CADE Away with him, and do as I command ye!

  Exeunt ⌈the Butcher and⌉ one or two with the Lord Saye

  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. Married 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.

  Enter a Rebel

  REBEL O captain, London Bridge is afire!

  CADE Run to Billingsgate and fetch pitch and flax and quench it.

  Enter the Butcher and a Sergeant

  SERGEANT Justice, justice, I pray you, sir, let me have justice of this fellow here.

  CADE Why, what has he done?

  SERGEANT Alas, sir, he has ravished my wife.

  BUTCHER (to Cade) Why, my lord, he would have ’rested me and I went and entered my action in his wife’s proper house.

  CADE Dick, follow thy suit in her common place. (To the Sergeant) You whoreson villain, you are a sergeant—you’ll take any man by the throat for twelve pence, and ’rest a man when he’s at dinner, and have him to prison ere the meat be out of his mouth. (To the Butcher) Go, Dick, take him hence: cut out his tongue for cogging, hough him for running, and, to conclude, brain him with his own mace.

  Exit the Butcher with the Sergeant

  REBEL My lord, when shall we go to Cheapside and take up commodities upon our bills?

  CADE Marry, presently. He that will lustily stand to it shall go with me and take up these commodities following—item, a gown, a kirtle, a petticoat, and a smock.

  ALL CADE’S FOLLOWERS O brave!

  Enter two with the Lord Saye’s head and Sir James Cromer’s upon two poles

  CADE But is not this braver? Let them kiss one another, for they loved well when they were alive.

  ⌈The two heads are made to kiss⌉

  Now part them again, lest they consult about the giving up of some more towns in France. Soldiers, defer the spoil of the city until night. For with these borne before us instead of maces will we ride through the streets, and at every corner have them kiss. Away!

  ⌈Exeunt two with the heads. The others begin to follow⌉

  Up Fish Street! Down Saint Magnus’ Corner! Kill and knock down! Throw them into Thames!

  Sound a parley

  What noise is this? Dare any be so bold to sound retreat or parley when I command them kill?

  Enter the Duke of Buckingham and old Lord Clifford

  BUCKINGHAM

  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.

  CLIFFORD

  What say ye, countrymen, will ye relent

  And yield to mercy whilst ‘tis offered you,

  Or let a rebel 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.

  They ⌈fling up their caps and⌉ forsake Cade

  ALL CADE’S FoLLOwERS God save the King! God save the King!

  CADE What, Buckingham and Clifford, are ye so brave? (To the rabble) 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 CADE’S FOLLOWERS We’ll follow Cade! We’ll follow Cade!

  They run to Cade again

  CLIFFORD

  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.

  Were’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 ‘Villiago!’ unto all they meet.

  Better ten thousand base-born Cades miscarry

  Than you should stoop unto a Frenchman’s mercy.

  To France! To France! And get what you have lost!

  Spare England, for it is your native coast.

  Henry hath money; you are strong and manly;

  God on our side, doubt not of victory.

  ALL CADE’S FOLLOWERS A Clifford! A Clifford! We’ll follow the King and Clifford!

  They forsake Cade

  CADE (aside) Was ever feather so lightly blown to and fro as this multitude? The name of Henry the Fifth hales them to an hundred mischiefs, and makes them leave me desolate. I see them lay their heads together to surprise me. My sword make way for me, for here is no staying. (Aloud) In despite of the devils and hell, have through the very middest of you! And heavens and honour be witness that no want of resolution in me, but only my followers’ base and ignominious treasons, makes me betake me to my heels.

  He runs through them with his staff, and flies away

  BUCKINGHAM

  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 after Cade

  (To the remaining rebels)

  Follow me, soldiers, we’ll devise a mean

  To reconcile you all unto the King. Exeunt

  4.8 Sound trumpets. Enter King Henry, Queen Margaret, and the Duke of Somerset on the terrace

  KING HENRY

  Was ever King that joyed an earthly throne

  And could command no more content than I?

  No sooner was I crept out of my cradle

  But I was made a king at nine months old.

  Was never subject longed to be a king

  As I do long and wish to be a subject.

  Enter the Duke of Buckingham and Lord Clifford ⌈on the terrace⌉

  BUCKINGHAM (to King Henry)

  Health and glad tidings to your majesty.

  KING HENRY

  Why, Buckingham, is the traitor Cade surprised?

  Or is he but retired to make him strong?

  Enter, below, multitudes with halters about their necks

  CLIFFORD

  He is fled, my lord, and all his powers do yield,

  And humbly thus with halters on their necks

  Expect your highness’ doom of life or death.

  KING HENRY

  Then, heaven, set ope thy everlasting gates

  To entertain my vows of thanks and praise.

  (To the multitudes below)

  Soldiers, this day have you redeemed your lives,

  And showed how well you love your prince and

  country.

  Continue still in this so good a mind,

  And Henry, though he be infortunate,

  Assure yourselves will never be unkind.

  And so, with thanks and pardon to you all,

  I do dismiss you to your several countries.

  ALL CADE’S FORMER FOLLOWERS God save the King! Gold save the King! ⌈Exeunt multitudes below⌉

  Enter a Messenger ⌈on the terrace⌉

  MESSENGER (to King Henry)

  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 galloglasses and stout Irish kerns

  Is marching hitherward in proud array,

  And still proclaimeth, as he comes along,

  His arms are only to remove from thee

  The Duke of Somerset, whom he terms a traitor.

  KING HENRY

  Thus stands my state, ’twixt Cade and York distressed,

  Like to a ship that, having scaped a tempest,

  Is straightway calmed and boarded with a pirate.

  But now is Cade driven back, his men dispersed,

  And now is York in arms to second him.

  I pray thee, Buckingham, go and meet him,

  And ask him what’s the reason of these arms.

  Tell him I’ll send Duke Edmund to the Tower;

  And, Somerset, we will commit thee thither,

  Until his army be dismissed from him.

  SOMERSET

  My lord, I’ll yield myself to prison willingly,

  Or unto death, to do my country good.

  KING HENRY (to Buckingham)

  In any case, be not too rough in terms,

  For he is fierce and cannot brook hard language.

  BUCKINGHAM

  I will, my lord, and doubt not so to deal

  As all things shall redound unto your good.

  KING HENRY

  Come, wife, let’s in and learn to govern better;

  For yet may England curse my wretched reign.

  Flourish. Exeunt

  4.9 Enter Jack Cade

  CADE Fie on ambitions; 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. But 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 o‘er 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 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.

  ⌈He lies down picking of herbs and eating them.⌉ Enter Sir Alexander Iden ⌈and five of his men⌉

  IDEN

  Lord, who would live turmoilèd in the court

  And may enjoy such quiet walks as these?

  This small inheritance my father left me

  Contenteth me, and worth a monarchy.

  I seek not to wax great by others’ waning,

  Or gather wealth I care not with what envy;

  Sufficeth that I have maintains my state,

  And sends the poor well pleased from my gate.

  ⌈Cade rises to his knees⌉

  CADE (aside) Zounds, here’s the lord of the soil come to seize me for a stray for entering his fee-simple without leave. (To Iden) A villain, thou wilt betray me and get a thousand crowns of the king by 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?

  CADE Brave thee? Ay, by the best blood that ever was broached—and beard thee too! Look on me well—I have eat no meat these five days, yet come thou and thy five men, an if I do not leave you all as dead as a doornail 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 famished man.

  Oppose thy steadfast gazing eyes to mine—

  See if thou canst outface me with thy looks.

  Set limb to limb, and thou art far the lesser—

  Thy hand is but a finger to my fist,

  Thy leg a stick compared with this truncheon.

  My foot shall fight with all the strength thou hast,

  And if mine arm be heaved in the air,

  Thy grave is digged already in the earth.

  As for words, whose greatness answers words,

  Let this my sword report what speech forbears.

  (To his men) Stand you all aside.

  CADE By my valour, the most complete champion that ever I heard. (To his sword) Steel, if thou turn the edge or cut not out the burly-boned clown in chines of beef ere thou sleep in thy sheath, I beseech God on my knees thou mayst be turned to hobnails.

  ⌈Cade stands.⌉ Here they fight, and Cade falls down

  O, I am slain! Famine and no other hath slain me! Let ten thousand devils come against me, and give me but the ten meals I have lost, and I’d defy them all. Wither, garden, and be henceforth a 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?

  Sword, I will hallow thee for this thy deed

  And hang thee o‘er my tomb when I am dead.

  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.

  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 I, that never feared any, am vanquished by famine, not by valour.

  He dies

  IDEN

  How much thou wrong’st me, heaven be my judge.

  Die, damned wretch, the curse of her that bore thee!

  And ⌈stabbing him again⌉ 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.

  Exeunt with the body

  5.1 Enter the Duke of York and his army of Irish with a drummer and soldiers bearing colours

  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 maiestas! Who would not buy thee dear?

  Let them obey that knows not how to rule;

  This hand was made to handle naught but gold.

  I cannot give due action to my words,

  Except a sword or sceptre balance it.

  A sceptre shall it have, have I as word,

  On which I’ll toss the fleur-de-lis of France.

  Enter the Duke of Buckingham

  (Aside) Whom have we here? Buckingham to disturb

  me?

  The King hath sent him sure—I must dissemble.

  BUCKINGHAM

  York, if thou meanest well, I greet thee well.

  YORK

  Humphrey of Buckingham, I accept thy greeting.

  Art thou a messenger, or come of pleasure?

  BUCKINGHAM

  A messenger from Henry, our dread liege,

  To know the reason of these arms in peace;

  Or why thou, being a subject as I am,

  Against thy oath and true allegiance sworn,

  Should raise so great a power without his leave,

  Or dare to bring thy force so near the court?

  YORK (aside)

  Scarce can I speak, my choler is so great.

  O, I could hew up rocks and fight with flint,

  I am so angry at these abject terms;

  And now, like Ajax Telamonius,

  On sheep or oxen could I spend my fury.

  I am far better born than is the King,

  More like a king, more kingly in my thoughts;

  But I must make fair weather yet a while,

  Till Henry be more weak and I more strong.

  (Aloud) Buckingham, I prithee 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.

  BUCKINGHAM

  That is too much presumption on thy part;

  But if thy arms be to no other end,

  The King hath yielded unto thy demand:

  The Duke of Somerset is in the Tower.

  YORK

  Upon thine honour, is he prisoner?

  BUCKINGHAM

  Upon mine honour, he is prisoner.

  YORK

  Then, Buckingham, I do dismiss my powers.

  Soldiers, I thank you all; disperse yourselves;

  Meet me tomorrow in Saint George’s field.

  You shall have pay and everything you wish.

  Exeunt soldiers

  (To Buckingham) 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, anything I have

  Is his to use, so Somerset may die.

  BUCKINGHAM

  York, I commend this kind submission.