The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)

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Authors: William Shakespeare
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    [Seats herself on the ground]
    Here I and sorrows sit;
    Here is my throne, bid kings come bow to it.
     
    You can, and you will; I won't go with you;
    I will tell my sorrows to be proud,
    for grief is proud, and bows down his owner.
    Let the kings come here to me and see
    my great grief; it's so great
    that only the huge firm earth
    is strong enough to support it.
    This is where I will sit with my sorrows;
    this is my throne, tell the kings to come and bow to it.
     
    Enter KING JOHN, KING PHILIP, LEWIS, BLANCH,ELINOR, the BASTARD, AUSTRIA, and attendants
     
    KING PHILIP.
    'Tis true, fair daughter, and this blessed day
    Ever in France shall be kept festival.
    To solemnize this day the glorious sun
    Stays in his course and plays the alchemist,
    Turning with splendour of his precious eye
    The meagre cloddy earth to glittering gold.
    The yearly course that brings this day about
    Shall never see it but a holiday.
     
    It's true, fair daughter, and this blessed day
    will always be a holiday in France from now on.
    To celebrate this day the glorious sun
    has stopped on his journey and is playing the alchemist,
    using the splendour of his precious light
    to turn the dull clods into glittering gold.
    Every year when this day comes around
    it will always be a holiday.
     
    CONSTANCE.
    [Rising]A wicked day, and not a holy day!
    What hath this day deserv'd? what hath it done
    That it in golden letters should be set
    Among the high tides in the calendar?
    Nay, rather turn this day out of the week,
    This day of shame, oppression, perjury;
    Or, if it must stand still, let wives with child
    Pray that their burdens may not fall this day,
    Lest that their hopes prodigiously be cross'd;
    But on this day let seamen fear no wreck;
    No bargains break that are not this day made;
    This day, all things begun come to ill end,
    Yea, faith itself to hollow falsehood change!
     
    A wicked day, and not a holy day!
    What's so good about this day? What happened on it
    that it should be given golden letters and placed
    amongst the Festival days in the calendar?
    No, you should throw this day out of the week,
    this day of shame, oppression and perjury;
    or, if it has to stay, let pregnant wives
    pray that their children will not be born on this day,
    in case they turn out to be horribly unlucky;
    let sailors fear this day as the worst for wrecks;
    break any bargains that are made on it;
    everything done on this day will come to a bad end,
    why, faith itself will change to hollow falsehood!
     
    KING PHILIP.
    By heaven, lady, you shall have no cause
    To curse the fair proceedings of this day.
    Have I not pawn'd to you my majesty?
     
    By heaven, lady, you shall have no reason
    to curse the fair events of this day.
    Haven't I loaned you my majesty?
     
    CONSTANCE.
    You have beguil'd me with a counterfeit
    Resembling majesty, which, being touch'd and tried,
    Proves valueless; you are forsworn, forsworn;
    You came in arms to spill mine enemies' blood,
    But now in arms you strengthen it with yours.
    The grappling vigour and rough frown of war
    Is cold in amity and painted peace,
    And our oppression hath made up this league.
    Arm, arm, you heavens, against these perjur'd kings!
    A widow cries: Be husband to me, heavens!
    Let not the hours of this ungodly day
    Wear out the day in peace; but, ere sunset,
    Set armed discord 'twixt these perjur'd kings!
    Hear me, O, hear me!
     
    You have tricked me with a forgery
    resembling Majesty, which, being touched and tested,
    proves to be valueless; you have broken your oath;
    you came armed to spill blood of my enemies,
    but now, armed, you are strengthening his blood with yours.
    The fighting strength and rough frown of war
    has become cold in friendship and patched up peace,
    and this agreement is sealed by the wrongs you have done us.
    Take arms, you heavens, against these perjured kings!
    A widow is crying: be a husband to me, heavens!
    Don't let this unholy day tick away its time
    in peace; before sunset set

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