The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (92 page)

be the advocate of my love to her;

urge what I will be, not what I have been;

not what I deserve, but what I will deserve in future.

Speak of what is needed in this time,

and make sure you emphasise the importance of these matters.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

Shall I be tempted of the devil thus?

Shall I let the devil tempt me like this?

KING RICHARD.

Ay, if the devil tempt you to do good.

Yes, if the devil tempts you to do good.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

Shall I forget myself to be myself?

Shall I not be true to myself?

KING RICHARD.

Ay, if your self's remembrance wrong

yourself.

Yes, if doing that will do you harm.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

Yet thou didst kill my children.

But you killed my children.

KING RICHARD.

But in your daughter's womb I bury them;

Where, in that nest of spicery, they will breed

Selves of themselves, to your recomforture.

But I will bury them in your daughter's womb;

and in that phoenix nest they will breed

copies of themselves, for your consolation.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

Shall I go win my daughter to thy will?

Will I go and win your daughter over to your wishes?

KING RICHARD.

And be a happy mother by the deed.

And make yourself a happy mother by doing so.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

I go. Write to me very shortly,

And you shall understand from me her mind.

I shall go. Write to me very soon,

and I will tell you what she's thinking.

KING RICHARD.

Bear her my true love's kiss; and so, farewell.

Kissing her. Exit QUEEN ELIZABETH

Relenting fool, and shallow, changing woman!

 Enter RATCLIFF; CATESBY following

How now! what news?

Take her my kiss of true love; and so, farewell.

Forgiving fool, and shallow, changeable woman!

Hello there! What's the news?

RATCLIFF.

Most mighty sovereign, on the western coast

Rideth a puissant navy; to our shores

Throng many doubtful hollow-hearted friends,

Unarm'd, and unresolv'd to beat them back.

'Tis thought that Richmond is their admiral;

And there they hull, expecting but the aid

Of Buckingham to welcome them ashore.

Your great Majesty, on the western coast

there is a strong navy; many frightened

and weak hearted friends have gone to the shore,

unarmed and without the resolution to repel them.

It is thought that Richmond is leading them;

they are riding at anchor, just waiting for the help

of Buckingham to welcome them ashore.

KING RICHARD.

Some light-foot friend post to the Duke of

Norfolk.

Ratcliff, thyself-or Catesby; where is he?

Somebody ride quickly to the Duke of Norfolk.

Ratcliff, you–or Catesby; where is he?

CATESBY.

Here, my good lord.

Here, my good lord.

KING RICHARD.

Catesby, fly to the Duke.

Catesby, hurry to the Duke.

CATESBY.

I will my lord, with all convenient haste.

I will, my lord, as quickly as I can.

KING RICHARD.

Ratcliff, come hither. Post to Salisbury;

When thou com'st thither-[To CATESBY]Dull,

unmindfull villain,

Why stay'st thou here, and go'st not to the Duke?

Ratcliff, come here. Hurry to Salisbury;

when you get there–[to Catesby] you dull, stupid villain,

why are you staying here, and not going to the Duke?

CATESBY.

First, mighty liege, tell me your Highness' pleasure,

What from your Grace I shall deliver to him.

First, great King, tell me what your Highness wants,

what message I should give him from your Grace.

KING RICHARD.

O, true, good Catesby. Bid him levy straight

The greatest strength and power that he can make

And meet me suddenly at Salisbury.

That's true, good Catesby. Tell him to raise the greatest

force that he can as quickly as possible

and meet me at once at Salisbury.

CATESBY.

I go.

I'm going.

Exit

RATCLIFF.

What, may it please you, shall I do at Salisbury?

What, if you please, shall I do at Salisbury?

KING RICHARD.

Why, what wouldst thou do there before I

go?

Why, what would you be doing them before I get there?

RATCLIFF.

Your Highness told me I should post before.

Your Highness told me I should ride ahead.

KING RICHARD.

My mind is chang'd.

Enter LORD STANLEY

Stanley, what news with you?

I've changed my mind.

Stanley, what news have you got?

STANLEY.

None good, my liege, to please you with

the hearing;

Nor none so bad but well may be reported.

No good news, my lord, to please your ears;

but no news so bad I can't tell you it.

KING RICHARD.

Hoyday, a riddle! neither good nor bad!

What need'st thou run so many miles about,

When thou mayest tell thy tale the nearest way?

Once more, what news?

Hello, a riddle! Not good or bad!

Why do you need to go such a roundabout way

when you can tell me your tale directly?

I ask you again, what news?

STANLEY.

Richmond is on the seas.

Richmond is on the sea.

KING RICHARD.

There let him sink, and be the seas on him!

White-liver'd runagate, what doth he there?

Let him sink there, and have the sea on him!

Lily livered runaway, what's he doing there?

STANLEY.

I know not, mighty sovereign, but by guess.

I don't know, great King, I can only guess.

KING RICHARD.

Well, as you guess?

Well, what do you guess?

STANLEY.

Stirr'd up by Dorset, Buckingham, and Morton,

He makes for England here to claim the crown.

That he has been encouraged by Dorset, Buckingham and Morton,

and is coming here to England to claim the crown.

KING RICHARD.

Is the chair empty? Is the sword unsway'd?

Is the King dead, the empire unpossess'd?

What heir of York is there alive but we?

And who is England's King but great York's heir?

Then tell me what makes he upon the seas.

Is the throne empty? Does no one hold the sword?

Is the king dead, does nobody own the empire?

What heir of York is alive apart from me?

And who is the King of England apart from the heir of great York?

So tell me what he's doing on the sea.

STANLEY.

Unless for that, my liege, I cannot guess.

Unless it's for that, my lord, I can't guess.

KING RICHARD.

Unless for that he comes to be your liege,

You cannot guess wherefore the Welshman comes.

Thou wilt revolt and fly to him, I fear.

Unless he's coming to be your Lord,

you cannot guess why the Welshman is coming.

You will revolt and fly to him, I fear.

STANLEY.

No, my good lord; therefore mistrust me not.

No, my good lord; do not mistrust me.

KING RICHARD.

Where is thy power then, to beat him back?

Where be thy tenants and thy followers?

Are they not now upon the western shore,

Safe-conducting the rebels from their ships?

Where are your forces then, to beat him back?

Where are your tenants and your followers;

aren't they now on the western shore,

helping the rebels to disembark?

STANLEY.

No, my good lord, my friends are in the north.

No, my good lord, my friends are in the North.

KING RICHARD.

Cold friends to me. What do they in the

north,

When they should serve their sovereign in the west?

They are no use to me. What are they doing in the North

when they should be serving their king in the West?

STANLEY.

They have not been commanded, mighty King.

Pleaseth your Majesty to give me leave,

I'll muster up my friends and meet your Grace

Where and what time your Majesty shall please.

They have not had their orders, mighty king.

If your Majesty will give me permission,

I will gather up my friends and meet your Grace

at any place and time your Majesty orders.

KING RICHARD.

Ay, ay, thou wouldst be gone to join with

Richmond;

But I'll not trust thee.

I see, you would go and join Richmond;

but I won't trust you.

STANLEY.

Most mighty sovereign,

You have no cause to hold my friendship doubtful.

I never was nor never will be false.

Most mighty King,

you have no reason to doubt my friendship.

I was never, nor will I ever be, false.

KING RICHARD.

Go, then, and muster men. But leave behind

Your son, George Stanley. Look your heart be firm,

Or else his head's assurance is but frail.

Then go and gather your men. But leave your son,

George Stanley, behind. Make sure you stay loyal,

or his head will pay the price.

STANLEY.

So deal with him as I prove true to you.

Treat him according to my behaviour.

Exit

Enter a MESSENGER

MESSENGER.

My gracious sovereign, now in Devonshire,

As I by friends am well advertised,

Sir Edward Courtney and the haughty prelate,

Bishop of Exeter, his elder brother,

With many moe confederates, are in arms.

My gracious king, I have been told by friends