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RICHARD
RICHARD
Great lords and gentlemen, what means this silence? Dare no man answer in a case of truth?
Great lords and gentlemen, why is there this silence? Is no one going to speak up about the truth?
Within the Temple-hall we were too loud; The garden here is more convenient. RICHARD
We were too loud in the Temple-hall; The garden here is a better place for this. RICHARD
Then say at once if I maintain’d the truth; Or else was wrangling Somerset in the error?
Then just say it clearly, did I speak the truth? Or was Somerset just arguing out of mistake?
Faith, I have been a truant in the law, And never yet could frame my will to it; And therefore frame the law unto my will.
Honestly, I’ve been neglecting the law, And I’ve never been able to stick to it; So instead, I’ll twist the law to fit what I want.
Judge you, my Lord of Warwick, then, between us.
Let my Lord of Warwick judge between us.
Between two hawks, which flies the higher pitch; Between two dogs, which hath the deeper mouth; Between two blades, which bears the better temper: Between two horses, which doth bear him best; Between two girls, which hath the merriest eye; I have perhaps some shallow spirit of judgement; But in these nice sharp quillets of the law, Good faith, I am no wiser than a daw. RICHARD
Between two hawks, which one flies higher? Between two dogs, which one has the bigger mouth? Between two swords, which one is sharper? Between two horses, which one rides better? Between two girls, which one has the brightest eyes? I may have some basic sense of judgment, But when it comes to these tricky details of the law, Honestly, I’m no smarter than a crow. RICHARD
Tut, tut, here is a mannerly forbearance: The truth appears so naked on my side That any purblind eye may find it out.
Come on, this is just playing polite: The truth is so obvious on my side That even the most blind person could see it.
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. RICHARD
And on my side, it’s so well presented, So clear, so bright, and so obvious That it would shine even through a blind man’s eyes. RICHARD
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 honour of his birth, If he suppose that I have pleaded truth, From off this brier pluck a white rose with me.
Since you’re tongue-tied and so reluctant to speak, Show your thoughts through silent gestures: Let any true-born gentleman Who stands by the honor of his birth, If he believes I’ve spoken the truth, Pluck a white rose from this bush with me.
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 any man who isn’t a coward or a flatterer, But who dares to stand for the truth, Pluck a red rose from this thorn with me.
I love no colours, and without all colour Of base insinuating flattery I pluck this white rose with Plantagenet.
I don’t care about colours, and I reject all the fake, flattering praise I take this white rose with Plantagenet.
I pluck this red rose with young Somerset And say withal I think he held the right.
I take this red rose with young Somerset And I believe he is in the right.
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 stop picking roses, Until you’ve decided that the side with the fewest roses Should give way to the other in the right opinion.
Good Master Vernon, it is well objected: If I have fewest, I subscribe in silence. RICHARD
Good point, Master Vernon, If I have the fewest, I’ll quietly accept that. RICHARD
And I.
And so will I.
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, to be fair and honest about it, I take this pale, innocent rose here, Giving my vote to the white rose side.
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 while you pick it, Or you’ll end up staining the white rose red And joining my side, against your will.
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 bleed for my opinion, my opinion will heal me, And keep me on the side where I still stand.
Well, well, come on: who else?
Alright, alright, let’s move on: who’s next?
Unless my study and my books be false, The argument you held was wrong in you:
Unless my studies and books are wrong, The argument you’ve made is incorrect:
In sign whereof I pluck a white rose too. RICHARD
So, as a sign of my agreement, I take a white rose too. RICHARD
Now, Somerset, where is your argument?
Now, Somerset, where is your argument?
Here in my scabbard, meditating that Shall dye your white rose in a bloody red. RICHARD
Here in my scabbard, thinking about how It will turn your white rose blood red. RICHARD
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 are showing our roses; They look pale with fear, as proof That the truth is on our side.
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. RICHARD
No, Plantagenet, It’s not fear that makes your cheeks pale, It’s anger and pure shame for trying to copy our roses, And yet your tongue refuses to admit your mistake. RICHARD
Hath not thy rose a canker, Somerset?
Doesn’t your rose have a flaw, Somerset?
Hath not thy rose a thorn, Plantagenet? RICHARD
Doesn’t your rose have a thorn, Plantagenet? RICHARD
Ay, sharp and piercing, to maintain his truth; Whiles thy consuming canker eats his falsehood.
Yes, sharp and piercing, to defend its truth; While your rotting flaw eats away at your lies.
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. RICHARD
Fine, I’ll find people to wear my bleeding roses, Who will defend what I’ve said is true, Where false Plantagenet dares not show his face. RICHARD
Now, by this maiden blossom in my hand, I scorn thee and thy fashion, peevish boy.
Now, by this young flower in my hand, I mock you and your behavior, foolish boy.
Turn not thy scorns this way, Plantagenet. RICHARD
Don’t direct your mockery this way, Plantagenet. RICHARD
Proud Pole, I will, and scorn both him and thee.
Proud Pole, I will, and mock both you and him.
I’ll turn my part thereof into thy throat.
I’ll shove my words down your throat.
Away, away, good William de la Pole! We grace the yeoman by conversing with him.
Get lost, get lost, good William de la Pole! We elevate the common man by talking to him.
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? RICHARD
Now, by God’s will, you’re wronging him, Somerset; His grandfather was Lionel, Duke of Clarence, The third son of the third Edward, King of England: You’re suggesting that lowborn men can come from such a noble family? RICHARD
He bears him on the place’s privilege, Or durst not, for his craven heart, say thus.
He carries himself with the honor of his position, Or he wouldn’t dare speak like that, with his cowardly heart.
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. RICHARD
I swear by the one who made me, I’ll defend my words On any piece of land in Christendom. Wasn’t your father, Richard, Earl of Cambridge, Executed for treason during our late king’s reign? And because of his treason, aren’t you now disqualified, Corrupted, and excluded from ancient nobility? His crime still stains your blood; And until you are restored, you are no better than a commoner. RICHARD
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 convicted, Condemned to die for treason, but he was no traitor; And I’ll prove that on men far worthier than Somerset, When the time is right and my power is grown. As for your accomplice Pole and you yourself, I’ll make a note of you in my book of memory, To punish you for this accusation: Watch yourselves and know that you’ve been warned.
Ah, thou shalt find us ready for thee still; And know us by these colours for thy foes, For these my friends in spite of thee shall wear. RICHARD
Ah, you’ll find us ready for you whenever you like; And you’ll recognize us by these colors as your enemies, Because these friends of mine will wear them despite you. RICHARD
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, by my soul, this pale and furious rose, As a symbol of my bloodthirsty hate, I’ll wear forever, along with my faction, Until it fades with me into my grave Or blooms to the height of my power.
Go forward and be choked with thy ambition! And so farewell until I meet thee next.
Go on and be choked by your ambition! And so farewell until I meet you again.
Have with thee, Pole. Farewell, ambitious Richard.
I’m off with you, Pole. Goodbye, ambitious Richard.
RICHARD
RICHARD
How I am braved and must perforce endure it!
How I am challenged and must endure it!
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; And if thou be not then created York, I will not live to be accounted Warwick. Meantime, in signal of my love to thee, Against proud Somerset and William Pole, Will I upon thy party wear this rose: And here I prophesy: this brawl to-day, Grown to this faction in the Temple-garden, Shall send between the red rose and the white A thousand souls to death and deadly night. RICHARD
This stain that they accuse your family of Will be removed in the next parliament Called for the truce between Winchester and Gloucester; And if you are not made York by then, I won’t live to be called Warwick. In the meantime, as a sign of my loyalty to you, I will wear this rose for your side, Against proud Somerset and William Pole. And here’s my prophecy: this fight today, Which has grown into this conflict in the Temple garden, Will send between the red rose and the white A thousand souls to death and eternal night. RICHARD
Good Master Vernon, I am bound to you, That you on my behalf would pluck a flower.
Thank you, Master Vernon, I am grateful to you, For you’ll pull a flower for me.
In your behalf still will I wear the same.
On your behalf, I’ll still wear the same.
And so will I. RICHARD
And so will I. RICHARD
Thanks, gentle sir. Come, let us four to dinner: I dare say This quarrel will drink blood another day.
Thanks, kind sir. Come on, let’s go to dinner: I’m sure This quarrel will spill blood another day.