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Modern English
You are well encounter’d here, my cousin Mowbray: Good day to you, gentle lord archbishop; And so to you, Lord Hastings, and to all. My Lord of York, it better show’d with you When that your flock, assembled by the bell, Encircled you to hear with reverence Your exposition on the holy text Than now to see you here an iron man, Cheering a rout of rebels with your drum, Turning the word to sword and life to death. That man that sits within a monarch’s heart, And ripens in the sunshine of his favour, Would he abuse the countenance of the king, Alack, what mischiefs might he set abrooch In shadow of such greatness! With you, lord bishop, It is even so. Who hath not heard it spoken How deep you were within the books of God? To us the speaker in his parliament; To us the imagined voice of God himself; The very opener and intelligencer Between the grace, the sanctities of heaven And our dull workings. O, who shall believe But you misuse the reverence of your place, Employ the countenance and grace of heaven, As a false favourite doth his prince’s name, In deeds dishonourable? You have ta’en up, Under the counterfeited zeal of God, The subjects of his substitute, my father, And both against the peace of heaven and him Have here up-swarm’d them.
It’s good to see you here, my cousin Mowbray. Good day to you, gentle Lord Archbishop; And good day to you, Lord Hastings, and to everyone. My Lord of York, it would have suited you better When your congregation, gathered by the bell, Surrounded you to listen to your respectful Explanation of the holy scriptures Than to see you here as a warrior, Rallying a group of rebels with your drum, Turning words into swords and life into death. A man who sits in a king’s heart, And grows stronger in the king’s favour, If he misuses the king’s trust, Oh, what trouble could he cause Under the cover of such power! Just like you, my lord bishop, It’s the same. Who hasn’t heard How deeply you were immersed in the word of God? You were the speaker in His parliament; To us, you were the voice of God Himself; The very messenger between the grace of heaven And our mundane actions. Oh, who would believe That you would misuse the respect for your position, Use the favour and grace of heaven, Just like a corrupt favourite uses the name of his prince, For dishonourable deeds? You’ve taken up, Under the false zeal for God, The subjects of my father’s rule, And against both heaven’s peace and his, You’ve stirred them up here.
Good my Lord of Lancaster, I am not here against your father’s peace; But, as I told my lord of Westmoreland, The time misorder’d doth, in common sense, Crowd us and crush us to this monstrous form, To hold our safety up. I sent your grace The parcels and particulars of our grief, The which hath been with scorn shoved from the court, Whereon this Hydra son of war is born; Whose dangerous eyes may well be charm’d asleep With grant of our most just and right desires, And true obedience, of this madness cured, Stoop tamely to the foot of majesty.
Good my Lord of Lancaster, I am not here against your father’s peace; But, as I told my Lord of Westmoreland, The disordered times, in simple terms, Push us and trap us into this monstrous position, Just to protect ourselves. I sent your grace The details of our grievances, Which were dismissed with scorn from the court, Where this war-born creature, the son of war, Whose dangerous eyes could easily be lulled to sleep If our just and rightful desires were granted, And this madness was cured by true obedience, Would then humbly submit to the king’s authority.
If not, we ready are to try our fortunes To the last man.
If not, we are ready to test our fate, To the last man.
And though we here fall down, We have supplies to second our attempt: If they miscarry, theirs shall second them; And so success of mischief shall be born And heir from heir shall hold this quarrel up Whiles England shall have generation.
And even if we fall here, We have reinforcements to support our cause: If they fail, others will take their place; And so the chain of mischief will continue And each generation will carry this conflict As long as England exists.
You are too shallow, Hastings, much too shallow, To sound the bottom of the after-times.
You’re too shallow, Hastings, much too shallow, To understand the future consequences of this.
Pleaseth your grace to answer them directly How far forth you do like their articles.
Will it please your grace to answer them directly How much you approve of their demands?
I like them all, and do allow them well, And swear here, by the honour of my blood, My father’s purposes have been mistook, And some about him have too lavishly Wrested his meaning and authority. My lord, these griefs shall be with speed redress’d; Upon my soul, they shall. If this may please you, Discharge your powers unto their several counties, As we will ours: and here between the armies Let’s drink together friendly and embrace, That all their eyes may bear those tokens home Of our restored love and amity.
I approve of them all, and I support them completely, And swear, by the honour of my blood, That my father’s intentions were misunderstood, And that some around him have wrongly Interpreted his meaning and authority. My lord, these wrongs will be quickly addressed; Upon my soul, they will. If this pleases you, Order your forces to their respective counties, As we will with ours: and here, between the armies, Let’s drink together and embrace, So that everyone can see the signs of our renewed peace and friendship.
I take your princely word for these redresses.
I accept your royal word for these resolutions.
I give it you, and will maintain my word: And thereupon I drink unto your grace.
I give it to you, and will keep my promise: And with that, I drink to your grace.
Go, captain, and deliver to the army This news of peace: let them have pay, and part: I know it will well please them. Hie thee, captain.
Go, captain, and tell the army This news of peace: let them receive their pay, and disperse: I know it will please them. Hurry, captain.
To you, my noble Lord of Westmoreland.
To you, my noble Lord of Westmoreland.
I pledge your grace; and, if you knew what pains I have bestow’d to breed this present peace, You would drink freely: but my love to ye Shall show itself more openly hereafter.
I toast to your grace; and if you knew how much effort I’ve put into bringing about this peace, You’d drink freely: but my loyalty to you Will show itself more openly in the future.
I do not doubt you.
I trust you.
I am glad of it. Health to my lord and gentle cousin, Mowbray.
I’m glad to hear it. Good health to my lord and my kind cousin, Mowbray.
You wish me health in very happy season; For I am, on the sudden, something ill.
You’re wishing me health at just the right time; Because I suddenly feel quite unwell.
Against ill chances men are ever merry; But heaviness foreruns the good event.
In bad times, people try to stay cheerful; But sadness often comes before good things happen.
Therefore be merry, coz; since sudden sorrow Serves to say thus, ’some good thing comes to-morrow.’
So be cheerful, cousin; because sudden sadness Often means "something good is coming tomorrow."
Believe me, I am passing light in spirit.
Believe me, I feel really lighthearted.
So much the worse, if your own rule be true.
That’s unfortunate, if your rule is right.
The word of peace is render’d: hark, how they shout!
The word of peace has been given: listen, they’re cheering!
This had been cheerful after victory.
This would have been a happy sound after a victory.
A peace is of the nature of a conquest; For then both parties nobly are subdued, And neither party loser.
Peace is like a victory; Because in peace, both sides are nobly humbled, And neither side is the loser.
Go, my lord, And let our army be discharged too.
Go, my lord, And let our army be sent home too.
And, good my lord, so please you, let our trains March, by us, that we may peruse the men We should have coped withal.
And, my good lord, if you please, let our troops March by us, so we can inspect the men We would have fought against.
Go, good Lord Hastings, And, ere they be dismissed, let them march by.
Go, good Lord Hastings, And before they are dismissed, let them march by.
I trust, lords, we shall lie to-night together.
I hope, lords, we’ll sleep together tonight.
Now, cousin, wherefore stands our army still?
Now, cousin, why is our army still standing here?
The leaders, having charge from you to stand, Will not go off until they hear you speak.
The leaders, who were told by you to stay, Won’t move until they hear from you.
They know their duties.
They know what they’re supposed to do.
My lord, our army is dispersed already; Like youthful steers unyoked, they take their courses East, west, north, south; or, like a school broke up, Each hurries toward his home and sporting-place.
My lord, our army is already scattered; Like young oxen that aren’t yoked, they go their own ways East, west, north, south; or like a school that’s dismissed, Each one runs off to their home or favorite place.
Good tidings, my Lord Hastings; for the which I do arrest thee, traitor, of high treason: And you, lord archbishop, and you, Lord Mowbray, Of capitol treason I attach you both.
Good news, my Lord Hastings; for that, I Arrest you, traitor, for high treason: And you, Lord Archbishop, and you, Lord Mowbray, I charge both of you with treason against the state.
Is this proceeding just and honourable?
Is this action fair and honorable?
Is your assembly so?
Is your gathering like this?
Will you thus break your faith?
Will you really break your promise like this?
I pawn’d thee none: I promised you redress of these same grievances Whereof you did complain; which, by mine honour, I will perform with a most Christian care. But for you, rebels, look to taste the due Meet for rebellion and such acts as yours. Most shallowly did you these arms commence, Fondly brought here and foolishly sent hence. Strike up our drums, pursue the scatter’d stray: God, and not we, hath safely fought to-day. Some guard these traitors to the block of death, Treason’s true bed and yielder up of breath.
I never promised you anything: I promised to fix the problems you complained about; And I swear by my honor, I will do it with the utmost care. But for you, rebels, expect to face the punishment That rebellion and your actions deserve. You started this war foolishly, Naively brought it here and just as foolishly ended it. Beat the drums, chase down the scattered men: It is God, not us, who has won today. Let some guard these traitors to the block of death, The true place for treason, where they will lose their lives.