The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (74 page)

The hearts of men are truly full of fear.

It's almost impossible to find a man

who doesn't look serious and fearful.

THIRD CITIZEN.

Before the days of change, still is it so;

By a divine instinct men's minds mistrust

Ensuing danger; as by proof we see

The water swell before a boist'rous storm.

But leave it all to God. Whither away?

It is always the way in changing times;

men have God-given instinct to spot

oncoming danger; it's the way we see

the waters rising before Ray heavy storm.

But leave it all to God. Where are you going?

SECOND CITIZEN.

Marry, we were sent for to the justices.

Why, we were summoned to go to the justices.

THIRD CITIZEN.

And so was I; I'll bear you company.

And so was I; I'll come with you.

Exeunt

London. The palace

Enter the ARCHBISHOP OF YORK, the young DUKE OF YORK, QUEEN

ELIZABETH,

and the DUCHESS OF YORK

ARCHBISHOP.

Last night, I hear, they lay at Stony Stratford,

And at Northampton they do rest to-night;

To-morrow or next day they will be here.

I hear that last night they stopped at Stony Stratford,

and they are resting tonight at Northampton;

they will be here tomorrow or the day after.

DUCHESS.

I long with all my heart to see the Prince.

I hope he is much grown since last I saw him.

I am longing with all my heart to see the Prince.

I hope he has grown up a lot since I last saw him.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

But I hear no; they say my son of York

Has almost overta'en him in his growth.

I've heard not; they say my son York

has almost grown larger than him.

YORK.

Ay, mother; but I would not have it so.

Yes, mother; but I don't want to.

DUCHESS.

Why, my good cousin, it is good to grow.

Why, my good cousin, it's good to grow.

YORK.

Grandam, one night as we did sit at supper,

My uncle Rivers talk'd how I did grow

More than my brother. 'Ay,' quoth my uncle Gloucester

'Small herbs have grace: great weeds do grow apace.'

And since, methinks, I would not grow so fast,

Because sweet flow'rs are slow and weeds make haste.

Grandmother, one night as we were sitting at supper,

my uncle Rivers was talking about how I was growing

taller than my brother. ‘Yes,’ my uncle Gloucester said,

‘Small herbs have Grace: great weeds grow fast.’

And since then I have not wanted to grow as fast,

because sweet flowers grow slowly and weeds quickly.

DUCHESS.

Good faith, good faith, the saying did not hold

In him that did object the same to thee.

He was the wretched'st thing when he was young,

So long a-growing and so leisurely

That, if his rule were true, he should be gracious.

Good heavens, what he said to you

didn't apply to himself.

He was the most wretched thing when he was young,

who took such a long time to grow

that if his saying was true, he would be gracious.

ARCHBISHOP.

And so no doubt he is, my gracious madam.

And I'm sure he is, my gracious madam.

DUCHESS.

I hope he is; but yet let mothers doubt.

I hope he is; but let me as a mother doubt it.

YORK.

Now, by my troth, if I had been rememb'red,

I could have given my uncle's Grace a flout

To touch his growth nearer than he touch'd mine.

Now, I swear, if I'd thought of it,

I could have my uncle a comeback

that would have insulted his growth more than he insulted mine.

DUCHESS.

How, my young York? I prithee let me hear it.

How, young York? Let me hear it.

YORK.

Marry, they say my uncle grew so fast

That he could gnaw a crust at two hours old.

'Twas full two years ere I could get a tooth.

Grandam, this would have been a biting jest.

Wife, they say my uncle grew so fast

that he could chew a crust when he was two hours old.

It was whole two years before I grew any teeth.

Grandmother, this would have been a biting joke.

DUCHESS.

I prithee, pretty York, who told thee this?

Please tell me, pretty York, who told you this?

YORK.

Grandam, his nurse.

Grandmother, his nurse.

DUCHESS.

His nurse! Why she was dead ere thou wast

born.

His nurse! Why, she was dead before you were born.

YORK.

If 'twere not she, I cannot tell who told me.

If it wasn't her, I don't know who told me.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

A parlous boy! Go to, you are too

shrewd.

You're a mischievous lad! Get away with you, you're too cunning.

ARCHBISHOP.

Good madam, be not angry with the child.

Good madam, do not be angry with the child.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

Pitchers have ears.

There are plenty of spies about.

Enter a MESSENGER

ARCHBISHOP.

Here comes a messenger. What news?

Here comes the messenger. What's the news?

MESSENGER.

Such news, my lord, as grieves me to report.

News, my lord, which it makes me sorry to have to report.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

How doth the Prince?

How is the prince?

MESSENGER.

Well, madam, and in health.

He is well, madam, and healthy.

DUCHESS.

What is thy news?

What is your news?

MESSENGER.

Lord Rivers and Lord Grey

Are sent to Pomfret, and with them

Sir Thomas Vaughan, prisoners.

Lord Rivers and Lord Grey

have been sent to Pomfret, with

Sir Thomas Vaughan, as prisoners.

DUCHESS.

Who hath committed them?

Who sent them there?

MESSENGER.

The mighty Dukes, Gloucester and Buckingham.

The great dukes, Gloucester and Buckingham.

ARCHBISHOP.

For what offence?

For what crime?

MESSENGER.

The sum of all I can, I have disclos'd.

Why or for what the nobles were committed

Is all unknown to me, my gracious lord.

I have told you all I know.

Why or for what the nobles were sentenced

I do not know, my gracious lord.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

Ay me, I see the ruin of my house!

The tiger now hath seiz'd the gentle hind;

Insulting tyranny begins to jet

Upon the innocent and aweless throne.

Welcome, destruction, blood, and massacre!

I see, as in a map, the end of all.

Alas, I can see the downfall of my family!

The tiger has now grabbed the gentle deer;

insulting tyranny is now hanging over

the innocent and powerless throne.

Welcome, destruction, blunt and massacre!

I can see the end of everything as clearly as if

it was drawn out for me on a map.

DUCHESS.

Accursed and unquiet wrangling days,

How many of you have mine eyes beheld!

My husband lost his life to get the crown;

And often up and down my sons were toss'd

For me to joy and weep their gain and loss;

And being seated, and domestic broils

Clean over-blown, themselves the conquerors

Make war upon themselves-brother to brother,

Blood to blood, self against self. O, preposterous

And frantic outrage, end thy damned spleen,

Or let me die, to look on death no more!

Cursed and disturbed days of struggle,

how many of you I have seen!

My husband lost his life to get the Crown;

and the fortunes of my sons often rose and fell

so that I wept and was happy with their losses and gains;

when they had got their position and the civil wars

had completely blown over, they themselves, the victors,

began to make war against each other–brother on brother,

blood on blood, self against self. Oh, appalling

and terrible outrage, and your damned anger,

or let me die, and so see no more death.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

Come, come, my boy; we will to

sanctuary.

Madam, farewell.

Come, come, my boy; we will go to a safe place.

Madam, farewell.

DUCHESS.

Stay, I will go with you.

Wait, I will come with you.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

You have no cause.

You have no reason to.

ARCHBISHOP.

[To the QUEEN]My gracious lady, go.

And thither bear your treasure and your goods.

For my part, I'll resign unto your Grace

The seal I keep; and so betide to me

As well I tender you and all of yours!

Go, I'll conduct you to the sanctuary.

Go, my gracious lady.

And take your treasure and your goods there as well.

As from me, I shall give to your Grace

the Royal seal I have; and so treat me

the same way I treat you and all of yours!

Come, I'll escort you to the sanctuary.

Exeunt