The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (233 page)

and curse your enemies, both yours and mine!

GLOSTER.

Be patient, gentle Nell; forget this grief.

Calm yourself, gentle Nell; forget your sorrow.

DUCHESS.

Ah, Gloster, teach me to forget myself!

For whilst I think I am thy married wife,

And thou a prince, protector of this land,

Methinks I should not thus be led along,

Mail'd up in shame, with papers on my back,

And follow'd with a rabble that rejoice

To see my tears and hear my deep-fet groans.

The ruthless flint doth cut my tender feet,

And when I start, the envious people laugh

And bid me be advised how I tread.

Ah, Humphrey, can I bear this shameful yoke?

Trow'st thou that e'er I'll look upon the world,

Or count them happy that enjoy the sun?

No; dark shall be my light and night my day;

To think upon my pomp shall be my hell.

Sometimes I'll say, I am Duke Humphrey's wife,

And he a prince and ruler of the land;

Yet so he rul'd and such a prince he was

As he stood by whilst I, his forlorn duchess,

Was made a wonder and a pointing-stock

To every idle rascal follower.

But be thou mild and blush not at my shame,

Nor stir at nothing till the axe of death

Hang over thee, as, sure, it shortly will;

For Suffolk, he that can do all in all

With her that hateth thee and hates us all,

And York, and impious Beaufort, that false priest,

Have all lim'd bushes to betray thy wings,

And, fly thou how thou canst, they'll tangle thee;

But fear not thou until thy foot be snar'd,

Nor never seek prevention of thy foes.

Ah, Gloucester, teach me to forget myself!

For while I am your married wife,

and you are Prince, protector of this land,

I do not think I should be led along like this,

wrapped up in shame, with signs on my back,

followed by a rabble who rejoice

to see my tears and hear my heartfelt groans.

The ruthless stones cut at my tender feet,

and when I flinch, the hateful people laugh

and tell me to watch my step.

Ah, Humphrey can I tolerate this shame?

Do you think I will ever look at the world again,

and think that those who enjoy the sun are happy?

No, darkness shall be my light and night my day;

my torture will be to think of my good times.

Sometimes I will say, I am Duke Humphrey's wife,

and he is a prince and ruler of the land;

but he was such a prince and ruled in such a way

that he stood by whilst I, his abandoned Duchess,

was made a spectacle and a laughingstock

for every lazy rascal who followed me.

But be content and do not blush at my shame,

do nothing until the axe of death

hangs over you, as it certainly will soon;

for Suffolk, he who has complete control

of her who hates you and hates us all,

and York, and blasphemous Beaufort, that false priest,

have put out their traps to catch your wings,

and, whichever way you fly, they'll tangle you up;

but don't worry until you're actually trapped,

don't try to strike at your enemy first.

GLOSTER.

Ah, Nell, forbear! thou aimest all awry.

I must offend before I be attainted;

And had I twenty times so many foes,

And each of them had twenty times their power,

All these could not procure me any scath

So long as I am loyal, true, and crimeless.

Wouldst have me rescue thee from this reproach?

Why, yet thy scandal were not wip'd away,

But I in danger for the breach of law.

Thy greatest help is quiet, gentle Nell.

I pray thee, sort thy heart to patience;

These few days' wonder will be quickly worn.

Ah, Nell, stop this! You've got it all wrong.

I must do something wrong before I can be criticised;

and if I had twenty times as many enemies,

and each of them had twenty times their power,

all of them couldn't make any charges stick

as long as I am loyal, true and innocent.

Do you want me to rescue you from this punishment?

Why, that would take away the scandal,

but put me in danger for breaking the law.

Your greatest assistance is to be calm, sweet Nell.

I pray that you can resign yourself to being patient;

they'll soon forget this three-day wonder.

[Enter a Herald.]

HERALD.

I summon your grace to his majesty's parliament,

Holden at Bury the first of this next month.

I summon your Grace to his Majesty's parliament,

to be held at Bury on the first day of next month.

GLOSTER.

And my consent ne'er ask'd herein before!

This is close dealing.--Well, I will be there.--

[Exit Herald.]

My Nell, I take my leave;--and, master sheriff,

Let not her penance exceed the king's commission.

I was never asked about that before!

There is something suspicious here. Well, I will be there.

My Nell, I shall leave you; and, Master Sheriff,

don't make her punishment more than the king has ordered.

SHERIFF.

An 't please your grace, here my commission stays,

And Sir John Stanley is appointed now

To take her with him to the Isle of Man.

If your Grace pleases, this is the end of my part,

and Sir John Stanley now takes over

to take with him to the Isle of Man.

GLOSTER.

Must you, Sir John, protect my lady here?

Sir John, do you have to take away my lady?

STANLEY.

So am I given in charge, may 't please your grace.

Those are my orders, if your Grace pleases.

GLOSTER.

Entreat her not the worse in that I pray

You use her well.

The world may laugh again,

And I may live to do you kindness if

You do it her; and so, Sir John, farewell!

Don't treat her worse because I

ask you to treat her well.

There may be laughter again,

and I may live to do you a good turn if

you do one for her; and so, Sir John, farewell!

DUCHESS.

What, gone, my lord, and bid me not farewell!

What, going, my lord, and not saying goodbye to me!

GLOSTER.

Witness my tears, I cannot stay to speak.

Look at my tears, I can't stay and talk.

[Exeunt Gloster and Servingmen.]

DUCHESS.

Art thou gone too? all comfort go with thee!

For none abides with me; my joy is death,

Death, at whose name I oft have been afeard,

Because I wish'd this world's eternity.--

Stanley, I prithee, go, and take me hence;

I care not whither, for I beg no favour,

Only convey me where thou art commanded.

You going too? All happiness goes with you!

There is none here with me; my happiness is death,

death, whose name has often frightened me,

because I wanted to live forever in this world.

Stanley, please, go, and take me away;

I don't care where, I ask for no favours,

just take me where you have been told.

STANLEY.

Why, madam, that is to the Isle of Man;

There to be us'd according to your state.

Why, madam, you're going to the Isle of Man;

and there you are to be treated according to your status.

DUCHESS.

That's bad enough, for I am but reproach;

And shall I then be us'd reproachfully?

That's bad enough, for I am seen as evil;

am I to be treated in an evil way?

STANLEY.

Like to a duchess, and Duke Humphrey's lady;

According to that state you shall be us'd.

You are going to be treated as a Duchess,

and the wife of Duke Humphrey.

DUCHESS.

Sheriff, farewell, and better than I fare,

Although thou hast been conduct of my shame.

Sheriff, farewell, and I hope you do better than I,

even though you lead me to my shaming.

SHERIFF.

It is my office; and, madam, pardon me.

It is my job; and, madam, pardon me.

DUCHESS.

Ay, ay, farewell; thy office is discharg'd.--

Come, Stanley, shall we go?

Yes, yes, farewell; you've done your job.

Come, Stanley, shall we go?

STANLEY.

Madam, your penance done, throw off this sheet,

And go we to attire you for our journey.

Madam, you've done your penance, throw off this sheet,

and come and get dressed for our journey.

DUCHESS.

My shame will not be shifted with my sheet;

No, it will hang upon my richest robes

And show itself, attire me how I can.

Go, lead the way; I long to see my prison.

My shame cannot be thrown off with my sheet;

no, it will be there with the richest clothes,

always obvious, however I dress.

Go, lead the way; I'm longing to see my prison.

[Exeunt.]