The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (73 page)

That is the butt end of a mother's blessing;

I marvel that her Grace did leave it out.

Amen! [Aside] And let me die a good old man!

That is the usual end of a mother's blessing;

I'm amazed that her grace left it out.

BUCKINGHAM.

You cloudy princes and heart-sorrowing

peers,

That bear this heavy mutual load of moan,

Now cheer each other in each other's love.

Though we have spent our harvest of this king,

We are to reap the harvest of his son.

The broken rancour of your high-swol'n hearts,

But lately splinter'd, knit, and join'd together,

Must gently be preserv'd, cherish'd, and kept.

Me seemeth good that, with some little train,

Forthwith from Ludlow the young prince be fet

Hither to London, to be crown'd our King.

You sad princes and brokenhearted peers,

who all share this great weight of sorrow,

now help each other with your love for each other.

Although we have now lost our king,

we now have the benefit of his son.

Join together your passionate hearts,

which were recently estranged, you must

keep the peace that was recently established.

It seems to me the best thing to do is for

the young prince to be fetched from Ludlow, with a small

entourage, and brought to London, to be crowned as king.

RIVERS.

Why with some little train, my Lord of

Buckingham?

Why with a small entourage, Lord Buckingham?

BUCKINGHAM.

Marry, my lord, lest by a multitude

The new-heal'd wound of malice should break out,

Which would be so much the more dangerous

By how much the estate is green and yet ungovern'd;

Where every horse bears his commanding rein

And may direct his course as please himself,

As well the fear of harm as harm apparent,

In my opinion, ought to be prevented.

Well, my lord, in case the newly healed strife

should break out again amongst the public,

which would be that much more dangerous

due to his youthful and unguided position;

every horse is carrying his own reins,

and can go wherever he pleases,

and in my opinion we must prevent

any fear of harm, as well as actual harm.

RICHARD.

I hope the King made peace with all of us;

And the compact is firm and true in me.

I hope the King brought peace to all of us;

I am certainly determined to maintain the agreement.

RIVERS.

And so in me; and so, I think, in all.

Yet, since it is but green, it should be put

To no apparent likelihood of breach,

Which haply by much company might be urg'd;

Therefore I say with noble Buckingham

That it is meet so few should fetch the Prince.

And so am I, and so, I think, is everybody.

But, since it is still young, it should not be

placed in a position where it could be breached,

which could happen in a large crowd;

therefore I agree with noble Buckingham

that it is right that only a few should fetch the Prince.

HASTINGS.

And so say I.

I agree.

RICHARD.

Then be it so; and go we to determine

Who they shall be that straight shall post to Ludlow.

Madam, and you, my sister, will you go

To give your censures in this business?

Then let it be so; and let us decide

who are the ones who shall go at once to Ludlow.

Madam, and you, my sister, will you go

to give your advice on this business?

ELIZ & DUCHESS With all our hearts.

Gladly.

Exeunt all but BUCKINGHAM and RICHARD

BUCKINGHAM.

My lord, whoever journeys to the Prince,

For God sake, let not us two stay at home;

For by the way I'll sort occasion,

As index to the story we late talk'd of,

To part the Queen's proud kindred from the Prince.

My lord, whoever travels to the Prince,

for God's sake, make sure we to do not stay at home;

for along the way I'll find a chance,

as part of the story we recently spoke of,

to separate the Queen's arrogant relatives from him.

RICHARD.

My other self, my counsel's consistory,

My oracle, my prophet, my dear cousin,

I, as a child, will go by thy direction.

Toward Ludlow then, for we'll not stay behind.

My mirror image, my Parliament,

my Oracle, my prophet, my dear cousin:

I will follow your advice like a child.

Off to Ludlow then, for we will not stay behind.

Exeunt

London. A street

Enter one CITIZEN at one door, and another at the other

FIRST CITIZEN.

Good morrow, neighbour. Whither away so

fast?

Good day, neighbour. Where are you rushing off to?

SECOND CITIZEN.

I promise you, I scarcely know myself.

Hear you the news abroad?

I can assure you, I hardly know myself.

Have you heard the news that's going round?

FIRST CITIZEN.

Yes, that the King is dead.

Yes, that the king is dead.

SECOND CITIZEN.

Ill news, by'r lady; seldom comes the

better.

I fear, I fear 'twill prove a giddy world.

I swear by the virgin, it's bad news; we don't often get good.

I fear this is going to cause chaos.

Enter another CITIZEN

THIRD CITIZEN.

Neighbours, God speed!

Neighbours, God speed!

FIRST CITIZEN.

Give you good morrow, sir.

Good day to you, sir.

THIRD CITIZEN.

Doth the news hold of good King Edward's

death?

Is the news about good King Edward's death true?

SECOND CITIZEN.

Ay, sir, it is too true; God help the while!

Yes, it is too true; God help these times!

THIRD CITIZEN.

Then, masters, look to see a troublous

world.

Then, masters, expect to see a disturbed world.

FIRST CITIZEN.

No, no; by God's good grace, his son shall

reign.

No, no; by the good grace of God, his son shall rule.

THIRD CITIZEN.

Woe to that land that's govern'd by a child.

It's an unlucky land that is ruled by a child.

SECOND CITIZEN.

In him there is a hope of government,

Which, in his nonage, council under him,

And, in his full and ripened years, himself,

No doubt, shall then, and till then, govern well.

There is plenty of promise of good government from him,

while he is a minor he can be guided by the council,

and when he comes of age he can govern himself,

and there's no doubt we will have good government both then and now.

FIRST CITIZEN.

So stood the state when Henry the Sixth

Was crown'd in Paris but at nine months old.

We were in the same position when Henry the Sixth

was crowned in Paris when he was just nine months old.

THIRD CITIZEN.

Stood the state so? No, no, good friends,

God wot;

For then this land was famously enrich'd

With politic grave counsel; then the King

Had virtuous uncles to protect his Grace.

The same position? No, no, good friends, God knows;

for at that time the country had notable quantities

of why is experienced counsellors; the King

had virtuous uncles to protect him.

FIRST CITIZEN.

Why, so hath this, both by his father and

mother.

Why, so has this one, on his father and his mother's side.

THIRD CITIZEN.

Better it were they all came by his father,

Or by his father there were none at all;

For emulation who shall now be nearest

Will touch us all too near, if God prevent not.

O, full of danger is the Duke of Gloucester!

And the Queen's sons and brothers haught and proud;

And were they to be rul'd, and not to rule,

This sickly land might solace as before.

It would be better if they were all on his father's side,

or if his father had no problems at all;

for the rivalry for the highest positions

will affect us all badly, if God does not prevent it.

The Duke of Gloucester is very dangerous!

And the Queen's sons and brothers are arrogant and proud;

if they could be ruled, and not rule,

this disturbed land might be peaceful again.

FIRST CITIZEN.

Come, come, we fear the worst; all will be

well.

Come, come, we are fearing the worst; everything will be alright.

THIRD CITIZEN.

When clouds are seen, wise men put on

their cloaks;

When great leaves fall, then winter is at hand;

When the sun sets, who doth not look for night?

Untimely storms make men expect a dearth.

All may be well; but, if God sort it so,

'Tis more than we deserve or I expect.

When clouds appear, wise men put on their cloaks;

when greatly useful, then winter is coming;

when the sun sets, we all expect nights to come.

Unseasonable storms make men predicts a famine.

All may be well; but, if God allows it to be,

it will be more than we deserve, or I expect.

SECOND CITIZEN.

Truly, the hearts of men are full of fear.

You cannot reason almost with a man

That looks not heavily and full of dread.