The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (275 page)

That Lewis of France is sending over maskers

To revel it with him and his new bride.

Thou seest what's past; go fear thy king withal.

So, England's messenger, take messages back

and tell false Edward, your impostor king,

that Lewis of France is sending some dancers

to party with him and his new bride.

You see what's happened; go and terrify your king with it.

BONA.

Tell him, in hope he'll prove a widower shortly,

I'll wear the willow garland for his sake.

Tell him I'll wear a willow garland for him,

hoping he'll soon be a widower.

QUEEN MARGARET.

Tell him my mourning weeds are laid aside,

And I am ready to put armour on.

Tell him I have have thrown off my mourning clothes,

and I am ready to put on my armour.

WARWICK.

Tell him from me that he hath done me wrong,

And therefore I'll uncrown him ere 't be long.

There's thy reward; be gone.

Tell him from me that he has insulted me,

and so I shall remove his crown before long.

There's your reward; go.

[Exit Post.]

KING LEWIS.

But, Warwick,

Thou and Oxford, with five thousand men,

Shall cross the seas and bid false Edward battle;

And, as occasion serves, this noble queen

And prince shall follow with a fresh supply.

Yet, ere thou go, but answer me one doubt:

What pledge have we of thy firm loyalty?

But, Warwick,

you and Oxford, with five thousand men,

shall cross the sea and challenge false Edward in battle;

and, when the time is right, this noble Queen

and Prince will follow with more men.

But, before you go, settle one question for me:

what guarantee have I got of your fixed loyalty?

WARWICK.

This shall assure my constant loyalty,--

That if our queen and this young prince agree,

I'll join mine eldest daughter and my joy

To him forthwith in holy wedlock bands.

This will guarantee it for you;

if our Queen and this young prince agree,

I will marry my eldest daughter, my delight,

to him.

QUEEN MARGARET.

Yes, I agree, and thank you for your motion.--

Son Edward, she is fair and virtuous;

Therefore delay not, give thy hand to Warwick,

And with thy hand thy faith irrevocable

That only Warwick's daughter shall be thine.

Yes, I agree, and I thank you for the offer.

Edward my son, she is good and beautiful;

so don't hold back, Shake hands with Warwick,

and with your handshake give your unbreakable promise

that Warwick's daughter is the only one you shall marry.

PRINCE.

Yes, I accept her, for she well deserves it;

And here, to pledge my vow, I give my hand.

Yes, I accept her, for she is certainly deserving;

and here, to seal my promise, I offer my hand.

[He gives his hand to Warwick.]

KING LEWIS.

Why stay we now? These soldiers shall be levied,

And thou, Lord Bourbon, our high admiral,

Shall waft them over with our royal fleet.--

I long till Edward fall by war's mischance

For mocking marriage with a dame of France.

Why are we waiting? The soldiers shall be gathered,

and you, Lord Bourbon, my high admiral,

shall carry them over in my royal fleet.

I am longing for Edward to fall in battle

for rejecting marriage with a lady of France.

[Exeunt all but Warwick.]

WARWICK.

I came from Edward as ambassador,

But I return his sworn and mortal foe;

Matter of marriage was the charge he gave me,

But dreadful war shall answer his demand.

Had he none else to make a stale but me?

Then none but I shall turn his jest to sorrow.

I was the chief that rais'd him to the crown,

And I'll be chief to bring him down again;

Not that I pity Henry's misery,

But seek revenge on Edward's mockery.

I came from Edward as an ambassador,

but I am going back as his sworn and mortal enemy;

he told me to arrange a marriage,

but terrible war is what he will get.

Didn't he have anyone else to mock apart from me?

Then I'm the one who shall make his joke turn sour.

I was instrumental in gaining him the crown,

and I shall be instrumental in bringing him down again;

not because I pity Henry's misery,

but to take revenge on Edward's mockery.

[Exit.]

[Enter GLOSTER, CLARENCE, SOMERSET, and MONTAGUE.]

GLOSTER.

Now tell me, brother Clarence, what think you

Of this new marriage with the Lady Grey?

Hath not our brother made a worthy choice?

Tell me, brother Clarence, what you think

of his new marriage with the Lady Grey?

Hasn't our brother made a good choice?

CLARENCE.

Alas! you know 't is far from hence to France;

How could he stay till Warwick made return?

Alas! You know it is a long journey to France;

how could he wait until Warwick came back?

SOMERSET.

My lords, forbear this talk; here comes the King.

My lords, enough of this talk; here comes the King.

[Flourish. Enter KING EDWARD, attended; LADY GREY, as Queen;

PEMBROKE, STAFFORD, HASTINGS, and others.]

GLOSTER.

And his well-chosen bride.

And his well chosen bride.

CLARENCE.

I mind to tell him plainly what I think.

I'm thinking of telling him straight what I think.

KING EDWARD.

Now, brother Clarence, how like you our choice

That you stand pensive as half malcontent?

Now, brother Clarence, do what you think of my choice,

considering you're standing thoughtful as if you disapprove?

CLARENCE.

As well as Lewis of France, or the Earl of Warwick,

Which are so weak of courage and in judgment

That they'll take no offence at our abuse.

I like it as much as Louis or France, or the Earl of Warwick,

who are so lacking in courage and judgement

that they will not be offended at the insult.

KING EDWARD.

Suppose they take offence without a cause,

They are but Lewis and Warwick: I am Edward,

Your King and Warwick's, and must have my will.

Supposing they do take offence for no reason,

they are only Louis and Warwick: I am Edward,

King of both you and Warwick, and I must have what I want.

GLOSTER.

And shall have your will, because our King;

Yet hasty marriage seldom proveth well.

And you will have, because you are King;

but hasty marriages seldom turn out well.

KING EDWARD.

Yea, brother Richard, are you offended too?

Well, brother Richard, are you offended as well?

GLOSTER.

Not I.

No; God forbid that I should wish them sever'd

Whom God hath join'd together; ay, and 't were pity

To sunder them that yoke so well together.

Not me.

No; God forbid that I should wish to separate

those whom God has joined together; yes, and it would be  a shame

to split up those who go so well together.

KING EDWARD.

Setting your scorns and your mislike aside,

Tell me some reason why the Lady Grey

Should not become my wife and England's queen.--

And you too, Somerset and Montague,

Speak freely what you think.

Putting aside your contempt and dislike,

tell me a reason why Lady Grey

shouldn't become my wife and Queen of England.

And you also, Somerset and Montague,

say freely what you think.

CLARENCE.

Then this is mine opinion,--that King Lewis

Becomes your enemy, for mocking him

About the marriage of the Lady Bona.

Then this is what I think; that King Louis

will become your enemy, for scorning him

in the matter of the marriage of Lady Bona.

GLOSTER.

And Warwick, doing what you gave in charge,

Is now dishonoured by this new marriage.

And Warwick, who was following your orders,

is now dishonoured by this new marriage.

KING EDWARD.

What if both Lewis and Warwick be appeas'd

By such invention as I can devise?

What if both Louis and Warwick can be calmed

by some plan of my invention?

MONTAGUE.

Yet to have join'd with France in such alliance

Would more have strength'ned this our commonwealth

'Gainst foreign storms than any home-bred marriage.

But to have joined with France in such an alliance

would have made our kingdom much stronger

against foreign attack than any domestic marriage.