The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)
Page 177
that it was now seen how former feats of arms,
previously thought legendary, could have been true.
BUCKINGHAM
O, you go far.
Oh, you're being very effusive.
NORFOLK
As I belong to worship and affect
In honour honesty, the tract of every thing
Would by a good discourser lose some life,
Which action's self was tongue to. All was royal;
To the disposing of it nought rebell'd.
Order gave each thing view; the office did
Distinctly his full function.
As God is my witness and as I
worship honesty, I tell you that
there are not words good enough to describe
the things that went on. Everything was royal;
nothing was spared in showing it,
everything was in its place: the officials did
their tasks perfectly.
BUCKINGHAM
Who did guide,
I mean, who set the body and the limbs
Of this great sport together, as you guess?
Who ran the show,
I mean, who ordered all the elements
of this great business, do you think?
NORFOLK
One, certes, that promises no element
In such a business.
One who you most certainly wouldn't imagine
would have the skills for such a business.
BUCKINGHAM
I pray you, who, my lord?
Tell me, who, my lord?
NORFOLK
All this was order'd by the good discretion
Of the right reverend Cardinal of York.
Everything was done under the orders
of the right reverend Cardinal of York.
BUCKINGHAM
The devil speed him! no man's pie is freed
From his ambitious finger. What had he
To do in these fierce vanities? I wonder
That such a keech can with his very bulk
Take up the rays o' the beneficial sun
And keep it from the earth.
A curse on him! There is no pie in which
he doesn't have his ambitious fingers. What was his
business with these extravagances? I'm amazed
that such a lump is able to occupy
the King so much and keep him from
the general public.
NORFOLK
Surely, sir,
There's in him stuff that puts him to these ends;
For, being not propp'd by ancestry, whose grace
Chalks successors their way, nor call'd upon
For high feats done to the crown; neither allied
For eminent assistants; but, spider-like,
Out of his self-drawing web, he gives us note,
The force of his own merit makes his way
A gift that heaven gives for him, which buys
A place next to the king.
Surely, Sir,
there's a reason that he's like this;
he is not supported by great ancestry,
which gives descendants examples to follow, nor is he
valued for great acts done on behalf of the Crown;
nor is he related to great ministers; but, like a spider,
he gets his position from his own self-made web,
he makes his way by his own merits,
the gift that heaven has given him, which buys him
a place next to the King.
ABERGAVENNY
I cannot tell
What heaven hath given him,--let some graver eye
Pierce into that; but I can see his pride
Peep through each part of him: whence has he that?
If not from hell the devil is a niggard,
Or has given all before, and he begins
A new hell in himself.
I don't know
what heaven has given him–let someone more
experienced look into that; but I can see his pride
shining out of every part of him: where has he got that from?
If not from hell then the devil is miserly,
or has given away all his pride, and Wolsey begins
a new hell himself.
BUCKINGHAM
Why the devil,
Upon this French going out, took he upon him,
Without the privity o' the king, to appoint
Who should attend on him? He makes up the file
Of all the gentry; for the most part such
To whom as great a charge as little honour
He meant to lay upon: and his own letter,
The honourable board of council out,
Must fetch him in the papers.
Why the devil did he,
at the start of this French expedition, assume,
without the King's knowledge, the responsibility of choosing
who should go with him? He chose which
gentlemen should go; mostly those on whom
he intended to impose a great tax without
giving them any honour: they were ordered to come
by his own letter, he didn't bother consulting with
the honourable board of Council.
ABERGAVENNY
I do know
Kinsmen of mine, three at the least, that have
By this so sickened their estates, that never
They shall abound as formerly.
I know
at least three relatives of mine who have
had to spend so much on this business that
their estates will never recover.
BUCKINGHAM
O, many
Have broke their backs with laying manors on 'em
For this great journey. What did this vanity
But minister communication of
A most poor issue?
O, many
have acquired a great deal of property
through this expedition. What use was this extravagance
apart from stealing away the
inheritance of children?
NORFOLK
Grievingly I think,
The peace between the French and us not values
The cost that did conclude it.
I'm sorry to say,
the peace concluded between the French and us is not worth
the price we paid for it.
BUCKINGHAM
Every man,
After the hideous storm that follow'd, was
A thing inspired; and, not consulting, broke
Into a general prophecy; That this tempest,
Dashing the garment of this peace, aboded
The sudden breach on't.
After the hideous storm that followed the
signing of the peace every man became inspired,
and spontaneously everyone began to prophesy
that the storm, raging against the peace, showed
that it would be broken.
NORFOLK
Which is budded out;
For France hath flaw'd the league, and hath attach'd
Our merchants' goods at Bourdeaux.
And this has come to fruition;
for France has broken the deal, and has seized
our merchants' goods at Bordeaux.
ABERGAVENNY
Is it therefore
The ambassador is silenced?
Does that mean
the ambassador has been prevented from speaking?
NORFOLK
Marry, is't.
It certainly does.
ABERGAVENNY
A proper title of a peace; and purchased
At a superfluous rate!
A fine thing to call peace; and bought
at such a high price!
BUCKINGHAM
Why, all this business
Our reverend cardinal carried.
Why, all this business
was down to our reverend cardinal.
NORFOLK
Like it your grace,
The state takes notice of the private difference
Betwixt you and the cardinal. I advise you--
And take it from a heart that wishes towards you
Honour and plenteous safety--that you read
The cardinal's malice and his potency
Together; to consider further that
What his high hatred would effect wants not
A minister in his power. You know his nature,
That he's revengeful, and I know his sword
Hath a sharp edge: it's long and, 't may be said,
It reaches far, and where 'twill not extend,
Thither he darts it. Bosom up my counsel,
You'll find it wholesome. Lo, where comes that rock
That I advise your shunning.
If I may say so your Grace,
everyone has noticed the private disagreement
between you and the Cardinal. I advise you–
and accept it from a heart who wishes you
honour and all safety–that you consider
the cardinal's malice and his power
together; and think further that
he's not lacking ministers to carry out
his hatred. You know what he's like,
that he holds a grudge,
and I know his sword
is sharp: it's long, and one may say
it can reach far places, and where it won't reach,
he throws it. Remember my advice,
you will find it beneficial. Look, here comes the rock
that I advise you to steer clear of.
Enter CARDINAL WOLSEY, the purse borne before him, certain of the Guard, and two Secretaries with papers. CARDINAL WOLSEY in his passage fixeth his eye on BUCKINGHAM, and BUCKINGHAM on him, both full of disdain
CARDINAL WOLSEY
The Duke of Buckingham's surveyor, ha?
Where's his examination?
The Duke of Buckingham's surveyor, ha?
Where is his testimony?
First Secretary
Here, so please you.
Here, if you please.
CARDINAL WOLSEY
Is he in person ready?
Is he ready in person?
First Secretary
Ay, please your grace.
Yes, if your Grace pleases.
CARDINAL WOLSEY
Well, we shall then know more; and Buckingham
Shall lessen this big look.
Well then, we shall no more; and Buckingham
shall stop looking so haughty.
Exeunt CARDINAL WOLSEY and his Train
BUCKINGHAM
This butcher's cur is venom-mouth'd, and I
Have not the power to muzzle him; therefore best
Not wake him in his slumber. A beggar's book
Outworths a noble's blood.
This butcher's dog has a poisonous mouth, and I
do not have the power to muzzle him; so it's best
not to wake him up. A beggar's learning
is worth more than any noble descent.
NORFOLK
What, are you chafed?
Ask God for temperance; that's the appliance only
Which your disease requires.
What, are you angry?
Ask God for self-control; that's the only medicine
your disease requires.
BUCKINGHAM
I read in's looks
Matter against me; and his eye reviled
Me, as his abject object: at this instant
He bores me with some trick: he's gone to the king;
I'll follow and outstare him.
I can see in his eyes
that he has plans against me; he looked at me
contemptuously; right now
he is cheating me with some trick; he has gone to the King:
I'll follow him and outstare him.
NORFOLK
Stay, my lord,
And let your reason with your choler question
What 'tis you go about: to climb steep hills
Requires slow pace at first: anger is like
A full-hot horse, who being allow'd his way,
Self-mettle tires him. Not a man in England
Can advise me like you: be to yourself
As you would to your friend.
Wait, my lord,
and think dispassionately about
what you are doing: to climb steep hills
you need to go slowly at first: anger is like
a passionate horse, if you allow it its head
it will soon tire itself out. There's not a man in England
who can advise me like you: be a good friend
to yourself.
BUCKINGHAM
I'll to the king;
And from a mouth of honour quite cry down
This Ipswich fellow's insolence; or proclaim
There's difference in no persons.
I'll go to the King;
and with the mouth of honour I will shout down
the insolence of this Ipswich fellow; otherwise I'll say
that all men are equal.
NORFOLK
Be advised;
Heat not a furnace for your foe so hot
That it do singe yourself: we may outrun,
By violent swiftness, that which we run at,
And lose by over-running. Know you not,
The fire that mounts the liquor til run o'er,
In seeming to augment it wastes it? Be advised:
I say again, there is no English soul
More stronger to direct you than yourself,
If with the sap of reason you would quench,
Or but allay, the fire of passion.
Be sensible;
don't prepare a furnace for your enemy that’s so hot
that you burn yourself: when we charge at something
we can outrun it with violent swiftness, and miss it
by overrunning it. Don't you know that
the fire that heats the liquor until it boils over
seems to make it greater but in fact wastes it? Be sensible:
I tell you again there is no man in England
who can give you better advice than yourself,
if you will put out the fire of passion, or at least
damp it down, with the water of reason.
BUCKINGHAM
Sir,
I am thankful to you; and I'll go along
By your prescription: but this top-proud fellow,
Whom from the flow of gall I name not but
From sincere motions, by intelligence,
And proofs as clear as founts in July when
We see each grain of gravel, I do know
To be corrupt and treasonous.
Sir,
I am grateful to you; and I will follow
your advice: but I know that this arrogant fellow,
whom I'm not accusing through anger but
from sincere motives, through intelligence,
and proof as clear as springs in July when
we can see each grain of gravel,
is corrupt and treasonous.
NORFOLK
Say not 'treasonous.'
Do not say ‘treasonous.’
BUCKINGHAM
To the king I'll say't; and make my vouch as strong
As shore of rock. Attend. This holy fox,
Or wolf, or both,--for he is equal ravenous
As he is subtle, and as prone to mischief
As able to perform't; his mind and place
Infecting one another, yea, reciprocally--
Only to show his pomp as well in France
As here at home, suggests the king our master
To this last costly treaty, the interview,
That swallow'd so much treasure, and like a glass
Did break i' the rinsing.<
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I shall say to the King; and I shall give proof as strong
as rocky cliffs. Listen. This holy fox,
or wolf, or both,–for he is as ravenous
as he is cunning, and as eager for mischief
as he is able to perform it; his thoughts and actions
infect each other, to and fro–
just to show his eminence in France
as much as here at home, has suggested to our master the King
that we should make this recent costly treaty, the meeting
for which cost so much money, and which shattered like glass
the first time it was put to the test.
NORFOLK
Faith, and so it did.
It did indeed.
BUCKINGHAM
Pray, give me favour, sir. This cunning cardinal
The articles o' the combination drew
As himself pleased; and they were ratified
As he cried 'Thus let be': to as much end
As give a crutch to the dead: but our count-cardinal
Has done this, and 'tis well; for worthy Wolsey,
Who cannot err, he did it. Now this follows,--
Which, as I take it, is a kind of puppy
To the old dam, treason,--Charles the emperor,
Under pretence to see the queen his aunt--
For 'twas indeed his colour, but he came
To whisper Wolsey,--here makes visitation:
His fears were, that the interview betwixt
England and France might, through their amity,
Breed him some prejudice; for from this league
Peep'd harms that menaced him: he privily
Deals with our cardinal; and, as I trow,--
Which I do well; for I am sure the emperor
Paid ere he promised; whereby his suit was granted
Ere it was ask'd; but when the way was made,
And paved with gold, the emperor thus desired,
That he would please to alter the king's course,