Richard III: Act 5, Scene 1 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 5, Scene 1 of Richard III from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter Buckingham, with Sheriff and Halberds, led to execution. BUCKINGHAM Will not King Richard let me speak with him? SHERIFF No, my good lord. Therefore be patient. BUCKINGHAM Hastings and Edward’s children, Grey and Rivers, Holy King Henry and thy fair son Edward, Vaughan, and all that have miscarrièd 5 By underhand, corrupted, foul injustice, If that your moody, discontented souls Do through the clouds behold this present hour, Even for revenge mock my destruction.— This is All Souls’ Day, fellow, is it not? 10	Buckingham has been captured and forcefully taken to Salisbury. His requests to speak with Richard have been denied. Knowing he's been absolutely forsaken by the wicked king, Buckingham notes that today is All Souls' Day, the day set aside to commemorate (and in some cases exonerate) the dead. It's fitting, he thinks, for the souls of all those whose lives have been wrongfully taken by Richard to watch over the king's demise, hopefully taking pleasure in it.
SHERIFF It is. BUCKINGHAM Why, then, All Souls’ Day is my body’s doomsday. This is the day which, in King Edward’s time, I wished might fall on me when I was found False to his children and his wife’s allies. 15 This is the day wherein I wished to fall By the false faith of him whom most I trusted. This, this All Souls’ Day to my fearful soul Is the determined respite of my wrongs. That high All-seer which I dallied with 20 Hath turned my feignèd prayer on my head And given in earnest what I begged in jest. Thus doth he force the swords of wicked men To turn their own points in their masters’ bosoms. Thus Margaret’s curse falls heavy on my neck: 25 “When he,” quoth she, “shall split thy heart with sorrow, Remember Margaret was a prophetess.”— Come, lead me, officers, to the block of shame. Wrong hath but wrong, and blame the due of blame. 30 Buckingham exits with Officers.	Buckingham begins to take stock of his life: he betrayed King Edward by being unfaithful to Edward's children and Queen Elizabeth's allies, and he realizes he was foolish to trust Richard, who would never trust him (or anyone). He admits he's been a wicked man, and he can see God's justice in having his wickedness be his own downfall. Finally, like so many others, he thinks on Queen Margaret's curse. She condemned him to have his heart split open with sorrow caused by Richard, and she was mostly right. Buckingham then tells his guards to lead him "to the block of shame" for his beheading in the marketplace.

Original Text

Translated Text

Enter Buckingham, with Sheriff and Halberds, led to
execution.

BUCKINGHAM
Will not King Richard let me speak with him?

SHERIFF
No, my good lord. Therefore be patient.

BUCKINGHAM
Hastings and Edward’s children, Grey and Rivers,
Holy King Henry and thy fair son Edward,
Vaughan, and all that have miscarrièd 5
By underhand, corrupted, foul injustice,
If that your moody, discontented souls
Do through the clouds behold this present hour,
Even for revenge mock my destruction.—
This is All Souls’ Day, fellow, is it not? 10

Buckingham has been captured and forcefully taken to Salisbury. His requests to speak with Richard have been denied.

Knowing he's been absolutely forsaken by the wicked king, Buckingham notes that today is All Souls' Day, the day set aside to commemorate (and in some cases exonerate) the dead. It's fitting, he thinks, for the souls of all those whose lives have been wrongfully taken by Richard to watch over the king's demise, hopefully taking pleasure in it.

SHERIFF It is.

BUCKINGHAM
Why, then, All Souls’ Day is my body’s doomsday.
This is the day which, in King Edward’s time,
I wished might fall on me when I was found
False to his children and his wife’s allies. 15
This is the day wherein I wished to fall
By the false faith of him whom most I trusted.
This, this All Souls’ Day to my fearful soul
Is the determined respite of my wrongs.
That high All-seer which I dallied with 20
Hath turned my feignèd prayer on my head
And given in earnest what I begged in jest.
Thus doth he force the swords of wicked men
To turn their own points in their masters’ bosoms.
Thus Margaret’s curse falls heavy on my neck: 25
“When he,” quoth she, “shall split thy heart with
sorrow,
Remember Margaret was a prophetess.”—
Come, lead me, officers, to the block of shame.
Wrong hath but wrong, and blame the due of blame. 30

Buckingham exits with Officers.

Buckingham begins to take stock of his life: he betrayed King Edward by being unfaithful to Edward's children and Queen Elizabeth's allies, and he realizes he was foolish to trust Richard, who would never trust him (or anyone). He admits he's been a wicked man, and he can see God's justice in having his wickedness be his own downfall.

Finally, like so many others, he thinks on Queen Margaret's curse. She condemned him to have his heart split open with sorrow caused by Richard, and she was mostly right.

Buckingham then tells his guards to lead him "to the block of shame" for his beheading in the marketplace.

Richard III: Act 5, Scene 1 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 5, Scene 1 of Richard III from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text

Translated Text

Tired of ads?