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 well 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 his pen and inkhorn about his neck. [Exeunt some with the Clerk. Enter MICHAEL. Mich. Where's our general? Cade. Here I am, thou particular fellow. Mich. Fly, fly, fly! sir Humphrey Stafford and his brother are hard by, with the king's forces. Cade. Stand, villain, stand, or I'll fell thee down: He shall be encountered with a man as good as himself: He is but a knight, is 'a ? Mich. No. Cade. To equal him, I will make myself a knight presently; Rise up sir John Mortimer. Now have at him. Enter Sir HUMPHREY STAFFORD, and WILLIAM his Brother, with Drum and Forces. Staf. Rebellious hinds, the filth and scum of Kent, W. Staf. But angry, wrathful, and inclin'd to blood, Cade. As for these silken-coated slaves, I pass not ;? It is to you, good people, that I speak, O'er whom, in time to come, I hope to reign; For I am rightful heir unto the crown. Staf. Villain, thy father was a plasterer; And thou thyself, a shearman, Art thou not? [8] Of letters missive, and such like public acts. WARBURTON. W. Staf. And what of that? Cade. Marry, this :-Edmund Mortimer, earl of March, Married the duke of Clarence' daughter; Did he not? Staf. Ay, sir. Cade. By her, he had two children at one birth. Cade. Ay, there's the question; but, I say, 'tis true : The elder of them, being put to nurse, Was by a beggar-woman stol'n away; And, ignorant of his birth and parentage, Became a bricklayer, when he came to age: His son am I; deny it, if you can. Dick. Nay, tis too true; therefore, he shall be king. 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 that-for 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'll 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 that lord Say hath gelded the commonwealth, and made it an 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. W. Staf. Well, seeing gentle words will not prevail, Assail them with the army of the king. Staf. Herald, away: and, throughout every town, Proclaim them traitors that are up with Cade; VOL. VI. L2 That those, which fly before the battle ends, : [Exeunt the Two STAFFORDS, and Forces. Cade. And you, that love the commons, follow me.— Now show yourselves men, 'tis for liberty. We will not leave one lord, one gentleman: Spare none, but such as go in clouted shoon; For they are thrifty honest men, and such As would (but that they dare not,) take our parts. Dick. They are all in order, and march toward us. 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 ? Dick. Here, sir. Cade. They fell before thee like sheep and oxen, and thou behavedst thyself as if thou hadst been in thine own slaughter-house: therefore thus will I reward thee,The Lent shall be as long again as it is; and thou shalt have a license to kill for a hundred lacking one. 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' 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, I warrant thee. Come, let's march towards London. SCENE IV. [Exeunt. 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, [1] Here Cade must be supposed to take off Stafford's armour. So Holinshed: "Jack Cade, upon his victory against the Staffords, apparelled himself in Sir Hum phrey's brigandine, set full of gilt nails, and so in some glory returned again toward London." STEEVENS. And makes it fearful and degenerate; Think therefore on revenge, and cease to weep. Buck. What answer makes your grace to the rebels' supplication? K. Hen. I'll send some holy bishop to entreat : Should perish by the sword! And I myself, Q. Mar. Ah, barbarous villains! hath this lovely face Rul'd, like a wandering planet,' over me; And could it not enforce them to relent, That were unworthy to behold the same? K. Hen. Lord Say, Jack Cade hath sworn to have thy head. Lamenting, and mourning for Suffolk's death? I fear, my love, if that I had been dead, Thou wouldest not have mourn'd so much for me. thee. Enter a Messenger. K. Hen. How now! what news? why com'st thou in such haste? Mess. The rebels are in Southwark; Fly, my lord! And vows to crown himself in Westminster. Of hinds and peasants, rude and merciless : They call-false caterpillars, and intend their death. K. Hen. O graceless men: they know not what they do. Until a power be rais'd to put them down. [2] Predominated irresistibly over my passions, as the planets over the lives of those who are born under their influence. JOHNSON. 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. Say. So might your grace's person be in danger; The sight of me is odious in their eyes: And therefore in this city will I stay, And live alone as secret as I may. Enter another Messenger. 2 Mess. Jack Cade hath gotten London-bridge; the citizens Fly and forsake their houses: The rascal people, thirsting after prey, Join with the traitor; and they jointly swear, To spoil the city, and your royal court. Buck. Then linger not, my lord; away, take horse. cour 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. Buck. Trust no body, for fear you be betray'd. Say. The trust I have is in mine innocence, And therefore am I bold and resolute. The same. SCENE V. [Exeunt. 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 they have won the bridge, killing all those that withstand them: The lord mayor craves aid of your honour from the Tower, to defend the city from the rebels. Scales. Such aid as I can spare, you shall command; Fight for your king, your country, and your lives; [Exeunt. |