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Enter one CITIZEN at one door, and another at the other |
Two CITIZENS enter through different doors. |
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FIRST CITIZEN
Good morrow, neighbor, whither away so fast? |
FIRST CITIZEN
Good morrow, neighbor, whither away so fast? |
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SECOND CITIZEN
I promise you I scarcely know myself. Hear you the news abroad? |
SECOND CITIZEN
I’m telling you, I hardly know myself. Did you hear the news that’s going around? |
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FIRST CITIZEN
Yes, that the king is dead. |
FIRST CITIZEN
Yes, that the king is dead. |
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SECOND CITIZEN
Ill news, by ’r Lady. Seldom comes the better. I fear, I fear, ’twill prove a giddy world. |
SECOND CITIZEN
Bad news, by God. The news is always bad. But this news is bound to make the world go mad. |
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Enter THIRD CITIZEN |
A THIRD CITIZEN enters. |
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THIRD CITIZEN
Neighbors, God speed. |
THIRD CITIZEN
Neighbors, hello. |
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FIRST CITIZEN
Give you good morrow, sir. |
FIRST CITIZEN
Good day to you, sir. |
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THIRD CITIZEN
Doth this news hold of good King Edward’s death? |
THIRD CITIZEN
Is it true that good King Edward has died? |
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SECOND CITIZEN
Ay, sir, it is too true, God help the while. |
SECOND CITIZEN
Yes, sir, it’s all too true, God help us. |
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THIRD CITIZEN
Then, masters, look to see a troublous world. |
THIRD CITIZEN
Then, gentlemen, we can count on trouble. |
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FIRST CITIZEN
No, no, by God’s good grace, his son shall reign. |
FIRST CITIZEN
No, no, with God’s help, his son will be king. |
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THIRD CITIZEN
Woe to the land that’s governed by a child. |
THIRD CITIZEN
It’s bad news when a country is ruled by a child. |
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SECOND CITIZEN
In him there is a hope of government, Which, in his nonage, council under him, And, in his full and ripened years, himself, No doubt shall then, and till then, govern well. |
SECOND CITIZEN
His counselors will govern as long as he’s a minor, and then he’ll take over. It shouldn’t go so badly. |
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FIRST CITIZEN
So stood the state when Henry the Sixth Was crowned in Paris but at nine months old. |
FIRST CITIZEN
That’s how it was with Henry the Sixth, who was crowned in Paris when he was only nine months old. |
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THIRD CITIZEN
Stood the state so? No, no, good friends, God wot, For then this land was famously enriched With politic grave counsel; then the king Had virtuous uncles to protect his Grace. |
THIRD CITIZEN
Really? But at that point, the king had the benefit of excellent counselors. His uncles were good men and protected him. |
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FIRST CITIZEN
Why, so hath this, both by the father and mother. |
FIRST CITIZEN
Well, this king has uncles too, on both his father and mother’s side. |
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THIRD CITIZEN
Better it were they all came by his father, Or by the father there were none at all, For emulation who shall now be nearest Will touch us all too near if God prevent not. O, full of danger is the duke of Gloucester, And the queen’s sons and brothers haught and proud, And were they to be ruled, and not to rule, This sickly land might solace as before. |
THIRD CITIZEN
It would be better if they were all on his father’s side, or that there were none at all on his father’s side. As it is, the rivalry between his father’s and mother’s relatives over who will be closest to the king is likely to endanger everyone, if we’re not lucky.As it stands, there’s a struggle between the two sides for the prince’s attention. Richard, the duke of Gloucester, is very dangerous, and the queen’s sons and brothers are haughty and proud—it would be better for this ailing country if they were subjects, not rulers. |
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FIRST CITIZEN
Come, come, we fear the worst. All will be well. |
FIRST CITIZEN
Come, come, we’re worrying about the worst-case scenario. I’m sure everything will be fine. |
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THIRD CITIZEN
When clouds are seen, wise men put on their cloaks; When great leaves fall, then winter is at hand; When the sun sets, who doth not look for night? Untimely storms make men expect a dearth. All may be well; but if God sort it so, ’Tis more than we deserve or I expect. |
THIRD CITIZEN
When the day turns cloudy, wise men put on their coats. When leaves fall from the trees, it means winter has arrived. When the sun sets, who’s too stupid to recognize it’s night? When storms arrive early, you can expect the harvest will be damaged. So, if all turns out fine, as you say, it’s more than we deserve or I expect. |
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SECOND CITIZEN
Truly, the hearts of men are full of fear. Ye cannot reason almost with a man That looks not heavily and full of dread. |
SECOND CITIZEN
It’s true, people are really worried. It’s hard to find a person who isn’t. |
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THIRD CITIZEN
Before the days of change, still is it so. By a divine instinct, men’s minds mistrust Ensuing dangers, as by proof we see The water swell before a boist’rous storm. But leave it all to God. Whither away? |
THIRD CITIZEN
It’s always like this in times of change. By some sort of deep instinct, we always know when danger is approaching, just as we know that a storm is coming when the sea swells. But leave it all to God. Where are you all off to? |
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SECOND CITIZEN
Marry, we were sent for to the justices. |
SECOND CITIZEN
The court has sent for us. |
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THIRD CITIZEN
And so was I. I’ll bear you company. |
THIRD CITIZEN
For me, too. I’ll go with you. |
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Exeunt |
They all exit. |