The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (225 page)

[Enter PETER and other PETITIONERS.]

1 PETITIONER.

My masters, let's stand close; my lord protector

will come this way by and by, and then we may deliver our

supplications in the quill.

My masters, let's stand together; my lord protector

will come this way soon, and then we can deliver our

petitions directly to him.

2 PETITIONER.

Marry, the Lord protect him, for he's a good

man!  Jesu bless him!

I'd certainly ask the lord to protect him, for he is a good

man! May Jesus bless him!

[Enter SUFFOLK and QUEEN.]

PETER.

Here 'a comes, methinks, and the queen with him.

I'll be the first, sure.

Here he comes, I think, and the Queen as well.

I'll get in there first.

2 PETITIONER.

Come back, fool; this is the Duke of Suffolk and

not my lord protector.

Come back, fool; this is the Duke of Suffolk and

not
the lord protector.

SUFFOLK.

How now, fellow! wouldst any thing with me?

Hello there, fellow!  Do you want something from me?

1 PETITIONER.

I pray, my lord, pardon me; I took ye for my lord

protector.

Please excuse me, my lord; I mistook you for

the lord protector.

QUEEN.

[Reading] 'To my Lord Protector!' Are your supplications

to his lordship? Let me see them; what is thine?

“To my Lord protector!" Are your petitions

to his Lordship? Let me see them; what's yours?

1 PETITIONER.

Mine is, an 't please your grace, against John

Goodman, my lord cardinal's man, for keeping my house and lands,

and wife and all, from me.

If you please your Grace, mine is against John

Goodman, a servant of my Lord Cardinal, for keeping my house and land,

my wife and all, away from me.

SUFFOLK.

Thy wife too! that's some wrong, indeed.--What's

yours?--What's here! [Reads] 'Against the Duke of Suffolk for

enclosing

the commons of Melford.'--How now, sir knave!

Your wife as well! That's certainly some wrong. What's

yours? What's this! “Against the Duke of Suffolk for enclosing

the common lands of Melford." What's this, you scoundrel!

2 PETITIONER.

Alas, sir, I am but a poor petitioner of our

whole township.

Alas, Sir, I am just a poor petitioner representing

our whole town.

PETER.

[Giving his petition] Against my master, Thomas Horner,

for saying that the Duke of York was rightful heir to the crown.

This is against my master, Thomas Horner,

for saying that the Duke of York was the rightful heir of the Crown.

QUEEN.

What say'st thou? did the Duke of York say he was

rightful heir to the crown?

What are you saying? Did the Duke of York say he was

the rightful heir of the crown?

PETER.

That my master was? no, forsooth; my master said that he

was, and that the king was an usurper.

That my master was? No, indeed; my master said that he

was, and that the king was a usurper.

SUFFOLK.

Who is there? [Enter Servant.] Take this fellow in, and

send for his master with a pursuivant presently.--We'll hear more

of your matter before the king.

Who's there? Take this fellow inside, and

send a herald to fetch his master.–We'll hear more

of this business in front of the King.

[Exit Servant with Peter.]

QUEEN.

And as for you, that love to be protected

Under the wings of our protector's grace,

Begin your suits anew and sue to him.

[Tears the supplications.]

Away, base cullions!--Suffolk, let them go.

And as for you, who love to be protected

by the grace of our protector,

you can start again and go and ask him.

Get out, you lowly rascals! Suffolk, get rid of them.

ALL.

Come, let's be gone.

Come, let's go.

[Exeunt.]

QUEEN.

My Lord of Suffolk, say, is this the guise,

Is this the fashion in the court of England?

Is this the government of Britain's isle,

And this the royalty of Albion's king?

What, shall King Henry be a pupil still

Under the surly Gloster's governance?

Am I a queen in title and in style,

And must be made a subject to a duke?

I tell thee, Pole, when in the city Tours

Thou ran'st a tilt in honour of my love

And stol'st away the ladies' hearts of France,

I thought King Henry had resembled thee

In courage, courtship, and proportion;

But all his mind is bent to holiness,

To number Ave-Maries on his beads,

His champions are the prophets and apostles,

His weapons holy saws of sacred writ,

His study is his tilt-yard, and his loves

Are brazen images of canoniz'd saints.

I would the college of the cardinals

Would choose him pope and carry him to Rome,

And set the triple crown upon his head;

That were a state fit for his holiness.

My Lord of Suffolk, tell me, is this the way

things carry on in the court of England?

Is this the way the British isle is governed,

and this is the way royalty is respected?

What, does King Henry have to remain a pupil

under the rule of surly Gloucester?

Am I a Queen in position and place,

and have to be a subject of a duke?

I tell you, Pole, when in the city of Tours

you jousted to win my love

and stole away the hearts of the ladies in France,

I thought that King Henry resembled you

in courage, body and manners;

but all he thinks about is holy things,

to count Ave Marias on his rosary,

his champions are the prophets and apostles,

his weapons are the holy sayings of the scriptures,

his study is his jousting ground, and his lovers

are bronze statues of the saints.

I wish the College of Cardinals

would make him Pope and carry him to Rome,

and put the triple crown on his head,

that would be the right place for his holiness.

SUFFOLK.

Madam, be patient; as I was cause

Your highness came to England, so will I

In England work your grace's full content.

Madam, be patient; as I was the one

who brought your Highness to England, so I will

work in England for your grace's happiness.

QUEEN.

Beside the haughty protector, have we Beaufort

The imperious churchman, Somerset, Buckingham,

And grumbling York; and not the least of these

But can do more in England than the king.

Apart from the arrogant protector, we have Beaufort

the arrogant clergyman, Somerset, Buckingham,

and grumbling York; the lowest of these

has more power in England than the King.

SUFFOLK.

And he of these that can do most of all

Cannot do more in England than the Nevils;

Salisbury and Warwick are no simple peers.

And the one with the greatest power

doesn't have more power in England than the Nevils;

Salisbury and Warwick are not just peers.

QUEEN.

Not all these lords do vex me half so much

As that proud dame, the lord protector's wife.

She sweeps it through the court with troops of ladies,

More like an empress than Duke Humphrey's wife.

Strangers in court do take her for the queen;

She bears a duke's revenues on her back,

And in her heart she scorns our poverty.

Shall I not live to be aveng'd on her?

Contemptuous base-born callat as she is,

She vaunted 'mongst her minions t' other day,

The very train of her worst wearing gown

Was better worth than all my father's land

Till Suffolk gave two dukedoms for his daughter.

All of these laws together don't annoy me half as much

as that arrogant lady, the wife of the lord protector.

She flounces through the court with groups of ladies,

more like an empress than the wife of Duke Humphrey.

Foreigners in the court imagine that she's the Queen;

she enjoys the income of a duke,

and in her heart she hates our poverty.

Will I not get revenge on her?

Arrogant low-born peasant that she is,

she boasted to her followers the other day

that the train of her oldest dress

was worth more than everything my father had

until Suffolk gave him two dukedoms in exchange for his daughter.

SUFFOLK.

Madam, myself have lim'd a bush for her,

And plac'd a quire of such enticing birds

That she will light to listen to the lays,

And never mount to trouble you again.

So, let her rest; and, madam, list to me,

For I am bold to counsel you in this.

Although we fancy not the cardinal,

Yet must we join with him and with the lords

Till we have brought Duke Humphrey in disgrace.

As for the Duke of York, this late complaint

Will make but little for his benefit.

So, one by one, we'll weed them all at last,

And you yourself shall steer the happy helm.

Madam, I myself have set a trap for her,

baited with such lovely birds

that she will be delighted to listen to the music,

and will never rise to trouble you again.

So, enough about her; and, madam, listen to me,

for I want to give you this advice.

Although we don't like the cardinal,

we must make an alliance with him and the lords

until we have caused the disgrace of Duke Humphrey.

As for the Duke of York, what he's been saying

won't do him any good.

So, one by one, we shall pick them all off,

and you yourself will be in control.

[Sennet. Enter the KING, DUKE HUMPHREY, CARDINAL

BEAUFORT, BUCKINGHAM, YORK, SOMERSET, SALISBURY,

WARWICK, and the DUCHESS OF GLOSTER.]

KING.

For my part, noble lords, I care not which;

Or Somerset or York, all's one to me.

For my part, noble lords, I don't care who;

Somerset or York, it's all the same to me.

YORK.

If York have ill demean'd himself in France,

Then let him be denay'd the regentship.