第 15 节
作者:希望之舟      更新:2021-02-18 23:53      字数:9322
  now; then。 GEORGE。 I tell thee Jack Cade the clothier means to dress the
  commonwealth; and turn it; and set a new nap upon it。 JOHN。 So he had
  need; for 'tis threadbare。 Well; I say it was never merry world in England
  since    gentlemen     came    up。   GEORGE。        O  miserable     age!   Virtue   is  not
  regarded     in  handicraftsmen。      JOHN。   The      nobility   think   scorn  to   go  in
  leather   aprons。   GEORGE。   Nay;   more;   the   King's   Council   are   no   good
  workmen。 JOHN。 True; and yet it is said 'Labour in thy vocation'; which is
  as   much   to   say  as   'Let   the   magistrates   be   labouring   men';   and   therefore
  should we be magistrates。 GEORGE。 Thou hast hit it; for there's no better
  sign   of   a   brave   mind   than   a   hard   hand。   JOHN。   I   see   them!   I   see   them!
  There's Best's son; the tanner of Wingham… GEORGE。 He shall have the
  skins   of   our   enemies    to   make   dog's   leather   of。   JOHN。   And    Dick    the
  butcher…   GEORGE。   Then   is   sin   struck   down;   like   an   ox;   and   iniquity's
  throat cut like a calf。 JOHN。 And Smith the weaver… GEORGE。 Argo; their
  thread of life is spun。 JOHN。 Come; come; let's fall in with them。
  Drum。Enter CADE; DICK THE BUTCHER; SMITH THE WEAVER;
  and a SAWYER; with infinite numbers
  CADE。   We   John   Cade;   so   term'd   of   our   supposed   father…   DICK。
  'Aside' Or rather; of stealing a cade of herrings。 CADE。 For our enemies
  shall   fall   before   us;   inspired   with   the   spirit   of   putting   down   kings   and
  princes…     command      silence。   DICK。     Silence!    CADE。      My    father   was   a
  Mortimer… DICK。 'Aside' He was an honest man and a good bricklayer。
  CADE。 My mother a Plantagenet… DICK。 'Aside' I knew her well; she was
  a midwife。 CADE。 My wife descended of the Lacies… DICK。 'Aside' She
  was;   indeed;   a   pedlar's   daughter;   and   sold   many   laces。   SMITH。   'Aside'
  But now of late; not able to travel with her furr'd pack; she washes bucks
  here   at   home。   CADE。   Therefore   am   I   of   an   honourable   house。   DICK。
  'Aside' Ay;  by  my  faith;  the field   is honourable;  and   there was   he  born;
  under   a   hedge;   for   his   father   had   never   a   house   but   the   cage。   CADE。
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  Valiant     I  am。   SMITH。      'Aside'    'A   must    needs;   for   beggary   is   valiant。
  CADE。 I am able to endure much。 DICK。 'Aside' No question of that; for
  I have seen him whipt three market days together。 CADE。 I fear neither
  sword nor fire。 SMITH。 'Aside' He need not fear the sword; for his coat is
  of   proof。   DICK。   'Aside'   But   methinks   he   should   stand   in   fear   of   fire;
  being   burnt i'   th'   hand   for   stealing of   sheep。  CADE。  Be   brave;  then;   for
  your   captain   is   brave;   and   vows   reformation。   There   shall   be   in   England
  seven halfpenny loaves sold for a penny; the three…hoop'd pot shall have
  ten hoops; and I will make it felony to drink small beer。 All the realm shall
  be in common; and in Cheapside shall my palfrey go to grass。 And when I
  am king… as king I will be ALL。 God save your Majesty! CADE。 I thank
  you; good people… there shall be no money; all shall eat and drink on my
  score; and I will apparel them all in one livery; that they may agree like
  brothers and worship me their lord。 DICK。 The first thing we do; let's kill
  all the   lawyers。  CADE。  Nay;  that   I   mean to   do。  Is   not   this   a   lamentable
  thing;   that   of   the   skin   of   an   innocent   lamb   should   be   made   parchment?
  That   parchment;   being   scribbl'd   o'er;   should   undo   a   man?   Some   say   the
  bee stings; but I say 'tis the bee's wax; for I did but seal once to a thing;
  and I was never mine own man since。 How now! Who's there?
  Enter some; bringing in the CLERK OF CHATHAM
  SMITH。       The   clerk   of   Chatham。      He   can   write   and    read   and   cast
  accompt。   CADE。   O   monstrous!   SMITH。   We   took   him   setting   of   boys'
  copies。 CADE。 Here's a villain! SMITH。 Has a book in his pocket with red
  letters in't。   CADE。   Nay;  then he   is   a   conjurer。 DICK。   Nay;   he   can   make
  obligations   and   write   court…hand。   CADE。   I   am   sorry   for't;   the   man   is   a
  proper   man;   of   mine   honour;   unless   I   find   him   guilty;   he   shall   not   die。
  Come   hither;   sirrah;   I   must   examine   thee。   What   is   thy   name?   CLERK。
  Emmanuel。 DICK。 They use to write it on the top of letters; 'twill go hard
  with you。 CADE。 Let me alone。 Dost thou use to write thy name; or hast
  thou   a   mark   to   thyself;   like   a   honest   plain…dealing   man?   CLERK。   Sir;   I
  thank God; I have been so well brought up that I can write my name。 ALL。
  He   hath   confess'd。 Away   with   him!   He's   a   villain   and   a   traitor。   CADE。
  Away with him; I say! Hang him with his pen and inkhorn about his neck。
  Exit one with the CLERK
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  Enter MICHAEL
  MICHAEL。 Where's our General? CADE。 Here I am; thou particular
  fellow。 MICHAEL。 Fly; fly; fly! Sir Humphrey Stafford and his brother are
  hard   by;   with   the   King's   forces。   CADE。   Stand;   villain;   stand;   or   I'll   fell
  thee down。 He shall be encount'red with a man as good as himself。 He is
  but   a   knight;   is   'a?   MICHAEL。   No。   CADE。   To   equal   him;   I   will   make
  myself   a   knight   presently。   'Kneels'   Rise   up;   Sir   John   Mortimer。   'Rises'
  Now have at him!
  Enter SIR HUMPHREY STAFFORD and WILLIAM his brother; with
  drum   and   soldiers   STAFFORD。   Rebellious   hinds;   the   filth   and   scum   of
  Kent;   Mark'd   for   the   gallows;   lay   your   weapons   down;   Home   to   your
  cottages;      forsake    this   groom;     The     King    is  merciful     if   you    revolt。
  WILLIAM STAFFORD。 But angry; wrathful; and inclin'd to blood; If you
  go   forward;   therefore   yield   or   die。   CADE。   As   for   these   silken…coated
  slaves; I pass not; It is to you; good people; that I speak; O'er whom; in
  time   to   come;   I   hope   to   reign;   For   I   am   rightful   heir   unto   the   crown。
  STAFFORD。           Villain;   thy   father   was    a  plasterer;    And     thou   thyself    a
  shearman;   art   thou   not?   CADE。 And Adam   was   a   gardener。   WILLIAM
  STAFFORD。 And   what   of   that?   CADE。   Marry;   this:   Edmund   Mortimer;
  Earl    of  March;     Married     the   Duke    of   Clarence'    daughter;     did   he  not?
  STAFFORD。   Ay;   sir。   CADE。   By   her   he   had   two   children   at   one   birth。
  WILLIAM STAFFORD。 That's false。 CADE。 Ay; there's the question; but
  I   say   'tis   true。   The   elder   of   them   being   put   to   nurse;   Was   by   a   beggar…
  woman   stol'n   away; And;   ignorant   of   his   birth   and   parentage;   Became   a
  bricklayer when he came to age。 His son am I; deny it if you can。 DICK。
  Nay;   'tis   too   true;   therefore   he   shall   be   king。   SMITH。   Sir;   he   made   a
  chimney in my father's house; and the bricks are alive at this day to testify
  it;   therefore    deny    it  not。  STAFFORD。         And     will  you    credit   this  base
  drudge's words That speaks he knows not what? ALL。 Ay; marry; will we;
  therefore   get   ye   gone。   WILLIAM   STAFFORD。   Jack   Cade;   the   Duke   of
  York hath taught you this。 CADE。 'Aside' He lies; for I invented it myself…
  Go to; sirrah; tell the King from me that for his father's sake; Henry the
  Fifth; in whose time boys went to span…counter for French crowns; I am
  content      he   shall   reign;   but   I'll  be   Protector    over    him。    DICK。     And
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  furthermore;   we'll   have   the   Lord   Say's   head   for   selling   the   dukedom   of
  Maine。 CADE。 And good reason; for thereby is England main'd and fain to
  go with a staff; but that my puissance holds it up。 Fellow kings; I tell you
  that that Lord Say hath gelded the commonwealth and made it an eunuch;
  and   more   than   that;   he   can   speak   French;   and   therefore   he   is   a   traitor。
  STAFFORD。 O gross and miserable ignorance! CADE。 Nay; answer if you
  can; the Frenchmen are our enemies。 Go to; then; I ask but this: can he that
  speaks with the tongue of an enemy be a good counsellor; or no? ALL。 No;
  no;   and    therefore   we'll   have   his  head。   WILLIAM         STAFFORD。        Well;
  seeing   gentle   words   wi