The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (29 page)

Exeunt

In Plain and Simple English

KING RICHARD THE SECOND

JOHN OF GAUNT, Duke of Lancaster - uncle to the King

EDMUND LANGLEY, Duke of York - uncle to the King

HENRY, surnamed BOLINGBROKE, Duke of Hereford, son of John of Gaunt, afterwards King Henry IV

DUKE OF AUMERLE, son of the Duke of York

THOMAS MOWBRAY, Duke of Norfolk

DUKE OF SURREY

EARL OF SALISBURY

EARL BERKELEY

BUSHY - Favorites of King Richard

BAGOT - Favorites of King Richard

GREEN -Favorites of King Richard

EARL OF NORTHUMBERLAND

HENRY PERCY, surnamed HOTSPUR, his son

LORD Ross

LORD WILLOUGHBY

LORD FITZWATER

BISHOP OF CARLISLE

ABBOT OF WESTMINSTER

LORD MARSHAL

SIR STEPHEN SCROOP

SIR PIERCE OF EXTON

CAPTAIN of a band of Welshmen

TWO GARDENERS

QUEEN to King Richard

DUCHESS OF YORK

DUCHESS OF GLOUCESTER, widow of Thomas of Woodstock, Duke of Gloucester

LADY attending on the Queen

Lords, Heralds, Officers, Soldiers, Keeper, Messenger, Groom, and other Attendants

SCENE: England and Wales

London. The palace

Enter RICHARD, JOHN OF GAUNT, with other NOBLES and attendants

KING RICHARD.

Old John of Gaunt, time-honoured Lancaster,

Hast thou, according to thy oath and band,

Brought hither Henry Hereford, thy bold son,

Here to make good the boist'rous late appeal,

Which then our leisure would not let us hear,

Against the Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Mowbray?

Old John of Gaunt, venerable Lancaster,

have you, according to your promise and oath,

brought Henry Hereford, your bold son, here

to confirm his recent strong accusations,

which at the time we hadn’t time to listen to,

against the Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Mowbray?

GAUNT.

I have, my liege.

I have, my lord.

KING RICHARD.

Tell me, moreover, hast thou sounded him

If he appeal the Duke on ancient malice,

Or worthily, as a good subject should,

On some known ground of treachery in him?

Tell me, furthermore, have you asked him

if he's accusing the Duke due to an old grudge,

or truly, like a good subject,

on genuine grounds of treachery?

GAUNT.

As near as I could sift him on that argument,

On some apparent danger seen in him

Aim'd at your Highness-no inveterate malice.

As far as I could find out on that question,

because he felt that there was some hatred

in him towards your Highness–there is no grudge.

KING RICHARD.

Then call them to our presence: face to face

And frowning brow to brow, ourselves will hear

The accuser and the accused freely speak.

High-stomach'd are they both and full of ire,

In rage, deaf as the sea, hasty as fire.

Then call them here: I shall hear

the accuser and the accused speak freely,

face-to-face and frowning brow to brow.

They are both high-spirited and full of anger,

when they're raging they are as deaf as the sea, quick as fire.

Enter BOLINGBROKE and MOWBRAY

BOLINGBROKE.

Many years of happy days befall

My gracious sovereign, my most loving liege!

May my gracious king, my most loving lord,

have many years of happy days ahead of him!

MOWBRAY.

Each day still better other's happiness

Until the heavens, envying earth's good hap,

Add an immortal title to your crown!

May you increase the happiness of others every day,

until the heavens, jealous of Earth's good luck,

call you to them.

KING RICHARD.

We thank you both; yet one but flatters us,

As well appeareth by the cause you come;

Namely, to appeal each other of high treason.

Cousin of Hereford, what dost thou object

Against the Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Mowbray?

I thank you both; but one of you is lying,

you can see that from the reason you are here;

that is, to accuse each other of high treason.

My cousin Hereford, what is your accusation

against the Duke of Norfolk, Thomas Mowbray?

BOLINGBROKE.

First-heaven be the record to my speech!

In the devotion of a subject's love,

Tend'ring the precious safety of my prince,

And free from other misbegotten hate,

Come I appellant to this princely presence.

Now, Thomas Mowbray, do I turn to thee,

And mark my greeting well; for what I speak

My body shall make good upon this earth,

Or my divine soul answer it in heaven-

Thou art a traitor and a miscreant,

Too good to be so, and too bad to live,

Since the more fair and crystal is the sky,

The uglier seem the clouds that in it fly.

Once more, the more to aggravate the note,

With a foul traitor's name stuff I thy throat;

And wish-so please my sovereign-ere I move,

What my tongue speaks, my right drawn sword may prove.

Firstly, may Heaven witness what I say!

I come into your royal presence as a witness,

caring about the precious safety of my prince,

free of any other illegitimate grudge.

Now, Thomas Mowbray, I turn to you,

and take good note of my greeting; for what I say

I will answer for with my body upon this earth,

or my immortal soul will answer for it in heaven–

you are a traitor and a villain,

too nobly born to be so, and too bad to live,

as the more lovely and clear the sky is

the uglier the clouds in it seem.

Once more, to confirm your disgrace,

I stuff the name of traitor into your throat,

and ask–if my King permits–that before I leave,

that I may back up my words with my sword.

MOWBRAY.

Let not my cold words here accuse my zeal.

'Tis not the trial of a woman's war,

The bitter clamour of two eager tongues,

Can arbitrate this cause betwixt us twain;

The blood is hot that must be cool'd for this.

Yet can I not of such tame patience boast

As to be hush'd and nought at an to say.

First, the fair reverence of your Highness curbs me

From giving reins and spurs to my free speech;

Which else would post until it had return'd

These terms of treason doubled down his throat.

Setting aside his high blood's royalty,

And let him be no kinsman to my liege,

I do defy him, and I spit at him,

Call him a slanderous coward and a villain;

Which to maintain, I would allow him odds

And meet him, were I tied to run afoot

Even to the frozen ridges of the Alps,

Or any other ground inhabitable

Where ever Englishman durst set his foot.

Meantime let this defend my loyalty-

By all my hopes, most falsely doth he lie

Don't assume the coldness of my words indicates a lack of passion.

The argument between the two of us

can't be decided the way women do,

shouting bitter words at each other;

blood must be spilled to settle this.