The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (232 page)

having taken such a terrible injury; two injuries at once–

his lady exiled, and a limb chopped off.

Now let this staff, made of honour, rest

where it is best suited, in Henry's hand.

SUFFOLK.

Thus droops this lofty pine and hangs his sprays;

Thus Eleanor's pride dies in her youngest days.

So this great pine bends down and his branches droop;

so Eleanor's pride dies in her youth.

YORK.

Lords, let him go.--Please it your majesty,

This is the day appointed for the combat;

And ready are the appellant and defendant,

The armourer and his man, to enter the lists,

So please your highness to behold the fight.

Lords, let him go. If you please, your Majesty,

this is the day chosen for the combat;

and the accuser and the defendant are ready,

the armourer and his servant, to take to the field,

so would your Highness please come and see the fight.

QUEEN.

Ay, good my lord; for purposely therefore

Left I the court, to see this quarrel tried.

Yes, my good lord; this is the reason

I left the court, to see this argument settled.

KING.

O' God's name, see the lists and all things fit.

Here let them end it; and God defend the right!

In the name of God, make sure everything is in order.

Let them finish their quarrel here; may God let the right man win!

YORK.

I never saw a fellow worse bested,

Or more afraid to fight, than is the appellant,

The servant of his armourer, my lords.

I never saw a fellow so inferior,

or more afraid to fight, than the accuser,

the servant of his armourer, my lords.

[Enter at one door, HORNER the Armourer, and his

Neighbours, drinking to him so much that he is

drunk; and he enters with a drum before him and

his staff with a sand-bag fastened to it; and at the

other door PETER, his man, with a drum and sandbag,

and Prentices drinking to him.]

1 NEIGHBOUR.

Here, neighbour Horner, I drink to you in a cup of

sack; and fear not, neighbour, you shall do well enough.

Here, neighbour Horner, I drink your health with a cup of

sack; and do not worry, neighbour, you will do well enough.

2 NEIGHBOUR.

And here, neighbour, here's a cup of charneco.

And here neighbour, here's a cup of sweet wine.

3 NEIGHBOUR.

And here's a pot of good double beer, neighbour;

drink, and fear not your man.

And here's a pot of good strong beer, neighbour;

drink, and don't be afraid of your opponent.

HORNER.

Let it come, i' faith, and I'll pledge you all; and a

fig for Peter!

Bring it on, I swear, and I'll drink to you all; and

Peter be damned!

1 PRENTICE.

Here, Peter, I drink to thee; and be not afraid.

Here, Peter, I drink to your health; don't be afraid.

2 PRENTICE.

Be merry, Peter, and fear not thy master: fight

for credit of the prentices.

Be happy, Peter, and don't be afraid of your master: fight

for the credit of the apprentices.

PETER.

I thank you all; drink, and pray for me, I pray you, for I

think I have taken my last draught in this world.--Here, Robin,

an if I die, I give thee my apron;--and, Will, thou shalt have my

hammer;--and here, Tom, take all the money that I have.--O Lord

bless me! I pray God! for I am never able to deal with my master,

he hath learnt so much fence already.

I thank you all; drink, and pray for me, I pray for you, because I

think I have had my last drink in this world.–Here, Robin,

if I die, I want you to have my apron; and, will you shall have my

hammer; and here, Tom, take all the money that I have–oh Lord

bless me! I pray to God! I shall never be able to deal with my master,

he is so well trained in fencing.

SALISBURY.

Come, leave your drinking and fall to blows.--

Sirrah, what's thy name?

Come, lay off your drinking and get fighting.

Sir, what's your name?

PETER.

Peter, forsooth.

Peter, by God.

SALISBURY.

Peter? what more?

Peter? What else?

PETER.

Thump.

Thump
.

Salisbury.

Thump! then see thou thump thy master well.

Thump!  Make sure you give you master a good thumping.

HORNER.

Masters, I am come hither, as it were, upon my man's instigation,

to prove him a knave and myself an honest man; and touching the

Duke of York, I will take my death, I never meant him any ill,

nor the

king, nor the queen;--and therefore, Peter, have at thee with a

downright

blow!

Masters, I have come here, as it were, at my man's request,

to show that he is a scoundrel and I am an honest man; and with reference to the

Duke of York, I swear on my life, I never meant him any harm, nor the

king, nor the Queen; and therefore, Peter, you're going to get a beating!

YORK.

Dispatch; this knave's tongue begins to double.--

Sound, trumpets, alarum to the combatants!

Hurry up; this scoundrel is starting to run off at the mouth.

Sound the trumpets, give the signal to the combatants.

[Alarum. They fight, and Peter strikes him down.]

HORNER.

Hold, Peter, hold! I confess, I confess treason.

Wait, Peter, wait! I admit, I admit my treason.

[Dies.]

YORK.

Take away his weapon.--Fellow, thank God, and the good

wine in thy master's way.

Take away his weapon. Fellow, thank God and the good

wine which handicapped your master.

PETER.

O God, have I overcome mine enemies in this presence? O

Peter, thou hast prevail'd in right!

O God, have I beat my enemies in front of these people? Oh

Peter, your cause has been proved just!

KING.

Go, take hence that traitor from our sight,

For by his death we do perceive his guilt;

And God in justice hath reveal'd to us

The truth and innocence of this poor fellow,

Which he had thought to have murther'd wrongfully.--

Come, fellow, follow us for thy reward.

Go, take that traitor out of my sight,

for his death proves his guilt;

God through his justice has revealed to us

the truth and innocence of this poor fellow,

which he was accused of wrongfully distorting.

Come, fellow, follow us to get your reward.

[Sound a flourish. Exeunt.]

[Enter GLOSTER and his Servingmen, in mourning cloaks.]

GLOSTER.

Thus sometimes hath the brightest day a cloud,

And after summer evermore succeeds

Barren winter, with his wrathful nipping cold;

So cares and joys abound, as seasons fleet.

Sirs, what's o'clock?

So sometimes the brightest day has clouds,

and after summer there will always come

the barren winter, with his angry nipping cold;

so sorrows and happiness alternate with the seasons.

Sirs, what's the time?

SERVINGMEN.

Ten, my lord.

Ten, my lord.

GLOSTER.

Ten is the hour that was appointed me

To watch the coming of my punish'd duchess.

Uneath may she endure the flinty streets,

To tread them with her tender-feeling feet.--

Sweet Nell, ill can thy noble mind abrook

The abject people gazing on thy face

With envious looks, laughing at thy shame,

That erst did follow thy proud chariot-wheels

When thou didst ride in triumph through the streets.--

But, soft! I think she comes; and I'll prepare

My tear-stain'd eyes to see her miseries.

Ten is the time that I was told

to watch for the coming of my punished duchess.

She will find it's hard to walk the flinty streets,

treading them under her sensitive feet.

Sweet Nell, it will be hard for your noble mind to stand

the common people looking at your face

with hatred, laughing at your shame,

who once followed your proud chariot wheels

when you rode in triumph through the streets.

But, wait! I think she's coming; and I'll wipe

my tearstained eyes so I can see her misery.

[Enter the DUCHESS OF GLOSTER in a white sheet,

and a taper burning in her hand; with SIR JOHN STANLEY,

the Sheriff, and Officers.]

SERVINGMEN.

So please your Grace, we'll take her from the

sheriff.

If your Grace wishes, we can take her from the Sheriff.

GLOSTER.

No, stir not for your lives; let her pass by.

No, you must not risk your lives; let her pass by.

DUCHESS.

Come you, my lord, to see my open shame?

Now thou dost penance too. Look how they gaze!

See how the giddy multitude do point,

And nod their heads, and throw their eyes on thee!

Ah, Gloster, hide thee from their hateful looks,

And, in thy closet pent up, rue my shame,

And ban thine enemies, both mine and thine!

Have you come, my lord, to see my public shame?

Now you are doing penance too. Look how they stare!

See how the stupid masses point,

and nod their heads, and glare at you!

Ah, Gloucester, hide yourself from their hateful looks,

and, shut up in your room, regret my shame,