Dick. My lord, there's an army gathered to-wear a cloak, when honester men than thou go in gether in Sinithfield. their hose and doublets. Cade. Come then, let's go fight with them: But, first, go and set London-bridge on fire; and, if you can, burn down the Tower too. Come, let's away. [Exeunt. SCENE VII.-The same. Smithfield. Alarum. *Dick. And work in their shirt too; as myself, Dick. What say you of Kent? Say. Nothing but this: 'Tis bona terra, mala gens. Cade. Away with him, away with him! he 'speaks Latin. Say. Hear me but speak, and bear me where Kent, in the commentaries Cæsar writ, you will. Is term'd the civil'st place of all this isle: Sweet is the country, because full of riches; Cade. Be it a lordship, thou shalt have it for thatWhich makes me hope you are not void of pity. The people liberal, valiant, active, wealthy; word. them all. Dick. I have a suit unto your lordship. Dick. Only, that the laws of England may come 'out of your mouth. 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. Caute. 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. 'I sold not Maine, I lost not Normandy; never. When have I aught exacted at your hands, Unless you be possess'd with devilish spirit, This tongue hath parley'd unto foreign kings *Cade. Tut! when struck'st thou cne blow in *the field? * Say. Great men have reaching hands: oft have Say. These cheeks are pale for watching for *Cade. Give him a box on 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. 'Dick. Why dost thou quiver, man? Enter George Bevis, with the Lord Say. 'Cade. Well, he shall be beheaded for it ten 'times.-Ah, thou say, thou serge, nay, thou buck'ram lord! now art thou within point-blank of our 'jurisdiction regal. What canst thou answer to my* majesty, for giving up of Normandy unto mon'sieur Basimecu, the dauphin of France? Be it 'known unto thee by these presence, even the pre'sence 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: Say. The palsy, and not fear, provoketh me. and whereas, before, our fore-fathers had no other Cade. Nay, he nods at us; as who should say, 'books but the score and the tally, thou hast caused I'll be even with you. I'll see if his head will 'printing to be used; and, contrary to the king,stand stedier on a pole, or no: Take him away, his crown, and dignity, thou hast built a paper-and behead him. 'mill. It will be proved to thy face, that thou hast men about thee, that usually talk of a noun, and 'a verb; and such abominable words, as no Christian ear can endure to hear. Thou hast appointed justices of peace, to call poor men before them about matters that they were not able to answer. 'Moreover, thou hast put them in prison; and be'cause they could not read, thou hast hanged them;3* 'when, indeed, only for that cause they have been 'most we hy to live. Thou dost ride on a foot'cloth, dost thou not? * * *Say. Tell me, wherein I have offended most' Are my chests fill'd up with extorted gold' This breast from harbouring foul deceitful O, let me live! Cade. I feel remorse in myself with his words: but I'll bridle it; he shall die, an it be but for pleading so well for his life. Away with him! he (4) A foot-cloth was a kind of housing, which covered the body of the horse. (5) In consequence of (6) i. e. These hands are free from shedding guiltless or innocent blood. has a familiar' under his tongue; he speaks not your backs with burdens, take your houses ove * o'God's name. Go, take him away, I say, and your heads, ravish your wives and daughters be strike off his head presently; and then break intofore your faces: For me,-I will make shift fo 'his son-in-law's house, sir James Cromer, and 'strike off his head, and bring them both upon two! 'poles hither. All. It shall be done. 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? * Say Ah, countrymen! if, when you make your Will he conduct you through the heart of France, prayers, ye. 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, God should be so obdurate as yourselves, How would it fare with your departed souls? And therefore yet relent, and save my life. Unless, by robbing of your friends, and us. *Cade. Away with him, and do as I command Wer't not a shame, that whilst you live at jar, [Exeunt some, with Lord Say.The fearful French, whom you late vanquished, "The proudest peer in the realm shall not wear a Should make a start o'er seas, and vanquish you? 'head on his shoulders, unless he pay me tribute;Methinks, already, in this civil broil, 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. I see them lording it in London streets, 'Dick. My lord, when shall we go to Cheapside,Spare England, for it is your native coast: 'All. O brave! Re-enter Rebels, with the heads of Lord Say and his son-in-law. All. A Clifford! a Clifford! we'll follow the 'king, and Clifford. Cade. Was ever feather so lightly blown to and 'fro, as this multitude? the name of Henry the Cade. But is not this braver?-Let them kiss Fifth hales them to a hundred mischiefs, and makes one another, for they loved well, when they were them leave me desolate. I see them lay their 'alive. Now part them again, lest they consult heads together, to surprise me my sword make about the giving up of some more towns in France.way for me, for here is no staying.-In despite ct 'Soldiers, defer the spoil of the city until night: the devils and hell, have through the very midst 'for with these borne before us, instead of maces,of you! and heavens and honour be witness, that 'will we ride through the streets; and, at every no want of resolution in me, but only my followers corner, have them kiss.-Away! [Exeuni.base and ignominious treasons, makes me betake me to my heels. 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; 'And here pronounce free pardon to them all, "That will forsake thee, and go home in peace. Clif. What say ye, countrymen? will ye relent, And vield to mercy, whilst 'tis offer'd you; 'Or let a rabble lead you to your deaths? Who loves the king, and will embrace his pardon, Fling up his cap, and say-God save his majesty! Who hateth him, and honours not his father, 'Henry the Fifth, that made all France to quake, 'Shake he his weapon at us, and pass by. All. God save the king! God save the king! Cade. What, Buckingham, and Clifford, are ye 'so brave?-And you, base peasants, do you 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 (1) A dæmon who was supposed to attend at call. · [Esit 'Buck. What, is he fled? go some, and follow him; And he, that brings his head unto the king, 'Shall have a thousand crowns for his reward.[Exeunt some of them. Follow me, soldiers; we'll devise a mean To reconcile you all unto the king. [Exeunt. SCENE IX.-Kenelworth Castle. Enter King Henry, Queen Margaret, and Somerset, on the terrace of the castle. *K. Hen. Was ever king that joy'd an earthly throne, * And could command no more content than I? *No sooner was I crept out of my cradle, Was never subject long'd to be a king, But I was made a king, at nine months old: *As I do long and wish to be a subject. 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? Enter, below, a great number of Cade's followers, with halters about their necks. 'Clif. He's fled, my lord, and all his powers do yield; And humbly thus, with halters on their necks, gates, To entertain my vows of thanks and praise!Soldiers, this day have you redeem'd your lives And show'd how well you love your prince and And sends the poor well-pleased from my gate. country: 'Continue still in this so good a mind, And Henry, though he be infortunate, Assure yourselves, will never be unkind: Enter a Messenger. Mess. Please it your grace to be advertised, The duke of York is newly come from Ireland: *And with a puissant and a mighty power, * Of Gallowglasses, and stout kernes,' Is marching hitherward in proud array; * His arms are only to remove from thee * Like to a ship, that, having scap'd a tempest, Is straightway calm'd and boarded with a pirate: * But now is Cade driven back, his men dispers'd, * And now is York in arms to second him. "Cade. Here's the lord of the soil come to seize me for a stray, for entering his fee-simple without 'leave. Ah, villain, thou wilt betray me, and get 'a thousand crowns of the king, for 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 '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 7 Cade. Brave thee? ay, by the best blood tha ever was broached, and beard thee too. Look on the well: I have cat no meat these five days; yet, come thou and thy five men, and if I do not leave you all as dead as a door nail, I pray God, I may never eat grass more. Iden. Nay, it shall ne'er be said, while England stands, That Alexander Iden, an esquire of Kent, Took odds to combat a poor famish'd man. 'Oppose thy steadfast-gazing eyes to mine, * I pray thee, Buckingham, go forth and meet him;See if thou canst outface me with thy locks. And ask him what's the reason of these arms. Set limb to limb, and thou art far the lesser ; Tell him I'll send duke Edmund to the Tower;-Thy hand is but a finger to my fist; *And, Somerset, we will commit thee thither, * Until his army be dismiss'd from him. Som. My lord, 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 terms; For he is fierce, and cannot brook hard language. * Buck. I will, my lord; and doubt not so to deal, As all things shall redound unto your good. * K. Hen. Come, wife, let's in, and learn to govern better; *For yet may England curse my wretched reign. [Excunt. SCENE X.-Kent. Iden's garden. Enter Cade. * 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 laid for me; now am I 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 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, * but * many a time, but for a sallet, my brain-pan had * been cleft with a brown bill; and, many a time, *when I have been dry, and bravely marching, it *hath served me instead of a quart pot to drink *in; and now the word sallet must serve me to * feed on. Enter Iden, with Servants. And may enjoy such quiet walks as these? Thy leg a stick, compar'd with this truncheon; 'My foot shall fight with all the strength thou hast; And if mine arm be heaved in the air, Cade. By my valour, the most complete cham*pion that ever I heard.-'Steel, if thou turn the edge, or cut not out the burly-boned clown n 'chines of beef ere thou sleep in thy sheath, I be 'seech God on my knees, thou may'st be turned to hob-nails. [They fight. Cade falls.] 0, I am 'slain! famine, and no other, ich slain me: let ten thousand devils come against me, and give them all. Wither, garden; and be henceforth a Ime but the ten meals I have lost, and I'd defy burying-place to all that do dwell in this house, because the unconquered soul of Cade is fled. 'Iden. Is't Cade that I have slain, that monstrous traitor? And hang thee o'er my tomb, when I am dead: 'Sword, I will allow thee for this thy deed, Ne'er shall this blood be wiped from thy point; But thou shalt wear it as a herald's coat, To emblaze the honour that thy master got. 'ine, not by valour. 4 Cade. Iden, farewell; and be proud of thy victory; Tell Kent from me, she hath lost her best man, and exhort all the world to be cowards; for that never feared any, am vanquished by fam [Dies Iden. How much thou wrong'st me, heaven be my judge. *Die, damned wretch, the curse of her that bare thee! the* And as I thrust thy body in with my sword, *So wish I, I might thrust thy soul to hell. Hence will I drag thee headlong by the heels Unto a dunghill, which shall be thy grave, And there cut off thy most ungracious head; 'Which I will bear in triumph to the king, 'Leaving thy trunk for crows to feed upon. [Exit, dragging out the body. (1) Two orders of foot soldiers among the Irish. (2) Only just now. (3) A kind of helmet. VOL. 11. (4) i. e. In supposing that I am proud of my vie tory. U 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: Ring, bells, aloud; burn, bonfires, clear and bright, To entertain great England's lawful king. Ah, sancta majestas! who would not buy thee dear? Let them obey, that know not how to rule; This hand was made to handle nought but gold: I cannot give due action to my words, Except a sword or sceptre balance it,í 'A sceptre shall it have, have I a soul; 'On which I'll toss the flower-de-luce of France. 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. thoughts: 'But I must inake fair weather yet a while, 'Till Henry be more weak, and I more strong. hence; And fight against that monstrous rebel, Cade, Enter Iden, with Cade's head. 'Iden. If one so rude, and of so mean condition, May pass into the presence of a king, 'Lo, I present your grace a traitor's head, 'K. Hen. The head of Cade ?-Great God, how just art thou! O, let me view his visage, being dead, "That living wrought me such exceeding trouble. Tell me, my friend, art thou the man that slew him? 'Iden. I was, an't like your majesty. 'K. Hen. How art thou call'd? and what is thy degree ! 'Iden. Alexander Iden, that's my name; A poor esquire of Kent, that loves his king. * Buck. So please it you, my lord, 'twere not amiss *He were created knight for his good service. 'K. Hen. Iden, kneel down. [He kneels.] Ris up a knight. 'We give thee for reward a thousand marks; 'Iden. May Iden live to merit such a bounty, And never live but true unto his licge! 'K. IIen. See, Buckingham! Somerset comes with the queen ; Aside. 'Go, bid her hide him quickly from the duke. Enter Queen Margaret and Somerset. 'Q. Mar. For thousand Yorks he shall not hide O Buckingham, I pr'ythee, pardon me, 'That I have given no answer all this while; 'My mind was troubled with deep melancholy. 'The cause why I have brought this army hither, 'Is-to remove proud Somerset from the king, 'Seditious to his grace, and to the state. 'Buck. That is too much presumption on part : 'But if thy arms be to no other end, "The king hath yielded to thy demand; "The duke of Somerset is in the Tower. York. Upon thine honour, is he prisoner? Buck. Upon mine honour, he is prisoner. 'York. Then, Buckingham, I do dismiss powers Soldiers, I thank you all disperse yourselves; Meet me to-morrow in Saint George's field, 'You shall have pay, and every thing you wish. And let my sovereign, virtuous Henry, * Command my eldest son,-nay, all my sons, *As pledges of my fealty and love, I'll send them all as willing as I live. Lands, goods, horse, armour, any thing I have Is his to use, so Somerset may die. his head, 'But boldly stand, and front him to his face. thyWhich dar'st not, no, nor canst not rule a traiton. my Buck. York, I commend this kind submission: We twain will go into his highness' tent. (1) i. e. Balance my hand. That gold must round engirt these brows of mine; Whose smile and frown, like to Achilles' spear, Is able with the change to kill and cure. Here is a hand to hold a sceptre up, And with the same to act controlling laws. 'Give place; by heaven, thou shalt rule no more O'er him, whom heaven created for thy ruler. 'Som. O monstrous traitor!-1 arrest thee, York, 'Of capital treason 'gainst the king and crown: Obey, audacious traitor; kneel for grace. *York. Would'st have me kneel? first let me ask of these, If they can brook I bow a knee to man.Sirrah, call in my sons to be my bail; [Exit an attendani. I know, ere they will have me go to ward,' (2) Custody, confinement. They'll pawn their swords for my enfranchise ment. 'Q. Mar. Call hither Clifford; bid him come To say, if that the bastard boys of York York. O blood-bespotted Neapolitan, ⚫ Outcast of Naples, England's bloody scourge! Enter Edward and Richard Plantagenet, with See, where they come; I'll warrant they'll make it good. Q. Mar. And here comes Clifford, to deny 'Clif. Health and all happiness to my lord the 'York. I thank thee, Clifford: Say, what news with thee? Nay, do not fright us with an angry look: 'We are thy sovereign, Clifford, kneel again; 'For thy mistaking so, we pardon thee. Clif. This is my king, York, I do not mistake; Thou mad misleader of thy brain-sick son!— *And in my conscience do repute his grace Sal. I have. * K. Hen. Canst thou dispense with heaven for such an oath? *Sal. It is great sin, to swear unto a sin; But greater sin, to keep a sinful oath. *Who can be bound by any solemn vow To do a murderous deed, to rob a man, To force a spotless virgin's chastity, To wring the widow from her custom'd right; To reave the orphan of his patrimony, 'But thou mistak'st me much, to think I do :- 'Makes him oppose himself against his king. Clif. He is a traitor; let him to the Tower, Edo. Ay, noble father, if our words will serve. * Clif. Why, what a brood of traitors have we * York. Look in a glass, and call thy image so; I am thy king, and thou a false-heart traitor.'Call hither to the stake my two brave bears,' • That, with the very shaking of their chains, They may astonish these fell lurking curs; Bid Salisbury, and Warwick, come to me. Drums. Enter Warwick and Salisbury, forces. with bears · Clif. Are these thy bears? we'll bait thy to death, 'And manacle the bear-ward in their chains, If thou dar'st bring them to the baiting-place. Rich. Oft have I seen a hot o'erweening cur Run back and bite, because he was withheld; Who, being suffer'd with the bear's fell paw, • Hath clapp'd his tail between his legs, and cry'd: And such a piece of service will you do, If you oppose yourselves to match lord Warwick. As crooked in thy manners as thy shape! * K. Hien. Why, Warwick, hath thy knee forgot • Old Salisbury,-shame to thy silver hair, (1) The Nevils, earls of Warwick, had a bear and ragged staff for their crest. (2) Bear-keeper. And have no other reason for this wrong, 'York. Call Buckingham, and all the friends I am resolv'd for death, or dignity. 3 Clif. The first, I warrant thee, if dreams prove true. 'War. You were best to go to bed, and dream again, To keep thee from the tempest of the field. Clif. I am resolv'd to bear a greater storm, crest, The rampant bear chain'd to the ragged staff, Clif. And from thy burgonet I'll rend thy bear, Rich. Fie! charity, for shame! speak not in spite |