The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (305 page)

and die, like a lily that at one time was the mistress of the field.

CARDINAL WOLSEY

If your grace

Could but be brought to know our ends are honest,

You'ld feel more comfort: why should we, good lady,

Upon what cause, wrong you? alas, our places,

The way of our profession is against it:

We are to cure such sorrows, not to sow 'em.

For goodness' sake, consider what you do;

How you may hurt yourself, ay, utterly

Grow from the king's acquaintance, by this carriage.

The hearts of princes kiss obedience,

So much they love it; but to stubborn spirits

They swell, and grow as terrible as storms.

I know you have a gentle, noble temper,

A soul as even as a calm: pray, think us

Those we profess, peace-makers, friends, and servants.

If your Grace

could only see that our purposes are honest,

you would be happier. Why should we, good lady,

and for what reason, harm you? Alas, our positions

and the obligations of our calling are against it;

we have to heal such sorrows, not cause them.

For goodness' sake think of what you do,

how you can damage yourself, completely

alienate the King by this behaviour.

The hearts of Princes kiss obedience,

they love it so much; but to people who are stubborn

they become like terrible storms.

I know you have a gentle and noble disposition,

and your soul is just as calm; please think that we are

what we say we are, peacemakers, friends and servants

CARDINAL CAMPEIUS

Madam, you'll find it so. You wrong your virtues

With these weak women's fears: a noble spirit,

As yours was put into you, ever casts

Such doubts, as false coin, from it. The king loves you;

Beware you lose it not: for us, if you please

To trust us in your business, we are ready

To use our utmost studies in your service.

Madam, you'll find this is true. You are insulting your goodness

with these weak womanish fears: a noble spirit,

such was the one you have, always pushes

these doubts away, like counterfeit money. The King loves you;

make sure you don't lose that love: as for us, if you

will trust us with your business, we are ready

to do our very best to serve you.

QUEEN KATHARINE

Do what ye will, my lords: and, pray, forgive me,

If I have used myself unmannerly;

You know I am a woman, lacking wit

To make a seemly answer to such persons.

Pray, do my service to his majesty:

He has my heart yet; and shall have my prayers

While I shall have my life. Come, reverend fathers,

Bestow your counsels on me: she now begs,

That little thought, when she set footing here,

She should have bought her dignities so dear.

Do what you want, my lords: and please forgive me

if I have shown a lack of manners;

you know I am a woman, without the intelligence

to make a proper answer to such people.

Please, give my compliments to his Majesty:

he still has my heart, and he shall have my prayers

as long as I have my life. Come, reverend fathers,

give me your advice: this woman is now begging,

who hardly thought, when she set foot in this land,

that she would pay such a high price for her titles.

Exeunt

Enter NORFOLK, SUFFOLK, SURREY, and Chamberlain

NORFOLK

If you will now unite in your complaints,

And force them with a constancy, the cardinal

Cannot stand under them: if you omit

The offer of this time, I cannot promise

But that you shall sustain moe new disgraces,

With these you bear already.

If you will now be united in your complaints,

and insist on them with determination, the cardinal

cannot avoid them: if you miss

this chance, I can't guarantee

that you won't suffer more disgraces to add

to those you already have.

SURREY

I am joyful

To meet the least occasion that may give me

Remembrance of my father-in-law, the duke,

To be revenged on him.

I am happy

to take any opportunity I'm given

to take revenge in memory of

my father-in-law the Duke.

SUFFOLK

Which of the peers

Have uncontemn'd gone by him, or at least

Strangely neglected? when did he regard

The stamp of nobleness in any person

Out of himself?

Is there any peer

who has not suffered his contempt, or at least

been oddly ignored? When did he respect

nobility in any person

apart from himself?

Chamberlain

My lords, you speak your pleasures:

What he deserves of you and me I know;

What we can do to him, though now the time

Gives way to us, I much fear. If you cannot

Bar his access to the king, never attempt

Any thing on him; for he hath a witchcraft

Over the king in's tongue.

My lords, you say what you want:

I know what he deserves from us;

I am worried about what we can do to him,

even though we now have the opportunity. If you cannot

stop him talking to the King, do not try

anything against him; for his tongue

casts a spell over the King.

NORFOLK

O, fear him not;

His spell in that is out: the king hath found

Matter against him that for ever mars

The honey of his language. No, he's settled,

Not to come off, in his displeasure.

Oh, do not be afraid of him;

he has lost his magic in that: the King has discovered

things against him that have permanently removed

the power of his words. No, he's adamant

that he shall not escape his displeasure.

SURREY

Sir,

I should be glad to hear such news as this

Once every hour.

Sir,

I would be glad to hear news like this

every hour on the hour.

NORFOLK

Believe it, this is true:

In the divorce his contrary proceedings

Are all unfolded wherein he appears

As I would wish mine enemy.

Believe it, it's true:

the divorce has revealed his opposition

to the King and he now stands in as bad a light

as I would wish for my enemy.

SURREY

How came

His practises to light?

How did

his machinations come to light?

SUFFOLK

Most strangely.

Very strangely.

SURREY

O, how, how?

How, how?

SUFFOLK

The cardinal's letters to the pope miscarried,

And came to the eye o' the king: wherein was read,

How that the cardinal did entreat his holiness

To stay the judgment o' the divorce; for if

It did take place, 'I do,' quoth he, 'perceive

My king is tangled in affection to

A creature of the queen's, Lady Anne Bullen.'

The cardinal's letters to the Pope went astray,

and the King saw them: and he read in them

how the cardinal urged his Holiness

to delay the judgement of the divorce; for if

it takes place, ‘I do,’ he said, ‘see

that my king has become entangled with

one of the Queen's servants, Lady Anne Bullen.’

SURREY

Has the king this?

And the King knows this?

SUFFOLK

Believe it.

Certainly.

SURREY

Will this work?

Will this have an effect?

Chamberlain

The king in this perceives him, how he coasts

And hedges his own way. But in this point

All his tricks founder, and he brings his physic

After his patient's death: the king already

Hath married the fair lady.

The king can now see how he deviously

follows his own path. But on this point

his tricks cannot work, and he brings his medicine

after the patient is dead: the King has already

married the fair lady.

SURREY

Would he had!

I wish he had!

SUFFOLK

May you be happy in your wish, my lord

For, I profess, you have it.

May your wish be granted, my lord,

I tell you it has been.

SURREY

Now, all my joy

Trace the conjunction!

May every happiness

bless the marriage!

SUFFOLK

My amen to't!

Amen to that!

NORFOLK

All men's!

So say all of us!

SUFFOLK

There's order given for her coronation:

Marry, this is yet but young, and may be left

To some ears unrecounted. But, my lords,

She is a gallant creature, and complete

In mind and feature: I persuade me, from her

Will fall some blessing to this land, which shall

In it be memorised.

An order has been passed for her coronation:

mind you, this has only just happened, so don't

spread it around. But, my lords,

she is a splendid creature, and perfect

in mind and body: I think that she

will bring some blessing for this country,

which will descend through the generations.

SURREY

But, will the king

Digest this letter of the cardinal's?

The Lord forbid!

But will the King