The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (295 page)

Exit Servant

CARDINAL WOLSEY

What warlike voice,

And to what end is this? Nay, ladies, fear not;

By all the laws of war you're privileged.

What's the meaning of this

warlike noise? Do not be afraid, ladies;

you are exempt by all the laws of war.

Re-enter Servant

Chamberlain

How now! what is't?

Hello there! What is it?

Servant

A noble troop of strangers;

For so they seem: they've left their barge and landed;

And hither make, as great ambassadors

From foreign princes.

A noble band of foreigners;

that's what they look like: they have left their barge and landed;

and they are coming here, like great ambassadors

from foreign princes.

CARDINAL WOLSEY

Good lord chamberlain,

Go, give 'em welcome; you can speak the French tongue;

And, pray, receive 'em nobly, and conduct 'em

Into our presence, where this heaven of beauty

Shall shine at full upon them. Some attend him.

Exit Chamberlain, attended. All rise, and tables removed

You have now a broken banquet; but we'll mend it.

A good digestion to you all: and once more

I shower a welcome on ye; welcome all.

Hautboys. Enter KING HENRY VIII and others, as masquers, habited like shepherds, ushered by the Chamberlain. They pass directly before CARDINAL WOLSEY, and gracefully salute him

A noble company! what are their pleasures?

Good Lord Chamberlain,

go and welcome them; you can speak French;

and please, give them a noble welcome, and bring them

here to me, where they can enjoy the sight

of all this heavenly beauty. Some of you go with him.

The banquet has been disturbed, but we shall make up for it.

May you all digest your food well, and once more

I give you all my best welcome.

This is a noble company! What would you like?

Chamberlain

Because they speak no English, thus they pray'd

To tell your grace, that, having heard by fame

Of this so noble and so fair assembly

This night to meet here, they could do no less

Out of the great respect they bear to beauty,

But leave their flocks; and, under your fair conduct,

Crave leave to view these ladies and entreat

An hour of revels with 'em.

Because they speak no English, they begged me

to tell your grace, that, having heard by reputation

that such a noble and beautiful assembly

was going to be here tonight, they couldn't do any less,

out of the great respect they have for beauty,

than leave their flocks; and, with your kind permission,

they beg that they can see these ladies and ask

them to dance with them for an hour.

CARDINAL WOLSEY

Say, lord chamberlain,

They have done my poor house grace; for which I pay 'em

A thousand thanks, and pray 'em take their pleasures.

Tell them, Lord Chamberlain,

that they are honouring my poor house; I give them

a thousand thanks for that, and ask them to choose whom they want.

They choose Ladies for the dance. KING HENRY VIII chooses ANNE

KING HENRY VIII

The fairest hand I ever touch'd! O beauty,

Till now I never knew thee!

The loveliest hand I ever touched! O beauty,

I never knew you until now!

Music. Dance

CARDINAL WOLSEY

My lord!

My lord!

Chamberlain

Your grace?

Your Grace?

CARDINAL WOLSEY

Pray, tell 'em thus much from me:

There should be one amongst 'em, by his person,

More worthy this place than myself; to whom,

If I but knew him, with my love and duty

I would surrender it.

Please tell them this from me:

that there should be someone amongst them who,

through his position, is more worthy of this place than me;

if I knew who he was my love and duty

would make me give it to him.

Chamberlain

I will, my lord.

I will, my lord.

Whispers the Masquers

CARDINAL WOLSEY

What say they?

What do they say?

Chamberlain

Such a one, they all confess,

There is indeed; which they would have your grace

Find out, and he will take it.

They all admit that there is such a person,

and he will take your place if your Grace

can discover who it is.

CARDINAL WOLSEY

Let me see, then.

By all your good leaves, gentlemen; here I'll make

My royal choice.

Let me see, then.

If you will excuse me, gentlemen; I choose

this one as being royal.

KING HENRY VIII

Ye have found him, cardinal:

Unmasking

You hold a fair assembly; you do well, lord:

You are a churchman, or, I'll tell you, cardinal,

I should judge now unhappily.

You have found him, cardinal:

you are hosting a beautiful assembly; you are doing well, lord:

I'll tell you, cardinal, if you weren't a churchman

I might judge you unfavourably.

CARDINAL WOLSEY

I am glad

Your grace is grown so pleasant.

I am glad

that your Grace is so merry.

KING HENRY VIII

My lord chamberlain,

Prithee, come hither: what fair lady's that?

My lord chamberlain,

please, come here: who is that beautiful lady?

Chamberlain

An't please your grace, Sir Thomas Bullen's daughter--

The Viscount Rochford,--one of her highness' women.

If you please, your Grace, that is Sir Thomas Bullen's daughter–

the Viscount Rochford–one of her Highness' waiting ladies.

KING HENRY VIII

By heaven, she is a dainty one. Sweetheart,

I were unmannerly, to take you out,

And not to kiss you. A health, gentlemen!

Let it go round.

By heaven, she's a dainty one. Sweetheart,

I would be ill mannered to choose you

and not to kiss you. Good health, gentlemen!

Pass it round.

CARDINAL WOLSEY

Sir Thomas Lovell, is the banquet ready

I' the privy chamber?

Sir Thomas Lovell, is the banquet ready

in the next room?

LOVELL

Yes, my lord.

Yes, my lord.

CARDINAL WOLSEY

Your grace,

I fear, with dancing is a little heated.

I fear your Grace

has become a little hot from dancing.

KING HENRY VIII

I fear, too much.

Too much, I fear.

CARDINAL WOLSEY

There's fresher air, my lord,

In the next chamber.

The air is cooler, my lord,

in the next room.

KING HENRY VIII

Lead in your ladies, every one: sweet partner,

I must not yet forsake you: let's be merry:

Good my lord cardinal, I have half a dozen healths

To drink to these fair ladies, and a measure

To lead 'em once again; and then let's dream

Who's best in favour. Let the music knock it.

Bring in your ladies, everyone: sweet partner,

I must not leave you yet: let's be jolly:

my good lord cardinal, I have half a dozen healths

to drink to these fair ladies, and another dance

to have with them; and then let's dream

of the most beautiful. Strike up the music.

Exeunt with trumpets

Enter two Gentlemen, meeting

First Gentleman

Whither away so fast?

Where are you going so quickly?

Second Gentleman

O, God save ye!

Even to the hall, to hear what shall become

Of the great Duke of Buckingham.

Oh, God bless you!

I'm going to the hall, to hear what will happen

to the great Duke of Buckingham.

First Gentleman

I'll save you

That labour, sir. All's now done, but the ceremony

Of bringing back the prisoner.

I'll save you

the bother, sir. Everything is finished, except for the ceremony

of bringing back the prisoner.

Second Gentleman

Were you there?

Were you there?

First Gentleman

Yes, indeed, was I.

Yes indeed I was.

Second Gentleman

Pray, speak what has happen'd.

Please, tell me what happened.

First Gentleman

You may guess quickly what.

You can easily guess that.