The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (201 page)

that the blindest man could see it.

SOMERSET.

And on my side it is so well apparell'd,

So clear, so shining and so evident,

That it will glimmer through a blind man's eye.

And it's so obvious on my side,

so clear and so bright,

that a blind man could see it shining.

PLANTAGENET.

Since you are tongue-tied and so loath to speak,

In dumb significants proclaim your thoughts:

Let him that is a true-born gentleman

And stands upon the honor of his birth,

If he suppose that I have pleaded truth,

From off this brier pluck a white rose with me.

Since you are tongue tied and don't wish to speak,

you can show your thoughts in sign language.

That person who is a true born gentleman

and has faith in his noble birth,

if he thinks that I have spoken the truth,

let him pick a white rose from this bush with me.

SOMERSET.

Let him that is no coward nor no flatterer,

But dare maintain the party of the truth,

Pluck a red rose from off this thorn with me.

Let the one who is not a coward or flatterer,

who dares to stick to the truth,

pick a red rose from this bush with me.

WARWICK.

I love no colours, and without all colour

Of base insinuating flattery

I pluck this white rose with Plantagenet.

I don't like taking sides,

but without any sort of low motives

I shall pluck this white rose with Plantagenet.

SUFFOLK.

I pluck this red rose with young Somerset,

And say withal I think he held the right.

I shall pluck this red rose with young Somerset,

and furthermore say I think he was in the right.

VERNON.

Stay, lords and gentlemen, and pluck no more,

Till you conclude that he, upon whose side

The fewest roses are cropp'd from the tree

Shall yield the other in the right opinion.

Wait, lords and gentlemen, and pick no more,

until you have agreed that the person who has

the fewest roses picked from the tree

should accept the other is in the right.

SOMERSET.

Good Master Vernon, it is well objected:

If I have fewest, I subscribe in silence.

Good Master Vernon, you're quite right:

if I have the fewest, I shall give in without speaking.

PLANTAGENET.

And I.

I agree.

VERNON.

Then for the truth and plainness of the case,

I pluck this pale and maiden blossom here,

Giving my verdict on the white rose side.

Then for the obvious truth of the case,

I shall pluck this pale and virginal blossom,

giving my judgement on the side of the white rose.

SOMERSET.

Prick not your finger as you pluck it off,

Lest bleeding, you do paint the white rose red,

And fall on my side so, against your will.

Don't prick your finger as you pick it,

in case you bleed and paint the white rose red,

and fall on my side, against your will.

VERNON.

If I, my lord, for my opinion bleed,

Opinion shall be surgeon to my hurt

And keep me on the side where still I am.

If I am to bleed for my opinion, my lord,

my opinion shall be my doctor

and keep me on the side I've chosen.

SOMERSET.

Well, well, come on:  who else?

Very good, come on: who else?

LAWYER.

Unless my study and my books be false,

The argument you held was wrong in you;

[To Somerset.]

In sign whereof I pluck a white rose too.

Unless my studying and my books are wrong,

your argument was mistaken;

and so I pick a white rose too.

PLANTAGENET.

Now, Somerset, where is your argument?

Now, Somerset, where is your case?

SOMERSET.

Here in my scabbard, meditating that

Shall dye your white rose in a bloody red.

Here in my scabbard, thinking of ways

I can dye your white rose bloody red.

PLANTAGENET.

Meantime your cheeks do counterfeit our roses;

For pale they look with fear, as witnessing

The truth on our side.

In the meantime your cheeks imitate our roses;

they look pale with fear, having seen

the truth on our side.

SOMERSET.

No, Plantagenet,

'Tis not for fear but anger that thy cheeks

Blush for pure shame to counterfeit our roses,

And yet thy tongue will not confess thy error.

No, Plantagenet,

it is not out of fear but anger, seeing your cheeks

blush with shame to imitate our roses,

but your tongue will not admit you are wrong.

PLANTAGENET.

Hath not thy rose a canker, Somerset?

Hasn't your rose some disease, Somerset?

SOMERSET.

Hath not thy rose a thorn, Plantagenet?

Hasn't your rose got a thorn, Plantagenet?

PLANTAGENET.

Ay, sharp and piercing, to maintain his truth;

Whiles thy consuming canker eats his falsehood.

Yes, sharp and piercing, to uphold his truth;

while your disease eats its own leaves.

SOMERSET. Well, I 'll find friends to wear my bleeding roses,

That shall maintain what I have said is true,

Where false Plantagenet dare not be seen.

Well, I shall find friends who will wear my bleeding roses,

who will agree that what I have said is true,

in places where false Plantagenet dare not show his face.

PLANTAGENET.

Now, by this maiden blossom in my hand,

I scorn thee and thy fashion, peevish boy.

Now, by this virginal blossom in my hand,

I reject you and your sort, miserable boy.

SUFFOLK.

Turn not thy scorns this way, Plantagenet.

Don't be so scornful, Plantagenet.

PLANTAGENET.

Proud Pole, I will, and scorn both him and thee.

Proud Pole, I shall, and I scorn you and him.

SUFFOLK.

I'll turn my part thereof into thy throat.

I'll shove my share of that back down your throat.

SOMERSET.

Away, away, good William de la Pole!

We grace the yeoman by conversing with him.

Come away, good William de la Pole!

We're giving this peasant too much honour by talking to him.

WARWICK.

Now, by God's will, thou wrong'st him, Somerset;

His grandfather was Lionel Duke of Clarence,

Third son to the third Edward King of England:

Spring crestless yeomen from so deep a root?

Now, I swear, you are insulting him, Somerset;

his grandfather was Lionel Duke of Clarence,

the third son of Edward the Third, King of England:

do unmarked peasants spring from such heritage?

PLANTAGENET.

He bears him on the place's privilege,

Or durst not, for his craven heart, say thus.

He's relying on the laws of this place,

or otherwise, coward that he is, he wouldn't dare say it.

SOMERSET.

By Him that made me, I'll maintain my words

On any plot of ground in Christendom.

Was not thy father, Richard Earl of Cambridge,

For treason executed in our late king's days?

And, by his treason, stand'st not thou attainted,

Corrupted, and exempt from ancient gentry?

His trespass yet lives guilty in thy blood;

And, till thou be restored, thou art a yeoman.

By God, I'll say this

on any piece of ground in Christendom.

Wasn't your father, Richard Earl of Cambridge,

executed for treason in  the days of our late King?

And, due to his treason, haven't you lost your rights,

your place amongst the old noble families?

His sin is still living in your blood;

and until you're given your place back, you are a peasant.

PLANTAGENET.

My father was attached, not attainted,

Condemn'd to die for treason, but no traitor;

And that I'll prove on better men than Somerset,

Were growing time once ripen'd to my will.

For your partaker Pole and you yourself,

I'll note you in my book of memory,

To scourge you for this apprehension:

Look to it well and say you are well warn'd.

My father was arrested, not penalised,

condemned to die for treason, but not a traitor;

and I'll prove that to better men than Somerset,

if time allows me.

As for your accomplice Pole and you yourself,

I'll make a mental note

to punish you for your attacks:

remember it and don't complain you haven't been warned.

SOMERSET.

Ay, thou shalt find us ready for thee still;

And know us by these colors for thy foes,

For these my friends in spite of thee shall wear.

Yes and you will find we're ready for you;

you'll know we're your enemies from our colours,

which my friends shall wear, in spite of you.

PLANTAGENET.

And, by my soul, this pale and angry rose,

As cognizance of my blood-drinking hate,

Will I for ever and my faction wear,

Until it wither with me to my grave,

Or flourish to the height of my degree.

And I swear, in recognition of my bloodthirsty hate,

myself and my party will always

wear this pale and angry rose,

until it dies with me in my grave,

or grows along with my rank.

SUFFOLK.

Go forward, and be chok'd with thy ambition!

And so farewell until I meet thee next.

Off you go, and may your ambition choke you!

And so farewell until I see you next.

[Exit.]

SOMERSET.

Have with thee, Pole. Farewell, ambitious Richard.

Enough of you, Pole. Farewell, ambitious Richard.

[Exit.]

PLANTAGENET.

How I am braved and must perforce endure it!

What challenges I have to put up with!

WARWICK.

This blot that they object against your house

Shall be wiped out in the next parliament

Call'd for the truce of Winchester and Gloucester;