The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (219 page)

Strumpet, your words have condemned your brat and you:

do not beg, it is useless.

PUCELLE.

Then lead me hence; with whom I leave my curse:

May never glorious sun reflex his beams

Upon the country where you make abode:

But darkness and the gloomy shade of death

Environ you, till mischief and despair

Drive you to break your necks or hang yourselves!

Then take me away; I leave you with this curse:

may the glorious sun never shed his light

on the country where you live:

darkness and the gloomy shade of death

will cover you, until trouble and despair

cause you to break your neck or hang yourselves!

[Exit, guarded.]

YORK.

Break thou in pieces and consume to ashes,

Thou foul accursed minister of hell!

May you be broken in pieces and burnt to ashes,

you foul cursed agent of hell!

[Enter Cardinal Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester,

attended.]

CARDINAL.

Lord regent, I do greet your excellence

With letters of commission from the king.

For know, my lords, the states of Christendom,

Moved with remorse of these outrageous broils,

Have earnestly implored a general peace

Betwixt our nation and the aspiring French;

And here at hand the Dauphin and his train

Approacheth, to confer about some matter.

Lord Regent, I greet your Excellency

bringing my orders from the King.

You should know, my lords, that all states in Christendom,

deeply regretting these terrible wars,

are earnestly begging for peace to be agreed

between our nation and the ambitious French;

and just here are the Dauphin and his followers

coming to speak with you on some matter.

YORK.

Is all our travail turn'd to this effect?

After the slaughter of so many peers,

So many captains, gentlemen and soldiers,

That in this quarrel have been overthrown,

And sold their bodies for their country's benefit,

Shall we at last conclude effeminate peace?

Have we not lost most part of all the towns,

By treason, falsehood, and by treachery,

Our great progenitors had conquered?

O, Warwick, Warwick!  I foresee with grief

The utter loss of all the realm of France.

Is this what all our work comes to?

After the slaughter of so many peers,

so many captains, gentlemen and soldiers,

who have lost their lives in this quarrel,

and given their bodies for the benefit of the country,

are we going to meekly agree to a peace?

Haven't we lost most of the towns

our great ancestors conquered

through treason, falsehood and treachery?

Oh, Warwick, Warwick! It's with sorrow

that I predict we shall lose the whole kingdom of France.

WARWICK.

Be patient, York:  if we conclude

a peace,

It shall be with such strict and severe covenants

As little shall the Frenchmen gain thereby.

Be calm, York: if we agree to a peace,

it will be with such strict and punishing conditions

that it won't do the Frenchmen much good.

[Enter Charles, Alencon, Bastard, Reignier, and others.]

CHARLES.

Since, lords of England, it is thus agreed

That peaceful truce shall be proclaim'd in France,

We come to be informed by yourselves

What the conditions of that league must be.

Since, lords of England, it has been agreed

that a peaceful truce shall be announced in France,

we have come to be told by you

what the conditions of that agreement must be.

YORK.

Speak, Winchester; for boiling choler chokes

The hollow passage of my poison'd voice,

By sight of these our baleful enemies.

Speak, Winchester; boiling anger chokes

my poisoned throat,

at the sight of these revolting enemies.

CARDINAL.

Charles, and the rest, it is enacted thus:

That, in regard King Henry gives consent,

Of mere compassion and of lenity,

To ease your country of distressful war,

And suffer you to breathe in fruitful peace,

You shall become true liegemen to his crown:

And, Charles, upon condition thou wilt swear

To pay him tribute and submit thyself,

Thou shalt be placed as viceroy under him,

And still enjoy the regal dignity.

Charles, and the rest, this is what has been decreed:

that King Henry has given his consent,

out of simple compassion and kindness,

to take the burden of terrible war from your country

and allow you to prosper in peace,

on condition that you become true servants of his crown:

and Charles, on condition that you will swear

to pay tribute to him and bow down to him,

you shall the given the position of Viceroy under him,

and still enjoy a royal position.

ALENCON.

Must he be then as shadow of himself?

Adorn his temples with a coronet,

And yet, in substance and authority,

Retain but privilege of a private man?

This proffer is absurd and reasonless.

So he has to be a shadow of himself?

You're going to put a crown on his head,

and yet, in every important aspect,

he's just going to be the same as a private citizen?

This offer is absurd and foolish.

CHARLES.

'Tis known already that I am possess'd

With more than half the Gallian territories,

And therein reverenced for their lawful king:

Shall I, for lucre of the rest unvanquish'd,

Detract so much from that prerogative,

As to be call'd but viceroy of the whole?

No, lord ambassador, I 'll rather keep

That which I have than, coveting for more,

Be cast from possibility of all.

You know that I already own

more than half of the territories of France,

and am revered by them as their lawful King:

should I, in return for the half I haven't won,

climb down so far from the position I have

as to be called viceroy of the whole thing?

No, lord ambassador, I would rather keep

what I have, not throw away everything

to try and get more.

YORK.

Insulting Charles! hast thou by secret means

Used intercession to obtain a league,

And, now the matter grows to compromise,

Stand'st thou aloof upon comparison?

Either accept the title thou usurp'st,

Of benefit proceeding from our king

And not of any challenge of desert,

Or we will plague thee with incessant wars.

Insulting Charles! Have you secretly

conspired to form an alliance,

and, now we come close to an agreement,

claim that your position is equal to ours?

Either accept the title you are rejecting,

which is offered from the kindness of our king

and not because you in any way deserve it,

or we will plague you with unending wars.

REIGNIER.

My lord, you do not well in obstinacy

To cavil in the course of this contract:

If once it be neglected, ten to one

We shall not find like opportunity.

My lord, your obstinacy in refusing

the agreement you have been offered is not good:

if you reject it, it's ten to one

that we'll never be offered such a chance again.

ALENCON.

To say the truth, it is your policy

To save your subjects from such massacre

And ruthless slaughters as are daily seen,

By our proceeding in hostility;

And therefore take this compact of a truce,

Although you break it when your pleasure serves.

To tell the truth, it is your policy

to save your subjects from the massacres

and ruthless slaughters which are happening daily,

as long as we continue with hostilities;

and so accept this offer of a truce,

even if you are going to break it when you want.

WARWICK.

How say'st thou, Charles? shall our condition stand?

What do you say, Charles? Do you agree to our terms?

CHARLES.

It shall;

Only reserv'd, you claim no interest

In any of our towns of garrison.

I do;

with the reservation that you don't lay any claim

to any of our fortified towns.

YORK.

Then swear allegiance to his majesty,

As thou art knight, never to disobey

Nor be rebellious to the crown of England

Thou, nor thy nobles, to the crown of England.

So, now dismiss your army when ye please;

Hang up your ensigns, let your drums be still,

For here we entertain a solemn peace.

Then swear loyalty to his Majesty,

as you are a knight, to never disobey,

or be rebellious against, the Crown of England–

neither you nor your noblemen.

So, disband your army at your convenience;

hang up your banners, silence your drums,

for here we welcome a solemn peace.

[Exeunt.]

[Enter Suffolk in conference with the King,

Gloucester and Exeter.]

KING.

Your wondrous rare description, noble earl,

Of beauteous Margaret hath astonish'd me.

Her virtues graced with external gifts

Do breed love's settled passions in my heart:

And like as rigor of tempestuous gusts

Provokes the mightiest hulk against the tide,

So am I driven by breath of her renown,

Either to suffer shipwreck or arrive

Where I may have fruition of her love.

This incredible description, noble Earl,