The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (223 page)

CARDINAL.

This weighty business will not brook delay;

I'll to the Duke of Suffolk presently.

This important business can't wait;

I will go and see the Duke of Suffolk at once.

[Exit.]

SOMERSET.

Cousin of Buckingham, though Humphrey's pride

And greatness of his place be grief to us,

Yet let us watch the haughty cardinal;

His insolence is more intolerable

Than all the princes in the land beside;

If Gloster be displac'd, he 'll be protector.

My cousin Buckingham, although Humphrey's arrogance

and his high position is distasteful to us,

let us keep an eye on the arrogant Cardinal;

his insolence is more intolerable

than all the princes in the country added together;

if Gloucester is overthrown, he'll be regent.

BUCKINGHAM.

Or thou or I, Somerset, will be protector,

Despite Duke Humphrey or the cardinal.

Or it could be you or I, Somerset,

despite Duke Humphrey or the cardinal.

[Exeunt Buckingham and Somerset.]

SALISBURY.

Pride went before, ambition follows him.

While these do labour for their own preferment,

Behoves it us to labour for the realm.

I never saw but Humphrey Duke of Gloster

Did bear him like a noble gentleman.

Oft have I seen the haughty cardinal,

More like a soldier than a man o' the church,

As stout and proud as he were lord of all,

Swear like a ruffian and demean himself

Unlike the ruler of a commonweal.--

Warwick my son, the comfort of my age,

Thy deeds, thy plainness, and thy housekeeping,

Hath won the greatest favour of the commons,

Excepting none but good Duke Humphrey;--

And, brother York, thy acts in Ireland,

In bringing them to civil discipline,

Thy late exploits done in the heart of France,

When thou wert regent for our sovereign,

Have made thee fear'd and honour'd of the people.--

Join we together, for the public good,

In what we can, to bridle and suppress

The pride of Suffolk and the cardinal,

With Somerset's and Buckingham's ambition,

And, as we may, cherish Duke Humphrey's deeds

While they do tend the profit of the land.

There goes pride, followed by ambition.

While they are working for their own advancement,

it's our job to work for the country.

I never saw Humphrey Duke of Gloucester behave

in any way unfitting for a noble gentleman.

I have often seen the arrogant Cardinal,

more like a soldier than a clergyman,

as puffed up and proud as if he owned everything,

swear like a scoundrel and behave in vulgar ways,

not like the ruler of a country.

Warwick, my son, the happiness of my old age,

your deeds, your honesty and your frugality

have made you a great favourite with the ordinary people,

above everybody except good Duke Humphrey;

and, brother York, your deeds in Ireland,

where you brought them to order,

the recent things that you did in France,

when you were regent for our King,

have made you respected and honoured by the people.

Let's join together, for the good of the country,

to do what we can to rein in and suppress

the arrogance of Suffolk and the Cardinal,

as well as the ambitions of Somerset and Buckingham,

and help Duke Humphrey in any way we can,

while he does good for the country.

WARWICK.

So God help Warwick, as he loves the land

And common profit of his country!

May God help Warwick, as he loves the country

and whatever is best for it!

YORK.

[Aside.] And so says York, for he hath greatest cause.

[Aside] That's what York says, and he has the best reason.

SALISBURY.

Then let's make haste away, and look unto the main.

Then let's hurry, and take care of our main business.

WARWICK.

Unto the main! O father, Maine is lost;

That Maine which by main force Warwick did win,

And would have kept so long as breath did last!

Main chance, father, you meant; but I meant Maine,

Which I will win from France, or else be slain.

Our main business! O father, Maine is lost;

Maine which Warwick won with great force,

and would have kept as long as he was alive!

You meant our main business, father; but I meant Maine,

which I will win back from France, or die in the attempt.

[Exeunt Warwick and Salisbury.]

YORK.

Anjou and Maine are given to the French;

Paris is lost; the state of Normandy

Stands on a tickle point now they are gone.

Suffolk concluded on the articles,

The peers agreed; and Henry was well pleas'd

To changes two dukedoms for a duke's fair daughter.

I cannot blame them all: what is't to them?

'T is thine they give away, and not their own.

Pirates may make cheap pennyworths of their pillage,

And purchase friends, and give to courtesans,

Still revelling like lords till all be gone;

Whileas the silly owner of the goods

Weeps over them and wrings his hapless hands

And shakes his head and trembling stands aloof,

While all is shar'd and all is borne away,

Ready to starve and dare not touch his own.

So York must sit and fret and bite his tongue,

While his own lands are bargain'd for and sold.

Methinks the realms of England, France, and Ireland

Bear that proportion to my flesh and blood

As did the fatal brand Althaea burn'd

Unto the prince's heart of Calydon.

Anjou and Maine both given unto the French!

Cold news for me, for I had hope of France,

Even as I have of fertile England's soil.

A day will come when York shall claim his own;

And therefore I will take the Nevils' parts,

And make a show of love to proud Duke Humphrey,

And when I spy advantage, claim the crown,

For that 's the golden mark I seek to hit.

Nor shall proud Lancaster usurp my right,

Nor hold the sceptre in his childish fist,

Nor wear the diadem upon his head,

Whose church-like humours fits not for a crown.

Then, York, be still awhile till time do serve;

Watch thou and wake when others be asleep,

To pry into the secrets of the state;

Till Henry, surfeiting in joys of love,

With his new bride and England's dear-bought queen,

And Humphrey with the peers be fallen at jars.

Then will I raise aloft the milk-white rose,

With whose sweet smell the air shall be perfum'd,

And in my standard bear the arms of York,

To grapple with the house of Lancaster;

And, force perforce, I 'll make him yield the crown

Whose bookish rule hath pull'd fair England down.

Anjou and Maine have been given to the French;

Paris has been lost; the state of Normandy

rests on a knife edge now they are gone.

Suffolk agreed to the terms,

the peers consented; and Henry was well pleased

to exchange two dukedoms for the beautiful daughter of a duke.

I can't blame them all: what's it matter to them?

It's my land they've been giving away, not their own.

Pirates can sell what they have stolen for pennies,

to their friends, and give it to whores,

enjoying themselves like lords until they've spent the lot;

whereas the foolish owner of the goods

weeps and wrings his unlucky hands,

shakes his head and stands to one side trembling

while everything is shared out and carried away,

facing starvation but not daring to claim his own property.

So York must sit, and fret, and bite his tongue,

while they bargain and sell his own lands.

I think that the kingdoms of England, France and Ireland

have the same effect on my flesh and blood

as the fatal brand Althaea thrust burning

into the heart of the Prince of Calydon.

Anjou and Maine both given to the French!

Bad news for me, as I had hopes of winning France,

in the same way I have hopes of winning the fertile soil of England.

The day will come when York will claim what's his;

and so I will side with the Nevils,

and pretend to be loyal to arrogant Duke Humphrey,

and when I see a chance, I shall take the crown,

that's my golden target.

Arrogant Lancaster shan't overthrow my rights,

or hold a sceptre in his childish fist,

or wear the crown upon his head,

his pious mentality isn't suited to it.

So, York, wait awhile until the time is right;

keep alert while others are asleep,

and find out the secrets of the country;

until Henry, full of the joys of love,

with his new bride, the Queen England bought at such a price,

and Humphrey and the peers are fighting.

Then I will hold up the milk white rose,

whose sweet perfume will fill the air,

and under my flag I will fight for York,

taking on the house of Lancaster;

and, by force if necessary, I will make the one who has

brought fair England down through his unmilitary rule

hand the crown over to me.

[Exit.]

[Enter DUKE HUMPHREY and his wife ELEANOR]

DUCHESS.

Why droops my lord, like over-ripen'd corn,

Hanging the head at Ceres' plenteous load?

Why doth the great Duke Humphrey knit his brows,

As frowning at the favours of the world?

Why are thine eyes fix'd to the sullen earth,

Gazing on that which seems to dim thy sight?

What see'st thou there?  King Henry's diadem,

Enchas'd with all the honours of the world?

If so, gaze on, and grovel on thy face,

Until thy head be circled with the same.

Put forth thy hand, reach at the glorious gold.