Richard II: Act 5, Scene 4 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 5, Scene 4 of Richard II from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Scene 4 Enter Sir Pierce Exton and Servants. EXTON Didst thou not mark the King, what words he spake, “Have I no friend will rid me of this living fear?” Was it not so? SERVINGMAN These were his very words.	At Windsor Castle we bump into a guy named Exton. Exton thinks he just heard King Henry say the following: "Have I no friend will rid me of this living fear?" But Exton's not sure he heard right, so he double checks with a servant, who says yep – Henry said that all right.
EXTON “Have I no friend?” quoth he. He spake it twice 5 And urged it twice together, did he not? SERVINGMAN He did. EXTON And speaking it, he wishtly looked on me, As who should say “I would thou wert the man That would divorce this terror from my heart”— 10 Meaning the king at Pomfret. Come, let’s go. I am the King’s friend and will rid his foe. They exit.	Exton points out that King Henry was looking right at him when he said this and decides he was secretly ordering him to kill Richard.

Original Text

Translated Text

Scene 4

Enter Sir Pierce Exton and Servants.

EXTON
Didst thou not mark the King, what words he spake,
“Have I no friend will rid me of this living fear?”
Was it not so?

SERVINGMAN These were his very words.

At Windsor Castle we bump into a guy named Exton.

Exton thinks he just heard King Henry say the following: "Have I no friend will rid me of this living fear?" But Exton's not sure he heard right, so he double checks with a servant, who says yep – Henry said that all right.

EXTON
“Have I no friend?” quoth he. He spake it twice 5
And urged it twice together, did he not?

SERVINGMAN He did.

EXTON
And speaking it, he wishtly looked on me,
As who should say “I would thou wert the man
That would divorce this terror from my heart”— 10
Meaning the king at Pomfret. Come, let’s go.
I am the King’s friend and will rid his foe.

They exit.

Exton points out that King Henry was looking right at him when he said this and decides he was secretly ordering him to kill Richard.

Richard II: Act 5, Scene 4 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 5, Scene 4 of Richard II from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text

Translated Text

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