The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (248 page)

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.

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 murther me.

This tongue hath parley'd unto foreign kings

For your behoof,--

Just hear me talk, and take me where you want.

In the works of Caesar he said that

Kent was the loveliest place in this whole island.

The country is sweet, because it's fertile;

the people generous, brave, active and wealthy;

and that makes me hope that you are not completely without pity.

I did not sell Maine, I did not lose Normandy,

but I would give my life to get them back.

I have always tempered justice with mercy;

I have been moved by prayers and tears, never gifts.

When have I ever taken any tax except

for the maintenance of the King, the country, and you?

I have given great gifts to learned clerks,

because my books brought me to the notice of the King;

and as ignorance is the curse of God,

and knowledge the wings with which we fly to heaven,

unless you are possessed by the devil,

you must refrain from murdering me.

This town has spoken to foreign kings

on your behalf–

CADE.

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

Tut, when did you ever strike a single blow on the battlefield?

SAY.

Great men have reaching hands; oft have I struck

Those that I never saw, and struck them dead.

Great men have a long reach; I have often struck

those that I never saw, and struck them dead.

GEORGE.

O monstrous coward! what, to come behind folks?

You monstrous coward! What, you hit them from behind?

SAY.

These cheeks are pale for watching for your good.

My cheeks are pale from the amount of effort I spent on your behalf.

CADE.

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

again.

Box his ears, and that will make them red again.

SAY.

Long sitting to determine poor men's causes

Hath made me full of sickness and diseases.

Working hard on behalf of poor men

has filled me with sickness and disease.

CADE.

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

hatchet.

We'll give you a nice broth then, and cure you

with an axe.

DICK.

Why dost thou quiver, man?

Why are you shaking, man?

SAY.

The palsy, and not fear, provokes me.

It's palsy, not fear, that's doing it.

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.

He's nodding at us, like someone saying, I'll get

even with you. I'll see if his head will be steadier

on a pole or not. Take him away, and cut off his head.

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!

Tell me what my worst offence is?

Have I looked for wealth or honour? Tell me.

Are my chests filled up with extorted gold?

Do I have wonderful clothes?

Whom have I injured, to make you want to kill me?

My hands have never shed innocent blood,

and my heart has never entertained foul deceitful thoughts.

Oh, 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.

His words make me feel bad, but I won't give

into it; he shall die, it's only because he's pleading so well for his

life–

take him away! He has a daemon under his tongue; he doesn't speak

in gods name. Go, take him away, I say, and cut off his head

at once; and then break into the house of his son-in-law, Sir James

Cromer, and cut off his head, and bring them both here on two

poles.

ALL.

It shall be done.

This 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.

Ah countrymen! If God is as stubborn as you

when you make your prayers to him,

what would happen to your dead souls?

And so do not do this, 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.

Take him away! And do as I order.

The greatest peer in the country will not

keep his head on his shoulders unless he bows down to me; there

won't be a girl married who doesn't give me her

virginity before her wedding. Men shall have me as their leader;

and I order and command that their wives should be as open

to me as a heart could wish or a tongue could tell.

DICK.

My lord, when shall we go to Cheapside, and take up

commodities upon our bills?

My Lord, when shall we go up to Cheapside and

claim what is rightfully ours?

CADE.

Marry, presently.

Why, at once.

ALL.

O, brave!

Excellent!

[Re-enter one with the heads.]

CADE.

But is not this braver? Let them kiss one another,

for they loved 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!

Isn't this excellent? Let them kiss each other,

for they loved each other very much when they were alive. Now take them apart,

to stop them talking about surrendering some more French towns.

Soldiers, don't sack the city until nighttime; for

we shall ride through the streets carrying these instead of

maces, and will have them kiss at every corner. Let's go!

[Exeunt.]

[Alarum and retreat. Enter 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?

Go up Fish Street! Down to St Magnus' Corner! Kill

and destroy! Throw them into the Thames!

What is this noise I hear? Is anyone so bold as to

sound a retreat or ask for truce when I order them to kill?

[Enter BUCKINGHAM and old CLIFFORD, attended.]

BUCKINGHAM.

Ay, here they be that dare and will disturb thee.

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.

Yes, here are the ones who dare and will disturb you.

Cade, you should know that we come as ambassadors from the King

to speak to the common people whom you have misled,

and here we announce a free pardon for all who

will leave you and go home peacefully.

CLIFFORD.

What say ye, countrymen? will ye relent

And yield to mercy whilst 't is 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.

What do you say, countrymen? Will you surrender

and accept mercy while it is offered to you,

or let a rebel lead you to your deaths?

If anyone loves the King and will accept his pardon,

throw up your hat, and say “God save his Majesty!"

Anyone who hates him and does not respect his father,

Henry the Fifth, who terrified all of France,

he can shake his weapon at us and move on.

ALL.

God save the king! God save the king!

God save the king! God save the king!

CADE.