LEWIS.

  Then further, all dissembling set aside,

  Tell me for truth the measure of his love

  Unto our sister Bona.

  So further, without any falsehood,

  tell me truthfully how he feels

  about my sister Bona.

  WARWICK.

  Such it seems

  As may beseem a monarch like himself.

  Myself have often heard him say and swear

  That this his love was an eternal plant,

  Whereof the root was fix'd in virtue's ground,

  The leaves and fruit maintain'd with beauty's sun,

  Exempt from envy, but not from disdain,

  Unless the Lady Bona quit his pain.

  He feels in a way

  suited to a king like himself.

  I have often heard him say and swear

  that his love was an eternal plant,

  with its roots fixed in goodness

  and the leaves and fruit nurtured by beauty,

  and it cannot be evil, but it can feel pain,

  unless the Lady Bona relieves it.

  LEWIS.

  Now, sister, let us hear your firm resolve.

  Now, sister, let's hear what you want to do.

  BONA.

  Your grant or your denial shall be mine.

  Yet I confess [to Warwick] that often ere this day,

  When I have heard your king's desert recounted,

  Mine ear hath tempted judgment to desire.

  I will do whatever you say.

  But I admit that before today I have often,

  when I've heard how good your king is,

  been tempted to desire him.

  KING LEWIS.

  Then, Warwick, thus: our sister shall be Edward's;

  And now forthwith shall articles be drawn

  Touching the jointure that your king must make,

  Which with her dowry shall be counterpois'd.--

  Draw near, Queen Margaret, and be a witness

  That Bona shall be wife to the English king.

  So, Warwick, this will happen; my sister will marry Edward;

  And we shall have a contract drawn up at once

  detailing the settlement your king must make,

  to balance out her dowry.

  Come close, Queen Margaret, and witness the fact

  that Bona shall marry the English king.

  PRINCE.

  To Edward, but not to the English king.

  Edward, but not the king of England.

  QUEEN MARGARET.

  Deceitful Warwick! it was thy device

  By this alliance to make void my suit.

  Before thy coming Lewis was Henry's friend.

  Deceitful Warwick! You have used the trick

  of this alliance to make sure my request is denied.

  Before you came Louis was a friend of Henry's.

  KING LEWIS.

  And still is friend to him and Margaret;

  But if your title to the crown be weak,

  As may appear by Edward's good success,

  Then 't is but reason that I be releas'd

  From giving aid which late I promised.

  Yet shall you have all kindness at my hand

  That your estate requires and mine can yield.

  And I am still a friend of him and Margaret;

  but if your claim to the crown is weak

  as it appears to be from Edward's success,

  then it's only right that I withdraw

  the help I recently promised you.

  You shall have every other sort of help

  you need, if I can give it.

  WARWICK.

  Henry now lives in Scotland, at his ease,

  Where, having nothing, nothing can he lose.

  And as for you yourself, our quondam queen,

  You have a father able to maintain you,

  And better 't were you troubled him than France.

  Henry is living safely in Scotland where,

  having nothing, he has nothing to lose.

  As for you, our one-time queen,

  you have a father who can support you,

  and it would be better to ask him than Louis.

  QUEEN MARGARET.

  Peace, impudent and shameless Warwick,

  Proud setter-up and puller-down of kings!

  I will not hence, till, with my talk and tears,

  Both full of truth, I make King Lewis behold

  Thy sly conveyance and thy lord's false love;

  For both of you are birds of selfsame feather.

  Quiet, rude and shameless Warwick,

  arrogant establisher and destroyer of kings!

  I shall not leave until my talk and tears,

  both true, make King Louis see

  your subtle tricks and the false nature of your lord's love;

  you are birds of a feather.

  [A horn sounded within.]

  KING LEWIS.

  Warwick, this is some post to us or thee.

  Warwick, this is a message for you or me.

  [Enter the Post.]

  POST.

  My lord ambassador, these letters are for you.

  Sent from your brother Marquess Montague.--

  These from our king unto your majesty.--

  And, madam, these for you, from whom I know not.

  My lord ambassador, these letters are for you,

  sent from your brother Marquis Montague -

  these are from our king to your majesty -

  and madam, these are for you, I don't know from whom.

  [They all read their letters.]

  OXFORD.

  I like it well that our fair queen and mistress

  Smiles at her news while Warwick frowns at his.

  I like the fact that my fair queen and mistress

  smiles at her news while Warwick frowns at his.

  PRINCE.

  Nay, mark how Lewis stamps as he were nettled;

  I hope all's for the best.

  Look how Louis stamps his foot as if annoyed;

  I hope everything's alright.

  KING LEWIS.

  Warwick, what are thy news?--and yours, fair queen?

  Warwick, what news do you have? And you, fair queen?

  QUEEN MARGARET.

  Mine, such as fill my heart with unhop'd joys.

  My news fills my heart with unexpected happiness.

  WARWICK.

  Mine, full of sorrow and heart's discontent.

  My news is full of sorrow and disappointment.

  KING LEWIS.

  What! has your king married the Lady Grey,

  And now, to soothe your forgery and his,

  Sends me a paper to persuade me patience?

  Is this the alliance that he seeks with France?

  Dare he presume to scorn us in this manner?

  What! Has your king married Lady Grey,

  and now, to try and cover your trickery and his,

  writes to
me to tell me to be calm?

  Is this the alliance he wants with France?

  Does he dare to reject us like this?

  QUEEN MARGARET.

  I told your majesty as much before;

  This proveth Edward's love and Warwick's honesty.

  This is what I warned your majesty about;

  this proves both Edward's love and Warwick's honesty.

  WARWICK.

  King Lewis, I here protest, in sight of heaven,

  And by the hope I have of heavenly bliss,

  That I am clear from this misdeed of Edward's;

  No more my king, for he dishonours me,

  But most himself, if he could see his shame.

  Did I forget that by the house of York

  My father came untimely to his death?

  Did I let pass the abuse done to my niece?

  Did I impale him with the regal crown?

  Did I put Henry from his native right?

  And am I guerdon'd at the last with shame?

  Shame on himself! for my desert is honour;

  And to repair my honour lost for him,

  I here renounce him and return to Henry.--

  My noble queen, let former grudges pass,

  And henceforth I am thy true servitor.

  I will revenge his wrong to Lady Bona,

  And replant Henry in his former state.

  King Louis, I promise you, in sight of heaven

  and on my hope of getting there,

  that I have nothing to do with this bad deed of Edward's;

  he is no longer my king, for he has dishonoured me,

  and most of all himself, if he could only see his shame.

  Did I forget that the house of York

  brought my father to an early death?

  Did I ignore the abuse of my niece?

  Did I help him get the crown of the kingdom?

  Did I remove Henry from his rightful position?

  And have I now been covered in shame?

  Shame on him! Honour is what I deserve;

  to get back the honour I lost through him,

  I now reject him and go back to Henry.

  My noble queen, forget our previous differences,

  from now on I am your loyal servant.

  I will avenge the wrong he has done Lady Bona,

  and put Henry back where he was before.

  QUEEN MARGARET.

  Warwick, these words have turn'd my hate to

  love;

  And I forgive and quite forget old faults,

  And joy that thou becom'st King Henry's friend.

  Warwick, your words turn my hate to love;

  I forgive and forget the wrongs of the past,

  and I am delighted you have come back to Henry.

  WARWICK.

  So much his friend, ay, his unfeigned friend,

  That if King Lewis vouchsafe to furnish us

  With some few bands of chosen soldiers,

  I'll undertake to land them on our coast

  And force the tyrant from his seat by war.

  'T is not his new-made bride shall succour him;

  And as for Clarence,--as my letters tell me,--

  He's very likely now to fall from him,

  For matching more for wanton lust than honour,

  Or than for strength and safety of our country.

  I am so much his friend, his genuine friend,

  that if King Louis will provide me

  with a few troops of select soldiers

  I promise to land them on the English coast

  and overthrow the tyrant through war.

  His new bride shall not help him,

  and as for Clarence - my letters tell me -

  he's very likely to desert him,

  for caring more about his reckless lust than honour,

  or the strength or safety of our country.

  BONA.

  Dear brother, how shall Bona be reveng'd

  But by thy help to this distressed queen?

  Dear brother, is there any better way to revenge Bona

  than to help this distressed queen?

  QUEEN MARGARET.

  Renowned prince, how shall poor Henry live

  Unless thou rescue him from foul despair?

  Great prince, how can poor Henry live,

  unless you rescue him from his horrible despair?

  BONA.

  My quarrel and this English queen's are one.

  My argument is the same as this English queen's.

  WARWICK.

  And mine, fair Lady Bona, joins with yours.

  And I join my cause to yours, fair Lady Bona.

  KING LEWIS.

  And mine with hers, and thine, and Margaret's.

  Therefore, at last, I firmly am resolv'd

  You shall have aid.

  And mine is the same as yours, hers and Margaret's.

  So, at last, I am determined

  that you shall have my help.

  QUEEN MARGARET.

  Let me give humble thanks for all at once.

  Let me give my humble thanks to all of you together.

  KING LEWIS.

  Then, England's messenger, return in post

  And tell false Edward, thy supposed king,

  That Lewis of France is sending over maskers

  To revel it with him and his new bride.

  Thou seest what's past; go fear thy king withal.

  So, England's messenger, take messages back

  and tell false Edward, your impostor king,

  that Lewis of France is sending some dancers

  to party with him and his new bride.

  You see what's happened; go and terrify your king with it.

  BONA.

  Tell him, in hope he'll prove a widower shortly,

  I'll wear the willow garland for his sake.

  Tell him I'll wear a willow garland for him,

  hoping he'll soon be a widower.

  QUEEN MARGARET.

  Tell him my mourning weeds are laid aside,

  And I am ready to put armour on.

  Tell him I have have thrown off my mourning clothes,

  and I am ready to put on my armour.

  WARWICK.

  Tell him from me that he hath done me wrong,

  And therefore I'll uncrown him ere 't be long.

  There's thy reward; be gone.

  Tell him from me that he has insulted me,

  and so I shall remove his crown before long.

  There's your reward; go.

  [Exit Post.]

  KING LEWIS.

  But, Warwick,

  Thou and Oxford, with five thousand men,

  Shall cross the seas and bid false Edward battle;

  And, as occasion serves, this noble queen

  And prince shall follow with a fresh supply.

  Yet, ere thou go, but answer me one doubt:

  What pledge have we of thy firm loyalty?

  But, Warwick,

  you and Oxford, with five thousand men,

  shall cross the sea and challenge false Edward in battle;

  and, when the time is right, this noble Queen

  and Prince will follow with more men.

  But, before you go, settle one question for me:

  what guarantee have I got of your fixed loyalty?

  WARWICK.

  This shall assure my constant loyalty,--

  That if our queen and this young prince agree,

  I'll join mine eldest daughter and my joy

  To him forthwith in holy wedlock bands.

  This will guarantee it for you;

  if our Queen and this young prince agree,

  I will marry my eldest daughter, my delight,

  to him.

  QUEEN MARGARET.

  Yes, I agree, and thank you for your motion.--

  Son Edward, she is fair and virtuous;

  Therefore delay not, give thy hand to Warwick,

  And with thy hand thy
faith irrevocable

  That only Warwick's daughter shall be thine.

  Yes, I agree, and I thank you for the offer.

  Edward my son, she is good and beautiful;

  so don't hold back, Shake hands with Warwick,

  and with your handshake give your unbreakable promise

  that Warwick's daughter is the only one you shall marry.

  PRINCE.

  Yes, I accept her, for she well deserves it;

  And here, to pledge my vow, I give my hand.

  Yes, I accept her, for she is certainly deserving;

  and here, to seal my promise, I offer my hand.

  [He gives his hand to Warwick.]

  KING LEWIS.

  Why stay we now? These soldiers shall be levied,

  And thou, Lord Bourbon, our high admiral,

  Shall waft them over with our royal fleet.--

  I long till Edward fall by war's mischance

  For mocking marriage with a dame of France.

  Why are we waiting? The soldiers shall be gathered,

  and you, Lord Bourbon, my high admiral,

  shall carry them over in my royal fleet.

  I am longing for Edward to fall in battle

  for rejecting marriage with a lady of France.

  [Exeunt all but Warwick.]

  WARWICK.

  I came from Edward as ambassador,

  But I return his sworn and mortal foe;

  Matter of marriage was the charge he gave me,

  But dreadful war shall answer his demand.

  Had he none else to make a stale but me?

  Then none but I shall turn his jest to sorrow.

  I was the chief that rais'd him to the crown,