The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (298 page)

It seems the marriage with his brother's wife

Has crept too near his conscience.

It seems he is feeling bad about

marrying his brother's wife.

SUFFOLK

No, his conscience

Has crept too near another lady.

No, he's feeling bad

about not being with a different lady.

NORFOLK

'Tis so:

This is the cardinal's doing, the king-cardinal:

That blind priest, like the eldest son of fortune,

Turns what he list. The king will know him one day.

That's right:

this is the cardinal's doing, the king-cardinal:

that man is like fate, he doesn't care who he

makes suffer.  The king shall find him out one day.

SUFFOLK

Pray God he do! he'll never know himself else.

I pray to God he does!  Otherwise he will never know himself.

NORFOLK

How holily he works in all his business!

And with what zeal! for, now he has crack'd the league

Between us and the emperor, the queen's great nephew,

He dives into the king's soul, and there scatters

Dangers, doubts, wringing of the conscience,

Fears, and despairs; and all these for his marriage:

And out of all these to restore the king,

He counsels a divorce; a loss of her

That, like a jewel, has hung twenty years

About his neck, yet never lost her lustre;

Of her that loves him with that excellence

That angels love good men with; even of her

That, when the greatest stroke of fortune falls,

Will bless the king: and is not this course pious?

With what holiness he goes about his business!

How keen he is! for, now he has broken the alliance

between us and the Emperor, the great-nephew of the Queen,

he plunges into the soul of the King, and scatters about

fears, doubts, torment to his conscience,

despair; and always on account of his marriage:

and to save the King from these,

he advises divorce; throwing away her

who has hung around his neck like a jewel

for twenty years and never lost her shine;

someone who loves him with the purity

with which angels love good  men; even

when the axe falls upon her she will

bless the King: is this holy behaviour?

Chamberlain

Heaven keep me from such counsel! 'Tis most true

These news are every where; every tongue speaks 'em,

And every true heart weeps for't: all that dare

Look into these affairs see this main end,

The French king's sister. Heaven will one day open

The king's eyes, that so long have slept upon

This bold bad man.

May heaven protect me from such advice! It's true

that this news is everywhere; everybody speaking about it,

and every true heart is weeping for it: everyone who dares

look into these affairs see the main purpose

is to get the sister of the French king. One day heaven will open

the eyes of the King, that  have for so long been blind

to the badness of this
bold man.

SUFFOLK

And free us from his slavery.

And free us from his slavery.

NORFOLK

We had need pray,

And heartily, for our deliverance;

Or this imperious man will work us all

From princes into pages: all men's honours

Lie like one lump before him, to be fashion'd

Into what pitch he please.

We must pray,

and heartily, to be saved from him;

or this arrogant man will turn us all

from Princes into servants: all the honours of men

lie in front of him like one big lump of clay, to be shaped

into anything he fancies.

SUFFOLK

For me, my lords,

I love him not, nor fear him; there's my creed:

As I am made without him, so I'll stand,

If the king please; his curses and his blessings

Touch me alike, they're breath I not believe in.

I knew him, and I know him; so I leave him

To him that made him proud, the pope.

For me, my lords,

I do not love him, nor do I fear him; this is what I believe:

as I do not owe him my position I shall stand firm,

if the King pleases; his curses and his blessings

are the same to me, I don't believe in either of them.

I knew him, and I know what he's like; and so I leave him

to the one who gave him his position, the Pope.

NORFOLK

Let's in;

And with some other business put the king

From these sad thoughts, that work too much upon him:

My lord, you'll bear us company?

Let's go indoors;

let's think about something else rather than

the sad business of the King, which we think about too much:

my lord, will you come with us?

Chamberlain

Excuse me;

The king has sent me otherwhere: besides,

You'll find a most unfit time to disturb him:

Health to your lordships.

Pardon me;

the King has sent me somewhere else: anyway,

you will find this is a very bad time to disturb him:

good health to your Lordships.

NORFOLK

Thanks, my good lord chamberlain.

Thank you, my good Lord Chamberlain.

Exit Chamberlain; and KING HENRY VIII draws the curtain, and sits reading pensively

SUFFOLK

How sad he looks! sure, he is much afflicted.

How sad he looks! He certainly is much affected.

KING HENRY VIII

Who's there, ha?

Who's there, hey?

NORFOLK

Pray God he be not angry.

Please God don't let him be angry.

KING HENRY VIII

Who's there, I say? How dare you thrust yourselves

Into my private meditations?

Who am I? ha?

Who's there, I say? How dare you barge in

on my private thoughts?

Who am I? Hey?

NORFOLK

A gracious king that pardons all offences

Malice ne'er meant: our breach of duty this way

Is business of estate; in which we come

To know your royal pleasure.

You are gracious king who pardons all offences

that were not meant in malice: we are only disturbing you

with matters of state; we have come

to take your royal orders.

KING HENRY VIII

Ye are too bold:

Go to; I'll make ye know your times of business:

Is this an hour for temporal affairs, ha?

Enter CARDINAL WOLSEY and CARDINAL CAMPEIUS, with a commission

Who's there? my good lord cardinal? O my Wolsey,

The quiet of my wounded conscience;

Thou art a cure fit for a king.

To CARDINAL CAMPEIUS

You're welcome,

Most learned reverend sir, into our kingdom:

Use us and it.

To CARDINAL WOLSEY

My good lord, have great care

I be not found a talker.

You are too cheeky:

go away; I'll teach you when business hours are:

is this the time  for earthly affairs, hey?

[To Cardinal Wolsey]

Who's there?  My good lord cardinal?  Oh my Wolsey,

the cure for my wounded conscience;

you are a cure fit for a king.

[To Cardinal Campeius]

You are welcome,

most learned and respected sir, to my kingdom;

I and it are at your service.

[To Cardinal Wolsey]

Make sure I don't break these promises.

CARDINAL WOLSEY

Sir, you cannot.

I would your grace would give us but an hour

Of private conference.

Sir, you couldn't.

I should like your grace to give us just an hour

for private discussion.

KING HENRY VIII

[To NORFOLK and SUFFOLK]

We are busy; go.

We are busy; go.

NORFOLK

[Aside to SUFFOLK]

This priest has no pride in him?

Has this priest any pride?

SUFFOLK

[Aside to NORFOLK] Not to speak of:

I would not be so sick though for his place:

But this cannot continue.

None to speak of:

but I would not be sick with pride in his place:

but this cannot carry on.

NORFOLK

[Aside to SUFFOLK] If it do,

I'll venture one have-at-him.

If it does,

I'll take a bash at him.

SUFFOLK

[Aside to NORFOLK] I another.

Me too.

Exeunt NORFOLK and SUFFOLK

CARDINAL WOLSEY

Your grace has given a precedent of wisdom

Above all princes, in committing freely

Your scruple to the voice of Christendom:

Who can be angry now? what envy reach you?

The Spaniard, tied blood and favour to her,

Must now confess, if they have any goodness,

The trial just and noble. All the clerks,

I mean the learned ones, in Christian kingdoms

Have their free voices: Rome, the nurse of judgment,

Invited by your noble self, hath sent

One general tongue unto us, this good man,

This just and learned priest, Cardinal Campeius;

Whom once more I present unto your highness.

Your Grace has given an example of wisdom

greater than all Princes, in freely submitting

your doubts to the voice of Christendom:

who can be angry now? Who can criticise you?

The Emperor, tied to her through blood and friendship,

must now admit, if he has any goodness,

that the trial was fair and noble. All the clerks,

I mean the ones of great learning, in Christian kingdoms

have given their free opinions: Rome, the seat of judgement,

has, invited by yourself, sent us their mouthpiece,

this good man, this just and learned priest, Cardinal Campeius;

I once again present him to your Highness.

KING HENRY VIII

And once more in mine arms I bid him welcome,

And thank the holy conclave for their loves:

They have sent me such a man I would have wish'd for.

And once more I hug him in welcome,

and thank the school of Cardinals for their love:

they have sent me just such a man as I would wish for.

CARDINAL CAMPEIUS

Your grace must needs deserve all strangers' loves,

You are so noble. To your highness' hand

I tender my commission; by whose virtue,