Will Shakespeare's

plays are a National Treasure and are regarded as some of the greatest literary achievements in the English language - they are performed all over the world - and

DO NOT ATTRACT POLICE ATTENTION FOR THEIR MENTIONING "BASTARDS" many times.

Bear in mind that in Henry V - Shakespeare has the future Queen Catherine ( still a French Princess at this point in the play) discussing how body parts have amusing sounding names in English....... including the "C" word for her privates! This has been aired on national TV without complaint.

Here's a little taster from one of his characters - just in case it's slipped your notice!

Enter THERSITES

I am a bastard too; I love bastards: I am a bastard
begot, bastard instructed, bastard in mind,

bastard in valour, in every thing illegitimate.

One bear will not bite another, and wherefore should one bastard?
Take heed, the quarrel's most ominous to us: if the son of a whore fight for a whore, he tempts judgment: farewell, bastard.

So, far from being a plain statement of fact in Shakespeare's day the word "bastard" had many amusing meanings that would be understood by the audience and appreciated as the humourous interlude in a play.