Relay-Version: VMS News - V6.0 10/3/90 VAX/VMS V5.3; site arizona.edu Path: arizona.edu!cerritos.edu!usc!apple!julius.cs.uiuc.edu!wuarchive!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!ub!uhura.cc.rochester.edu!rochester!cornell!lasala Newsgroups: rec.skiing,misc.legal Subject: Re: Skiing and the Law (Colorado)... Message-ID: <47906@cornell.UUCP> From: lasala@svax.cs.cornell.edu (Steve LaSala) Date: 2 Nov 90 15:52:13 GMT Reply-To: lasala@svax.cs.cornell.edu (Steve LaSala) Sender: nobody@cornell.UUCP References: <7960022@hpfcso.HP.COM> <1990Oct24.094255.19887@hellgate.utah.edu> <60379@bbn.BBN.COM> <27744@shamash.cdc.com> Distribution: rec Organization: Cornell Univ. CS Dept, Ithaca NY Lines: 71 Xref: arizona.edu rec.skiing:734 misc.legal:3045 In article <27744@shamash.cdc.com> zeke@shamash.cdc.com (Robert Scott) writes: >[discussion of ski-resort liability and insurance] > >We Americans seem to be conditioned to calling a lawyer at the drop of an >injury, disavowing responsibility for our personal actions at every turn. > >"First, we will kill all the lawyers." Henry VIII, Shakespeare Actually from "Henry VI (part 2)", also known as "The First Part of the Contention of the two Famous Houses of York and Lancaster, with the Death of the Good Duke Humphrey". I don't believe there was a play about Henry VIII. Anyway, I had seen this quote repeated to good effect so many times that I looked up the source, and was amused to find that the context is a situation in which most of us, not just the lawyers, would be in some danger. A mob of peasants in revolt is planning what to do next in the Brave New Kingdom (kill all the lawyers). A clerk is brought before their leader, who "tries" and executes him because he can read and write and is therefore a member of the "oppressing" class. Here's the text. I especially like the part about "small (i.e: weak or inferior) beer". ;-) From Act 4, Scene 2: Cade is the leader of the rebels: CADE Be brave, then, for your captain is brave and vows reformation. There shall be in England seven halfpenny loaves sold for a penny, the three-hooped pot shall have ten hoops, and I will make it felony to drink small beer. All the realm shall be in common, and in Cheapside 70 shall my palfrey go to grass. And when I am king, as king I will be11 ALL CADE'S FOLLOWERS God save your majesty! CADE I thank you good people! There shall be no money. All shall eat and drink on my score, and I will apparel 75 them all in one livery that they may agree like brothers, and worship me their lord. BUTCHER The first thing we do let's kill all the lawyers. CADE Nay, that I mean to do. Is not this a lamentable thing that of the skin of an innocent lamb should be 80 made parchment? That parchment, being scribbled o'er, should undo a man? Some say the bee stings, but I say 'tis the bee's wax. For I did but seal once to a thing, and I was never mine own man since. How now? Who's there? 85 Enter some bringing forth the Clerk of Chatham WEAVER The Clerk of Chatham; he can write and read and cast account. CADE O, monstrous! WEAVER We took him setting of boys' copies. CADE Here's a villain. 90 WEAVER He's a book in his pocket with red letters in't. CADE Nay, then he is a conjuror! BUTCHER Nay, he can make obligations and write court hand. CADE I am sorry for't. The man is a proper man, of mine 95 honour. Unless I find him guilty, he shall not die. Come hither, sirrah, I must examine thee. What is thy name? CLERK Emmanuel. BUTCHER They use to write that on the top of letters; 'twill go hard with you. 100 CADE Let me alone. (To the Clerk) Dost thou use to write thy name? Or hast thou a mark to thyself like an honest plain-dealing man? CLERK Sir, I thank God I have been so well brought up that I can write my name. 105 ALL CADE'S FOLLOWERS He hath confessed; away with him! He's a villain and a traitor. CADE Away with him, I say, hang him with his pen and inkhorn about his neck. Exit one with the Clerk