The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)
Page 116
If you would like for me to write poetry or dance for you, then I am defeated. I am not a writer or a dancer, but I am strong. If I could win a lady at games or by jumping into my saddle in full armor, then I would do so for you. I am just an honest man. If you can love a man like me, look at me. Take me as I am, dear Kate, a plain fellow without any charm. I have a good heart which will remain true to you. If you would have a man like me, take me, take this soldier, take this king. What do you say? Tell me.
Katharine
Is it possible dat I should love de enemy of France?
Is it possible for me to love the enemy of France?
King
No; it is not possible you should love the enemy of France, Kate; but, in loving me, you should love the friend of France; for I love France so well that I will not part with a village of it, I will have it all mine; and, Kate, when France is mine and I am yours, then yours is France and you are mine.
No, it’s not possible, but in loving me you will love the friend of France. I love France so much I want it for myself, and when France is mine, France is yours.
Katharine
I cannot tell wat is dat.
I don’t understand.
King
No, Kate? I will tell thee in French; which I am sure will hang upon my tongue like a new-married wife about her husband's neck, hardly to be shook off. Je quand sur le possession de France, et quand vous avez le possession de moi,--let me see, what then? Saint Denis be my speed!--donc votre est France et vous etes mienne. It is as easy for me, Kate, to conquer the kingdom as to speak so much more French. I shall never move thee in French, unless it be to laugh at me.
I will tell you in French. (In French.) When I own France and you have me…Let me see. Help me, Saint Denis! Then yours is France and you are mine. It would be easier for me to win France than to explain what I’m saying in French. You will laugh at me.
Katharine
Sauf votre honneur, le Francais que vous parlez, il est meilleur que l'Anglois lequel je parle.
Your French is better than my English, sir.
King
No, faith, is't not, Kate; but thy speaking of my tongue, and I thine, most truly-falsely, must needs be granted to be much at one. But, Kate, dost thou understand thus much English: canst thou love me?
No, not really, Kate. We are about the same. Can you understand this? Could you love me?
Katharine
I cannot tell.
I don’t know, yet.
King
Can any of your neighbours tell, Kate? I'll ask them. Come, I know thou lovest me; and at night, when you come into your closet, you'll question this gentlewoman about me; and I know, Kate, you will to her dispraise those parts in me that you love with your heart. But, good Kate, mock me mercifully; the rather, gentle princess, because I love thee cruelly. If ever thou beest mine, Kate, as I have a saving faith within me tells me thou shalt, I get thee with scambling, and thou must therefore needs prove a good soldier-breeder. Shall not thou and I, between Saint Denis and Saint George, compound a boy, half French, half English, that shall go to Constantinople and take the Turk by the beard? Shall we not? What say'st thou, my fair flower-de-luce?
Do any of your neighbors know, Kate? I’ll ask them. You know they love me. At night, in your bedroom, you will tell this gentlewoman about me, what parts you love. Don’t mock me too much, because I love you. If you are ever mine, Kate, and I have feeling you will, we will have many sons. If not, I will go to Constantinople and take the Turk by the beard? what do you think, my flower?
Katharine
I do not know dat.
I don’t know.
King
No; 'tis hereafter to know, but now to promise. Do but now promise, Kate, you will endeavour for your French part of such a boy; and for my English moiety, take the word of a king and a bachelor. How answer you, la plus belle Katherine du monde, mon tres cher et divin deesse?
Of course not. Promise me you will try to have a son. I will do my part. Believe me. What’s your answer, (In French.) my most precious and divine goddess?
Katharine
Your Majestee ave fausse French enough to deceive de most sage damoiselle dat is en France.
Your majesty, your French is well enough to fool the wisest French lady.
King
Now, fie upon my false French! By mine honour, in true English, I love thee, Kate; by which honour I dare not swear thou lovest me; yet my blood begins to flatter me that thou dost, notwithstanding the poor and untempering effect of my visage. Now, beshrew my father's ambition! he was thinking of civil wars when he got me; therefore was I created with a stubborn outside, with an aspect of iron, that, when I come to woo ladies, I fright them. But, in faith, Kate, the elder I wax, the better I shall appear. My comfort is, that old age, that ill layer up of beauty, can do no more spoil upon my face. Thou hast me, if thou hast me, at the worst; and thou shalt wear me, if thou wear me, better and better; and therefore tell me, most fair Katharine, will you have me? Put off your maiden blushes; avouch the thoughts of your heart with the looks of an empress; take me by the hand, and say, Harry of England, I am thine; which word thou shalt no sooner bless mine ear withal, but I will tell thee aloud, England is thine, Ireland is thine, France is thine, and Henry Plantagenet is thine; who, though I speak it before his face, if he be not fellow with the best king, thou shalt find the best king of good fellows. Come, your answer in broken music; for thy voice is music and thy English broken; therefore, queen of all, Katharine, break thy mind to me in broken English. Wilt thou have me?
Now, damn my pathetic French and I swear in English, I love you, Kate. I would not swear you love me, but I feel it in my blood you do. Due to my father’s ambition, I was born with a stubborn streak and a look of iron so, when I woo ladies I frighten them. But I believe as I grow older, I will soften up. So, if you will have me at my worst, I swear I will get better. Most fair Katharine, will you have me? Don’t be embarrassed. Just tell me what is on your heart. Take my hand and say, “Harry of England, I am yours.” As soon as I hear it, I will tell you, “England, Ireland, France, and Harry Plantagenet yours.” Let me hear your musical voice in broken English tell me what you think. Will you have me?
Katharine
Dat is as it shall please de roi mon pere.
If it pleases my father, the king.
King
Nay, it will please him well, Kate; it shall please him, Kate.
It will please him well, Kate. It will definitely please him.
Katharine
Den it sall also content me.
Then, it also pleases me.
King
Upon that I kiss your hand, and call you my queen.
Then, I will kiss your hand and call you my queen.
Katharine
Laissez, mon seigneur, laissez, laissez! Ma foi, je ne veux point que vous abaissez votre grandeur en baisant la main d'une indigne serviteur. Excusez-moi, je vous supplie, mon tres-puissant seigneur.
No! Please stop! I can’t let you lower yourself by kissing the hand of one of your humble servants. Please pardon me, mighty king.
King
Then I will kiss your lips, Kate.
Then, I will kiss your lips, Kate.
Katharine
Les dames et demoiselles pour etre baisees devant leur noces, il n'est pas la coutume de France.
It is not customary for French girls to kiss before they are married.
King
Madame my interpreter, what says she?
What did she say, madam?
Alice
Dat it is not be de fashion pour les ladies of France,--I cannot tell wat is baiser en Anglish.
It is not appropriate for ladies of France. I don’t know the English word for “baiser.”
King
To kiss.
Kiss.
Alice
Your Majestee entendre bettre que moi.
You understand better than me.
It is not a fashion for the maids in France to kiss before they are married, would she say?
It is not appropriate for ladies in France to kiss before they are married, right?
Alice
Oui, vraiment.
Yes.
King
O Kate, nice customs curtsy to great kings. Dear Kate, you and I cannot be confined within the weak list of a country's fashion. We are the makers of manners, Kate; and the liberty that follows our places stops the mouth of all find-faults, as I will do yours, for upholding the nice fashion of your country in denying me a kiss; therefore, patiently and yielding.
Oh Kate, nice customs bow before great kings. Dear Kate, you and I can’t be restrained by a list of a country’s customs. We set the customs, Kate, and the freedom goes with our positions to silence any who would criticize, like me when I silence you for upholding the old tradition of refusing me a kiss.
Kisses her.
You have witchcraft in your lips, Kate; there is more eloquence in a sugar touch of them than in the tongues of the French council; and they should sooner persuade Harry of England than a general petition of monarchs. Here comes your father.
Your lips are magical, Kate. There is more eloquence in one touch of them than in all the tongues of the French council. You could persuade Harry of England better than a king. Here comes your father.
Re-enter the French King and his Queen, Burgundy, and other Lords.
Burgundy
God save your Majesty! My royal cousin, teach you our princess English?
God save the king! Are you teaching our princess, English?
King
I would have her learn, my fair cousin, how perfectly I love her; and that is good English.
I would have her learn, my fair cousin, how much I love her. That is good English.
Burgundy
Is she not apt?
How does she feel?
King
Our tongue is rough, coz, and my condition is not smooth; so that, having neither the voice nor the heart of flattery about me, I cannot so conjure up the spirit of love in her, that he will appear in his true likeness.
Our language barrier is rough, cuz, and I not a smooth man. So, having neither the voice nor the art of flattery in me, I can’t bring about the spirit of love in her.
Burgundy
Pardon the frankness of my mirth, if I answer you for that. If you would conjure in her, you must make a circle; if conjure up Love in her in his true likeness, he must appear naked and blind. Can you blame her then, being a maid yet ros'd over with the virgin crimson of modesty, if she deny the appearance of a naked blind boy in her naked seeing self? It were, my lord, a hard condition for a maid to consign to.
Pardon me, but if you want to make her love you by Cupid’s bow, he must come naked. Since she is just a maiden and a modest virgin, you can’t blame her for not wanting him to come. It’s hard for a young lady to resign herself to loving a man.
King
Yet they do wink and yield, as love is blind and enforces.
Yet, young girls wink and act coy all the time while love is brewing.
Burgundy
They are then excus'd, my lord, when they see not what they do.
Then they are excused for not knowing what they do, my lord.
King
Then, good my lord, teach your cousin to consent winking.
Then teach your cousin, my lord.
Burgundy
I will wink on her to consent, my lord, if you will teach her to know my meaning; for maids, well summer'd and warm kept, are like flies at Bartholomew-tide, blind, though they have their eyes; and then they will endure handling, which before would not abide looking on.
I will give her a wink to consent, my lord, if you will teach her my meaning. Young girls are like flies at Bartholomew’s Eve, when they are blind they are easily handled.
King
This moral ties me over to time and a hot summer; and so I shall catch the fly, your cousin, in the latter end, and she must be blind too.
This moral is to give it time and wait until summer. Then, she must still be blinded by my love for me to catch her.
Burgundy
As love is, my lord, before it loves.
Like love, my lord, before it learns to love.
King
It is so; and you may, some of you, thank love for my blindness, who cannot see many a fair French city for one fair French maid that stands in my way.
Okay. Some of you may wish to thank me because I can’t see one fair French city with one fair French maid in my way.
French King
Yes, my lord, you see them perspectively, the cities turn'd into a maid; for they are all girdled with maiden walls that war hath [never] ent'red.
Oh yes you do, my lord. You see cities that appear like maidens because they haven’t been touched.
King
Shall Kate be my wife?
Will Kate be my wife?
French King
So please you.
If it pleases you.
King
I am content, so the maiden cities you talk of may wait on her; so the maid that stood in the way for my wish shall show me the way to my will.
I am content to wait upon the cities as long as she comes with them. She is the obstacle and the device to achieving my goals.
French King
We have consented to all terms of reason.
We have agreed to all the reasonable terms.
King
Is't so, my lords of England?
Is it true, my lords of England?
Westmoreland
The king hath granted every article; His daughter first, and then in sequel all, According to their firm proposed natures.
The king has agreed to every article. His daughter first, and then in sequence according to their purposes.
Exeter
Only he hath not yet subscribed this: where your Majesty demands, that the King of France, having any occasion to write for matter of grant, shall name your Highness in this form and with this addition, in French, Notre tres-cher fils Henri, Roi d'Angleterre, Heritier de France; and thus in Latin, Praeclarissimus filius noster Henricus, Rex Angliae et Haeres Franciae.
Although, he has not agreed to call you by your French title, Notre tres cher fils Henri, Roi d’Angleterre, Hertier de France.
French King
Nor this I have not, brother, so denied But our request shall make me let it pass.
I am willing to agree to this if you demand it.
King
I pray you then, in love and dear alliance, Let that one article rank with the rest; And thereupon give me your daughter.
Then, I ask you to accept it like the rest and give me your daughter.
French King
Take her, fair son, and from her blood raise up Issue to me; that the contending kingdoms Of France and England, whose very shores look pale With envy of each other's happiness, May cease their hatred; and this dear conjunction Plant neighbourhood and Christian-like accord In their sweet bosoms, that never war advance His bleeding sword 'twixt England and fair France.
Take her, my son, and give me grandchildren to look after the contending kingdoms of France and England. I hope it ends the hatred and brings about peace so, we may never fight again.
All
Amen!
Amen!
King
Now, welcome, Kate; and bear me witness all, That here I kiss her as my sovereign queen.
Now, welcome, Kate, and everyone be my witness that I kiss her as my sovereign queen.
Trumpet sounds.
Queen Isabel
God, the best maker of all marriages, Combine your hearts in one, your realms in one! As man and wife, being two, are one in love, So be there 'twixt your kingdoms such a spousal, That never may ill office, or fell jealousy, Which troubles oft the bed of blessed marriage, Thrust in between the paction of thes
e kingdoms, To make divorce of their incorporate league; That English may as French, French Englishmen, Receive each other. God speak this Amen!