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

Page 182

by William Shakespeare


  And Duke of Buckingham; now, poor Edward Bohun:

  Yet I am richer than my base accusers,

  That never knew what truth meant: I now seal it;

  And with that blood will make 'em one day groan for't.

  My noble father, Henry of Buckingham,

  Who first raised head against usurping Richard,

  Flying for succor to his servant Banister,

  Being distress'd, was by that wretch betray'd,

  And without trial fell; God's peace be with him!

  Henry the Seventh succeeding, truly pitying

  My father's loss, like a most royal prince,

  Restored me to my honours, and, out of ruins,

  Made my name once more noble. Now his son,

  Henry the Eighth, life, honour, name and all

  That made me happy at one stroke has taken

  For ever from the world. I had my trial,

  And, must needs say, a noble one; which makes me,

  A little happier than my wretched father:

  Yet thus far we are one in fortunes: both

  Fell by our servants, by those men we loved most;

  A most unnatural and faithless service!

  Heaven has an end in all: yet, you that hear me,

  This from a dying man receive as certain:

  Where you are liberal of your loves and counsels

  Be sure you be not loose; for those you make friends

  And give your hearts to, when they once perceive

  The least rub in your fortunes, fall away

  Like water from ye, never found again

  But where they mean to sink ye. All good people,

  Pray for me! I must now forsake ye: the last hour

  Of my long weary life is come upon me. Farewell:

  And when you would say something that is sad,

  Speak how I fell. I have done; and God forgive me!

  No, Sir Nicholas,

  let it be; my position would just mock me now.

  When I came here I was Lord High Constable

  and Duke of Buckingham: now I am poor Edward Bohun;

  but I am richer than my low accusers,

  who never knew what truth meant: I shall now prove it

  with the blood price which one day they will suffer for.

  My noble father Henry of Buckingham,

  the first one to raise forces against usurping Richard,

  running for assistance to his servant Banister,

  when he was in need, was betrayed by that wretch,

  and executed without trial; may God's peace be upon him.

  Henry the Seventh succeeded, and as he truly pitied

  the loss of my father, he gave me back my titles

  like the Royal Prince he was; and out of the ruins

  he reinstated my noble name. Now his son,

  Henry the Eighth, in one blow has taken away

  my life, honour, title and everything

  that made me happy. I had my trial,

  and I have to say it was a noble one; that makes me

  a little happier than my wretched father:

  but we are identical in one way; we were both

  brought down by our servants, by those men we loved most:

  very unnatural and faithless service.

  Heaven always has a purpose; but you who hear me,

  take this as the truth from a dying man:

  when you are generous with your love and advice,

  make sure you are not profligate; for those you have as friends

  and give your hearts to, as soon as they see

  that your fortunes are failing, they shall drop away from you

  like water, you'll never see them again

  until they try to drown you. Pray for me,

  all good people; now I must leave you; the last hour

  of my long weary life has come:

  farewell; and when you want to speak about something that's sad,

  talk of my end. I have finished, and may God forgive me.

  Exeunt BUCKINGHAM and Train

  First Gentleman

  O, this is full of pity! Sir, it calls,

  I fear, too many curses on their heads

  That were the authors.

  Oh, this is pitiable! Sir, I fear

  it brings down too many curses on the heads

  of those who are responsible.

  Second Gentleman

  If the duke be guiltless,

  'Tis full of woe: yet I can give you inkling

  Of an ensuing evil, if it fall,

  Greater than this.

  If the Duke is not guilty,

  it's very sad: but I can give you a hint

  of an even greater evil that is

  coming, if it happens.

  First Gentleman

  Good angels keep it from us!

  What may it be? You do not doubt my faith, sir?

  May the good angels keep it from us!

  What is it? You don't doubt my loyalty, sir?

  Second Gentleman

  This secret is so weighty, 'twill require

  A strong faith to conceal it.

  This secret is so great, it will need

  great loyalty to keep it hidden.

  First Gentleman

  Let me have it;

  I do not talk much.

  Tell me;

  I don't talk much.

  Second Gentleman

  I am confident,

  You shall, sir: did you not of late days hear

  A buzzing of a separation

  Between the king and Katharine?

  I trust you,

  I shall tell you: haven't you recently heard

  gossip about a divorce

  between the King and Katherine?

  First Gentleman

  Yes, but it held not:

  For when the king once heard it, out of anger

  He sent command to the lord mayor straight

  To stop the rumor, and allay those tongues

  That durst disperse it.

  Yes, but it didn't last:

  for as soon as the King heard of it he angrily

  sent orders at once to the Lord Mayor

  to stop the rumour, and control the people

  who were spreading it.

  Second Gentleman

  But that slander, sir,

  Is found a truth now: for it grows again

  Fresher than e'er it was; and held for certain

  The king will venture at it. Either the cardinal,

  Or some about him near, have, out of malice

  To the good queen, possess'd him with a scruple

  That will undo her: to confirm this too,

  Cardinal Campeius is arrived, and lately;

  As all think, for this business.

  But that slander, Sir,

  is now proved to be true: it's sprung up again

  stronger than it ever was; and it is thought certain

  that the King will do it. Either the cardinal,

  or someone else close to him, has, out of malice

  towards the good Queen, placed doubts in him

  that will be her downfall: to confirm this,

  Cardinal Campeius has recently arrived;

  everyone thinks it's to do with this affair.

  First Gentleman

  'Tis the cardinal;

  And merely to revenge him on the emperor

  For not bestowing on him, at his asking,

  The archbishopric of Toledo, this is purposed.

  It is the cardinal;

  and he will agree to act in this matter

  just to take revenge on the Emperor

  for not giving him the archbishopric of Toledo

  when he asked for it.

  Second Gentleman

  I think you have hit the mark: but is't not cruel

  That she should feel the smart of this? The cardinal

  Will have his will, and she must fall.

  I think you've hi
t the nail on the head: but isn't it cruel

  that the Queen should suffer for this? The cardinal

  will get what he wants, and she must fall.

  First Gentleman

  'Tis woful.

  We are too open here to argue this;

  Let's think in private more.

  It's woeful,

  we are too exposed to talk about this here;

  let's discuss it more privately.

  Exeunt

  Enter Chamberlain, reading a letter

  Chamberlain

  'My lord, the horses your lordship sent for, with

  all the care I had, I saw well chosen, ridden, and

  furnished. They were young and handsome, and of the

  best breed in the north. When they were ready to

  set out for London, a man of my lord cardinal's, by

  commission and main power, took 'em from me; with

  this reason: His master would be served before a

  subject, if not before the king; which stopped our

  mouths, sir.'

  I fear he will indeed: well, let him have them:

  He will have all, I think.

  'My Lord, the horses your lordship sent for have been

  chosen, trained and saddled with my very best care.

  They were young and handsome, and from the

  best breed in the north. When they were ready to

  be sent to London, a man of my lord cardinal's

  took them from me with his authority and by brute force;

  he gave this reason: if his master was not served before the king,

  he would at least be served before a subject; and that

  stopped us arguing, sir.’

  I'm afraid he certainly will; well, let him have them;

  I think he will have everything.

  Enter, to Chamberlain, NORFOLK and SUFFOLK

  NORFOLK

  Well met, my lord chamberlain.

  Good to see you, my lord chamberlain.

  Chamberlain

  Good day to both your graces.

  Good day to both your graces.

  SUFFOLK

  How is the king employ'd?

  What is the king doing?

  Chamberlain

  I left him private,

  Full of sad thoughts and troubles.

  I left him sitting alone,

  full of sad thoughts and troubles.

  NORFOLK

  What's the cause?

  For what reason?

  Chamberlain

  It seems the marriage with his brother's wife

  Has crept too near his conscience.

  It seems he is feeling bad about

  marrying his brother's wife.

  SUFFOLK

  No, his conscience

  Has crept too near another lady.

  No, he's feeling bad

  about not being with a different lady.

  NORFOLK

  'Tis so:

  This is the cardinal's doing, the king-cardinal:

  That blind priest, like the eldest son of fortune,

  Turns what he list. The king will know him one day.

  That's right:

  this is the cardinal's doing, the king-cardinal:

  that man is like fate, he doesn't care who he

  makes suffer. The king shall find him out one day.

  SUFFOLK

  Pray God he do! he'll never know himself else.

  I pray to God he does! Otherwise he will never know himself.

  NORFOLK

  How holily he works in all his business!

  And with what zeal! for, now he has crack'd the league

  Between us and the emperor, the queen's great nephew,

  He dives into the king's soul, and there scatters

  Dangers, doubts, wringing of the conscience,

  Fears, and despairs; and all these for his marriage:

  And out of all these to restore the king,

  He counsels a divorce; a loss of her

  That, like a jewel, has hung twenty years

  About his neck, yet never lost her lustre;

  Of her that loves him with that excellence

  That angels love good men with; even of her

  That, when the greatest stroke of fortune falls,

  Will bless the king: and is not this course pious?

  With what holiness he goes about his business!

  How keen he is! for, now he has broken the alliance

  between us and the Emperor, the great-nephew of the Queen,

  he plunges into the soul of the King, and scatters about

  fears, doubts, torment to his conscience,

  despair; and always on account of his marriage:

  and to save the King from these,

  he advises divorce; throwing away her

  who has hung around his neck like a jewel

  for twenty years and never lost her shine;

  someone who loves him with the purity

  with which angels love good men; even

  when the axe falls upon her she will

  bless the King: is this holy behaviour?

  Chamberlain

  Heaven keep me from such counsel! 'Tis most true

  These news are every where; every tongue speaks 'em,

  And every true heart weeps for't: all that dare

  Look into these affairs see this main end,

  The French king's sister. Heaven will one day open

  The king's eyes, that so long have slept upon

  This bold bad man.

  May heaven protect me from such advice! It's true

  that this news is everywhere; everybody speaking about it,

  and every true heart is weeping for it: everyone who dares

  look into these affairs see the main purpose

  is to get the sister of the French king. One day heaven will open

  the eyes of the King, that have for so long been blind

  to the badness of this bold man.

  SUFFOLK

  And free us from his slavery.

  And free us from his slavery.

  NORFOLK

  We had need pray,

  And heartily, for our deliverance;

  Or this imperious man will work us all

  From princes into pages: all men's honours

  Lie like one lump before him, to be fashion'd

  Into what pitch he please.

  We must pray,

  and heartily, to be saved from him;

  or this arrogant man will turn us all

  from Princes into servants: all the honours of men

  lie in front of him like one big lump of clay, to be shaped

  into anything he fancies.

  SUFFOLK

  For me, my lords,

  I love him not, nor fear him; there's my creed:

  As I am made without him, so I'll stand,

  If the king please; his curses and his blessings

  Touch me alike, they're breath I not believe in.

  I knew him, and I know him; so I leave him

  To him that made him proud, the pope.

  For me, my lords,

  I do not love him, nor do I fear him; this is what I believe:

  as I do not owe him my position I shall stand firm,

  if the King pleases; his curses and his blessings

  are the same to me, I don't believe in either of them.

  I knew him, and I know what he's like; and so I leave him

  to the one who gave him his position, the Pope.

  NORFOLK

  Let's in;

  And with some other business put the king

  From these sad thoughts, that work too much upon him:

  My lord, you'll bear us company?

  Let's go indoors;

  let's think about something else rather than

  the sad business of the King, which we think about too much:

  my lord, will you come with us?

  Chamberlain

/>   Excuse me;

  The king has sent me otherwhere: besides,

  You'll find a most unfit time to disturb him:

  Health to your lordships.

  Pardon me;

  the King has sent me somewhere else: anyway,

  you will find this is a very bad time to disturb him:

  good health to your Lordships.

  NORFOLK

  Thanks, my good lord chamberlain.

  Thank you, my good Lord Chamberlain.

  Exit Chamberlain; and KING HENRY VIII draws the curtain, and sits reading pensively

  SUFFOLK

  How sad he looks! sure, he is much afflicted.

  How sad he looks! He certainly is much affected.

  KING HENRY VIII

  Who's there, ha?

  Who's there, hey?

  NORFOLK

  Pray God he be not angry.

  Please God don't let him be angry.

  KING HENRY VIII

  Who's there, I say? How dare you thrust yourselves

  Into my private meditations?

  Who am I? ha?

  Who's there, I say? How dare you barge in

  on my private thoughts?

  Who am I? Hey?

  NORFOLK

  A gracious king that pardons all offences

  Malice ne'er meant: our breach of duty this way

  Is business of estate; in which we come

  To know your royal pleasure.

  You are gracious king who pardons all offences

  that were not meant in malice: we are only disturbing you

  with matters of state; we have come

  to take your royal orders.

  KING HENRY VIII

  Ye are too bold:

  Go to; I'll make ye know your times of business:

  Is this an hour for temporal affairs, ha?

  Enter CARDINAL WOLSEY and CARDINAL CAMPEIUS, with a commission

  Who's there? my good lord cardinal? O my Wolsey,

 

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