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London. Smithfield.
[Alarums. MATTHEW GOFFE is slain, and all the rest. Then enter CADE, with
his company.]
CADE
So, sirs: now go some and pull down the Savoy; others to the inns of court;
down with them all.
DICK
I have a suit unto your lordship.
CADE
Be it a lordship, thou shalt have it for that word.
DICK
Only that the laws of England may come out of your mouth.
HOLLAND [Aside]
Mass, 'twill be sore law, then; for he was thrust in the mouth with a spear,
and 'tis not whole yet.
SMITH [Aside]
Nay, John, it will be stinking law for his breath stinks with eating toasted
cheese.
CADE
I have thought upon it, it shall be so. Away, burn all the records of the
realm: my mouth shall be the parliament of England.
HOLLAND [Aside]
Then we are like to have biting statutes, unless his teeth be pulled out.
CADE
And henceforward all things shall be in common.
[Enter a Messenger]
MESSENGER
My lord, a prize, a prize! here's the Lord Say, which sold the towns in
France; he that made us pay one and twenty fifteens, and one shilling to the
pound, the last subsidy.
[Enter BEVIS, with Lord SAY]
CADE
Well, he shall be beheaded for it ten times. Ah, thou say, thou serge, nay,
thou buckram lord! now art thou within point-blank of our jurisdiction
regal. What canst thou answer to my majesty for giving up of Normandy unto
Mounsieur Basimecu, the dauphin of France? Be it known unto thee by these
presence, even the presence of Lord Mortimer, that I am the besom that must
sweep the court clean of such filth as thou art. Thou hast most traitorously
corrupted the youth of the realm in erecting a grammar school; and whereas,
before, our forefathers had no other books but the score and the tally, thou
hast caused printing to be used, and, contrary to the king, his crown and
dignity, thou hast built a paper-mill. It will be proved to thy face that
thou hast men about thee that usually talk of a noun and a verb, and such
abominable words as no Christian ear can endure to hear. Thou hast appointed
justices of peace, to call poor men before them about matters they were not
able to answer. Moreover, thou hast put them in prison; and because they
could not read, thou hast hanged them; when, indeed, only for that cause
they have been most worthy to live. Thou dost ride in a foot-cloth, dost
thou not?
SAY
What of that?
CADE
Marry, thou oughtest not to let thy horse wear a cloak, when honester men
than thou go in their hose and doublets.
DICK
And work in their shirt too; as myself, for example, that am a butcher.
SAY
You men of Kent.
DICK
What say you of Kent.
SAY
Nothing but this: 'tis bona terra, mala gens.
CADE
Away with him, away with him, he speaks Latin.
SAY
,
, ,
, ,
Hear me | but speak,| and bear | me where | you
will.
,
, , ,
,
Kent, in | the Com|menta|ries Cae|sar writ,
, ,
, ,
,
Is termed | the ci|vilst place | of all | this
isle:
, 2
, , ,
,
Sweet is the | country,| because | full of |
riches;
,
, 2 , 2
, , o
The peo|ple li|beral, va|liant, ac|tive,
weal|thy;
, ,
, 2 T T
. T o
Which | makes me | hope you are | not void of
pi|ty. (hex with prev)
,
, ,
, ,
I sold | not Maine,| I lost | not Nor|mandy,
, ,
, ,
,
Yet to | reco|ver them | would lose | my life:
,
, ,
, ,
Justice | with fa|vor have | I al|ways done,
x
, ,
, ,
Prayers and | tears have | moved me,| gifts could
| never.
,
, ,
, ,
When have | I aught | exac|ted at | your hands?
,
, , ,
,
Kent to |*maintain,| the king,| the realm | and
you,
T T
T 2 , ,
,
Large gifts have | I bestowed | on lear|ned
clerks,
, ,
, , ,
Because | my book | preferred | me to | the king,
,
, , 2
, ,
And see|ing ig|norance | is the curse | of God,
,
, , ,
x
Knowledge | the wing | wherewith | we fly | to
heaven,
, ,
, x
x
Unless | you be | possessed | with devil|ish
spirits,
, ,
, ,
,
You can|not but | forbear | to mur|der me:
,
, ,
, ,
This tongue | hath par|leyed un|to for|eign kings
,
,
For your | behoof. (cut off?)
CADE
,
, ,
, ___
Tut, when | struckst thou | one blow / in the |
field?
SAY
T T
. T , ,
,
Great men have rea|ching hands:| oft have | I
struck
,
, , ,
,
Those that | I ne|ver saw | and struck | them
dead.
BEVIS
O monstrous coward! What, to come behind folks?
SAY
, ,
, ,
,
These cheeks | are pale | for wat|ching for |
your good.
CADE
Give him a box on the ear, and that will make 'em red again.
SAY
, ,
2 , ,
,
Long sit/ting to de|termine | poor men's^|causes
,
, , ,
2 ,
Hath made | me full | of sick|ness and dis|eases.
CADE
Ye shall have a hempen caudle, then, and the help of hatchet.
DICK
Why dost thou quiver man?
SAY
, ,
, ,
o
The pal|sy, and / not fear | provokes | me.
CADE
Nay, he nods at us, as who should say, I'll be even with you: I'll see if
his head will stand steadier on a pole, or no. Take him away, and behead
him.
SAY
,
, ,
, ,
Tell me:| wherein | have I | offen|ded most?
, ,
, , ,
Have I | affec|ted wealth | or ho|nor? Speak.
, ,
, ,
,
Are my | chests filled^|up with | extor|ted gold?
,
, , 2 ,
,
Is my | appa|rel sump|tuous to | behold?
,
, , ,
,
Whom have | I in|jured, that | ye seek | my
death?
,
, , ,
,
These hands | are free | from guilt|less
blood|shedding,
,
, 2 , ,
,
This breast | from har|boring foul | deceit|ful
thoughts.
T T T __
O let me | live. \\
CADE [Aside]
I feel remorse in myself with his words; but I'll bridle it: he shall die,
an it be but for pleading so well for his life. Away with him! he has a
familiar under his tongue; he speaks not o' God's name. Go, take him away, I
say, and strike off his head presently; and then break into his son-in-law's
house, Sir James Cromer, and strike off his head, and bring them both upon
two poles hither.
ALL
It shall be done.
SAY
, ,
, ,
x
Ah coun|trymen:| if when | you make | your
prayers,
,
, ,
, ,
God should | be so | obdu|rate as | yourselves:
,
, , ,
,
How would | it fare | with your | depar|ted
souls?
,
, , ,
,
And there|fore yet | relent,| and save | my life.
CADE
Away with him, and do as I command ye: the proudest peer in the realm shall
not wear a head on his shoulders, unless he pay me tribute; there shall not
a maid be married, but she shall pay to me her maidenhead ere they have it:
men shall hold of me in capite; and we charge and command that their wives
be as free as heart can wish or tongue can tell.
DICK
My lord, when shall we go to Cheapside and take up commodities upon our
bills?
CADE
Marry, presently.
ALL
O, brave!
[Re-enter one with the heads]
CADE
2 ,
, ->
But is not | this bra||ver:
(pickup)
,
, 2 ,
2 ,
,
Let | them kiss | one ano|ther, for they / loved
well
, ,
T T T
2 ,
When they / were a|live. Now part | them again,
,
, ,
, ,
Lest they | consult | about | the gi|ving up
, ,
, , oo
Of some / more towns | in France.| Soldiers,|
,
, 2 ,
, ,
Defer | the spoil | of the ci|ty un/til night:
2
, ,
x ,
,
For with these | borne be|fore us, in|stead of |
maces,
2
, 2
, ,
, ,
Will we ride | through the streets,| and at |
every | corner
T T
T ,
Have them kiss.| Away. (picked up)
[Exeunt]