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Act 4, Scene 1
Richard III Translation Act 4, Scene 2
Sound a sennet. Enter RICHARD in pomp; BUCKINGHAM, CATESBY, RATCLIFFE, LOVELL, a page, and others
RICHARD
Stand all apart. —Cousin of Buckingham.
RICHARD
Everyone stand aside.
[To BUCKINGHAM] Cousin Buckingham.
Others move aside
BUCKINGHAM
My gracious sovereign.
BUCKINGHAM
My gracious sovereign.
RICHARD
Give me thy hand.
RICHARD
Give me your hand.
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Here he ascendeth the throne. Sound trumpets
Thus high, by thy advice And thy assistance is King Richard seated. But shall we wear these glories for a day, Or shall they last and we rejoice in them?
I now have this high seat as King Richard because of your advice and assistance. But will I have these glories for a day only, or will they last long enough for me to enjoy them?
BUCKINGHAM
Still live they, and forever let them last.
BUCKINGHAM
May they live on forever.
RICHARD
Ah, Buckingham, now do I play the touch, To try if thou be current gold indeed.Young Edward lives; think now what I would speak.
RICHARD
Ah, Buckingham, now I must test you to see if you're true gold indeed. Young Prince Edward is alive. Think about what I might say next.
BUCKINGHAM
Say on, my loving lord.
BUCKINGHAM
Go on, my loving lord.
RICHARD
Why, Buckingham, I say I would be king,
RICHARD
Why, Buckingham, I said I wanted to be king.
BUCKINGHAM
Why so you are, my thrice-renownèd lord.
BUCKINGHAM
Why, you are king, my glorious lord.
RICHARD
Ha! Am I king? 'Tis so—but Edward lives.
RICHARD
Ha! Am I king? Perhaps it's so—but Edward still lives.
BUCKINGHAM
True, noble prince.
BUCKINGHAM
True, noble prince.
RICHARD
O bitter consequence That Edward still should live “true noble prince!” Cousin, thou wast not wont to be so dull. Shall I be plain? I wish the bastards dead, And I would have it suddenly performed. What sayest thou now? Speak suddenly. Be brief.
RICHARD
Oh, what a bitter conclusion that Edward should still live as the "true, noble prince!" Cousin, you didn't use to be so stupid. Shall I speak plainly? I want the bastards dead, and I want it done immediately. What do you say now? Speak quickly, and be brief.
BUCKINGHAM
Your Grace may do your pleasure.
BUCKINGHAM
Your Grace can do as he pleases.
RICHARD
Tut, tut, thou art all ice; thy kindness freezes.Say, have I thy consent that they shall die?
RICHARD
Tut, tut, you've grown icy. Your kindness freezes over. Tell me, do you agree that they must die?
BUCKINGHAM
Give me some little breath, some pause, dear lord,Before I positively speak in this.I will resolve you herein presently.
BUCKINGHAM
Give me a moment to breathe, dear lord, a pause before I make a statement. I'll give you my answer shortly.
Exit
CATESBY
[aside to the other attendants] The king is angry. See, he gnaws his lip.
CATESBY
[To the attendants so that only they can hear]The king is angry. See how he bites his lip.
RICHARD
[aside] I will converse with iron-witted fools And unrespective boys. None are for me That look into me with considerate eyes. High-reaching Buckingham grows circumspect.— Boy!
RICHARD
[To himself] I only want to deal with unfeeling fools and careless boys. I want nothing to do with anyone who can read me well. Ambitious Buckingham is growing too thoughtful.
[To the PAGE] Boy!
PAGE
[coming forward] My lord?
PAGE
[Coming forward] My lord?
RICHARD
Know’st thou not any whom corrupting goldWill tempt unto a close exploit of death?
RICHARD
Do you know anyone who can be tempted with gold into secretly killing someone?
PAGE
I know a discontented gentleman Whose humble means match not his haughty spirit. Gold were as good as twenty orators, And will, no doubt, tempt him to anything.
PAGE
I know one unhappy gentleman whose empty wallet doesn't match his proud spirit. Gold is better than twenty speeches, and will, no doubt, tempt him to do anything.
RICHARD
What is his name?
RICHARD
What is his name?
PAGE
His name, my lord, is Tyrrel.
PAGE
His name is Tyrrel, my lord.
RICHARD
I partly know the man. Go, call him hither, boy
RICHARD
I know the man a little. Go, call him here, boy.
Exit PAGE
[aside] The deep-revolving witty Buckingham No more shall be the neighbor to my counsels Hath he so long held out with me, untired, And stops he now for breath? Well, be it so.
[To himself] The deep-thinking, clever Buckingham will no longer be privy to my plots. Has he run with me for so long, only to stop for a "moment to breathe" now? Well, so be it.
Enter STANLEY
How now, Lord Stanley, what’s the news?
Hello, Lord Stanley, what's the news?
STANLEY
Know, my loving lord,The marquess Dorset, as I hear, is fled To Richmond, in the parts where he abides.
STANLEY
You should know, my loving lord: I've heard that the Marquess of Dorset has fled to Richmond in France.
He walks aside
RICHARD
Come hither, Catesby. Rumor it abroad That Anne my wife is very grievous sick. I will take order for her keeping close. Enquire me out some mean poor gentleman, Whom I will marry straight to Clarence' daughter. The boy is foolish, and I fear not him. Look how thou dream’st! I say again, give out That Anne my queen is sick and like to die. About it, for it stands me much upon To stop all hopes whose growth may damage me.
RICHARD
Come here, Catesby. Spread around a rumor that my wife Anne is very sick. I will make arrangements for keeping her locked up. And find me some poor gentleman whom I can marry straight away to Clarence's daughter. Clarence's son is an idiot, so I'm not afraid of him. But look at you daydreaming! I say again: spread the rumor that Anne, my queen, is sick and likely to die. Hurry up—it's very important that I destroy anything that might come to damage me.
Exit CATESBY
[aside] I must be married to my brother’s daughter, Or else my kingdom stands on brittle glass. Murder her brothers, and then marry her— Uncertain way of gain. But I am in So far in blood that sin will pluck on sin. Tear-falling pity dwells not in this eye.
[To himself] I must marry my brother Edward's daughter, or else my kingdom is only standing on fragile glass. Murder her brothers, and then marry her—it's a strange way to go about things. But I'm so steeped in blood at this point that one sin must follow another. These eyes of mine have no tears of pity.
Enter PAGE with TYRREL
Is thy name Tyrrel?
Is your name Tyrrel?
TYRREL
James Tyrrel, and your most obedient subject.
TYRREL
James Tyrrel, your most obedient subject.
RICHARD
Art thou indeed?
RICHARD
Are you indeed?
TYRREL
Prove me, my gracious lord.
TYRREL
Let me prove it, my gracious lord.
RICHARD
Dar’st thou resolve to kill a friend of mine?
RICHARD
Would you dare to kill a friend of mine?
TYRREL
Please you. But I had rather kill two enemies.
TYRREL
If it would please you. But I would rather kill two enemies.
RICHARD
Why then, thou hast it. Two deep enemies, Foes to my rest, and my sweet sleep’s disturbers, Are they that I would have thee deal upon. Tyrrel, I mean those bastards in the Tower.
RICHARD
Well, you can do that then. I want you to kill two great enemies of mine, enemies of my sleep and my peace of mind. Tyrrel, I mean those bastards in the Tower.
TYRREL
Let me have open means to come to them,And soon I’ll rid you from the fear of them.
TYRREL
Let me have free access to reach them, and soon you won't have to fear them anymore.
RICHARD
Thou sing’st sweet music. Hark, come hither, Tyrrel.
RICHARD
Your words are sweet music. Come here, Tyrrel.
TYRREL approaches RICHARD and kneels
Go, by this token. Rise, and lend thine ear.
Go, with this password. Rise and listen.
He whispers
There is no more but so. Say it is done,And I will love thee and prefer thee for it.
There's nothing more than that. When you tell me the deed is done, I will love you and promote you for it.
TYRREL
I will dispatch it straight.
TYRREL
I'll do it straight away.
Exit
Enter BUCKINGHAM
BUCKINGHAM
My lord, I have considered in my mind The late request that you did sound me in.
BUCKINGHAM
My lord, I've been considering the request you just asked me about.
RICHARD
Well, let that rest. Dorset is fled to Richmond.
RICHARD
Well, forget about that. Dorset has fled to join Richmond.
BUCKINGHAM
I hear the news, my lord.
BUCKINGHAM
I heard that news, my lord.
RICHARD
Stanley, he is your wife’s son. Well, look unto it.
RICHARD
Stanley, Richmond is your wife's son. Well, find out what she knows.
BUCKINGHAM
My lord, I claim the gift, my due by promise, For which your honor and your faith is pawned— Th' earldom of Hereford and the movables Which you promisèd I shall possess.
BUCKINGHAM
My lord, I want to claim the gift you promised me on your honor and faith—the earldom of Hereford and all the possessions that go with it, which you swore that I would have.
RICHARD
Stanley, look to your wife. If she conveyLetters to Richmond, you shall answer it.
RICHARD
Stanley, watch your wife. If she sends any letters to Richmond, you will answer for it.
BUCKINGHAM
What says your Highness to my just request?
BUCKINGHAM
What does your Highness say to my just request?
RICHARD
I do remember me, Henry the Sixth Did prophesy that Richmond should be king, When Richmond was a little peevish boy. A king, perhaps—
RICHARD
I remember that Henry the Sixth prophesied that Richmond would be king one day, when Richmond was only a foolish boy. A king, perhaps—
BUCKINGHAM
My lord—
BUCKINGHAM
My lord—
RICHARD
How chance the prophet could not at that timeHave told me, I being by, that I should kill him?
RICHARD
But why wasn't the prophet able to foresee that I, who was there at the time, would kill him?
BUCKINGHAM
My lord, your promise for the earldom—
BUCKINGHAM
My lord, your promise of the earldom—
RICHARD
Richmond? When last I was at Exeter, The mayor in courtesy showed me the castle And called it Rougemont, at which name I started, Because a bard of Ireland told me once I should not live long after I saw Richmond.
RICHARD
Richmond? The last time I was in Exeter, the mayor politely showed me a castle and called it "Rougemont." The name startled me, for an Irish poet once told me that I wouldn't live long after seeing Richmond.
BUCKINGHAM
My Lord—
BUCKINGHAM
My lord—
RICHARD
Ay, what’s o'clock?
RICHARD
Hey, what time is it?
BUCKINGHAM
I am thus bold to put your Grace in mindOf what you promised me.
BUCKINGHAM
I am reminding your Grace of what you promised me.
RICHARD
Well, but what’s o'clock?
RICHARD
Well, but what time is it?
BUCKINGHAM
Upon the stroke of ten.
BUCKINGHAM
Almost ten o'clock.
RICHARD
Well, let it strike.
RICHARD
Well, let it strike ten then.
BUCKINGHAM
Why let it strike?
BUCKINGHAM
Why "let it strike?"
RICHARD
Because that, like a jack, thou keep’st the strokeBetwixt thy begging and my meditation.I am not in the giving vein today.
RICHARD
Because you're like the peasant who strikes the bell, interrupting my thoughts with your begging. I'm not in the giving mood today.
BUCKINGHAM
Why then, resolve me whether you will or no.
BUCKINGHAM
Well then, give me a final answer of whether I'll have the earldom or not.
RICHARD
Thou troublest me; I am not in the vein.
RICHARD
You're annoying me. I'm not in the mood.
Exeunt all but BUCKINGHAM
BUCKINGHAM
And is it thus? Repays he my deep service With such deep contempt? Made I him king for this? O, let me think on Hastings and be gone To Brecknock, while my fearful head is on!
BUCKINGHAM
Is this how it is? He rewards my great service with such great contempt? Did I make him king for this? Oh, let me learn from Hastings and hurry away to Brecknock, while my frightened head is still on my shoulders!
Exit
