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Act 5, Scene 4
Henry VI, Part 3 Translation Act 5, Scene 5
Flourish. Enter KING EDWARD IV, GLOUCESTER, CLARENCE, and soldiers; with QUEEN MARGARET, OXFORD, and SOMERSET, prisoners
KING EDWARD IV
Now here a period of tumultuous broils.Away with Oxford to Hames Castle straight:For Somerset, off with his guilty head.Go, bear them hence; I will not hear them speak.
KING EDWARD IV
Now we've reached the end of all the tumultuous fighting. Take Oxford to Hames Castle immediately. As for Somerset, off with his guilty head. Go, take them away. I won't to hear them speak.
OXFORD
For my part, I'll not trouble thee with words.
OXFORD
I will not trouble you with my words!
SOMERSET
Nor I, but stoop with patience to my fortune.
SOMERSET
Nor will I. But I submit to my fate patiently.
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Exeunt OXFORD and SOMERSET, guarded
QUEEN MARGARET
So part we sadly in this troublous world,To meet with joy in sweet Jerusalem.
QUEEN MARGARET
So we say goodbye sadly in this troubled world, only to greet joy in sweet heaven.
KING EDWARD IV
Is proclamation made, that who finds EdwardShall have a high reward, and he his life?
KING EDWARD IV
Has it been declared that whoever finds Edward will get a big reward and be allowed to live?
GLOUCESTER
It is: and lo, where youthful Edward comes!
GLOUCESTER
It is. And look: here comes the young Edward!
Enter soldiers, with PRINCE EDWARD
KING EDWARD IV
Bring forth the gallant, let us hear him speak. What! Can so young a thorn begin to prick? Edward, what satisfaction canst thou make For bearing arms, for stirring up my subjects, And all the trouble thou hast turn'd me to?
KING EDWARD IV
Bring the young man forward and let's hear him speak. What? Can such a young boy be so rude already? Edward, what is your excuse for bearing arms against me, stirring up my people to violence, and for all the trouble you caused me?
PRINCE EDWARD
Speak like a subject, proud ambitious York! Suppose that I am now my father's mouth; Resign thy chair, and where I stand kneel thou, Whilst I propose the selfsame words to thee, Which traitor, thou wouldst have me answer to.
PRINCE EDWARD
You should speak like a subject, proud ambitious Duke of York! I am representing my father. Give up the throne and kneel where I stand, while I say the same words to you that you've just said to me, you traitor.
QUEEN MARGARET
Ah, that thy father had been so resolved!
QUEEN MARGARET
Oh, if only your father had been so strong-willed!
GLOUCESTER
That you might still have worn the petticoat,And ne'er have stol'n the breech from Lancaster.
GLOUCESTER
Then you wouldn't have been the one wearing the pants in your marriage.
PRINCE EDWARD
Let Aesop fable in a winter's night;His currish riddles sort not with this place.
PRINCE EDWARD
Let Aesop tell tales on a winter's night. The hunchback's rude riddles don't suit this occasion.
GLOUCESTER
By heaven, brat, I'll plague ye for that word.
GLOUCESTER
I swear to heaven, brat, I'll attack you like the plague for saying that.
QUEEN MARGARET
Ay, thou wast born to be a plague to men.
QUEEN MARGARET
Yes, you were born to be a plague for people.
GLOUCESTER
For God's sake, take away this captive scold.
GLOUCESTER
For God's sake, take away this shrewish prisoner!
PRINCE EDWARD
Nay, take away this scolding crookback rather.
PRINCE EDWARD
No, take away this shrewish hunchback instead.
KING EDWARD IV
Peace, wilful boy, or I will charm your tongue.
KING EDWARD IV
Quiet, you headstrong boy, or I will silence your tongue forever.
CLARENCE
Untutor'd lad, thou art too malapert.
CLARENCE
Uneducated boy, you are too impudent.
PRINCE EDWARD
I know my duty; you are all undutiful: Lascivious Edward, and thou perjured George, And thou misshapen Dick, I tell ye all I am your better, traitors as ye are: And thou usurp'st my father's right and mine.
PRINCE EDWARD
I know my duty. None of you do. Lustful Edward, and you, treacherous George, and you, deformed Dick, I am telling you all: I am superior to you, even though you're traitors. You have usurped the throne from me and my father.
KING EDWARD IV
Take that, thou likeness of this railer here.
KING EDWARD IV
Take that, you mirror image of your ranting mother here.
Stabs him
GLOUCESTER
Sprawl'st thou? Take that, to end thy agony.
GLOUCESTER
Are you still writhing? Take that, to end your agony.
Stabs him
CLARENCE
And there's for twitting me with perjury.
CLARENCE
And here's for calling me treacherous.
Stabs him
QUEEN MARGARET
O, kill me too!
QUEEN MARGARET
Oh, kill me too!
GLOUCESTER
Marry, and shall.
GLOUCESTER
I will, gladly.
Offers to kill her
KING EDWARD IV
Hold, Richard, hold; for we have done too much.
KING EDWARD IV
Stop, Richard, stop. We have done too much.
GLOUCESTER
Why should she live, to fill the world with words?
GLOUCESTER
Why should she live and fill the world with her words?
KING EDWARD IV
What, doth she swoon? Use means for her recovery.
KING EDWARD IV
Is she fainting? Help her recover.
GLOUCESTER
Clarence, excuse me to the king my brother;I'll hence to London on a serious matter:Ere ye come there, be sure to hear some news.
GLOUCESTER
[So only CLARENCE can hear]
Clarence, give my excuses to my brother the king. I'm off to London because to take care of some serious business. Before you come there, wait to hear some news from me.
CLARENCE
What? What?
CLARENCE
[So only GLOUCESTER can hear]
What? What?
GLOUCESTER
The Tower, the Tower.
GLOUCESTER
[So only CLARENCE can hear]
The Tower, the Tower.
Exit
QUEEN MARGARET
O Ned, sweet Ned! Speak to thy mother, boy! Canst thou not speak? O traitors! Murderers! They that stabb'd Caesar shed no blood at all, Did not offend, nor were not worthy blame, If this foul deed were by to equal it: He was a man; this, in respect, a child: And men ne'er spend their fury on a child. What's worse than murderer, that I may name it? No, no, my heart will burst, and if I speak: And I will speak, that so my heart may burst. Butchers and villains! Bloody cannibals! How sweet a plant have you untimely cropp'd! You have no children, butchers! If you had, The thought of them would have stirr'd up remorse: But if you ever chance to have a child, Look in his youth to have him so cut off As, deathmen, you have rid this sweet young prince!
QUEEN MARGARET
Oh, Ned, sweet Ned! Speak to your mother, boy! Can you not speak? Oh, traitors! Murderers! Compared to this horrible, act the men who stabbed Caesar spilled no blood at all, didn't offend anyone, and weren't deserving of blame. Caesar was a man. My son, in comparison, was a child. And men never act violently towards children. What's worse than being a murderer so I can call them that? No, no, my heart will burst if I speak: I will speak so my heart can burst. Butchers and villains! Bloody cannibals! You have cut short the life of this sweet boy too early. You have no children, butchers! If you did have children, the thought of them would have made you feel pity. But if you ever do have a child, prepare to have him slaughtered in his youth just as you killers have executed this sweet young prince!
KING EDWARD IV
Away with her; go, bear her hence perforce.
KING EDWARD IV
Take her away from here with force.
QUEEN MARGARET
Nay, never bear me hence, dispatch me here,Here sheathe thy sword, I'll pardon thee my death:What, wilt thou not? Then, Clarence, do it thou.
QUEEN MARGARET
No, don't take me away from here, kill me here. Bury your sword in my body and I'll forgive you for my death. What, you won't do it? Then, Clarence, you do it.
CLARENCE
By heaven, I will not do thee so much ease.
CLARENCE
By heaven, I will not give you so much comfort.
QUEEN MARGARET
Good Clarence, do; sweet Clarence, do thou do it.
QUEEN MARGARET
Good Clarence, do. Sweet Clarence, please do it.
CLARENCE
Didst thou not hear me swear I would not do it?
CLARENCE
Didn't you hear me swear that I wouldn't do it?
QUEEN MARGARET
Ay, but thou usest to forswear thyself: 'Twas sin before, but now 'tis charity. What, wilt thou not? Where is that devil's butcher, Hard-favour'd Richard? Richard, where art thou? Thou art not here: murder is thy alms-deed; Petitioners for blood thou ne'er put'st back.
QUEEN MARGARET
Yes but you are used to swearing and the breaking your promise. It was a sin before, but now it is charity. What, won't you do it? Where is that devilish slaughterer, ugly Richard? Richard, where are you? You aren't here. Murder is your act of charity. You never turn away those who are begging for death.
KING EDWARD IV
Away, I say; I charge ye, bear her hence.
KING EDWARD IV
I say, away! I order you, take her away from here.
QUEEN MARGARET
So come to you and yours, as to this Prince!
QUEEN MARGARET
May the same happen to you and your family as it happened to this Prince!
Exit, led out forcibly
KING EDWARD IV
Where's Richard gone?
KING EDWARD IV
Where has Richard gone?
CLARENCE
To London, all in post; and, as I guess,To make a bloody supper in the Tower.
CLARENCE
To London, in a big hurry.
[To himself] And I suspect he is going to be shedding blood in the Tower.
KING EDWARD IV
He's sudden if a thing comes in his head. Now march we hence: discharge the common sort With pay and thanks, and let's away to London And see our gentle queen how well she fares: By this, I hope, she hath a son for me.
KING EDWARD IV
He's impulsive when an idea comes into his head. Now let's go from here. Tell the common soldiers to go. Pay them and thank them. Let's go to London and see how my gentle queen is doing. I hope that she has given birth to a son for me by now.
Exeunt
