5 Dick. Only that the laws of England may come out of your mouth.
[♦] Holl. [Aside] Mass, ’twill be sore law, then; for he was thrust in the mouth with a spear, and ’tis not whole yet.
Smith. [Aside] Nay, John, it will be stinking law; for [10] his 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.
[♦] Holl. [Aside] Then we are like to have biting statutes, 15 unless his teeth be pulled out.
Cade. And henceforward all things shall be in common.
Enter a Messenger.
[♦] Mess. 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 shilling to the pound, the last subsidy.
Enter GEORGE BEVIS, with the LORD SAY.
20 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 [♦] unto Mounsieur Basimecu, the dauphin of France? Be it known [25] 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 30 the score and the tally, thou hast caused printing to be used, 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 [35] 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 hanged them; when, indeed, only for that cause they have been most worthy to live. Thou [40] dost ride in a foot-cloth, dost thou not?