Richard III: Act 4, Scene 1 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 4, Scene 1 of Richard III from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter Queen Elizabeth, with the Duchess of York, and the Lord Marquess of Dorset, at one door; Anne, Duchess of Gloucester with Clarence’s daughter, at another door. DUCHESS Who meets us here? My niece Plantagenet Led in the hand of her kind aunt of Gloucester? Now, for my life, she’s wandering to the Tower, On pure heart’s love, to greet the tender prince.— Daughter, well met. 5 ANNE God give your Graces both A happy and a joyful time of day. QUEEN ELIZABETH As much to you, good sister. Whither away? ANNE No farther than the Tower, and, as I guess, Upon the like devotion as yourselves, 10 To gratulate the gentle princes there. QUEEN ELIZABETH Kind sister, thanks. We’ll enter all together.	The ladies of the court are gathered before the Tower of London. The old Duchess of York, Queen Elizabeth, and Lady Anne (leading Clarence's young daughter, Margaret Plantagenet) all greet each other joyfully. They're all going to visit the young princes in the Tower.
Enter Brakenbury, the Lieutenant. And in good time here the Lieutenant comes.— Master Lieutenant, pray you, by your leave, How doth the Prince and my young son of York? 15 BRAKENBURY Right well, dear madam. By your patience, I may not suffer you to visit them. The King hath strictly charged the contrary. QUEEN ELIZABETHThe King? Who’s that? BRAKENBURY I mean, the Lord Protector. 20 QUEEN ELIZABETH The Lord protect him from that kingly title! Hath he set bounds between their love and me? I am their mother. Who shall bar me from them? DUCHESS I am their father’s mother. I will see them. ANNE Their aunt I am in law, in love their mother. 25 Then bring me to their sights. I’ll bear thy blame And take thy office from thee, on my peril. BRAKENBURY No, madam, no. I may not leave it so. I am bound by oath, and therefore pardon me. Brakenbury the Lieutenant exits.	Lieutenant Brackenbury intercepts them with surprising news: visiting the princes is forbidden. They learn that this surprising order has actually come down from Richard, the "Lord Protector," whom Brackenbury accidentally calls the king. The women, who have not yet heard the news of wicked Richard snatching the throne, are all shocked and cry out that they hope it's not true. They can't believe Richard is the king and has the right to give orders. They're all willing to defy his order and suffer the consequences.
Enter Stanley. STANLEY Let me but meet you ladies one hour hence, 30 And I’ll salute your Grace of York as mother And reverend looker-on of two fair queens. To Anne. Come, madam, you must straight to Westminster, There to be crownèd Richard’s royal queen. 35 QUEEN ELIZABETH Ah, cut my lace asunder That my pent heart may have some scope to beat, Or else I swoon with this dead-killing news! ANNE Despiteful tidings! O, unpleasing news! DORSET, to Queen Elizabeth Be of good cheer, mother. How fares your Grace? 40 QUEEN ELIZABETH O Dorset, speak not to me. Get thee gone. Death and destruction dogs thee at thy heels. Thy mother’s name is ominous to children. If thou wilt outstrip death, go, cross the seas, And live with Richmond, from the reach of hell. 45 Go, hie thee, hie thee from this slaughterhouse, Lest thou increase the number of the dead And make me die the thrall of Margaret’s curse, Nor mother, wife, nor England’s counted queen. STANLEY Full of wise care is this your counsel, madam. 50 To Dorset. Take all the swift advantage of the hours. You shall have letters from me to my son In your behalf, to meet you on the way. Be not ta’en tardy by unwise delay. 55 DUCHESS O ill-dispersing wind of misery! O my accursèd womb, the bed of death! A cockatrice hast thou hatched to the world, Whose unavoided eye is murderous.	Then the ladies get the really bad news. Stanley Earl of Derby shows up and announces that an hour from now he can call two of the ladies queens (referring to Queen Elizabeth, wife of Edward IV, and now Queen Anne, wife of newly crowned Richard III). Upon hearing that Richard is to be king, Elizabeth and Anne are horrified, and the Duchess of York, Richard's mother, curses her own womb as a bed of death. In the midst of her grief, Queen Elizabeth instructs her son Dorset to leave for Brittany immediately, where the Earl of Richmond (enemy of Edward IV and the Yorks) has been waiting out Edward's reign. Elizabeth fears that if Dorset stays, he will be the next of her children to fall victim to Richard. Further, Elizabeth wails as she realizes she has become victim of old Queen Margaret's curse and that she would die neither a mother, a wife, nor a queen. Stanley, Earl of Derby, who brought the news about Richard's coronation, is stepfather to Richmond, whose lineage puts him in the running for the crown. (We know, this is complicated.) Derby promises to send letters to Richmond to prepare his stepson to harbor whoever is fleeing England.
STANLEY, to Anne Come, madam, come. I in all haste was sent. 60 ANNEAnd I with all unwillingness will go. O, would to God that the inclusive verge Of golden metal that must round my brow Were red-hot steel to sear me to the brains! Anointed let me be with deadly venom, 65 And die ere men can say “God save the Queen.” QUEEN ELIZABETH Go, go, poor soul, I envy not thy glory. To feed my humor, wish thyself no harm. ANNE No? Why? When he that is my husband now Came to me as I followed Henry’s corse, 70 When scarce the blood was well washed from his hands Which issued from my other angel husband And that dear saint which then I weeping followed— O, when, I say, I looked on Richard’s face, 75 This was my wish: be thou, quoth I, accursed For making me, so young, so old a widow; And, when thou wedd’st, let sorrow haunt thy bed; And be thy wife, if any be so mad, More miserable by the life of thee 80 Than thou hast made me by my dear lord’s death. Lo, ere I can repeat this curse again, Within so small a time my woman’s heart Grossly grew captive to his honey words And proved the subject of mine own soul’s curse, 85 Which hitherto hath held my eyes from rest, For never yet one hour in his bed Did I enjoy the golden dew of sleep, But with his timorous dreams was still awaked. Besides, he hates me for my father Warwick, 90 And will, no doubt, shortly be rid of me.	Anne, like Elizabeth, is horrified. She has to follow Richard's bidding and be his queen, but she wishes her royal crown were made of red-hot steel so it would burn out her brains. (This was an actual Renaissance punishment sometimes used on traitors. Gross.) Anne notes that she, like Elizabeth, is the victim of a prophetic curse. Remember, back when Anne – still a fresh widow – followed Henry VI's corpse to be buried, she cursed Richard. She wished that whatever idiot married Richard would have a miserable life. Little did she know that she would be the woman to marry Richard – she cursed herself! Anne admits she was foolishly moved by Richard's flattering words. Also, Anne doesn't really sleep well because Richard's always keeping her up when he flails about from bad dreams. Not to mention, Richard hated Anne's dad, Warwick, and Anne fears that Richard likely hates her too. Finally, Anne worries Richard will have her killed off soon.
QUEEN ELIZABETH Poor heart, adieu. I pity thy complaining. ANNE No more than with my soul I mourn for yours. DORSET Farewell, thou woeful welcomer of glory. ANNE Adieu, poor soul that tak’st thy leave of it. 95 DUCHESS, to Dorset Go thou to Richmond, and good fortune guide thee. To Anne. Go thou to Richard, and good angels tend thee. To Queen Elizabeth. Go thou to sanctuary, and good thoughts possess thee. 100 I to my grave, where peace and rest lie with me. Eighty-odd years of sorrow have I seen, And each hour’s joy wracked with a week of teen. QUEEN ELIZABETH Stay, yet look back with me unto the Tower.— Pity, you ancient stones, those tender babes 105 Whom envy hath immured within your walls— Rough cradle for such little pretty ones. Rude ragged nurse, old sullen playfellow For tender princes, use my babies well. So foolish sorrows bids your stones farewell. 110 They exit.	Richard's mother, the Duchess of York, cuts off all the crying and instructs everyone: Dorset should go to Richmond's place, Anne must to go to Richard, and Elizabeth must take herself back to sanctuary. Then the Duchess abruptly declares she'd like to go to her grave. She says she's suffered some 80-odd years of misery and she's ready to be done. To round out the melodrama of the ladies' scene, Elizabeth has everyone turn back dramatically to look at the forbidden tower and contemplate her poor little baby princes who are locked up there.

Original Text

Translated Text

Enter Queen Elizabeth, with the Duchess of York, and
the Lord Marquess of Dorset, at one door; Anne,
Duchess of Gloucester with Clarence’s daughter, at
another door.

DUCHESS
Who meets us here? My niece Plantagenet
Led in the hand of her kind aunt of Gloucester?
Now, for my life, she’s wandering to the Tower,
On pure heart’s love, to greet the tender prince.—
Daughter, well met. 5

ANNE God give your Graces both
A happy and a joyful time of day.

QUEEN ELIZABETH
As much to you, good sister. Whither away?

ANNE
No farther than the Tower, and, as I guess,
Upon the like devotion as yourselves, 10
To gratulate the gentle princes there.

QUEEN ELIZABETH
Kind sister, thanks. We’ll enter all together.

The ladies of the court are gathered before the Tower of London. The old Duchess of York, Queen Elizabeth, and Lady Anne (leading Clarence's young daughter, Margaret Plantagenet) all greet each other joyfully. They're all going to visit the young princes in the Tower.

Enter Brakenbury, the Lieutenant.

And in good time here the Lieutenant comes.—
Master Lieutenant, pray you, by your leave,
How doth the Prince and my young son of York? 15

BRAKENBURY
Right well, dear madam. By your patience,
I may not suffer you to visit them.
The King hath strictly charged the contrary.

QUEEN ELIZABETHThe King? Who’s that?

BRAKENBURY I mean, the Lord Protector. 20

QUEEN ELIZABETH
The Lord protect him from that kingly title!
Hath he set bounds between their love and me?
I am their mother. Who shall bar me from them?

DUCHESS
I am their father’s mother. I will see them.

ANNE
Their aunt I am in law, in love their mother. 25
Then bring me to their sights. I’ll bear thy blame
And take thy office from thee, on my peril.

BRAKENBURY
No, madam, no. I may not leave it so.
I am bound by oath, and therefore pardon me.

Brakenbury the Lieutenant exits.

Lieutenant Brackenbury intercepts them with surprising news: visiting the princes is forbidden. They learn that this surprising order has actually come down from Richard, the "Lord Protector," whom Brackenbury accidentally calls the king.

The women, who have not yet heard the news of wicked Richard snatching the throne, are all shocked and cry out that they hope it's not true. They can't believe Richard is the king and has the right to give orders. They're all willing to defy his order and suffer the consequences.

Enter Stanley.

STANLEY
Let me but meet you ladies one hour hence, 30
And I’ll salute your Grace of York as mother
And reverend looker-on of two fair queens.
To Anne. Come, madam, you must straight to
Westminster,
There to be crownèd Richard’s royal queen. 35

QUEEN ELIZABETH Ah, cut my lace asunder
That my pent heart may have some scope to beat,
Or else I swoon with this dead-killing news!

ANNE
Despiteful tidings! O, unpleasing news!

DORSET, to Queen Elizabeth
Be of good cheer, mother. How fares your Grace? 40

QUEEN ELIZABETH
O Dorset, speak not to me. Get thee gone.
Death and destruction dogs thee at thy heels.
Thy mother’s name is ominous to children.
If thou wilt outstrip death, go, cross the seas,
And live with Richmond, from the reach of hell. 45
Go, hie thee, hie thee from this slaughterhouse,
Lest thou increase the number of the dead
And make me die the thrall of Margaret’s curse,
Nor mother, wife, nor England’s counted queen.

STANLEY
Full of wise care is this your counsel, madam. 50
To Dorset. Take all the swift advantage of the
hours.
You shall have letters from me to my son
In your behalf, to meet you on the way.
Be not ta’en tardy by unwise delay. 55

DUCHESS
O ill-dispersing wind of misery!
O my accursèd womb, the bed of death!
A cockatrice hast thou hatched to the world,
Whose unavoided eye is murderous.

Then the ladies get the really bad news. Stanley Earl of Derby shows up and announces that an hour from now he can call two of the ladies queens (referring to Queen Elizabeth, wife of Edward IV, and now Queen Anne, wife of newly crowned Richard III).

Upon hearing that Richard is to be king, Elizabeth and Anne are horrified, and the Duchess of York, Richard's mother, curses her own womb as a bed of death.

In the midst of her grief, Queen Elizabeth instructs her son Dorset to leave for Brittany immediately, where the Earl of Richmond (enemy of Edward IV and the Yorks) has been waiting out Edward's reign. Elizabeth fears that if Dorset stays, he will be the next of her children to fall victim to Richard.

Further, Elizabeth wails as she realizes she has become victim of old Queen Margaret's curse and that she would die neither a mother, a wife, nor a queen.

Stanley, Earl of Derby, who brought the news about Richard's coronation, is stepfather to Richmond, whose lineage puts him in the running for the crown. (We know, this is complicated.) Derby promises to send letters to Richmond to prepare his stepson to harbor whoever is fleeing England.

STANLEY, to Anne
Come, madam, come. I in all haste was sent. 60

ANNEAnd I with all unwillingness will go.
O, would to God that the inclusive verge
Of golden metal that must round my brow
Were red-hot steel to sear me to the brains!
Anointed let me be with deadly venom, 65
And die ere men can say “God save the Queen.”

QUEEN ELIZABETH
Go, go, poor soul, I envy not thy glory.
To feed my humor, wish thyself no harm.

ANNE
No? Why? When he that is my husband now
Came to me as I followed Henry’s corse, 70
When scarce the blood was well washed from his
hands
Which issued from my other angel husband
And that dear saint which then I weeping followed—
O, when, I say, I looked on Richard’s face, 75
This was my wish: be thou, quoth I, accursed
For making me, so young, so old a widow;
And, when thou wedd’st, let sorrow haunt thy bed;
And be thy wife, if any be so mad,
More miserable by the life of thee 80
Than thou hast made me by my dear lord’s death.
Lo, ere I can repeat this curse again,
Within so small a time my woman’s heart
Grossly grew captive to his honey words
And proved the subject of mine own soul’s curse, 85
Which hitherto hath held my eyes from rest,
For never yet one hour in his bed
Did I enjoy the golden dew of sleep,
But with his timorous dreams was still awaked.
Besides, he hates me for my father Warwick, 90
And will, no doubt, shortly be rid of me.

Anne, like Elizabeth, is horrified. She has to follow Richard's bidding and be his queen, but she wishes her royal crown were made of red-hot steel so it would burn out her brains. (This was an actual Renaissance punishment sometimes used on traitors. Gross.)

Anne notes that she, like Elizabeth, is the victim of a prophetic curse.

Remember, back when Anne – still a fresh widow – followed Henry VI's corpse to be buried, she cursed Richard. She wished that whatever idiot married Richard would have a miserable life. Little did she know that she would be the woman to marry Richard – she cursed herself!

Anne admits she was foolishly moved by Richard's flattering words.

Also, Anne doesn't really sleep well because Richard's always keeping her up when he flails about from bad dreams.

Not to mention, Richard hated Anne's dad, Warwick, and Anne fears that Richard likely hates her too. Finally, Anne worries Richard will have her killed off soon.

QUEEN ELIZABETH
Poor heart, adieu. I pity thy complaining.

ANNE
No more than with my soul I mourn for yours.

DORSET
Farewell, thou woeful welcomer of glory.

ANNE
Adieu, poor soul that tak’st thy leave of it. 95

DUCHESS, to Dorset
Go thou to Richmond, and good fortune guide thee.
To Anne. Go thou to Richard, and good angels
tend thee.
To Queen Elizabeth. Go thou to sanctuary, and
good thoughts possess thee. 100
I to my grave, where peace and rest lie with me.
Eighty-odd years of sorrow have I seen,
And each hour’s joy wracked with a week of teen.

QUEEN ELIZABETH
Stay, yet look back with me unto the Tower.—
Pity, you ancient stones, those tender babes 105
Whom envy hath immured within your walls—
Rough cradle for such little pretty ones.
Rude ragged nurse, old sullen playfellow
For tender princes, use my babies well.
So foolish sorrows bids your stones farewell. 110

They exit.

Richard's mother, the Duchess of York, cuts off all the crying and instructs everyone: Dorset should go to Richmond's place, Anne must to go to Richard, and Elizabeth must take herself back to sanctuary.

Then the Duchess abruptly declares she'd like to go to her grave. She says she's suffered some 80-odd years of misery and she's ready to be done.

To round out the melodrama of the ladies' scene, Elizabeth has everyone turn back dramatically to look at the forbidden tower and contemplate her poor little baby princes who are locked up there.

Richard III: Act 4, Scene 1 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 4, Scene 1 of Richard III from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text

Translated Text

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