Ever heard "Kill the lawyers first"?

[Zenn7]

I remember this from somewhere. I brought it up at work, the 2 people I was talking to had never heard, my wife and kid
had not. Now I'm just asking around to see who knows this. Apparently, it's from Shakespeare's Henry the VIth, but I am not a Shakespeare guy so I would have gotten the quote from something else (Shakespeare wrote it slightly differently as well, something like "First thing we will do of course, kill the lawyers").

[Jaymann]

Heard it.

[Kraken]

Yup, and knew that it was the Bard. While he was the first to write it down, I doubt that he was the first to think it.

[Zarathud]

So that tyranny shall prevail.

[em2nought]

It would certainly increase the diversity in politics.

[Zenn7]

Thanks, 3 more friends have responded, 2 more no's and finally a yes. Was starting to wonder where the heck I got this from!

[Unagi]

Yup, and knew that it was the Bard. While he was the first to write it down, I doubt that he was the first to think it.

Nor the last to re-phrase it.


Yeah, I've heard it before too, and also knew it's source.

[hepcat]

Shakespeare? Oh, you mean Christopher Marlowe.

[Blackhawk]

I've heard it, in both forms.

Quotes taken from literature or film that become popular out of context tend to get rephrased all the time into shorter, simpler versions, ala 'Luke, I'm your father."

[McNutt]

I've heard it, but what I have never encountered is "th" at the end of a Roman numeral.

[Holman]

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 shall my palfrey go to
grass: and when I am king, as king I will be,--

ALL

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 them all in one livery, that they may agree
like brothers and worship me their lord.

DICK

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 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?

This is from Henry VI Part II. Jack Cade is attempting a commoners' revolution.

[Jaymann]

Probably should spare Mr. Fed though.

[El Guapo]

So that tyranny shall prevail.

Indeed. The idea being that lawyers as a class tend to get in the way of a ruler doing whatever the hell they want.

[Isgrimnur]

The ruler typically has their own lawyers as well.

[Scuzz]

The basic line about lawyers is you never like them until you need one.

[Isgrimnur]

I'm pretty sure that plenty of people that need them still don't like them.

[Scuzz]

I'm pretty sure that plenty of people that need them still don't like them.

True, but your lawyer is easier to like than "their" lawyer.

[El Guapo]

The ruler typically has their own lawyers as well.

Yeah, but tyrants mainly rely upon raw power as opposed to laws and procedures, which tend to constrain the tyrant (at least until the tyrant is able to dismantle those laws and procedures).

[Archinerd]

So that tyranny shall prevail.

Indeed. The idea being that lawyers as a class tend to get in the way of a ruler doing whatever the hell they want.

Who cares about Tyranny? Without Lawyers I'd have less people to play board games and video games with.

[Isgrimnur]

So that tyranny shall prevail.

Indeed. The idea being that lawyers as a class tend to get in the way of a ruler doing whatever the hell they want.

Who cares about Tyranny? Without Lawyers I'd have less people to play board games and video games with.

[Jaymann]

Too bad for Stannis there were no lawyers around to curb his enthusiasm for filicide.

[Zarathud]

Thanks! Lawyers compete but understand that sometimes they can lose. I keep meeting younger attorneys who play board games.

[Archinerd]

So that tyranny shall prevail.

Indeed. The idea being that lawyers as a class tend to get in the way of a ruler doing whatever the hell they want.

Who cares about Tyranny? Without Lawyers I'd have less people to play board games and video games with.

I'd be okay with killing all the grammar wangs though.