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No Fear Translations

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Original Text

Modern Text

Enter TYRREL
Enter TYRREL

TYRREL

The tyrannous and bloody act is done,
The most arch deed of piteous massacre
That ever yet this land was guilty of.
Dighton and Forrest, whom I did suborn
5 To do this piece of ruthless butchery,
Albeit they were fleshed villains, bloody dogs,
Melted with tenderness and mild compassion,
Wept like two children in their deaths' sad story.
“O thus” quoth Dighton, “lay those gentle babes.”
10 “Thus, thus,” quoth Forrest, “girdling one another
Within their alabaster innocent arms.
Their lips were four red roses on a stalk,
And in their summer beauty kissed each other.
A book of prayers on their pillow lay,
15 Which once,” quoth Forrest, “almost changed my mind,
But O, the devil—”There the villain stopped;
When Dighton thus told on: “We smotherèd
The most replenishèd sweet work of nature
That from the prime creation e'er she framed.”
20 Hence both are gone with conscience and remorse;
They could not speak; and so I left them both
To bear this tidings to the bloody king.

TYRREL

The tyrannous and bloody act is done,
The most arch deed of piteous massacre
That ever yet this land was guilty of.
Dighton and Forrest, whom I did suborn
To do this piece of ruthless butchery,
Albeit they were fleshed villains, bloody dogs,
Melted with tenderness and mild compassion,
Wept like two children in their deaths' sad story.
“O thus” quoth Dighton, “lay those gentle babes.”
“Thus, thus,” quoth Forrest, “girdling one another
Within their alabaster innocent arms.
Their lips were four red roses on a stalk,
And in their summer beauty kissed each other.
A book of prayers on their pillow lay,
Which once,” quoth Forrest, “almost changed my mind,
But O, the devil—”There the villain stopped;
When Dighton thus told on: “We smotherèd
The most replenishèd sweet work of nature
That from the prime creation e'er she framed.”
Hence both are gone with conscience and remorse;
They could not speak; and so I left them both
To bear this tidings to the bloody king.
Enter RICHARD
Enter RICHARD
And here he comes.—All health, my sovereign lord.
And here he comes.—All health, my sovereign lord.

RICHARD

Kind Tyrrel, am I happy in thy news?

RICHARD

Kind Tyrrel, am I happy in thy news?

TYRREL

25 If to have done the thing you gave in charge
Beget your happiness, be happy then,
For it is done.

TYRREL

If to have done the thing you gave in charge
Beget your happiness, be happy then,
For it is done.

RICHARD

     But did’st thou see them dead?

RICHARD

     But did’st thou see them dead?

TYRREL

I did, my lord.

TYRREL

I did, my lord.

RICHARD

     And buried, gentle Tyrrel?

RICHARD

     And buried, gentle Tyrrel?

TYRREL

The chaplain of the Tower hath buried them,
30 But where, to say the truth, I do not know.

TYRREL

The chaplain of the Tower hath buried them,
But where, to say the truth, I do not know.

RICHARD

Come to me, Tyrrel, soon at after-supper,
When thou shalt tell the process of their death.
Meantime, but think how I may do thee good,
And be inheritor of thy desire.
35 Farewell till then.

RICHARD

Come to me, Tyrrel, soon at after-supper,
When thou shalt tell the process of their death.
Meantime, but think how I may do thee good,
And be inheritor of thy desire.
Farewell till then.

TYRREL

     I humbly take my leave.

TYRREL

     I humbly take my leave.
Exit TYRREL
Exit TYRREL

RICHARD

The son of Clarence have I pent up close,
His daughter meanly have I matched in marriage,
The sons of Edward sleep in Abraham’s bosom,
And Anne my wife hath bid this world goodnight.
40 Now, for I know the Breton Richmond aims
At young Elizabeth, my brother’s daughter,
And by that knot looks proudly on the crown,
To her go I, a jolly thriving wooer.

RICHARD

The son of Clarence have I pent up close,
His daughter meanly have I matched in marriage,
The sons of Edward sleep in Abraham’s bosom,
And Anne my wife hath bid this world goodnight.
Now, for I know the Breton Richmond aims
At young Elizabeth, my brother’s daughter,
And by that knot looks proudly on the crown,
To her go I, a jolly thriving wooer.
Enter RATCLIFFE
Enter RATCLIFFE

RATCLIFFE

My lord!

RATCLIFFE

My lord!

RICHARD

45 Good or bad news, that thou com’st in so bluntly?

RICHARD

Good or bad news, that thou com’st in so bluntly?

RATCLIFFE

Bad news, my lord. Morton is fled to Richmond,
And Buckingham, backed with the hardy Welshmen,
Is in the field, and still his power increaseth.

RATCLIFFE

Bad news, my lord. Morton is fled to Richmond,
And Buckingham, backed with the hardy Welshmen,
Is in the field, and still his power increaseth.

RICHARD

Ely with Richmond troubles me more near
50 Than Buckingham and his rash-levied strength.
Come, I have learned that fearful commenting
Is leaden servitor to dull delay;
Delay leads impotent and snail-paced beggary;
Then fiery expedition be my wing,
55 Jove’s Mercury, and herald for a king.
Go, muster men. My counsel is my shield.
We must be brief when traitors brave the field.

RICHARD

Ely with Richmond troubles me more near
Than Buckingham and his rash-levied strength.
Come, I have learned that fearful commenting
Is leaden servitor to dull delay;
Delay leads impotent and snail-paced beggary;
Then fiery expedition be my wing,
Jove’s Mercury, and herald for a king.
Go, muster men. My counsel is my shield.
We must be brief when traitors brave the field.
Exeunt
Exeunt

Original Text

Modern Text

Enter TYRREL
Enter TYRREL

TYRREL

The tyrannous and bloody act is done,
The most arch deed of piteous massacre
That ever yet this land was guilty of.
Dighton and Forrest, whom I did suborn
5 To do this piece of ruthless butchery,
Albeit they were fleshed villains, bloody dogs,
Melted with tenderness and mild compassion,
Wept like two children in their deaths' sad story.
“O thus” quoth Dighton, “lay those gentle babes.”
10 “Thus, thus,” quoth Forrest, “girdling one another
Within their alabaster innocent arms.
Their lips were four red roses on a stalk,
And in their summer beauty kissed each other.
A book of prayers on their pillow lay,
15 Which once,” quoth Forrest, “almost changed my mind,
But O, the devil—”There the villain stopped;
When Dighton thus told on: “We smotherèd
The most replenishèd sweet work of nature
That from the prime creation e'er she framed.”
20 Hence both are gone with conscience and remorse;
They could not speak; and so I left them both
To bear this tidings to the bloody king.

TYRREL

The tyrannous and bloody act is done,
The most arch deed of piteous massacre
That ever yet this land was guilty of.
Dighton and Forrest, whom I did suborn
To do this piece of ruthless butchery,
Albeit they were fleshed villains, bloody dogs,
Melted with tenderness and mild compassion,
Wept like two children in their deaths' sad story.
“O thus” quoth Dighton, “lay those gentle babes.”
“Thus, thus,” quoth Forrest, “girdling one another
Within their alabaster innocent arms.
Their lips were four red roses on a stalk,
And in their summer beauty kissed each other.
A book of prayers on their pillow lay,
Which once,” quoth Forrest, “almost changed my mind,
But O, the devil—”There the villain stopped;
When Dighton thus told on: “We smotherèd
The most replenishèd sweet work of nature
That from the prime creation e'er she framed.”
Hence both are gone with conscience and remorse;
They could not speak; and so I left them both
To bear this tidings to the bloody king.
Enter RICHARD
Enter RICHARD
And here he comes.—All health, my sovereign lord.
And here he comes.—All health, my sovereign lord.

RICHARD

Kind Tyrrel, am I happy in thy news?

RICHARD

Kind Tyrrel, am I happy in thy news?

TYRREL

25 If to have done the thing you gave in charge
Beget your happiness, be happy then,
For it is done.

TYRREL

If to have done the thing you gave in charge
Beget your happiness, be happy then,
For it is done.

RICHARD

     But did’st thou see them dead?

RICHARD

     But did’st thou see them dead?

TYRREL

I did, my lord.

TYRREL

I did, my lord.

RICHARD

     And buried, gentle Tyrrel?

RICHARD

     And buried, gentle Tyrrel?

TYRREL

The chaplain of the Tower hath buried them,
30 But where, to say the truth, I do not know.

TYRREL

The chaplain of the Tower hath buried them,
But where, to say the truth, I do not know.

RICHARD

Come to me, Tyrrel, soon at after-supper,
When thou shalt tell the process of their death.
Meantime, but think how I may do thee good,
And be inheritor of thy desire.
35 Farewell till then.

RICHARD

Come to me, Tyrrel, soon at after-supper,
When thou shalt tell the process of their death.
Meantime, but think how I may do thee good,
And be inheritor of thy desire.
Farewell till then.

TYRREL

     I humbly take my leave.

TYRREL

     I humbly take my leave.
Exit TYRREL
Exit TYRREL

RICHARD

The son of Clarence have I pent up close,
His daughter meanly have I matched in marriage,
The sons of Edward sleep in Abraham’s bosom,
And Anne my wife hath bid this world goodnight.
40 Now, for I know the Breton Richmond aims
At young Elizabeth, my brother’s daughter,
And by that knot looks proudly on the crown,
To her go I, a jolly thriving wooer.

RICHARD

The son of Clarence have I pent up close,
His daughter meanly have I matched in marriage,
The sons of Edward sleep in Abraham’s bosom,
And Anne my wife hath bid this world goodnight.
Now, for I know the Breton Richmond aims
At young Elizabeth, my brother’s daughter,
And by that knot looks proudly on the crown,
To her go I, a jolly thriving wooer.
Enter RATCLIFFE
Enter RATCLIFFE

RATCLIFFE

My lord!

RATCLIFFE

My lord!

RICHARD

45 Good or bad news, that thou com’st in so bluntly?

RICHARD

Good or bad news, that thou com’st in so bluntly?

RATCLIFFE

Bad news, my lord. Morton is fled to Richmond,
And Buckingham, backed with the hardy Welshmen,
Is in the field, and still his power increaseth.

RATCLIFFE

Bad news, my lord. Morton is fled to Richmond,
And Buckingham, backed with the hardy Welshmen,
Is in the field, and still his power increaseth.

RICHARD

Ely with Richmond troubles me more near
50 Than Buckingham and his rash-levied strength.
Come, I have learned that fearful commenting
Is leaden servitor to dull delay;
Delay leads impotent and snail-paced beggary;
Then fiery expedition be my wing,
55 Jove’s Mercury, and herald for a king.
Go, muster men. My counsel is my shield.
We must be brief when traitors brave the field.

RICHARD

Ely with Richmond troubles me more near
Than Buckingham and his rash-levied strength.
Come, I have learned that fearful commenting
Is leaden servitor to dull delay;
Delay leads impotent and snail-paced beggary;
Then fiery expedition be my wing,
Jove’s Mercury, and herald for a king.
Go, muster men. My counsel is my shield.
We must be brief when traitors brave the field.
Exeunt
Exeunt