The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (274 page)

Exempt from envy, but not from disdain,

Unless the Lady Bona quit his pain.

He feels in a way

suited to a king like himself.

I have often heard him say and swear

that his love was an eternal plant,

with its roots fixed in goodness

and the leaves and fruit nurtured by beauty,

and it cannot be evil, but it can feel pain,

unless the Lady Bona relieves it.

LEWIS.

Now, sister, let us hear your firm resolve.

Now, sister, let's hear what you want to do.

BONA.

Your grant or your denial shall be mine.

Yet I confess [to Warwick] that often ere this day,

When I have heard your king's desert recounted,

Mine ear hath tempted judgment to desire.

I will do whatever you say.

But I admit that before today I have often,

when I've heard how good your king is,

been tempted to desire him.

KING LEWIS.

Then, Warwick, thus: our sister shall be Edward's;

And now forthwith shall articles be drawn

Touching the jointure that your king must make,

Which with her dowry shall be counterpois'd.--

Draw near, Queen Margaret, and be a witness

That Bona shall be wife to the English king.

So, Warwick, this will happen; my sister will marry Edward;

And we shall have a contract drawn up at once

detailing the settlement your king must make,

to balance out her dowry.

Come close, Queen Margaret, and witness the fact

that Bona shall marry the English king.

PRINCE.

To Edward, but not to the English king.

Edward, but not the king of England.

QUEEN MARGARET.

Deceitful Warwick! it was thy device

By this alliance to make void my suit.

Before thy coming Lewis was Henry's friend.

Deceitful Warwick!  You have used the trick

of this alliance to make sure my request is denied.

Before you came Louis was a friend of Henry's.

KING LEWIS.

And still is friend to him and Margaret;

But if your title to the crown be weak,

As may appear by Edward's good success,

Then 't is but reason that I be releas'd

From giving aid which late I promised.

Yet shall you have all kindness at my hand

That your estate requires and mine can yield.

And I am still a friend of him and Margaret;

but if your claim to the crown is weak

as it appears to be from Edward's success,

then it's only right that I withdraw

the help I recently promised you.

You shall have every other sort of help

you need, if I can give it.

WARWICK.

Henry now lives in Scotland, at his ease,

Where, having nothing, nothing can he lose.

And as for you yourself, our quondam queen,

You have a father able to maintain you,

And better 't were you troubled him than France.

Henry is living safely in Scotland where,

having nothing, he has nothing to lose.

As for you, our one-time queen,

you have a father who can support you,

and it would be better to ask him than Louis.

QUEEN MARGARET.

Peace, impudent and shameless Warwick,

Proud setter-up and puller-down of kings!

I will not hence, till, with my talk and tears,

Both full of truth, I make King Lewis behold

Thy sly conveyance and thy lord's false love;

For both of you are birds of selfsame feather.

Quiet, rude and shameless Warwick,

arrogant establisher and destroyer of kings!

I shall not leave until my talk and tears,

both true, make King Louis see

your subtle tricks and the false nature of your lord's love;

you are birds of a feather.

[A horn sounded within.]

KING LEWIS.

Warwick, this is some post to us or thee.

Warwick, this is a message for you or me.

[Enter the Post.]

POST.

My lord ambassador, these letters are for you.

Sent from your brother Marquess Montague.--

These from our king unto your majesty.--

And, madam, these for you, from whom I know not.

My lord ambassador, these letters are for you,

sent from your brother Marquis Montague -

these are from our king to your majesty -

and madam, these are for you, I don't know from whom.

[They all read their letters.]

OXFORD.

I like it well that our fair queen and mistress

Smiles at her news while Warwick frowns at his.

I like the fact that my fair queen and mistress

smiles at her news while Warwick frowns at his.

PRINCE.

Nay, mark how Lewis stamps as he were nettled;

I hope all's for the best.

Look how Louis stamps his foot as if annoyed;

I hope everything's alright.

KING LEWIS.

Warwick, what are thy news?--and yours, fair queen?

Warwick, what news do you have?  And you, fair queen?

QUEEN MARGARET.

Mine, such as fill my heart with unhop'd joys.

My news fills my heart with unexpected happiness.

WARWICK.

Mine, full of sorrow and heart's discontent.

My news is full of sorrow and disappointment.

KING LEWIS.

What! has your king married the Lady Grey,

And now, to soothe your forgery and his,

Sends me a paper to persuade me patience?

Is this the alliance that he seeks with France?

Dare he presume to scorn us in this manner?

What! Has your king married Lady Grey,

and now, to try and cover your trickery and his,

writes to me to tell me to be calm?

Is this the alliance he wants with France?

Does he dare to reject us like this?

QUEEN MARGARET.

I told your majesty as much before;

This proveth Edward's love and Warwick's honesty.

This is what I warned your majesty about;

this proves both Edward's love and Warwick's honesty.

WARWICK.

King Lewis, I here protest, in sight of heaven,

And by the hope I have of heavenly bliss,

That I am clear from this misdeed of Edward's;

No more my king, for he dishonours me,

But most himself, if he could see his shame.

Did I forget that by the house of York

My father came untimely to his death?

Did I let pass the abuse done to my niece?

Did I impale him with the regal crown?

Did I put Henry from his native right?

And am I guerdon'd at the last with shame?

Shame on himself! for my desert is honour;

And to repair my honour lost for him,

I here renounce him and return to Henry.--

My noble queen, let former grudges pass,

And henceforth I am thy true servitor.

I will revenge his wrong to Lady Bona,

And replant Henry in his former state.

King Louis, I promise you, in sight of heaven

and on my hope of getting there,

that I have nothing to do with this bad deed of Edward's;

he is no longer my king, for he has dishonoured me,

and most of all himself, if he could only see his shame.

Did I forget that the house of York

brought my father to an early death?

Did I ignore the abuse of my niece?

Did I help him get the crown of the kingdom?

Did I remove Henry from his rightful position?

And have I now been covered in shame?

Shame on him!  Honour is what I deserve;

to get back the honour I lost through him,

I now reject him and go back to Henry.

My noble queen, forget our previous differences,

from now on I am your loyal servant.

I will avenge the wrong he has done Lady Bona,

and put Henry back where he was before.

QUEEN MARGARET.

Warwick, these words have turn'd my hate to

love;

And I forgive and quite forget old faults,

And joy that thou becom'st King Henry's friend.

Warwick, your words turn my hate to love;

I forgive and forget the wrongs of the past,

and I am delighted you have come back to Henry.

WARWICK.

So much his friend, ay, his unfeigned friend,

That if King Lewis vouchsafe to furnish us

With some few bands of chosen soldiers,

I'll undertake to land them on our coast

And force the tyrant from his seat by war.

'T is not his new-made bride shall succour him;

And as for Clarence,--as my letters tell me,--

He's very likely now to fall from him,

For matching more for wanton lust than honour,

Or than for strength and safety of our country.

I am so much his friend, his genuine friend,

that if King Louis will provide me

with a few troops of select soldiers

I promise to land them on the English coast

and overthrow the tyrant through war.

His new bride shall not help him,

and as for Clarence - my letters tell me -

he's very likely to desert him,

for caring more about his reckless lust than honour,

or the strength or safety of our country.

BONA.

Dear brother, how shall Bona be reveng'd

But by thy help to this distressed queen?

Dear brother, is there any better way to revenge Bona

than to help this distressed queen?

QUEEN MARGARET.

Renowned prince, how shall poor Henry live

Unless thou rescue him from foul despair?

Great prince, how can poor Henry live,

unless you rescue him from his horrible despair?

BONA.

My quarrel and this English queen's are one.

My argument is the same as this English queen's.

WARWICK.

And mine, fair Lady Bona, joins with yours.

And I join my cause to yours, fair Lady Bona.

KING LEWIS.

And mine with hers, and thine, and Margaret's.

Therefore, at last, I firmly am resolv'd

You shall have aid.

And mine is the same as yours, hers and Margaret's.

So, at last, I am determined

that you shall have my help.

QUEEN MARGARET.

Let me give humble thanks for all at once.

Let me give my humble thanks to all of you together.

KING LEWIS.

Then, England's messenger, return in post

And tell false Edward, thy supposed king,