The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (292 page)

defamed by ignorant men, who do not know

my abilities or my character, but want to

judge my actions, let me say

that is just the burden of office, and the rough road

that virtue must travel: we must not allow

our necessary actions to be prescribed

to please malicious critics, who are like sharks

who follow a sound seaworthy ship, who get nothing

beyond their vain desires. What we do best

is often not acknowledged or attributed to

others by envious or faithless interpreters;

our worst, finding favour with low people,

is praised as our best. If we stand still,

fearing that if we move we will be mocked or criticised,

we would take root here, where we sit;

we would just be figureheads.

KING HENRY VIII

Things done well,

And with a care, exempt themselves from fear;

Things done without example, in their issue

Are to be fear'd. Have you a precedent

Of this commission? I believe, not any.

We must not rend our subjects from our laws,

And stick them in our will. Sixth part of each?

A trembling contribution! Why, we take

From every tree lop, bark, and part o' the timber;

And, though we leave it with a root, thus hack'd,

The air will drink the sap. To every county

Where this is question'd send our letters, with

Free pardon to each man that has denied

The force of this commission: pray, look to't;

I put it to your care.

Things which are done well

and carefully are not to be worried about;

we have to be concerned about things done

without precedent. Do you have a precedent

for these writs? I don't believe you have.

We must not treat our subjects according to our will,

instead of by the law. A sixth of everyone's fortune?

A fearful imposition! Why, if we took

the twigs, bark and part of the timber from every tree,

even if we left its roots, chopped like that

the air would dry up the sap. Send letters to

every county that has resisted this tax

and say that I give a free pardon to every man

who has refused to pay it: please take care of it,

I'm leaving it to you.

CARDINAL WOLSEY

[To the Secretary]

A word with you.

Let there be letters writ to every shire,

Of the king's grace and pardon. The grieved commons

Hardly conceive of me; let it be noised

That through our intercession this revokement

And pardon comes: I shall anon advise you

Further in the proceeding.

Listen to me.

Write letters to every county,

telling them of the King's grace and pardon. The angry people

hardly know anything about me; put it about

that it was my intervention which caused this repeal

and pardon: I'll tell you soon what else

I want you to do.

Exit Secretary

Enter Surveyor

QUEEN KATHARINE

I am sorry that the Duke of Buckingham

Is run in your displeasure.

I am sorry that the Duke of Buckingham

has incurred your displeasure.

KING HENRY VIII

It grieves many:

The gentleman is learn'd, and a most rare speaker;

To nature none more bound; his training such,

That he may furnish and instruct great teachers,

And never seek for aid out of himself. Yet see,

When these so noble benefits shall prove

Not well disposed, the mind growing once corrupt,

They turn to vicious forms, ten times more ugly

Than ever they were fair. This man so complete,

Who was enroll'd 'mongst wonders, and when we,

Almost with ravish'd listening, could not find

His hour of speech a minute; he, my lady,

Hath into monstrous habits put the graces

That once were his, and is become as black

As if besmear'd in hell. Sit by us; you shall hear--

This was his gentleman in trust--of him

Things to strike honour sad. Bid him recount

The fore-recited practises; whereof

We cannot feel too little, hear too much.

Many are sorry for it:

the gentleman is learned, and a great speaker,

nobody is more naturally gifted; so much so

that he could educate great teachers,

and never need any help apart from himself: but look,

when these great virtues are not used

for good, wants the mind becomes corrupt,

they turn to evil purposes, ten times more ugly

than their original beauty. This man who was so complete,

who was thought of as a wonder–when I

listen to him, entranced, an hour of him speaking

 seemed to be hardly a minute–he, my lady,

has used the gifts he once had

for monstrous purposes, and has become as evil

as if he was touched by hell. Sit next to me, you shall hear

from this gentleman who was his confidential servant things

which will make honour sad. Tell him to repeat

the matters he's spoken of, of which

we cannot hear enough, or feel too little.

CARDINAL WOLSEY

Stand forth, and with bold spirit relate what you,

Most like a careful subject, have collected

Out of the Duke of Buckingham.

Step forward, and fearlessly tell us what you

have, like a good subject, learned about

the Duke of Buckingham.

KING HENRY VIII

Speak freely.

Speak freely.

Surveyor

First, it was usual with him, every day

It would infect his speech, that if the king

Should without issue die, he'll carry it so

To make the sceptre his: these very words

I've heard him utter to his son-in-law,

Lord Abergavenny; to whom by oath he menaced

Revenge upon the cardinal.

Firstly, it was a usual thing with him,

he would say it every day, that if the King

died without an heir, he would seize

the kingship for himself: I've heard him say

these very words to his son-in-law,

Lord Abergavenny; he swore to him

that he would have revenge on the cardinal.

CARDINAL WOLSEY

Please your highness, note

This dangerous conception in this point.

Not friended by his wish, to your high person

His will is most malignant, and it stretches

Beyond you, to your friends.

Would your Highness please note

the dangerous thoughts expressed here.

Unsuccessful in his wishes against your Highness

his desires are most malignant, and they stretch

beyond you to attack your friends.

QUEEN KATHARINE

My learn'd lord cardinal,

Deliver all with charity.

My learned lord cardinal,

try to speak charitably.

KING HENRY VIII

Speak on:

How grounded he his title to the crown,

Upon our fail? to this point hast thou heard him

At any time speak aught?

Carry on:

how did he justify his claim to the throne,

if I had no heirs? Have you heard him say anything

about this?

Surveyor

He was brought to this

By a vain prophecy of Nicholas Hopkins.

He was encouraged to think of this

by an empty prophecy of Nicholas Hopkins.

KING HENRY VIII

What was that Hopkins?

Who is this Hopkins?

Surveyor

Sir, a Chartreux friar,

His confessor, who fed him every minute

With words of sovereignty.

Sir, a Carthusian friar,

his confessor, who at every minute encouraged him

to think he had a claim to the throne.

KING HENRY VIII

How know'st thou this?

How do you know this?

Surveyor

Not long before your highness sped to France,

The duke being at the Rose, within the parish

Saint Lawrence Poultney, did of me demand

What was the speech among the Londoners

Concerning the French journey: I replied,

Men fear'd the French would prove perfidious,

To the king's danger. Presently the duke

Said, 'twas the fear, indeed; and that he doubted

'Twould prove the verity of certain words

Spoke by a holy monk; 'that oft,' says he,

'Hath sent to me, wishing me to permit

John de la Car, my chaplain, a choice hour

To hear from him a matter of some moment:

Whom after under the confession's seal

He solemnly had sworn, that what he spoke

My chaplain to no creature living, but

To me, should utter, with demure confidence

This pausingly ensued: neither the king nor's heirs,

Tell you the duke, shall prosper: bid him strive

To gain the love o' the commonalty: the duke

Shall govern England.'

Not long before your Highness went to France,

the Duke was at the Rose, in the parish

of St Laurence Poultney, and he asked me

what Londoners were saying about your French expedition: I replied

that people were afraid the French would be untrustworthy,

to the peril of the King. At once the Duke said

that was indeed a worry; and that he feared

it would prove the truth of certain words

spoken by a holy monk; he had often, he said,

sent him messages, asking him to permit

John de la Car, his chaplain, to find the time

when he could tell him some important matter:

after he had solemnly sworn under the seal

of confession that he would not tell any living creature

but the Duke what he said he haltingly but with

solemn assurance said this, that he should tell the Duke

that neither the king nor his heirs will prosper; that he should

strive to win over the love of the people; the Duke

will govern England.

QUEEN KATHARINE

If I know you well,

You were the duke's surveyor, and lost your office

On the complaint o' the tenants: take good heed

You charge not in your spleen a noble person

And spoil your nobler soul: I say, take heed;

Yes, heartily beseech you.

If I know you correctly,

you were the Duke's surveyor, and lost your job

due to the complaints of the tenants: make sure

you do not out of anger lay charges on a noble person

and risk your immortal soul: be careful, I say;

yes, I am earnestly warning you.

KING HENRY VIII

Let him on.

Go forward.

Let him carry on.