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

by William Shakespeare

  I would surrender it.

  Please tell them this from me:

  that there should be someone amongst them who,

  through his position, is more worthy of this place than me;

  if I knew who he was my love and duty

  would make me give it to him.

  Chamberlain

  I will, my lord.

  I will, my lord.

  Whispers the Masquers

  CARDINAL WOLSEY

  What say they?

  What do they say?

  Chamberlain

  Such a one, they all confess,

  There is indeed; which they would have your grace

  Find out, and he will take it.

  They all admit that there is such a person,

  and he will take your place if your Grace

  can discover who it is.

  CARDINAL WOLSEY

  Let me see, then.

  By all your good leaves, gentlemen; here I'll make

  My royal choice.

  Let me see, then.

  If you will excuse me, gentlemen; I choose

  this one as being royal.

  KING HENRY VIII

  Ye have found him, cardinal:

  Unmasking

  You hold a fair assembly; you do well, lord:

  You are a churchman, or, I'll tell you, cardinal,

  I should judge now unhappily.

  You have found him, cardinal:

  you are hosting a beautiful assembly; you are doing well, lord:

  I'll tell you, cardinal, if you weren't a churchman

  I might judge you unfavourably.

  CARDINAL WOLSEY

  I am glad

  Your grace is grown so pleasant.

  I am glad

  that your Grace is so merry.

  KING HENRY VIII

  My lord chamberlain,

  Prithee, come hither: what fair lady's that?

  My lord chamberlain,

  please, come here: who is that beautiful lady?

  Chamberlain

  An't please your grace, Sir Thomas Bullen's daughter--

  The Viscount Rochford,--one of her highness' women.

  If you please, your Grace, that is Sir Thomas Bullen's daughter–

  the Viscount Rochford–one of her Highness' waiting ladies.

  KING HENRY VIII

  By heaven, she is a dainty one. Sweetheart,

  I were unmannerly, to take you out,

  And not to kiss you. A health, gentlemen!

  Let it go round.

  By heaven, she's a dainty one. Sweetheart,

  I would be ill mannered to choose you

  and not to kiss you. Good health, gentlemen!

  Pass it round.

  CARDINAL WOLSEY

  Sir Thomas Lovell, is the banquet ready

  I' the privy chamber?

  Sir Thomas Lovell, is the banquet ready

  in the next room?

  LOVELL

  Yes, my lord.

  Yes, my lord.

  CARDINAL WOLSEY

  Your grace,

  I fear, with dancing is a little heated.

  I fear your Grace

  has become a little hot from dancing.

  KING HENRY VIII

  I fear, too much.

  Too much, I fear.

  CARDINAL WOLSEY

  There's fresher air, my lord,

  In the next chamber.

  The air is cooler, my lord,

  in the next room.

  KING HENRY VIII

  Lead in your ladies, every one: sweet partner,

  I must not yet forsake you: let's be merry:

  Good my lord cardinal, I have half a dozen healths

  To drink to these fair ladies, and a measure

  To lead 'em once again; and then let's dream

  Who's best in favour. Let the music knock it.

  Bring in your ladies, everyone: sweet partner,

  I must not leave you yet: let's be jolly:

  my good lord cardinal, I have half a dozen healths

  to drink to these fair ladies, and another dance

  to have with them; and then let's dream

  of the most beautiful. Strike up the music.

  Exeunt with trumpets

  Enter two Gentlemen, meeting

  First Gentleman

  Whither away so fast?

  Where are you going so quickly?

  Second Gentleman

  O, God save ye!

  Even to the hall, to hear what shall become

  Of the great Duke of Buckingham.

  Oh, God bless you!

  I'm going to the hall, to hear what will happen

  to the great Duke of Buckingham.

  First Gentleman

  I'll save you

  That labour, sir. All's now done, but the ceremony

  Of bringing back the prisoner.

  I'll save you

  the bother, sir. Everything is finished, except for the ceremony

  of bringing back the prisoner.

  Second Gentleman

  Were you there?

  Were you there?

  First Gentleman

  Yes, indeed, was I.

  Yes indeed I was.

  Second Gentleman

  Pray, speak what has happen'd.

  Please, tell me what happened.

  First Gentleman

  You may guess quickly what.

  You can easily guess that.

  Second Gentleman

  Is he found guilty?

  Has he been found guilty?

  First Gentleman

  Yes, truly is he, and condemn'd upon't.

  He certainly has, and condemned to death for it.

  Second Gentleman

  I am sorry for't.

  I'm sorry to hear it.

  First Gentleman

  So are a number more.

  So are several others.

  Second Gentleman

  But, pray, how pass'd it?

  But, please, what happened?

  First Gentleman

  I'll tell you in a little. The great duke

  Came to the bar; where to his accusations

  He pleaded still not guilty and alleged

  Many sharp reasons to defeat the law.

  The king's attorney on the contrary

  Urged on the examinations, proofs, confessions

  Of divers witnesses; which the duke desired

  To have brought viva voce to his face:

  At which appear'd against him his surveyor;

  Sir Gilbert Peck his chancellor; and John Car,

  Confessor to him; with that devil-monk,

  Hopkins, that made this mischief.

  I can tell you briefly. The great Duke

  was brought to the court; he pleaded not guilty

  to the accusations and gave

  many good reasons in his defence.

  Against him the King's attorney

  emphasised the interrogations, proofs and confessions

  of several witnesses; the Duke wanted

  them to be brought to give evidence to his face:

  at that point his surveyor appeared against him;

  so did Gilbert Peck, his Chancellor; and John Car,

  his confessor; along with that devilish monk

  Hopkins, who started all this mischief.

  Second Gentleman

  That was he

  That fed him with his prophecies?

  The one who

  stuffed him with prophecies?

  First Gentleman

  The same.

  All these accused him strongly; which he fain

  Would have flung from him, but, indeed, he could not:

  And so his peers, upon this evidence,

  Have found him guilty of high treason. Much

  He spoke, and learnedly, for life; but all

  Was either pitied in him or forgotten.

  That's him.

  They all made strong accusations
against him;

  he tried to reject them, but, in fact, he couldn't:

  and so his peers, looking at the evidence,

  have found him guilty of high treason. He made

  a long and learned speech for his life; but everything

  he said either had no effect or just made them pity him.

  Second Gentleman

  After all this, how did he bear himself?

  After all this, how did he conduct himself?

  First Gentleman

  When he was brought again to the bar, to hear

  His knell rung out, his judgment, he was stirr'd

  With such an agony, he sweat extremely,

  And something spoke in choler, ill, and hasty:

  But he fell to himself again, and sweetly

  In all the rest show'd a most noble patience.

  When he was brought back to the bar, to hear

  the death bell of his sentence, he was agitated

  by such agony, he sweated a great deal,

  and said something in anger, bad and hasty:

  but he soon became himself again, and in

  everything else he showed a sweet and noble calm.

  Second Gentleman

  I do not think he fears death.

  I don't think he's afraid of death.

  First Gentleman

  Sure, he does not:

  He never was so womanish; the cause

  He may a little grieve at.

  He certainly doesn't;

  he was never so effeminate; he may be

  a little upset by the cause of it.

  Second Gentleman

  Certainly

  The cardinal is the end of this.

  Certainly

  the cardinal is at the bottom of this.

  First Gentleman

  'Tis likely,

  By all conjectures: first, Kildare's attainder,

  Then deputy of Ireland; who removed,

  Earl Surrey was sent thither, and in haste too,

  Lest he should help his father.

  Everything

  points to it: firstly, Kildare losing his

  position as deputy of Ireland; when he was removed

  the Earl of Surrey was sent there, and quickly too,

  in case he should help his father.

  Second Gentleman

  That trick of state

  Was a deep envious one.

  That political trick

  was a cunning and malicious one.

  First Gentleman

  At his return

  No doubt he will requite it. This is noted,

  And generally, whoever the king favours,

  The cardinal instantly will find employment,

  And far enough from court too.

  No doubt he will

  repay it when he comes back. Everybody has

  noticed that whenever the King favours someone

  the cardinal will instantly find him a job

  far away from the court.

  Second Gentleman

  All the commons

  Hate him perniciously, and, o' my conscience,

  Wish him ten fathom deep: this duke as much

  They love and dote on; call him bounteous Buckingham,

  The mirror of all courtesy;--

  All the common people

  hate him deeply, and, I swear,

  wish he was drowned ten fathoms down: they love

  and esteem this duke just as much; they call him bounteous Buckingham,

  the image of courtesy;

  First Gentleman

  Stay there, sir,

  And see the noble ruin'd man you speak of.

  Wait there, Sir,

  and see the ruined nobleman you speak of.

  Enter BUCKINGHAM from his arraignment; tip-staves before him; the axe with the edge towards him; halberds on each side: accompanied with LOVELL, VAUX, SANDS, and common people

  Second Gentleman

  Let's stand close, and behold him.

  Let's stand nearby, and watch him.

  BUCKINGHAM

  All good people,

  You that thus far have come to pity me,

  Hear what I say, and then go home and lose me.

  I have this day received a traitor's judgment,

  And by that name must die: yet, heaven bear witness,

  And if I have a co nscience, let it sink me,

  Even as the axe falls, if I be not faithful!

  The law I bear no malice for my death;

  'T has done, upon the premises, but justice:

  But those that sought it I could wish more Christians:

  Be what they will, I heartily forgive 'em:

  Yet let 'em look they glory not in mischief,

  Nor build their evils on the graves of great men;

  For then my guiltless blood must cry against 'em.

  For further life in this world I ne'er hope,

  Nor will I sue, although the king have mercies

  More than I dare make faults. You few that loved me,

  And dare be bold to weep for Buckingham,

  His noble friends and fellows, whom to leave

  Is only bitter to him, only dying,

  Go with me, like good angels, to my end;

  And, as the long divorce of steel falls on me,

  Make of your prayers one sweet sacrifice,

  And lift my soul to heaven. Lead on, o' God's name.

  All you good people,

  you who have come so far to show your pity for me,

  hear what I have to say, and then go home and forget about me.

  I have been adjudged to be a traitor today,

  and must die with that name; but as heaven is my witness,

  and if I have a conscience, let it destroy me,

  even as the axe falls, if I am not faithful.

  I have nothing against the law for my death,

  the forms of justice were followed:

  but those who wanted me dead, I wish they were more Christian:

  whatever they are, I heartily forgive them;

  but let them make sure they do not glory in mischief,

  nor use the graves of great men as foundations for their evils,

  for then my guiltless blood will cry out against them.

  I do not hope for any more life in this world,

  and I will not beg, although the King has more mercy

  than I have committed offences. You few who loved me,

  and are brave enough to weep for Buckingham,

  my noble friends and companions, whom having to leave

  is my only cause of bitterness, my only death;

  come with me to my end like good angels,

  and as the steel sword falls upon me,

  make a great offering of your prayers

  to lift my soul to heaven. Lead on in God's name.

  LOVELL

  I do beseech your grace, for charity,

  If ever any malice in your heart

  Were hid against me, now to forgive me frankly.

  I must beg your grace, out of kindness,

  that if there was ever any malice hidden in your heart

  against me, openly forgive me.

  BUCKINGHAM

  Sir Thomas Lovell, I as free forgive you

  As I would be forgiven: I forgive all;

  There cannot be those numberless offences

  'Gainst me, that I cannot take peace with:

  no black envy

  Shall mark my grave. Commend me to his grace;

  And if he speak of Buckingham, pray, tell him

  You met him half in heaven: my vows and prayers

  Yet are the king's; and, till my soul forsake,

  Shall cry for blessings on him: may he live

  Longer than I have time to tell his years!

  Ever beloved and loving may his rule be!

  And when old time shall lead him to his end,

  Goodness and he fill up one monument!

  Sir
Thomas Lovell, I forgive you as freely

  as I would like to be forgiven: I forgive everyone;

  I will not have any offences against me

  of that kind, I will make truce with everyone:

  no black envy will hang over my grave.

  Give his grace my compliments;

  and if he talks of Buckingham, please tell him

  when you saw him he was halfway to Heaven: my vows and my prayers

  are still with the king; and, until my soul departs,

  I shall ask for blessings on him: may he live

  for longer than I have time now to count his years;

  May his reign always be loving and beloved;

  and when he finally reaches the end of his days,

  may he and goodness share the same grave!

  LOVELL

  To the water side I must conduct your grace;

  Then give my charge up to Sir Nicholas Vaux,

  Who undertakes you to your end.

  I must escort your Grace to the waterside;

  then I must hand responsibility over to Sir Nicholas Vaux,

  who will take you to your end.

  VAUX

  Prepare there,

  The duke is coming: see the barge be ready;

  And fit it with such furniture as suits

  The greatness of his person.

  Get ready,

  the Duke is coming: make sure the barge is prepared;

  and put furniture in it which suits

  his great nobility.

  BUCKINGHAM

  Nay, Sir Nicholas,

  Let it alone; my state now will but mock me.

  When I came hither, I was lord high constable