Henry VI, part 2 — Act 4, Scene 7 · Shakespeare for Bharat

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 wasthrust in the mouth with a spear, and 'tis not wholeyet.

SMITH

[Aside] Nay, John, it will be stinking law for hisbreath stinks with eating toasted cheese.

CADE

I have thought upon it, it shall be so. Away, burnall the records of the realm: my mouth shall bethe 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.

Messenger

My lord, a prize, a prize! here's the Lord Say,which sold the towns in France; he that made us payone and twenty fifteens, and one shilling to thepound, the last subsidy.

CADE

Well, he shall be beheaded for it ten times. Ah,thou say, thou serge, nay, thou buckram lord! nowart thou within point-blank of our jurisdictionregal. What canst thou answer to my majesty forgiving up of Normandy unto Mounsieur Basimecu, thedauphin of France? Be it known unto thee by thesepresence, even the presence of Lord Mortimer, that Iam the besom that must sweep the court clean of suchfilth as thou art. Thou hast most traitorouslycorrupted the youth of the realm in erecting agrammar school; and whereas, before, our forefathershad no other books but the score and the tally, thouhast caused printing to be used, and, contrary tothe king, his crown and dignity, thou hast built apaper-mill. It will be proved to thy face that thouhast men about thee that usually talk of a noun anda verb, and such abominable words as no Christianear can endure to hear. Thou hast appointedjustices of peace, to call poor men before themabout matters they were not able to answer.Moreover, thou hast put them in prison; and becausethey could not read, thou hast hanged them; when,indeed, only for that cause they have been mostworthy 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 acloak, when honester men than thou go in their hoseand 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 Commentaries Caesar writ,Is term'd the civil'st place of this isle:Sweet is the country, because full of riches;The people liberal, valiant, active, wealthy;Which makes me hope you are not void of pity.I sold not Maine, I lost not Normandy,Yet, to recover them, would lose my life.Justice with favour have I always done;Prayers and tears have moved me, gifts could never.When have I aught exacted at your hands,But to maintain the king, the realm and you?Large gifts have I bestow'd on learned clerks,Because my book preferr'd me to the king,And seeing ignorance is the curse of God,Knowledge the wing wherewith we fly to heaven,Unless you be possess'd with devilish spirits,You cannot but forbear to murder me:This tongue hath parley'd unto foreign kingsFor your behoof,--

CADE

Tut, when struck'st thou one blow in the field?

SAY

Great men have reaching hands: oft have I struckThose that I never saw and struck them dead.

BEVIS

O monstrous coward! what, to come behind folks?

SAY

These cheeks are pale for watching for your good.

CADE

Give him a box o' the ear and that will make 'em red again.

SAY

Long sitting to determine poor men's causesHath made me full of sickness and diseases.

CADE

Ye shall have a hempen caudle, then, and the help of hatchet.

DICK

Why dost thou quiver, man?

SAY

The palsy, and not fear, provokes me.

CADE

Nay, he nods at us, as who should say, I'll be evenwith you: I'll see if his head will stand steadieron a pole, or no. Take him away, and behead him.

SAY

Tell me wherein have I offended most?Have I affected wealth or honour? speak.Are my chests fill'd up with extorted gold?Is my apparel sumptuous to behold?Whom have I injured, that ye seek my death?These hands are free from guiltless bloodshedding,This breast from harbouring foul deceitful thoughts.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 forpleading so well for his life. Away with him! hehas a familiar under his tongue; he speaks not o'God's name. Go, take him away, I say, and strikeoff his head presently; and then break into hisson-in-law's house, Sir James Cromer, and strike offhis head, and bring them both upon two poles hither.

ALL

It shall be done.

SAY

Ah, countrymen! if when you make your prayers,God should be so obdurate as yourselves,How would it fare with your departed souls?And therefore yet relent, and save my life.

CADE

Away with him! and do as I command ye.

CADE

The proudest peer in the realm shall not wear a headon his shoulders, unless he pay me tribute; thereshall not a maid be married, but she shall pay to meher maidenhead ere they have it: men shall hold ofme in capite; and we charge and command that theirwives be as free as heart can wish or tongue can tell.

DICK

My lord, when shall we go to Cheapside and take upcommodities upon our bills?

CADE

Marry, presently.

ALL

O, brave!

CADE

But is not this braver? Let them kiss one another,for they loved well when they were alive. Now partthem again, lest they consult about the giving up ofsome more towns in France. Soldiers, defer thespoil of the city until night: for with these bornebefore us, instead of maces, will we ride throughthe streets, and at every corner have them kiss. Away!