William Shakespeare: King Henry VI, Second Part

ACT IV. 2. SCENE II. Blackheath. (continued)

CADE.
And good reason; for thereby is England mained, 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.

BROTHER.
Well, seeing gentle words will not prevail,
Assail them with the army of the king.

STAFFORD.
Herald, away; and throughout every town
Proclaim them traitors that are up with Cade;
That those which fly before the battle ends
May, even in their wives' and children's sight,
Be hang'd up for example at their doors.--
And you that be the king's friends, follow me.

[Exeunt the two Staffords, and soldiers.]

CADE.
And you that love the commons follow me.
Now show yourselves men; 't is for liberty.
We will not leave one lord, one gentleman;
Spare none but such as go in clouted shoon,
For they are thrifty honest men and such
As would, but that they dare not, take our parts.

DICK.
They are all in order and march toward us.

CADE.
But then are we in order when we are most out of
order.--Come, march forward.

[Exeunt.]