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

by William Shakespeare

  And I'll be chief to bring him down again;

  Not that I pity Henry's misery,

  But seek revenge on Edward's mockery.

  I came from Edward as an ambassador,

  but I am going back as his sworn and mortal enemy;

  he told me to arrange a marriage,

  but terrible war is what he will get.

  Didn't he have anyone else to mock apart from me?

  Then I'm the one who shall make his joke turn sour.

  I was instrumental in gaining him the crown,

  and I shall be instrumental in bringing him down again;

  not because I pity Henry's misery,

  but to take revenge on Edward's mockery.

  [Exit.]

  [Enter GLOSTER, CLARENCE, SOMERSET, and MONTAGUE.]

  GLOSTER.

  Now tell me, brother Clarence, what think you

  Of this new marriage with the Lady Grey?

  Hath not our brother made a worthy choice?

  Tell me, brother Clarence, what you think

  of his new marriage with the Lady Grey?

  Hasn't our brother made a good choice?

  CLARENCE.

  Alas! you know 't is far from hence to France;

  How could he stay till Warwick made return?

  Alas! You know it is a long journey to France;

  how could he wait until Warwick came back?

  SOMERSET.

  My lords, forbear this talk; here comes the King.

  My lords, enough of this talk; here comes the King.

  [Flourish. Enter KING EDWARD, attended; LADY GREY, as Queen;

  PEMBROKE, STAFFORD, HASTINGS, and others.]

  GLOSTER.

  And his well-chosen bride.

  And his well chosen bride.

  CLARENCE.

  I mind to tell him plainly what I think.

  I'm thinking of telling him straight what I think.

  KING EDWARD.

  Now, brother Clarence, how like you our choice

  That you stand pensive as half malcontent?

  Now, brother Clarence, do what you think of my choice,

  considering you're standing thoughtful as if you disapprove?

  CLARENCE.

  As well as Lewis of France, or the Earl of Warwick,

  Which are so weak of courage and in judgment

  That they'll take no offence at our abuse.

  I like it as much as Louis or France, or the Earl of Warwick,

  who are so lacking in courage and judgement

  that they will not be offended at the insult.

  KING EDWARD.

  Suppose they take offence without a cause,

  They are but Lewis and Warwick: I am Edward,

  Your King and Warwick's, and must have my will.

  Supposing they do take offence for no reason,

  they are only Louis and Warwick: I am Edward,

  King of both you and Warwick, and I must have what I want.

  GLOSTER.

  And shall have your will, because our King;

  Yet hasty marriage seldom proveth well.

  And you will have, because you are King;

  but hasty marriages seldom turn out well.

  KING EDWARD.

  Yea, brother Richard, are you offended too?

  Well, brother Richard, are you offended as well?

  GLOSTER.

  Not I.

  No; God forbid that I should wish them sever'd

  Whom God hath join'd together; ay, and 't were pity

  To sunder them that yoke so well together.

  Not me.

  No; God forbid that I should wish to separate

  those whom God has joined together; yes, and it would be a shame

  to split up those who go so well together.

  KING EDWARD.

  Setting your scorns and your mislike aside,

  Tell me some reason why the Lady Grey

  Should not become my wife and England's queen.--

  And you too, Somerset and Montague,

  Speak freely what you think.

  Putting aside your contempt and dislike,

  tell me a reason why Lady Grey

  shouldn't become my wife and Queen of England.

  And you also, Somerset and Montague,

  say freely what you think.

  CLARENCE.

  Then this is mine opinion,--that King Lewis

  Becomes your enemy, for mocking him

  About the marriage of the Lady Bona.

  Then this is what I think; that King Louis

  will become your enemy, for scorning him

  in the matter of the marriage of Lady Bona.

  GLOSTER.

  And Warwick, doing what you gave in charge,

  Is now dishonoured by this new marriage.

  And Warwick, who was following your orders,

  is now dishonoured by this new marriage.

  KING EDWARD.

  What if both Lewis and Warwick be appeas'd

  By such invention as I can devise?

  What if both Louis and Warwick can be calmed

  by some plan of my invention?

  MONTAGUE.

  Yet to have join'd with France in such alliance

  Would more have strength'ned this our commonwealth

  'Gainst foreign storms than any home-bred marriage.

  But to have joined with France in such an alliance

  would have made our kingdom much stronger

  against foreign attack than any domestic marriage.

  HASTINGS.

  Why, knows not Montague that of itself

  England is safe if true within itself?

  Why, doesn't Montague know that if

  England sticks to her own she will be safe?

  MONTAGUE.

  But the safer when 't is back'd with France.

  Even safer when it has the backing of France.

  HASTINGS.

  'T is better using France than trusting France.

  Let us be back'd with God, and with the seas

  Which he hath giv'n for fence impregnable,

  And with their helps only defend ourselves;

  In them and in ourselves our safety lies.

  It's better to use France than to trust France.

  Let God be our backer, and defend ourselves

  only with the seas which he has given us as an

  impenetrable defence;

  our safety lies in them and ourselves.

  CLARENCE.

  For this one speech Lord Hastings well deserves

  To have the heir of the Lord Hungerford.

  For saying this Lord Hastings certainly deserves

  to be married to the heir of Lord Hungerford.

  KING EDWARD.

  Ay, what of that? it was my will and grant;

  And for this once my will shall stand for law.

  Yes, what about that? It was what I wanted and gave;

  and in this instance what I want will be the law.

  GLOSTER.

  And yet, methinks, your grace hath not done well

  To give the heir and daughter of Lord Scales

  Unto the brother of your loving bride.

  She better would have fitted me or Clarence;

  But in your bride you bury brotherhood.

  And yet, I think, your Grace was wrong

  to give the heir and daughter of Lord Scales

  to the brother of your loving bride.

  She would be more suitable for me or Clarence;

  you have forgotten your brothers because of your bride.

  CLARENCE.

  Or else you would not have bestow'd the heir

  Of the Lord Bonville on your new wife's son,

  And leave your brothers to go speed elsewhere.

  Otherwise you wouldn't have given the heir

  of Lord Bonville to the son of your new wife,

  leaving your brothers to look elsewhere.

  KING EDWARD.


  Alas, poor Clarence! is it for a wife

  That thou art malcontent? I will provide thee.

  Alas, poor Clarence! Are you sickening

  for a wife? I'll give you one.

  CLARENCE.

  In choosing for yourself you show'd your judgment,

  Which being shallow you shall give me leave

  To play the broker in mine own behalf;

  And to that end I shortly mind to leave you.

  You showed your judgement in your own choice,

  and as it was poor give me permission

  to make my own choices;

  and for that purpose I intend to leave you soon.

  KING EDWARD.

  Leave me or tarry, Edward will be king,

  And not be tied unto his brother's will.

  Go or stay, Edward is the king,

  and will not do what his brother wants.

  QUEEN ELIZABETH.

  My lords, before it pleas'd his majesty

  To raise my state to title of a queen,

  Do me but right, and you must all confess

  That I was not ignoble of descent,

  And meaner than myself have had like fortune.

  But as this title honours me and mine,

  So your dislikes, to whom I would be pleasing,

  Doth cloud my joys with danger and with sorrow.

  My Lords, before his Majesty was kind enough

  to raise me up to the position of queen,

  you must admit, if you're being fair,

  that I was not lowly born,

  and lower than myself have had the same fortune.

  But just as this title honours me and my family,

  so your dislike, when I want you to like me,

  overshadows my happiness with sorrow and threats.

  KING EDWARD.

  My love, forbear to fawn upon their frowns.

  What danger or what sorrow can befall thee

  So long as Edward is thy constant friend

  And their true sovereign, whom they must obey?

  Nay, whom they shall obey, and love thee too,

  Unless they seek for hatred at my hands;

  Which if they do, yet will I keep thee safe,

  And they shall feel the vengeance of my wrath.

  My love, don't pay any attention to their frowns.

  What danger or sorrow can affect you

  as long as Edward is your loving friend

  and their true ruler, whom they should obey?

  No, whom they shall obey, and love you as well,

  unless they want to suffer from my hatred;

  if they do, I will still keep you safe,

  and they shall feel the punishment of my anger.

  GLOSTER.

  [Aside.] I hear, yet say not much, but think the more.

  I hear him, but I don't say much, but I am thinking a lot.

  [Enter a Messenger.]

  KING EDWARD.

  Now, messenger, what letters or what news

  From France?

  Now, messenger, what letters or news

  do you have from France?

  MESSENGER.

  My sovereign liege, no letters, and few words,

  But such as I, without your special pardon,

  Dare not relate.

  My royal lord, no letters, just a few words,

  but words that I, without your special pardon,

  do not dare to say.

  KING EDWARD.

  Go to, we pardon thee; therefore, in brief,

  Tell me their words as near as thou canst guess them.

  What answer makes King Lewis unto our letters?

  Come on, I pardon you; so, briefly,

  tell me their words as near as you can remember them.

  What answer does King Louis make to my letters?

  MESSENGER.

  At my depart these were his very words:

  'Go tell false Edward, thy supposed king,

  That Lewis of France is sending over maskers

  To revel it with him and his new bride.'

  As I left these were his exact words:

  “Go and tell false Edward, your imposter king,

  that Louis of France is sending over dancers

  to party with him and his new bride."

  KING EDWARD.

  Is Lewis so brave? belike he thinks me Henry.

  But what said Lady Bona to my marriage?

  Is Louis so daring? Perhaps he thinks I'm Henry.

  But what did Lady Bona say about my marriage?

  MESSENGER.

  These were her words, utt'red with mild disdain:

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

  I'll wear the willow garland for his sake.'

  These were her words, spoken with soft contempt:

  “Tell him I shall wear a willow garland for him,

  in the hope that he will soon be a widower.”

  KING EDWARD.

  I blame not her, she could say little less,

  She had the wrong; but what said Henry's queen?

  For I have heard that she was there in place.

  I don't blame her, she has a right to say it,

  it was her who was insulted; but what did Henry's Queen say?

  For I have heard that she was there.

  MESSENGER.

  'Tell him' quoth she 'my mourning weeds are done,

  And I am ready to put armour on.'

  “Tell him," she said, “I am throwing off my mourning clothes,

  and I am putting on my armour."

  KING EDWARD.

  Belike she minds to play the Amazon.

  But what said Warwick to these injuries?

  Perhaps she thinks she can fight like Amazon.

  But what did Warwick say about these insults?

  MESSENGER.

  He, more incens'd against your majesty

  Than all the rest, discharg'd me with these words:

  'Tell him from me that he hath done me wrong,

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

  He was more angry with your Majesty

  than all the rest, and dismissed me with these words:

  “Tell him from me that he has insulted me,

  and so I will take his crown before long."

  KING EDWARD.

  Ha! durst the traitor breathe out so proud words?

  Well, I will arm me, being thus forewarn'd;

  They shall have wars, and pay for their presumption.

  But say, is Warwick friends with Margaret?

  Ha! Does the traitor say such proud words?

  Well, now I've been warned, I will arm myself;

  they will have a war, and pay for their insolence.

  But tell me, is Warwick friends with Margaret?

  MESSENGER.

  Ay, gracious sovereign; they are so link'd in

  friendship

  That young Prince Edward marries Warwick's daughter.

  Yes, gracious sovereign; they are so close

  that young Prince Edward is marrying Warwick's daughter.

  CLARENCE.

  Belike the elder; Clarence will have the younger.

  Now, brother king, farewell, and sit you fast,

  For I will hence to Warwick's other daughter;

  That, though I want a kingdom, yet in marriage

  I may not prove inferior to yourself.--

  You that love me and Warwick, follow me.

  The older, I imagine; Clarence will have the younger.

  Now, brother King, farewell, and sit tight,

  for I will go to Warwick's other daughter;

  so that, although I don't have a kingdom, in marriage

  I will not be lower than yourself.

  Anyone who loves me and Warwick, follow me.

  [Exit Clarence, and Somerset follows.]

  GLOSTER.

  [Aside.] Not I.

  My thoughts aim at a further matter; I

  Stay not for the love of
Edward, but the crown.

  Not me.

  I'm thinking about something else; I'm

  not staying out of love for Edward, but for the crown.

  KING EDWARD.

  Clarence and Somerset both gone to Warwick!

  Yet am I arm'd against the worst can happen,

  And haste is needful in this desperate case.--

  Pembroke and Stafford, you in our behalf

  Go levy men and make prepare for war;

  They are already, or quickly will be landed.

  Myself in person will straight follow you.--

  [Exeunt Pembroke and Stafford.]

  But, ere I go, Hastings and Montague,

  Resolve my doubt. You twain, of all the rest,

  Are near to Warwick by blood and by alliance;

  Tell me if you love Warwick more than me?

  If it be so, then both depart to him.

  I rather wish you foes than hollow friends;

  But if you mind to hold your true obedience,

  Give me assurance with some friendly vow,

  That I may never have you in suspect.

  Clarence and Somerset both gone over to Warwick!

  But I am prepared for the worst:

  and speed is necessary in this desperate situation.

  Pembroke and Stafford, acting for me,

  go and raise forces and made ready for war;

  they are already landed, or soon will be.

  I will follow in person right behind you.

  But, before I go, Hastings and Montague,

  set my mind at ease. You two, out of everyone,