第 17 节
作者:
希望之舟 更新:2021-02-18 23:53 字数:9321
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。 JOHN。 'Aside' Then we are like to have biting
statutes; unless his teeth be pull'd 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 shining to the pound; the last subsidy。
Enter GEORGE BEVIS; with the 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 us'd; 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 hang'd
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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 ought'st 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
Commentaries Caesar writ; Is term'd the civil'st place of all 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; Pray'rs and tears have mov'd 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 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 for watching for your good。 CADE。 Give him a box o' th'
ear; and that will make 'em red again。 SAY。 Long sitting to determine poor
men's causes Hath 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 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 bloodshedding; This breast from harbouring
foul deceitful thoughts。 O; let me live! CADE。 'Aside' I feel remorse in
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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。 Ah; countrymen! if when you make your pray'rs; 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。 'Exeunt some with LORD SAY' 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。 But is not this braver? Let them kiss one another; 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 will we ride through the streets; and at every corner have them kiss。
Away! Exeunt
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SCENE VIII。 Southwark
Alarum and retreat。Enter again CADE and all his rabblement
CADE。 Up Fish Street! down Saint Magnus' Corner! Kill and knock
down! Throw them into Thames! 'Sound a parley' What noise is this I
hear? Dare any be so bold to sound retreat or parley when I command
them kill?
Enter BUCKINGHAM and old CLIFFORD; attended
BUCKINGHAM。 Ay; here they be that dare and will disturb thee。
And therefore yet relent; and save my life。 Know; Cade; we come
ambassadors from the King Unto the commons whom thou hast misled;
And here pronounce free pardon to them all That will forsake thee and go
home in peace。 CLIFFORD。 What say ye; countrymen? Will ye relent And
yield to mercy whilst 'tis offer'd you; Or let a rebel lead you to your deaths?
Who loves the King; and will embrace his pardon; Fling up his cap and
say 'God save his Majesty!' Who hateth him and honours not his father;
Henry the Fifth; that made all France to quake; Shake he his weapon at us
and pass by。 ALL。 God save the King! God save the King! CADE。 What;
Buckingham and Clifford; are ye so brave? And you; base peasants; do ye
believe him? Will you needs be hang'd with your about your necks? Hath
my sword therefore broke through London gates; that you should leave me
at the White Hart in Southwark? I thought ye would never have given out
these arms till you had recovered your ancient freedom。 But you are all
recreants and dastards; and delight to live in slavery to the nobility。 Let
them break your backs with burdens; take your houses over your heads;
ravish your wives and daughters before your faces。 For me; I will make
shift for one; and so God's curse light upon you all! ALL。 We'll follow
Cade; we'll follow Cade! CLIFFORD。 Is Cade the son of Henry the Fifth;
That thus you do exclaim you'll go with him? Will he conduct you through
the heart of France; And make the meanest of you earls and dukes? Alas;
he hath no home; no place to fly to; Nor knows he how to live but by the
spoil; Unless by robbing of your friends and us。 Were't not a shame that