Free The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) by William Shakespeare Page B

carried out on heaven's behalf,
    that is, that you would be a champion of our church.
    Since what you have sworn is swearing against yourself
    and cannot be done by you,
    for if you break your oath you are not breaking it
    if you are doing so to keep your true oath,
    and not doing something when doing it would be evil
    then you are being most faithful by not doing it:
    the best thing to do when you're in the wrong
    is to do a wrong to right it; although doing wrong
    you will be doing right by doing wrong,
    and falsehood will cure falsehood, as fire cools fire
    in the scorched brains of someone who's just been burned.
    It is your religion which makes you want to keep your vows,
    but you have sworn against religion:
    you are swearing against the thing you have sworn,
    you are swearing against your own truth!
    Having sworn an oath you have the effrontery
    to say that your oath is the guarantee of your truthfulness!
    This makes a mockery of swearing, doesn't it?
    But you have sworn only that you won't break your oath,
    and your oath says that you must keep to what you have sworn.
    So your later promise goes against your first
    and so you are fighting against yourself;
    you can never win a greater victory
    than if you make sure your true and noble qualities
    resist the temptation of foolish suggestions:
    then the prayers of your better part will be answered,
    if you make them. But if you don't, then you should note
    that you will be so heavily cursed by us
    that you will not be able to escape them,
    and you will die in despair under their black weight.
     
    AUSTRIA.
    Rebellion, flat rebellion!
     
    Rebellion, plain rebellion!
     
    BASTARD.
    Will't not be?
    Will not a calf's-skin stop that mouth of thine?
     
    Is everything in vain?
    Wouldn't a calfskin block up your mouth?
     
    LEWIS.
    Father, to arms!
     
    Father, we must fight!
     
    BLANCH.
    Upon thy wedding-day?
    Against the blood that thou hast married?
    What, shall our feast be kept with slaughtered men?
    Shall braying trumpets and loud churlish drums,
    Clamours of hell, be measures to our pomp?
    O husband, hear me! ay, alack, how new
    Is 'husband' in my mouth! even for that name,
    Which till this time my tongue did ne'er pronounce,
    Upon my knee I beg, go not to arms
    Against mine uncle.
     
    On your wedding day?
    Against the family you have married into?
    What, shall we celebrate with men's deaths?
    Shall our wedding music be braying trumpets
    and loud spiteful drums, the racket of hell?
    Oh husband, listen to me! Alas, how new that word
    “husband” is to me! Just because of that name,
    which I have not ever said until now,
    I go down on my knees and beg you not to fight
    against my uncle.
     
    CONSTANCE.
    O, upon my knee,
    Made hard with kneeling, I do pray to thee,
    Thou virtuous Dauphin, alter not the doom
    Forethought by heaven!
     
    Oh, on my knees,
    which are worn out with begging, I pray you,
    you good Dauphin, do not go against
    the wishes of heaven!
     
    BLANCH.
    Now shall I see thy love. What motive may
    Be stronger with thee than the name of wife?
     
    Now I will see what your love is worth. What is
    more important to you than what your wife asks?
     
    CONSTANCE.
    That which upholdeth him that thee upholds,
    His honour. O, thine honour, Lewis, thine honour!
     
    The thing which supports the man who supports you,
    his honour. Oh, your honour, Louis, your honour!
     
    LEWIS.
    I muse your Majesty doth seem so cold,
    When such profound respects do pull you on.
     
    I'm surprised that your Majesty seems so cold,
    when such deep considerations should be working on you.
     
    PANDULPH.
    I will denounce a curse upon his head.
     
    I will announce a curse upon his head.
     
    KING PHILIP.
    Thou shalt not need. England, I will fall from thee.
     
    You won't have to. England, I forsake you.
     
    CONSTANCE.
    O fair return of banish'd majesty!
     
    Here is the fair return of your forgotten majesty!
     
    ELINOR.
    O foul revolt of French inconstancy!
     
    Disgusting rebellion