The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (98 page)

on desperate adventures and certain destruction.

As you were sleeping safe they brought you disturbances;

as you have lands and beautiful wives,

they want to seize one and dishonour the other.

And who is leading them but some weak fellow,

who has lived long in Brittany at my brother's expense?

A milksop! One who has never suffered the

slightest hardship in his life.

Let's drive the stragglers back over the sea,

whip these arrogant beggars of France back there,

these hungry beggars who are tired of life–

if they didn't have this stupid adventure to dream of

they would have hung themselves for lack of money.

If we are to be conquered, let us be conquered by men!

And not these bastard Frenchman, whom our fathers

thrashed in their own country,

and shamed them throughout history.

Shall these people have our lands? Sleep with our wives?

Rape our daughters?

Listen, I can hear their drum.

Fight, gentlemen of England! Fight, bold yeomen!

Drawback your bows as far as they will go, archers!

Drive on your proud forces, and ride through blood!

Frighten the sky with your broken lances!

What does Lord Stanley say? Will he bring his forces?

MESSENGER.

My lord, he doth deny to come.

My lord, he refuses to come.

KING RICHARD.

Off with his son George's head!

Off with the head of his son George!

NORFOLK.

My lord, the enemy is pass'd the marsh.

After the battle let George Stanley die.

My lord, the enemy has crossed over the marshes.

Let George Stanley die after the battle.

KING RICHARD.

A thousand hearts are great within my

bosom.

Advance our standards, set upon our foes;

Our ancient word of courage, fair Saint George,

Inspire us with the spleen of fiery dragons!

Upon them! Victory sits on our helms.

I have a thousand hearts beating within my chest.

Advance our banners, attack our enemies;

May our ancient example of courage, good St George,

inspire us with the anger of fiery dragons!

Attack them! Victory rides with us.

Exeunt

Another part of the field

Alarum; excursions. Enter NORFOLK and forces; to him CATESBY

CATESBY.

Rescue, my Lord of Norfolk, rescue, rescue!

The King enacts more wonders than a man,

Daring an opposite to every danger.

His horse is slain, and all on foot he fights,

Seeking for Richmond in the throat of death.

Rescue, fair lord, or else the day is lost.

To the rescue, my Lord of Norfolk, rescue, rescue!

The King is fighting as if he were more than a man,

throwing himself against every danger.

His horse has been killed, and he is fighting on foot,

looking for Richmond in the most dangerous places.

To the rescue, fair lord, or we have lost the battle.

Alarums. Enter KING RICHARD

KING RICHARD.

A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!

A horse! A horse! I'll give my kingdom for a horse!

CATESBY.

Withdraw, my lord! I'll help you to a horse.

Retreat, my lord! I'll find you a horse.

KING RICHARD.

Slave, I have set my life upon a cast

And I will stand the hazard of the die.

I think there be six Richmonds in the field;

Five have I slain to-day instead of him.

A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!

Slave, I have chanced my life to luck

and I will risk the roll of the dice.

I think there must be six Richmonds in the field;

I have killed five today instead of him.

A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!

Exeunt

Another part of the field

Alarum. Enter RICHARD and RICHMOND; they fight; RICHARD is slain.

Retreat and flourish. Enter RICHMOND, DERBY bearing the crown,

with other LORDS

RICHMOND.

God and your arms be prais'd, victorious friends;

The day is ours, the bloody dog is dead.

May God and your weapons be praised, victorious friends;

we have won, the bloody dog is dead.

DERBY.

Courageous Richmond, well hast thou acquit thee!

Lo, here, this long-usurped royalty

From the dead temples of this bloody wretch

Have I pluck'd off, to grace thy brows withal.

Wear it, enjoy it, and make much of it.

Brave Richmond, you have acquitted yourself well!

Look, here, I pulled the stolen crown

from the dead forehead of this bloody wretch

to grace your brow.

Wear it, enjoy it, and do your best with it.

RICHMOND.

Great God of heaven, say Amen to all!

But, tell me is young George Stanley living.

Great God of heaven, amen to all that!

But tell me if young George Stanley is still alive.

DERBY.

He is, my lord, and safe in Leicester town,

Whither, if it please you, we may now withdraw us.

He is, my lord, and safe in the town of Leicester,

to which, if it pleases you, we may now withdraw.

RICHMOND.

What men of name are slain on either side?

What notable men have been killed on either side?

DERBY.

John Duke of Norfolk, Walter Lord Ferrers,

Sir Robert Brakenbury, and Sir William Brandon.

John Duke of Norfolk, Walter Lord Ferrers,

Sir Robert Brackenbury and Sir William Brandon.

RICHMOND.

Inter their bodies as becomes their births.

Proclaim a pardon to the soldiers fled

That in submission will return to us.

And then, as we have ta'en the sacrament,

We will unite the white rose and the red.

Smile heaven upon this fair conjunction,

That long have frown'd upon their emnity!

What traitor hears me, and says not Amen?

England hath long been mad, and scarr'd herself;

The brother blindly shed the brother's blood,

The father rashly slaughter'd his own son,

The son, compell'd, been butcher to the sire;

All this divided York and Lancaster,

Divided in their dire division,

O, now let Richmond and Elizabeth,

The true succeeders of each royal house,

By God's fair ordinance conjoin together!

And let their heirs, God, if thy will be so,

Enrich the time to come with smooth-fac'd peace,

With smiling plenty, and fair prosperous days!

Abate the edge of traitors, gracious Lord,

That would reduce these bloody days again

And make poor England weep in streams of blood!

Let them not live to taste this land's increase

That would with treason wound this fair land's peace!

Now civil wounds are stopp'd, peace lives again-

That she may long live here, God say Amen!

Bury their bodies in a way which fits their nobility.

Announce that all the soldiers who fled who

come back under our orders shall be pardoned;

and then, as I've vowed,

I shall unite the houses of Lancaster and York.

Heaven, smile on this fair union,

as you have long scowled at their opposition.

What traitor listens to me and does not say amen?

England has been mad for a long time, and scarred herself:

brother blindly shed the blood of his brother;

a father rashly slaughtered his own son;

the son was forced to murder the father.

All this divided York and Lancaster–

divided in their terrible conflict.

Oh now let Richmond and Elizabeth,

the true successors of each royal house,

join together under the law of God,

and let their heirs, God, if it is your will,

fill the times to come with beautiful peace,

with happy days of prosperity.

Blunt the swords of traitors, gracious Lord,

who would try to take us back to these bloody days

and make poor England weep streams of blood.

Don't let anyone live to enjoy this prosperity

if they want to harm the peace of this fair land with treason.

The wounds of civil war are staunched; peace thrives again.

May God grant that she lives here a long time.

Exeunt

THE END