The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (123 page)

To the latter end of a fray and the beginning of a feast

Fits a dull fighter and a keen guest.

Well,

it suits a reluctant fighter and a keen eater

to arrive at the end of the battle and the beginning of the feast.

[Exit.]

[Enter Hotspur, Worcester, Douglas, and Vernon.]

HOT.

We'll fight with him to-night.

We'll fight with him tonight.

WOR.

It may not be.

We may not.

DOUG.

You give him, then, advantage.

Then you'll hand him the advantage.

VER.

Not a whit.

Not at all.

HOT.

Why say you so? looks he not for supply?

Why do you say so? Isn't he waiting for reinforcements?

VER.

So do we.

We are too.

HOT.

His is certain, ours is doubtful.

He can rely on his, we can't on ours.

WOR.

Good cousin, be advised; stir not to-night.

Good cousin, take my advice; don't move tonight.

VER.

Do not, my lord.

Don't, my lord.

DOUG.

You do not counsel well:

You speak it out of fear and cold heart.

This is not good advice:

you're giving it from fear and cowardice.

VER.

Do me no slander, Douglas:by my life,--

And I dare well maintain it with my life,--

If well-respected honour bid me on,

I hold as little counsel with weak fear

As you, my lord, or any Scot that this day lives:

Let it be seen to-morrow in the battle

Which of us fears.

Don't badmouth me, Douglas: on my life–

and I will back it up with my life–

if a well-respected honourable man orders me on,

I will have as little truck with weak fear

as you, my lord, or any Scot alive:

let's see in the battle tomorrow

which of us is afraid.

DOUG.

Yea, or to-night.

Yes, or tonight.

VER.

Content.

Enough.

HOT.

To-night, say I.

I say tonight.

VER.

Come, come, it may not be. I wonder much,

Being men of such great leading as you are,

That you foresee not what impediments

Drag back our expedition:certain Horse

Of my cousin Vernon's are not yet come up:

Your uncle Worcester's Horse came but to-day;

And now their pride and mettle is asleep,

Their courage with hard labour tame and dull,

That not a horse is half the half himself.

Come, come, it can't happen. I'm astonished

that men who are such great leaders

can't see the drawbacks to

your plan: some cavalry

of my cousin Vernon's haven't arrived:

the cavalry of your uncle Worcester only came today;

and now all their brave horses are asleep,

their courage dulled by their hard labour,

so no horse is a quarter of himself.

HOT.

So are the horses of the enemy

In general, journey-bated and brought low:

The better part of ours are full of rest.

And most of the enemy's horses

are worn out with their journey as well:

the greater part ofours are well rested.

WOR.

The number of the King exceedeth ours.

For God's sake, cousin, stay till all come in.

The King has greater numbers than us.

For God's sake, cousin, wait until we have them all here.

[The Trumpet sounds a parley.]

[Enter Sir Walter Blunt.]

BLUNT.

I come with gracious offers from the King,

If you vouchsafe me hearing and respect.

I come with generous offers from the King,

if you will give me a respectful hearing.

HOT.

Welcome, Sir Walter Blunt; and would to God

You were of our determination!

Some of us love you well; and even those some

Envy your great deservings and good name,

Because you are not of our quality,

But stand against us like an enemy.

Welcome, Sir Walter Blunt; I wish to God

that you were on our side!

Some of us love you very much; and they

envy your great reputation and good name,

because you are not on our side,

but stand against us like an enemy.

BLUNT.

And God defend but still I should stand so,

So long as out of limit and true rule

You stand against anointed majesty!

But to my charge:the King hath sent to know

The nature of your griefs; and whereupon

You conjure from the breast of civil peace

Such bold hostility, teaching his duteous land

Audacious cruelty. If that the King

Have any way your good deserts forgot,

Which he confesseth to be manifold,

He bids you name your griefs; and with all speed

You shall have your desires with interest,

And pardon absolute for yourself and these

Herein misled by your suggestion.

And God forfend that I should stand otherwise,

as long as you wrongly rebel

against anointed majesty!

But this is my task: the King has sent me to ask

what is the nature of your complaints; and why

you have conjured up such terrible war

from the peaceful country, showing daring cruelty

to his loyal land. If the King

has in any way neglected to reward your good

qualities, which he admits are many,

he asks you to name your grievances; and at once

you shall have what you ask for and more,

with a complete pardon for yourself and those

who have been led astray by you.

HOT.

The King is kind; and well we know the King

Knows at what time to promise, when to pay.

My father and my uncle and myself

Did give him that same royalty he wears;

And--when he was not six-and-twenty strong,

Sick in the world's regard, wretched and low,

A poor unminded outlaw sneaking home--

My father gave him welcome to the shore:

And--when he heard him swear and vow to God,

He came but to be Duke of Lancaster,

To sue his livery and beg his peace,

With tears of innocence and terms of zeal--

My father, in kind heart and pity moved,

Swore him assistance, and performed it too.

Now, when the lords and barons of the realm

Perceived Northumberland did lean to him,

The more and less came in with cap and knee;

Met him in boroughs, cities, villages,

Attended him on bridges, stood in lanes,

Laid gifts before him, proffer'd him their oaths,

Give him their heirs as pages, follow'd him

Even at the heels in golden multitudes.

He presently--as greatness knows itself--

Steps me a little higher than his vow

Made to my father, while his blood was poor,

Upon the naked shore at Ravenspurg;

And now, forsooth, takes on him to reform

Some certain edicts and some strait decrees

That lie too heavy on the commonwealth;

Cries out upon abuses, seems to weep

Over his country's wrongs; and, by this face,

This seeming brow of justice, did he win

The hearts of all that he did angle for:

Proceeded further; cut me off the heads

Of all the favourites, that the absent King

In deputation left behind him here

When he was personal in the Irish war.

The King is kind, and we know well that the King

knows what time to make promises, and when to pay:

my father, and my uncle, and myself

gave him the kingship he enjoys now

when he had just twenty six soldiers,

had no standing in the world, was wretched and low,

a poor unnoticed outlaw sneaking home,

my father welcomed him to the shore:

and when he heard him swear and vow to God

that he only wanted to be Duke of Lancaster,

to reclaim his lands, and ask for peace

with innocent tears, and great passion,

my father, moved by pity and being kind

swore to help him, and kept his promise.

Now, when the Lords and barons of the kingdom

saw that Northumberland favoured him,

both high and low came to pay respects,

met him in boroughs, cities, villages,

waited for him on bridges, stood in lanes,

gave him presents, swore loyalty to him,

gave him their heirs as servants, followed him

closely in magnificent crowds.

Soon after, thinking himself to be great,

he advanced a little higher than the vow

he made to my father when he was low

on the bare shore at Ravenspurgh;

and then, by God, he decided to reform

certain laws and taxes

which were lying too heavily on the country;

he spoke out against abuses, seemed to weep

over the wrongs done to his country; and by pretending

that he was acting for justice he won over

the hearts of everyone he wanted;

then he went further–he cut off the heads

of all the favourites that the absent King

had left behind as his deputies,

when he went to the war in Ireland.

BLUNT.

Tut, I came not to hear this.

Tut, I didn't come to listen to this.

HOT.

Then to the point:

In short time after, he deposed the King;

Soon after that, deprived him of his life;

And, in the neck of that, task'd the whole State:

To make that worse, suffer'd his kinsman March