The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (285 page)

QUEEN MARGARET.

Thanks, gentle Somerset.--Sweet Oxford, thanks.

Thanks, kind Somerset–sweet Oxford, thanks.

PRINCE.

And take his thanks that yet hath nothing else.

And take the thanks of him who has nothing else to give at the moment.

[Enter a Messenger.]

MESSENGER.

Prepare you, lords, for Edward is at hand

Ready to fight; therefore be resolute.

Get ready, lords, for Edward is nearby,

ready to fight; so be strong.

OXFORD.

I thought no less; it is his policy

To haste thus fast, to find us unprovided.

I expected this; his plan is to

rush upon us and find us unprepared.

SOMERSET.

But he's deceiv'd; we are in readiness.

But he is deceived; we are ready for him.

QUEEN MARGARET.

This cheers my heart, to see your forwardness.

It makes me happy to see how eager you are.

OXFORD.

Here pitch our battle; hence we will not budge.

We shall fight our battle here; we will not move away.

[Flourish and march. Enter KING EDWARD, CLARENCE,

GLOSTER, and Forces.]

KING EDWARD.

Brave followers, yonder stands the thorny wood

Which, by the heaven's assistance and your strength,

Must by the roots be hewn up yet ere night.

I need not add more fuel to your fire,

For, well I wot, ye blaze to burn them out.

Give signal to the fight, and to it, lords.

Brave followers, there stands the thorny wood

which, with heaven's help and your strength,

must be torn up by the roots before nightfall.

I don't need to add more fuel to your fire,

for I know that you are eager to burn them out.

Give the signal to attack, and let's begin, lords.

QUEEN MARGARET.

Lords, knights, and gentlemen, what I should say,

My tears gainsay; for every word I speak,

Ye see I drink the water of my eyes.

Therefore, no more but this: Henry, your sovereign,

Is prisoner to the foe, his state usurp'd,

His realm a slaughter-house, his subjects slain,

His statutes cancell'd, and his treasure spent;

And yonder is the wolf that makes this spoil.

You fight in justice; then, in God's name, lords,

Be valiant and give signal to the fight.

Lords, knights and gentlemen, my tears stop me

from saying what I should; you can see that every time I open my mouth

it fills with my tears.

So, I will say no more than this: Henry, your sovereign,

is a prisoner of the enemy, his position overthrown,

his country a slaughterhouse, his subjects killed,

his laws cancelled, and his treasure spent;

and out there is the wolf who has caused all this ruin.

You are fighting for justice; then, in the name of God, lords,

be brave and give the signal to fight.

[Exeunt both armies.]

[Flourish. Enter KING EDWARD, CLARENCE, GLOSTER, and Forces;

With QUEEN MARGARET, OXFORD, and SOMERSET, as prisoners.]

KING EDWARD.

Now, here a period of tumultuous broils.

Away with Oxford to Hames Castle straight;

For Somerset, off with his guilty head.

Go, bear them hence; I will not hear them speak.

Now, here is a time of stormy chaos.

Take Oxford straight off to Hames Castle;

as for Somerset, chop off his guilty head.

Go, take them away; I won't listen to them.

OXFORD.

For my part, I'll not trouble thee with words.

For my part, I won't bother you with speaking.

SOMERSET.

Nor I, but stoop with patience to my fortune.

Nor will I, I shall face my fortune calmly.

[Exeunt Oxford and Somerset, guarded.]

QUEEN MARGARET.

So part we sadly in this troublous world,

To meet with joy in sweet Jerusalem.

So we sadly part in this troubled world,

we shall meet with joy in sweet Jerusalem.

KING EDWARD.

Is proclamation made that who finds Edward

Shall have a high reward, and he his life?

Has the announcement been made that the person who finds Edward

shall have a great reward, and he shall have his life?

GLOSTER.

It is; and lo, where youthful Edward comes!

It has; and look, here comes young Edward!

[Enter soldiers with PRINCE EDWARD.]

KING EDWARD.

Bring forth the gallant; let us hear him speak.

What! can so young a man begin to prick?--

Edward, what satisfaction canst thou make

For bearing arms, for stirring up my subjects,

And all the trouble thou hast turn'd me to?

Bring out the brave lad; let's hear him speak.

What, can such a young man cause so much annoyance?

Edward, what excuse do you have

for carrying arms, for stirring up my subjects,

and all the trouble you have given me?

PRINCE.

Speak like a subject, proud, ambitious York!

Suppose that I am now my father's mouth;

Resign thy chair, and where I stand kneel thou,

Whilst I propose the selfsame words to thee

Which, traitor, thou wouldst have me answer to.

Speak like a subject, arrogant ambitious York!

Imagine that I am now my father's spokesman;

resign your throne, and kneel before me,

while I ask you the exact same questions

which, traitor, you've asked me to answer.

QUEEN MARGARET.

Ah, thy father had been so resolv'd!

Ah, if only your father had been like this!

GLOSTER.

That you might still have worn the petticoat,

And ne'er have stol'n the breech from Lancaster.

Then you could still be wearing a petticoat,

and never have had to have stolen the trousers from Lancaster.

PRINCE.

Let Aesop fable in a winter's night;

His currish riddle sorts not with this place.

Let this Aesop tell his tales on a winter's night;

his ill mannered riddles aren't appropriate here.

GLOSTER.

By heaven, brat, I'll plague you for that word.

By heaven, brat, I'll punish you for saying that.

QUEEN MARGARET.

Ay, thou wast born to be a plague to men.

Yes, you were born to torture men.

GLOSTER.

For God's sake, take away this captive scold.

For God's sake, take away this nagging prisoner.

PRINCE.

Nay, take away this scolding crook-back rather.

No, instead take away this scolding hunchback.

KING EDWARD.

Peace, wilful boy, or I will charm your tongue.

Quiet, you headstrong boy, or I will silence your tongue.

CLARENCE.

Untutor'd lad, thou art too malapert.

Ignorant lad, you are too saucy.

PRINCE.

I know my duty; you are all undutiful.

Lascivious Edward,--and thou perjur'd George,--

And thou misshapen Dick,--I tell ye all,

I am your better, traitors as ye are;--

And thou usurp'st my father's right and mine.

I know my duties; none of you do.

Lustful Edward–and you perjurer George–

and you twisted Dick–I tell you all,

I am better than you, as you are all traitors;

and you have stolen my father's rights and mine.

KING EDWARD.

Take that, the likeness of this railer here.

Take that, you copy of this ranting woman.

[Stabs him.]

GLOSTER.

Sprawl'st thou? take that, to end thy agony.

Thrashing around? Take that, to end your pain.

[Stabs him.]

CLARENCE.

And there's for twitting me with perjury.

And this is for accusing me of perjury.

[Stabs him.]

QUEEN MARGARET.

O, kill me too!

Oh, kill me too!

GLOSTER.

Marry, and shall.

I certainly shall.

[Offers to kill her.]

KING EDWARD.

Hold, Richard, hold! for we have done too much.

Stop, Richard, stop! We have done too much.

GLOSTER.

Why should she live to fill the world with words?

Why should she live to fill the world with words?

KING EDWARD.

What! doth she swoon? use means for her recovery.

What! Has she fainted? Bring her round.

GLOSTER.

Clarence, excuse me to the king, my brother.

I'll hence to London on a serious matter;

Ere ye come there, be sure to hear some news.

Clarence, give my apologies to the king, my brother.

I shall go to London on important business;

before you come there, you're sure to get some news.

CLARENCE.

What? what?

What? What?

GLOSTER.

The Tower! the Tower!

The Tower! The Tower!

[Exit.]

QUEEN MARGARET.

O Ned! sweet Ned! speak to thy mother, boy.

Canst thou not speak?--O traitors! murtherers!

They that stabb'd Caesar shed no blood at all,

Did not offend, nor were not worthy blame,

If this foul deed were by to equal it.

He was a man: this, in respect, a child,

And men ne'er spend their fury on a child.

What's worse than murtherer, that I may name it?

No, no, my heart will burst, an if I speak;