SCENE VII.
Smithfield.
Alarum. Enter Jack Cade with his company. They fight with the king's forces, and Matthew Gough1 note is slain.
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 mouth2 note.
John.
Mass, 'twill be sore law then; for he was
thrust in the mouth with a spear, and 'tis not whole
yet.
[Aside.
Smith.
Nay, John, it will be stinking law; for his
breath stinks with eating toasted cheese.
[Aside.
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.
John.
Then we are like to have biting statutes,
unless his teeth be pull'd out.
[Aside.
Cade.
And henceforward all things shall be in common.
-- 398 --
Enter a Messenger.
Mes.
My lord, a prize, a prize! here's the lord
Say, which sold the town in France; he that made us
pay one and twenty fifteens, and one shilling to the
pound, the last subsidy.
Enter George Bevis, with the lord Say.
Cade.
Well, he shall be beheaded for it ten times.—
Ah, 3 note
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 monsieur Basimecu 9Q0825, 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 traiterously corrupted
the youth of the realm, in erecting a grammar-school:
and whereas, before, our fore-fathers had no
other books but the score and the tally, thou hast
caused 4 note
printing to be us'd; and, contrary to the
-- 399 --
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. 9Q0827 Moreover, thou
hast put them in prison; and, 5 notebecause they could not
read, thou hast hang'd them; when, indeed, only for
that cause they have been most worthy to live. Thou
dost ride on a foot-cloth, dost thou not6 note
?
Say.
What of that?
Cade.
Marry, thou ought'st not 7 noteto let thy horse
-- 400 --
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 8 note
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 Cæsar writ,
Is term'd the civil'st place of all this isle9 note:
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 mov'd me, gifts could never.
1 note
When have I aught exacted at your hands?
-- 401 --
Kent 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 parly'd unto foreign kings
For your behoof,—
Cade.
Tut! when struck'st thou one blow in the field?
Say.
Great men have reaching hands: oft have I struck
Those that I never saw, and struck them dead.
George.
O monstrous coward! what, to come behind folks!
Say.
These cheeks are pale with 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 mens' causes
Hath made me full of sickness and diseases.
Cade.
Ye shall have a hempen caudle then, and the
help of a hatchet.
Dick.
Why dost thou quiver, man2 note
?
-- 402 --
Say.
The palsy, 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 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 injur'd, that ye seek my death?
These hands are free from guiltless blood-shedding, 9Q0828
This breast from harbouring foul deceitful thoughts.
O, let me live!
Cade.
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 3 note
. Away with him! he has a familiar
under his tongue4 note
; 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.
Ah, countrymen! if when you make your prayers,
God should be so obdurate as yourselves,
-- 403 --
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.
[Exeunt some, with lord Say.
The proudest peer of 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
maiden-head* note 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 bills5 note?
Cade.
Marry, presently.
All.
O brave!
Re-enter one with the heads.
Cade.
But is not this braver?—Let them kiss one
another6 note
; for they lov'd well, when they were alive.
Now part them again, lest they consult about the giving
up of some more towns in France. Soldiers, defer
the spoil of the city until night: for with these
borne before us, instead of maces, we will ride through
the streets; and, at every corner, have them kiss.—
Away!
[Exeunt.
-- 404 --
Samuel Johnson [1778], The plays of William Shakspeare. In ten volumes. With the corrections and illustrations of various commentators; to which are added notes by Samuel Johnson and George Steevens. The second edition, Revised and Augmented (Printed for C. Bathurst [and] W. Strahan [etc.], London) [word count] [S10901].
