Dick. I knew her well, she was a midwife.[Aside. Cade. My wife descended of the Lacies,Dick. She was indeed a pedler's daughter, and sold many laces. [Aside. Smith. But, now of late, not able to travel with her furred pack, she washes bucks here at home. [Aside. Cade. Therefore am I of an honourable house. Dick. Ay, by my faith, the field is honourable and there was he born, under a hedge; for his father had never a house, but the cage. [Aside. [Aside. Cade. Valiant I am. Smith. A must needs; for beggary is valiant. [Aside. Cade. I am able to endure much. Dick. No question of that; for I have seen him whipped three market days together. Cade. I fear neither sword nor fire. Smith. He need not fear the sword, for his coat is of proof. Dick. But, methinks, he should stand in fear of fire, being burnt i' the hand for stealing of sheep. [Aside. Cade. Be brave then; for your captain is brave, and vows reformation. There shall be in Eng. land, seven half-penny 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 palfry go to grass. And, when 1 am king (as king I will be) Mich. Fly, fly, fly! Sir Humphrey Str.fford and Cade. To equal him, I will make myself a Brother, with Drum and Forces. Staf. Rebellious hinds, the filth and scum of W. Staf. But angry, wrathful, and inclin'd to If you go forward: therefore yield, or die. [Aside. It is to you, good people, that I speak, All. God save your majesty! Cade. I thank you, good people:-there shall be no money; all shall eat and drink on my will apparel them all in one livery, that they may agree like brothers, and worship me their lord. score; 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 was never mine own man since. How now; who's there? I Enter some, bringing in the Clerk of Chatham. Smith. The clerk of Chatham: he can write and read, and cast accompt. Cade. O monstrous! Smith. We took him setting of boys' copies. Smith. H'as a book in his pocket, with red letters in 't. Cade. Nay, then he is a conjurer. court-hand. Cade. I am sorry for't: the man is a proper man, on mine honour; unless I find him guilty, he shall not die-Come hither, sirrah, I must examine thee: What is thy name? Clerk. Emmanuel. Dick. They use to write it on the top of letters; -Twill go hard with you. Cade. Let me alone:-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 weil brought up, that I can write my name All. He hath confessed: away with him; he's a villain, and a traitor. Cade. Away with him, I say: hang him with Mich. Where's our general? Married the duke of Clarence' daughter; Did he not? true: The elder of them, being put to nurse, Smith. Sir, he made a chimney in my father's house, and the bricks are alive at this day to testify it; therefore, deny it not. Staf. And will you credit this base drudge's words, That speaks he knows not what? All. Ay, marry, will we; therefore get ye gone. W. Staf. Jack Cade, the duke of York hath taught you this. Cade. He lies, for I invented it myself. [Aside.} -Go to, sirrah, Tell the king from me, thatfor his father's sake, Henry the Fifth, in whose time boys went to span-counter for French crowns,-I am content he shall reign; but I'l be protector over him. Dick. And, furthermore, we'll have the Lord Say's head, for selling the dukedom of Maine. Cade. And good reason; for thereby is England maimed, and fain to go with a staff, but that my puissance holds it up. Fellow kings, I tell you, that my Lord Say hath gelded the commonwealth, and made it a eunuch: and more than that, he can speak French, and therefore he is a traitor. Staf. O gross and miserable ignorance! Cade. Nay, answer, if you can: The Frenchmen are our enemies: go to then, I ask but this; Can he, that speaks with the tongue of an enemy, be a good counsellor, or no? All. No, no; and therefore we'll have his head. Assail them with the army of the king. town, Proclaim them traitors that are up with Cade; . Cade. But then are we in order, when we are most out of order. Come, march forward. [Exeunt. SCENE III. Another Part of Blackheath. Alarums. The two Parties enter and fight, and both the Staffords are slain. Cade. Where's Dick, the butcher of Ashford 7 Descended from the duke of Clarence' house: K. Hen. O graceless men! they know not what they do. Buck. My gracious lord, retire to Kenelworth, Until a power be raised to put them down. Q. Mar. Ah! were the duke of Suffolk now alive, These Kentish rebels would be soon appeas'd. K. Hen. Lord Say, the traitors hate thee, Therefore away with us to Kenelworth. Cade. They fell before thee like sheep and oxen, and thou behavedst thy self as if thou hadst been in thine own slaughter house: therefore thus will I reward thee,-The Lent shall be as long 2 Mess. Jack Cade hath gotten London Bridge; again as it is; and thou shalt have a license to kill for a hundred lacking one, a week. Dick. I desire no more. Cade. And, to speak truth, thou deservest no less. This monument of the victory will I bear; and the bodies shall be dragged at my horse's heels, till I do come to London, where we will have the mayor's sword borne before us. Dick. If we mean to thrive and do good, break open the gaols, and let out the prisoners." Cade. Fear not that, 1 warrant thee. Come, let's march towards London. [Exeunt SCENE IV. London. A Room in the Palace. Enter King Henry, reading a supplication; the Duke of Buckingham, and Lord Say, with him; at a distance, Queen Margaret, mourning over Suffolk's Head. Q. Mar. Oft have I heard-that grief softens the mind, And makes it fearful and degenerate; K. Hen. I'll send some holy bishop to entreat: Rul'd, like a wandering planet, over me; Say. Ay, but I hope, your highness shall have his. the citizens Fly and forsake their houses: The rascal people, thirsting after prey, horse. take K. Hen. Come, Margaret; God, our hope, will succour us. Q. Mar. My hope is gone, now Suffolk is deceas'd. K. Hen. Farewell, my lord; [To Lord Say.] trust not the Kentish rebels. Say. The trust I have is in mine innocence, Buck. Trust nobody, for fear you be betray'd. And therefore am I bold and resolute. [Exeunt. SCENE V. The same. The Tower. Enter Lord Scales, and others, on the Walls. Then enter certain Citizens, below. Scales. How now? is Jack Cade slain? 1 Cit. No, my lord, nor likely to be slain; for withstand them: The ford mayor craves aid of they have won the bridge, killing all those that from the rebels. your honour from the Tower, to defend the city Scales. Such aid as I can spare, you shall command; SCENE VI. The same. Cannon Street. Enter Jack Cade, and his Followers. He strikes his Staff on London Stone. Cade. Now is Mortimer lord of this city. And here, sitting upon London-stone, I charge and command, that, of the city's cost, the pissingconduit run nothing but claret wine this first shall be treason for any that calls me other than year of our reign. And now, henceforward, it -Lord Mortimer. Enter a Soldier, running. Sold. Jack Cade! Jack Cade! Cade. Knock him down there. [They kill him. Smith. If this fellow be wise, he'll never call you Jack Cade more; I think he hath a very fair warning. Dick. My lord, there's an army gather'd t gether in Smithfield. Cade Come then, let's go fight with them: Kent, in the commentaries Cæsar writ, SCENE VII. The same. Smithfield. Alarum. Enter on one side, Cade and his Company, on the other, Citizens, and the King's Forces headed by Matthew Gough. They fight; the Citizens are routed, and Matthew Gough is slain. Cade. So, sirs:-Now go some and pull down the Savoy; others to the inns of court; down with them all. Dick. I have a suit unto your lordship. Dick. Only, that the laws of England may John. Mass, 'twill be sore law then; for he was thrust in the mouth with a spear, and 'tis not whole yet. [Aside. Smith. Nay, John, it will be stinking law; for his breath stinks with eating toasted cheese. [Aside. Cade. I have thought upon it, it shall be so. Away, burn all the records of the realm; my mouth shall be the parliament of England. John. Then we are like to have biting statutes, unless his teeth be pulled out. [Aside. Cade. And henceforward all things shall be in common. Enter a Messenger. Mess. My lord, a prize, a prize! here's the Lord Say, which sold the towns in France; he that made us pay one and twenty fifteens, and one shilling to the pound, the last subsidy. never. Large gifts have I bestow'd on learned clerks, ven, Unless you be possess'd with devilish spirits, 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. Geo. 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 canses Hath made me full of sickness and diseases. Dick. Why dost thou quiver, man 7 Say. The palsy, and not fear, provoketh 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. Whom have I injur'd, that ye seek my death? This breast from harbouring foul deceitful Enter George Bevis, with the Lord Say. Cade. Well, he shall be beheaded for it ten times.-Ay, thou say, thou serge, nay, thou buckram lord! now art thou within point-blank of our jurisdiction regal. What canst thou an- Say. Tell me, wherein I have offended most 7 swer to my majesty, for giving up of Normandy Have I affected wealth, or honour; speak? anto Monsieur Basimecu, the dauphin of France! Are my chests fill'd up with extorted gold? Be it known unto thee, by these presence, even is my apparel sumptuous to behold? 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, thon hast caused printing to be used; Cade. I feel remorse in myself with his words: and, contrary to the king, his crown, and dig- but I'll bridle it; he shall die, an it be but for nity, thou hast built a paper-mill. It will be pleading so well for his life. Away with him! proved to thy face, that thou hast men about he has a familiar under his tongue; he speaks thee, that usually talk of a noun, and a verb; not o' God's name. Go, take him away, I say, and such abominable words, as no Christian ear and strike off his head presently; and then break can endure to hear. Thou hast appointed jus-into his son-in-law's house, Sir James Cromer, tices of peace, to call poor men before them and strike off his head, and bring them both about matters they were not able to answer. upon two poles hither. Moreover, thou hast put them in prison; and All. It shall be done. 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 on a foot-cloth, dost thou not? Say. Ah, countrymen! if when you make your God should be so obdurate as yourselves, [Exeunt some, with Lord Say. The proudest peer in the realm shall not wear a head on his shoulders, unless he pay me tribute; there shall not a maid be married, but she shall pay to me her maidenhead ere they have it: Men shall hold of me in capite; and we charge and command, that their wives be as free as heart can wish, or tongue can tell. Dick. My lord, when shall we go to Cheapside, Re-enter Rebels, with the heads of Lord Say and makes them leave me desolate. I see them and his Son-in-law. lay their heads together, to surprise me; my Cade. But is not this braver 7-Let them kiss sword make way for me, for here is no staying. one another, for they loved well, when they-In despite of the devils and hell, have through were alive. Now part them again, lest they the very midst of you! and heavens and honour consult about the giving up of some more towns be witness, that no want of resolution in me, in France. Soldiers, defer the spoil of the city but only my followers' base and ignominious until night: for with these borne before us, in-treasons, makes me betake me to my heels. stead of maces, will we ride through the streets; and, at every corner, have them kiss.-Away! [Exeunt. SCENE VIII. Southwark. Alarum. Enter Cade, and all his Rabblement. Cade. Up Fish Street! down Saint Magnus' Corner! kill and knock down! throw them into Thames!-[A Parley sounded, then a Retreat.] What noise is this I hear? Dare any be so bold to sound retreat or parley, when I command them kill ? Enter Buckingham, and Old Clifford, with Forces. Buck. Ay, here they be that dare and will disturb thee: Know Cade, we come ambassadors from the king, Unto the commons whom thou hast misled ; Who hateth him, and honours not his father, All. God save the king! God save the king! Cade. What, Buckingham, and Clifford, are ye so brave 1-And you, base peasants, do ye believe him? will you needs be hanged with your pardons about your necks? Hath my sword therefore broke through London Gates, that you should leave me at the White Hart in Southwark? I thought, ye would never have given out these arms, till you had recovered your ancient freedom; but you are all recreants, and dastards; and delight to live in slavery to the nobility. Let them break your backs with burdens, take your houses over your heads, ravish your wives and daughters before your faces; For me,-I will make shift for one; and so-God's curse 'light upon you all! All. We'll follow Cade, we'll follow Cade. Clif. Is Cade the son of Henry the Fifth, That thus you do exclaim-you'll go with him? Will he conduct you through the heart of France, And make the meanest of you earls and dukes ? Alas, he hath no home, no place to fly to; Nor knows he how to live, but by the spoil, Unless by robbing of your friends, and us. Wer't not a shame, that whilst you live at jar, The fearful French, whom you late vanquished, Should make a start o'er seas, and vanquish you? Methinks, already, in this civil broil, I see them lording it in London streets, Crying-Villageois! unto all they meet. Better ten thousand base-born Cades miscarry, Than you should stoop unto a Frenchman's [Exit. Buck. What, is he fled 7 go some, and follow him; And he, that brings his head unto the king, Follow me, soldiers; we'll devise a mean K. Hen. Was ever king that joy'd an earthly throne, And could command no more content than 17 Enter Buckingham and Clifford. Buck. Health, and glad tidings, to your majesty! K. Hen. Why, Buckingham, is the traitor, Or is he but retir'd to make him strong? Clif. He's fled, my lord, and all his powers do yield; And humbly thus, with halters on their necks, I Mess. Please it your grace to be advertised, Like to a ship, that, having scap'd a tempest, And ask him, what's the reason of these arms. And, Somerset, we will commit thee thither, I'll yield myself to prison willingly, Or unto death, to do my country good. K. Hen. In any case, be not too rough in he is fierce, and cannot brook hard lan guage. For terms; Buck. I will, my lord; and doubt not so to deal, For yet may England curse my wretched reign. SCENE X. Kent. Iden's Garden. Enter Cade. I'll defy them all. Wither, garden; and be henceforth a burying-place to all that do dwel in this house, because the unconquered soul of Cade is fled. Iden. Is 't Cade that I have slain, that mon- Sword, I will hallow thee for this thy deed. Cade. Fie on ambition! fie on myself; that have a 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 country is lay'd for me: but now I am so hungry, that if I might have a lease of my life for a thousand years, I could stay no longer. Wherefore, on a brick wall have I climbed into this garden; to see if I can eat grass, or pick a gallet 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 And as I thrust thy body in with my sword, time, but for a sallet, my brain-pan had been So wish I, I might thrust thy soul to hell. cleft with brown bill; and, many a time, Hence will I drag thee headlong by the heels when I have been dry, and bravely marching, Unto a dunghill, which shall be thy grave, it hath served me instead of a quart-pot to drink And there eut off thy most ungracious head; in; and now the word sallet must serve me to Which I will bear in triumph to the king, feed on. Leaving thy trunk for crows to feed upon. [Exit, dragging out the Body. Enter Iden, with Servants. Iden. Lord, who would live turmoiled in the court, And may enjoy such quiet walks as these ? Iden Why, rude companion, whatsoe'er thon be, I know thee not; Why then should I betray thee? Is 't not enough, to break into my garden, Iden. Nay, it shall ne'er be said, while Eng- That Alexander Iden, an esquire of Kent, Thy leg a stick, compared with this truncheon; hast; And if mine arm be heaved in the air, ACT V. SCENE I. The same. Fields between Dartford and Blackheath. The King's Camp on one side. On the other, enter York attended, with Drum and Colours: his Forces at some distance. York. From Ireland thus comes York, to claim his right, And pluck the crown from feeble Henry's head: To entertain great England's lawful king. Let them obey, that know not how to rule; Enter Buckingham. Whom have we here? Buckingham, to disturb me? The king hath sent him, sure: I must dissemble. Buck. York, if thou meanest well, I greet thee well. York. Humphrey of Buckingham, I accept thy Art thou a messenger, or come of pleasure? Or dare to bring thy force so near the court. great. O, I could hew up rocks, and fight with flint, As for words, whose greatness answers words, I am so angry at these abject terms; Let this my sword report what speech forbears. And now, like Ajax Telamonius, Cade. By my valour, the most complete cham-On sheep or oxen, could I spend my fury! pion that ever I heard.-Steel, if thou turn the I am far better born than is the king: edge, or cut not out the burly-boned clown in More like a king, more kingly in my chines of beef ere thou sleep in thy sheath, I beseech God on my knees, thou mayest be But I must make fair weather yet a while, turned to hobnails. [They fight; Cade falls.] Henry be more weak, and I more U, I am slain! famine, and no other, hath slain strong.me let ten thousand devils come against me, O Buckingham, I pr'ythee, pardon me, and give me but the ten meals I have lost, and That I have given no answer all this while; Till thoughts; Aside. |