a 罗伯特·索西（1774~1843）：英国诗人、作家。与沃兹沃斯和柯勒律治并称三大“湖畔派诗人”。作为早期的浪漫主义者，在他的带领下，民谣体式得以复兴。他尝试使用无韵的不规则诗句，是19世纪和20世纪自由诗体运动的先行者。从1813年到过世，他一直担任“桂冠诗人”一职。
65
BOLINGBROKE AND RICHARD
博林布鲁克与理查德
YORK and his DUCHESS（约克公爵与他的夫人）aspiring，ambitious；seeking for power.
barbarism，cruelty.casements，windows.combating，striving.contempt，scorn；disdain.
misgoverned，misguided.patience，endurance.perforce，of necessity.tedious，tiresome.
visage，face；countenance.
Duch.My lord，you told me you would tell the rest，When weeping made you break the story off，aOf our two cousinscoming into London.
York.Where did I leave？
Duch.At that sad stop，my lord，Where rude misgoverned hands，from windows‘tops，Threw dust and rubbish on King Richard’s head.
York.Then，as I said，the Duke，great Bolingbroke-Mounted upon a hot and fiery steed，Which his aspiring rider seemed to know-With slow but stately pace kept on his course，While all tongues cried，“God save thee，Bolingbroke！”You would have thought the very windows spake，-So many greedy looks of young and oldThrough casements darted their desiring eyes Upon his visage，-and that all the walls，With painted imagery，had said at once，“Jesu preserve thee！welcome，Bolingbroke！”Whilst he，from one side to the other turning，a Our two cousins.-Henry （Bolingbroke），Earl of Hereford，and Richard II.They were both cousins of Edward，Duke of York.Richard was son of Edward the Black Prince；Henry was son of John of Gaunt.Edward was son of Edmund Langley，Duke of York.The Black Prince，John of Gaunt，and Edmund Langley were brothers-sons of Edward III.
BOLINGBROKE AND RICHARD.
Bareheaded，lower than his proud steed‘s neck，Bespake them thus-“I thank you，countrymen：“And thus still doing，thus he passed along.
Duch.Alas，poor Richard！where rode he the whilst？
York.As in a theatre，the eyes of men，After a well-graced actor leaves the stage，Are idly bent on him that enters next，Thinking his prattle to be tedious；Even so，or with much more contempt，men’s eyes Did scowl on Richard！no man cried，“God save him！”No joyful tongue gave him his welcome home：
But dust was thrown upon his sacred head；Which with such gentle sorrow he shook off-His face still combating with tears and smiles，The badges of his grief and patience-That had not God，for some strong purpose，steeledThe hearts of men，they must perforce have melted，And barbarism itself have pitied him.
-SHAKESPEARE
中文阅读
公爵夫人：夫君，您刚才说要告诉我后来我们那两位侄子a到伦敦来的故事，但您说到一半就哭了起来，没有讲完啊。
约克：我说到哪儿了？公爵夫人：您说到那些粗暴无礼的人，从窗口把泥土和秽物丢到理查德国王的头上；说到这里，您悲伤难以自禁，就停住了。
约克：是啊，就像我说的，那位公爵，伟大的博林布鲁克，骑着一匹勇猛彪悍的骏马，它似乎认识它的雄心勃勃的主人，步调缓慢而庄严，路旁所有的人们都齐声高呼，“上帝保佑你，博林布鲁克！”你会觉得好像每扇窗户都在开口说话；那么多的青年和老人的渴求的眼光，从窗口里投射出来，热烈地映照在他的脸上；所有的高墙都仿佛在异口同声地说，“耶稣保佑你！欢迎，博林布鲁克！”而此时的他，一会儿向着这边，一会儿向着那边，对两旁的人们脱帽致意，头垂得比他那骄傲的马的颈项更低，他向他们说：“同胞们，我非常感谢你们。”就这样一路上打着招呼骑行而去。
公爵夫人：唉，可怜的理查德！这时候他骑着马在什么地方呢？约克：正像在一座戏院里，当一个红角下场以后，观众用漠然的眼光注视着后来的演员，觉得他的饶舌乏味而可厌一般；人们的眼睛也正是这样，或许用更大的轻蔑怒视着理查德。没有人高呼“上帝保佑他”，没有一声欢呼欢迎他回来。只有泥土扔在他那神圣的头上，他是那样温和而凄然地把它们轻轻弹去，他的眼睛里噙着心酸的眼泪，他的嘴角含着无奈的微笑，表示出他难以掩饰的悲哀与忍耐，要不是上帝为了某种特殊的目的，使人心变得如此冷酷无情，谁见了他都不能不被深深感动，最野蛮无礼的人也会同情他。
（莎士比亚）
a 两位侄子：即赫里福德伯爵亨利（博林布鲁克）和理查德二世，他俩都是约克公爵爱德华的侄子。理查德是黑王子爱德华的儿子；亨利是冈特王约翰的儿子。爱德华又是约克公爵埃德蒙德·兰利的儿子。黑王子、冈特王约翰、埃德蒙德·兰利三人为亲兄弟，都是爱德华三世的儿子。
66
SOCIAL CONDITION-HOUSE OF ANJOU
安茹王朝的社会状况
comprising，including.crumbling，falling to pieces.derision，sport；ridicule.
embroidered，adorned with needle work.
employment，occupation.exquisites，gallants；fops.gradually，step by step.improved，made better.
neglected，not attended to.
prevailing，in force.
quarrels，arrows with square heads.
quilted，made of two layers of cloth，with padding between.
torpor，sleepiness；want of feeling.
tunics，jackets.
1.The Feudal System was in its prime when the Lion-Heart reigned：its decay may be dated from the time that the Commons first sat in Parliament：the War of the Roses laid its crumbling framework in ruins.
2.Gradually the higher classes became more refined.The use of spices in cookery gave new relish to food；glass windows，earthen vessels，coal fires，and candle-light，added to the comfort of the homes.The use of tiles instead of thatch improved the dwellings.But furniture was still scanty.A decent farm-house could boast of little more than one or two beds，a few seats，a set of fire-irons，a brass pot，with a dish and a cup of the same metal.
3.The leading merchants dealt in wool.Even the Kings did not disdain to trade in fleeces.The conqueror at Crecy，one of the bravest and best of them，was called in derision by his French rival，“The royal wool-merchant.”
4.The army was composed of four classes：-（1.）The men-at-arms，comprising knights，esquires，and their followers.These were heavy cavalry.（2.）The hoblers，who were light cavalry，mounted on inferior horses，and were engaged chiefly in the Scottish wars.（3.）The archers，whose skill gained some of the greatest victories of the period.Their bows were of two kinds，-long-bows to discharge shafts，and cross-bows for bolts or quarrels.（4.）The footmen，armed with spears，and wearing skull-caps，quilted coats，and iron gloves.
5.Some idea of the value of money in those days may be gathered fromthe rate of wages.Haymakers got a penny a day；labourers，three halfpence；carpenters，twopence；and masons，threepence.Agriculture was a favourite employment of the clergy：we read of even Becket and his monks tossing hay and binding sheaves in the fields.