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Modern English
Why, so: now have I done a good day’s work: You peers, continue this united league: I every day expect an embassage From my Redeemer to redeem me hence; And now in peace my soul shall part to heaven, Since I have set my friends at peace on earth. Rivers and Hastings, take each other’s hand; Dissemble not your hatred, swear your love.
Yes, that’s right: I’ve done a good day’s work: You nobles, keep up this united bond: Every day I expect a message From my Savior to take me away; And now, in peace, my soul will go to heaven, Since I’ve made peace between my friends here on earth. Rivers and Hastings, shake hands; Don’t pretend to hate each other, swear your love.
By heaven, my heart is purged from grudging hate: And with my hand I seal my true heart’s love.
By heaven, I’ve cleared my heart of all hatred: And with my hand, I seal my true love for you.
So thrive I, as I truly swear the like!
So help me prosper, as I swear the same!
Take heed you dally not before your king; Lest he that is the supreme King of kings Confound your hidden falsehood, and award Either of you to be the other’s end.
Be careful not to waste time before your king; Lest the supreme King of kings Expose your hidden lies, and punish Either of you with death at the other’s hand.
So prosper I, as I swear perfect love!
So may I prosper, as I swear perfect love!
And I, as I love Hastings with my heart!
And I, as I love Hastings with all my heart!
Madam, yourself are not exempt in this, Nor your son Dorset, Buckingham, nor you; You have been factious one against the other, Wife, love Lord Hastings, let him kiss your hand; And what you do, do it unfeignedly.
Madam, you’re not exempt from this either, Nor you, your son Dorset, nor you, Buckingham; You’ve been divided, fighting among yourselves, Wife, love Lord Hastings, let him kiss your hand; And whatever you do, do it genuinely.
Here, Hastings; I will never more remember Our former hatred, so thrive I and mine!
Here, Hastings; I will never again remember Our past hatred, so may I and mine prosper!
Dorset, embrace him; Hastings, love lord marquess.
Dorset, embrace him; Hastings, love the marquess.
This interchange of love, I here protest, Upon my part shall be unviolable.
I swear, this exchange of love Will be unbreakable on my part.
And so swear I, my lord
And so swear I, my lord
Now, princely Buckingham, seal thou this league With thy embracements to my wife’s allies, And make me happy in your unity.
Now, princely Buckingham, seal this alliance With your embrace of my wife’s allies, And make me happy with your unity.
Whenever Buckingham doth turn his hate On you or yours,
Whenever Buckingham turns his hate On you or your people,
but with all duteous love Doth cherish you and yours, God punish me With hate in those where I expect most love! When I have most need to employ a friend, And most assured that he is a friend Deep, hollow, treacherous, and full of guile, Be he unto me! this do I beg of God, When I am cold in zeal to yours.
but with all dutiful love Does care for you and yours, God punish me With hate from those where I expect the most love! When I need a friend the most, And am most sure that he is a friend, Let him be deep, deceitful, treacherous, and full of trickery, That I ask of God, When I am not fully loyal to you.
A pleasing cordial, princely Buckingham, is this thy vow unto my sickly heart. There wanteth now our brother Gloucester here, To make the perfect period of this peace.
A comforting vow, princely Buckingham, is this your promise to my sickly heart. Now we are just missing our brother Gloucester, To complete the perfect end to this peace.
And, in good time, here comes the noble duke.
And just on time, here comes the noble duke.
Good morrow to my sovereign king and queen: And, princely peers, a happy time of day!
Good morning to my sovereign king and queen: And to my noble peers, a happy time of day!
Happy, indeed, as we have spent the day. Brother, we done deeds of charity; Made peace enmity, fair love of hate, Between these swelling wrong-incensed peers.
Happy, indeed, as we’ve spent the day. Brother, we’ve done charitable deeds; Made peace out of hatred, fair love from anger, Between these angry, offended peers.
A blessed labour, my most sovereign liege: Amongst this princely heap, if any here, By false intelligence, or wrong surmise, Hold me a foe; If I unwittingly, or in my rage, Have aught committed that is hardly borne By any in this presence, I desire To reconcile me to his friendly peace: ’Tis death to me to be at enmity; I hate it, and desire all good men’s love. First, madam, I entreat true peace of you, Which I will purchase with my duteous service; Of you, my noble cousin Buckingham, If ever any grudge were lodged between us; Of you, Lord Rivers, and, Lord Grey, of you; That without desert have frown’d on me; Dukes, earls, lords, gentlemen; indeed, of all. I do not know that Englishman alive With whom my soul is any jot at odds More than the infant that is born to-night I thank my God for my humility.
A blessed task, my most sovereign lord: Among this noble group, if anyone here, By false information, or wrong assumption, Thinks of me as an enemy; If I have unwittingly, or in my rage, Done anything that’s hard for anyone to bear In this group, I ask To be reconciled to his peace: It’s death to me to be at odds; I hate it, and I want all good men’s love. First, madam, I ask for true peace from you, Which I will earn with my loyal service; From you, my noble cousin Buckingham, If ever any grudge has been between us; From you, Lord Rivers, and, Lord Grey, from you; Who without cause have frowned upon me; Dukes, earls, lords, gentlemen; indeed, from all. I don’t know any Englishman alive Whom I am at odds with More than the baby born tonight. I thank God for my humility.
A holy day shall this be kept hereafter: I would to God all strifes were well compounded. My sovereign liege, I do beseech your majesty To take our brother Clarence to your grace.
A holy day will be kept in honor of this: I wish to God all arguments were resolved well. My sovereign lord, I beg your majesty To take our brother Clarence into your favor.
Why, madam, have I offer’d love for this To be so bouted in this royal presence? Who knows not that the noble duke is dead?
Why, madam, have I offered love for this To be insulted in this royal presence? Who doesn’t know that the noble duke is dead?
You do him injury to scorn his corse.
You do him wrong to mock his body.
Who knows not he is dead! who knows he is?
Who doesn’t know he’s dead! who knows he is?
All seeing heaven, what a world is this!
All-seeing heaven, what kind of world is this!
Look I so pale, Lord Dorset, as the rest?
Do I look as pale, Lord Dorset, as the others?
Ay, my good lord; and no one in this presence But his red colour hath forsook his cheeks.
Yes, my good lord; and no one here in this room Whose face isn’t drained of color.
Is Clarence dead? the order was reversed.
Is Clarence dead? The order was changed.
But he, poor soul, by your first order died, And that a winged Mercury did bear: Some tardy cripple bore the countermand, That came too lag to see him buried. God grant that some, less noble and less loyal, Nearer in bloody thoughts, but not in blood, Deserve not worse than wretched Clarence did, And yet go current from suspicion!
But he, poor soul, died by your first order, And it was a winged Mercury who took him: Some slow cripple carried the counter-order, And got there too late to see him buried. God grant that some, less noble and less loyal, Who are more eager for bloodshed, but not related, Deserve something worse than poor Clarence did, And yet remain free from suspicion!
A boon, my sovereign, for my service done!
A favor, my king, for the service I’ve done!
I pray thee, peace: my soul is full of sorrow.
I beg you, be quiet: my soul is full of grief.
I will not rise, unless your highness grant.
I will not stand up unless your highness grants it.
Then speak at once what is it thou demand’st.
Then say at once what it is you want.
The forfeit, sovereign, of my servant’s life; Who slew to-day a righteous gentleman Lately attendant on the Duke of Norfolk.
The punishment, my king, of my servant’s life; He killed a righteous gentleman today, Who had been recently in service to the Duke of Norfolk.
Have a tongue to doom my brother’s death, And shall the same give pardon to a slave? My brother slew no man; his fault was thought, And yet his punishment was cruel death. Who sued to me for him? who, in my rage, Kneel’d at my feet, and bade me be advised Who spake of brotherhood? who spake of love? Who told me how the poor soul did forsake The mighty Warwick, and did fight for me? Who told me, in the field by Tewksbury When Oxford had me down, he rescued me, And said, ’Dear brother, live, and be a king’? Who told me, when we both lay in the field Frozen almost to death, how he did lap me Even in his own garments, and gave himself, All thin and naked, to the numb cold night? All this from my remembrance brutish wrath Sinfully pluck’d, and not a man of you Had so much grace to put it in my mind. But when your carters or your waiting-vassals Have done a drunken slaughter, and defaced The precious image of our dear Redeemer, You straight are on your knees for pardon, pardon; And I unjustly too, must grant it you But for my brother not a man would speak, Nor I, ungracious, speak unto myself For him, poor soul. The proudest of you all Have been beholding to him in his life; Yet none of you would once plead for his life. O God, I fear thy justice will take hold On me, and you, and mine, and yours for this! Come, Hastings, help me to my closet. Oh, poor Clarence!
You have the nerve to condemn my brother’s death, And will you then forgive a slave for his crimes? My brother killed no one; his fault was only suspected, And yet his punishment was the cruel death he suffered. Who begged me to pardon him? Who, in my anger, Knelt at my feet, asking me to reconsider? Who spoke of brotherhood? Who spoke of love? Who told me how the poor soul turned away From the mighty Warwick and fought for me? Who told me, in the field at Tewksbury, When Oxford had me down, he saved me, And said, ‘Dear brother, live, and be a king’? Who told me, when we both lay in the field, Almost frozen to death, how he wrapped me In his own clothes, and gave himself, All thin and naked, to the cold night? All this, through my brutal rage, Was ripped from my memory, and none of you Had enough grace to remind me. But when your carters or your servants, Have committed drunken murder, defacing The precious image of our dear Redeemer, You immediately fall on your knees, begging for pardon; And I unjustly grant it to you. But for my brother, not one of you would speak, Nor would I, ungrateful, speak to myself For him, poor soul. The proudest of you all Owe him for his kindness in life; Yet none of you would plead for his life. Oh God, I fear your justice will catch up With me, and you, and mine, and yours for this! Come, Hastings, help me to my private room. Oh, poor Clarence!
This is the fruit of rashness! Mark’d you not How that the guilty kindred of the queen Look’d pale when they did hear of Clarence’ death? O, they did urge it still unto the king! God will revenge it. But come, let us in, To comfort Edward with our company.
This is the result of rashness! Didn’t you notice How the guilty relatives of the queen Went pale when they heard of Clarence’s death? Oh, they kept pushing the king to do it! God will take revenge. But come, let’s go in, To comfort Edward with our company.
We wait upon your grace.
We’ll follow you, Your Grace.