The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 5 of 9] · William Shakespeare
SCENE X. _Kent. Iden’s garden_.
_Enter_ CADE. _Cade._ Fie on ambition! fie on myself, that have a [bdj001] sword, and yet am ready to famish! These five days have I hid me in these woods and durst not peep out, for all the [bdj003] country is laid for me; but now am I so hungry that if I [bdj004] might have a lease of my life for a thousand years I could ·bdj005· stay no longer. Wherefore, on a brick wall have I climbed [bdj006] into this garden, to see if I can eat grass, or pick a sallet another while, which is not amiss to cool a man’s stomach this hot weather. And I think this word ‘sallet’ was born to do me good: for many a time, but for a sallet, my brain-pan [bdj010] had been cleft with a brown bill; and many a time, when I have been dry and bravely marching, it hath served [bdj012] me instead of a quart pot to drink in; and now the word ‘sallet’ must serve me to feed on. [bdj014] _Enter_ IDEN. _Iden._ Lord, who would live turmoiled in the court, ·bdj015· And may enjoy such quiet walks as these? This small inheritance my father left me Contenteth me, and worth a monarchy. [bdj018] I seek not to wax great by others’ waning, [bdj019] Or gather wealth, I care not, with what envy: ·bdj020· Sufficeth that I have maintains my state And sends the poor well pleased from my gate.
_Cade._ Here’s the lord of the soil come to seize me for [bdj023] a stray, for entering his fee-simple without leave. Ah, [bdj024] villain, thou wilt betray me, and get a thousand crowns of [bdj025] the king by carrying my head to him: but I’ll make thee eat iron like an ostrich, and swallow my sword like a great pin, ere thou and I part. _Iden._ Why, rude companion, whatsoe’er thou be, I know thee not; why, then, should I betray thee? ·bdj030· Is’t not enough to break into my garden, And, like a thief, to come to rob my grounds, Climbing my walls in spite of me the owner. But thou wilt brave me with these saucy terms? [bdj034] _Cade._ Brave thee! ay, by the best blood that ever was [bdj035] broached, and beard thee too. Look on me well: I have eat no meat these five days; yet, come thou and thy five [bdj037] men, and if I do not leave you all as dead as a door-nail, I [bdj038] pray God I may never eat grass more. _Iden._ Nay, it shall ne’er be said, while England stands, ·bdj040· That Alexander Iden, an esquire of Kent, [bdj041] Took odds to combat a poor famish’d man. Oppose thy steadfast-gazing eyes to mine, [bdj043] See if thou canst outface me with thy looks: Set limb to limb, and thou art far the lesser; ·bdj045· Thy hand is but a finger to my fist, Thy leg a stick compared with this truncheon; My foot shall fight with all the strength thou hast; And if mine arm be heaved in the air, Thy grave is digg’d already in the earth. ·bdj050· As for words, whose greatness answers words, [bdj051] Let this my sword report what speech forbears.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.