The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (314 page)

Enter GARDINER, Bishop of Winchester, a Page with a torch before him, met by LOVELL

GARDINER

It's one o'clock, boy, is't not?

It's one o'clock, boy, isn't it?

Boy

It hath struck.

It has struck.

GARDINER

These should be hours for necessities,

Not for delights; times to repair our nature

With comforting repose, and not for us

To waste these times. Good hour of night, Sir Thomas!

Whither so late?

These hours should be spent on essentials,

not on pleasure; it's time to restore our nature

with sweet sleep, not to waste

these hours. Good evening, Sir Thomas!

Where are you going so late?

LOVELL

Came you from the king, my lord?

Did you come from the King, my lord?

GARDINER

I did, Sir Thomas: and left him at primero

With the Duke of Suffolk.

I did, Sir Thomas: I left him playing primero

with the Duke of Suffolk.

LOVELL

I must to him too,

Before he go to bed. I'll take my leave.

I must go to him too,

before he goes to bed. I shall leave you.

GARDINER

Not yet, Sir Thomas Lovell. What's the matter?

It seems you are in haste: an if there be

No great offence belongs to't, give your friend

Some touch of your late business: affairs, that walk,

As they say spirits do, at midnight, have

In them a wilder nature than the business

That seeks dispatch by day.

Not yet, Sir Thomas Lovell. What's the matter?

It seems you are in a hurry: and if it won't

cause any offence, tell your friend

what you're up to: business that's conducted

at midnight, like the business of ghosts,

is wilder than the business

that is done in the day.

LOVELL

My lord, I love you;

And durst commend a secret to your ear

Much weightier than this work. The queen's in labour,

They say, in great extremity; and fear'd

She'll with the labour end.

My lord, I love you;

and I would trust you with a secret

much greater than this one. The Queen is in labour,

they say she is in great difficulty and it's feared

that she will die in childbirth.

GARDINER

The fruit she goes with

I pray for heartily, that it may find

Good time, and live: but for the stock, Sir Thomas,

I wish it grubb'd up now.

I pray heartily for

the fruit she will bear, and hope it will

survive: but for the tree, Sir Thomas,

I would like it to be grubbed up now.

LOVELL

Methinks I could

Cry the amen; and yet my conscience says

She's a good creature, and, sweet lady, does

Deserve our better wishes.

I think I could

say amen to that; but my conscience says

she's a good creature, and, sweet lady,

deserves good wishes from us.

GARDINER

But, sir, sir,

Hear me, Sir Thomas: you're a gentleman

Of mine own way; I know you wise, religious;

And, let me tell you, it will ne'er be well,

'Twill not, Sir Thomas Lovell, take't of me,

Till Cranmer, Cromwell, her two hands, and she,

Sleep in their graves.

But, sir, sir,

listen to me, Sir Thomas: you're a gentleman

after my own heart; I know you to be wise and religious;

and, let me tell you, nothing will ever come to any good,

it will not, Sir Thomas Lovell, believe you me,

until Cranmer and Cromwell, her two hands, and her,

sleep in their graves.

LOVELL

Now, sir, you speak of two

The most remark'd i' the kingdom. As for Cromwell,

Beside that of the jewel house, is made master

O' the rolls, and the king's secretary; further, sir,

Stands in the gap and trade of moe preferments,

With which the time will load him. The archbishop

Is the king's hand and tongue; and who dare speak

One syllable against him?

Now, sir, you're talking about two

of the most notable men in the kingdom. As for Cromwell,

as well as being master of the jewel house he has been made master

of the rolls, and the King’s secretary; and, Sir,

he stands in a position to receive more promotions

which he will gain in time. The Archbishop

is the king's right-hand man and mouthpiece; who dares to say

one word against him?

GARDINER

Yes, yes, Sir Thomas,

There are that dare; and I myself have ventured

To speak my mind of him: and indeed this day,

Sir, I may tell it you, I think I have

Incensed the lords o' the council, that he is,

For so I know he is, they know he is,

A most arch heretic, a pestilence

That does infect the land: with which they moved

Have broken with the king; who hath so far

Given ear to our complaint, of his great grace

And princely care foreseeing those fell mischiefs

Our reasons laid before him, hath commanded

To-morrow morning to the council-board

He be convented. He's a rank weed, Sir Thomas,

And we must root him out. From your affairs

I hinder you too long: good night, Sir Thomas.

Yes, yes, Sir Thomas,

there are those who dare; and I myself have risked

speaking my mind about him: and indeed today,

Sir, I can tell you, I think I have

convinced the lords of the Council that he is,

as I know he is, and they know he is,

a terrible heretic, a disease

who infects the country: they have shared

their anger with the King; he has listened

to our complaint to the extent that, with his great grace

and princely care observing the evil mischief

which we told him was coming, has ordered

the board of the council to meet tomorrow morning

to summon him. He's a dirty weed, Sir Thomas,

and we must root out. I'm keeping you too long

from your business: good night, Sir Thomas.

LOVELL

Many good nights, my lord: I rest your servant.

Many good nights, my lord: I remain your servant.

Exeunt GARDINER and Page

Enter KING HENRY VIII and SUFFOLK

KING HENRY VIII

Charles, I will play no more tonight;

My mind's not on't; you are too hard for me.

Charles, I won't play any more tonight;

my mind is not on it; you are too much for me to handle.

SUFFOLK

Sir, I did never win of you before.

Sir, I never won from you before.

KING HENRY VIII

But little, Charles;

Nor shall not, when my fancy's on my play.

Now, Lovell, from the queen what is the news?

It was only a little, Charles;

and you shan't again, when my mind is on the game.

Now, Lovell, what news from the queen?

LOVELL

I could not personally deliver to her

What you commanded me, but by her woman

I sent your message; who return'd her thanks

In the great'st humbleness, and desired your highness

Most heartily to pray for her.

I couldn't personally give her

the message you ordered me to take, but

one of her women passed it along; she returned

her most humble thanks, and asked your Highness

to pray for her most heartily.

KING HENRY VIII

What say'st thou, ha?

To pray for her? what, is she crying out?

What are you saying, hey?

To pray for her? What, is she screaming?

LOVELL

So said her woman; and that her sufferance made

Almost each pang a death.

That's what her woman said; and the pain made

every contraction like death.

KING HENRY VIII

Alas, good lady!

Alas, good lady!

SUFFOLK

God safely quit her of her burthen, and

With gentle travail, to the gladding of

Your highness with an heir!

May God take her burden from her safely

and gently, to please your

Highness with an heir!

KING HENRY VIII

'Tis midnight, Charles;

Prithee, to bed; and in thy prayers remember

The estate of my poor queen. Leave me alone;

For I must think of that which company

Would not be friendly to.

It's midnight, Charles;

please, go to bed; and remember the condition

of my poor Queen in your prayers. Leave me alone;

for I must think of things which

are not suitable for company.

SUFFOLK

I wish your highness

A quiet night; and my good mistress will

Remember in my prayers.

I wish your highness

a restful night; and I shall remember my

good mistress in my prayers.

KING HENRY VIII

Charles, good night.

Charles, good night.

Exit SUFFOLK

Enter DENNY

Well, sir, what follows?

Well, Sir, what's going on?

DENNY

Sir, I have brought my lord the archbishop,

As you commanded me.

So, I have brought my lord the Archbishop,

as you ordered me.

KING HENRY VIII

Ha! Canterbury?

Ha! Canterbury?

DENNY

Ay, my good lord.