The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (297 page)

And fit it with such furniture as suits

The greatness of his person.

Get ready,

the Duke is coming: make sure the barge is prepared;

and put furniture in it which suits

his great nobility.

BUCKINGHAM

Nay, Sir Nicholas,

Let it alone; my state now will but mock me.

When I came hither, I was lord high constable

And Duke of Buckingham; now, poor Edward Bohun:

Yet I am richer than my base accusers,

That never knew what truth meant: I now seal it;

And with that blood will make 'em one day groan for't.

My noble father, Henry of Buckingham,

Who first raised head against usurping Richard,

Flying for succor to his servant Banister,

Being distress'd, was by that wretch betray'd,

And without trial fell; God's peace be with him!

Henry the Seventh succeeding, truly pitying

My father's loss, like a most royal prince,

Restored me to my honours, and, out of ruins,

Made my name once more noble. Now his son,

Henry the Eighth, life, honour, name and all

That made me happy at one stroke has taken

For ever from the world. I had my trial,

And, must needs say, a noble one; which makes me,

A little happier than my wretched father:

Yet thus far we are one in fortunes: both

Fell by our servants, by those men we loved most;

A most unnatural and faithless service!

Heaven has an end in all: yet, you that hear me,

This from a dying man receive as certain:

Where you are liberal of your loves and counsels

Be sure you be not loose; for those you make friends

And give your hearts to, when they once perceive

The least rub in your fortunes, fall away

Like water from ye, never found again

But where they mean to sink ye. All good people,

Pray for me! I must now forsake ye: the last hour

Of my long weary life is come upon me. Farewell:

And when you would say something that is sad,

Speak how I fell. I have done; and God forgive me!

No, Sir Nicholas,

let it be; my position would just mock me now.

When I came here I was Lord High Constable

and Duke of Buckingham: now I am poor Edward Bohun;

but I am richer than my low accusers,

who never knew what truth meant: I shall now prove it

with the blood price which one day they will suffer for.

My noble father Henry of Buckingham,

the first one to raise forces against usurping Richard,

running for assistance to his servant Banister,

when he was in need, was betrayed by that wretch,

and executed without trial; may God's peace be upon him.

Henry the Seventh succeeded, and as he truly pitied

the loss of my father, he gave me back my titles

like the Royal Prince he was; and out of the ruins

he reinstated my noble name. Now his son,

Henry the Eighth, in one blow has taken away

my life, honour, title and everything

that made me happy. I had my trial,

and I have to say it was a noble one; that makes me

a little happier than my wretched father:

but we are identical in one way; we were both

brought down by our servants, by those men we loved most:

very unnatural and faithless service.

Heaven always has a purpose; but you who hear me,

take this as the truth from a dying man:

when you are generous with your love and advice,

make sure you are not profligate; for those you have as friends

and give your hearts to, as soon as they see

that your fortunes are failing, they shall drop away from you

like water, you'll never see them again

until they try to drown you. Pray for me,

all good people; now I must leave you; the last hour

of my long weary life has come:

farewell; and when you want to speak about something that's sad,

talk of my end. I have finished, and may God forgive me.

Exeunt BUCKINGHAM and Train

First Gentleman

O, this is full of pity! Sir, it calls,

I fear, too many curses on their heads

That were the authors.

Oh, this is pitiable! Sir, I fear

it brings down too many curses on the heads

of those who are responsible.

Second Gentleman

If the duke be guiltless,

'Tis full of woe: yet I can give you inkling

Of an ensuing evil, if it fall,

Greater than this.

If the Duke is not guilty,

it's very sad: but I can give you a hint

of an even greater evil that is

coming, if it happens.

First Gentleman

Good angels keep it from us!

What may it be? You do not doubt my faith, sir?

May the good angels keep it from us!

What is it? You don't doubt my loyalty, sir?

Second Gentleman

This secret is so weighty, 'twill require

A strong faith to conceal it.

This secret is so great, it will need

great loyalty to keep it hidden.

First Gentleman

Let me have it;

I do not talk much.

Tell me;

I don't talk much.

Second Gentleman

I am confident,

You shall, sir: did you not of late days hear

A buzzing of a separation

Between the king and Katharine?

I trust you,

I shall tell you: haven't you recently heard

gossip about a divorce

between the King and Katherine?

First Gentleman

Yes, but it held not:

For when the king once heard it, out of anger

He sent command to the lord mayor straight

To stop the rumor, and allay those tongues

That durst disperse it.

Yes, but it didn't last:

for as soon as the King heard of it he angrily

sent orders at once to the Lord Mayor

to stop the rumour, and control the people

who were spreading it.

Second Gentleman

But that slander, sir,

Is found a truth now: for it grows again

Fresher than e'er it was; and held for certain

The king will venture at it. Either the cardinal,

Or some about him near, have, out of malice

To the good queen, possess'd him with a scruple

That will undo her: to confirm this too,

Cardinal Campeius is arrived, and lately;

As all think, for this business.

But that slander, Sir,

is now proved to be true: it's sprung up again

stronger than it ever was; and it is thought certain

that the King will do it. Either the cardinal,

or someone else close to him, has, out of malice

towards the good Queen, placed doubts in him

that will be her downfall: to confirm this,

Cardinal Campeius has recently arrived;

everyone thinks it's to do with this affair.

First Gentleman

'Tis the cardinal;

And merely to revenge him on the emperor

For not bestowing on him, at his asking,

The archbishopric of Toledo, this is purposed.

It is the cardinal;

and he will agree to act in this matter

just to take revenge on the Emperor

for not giving him the archbishopric of Toledo

when he asked for it.

Second Gentleman

I think you have hit the mark: but is't not cruel

That she should feel the smart of this? The cardinal

Will have his will, and she must fall.

I think you've hit the nail on the head: but isn't it cruel

that the Queen should suffer for this? The cardinal

will get what he wants, and she must fall.

First Gentleman

'Tis woful.

We are too open here to argue this;

Let's think in private more.

It's woeful,

we are too exposed to talk about this here;

let's discuss it more privately.

Exeunt

Enter Chamberlain, reading a letter

Chamberlain

'My lord, the horses your lordship sent for, with

all the care I had, I saw well chosen, ridden, and

furnished. They were young and handsome, and of the

best breed in the north. When they were ready to

set out for London, a man of my lord cardinal's, by

commission and main power, took 'em from me; with

this reason: His master would be served before a

subject, if not before the king; which stopped our

mouths, sir.'

I fear he will indeed: well, let him have them:

He will have all, I think.

'My Lord, the horses your lordship sent for have been

chosen, trained and saddled with my very best care.

They were young and handsome, and from the

best breed in the north. When they were ready to

be sent to London, a man of my lord cardinal's

took them from me  with his authority and by brute force;

he gave this reason: if his master was not served before the king,

he would at least be served before a subject; and that

stopped us arguing, sir.’

I'm afraid he certainly will; well, let him have them;

I think he will have everything.

Enter, to Chamberlain, NORFOLK and SUFFOLK

NORFOLK

Well met, my lord chamberlain.

Good to see you, my lord chamberlain.

Chamberlain

Good day to both your graces.

Good day to both your graces.

SUFFOLK

How is the king employ'd?

What is the king doing?

Chamberlain

I left him private,

Full of sad thoughts and troubles.

I left him sitting alone,

full of sad thoughts and troubles.

NORFOLK

What's the cause?

For what reason?

Chamberlain