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| Character | Saye | |
|---|---|---|
| Gender | Male | |
| Age Range(s) | Adult (36-50), Senior (>50) | |
| Type of monologue / Character is | Persuasive, Insecure, Afraid | |
| Type | Dramatic | |
| Period | Renaissance | |
| Genre | Historical, Drama | |
| Description | Saye begs for his life | |
| Location | ACT IV, Scene 7 | |
Summary
Jack Cade, a common man hired by York to stir a revolt against the king, takes over London with an army of commoners. Various lords and noblemen are put to death. Among them there is lord Saye, who is accused by Cade of corrupting the youth with grammar schools, of being responsible for the loss of Normandy and Maine to the French and for imprisoning people who cannot read.
In this monologue Saye begs for his life. He praises people from Kent (where most of the commoners in Cade's army are from), says he is not responsible for the loss of Normandy and Maine and defends knowledge that he argues is " the wing wherewith we fly to heaven". He begs them to let him live
In this monologue Saye begs for his life. He praises people from Kent (where most of the commoners in Cade's army are from), says he is not responsible for the loss of Normandy and Maine and defends knowledge that he argues is " the wing wherewith we fly to heaven". He begs them to let him live
Written by Administrator
| Excerpt |
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| 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,-- [CADE Tut, when struck'st thou one blow in the field?] SAY Great men have reaching hands: oft have I struck Those that I never saw and struck them dead. [BEVIS O monstrous coward! what, to come behind folks?] SAY These cheeks are pale for watching for your good. [CADE Give him a box o' the ear and that will make 'em red again.] SAY Long sitting to determine poor men's causes Hath made me full of sickness and diseases. [CADE Ye shall have a hempen caudle, then, and the help of hatchet.] [DICK Why dost thou quiver, man?] SAY The palsy, and not fear, provokes me. [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.] 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! |
Comments
There several lines after the initial monologue that can be included in the performance. You can just ignore the lines by Cade and his soldiers and jump to "tell me wherein have I...."
