The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (84 page)

If you say it, you will only be telling the truth.

BUCKINGHAM.

Then I salute you with this royal title-

Long live King Richard, England's worthy King!

Then I salute you with this royal title–

Long live King Richard, England's worthy King!

ALL.

Amen.

Amen.

BUCKINGHAM.

To-morrow may it please you to be crown'd?

Will you agree to be crowned tomorrow?

RICHARD.

Even when you please, for you will have it so.

Whenever you want, it's you who wants it.

BUCKINGHAM.

To-morrow, then, we will attend your Grace;

And so, most joyfully, we take our leave.

Then tomorrow we will come to your Grace;

and so, with great joy, we shall leave you.

RICHARD.

[To the BISHOPS]Come, let us to our holy

work again.

Farewell, my cousin; farewell, gentle friends.

Come, let us return to our holy work.

Farewell, my cousin; farewell,kind friends.

Exeunt

London. Before the Tower

Enter QUEEN ELIZABETH, DUCHESS of YORK, and MARQUIS of DORSET, at

one door;

ANNE, DUCHESS of RICHARD, leading LADY MARGARET PLANTAGENET,

CLARENCE's young daughter, at another door

DUCHESS.

Who meets us here? My niece Plantagenet,

Led in the hand of her kind aunt of Gloucester?

Now, for my life, she's wand'ring to the Tower,

On pure heart's love, to greet the tender Princes.

Daughter, well met.

Who is this who meets us here? My niece Plantagenet,

led by the hand by her kind aunt Gloucester?

Now, I swear, she's going to the Tower,

out of pure love, to greet the young Princes.

Daughter, good to see you.

ANNE.

God give your Graces both

A happy and a joyful time of day!

May God give both your Graces

comfort and joy!

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

As much to you, good sister! Whither

away?

The same to you, good sister! Where are you going?

ANNE.

No farther than the Tower; and, as I guess,

Upon the like devotion as yourselves,

To gratulate the gentle Princes there.

Just as far as the Tower; and, I'm guessing,

on the same errand as yourselves,

to salute the young princes there.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

Kind sister, thanks; we'll enter

all together.

Enter BRAKENBURY

And in good time, here the lieutenant comes.

Master Lieutenant, pray you, by your leave,

How doth the Prince, and my young son of York?

Thank you, kind sister; we'll all go in together.

And right on time, here comes the lieutenant.

Master Lieutenant, would you please tell me

how is the Prince, and my young son York?

BRAKENBURY.

Right well, dear madam. By your patience,

I may not suffer you to visit them.

The King hath strictly charg'd the contrary.

Very well, dear madam. If you'll excuse me,

I can't let you visit them.

The King has given strict orders.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

The King! Who's that?

The King! Who's that?

BRAKENBURY.

I mean the Lord Protector.

I mean the Lord Protector.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

The Lord protect him from that kingly

title!

Hath he set bounds between their love and me?

I am their mother; who shall bar me from them?

May the Lord protect him from taking the title of King!

Is he setting limits on the love between them and me?

I am their mother; who will keep me from them?

DUCHESS.

I am their father's mother; I will see them.

I am their father's mother; I insist on seeing them.

ANNE.

Their aunt I am in law, in love their mother.

Then bring me to their sights; I'll bear thy blame,

And take thy office from thee on my peril.

I am legally their aunt, but I love them like a mother.

Take me to see them; I'll take the blame for you,

and absolve you from any responsibility.

BRAKENBURY.

No, madam, no. I may not leave it so;

I am bound by oath, and therefore pardon me.

No, madam, no. This cannot be;

I am bound by oath, and so you must excuse me.

Exit

Enter STANLEY

STANLEY.

Let me but meet you, ladies, one hour hence,

And I'll salute your Grace of York as mother

And reverend looker-on of two fair queens.

[To ANNE]Come, madam, you must straight to

Westminster,

There to be crowned Richard's royal queen.

If I only met you one hour later, ladies,

I would salute your Grace of York as mother

and revered observer of two lovely queens.

[To Anne] Come, madam, you must go straight to Westminster,

where you will be crowned as Richard's royal queen.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

Ah, cut my lace asunder

That my pent heart may have some scope to beat,

Or else I swoon with this dead-killing news!

Oh, unlace my corset

so that my imprisoned heart can have room to beat,

otherwise I will faint at this fatal news.

ANNE.

Despiteful tidings! O unpleasing news!

Horrible report! Unpleasant news!

DORSET.

Be of good cheer; mother, how fares your Grace?

Be happy; mother, how are you?

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

O Dorset, speak not to me, get thee

gone!

Death and destruction dogs thee at thy heels;

Thy mother's name is ominous to children.

If thou wilt outstrip death, go cross the seas,

And live with Richmond, from the reach of hell.

Go, hie thee, hie thee from this slaughter-house,

Lest thou increase the number of the dead,

And make me die the thrall of Margaret's curse,

Nor mother, wife, nor England's counted queen.

Oh Dorset, do not speak to me, go away!

Death and destruction are pursuing you;

your mother's name is dangerous to children.

If you want to escape death, cross the sea,

go and live with Richmond, out of reach of hell.

Go, get away, get away from this slaughterhouse,

in case you increase the number of dead,

and make me die the way Margaret's curse predicted,

neither mother, wife, nor recognised Queen of England.

STANLEY.

Full of wise care is this your counsel, madam.

Take all the swift advantage of the hours;

You shall have letters from me to my son

In your behalf, to meet you on the way.

Be not ta'en tardy by unwise delay.

Your advice is full of loving wisdom, madam.

You should act as quickly as you can;

I shall give you letters of recommendation

to my son, I'll send them after you.

Don't be caught out by any foolish delay.

DUCHESS.

O ill-dispersing wind of misery!

O my accursed womb, the bed of death!

A cockatrice hast thou hatch'd to the world,

Whose unavoided eye is murderous.

Oh scattering wind of misery!

Oh my cursed womb, the bed of death!

You have released a basilisk into the world,

and to look him in the eye is death.

STANLEY.

Come, madam, come; I in all haste was sent.

Come, madam, come; I was told to hurry.

ANNE.

And I with all unwillingness will go.

O, would to God that the inclusive verge

Of golden metal that must round my brow

Were red-hot steel, to sear me to the brains!

Anointed let me be with deadly venom,

And die ere men can say 'God save the Queen!'

And I will go as unwillingly as you could imagine.

Oh, I wish to God that the circle of

gold metal that will surround my head

was red-hot steel, to burn my brains!

Let me be anointed with deadly poison,

so I can die before men can say ‘God save the Queen!’

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

Go, go, poor soul; I envy not thy glory.

To feed my humour, wish thyself no harm.

Go, go, poor soul; I do not envy your glory.

For my sake, do not wish harm upon yourself.

ANNE.

No, why? When he that is my husband now

Came to me, as I follow'd Henry's corse;

When scarce the blood was well wash'd from his hands

Which issued from my other angel husband,

And that dear saint which then I weeping follow'd-

O, when, I say, I look'd on Richard's face,

This was my wish: 'Be thou' quoth I 'accurs'd

For making me, so young, so old a widow;