Geo. O, monstrous coward! what! to come be hind 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 causes Hath made me full of sickness and diseases. Cade. Ye shall have a hempen caudle then, and the help of hatchet.12 Dick. Why dost thou quiver, man? Say. The palsy, and not fear, provoketh 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? Whom have I injur'd, that ye seek my death? Cade. I feel remorse in myself with his words; want of a comma after Kent in the folio, certain editors have thought the passage corrupt, and so undertaken to mend it. Н 11 That is, because of. 66 12 These, it should seem, were a sort of cant phrases for hang ing, and beheading, or, perhaps, hanging and quartering. Dr Farmer, and others following him, have thought that the help of hatchet" should be "the pap of a hatchet," and have changed the text accordingly; their only authority being, that Lyly wrote a tract entitled "Pap with an Hatchet; alias, A Fig for my God son; or, Crack me this Nut; that is, a sound Box of the Ear. H. 13 That is, these hands are free from shedding guiltless or in nocent blood. 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 familiar1⁄4 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-inlaw'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, How would it fare with your departed souls? 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 14 A demon who was supposed to attend at call. 15 The following is Holinshed's account of these doings: "After that, he entered into London, cut the ropes of the draw-bridge, and strooke his sword on London stone, saieng, Now is Mortimer lord of this citie.' And, after a glosing declaration made to the maior touching the cause of his thither comming, he departed againe into Southwarke, and upon the third daie of Julie he caused sir James Fines, lord Saie, and treasurer of England, to be brought to the Guildhall, and there to be arreigned; who, being before the kings justices put to answer, desired to be tried by his peeres, for the longer delaie of his life. The capteine, perceiving his dilatorie plee, by force tooke him from the officers, and brought him to the standard in Cheape, and there caused his head to be striken off, and pitched it upon an high pole, which was openlic borne before him through the streets. And, not content herewith, he went to Mile-end, and there apprehended sir James Cromer, then sheriffe of Kent, and sonne-in-law to the said lord Saie, causing him likewise to be beheaded, and his head to be fixed on a pole. And with these two heads this bloudie wretch entred into the citie againe and as it were in spite caused them in everie street to kisse to gether, to the great detestation of all the beholders." H nold 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? 16 Cade. Marry, presently. All. O brave! Re-enter Rebels, with the Heads of Lord SAY and his Son-in-law. 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 SCENE VIII. Alarum. Southwark. Enter CADE, and all his Rabblement. Cade. Up Fish-Street! down St. Magnus' Corner! kill and knock down! throw them into Thames! [A Parley sounded, then a Retreat.] 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, with Forces. Buck. Ay, here they be that dare and will disturb thee: 16 A quibble is here intended between hills of debt or credit and the weapons used by watchmen and soldiers, which were also called bills. See Much Ado about Nothing, Act iii. se. 3, note 8 Also, As You Like It, Act i. sc. 2, note 5. H. Know, Cade, we come ambassadors from the king 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 pardons 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 recov ered your ancient freedom: but you are all recre ants 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. Clif. 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 whilst you live at jar, I see them lording it in London streets, Better ten thousand base-born Cades miscarry, Spare England, for it is your native coast. All. A Clifford! a Clifford! we'll follow the king and Clifford. Cade. Was ever feather so lightly blown to and fro, as this multitude? the name of Heury the Fifth hales them to a hundred mischiefs, and makes them leave me desolate. I see them lay their heads together, to surprise me my sword make way for me, for here is no staying.—In despite of the devils and hell, have through the very midst of you! and heavens and honour be witness, that no want of resolution in me, but only my followers' base and ignominious treasons, makes me betake me to my heels. [Exit. Buck. What is he fled? go some, and follow him; And he, that brings his head unto the king [Exeunt some of them. Follow me, soldiers: we'll devise a mean To reconcile you all unto the king. [Exeunt. |