The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (55 page)

with lawless vulgar companions,

the type, they say, who stand in alleyways

and beat the watchmen and rob travellers,

and he, lusty and unmanly youth,

thinks it is a point of honour to support

such a dissipated crew.

PERCY.

My lord, some two days since I saw the Prince,

And told him of those triumphs held at Oxford.

My Lord, I saw the Prince some two days ago,

and told him of the triumphs to be held at Oxford.

BOLINGBROKE.

And what said the gallant?

And what did the brave lad say?

PERCY.

His answer was, he would unto the stews,

And from the common'st creature pluck a glove

And wear it as a favour; and with that

He would unhorse the lustiest challenger.

He said that he would go into the slums,

and take a glove from the lowest creature there

and wear it as a favour; and in that way

he would unseat the strongest challenger.

BOLINGBROKE.

As dissolute as desperate; yet through both

I see some sparks of better hope, which elder years

May happily bring forth. But who comes here?

As dissipated as he is desperate; but I can see

through those qualities to see a better hope, which age

may happily bring to fruition. But who is this?

Enter AUMERLE amazed

AUMERLE.

Where is the King?

Where is the King?

BOLINGBROKE.

What means our cousin that he stares and looks

So wildly?

Why is our cousin staring and looking

so wild?

AUMERLE.

God save your Grace! I do beseech your Majesty,

To have some conference with your Grace alone.

God save your Grace! I beg your Majesty

to let me speak with you in private.

BOLINGBROKE.

Withdraw yourselves, and leave us here alone.

Exeunt PERCY and LORDS

What is the matter with our cousin now?

Withdraw, and leave us alone.

What is the problem with you, cousin?

AUMERLE.

For ever may my knees grow to the earth,

[Kneels]

My tongue cleave to my roof within my mouth,

Unless a pardon ere I rise or speak.

May my knees never leave the earth,

may my tongue become stuck to the roof of my mouth,

unless I'm given a pardon before I get up or speak.

BOLINGBROKE.

Intended or committed was this fault?

If on the first, how heinous e'er it be,

To win thy after-love I pardon thee.

Is your fault something you have planned or something you've done?

If it's the first, however awful it is,

to win your love hereafter I pardon you.

AUMERLE.

Then give me leave that I may turn the key,

That no man enter till my tale be done.

Then give me permission to lock the door,

so that no man can come in until I have told my story.

BOLINGBROKE.

Have thy desire.

Do as you wish.

[The DUKE OF YORK knocks at the door and crieth]

YORK.

[Within] My liege, beware; look to thyself;

Thou hast a traitor in thy presence there.

Look out, my lord; guard yourself;

you have a traitor in there with you.

BOLINGBROKE.

[Drawing] Villain, I'll make thee safe.

Villain, I'll finish you.

AUMERLE.

Stay thy revengeful hand; thou hast no cause to fear.

Stop your revenging hand; you have no reason to fear.

YORK.

[Within] Open the door, secure, foolhardy King.

Shall I, for love, speak treason to thy face?

Open the door, or I will break it open.

Open the door, overconfident, foolhardy king.

Shall I, out of love, speak treason to your face?

Open the door, or I will break it open.

Enter YORK

BOLINGBROKE.

What is the matter, uncle? Speak;

Recover breath; tell us how near is danger,

That we may arm us to encounter it.

What is the matter, uncle? Speak;

get your breath back; tell us how close the danger is,

so that we can arm ourselves in preparation.

YORK.

Peruse this writing here, and thou shalt know

The treason that my haste forbids me show.

Read this writing here, and you will know

of the treason I cannot show in my hurry.

AUMERLE.

Remember, as thou read'st, thy promise pass'd.

I do repent me; read not my name there;

My heart is not confederate with my hand.

Remember, as you read, the promise you have given.

I have repented; don't read my name there;

my heart is no longer in league with my hand.

YORK.

It was, villain, ere thy hand did set it down.

I tore it from the traitor's bosom, King;

Fear, and not love, begets his penitence.

Forget to pity him, lest thy pity prove

A serpent that will sting thee to the heart.

It was, villain, when your hand wrote it down.

I ripped it from the traitor's heart, King;

it's fear, not love, which makes him regretful.

Do not pity him, in case your pity becomes

a serpent that will sting you to your heart.

BOLINGBROKE.

O heinous, strong, and bold conspiracy!

O loyal father of a treacherous son!

Thou sheer, immaculate, and silver fountain,

From whence this stream through muddy passages

Hath held his current and defil'd himself!

Thy overflow of good converts to bad;

And thy abundant goodness shall excuse

This deadly blot in thy digressing son.

Oh terrible, strong and bold conspiracy!

Oh loyal father of a treacherous son!

You high, perfect, silver fountain,

from which this stream has run

through muddy passages and polluted itself!

Your excessive good has converted itself to evil;

and your great goodness will excuse

this terrible stain in your wayward son.

YORK.

So shall my virtue be his vice's bawd;

And he shall spend mine honour with his shame,

As thriftless sons their scraping fathers' gold.

Mine honour lives when his dishonour dies,

Or my sham'd life in his dishonour lies.

Thou kill'st me in his life; giving him breath,

The traitor lives, the true man's put to death.

So my virtue becomes the pimp for his vice,

and he diminishes my honour with his shame,

like profligate sons spending their hard-working fathers' gold.

My honour will live on when his dishonour is dead,

or in his dishonour my life is shamed;

you're killing me with his life–letting him breathe,

the traitor lives, the true man is put to death.

DUCHESS.

[Within]What ho, my liege, for God's sake, let me

in.

Hello, my lord, for God's sake, let me in!

BOLINGBROKE.

What shrill-voic'd suppliant makes this eager cry?

What shrill voiced petitioner is making this great racket?

DUCHESS.

[Within] A woman, and thine aunt, great King; 'tis I.

Speak with me, pity me, open the door.

A beggar begs that never begg'd before.

A woman, and your aunt, great king–it's me.

speak with me, pity me, open the door,

someone is begging who has never begged before.

BOLINGBROKE.

Our scene is alt'red from a serious thing,

And now chang'd to 'The Beggar and the King.'

My dangerous cousin, let your mother in.

I know she is come to pray for your foul sin.

The scene has changed from a serious matter,

and has become “TheBeggar and the King".

My dangerous cousin, let your mother in;

I know she's come to intercede about your foul sin.

YORK.

If thou do pardon whosoever pray,

More sins for this forgiveness prosper may.

This fest'red joint cut off, the rest rest sound;

This let alone will all the rest confound.

If you pardon anyone who begs you,

this forgiveness may engender more sins.

If you cut off this infected limb, the rest will remain sound;

if you leave it alone it will infect all the rest.

Enter DUCHESS

DUCHESS.

O King, believe not this hard-hearted man!

Love loving not itself, none other can.

King, don't believe this hardhearted man!

if you don't love your own offspring you can't love anyone.

YORK.

Thou frantic woman, what dost thou make here?

Shall thy old dugs once more a traitor rear?

You insane woman, what are you doing here?

Do you want to nourish yet another traitor?

DUCHESS.

Sweet York, be patient. Hear me, gentle liege.

Sweet York, be calm. Listen to me, gentle lord.

[Kneels]

BOLINGBROKE.

Rise up, good aunt.

Get up, good aunt.

DUCHESS.

Not yet, I thee beseech.

For ever will I walk upon my knees,

And never see day that the happy sees

Till thou give joy; until thou bid me joy

By pardoning Rutland, my transgressing boy.

Not yet, I beg you.

I will always walk on my knees;

and never know happiness again

until you give it to me; until you give me happiness

by pardoning Rutland, my wayward boy.

AUMERLE.

Unto my mother's prayers I bend my knee.

I second my mother's prayers by kneeling.

[Kneels]

YORK.

Against them both, my true joints bended be.

[Kneels]

Ill mayst thou thrive, if thou grant any grace!

And I kneel in opposition to them both.

May things go badly for you, if you show any forgiveness!

DUCHESS.

Pleads he in earnest? Look upon his face;

His eyes do drop no tears, his prayers are in jest;

His words come from his mouth, ours from our breast.

He prays but faintly and would be denied;

We pray with heart and soul, and all beside.

His weary joints would gladly rise, I know;