Richard III: Act 3, Scene 6 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 3, Scene 6 of Richard III from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter a Scrivener. SCRIVENER Here is the indictment of the good Lord Hastings, Which in a set hand fairly is engrossed, That it may be today read o’er in Paul’s. And mark how well the sequel hangs together: Eleven hours I have spent to write it over, 5 For yesternight by Catesby was it sent me; The precedent was full as long a-doing, And yet within these five hours Hastings lived, Untainted, unexamined, free, at liberty. Here’s a good world the while! Who is so gross 10 That cannot see this palpable device? Yet who so bold but says he sees it not? Bad is the world, and all will come to naught When such ill dealing must be seen in thought. He exits.	On a street in London, a scrivener (a guy who copies documents for a living) enters, holding the indictment of Lord Hastings that's to be read to the people of London that day (even though Hastings is already dead). The scrivener points out that Catesby gave him a rough draft of the indictment the night before, well before Hastings was even imprisoned or executed. (Clearly the plan to kill Hastings was afoot long before the man had even done anything wrong.) The scrivener is disgusted by the obviousness of the devious plot and says that nobody is brave enough to speak out against the government's corruption. He bemoans the state of the world, when men must stand by while evil reigns unchecked.

Original Text

Translated Text

Enter a Scrivener.

SCRIVENER
Here is the indictment of the good Lord Hastings,
Which in a set hand fairly is engrossed,
That it may be today read o’er in Paul’s.
And mark how well the sequel hangs together:
Eleven hours I have spent to write it over, 5
For yesternight by Catesby was it sent me;
The precedent was full as long a-doing,
And yet within these five hours Hastings lived,
Untainted, unexamined, free, at liberty.
Here’s a good world the while! Who is so gross 10
That cannot see this palpable device?
Yet who so bold but says he sees it not?
Bad is the world, and all will come to naught
When such ill dealing must be seen in thought.

He exits.

On a street in London, a scrivener (a guy who copies documents for a living) enters, holding the indictment of Lord Hastings that's to be read to the people of London that day (even though Hastings is already dead).

The scrivener points out that Catesby gave him a rough draft of the indictment the night before, well before Hastings was even imprisoned or executed. (Clearly the plan to kill Hastings was afoot long before the man had even done anything wrong.)

The scrivener is disgusted by the obviousness of the devious plot and says that nobody is brave enough to speak out against the government's corruption. He bemoans the state of the world, when men must stand by while evil reigns unchecked.

Richard III: Act 3, Scene 6 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 3, Scene 6 of Richard III from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text

Translated Text

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