The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (87 page)

the most shocking deed of pitiful slaughter

that this country has ever seen.

Dighton and Forrest, whom I employed

to commit this act of ruthless luxury–

even though they were hardened villains, bloody dogs–

broke down with tenderness and soft compassion,

they wept like two children, telling the story of their deaths.

Dighton said, ‘The gentle babies lay like this’;

‘Like this, like this’, said Forrest, ‘hugging one another

with their innocent spotless arms;

their lips were like four red roses on a stalk

kissing each other in their summer beauty.

There was a book of prayers lying on their pillow,

which almost’, Forrest said, ‘changed my mind.

But oh, the devil–’ the villain stopped there,

and Dighton
continued: ‘We smothered the most perfect thing

that nature ever made from the perfection of creation.’

They have both gone away full of conscience and remorse;

they could not speak, and so I left them both

to bring the murderous King the news;

and here he comes. Your health, your Majesty.

KING RICHARD.

Kind Tyrrel, am I happy in thy news?

Kind Tyrrel, do you have news to make me happy?

TYRREL.

If to have done the thing you gave in charge

Beget your happiness, be happy then,

For it is done.

If having done the thing you ordered

will make you happy, then be happy,

for it is done.

KING RICHARD.

But didst thou see them dead?

But did you see them dead?

TYRREL.

I did, my lord.

I did, my lord.

KING RICHARD.

And buried, gentle Tyrrel?

And buried, kind Tyrrel?

TYRREL.

The chaplain of the Tower hath buried them;

But where, to say the truth, I do not know.

The chaplain of the Tower has buried them;

but to tell the truth I don't know where.

KING RICHARD.

Come to me, Tyrrel, soon at after supper,

When thou shalt tell the process of their death.

Meantime, but think how I may do thee good

And be inheritor of thy desire.

Farewell till then.

Come to me, Tyrrel, after supper,

and you shall tell me how they died.

In the meantime, just think of what you'd like me to do for you,

and you shall have it.

Farewell until then.

TYRREL.

I humbly take my leave.

I humbly take my leave.

Exit

KING RICHARD.

The son of Clarence have I pent up close;

His daughter meanly have I match'd in marriage;

The sons of Edward sleep in Abraham's bosom,

And Anne my wife hath bid this world good night.

Now, for I know the Britaine Richmond aims

At young Elizabeth, my brother's daughter,

And by that knot looks proudly on the crown,

To her go I, a jolly thriving wooer.

I have got Clarence's son in custody;

I have matched his daughter in a mean marriage;

the sons of Edward dead,

and my wife Anne has said good night to the world.

Now, as I know that Richmond from Brittany has intentions

upon the young Elizabeth,the daughter of my brother,

and hopes through that marriage to gain the crown,

then off I go to see her, a jolly prosperous suitor.

Enter RATCLIFF

RATCLIFF.

My lord!

My lord!

KING RICHARD.

Good or bad news, that thou com'st in so

bluntly?

Is it good or bad news that has you barging in?

RATCLIFF.

Bad news, my lord: Morton is fled to Richmond;

And Buckingham, back'd with the hardy Welshmen,

Is in the field, and still his power increaseth.

Bad news, my lord: Morton has fled to Richmond;

and Buckingham, supported by the strong Welshmen,

is threatening battle, and his forces are increasing.

KING RICHARD.

Ely with Richmond troubles me more near

Than Buckingham and his rash-levied strength.

Come, I have learn'd that fearful commenting

Is leaden servitor to dull delay;

Delay leads impotent and snail-pac'd beggary.

Then fiery expedition be my wing,

Jove's Mercury, and herald for a king!

Go, muster men. My counsel is my shield.

We must be brief when traitors brave the field.

Ely allied to Richmond worries me more

than Buckingham and his quickly raised forces.

Come: I have learned that nervous discussion

is what leads to stupid delay;

delay leads to powerless slow defeat:

so let me take fiery swift action,

which will announce the arrival of the king into battle!

Go, gather forces. My weapons will be my advisers.

We must hurry when traitors are on the attack.

Exeunt

London. Before the palace

Enter old QUEEN MARGARET

QUEEN MARGARET.

So now prosperity begins to mellow

And drop into the rotten mouth of death.

Here in these confines slily have I lurk'd

To watch the waning of mine enemies.

A dire induction am I witness to,

And will to France, hoping the consequence

Will prove as bitter, black, and tragical.

Withdraw thee, wretched Margaret. Who comes here?

So now the fruit of summer begins to mellow

and drop into the rotten mouth of death.

I have cunningly hidden round these parts

to watchmy enemies fall.

I have seen a terrible prologue,

and shall go to France, hoping the outcome

will be as bitter, black and tragic as the beginning.

Hide yourself, wretched Margaret. Who is this coming?

[Retires]

Enter QUEEN ELIZABETH and the DUCHESS OF YORK

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

Ah, my poor princes! ah, my tender

babes!

My unblown flowers, new-appearing sweets!

If yet your gentle souls fly in the air

And be not fix'd in doom perpetual,

Hover about me with your airy wings

And hear your mother's lamentation.

Ah, my poor Princes! Ah, my tender babies!

My immature flowers, my newly opened blossoms!

If your gentle souls are still flying in the air

and have not yet been allocated their place in the afterlife,

hover around me with your fairy wings

and hear your mother's lamentation.

QUEEN MARGARET.

Hover about her; say that right for right

Hath dimm'd your infant morn to aged night.

Hover around her; say that tit for tat

is what has made a night out of your infant morning.

DUCHESS.

So many miseries have craz'd my voice

That my woe-wearied tongue is still and mute.

Edward Plantagenet, why art thou dead?

So many miseries have cracked my voice

that my sorrowful tongue is mute.

Edward Plantagenet, why are you dead?

QUEEN MARGARET.

Plantagenet doth quit Plantagenet,

Edward for Edward pays a dying debt.

Plantagenet has paid back Plantagenet,

Edward has paid a dying debt for Edward.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

Wilt thou, O God, fly from such gentle

lambs

And throw them in the entrails of the wolf?

When didst thou sleep when such a deed was done?

Will you, O God, abandon such gentle lambs

and allow them to be eaten by the wolf?

When were you sleeping when this deed was done?

QUEEN MARGARET.

When holy Harry died, and my sweet

son.

When holy Harry died, and my sweet son.

DUCHESS.

Dead life, blind sight, poor mortal living ghost,

Woe's scene, world's shame, grave's due by life usurp'd,

Brief abstract and record of tedious days,

Rest thy unrest on England's lawful earth,[Sitting down]

Unlawfully made drunk with innocent blood.

Life is dead, sight is blind, poor mortal living ghost,

the picture of woe, the shame of the world, what should be in the grave still living,

symbol of these terrible days,

rest your misery on the lawful earth of England,

made unlawfully drunk with innocent blood.

QUEEN ELIZABETH.

Ah, that thou wouldst as soon afford a

grave

As thou canst yield a melancholy seat!

Then would I hide my bones, not rest them here.

Ah, who hath any cause to mourn but we?

Ah, I wish you could as easily provide a grave

as you can a seat of sadness!

Then I would hide my bones away, not just rest them here.

Ah, who has any reason to mourn but us?

[Sitting down by her]

QUEEN MARGARET.

[Coming forward]If ancient sorrow be

most reverend,

Give mine the benefit of seniory,

And let my griefs frown on the upper hand.

If sorrow can admit society,[Sitting down with them]

Tell o'er your woes again by viewing mine.

I had an Edward, till a Richard kill'd him;

I had a husband, till a Richard kill'd him:

Thou hadst an Edward, till a Richard kill'd him;

Thou hadst a Richard, till a Richard kill'd him.

If the oldest sorrow is the most respected,

give mine the benefits of seniority,

and let my grief look down on yours from above.

If sorrow can cope with company,

you can see all yours again in mine.

I had an Edward, until a Richard killed him;

I had a husband, until a Richard killed him;

you had an Edward, until a Richard killed him;