Speeches (Lines) for Lord Say
in "Henry VI, Part II"
Total: 13

1

IV,4,2542

Henry VI. Lord Say, Jack Cade hath sworn to have thy head.

Lord Say. Ay, but I hope your highness shall have his.

2

IV,4,2568

Henry VI. Lord Say, the traitors hate thee;
Therefore away with us to Killingworth.

Lord Say. So might your grace's person be in danger.
The sight of me is odious in their eyes;
And therefore in this city will I stay
And live alone as secret as I may.

3

IV,4,2583

Duke of Buckingham. Trust nobody, for fear you be betray'd.

Lord Say. The trust I have is in mine innocence,
And therefore am I bold and resolute.

4

IV,7,2669

Jack 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 Mounsieur Basimecu, the
dauphin of France? Be it known unto 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 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 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 dost ride in a foot-cloth, dost thou not?

Lord Say. What of that?

5

IV,7,2675

Dick the Butcher. And work in their shirt too; as myself, for example,
that am a butcher.

Lord Say. You men of Kent,—

6

IV,7,2677

Dick the Butcher. What say you of Kent?

Lord Say. Nothing but this; 'tis 'bona terra, mala gens.'

7

IV,7,2679

Jack Cade. Away with him, away with him! he speaks Latin.

Lord Say. Hear me but speak, and bear me where you will.
Kent, in the Commentaries Caesar writ,
Is term'd the civil'st place of this isle:
Sweet is the country, because full of riches;
The people liberal, valiant, active, wealthy;
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 moved 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 murder me:
This tongue hath parley'd unto foreign kings
For your behoof,—

8

IV,7,2700

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

Lord Say. Great men have reaching hands: oft have I struck
Those that I never saw and struck them dead.

9

IV,7,2703

George Bevis. O monstrous coward! what, to come behind folks?

Lord Say. These cheeks are pale for watching for your good.

10

IV,7,2705

Jack Cade. Give him a box o' the ear and that will make 'em red again.

Lord Say. Long sitting to determine poor men's causes
Hath made me full of sickness and diseases.

11

IV,7,2709

Dick the Butcher. Why dost thou quiver, man?

Lord Say. The palsy, and not fear, provokes me.

12

IV,7,2713

Jack 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.

Lord 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 injured, that ye seek my death?
These hands are free from guiltless bloodshedding,
This breast from harbouring foul deceitful thoughts.
O, let me live!

13

IV,7,2730

All. It shall be done.

Lord 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.