The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (79 page)

Then she cursed Richard, then she cursed Buckingham,

then she cursed Hastings. Oh, remember, God,

to make sure that they get what she asked for as we do!

And as for my sister, and her princely sons,

be happy, dear God, with our loyal blood,

which, as you know, is going to be spilt unjustly.

RATCLIFF.

Make haste; the hour of death is expiate.

Hurry up; the hour of death has come.

RIVERS.

Come, Grey; come, Vaughan; let us here embrace.

Farewell, until we meet again in heaven.

Come, Grey; come, Vaughan; let us embrace here.

Farewell, until we meet again in heaven.

Exeunt

London. The Tower

Enter BUCKINGHAM, DERBY, HASTINGS, the BISHOP of ELY, RATCLIFF,

LOVEL,

with others and seat themselves at a table

HASTINGS.

Now, noble peers, the cause why we are met

Is to determine of the coronation.

In God's name speak-when is the royal day?

Now, noble peers, the reason we are meeting

is to decide on the coronation.

Speak in the name of God–when is the royal day?

BUCKINGHAM.

Is all things ready for the royal time?

Is everything ready for it?

DERBY.

It is, and wants but nomination.

It is, we just need to choose a day.

BISHOP OF ELY.

To-morrow then I judge a happy day.

Then I think tomorrow would be a good day.

BUCKINGHAM.

Who knows the Lord Protector's mind

herein?

Who is most inward with the noble Duke?

Who knows what the Lord Protector thinks about this?

Who is closest to the noble Duke?

BISHOP OF ELY.

Your Grace, we think, should soonest know

his mind.

I should imagine your Grace is most likely to know what he thinks.

BUCKINGHAM.

We know each other's faces; for our hearts,

He knows no more of mine than I of yours;

Or I of his, my lord, than you of mine.

Lord Hastings, you and he are near in love.

We know each other's faces; as for our hearts,

he knows no more about mine than I do about yours;

 and I know no more of his, my lord, that you do of mine.

Lord Hastings, you and he are very close.

HASTINGS.

I thank his Grace, I know he loves me well;

But for his purpose in the coronation

I have not sounded him, nor he deliver'd

His gracious pleasure any way therein.

But you, my honourable lords, may name the time;

And in the Duke's behalf I'll give my voice,

Which, I presume, he'll take in gentle part.

I thank your Grace, I know he's fond of me;

but I have not asked him his feelings about

the Coronation, nor has he mentioned

in any way what he's thinking about it.

But you can name the day, my honourable lords;

I shall give my opinion on the Duke's behalf,

which I assume he will be happy with.

Enter RICHARD

BISHOP OF ELY.

In happy time, here comes the Duke himself.

Fortunately, here comes the Duke himself.

RICHARD.

My noble lords and cousins all, good morrow.

I have been long a sleeper, but I trust

My absence doth neglect no great design

Which by my presence might have been concluded.

My noble lords and cousins all, good morning.

I have slept for a long time, but I hope

my absence has not stopped you from making any great plans

which could have been made if I was here.

BUCKINGHAM.

Had you not come upon your cue, my lord,

William Lord Hastings had pronounc'd your part-

I mean, your voice for crowning of the King.

If you hadn't come just at the right time, my lord,

William Lord Hastings was going to speak for you–

I mean, for your opinion on the coronation.

RICHARD.

Than my Lord Hastings no man might be

bolder;

His lordship knows me well and loves me well.

My lord of Ely, when I was last in Holborn

I saw good strawberries in your garden there.

I do beseech you send for some of them.

And there is no man more suited to do so than my Lord Hastings;

his Lordship knows me well and lost me well.

My Lord of Ely, last time I was in Holborn

I saw some good strawberries in your garden.

I would very much like you to send for some of them.

BISHOP of ELY.

Marry and will, my lord, with all my heart.

I certainly shall, my lord, it will be a pleasure.

Exit

RICHARD.

Cousin of Buckingham, a word with you.

[Takes him aside]

Catesby hath sounded Hastings in our business,

And finds the testy gentleman so hot

That he will lose his head ere give consent

His master's child, as worshipfully he terms it,

Shall lose the royalty of England's throne.

Cousin Buckingham, a word with you.

[Takes him aside]

Catesby has sounded out Hastings with regard to our business,

and finds that the impetuous gentleman is so passionate

that he will lose his head before he agrees to

his master's child, as he respectfully calls it,

losing the throne of England.

BUCKINGHAM.

Withdraw yourself awhile; I'll go with you.

Exeunt RICHARD and BUCKINGHAM

Let's make ourselves absent for a while.

DERBY.

We have not yet set down this day of triumph.

To-morrow, in my judgment, is too sudden;

For I myself am not so well provided

As else I would be, were the day prolong'd.

We haven't yet agreed on a day for the correlation.

In my opinion tomorrow is too soon;

I am not so well prepared

as I would be, if it were further off.

Re-enter the BISHOP OF ELY

BISHOP OF ELY.

Where is my lord the Duke of Gloucester?

I have sent for these strawberries.

Where is my lord the Duke of Gloucester?

I have sent for the strawberries.

HASTINGS.

His Grace looks cheerfully and smooth this

morning;

There's some conceit or other likes him well

When that he bids good morrow with such spirit.

I think there's never a man in Christendom

Can lesser hide his love or hate than he;

For by his face straight shall you know his heart.

His Grace looks calm and happy this morning;

there's something or other going on that he is pleased with,

when he says good morning so cheerfully.

I don't think there's any man in Christendom

who is less able to hide his love or his hate;

you can tell what he's feeling at once by looking in his face.

DERBY.

What of his heart perceive you in his face

By any livelihood he show'd to-day?

What did you think he was feeling

by looking at his face today.

HASTINGS.

Marry, that with no man here he is offended;

For, were he, he had shown it in his looks.

Well, that there is nobody here who has offended him;

if there was, he would have shown it in his looks.

Re-enter RICHARD and BUCKINGHAM

RICHARD.

I pray you all, tell me what they deserve

That do conspire my death with devilish plots

Of damned witchcraft, and that have prevail'd

Upon my body with their hellish charms?

I beg you all to tell me, how should I punish

people who plot my death with devilish plans

of hellish witchcraft, who have affected

my body with their hellish charms?

HASTINGS.

The tender love I bear your Grace, my lord,

Makes me most forward in this princely presence

To doom th' offenders, whosoe'er they be.

I say, my lord, they have deserved death.

The very great love I have for your Grace, my lord,

gives me the nerve to speak in the presence of a Prince

to say that whomever the offenders are they should be doomed.

I say, my lord, they deserve death.

RICHARD.

Then be your eyes the witness of their evil.

Look how I am bewitch'd; behold, mine arm

Is like a blasted sapling wither'd up.

And this is Edward's wife, that monstrous witch,

Consorted with that harlot strumpet Shore,

That by their witchcraft thus have marked me.

Then let your eyes witness the evil they have done.

Look how I have been bewitched; look, my arm

has withered up like a blasted sapling.

This has been done by Edward's wife, that monstrous witch,

in league with that harlot strumpet Shore,

they have marked me with their witchcraft.

HASTINGS.

If they have done this deed, my noble lord-

If they have done this deed, my noble Lord–

RICHARD.

If?-thou protector of this damned strumpet,

Talk'st thou to me of ifs? Thou art a traitor.

Off with his head! Now by Saint Paul I swear

I will not dine until I see the same.

Lovel and Ratcliff, look that it be done.

The rest that love me, rise and follow me.

If? You protector of this damned strumpet,

are you talking about ifs to me? You are a traitor.

Off with his head! Now by St Paul, I swear

I shall not eat until I see it's done.

Lovel and Ratcliff, see that it's done.

The rest, if you love me, get up and follow me.

Exeunt all but HASTINGS, LOVEL, and RATCLIFF