* Geo. O miserable age! Virtue is not regarded * in handycrafts-men.

*Suff. Gelidus timor occupat artus ;'-'tis thee I* fear.

'Whit. Thou shalt have cause to fear, before I leave thee.

'What, are ye daunted now? now will ye stoop? 1 Gent. My gracious lord, entreat him, speak

Cade. My mother a Plantagenet,'Dick. I knew her well, she was a midwife.

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 [Exit, with the Body.her furred pack, she washes bucks here at home.

50

SECOND PART OF

Cade. I fear neither sword nor fire. Smith. He need not fear the sword, for his coat is of proof.1

[Aside. 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 England, will make seven half-penny loaves sold for a penny; the threehooped pot shall have ten hoops;2 it felony, to drink small beer: all the realm shall be in common, and in Cheapside shall my palfry go to grass. And, when I ani king (as king I will be)

4

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.

Cale. 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 How now; who's there? mine own man since.

Enter some, bringing in the Clerk of Chatham.

Smith. The clerk of Chatham: he can write aud read, and cast accompt.

Cade. O monstrous!

Smith. We took him setting of boys' copies.
Cale. Here's a villain!

Smith. H'as a book in his pocket, with red letters in't.

Cade. Nay, then he is a conjurer.

Dick. Nay, he can make obligations, and write

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; hard with you. -Twill go

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.

1 A quibble is most probably intended between two
senses of the word; one as being able to resist, the
other as being tell tried, that is, long worn.

2 These drinking vessels of our ancestors were of wood. Nash, in his Pierce Pennilesse, 1595, says, 'I believe hoopes in quart pots were invented to that end, that every man should take his hoope, and no more.'

3 To mend the world by banishing money is an old contrivance of those who did not consider that the quarrels and mischiefs which arise from money, as the signs or tickets of riches, must, if riches were to cease, arise from riches themselves, and could never be at an end till every man was contented with his own share of the goods of life.'-Johnson,

4 This speech was transposed by Shakspeare from a subsequent scene in the old play.

5 i. e. bonds.

6 That is on the top of Letters Missive and such like
See Mabillon's Diplomata.
public acts.

7 After this speech, in the old play, are the following
words:

Is there any more of them that be knights?

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 theo
good as himself: He is but a knight, is 'a?
down: He shall be encountered with a man as
Mich. No.

Cade. To equal him, I will make myself
knight presently: Rise up Sir John Mortimer.
'Now have at him."

his Brother, with Drum and Forces.
Enter SIR HUMPHREY STAFFORD, and WILLIAM

* Staf. Rebellious hinds, and filth and scum of
Kent,

*Mark'd for the gallows,-lay your weapons down,
Home to your cottages, forsake this groom;—
*The king is merciful, if you revolt.

*W. Staf. But angry, wrathful, and inclin'd to
blood,

*If you go forward: therefore yield, or die.
Cade. As for these silken-coated slaves, I pass
not ;8

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?
Cade. And Adam was a gardener.

'W. Staf. And what of that?

Cade. Marry, this :-Edmund Mortimer, earl of
March,

Married the duke of Clarence' daughter; Did he

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 it; therefore, deny it not. house, and the bricks are alive at this day to testify

*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.] his father's sake, Henry the Fifth, in whose time Go to, sirrah. Tell the king from me, that--for 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 gelded1o the common

Tom. Yea, his brother.

Cade. Then kneel down, Dick Butcher; rise up Sir
8 I care not, I pay them no regard.
Dick Butcher, Sound up the drum.'

Transform me to what shape you can,
Ipass not what it be.' Drayton's Quest of Cynthia.
9 The same play upon words is in Daniel's Civil
Wars, 1595:-

Anjou and Maine, the main that foul appears."
10 Steevens observes that Shakspeare has here
transgressed a rule laid down by Tully, De Oratore:
Nolo morte dici Africani castratam esse rempublicam.'
indelicacy here, but in other places our author talks of
The character of the speaker may countenance such
again remark that in the former instances the phrase
gelding purses, patrimonies, and continents. I must
was only metaphorically used for diminishing or cur-

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 licence to kill for a "hundred lacking one, a week.2.

'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, I 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;
*Think therefore on revenge, and cease to weep.
* But who can cease to weep, and look on this?
tailing, and is not peculiar to Shakspeare, but a com-
mon form of expression in his time.

1 Shoes.

*Here may his head he on my throbbing breast: *But where's the body that I should embrace?

Buck. What answer makes your grace to the rebels' supplication?

*K. Hen. I'll send some holy bishop to entreat:
For God forbid, so many simple souls

Should perish by the sword! And I myself,
Rather than bloody war shall cut them short,
Will parley with Jack Cade their general.-
But stay, I'll read it over once again.

*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.

Say. Ay, but I hope, your highness shall have

his.

Jack Cade proclaims himself Lord Mortimer,
'Descended from the duke of Clarence' house:
And calls your grace usurper, openly,
'And vows to crown himself in Westminster.
His army is a ragged multitude

Of hinds and peasants, rude and merciless;
Sir Humphrey Stafford and his brother's death
Hath given them heart and courage to proceed:
All scholars, lawyers, courtiers, gentlemen,
They call-false caterpillars, and intend their
death.

*K. Hen. O graceless men! they know not what
they do."

Buck. My gracious lord, retire to Kenelworth, Until a power be rais'd 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.

Say. So might your grace's person be in dan-
ger;

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

phrey's brigandine, set full of gilt nails, and so in glory returned again toward London.' Sir Humphrey Staf ford was, in fact, killed at Sevenoaks, and is buried at Bromsgrove, in Staffordshire.

? The last two words, a week, were added by Malone from the old play. It is necessary to render the passage irelligible. In the reign of Elizabeth, butchers were strictly enjoined not to sell flesh meat in Lent, not with 4 Shakspeare has here fallen into another inconsist a religious view, but for the double purpose of dimin-ency, by sometimes following Holished instead of the ishing the consumption of flesh meat during that period, old play. He afterwards forgets this holy bishop: and and so making it more plentiful during the rest of the in scene the eighth we find only Buckingham and ClifYear, and of encouraging the fisheries and augmenting ford were sent, conformably to the old play. Holinshed the number of seamen. Butchers, who had interest at mentions that the archbishop of Canterbury and the duke Court, frequently obtained a dispensation to kill a certain of Buckingham were sent. number of beasts a week during Lent; of which indul- 5 Predominated irresistibly over my passions, as the gence, the wants of invalids who could not subsist with-planets over those born under their influence. The old out animal food, was made the pretence. There are play led Shakspeare into this strange exhibition; a several proclamations on the subject in the library of queen with the head of her murdered paramour on her the Society of Antiquaries. bosom, in presence of her husband!

3 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

6 Instead of this line the old copy has:---
'Go bid Buckingham and Clifford gather
An army up, and meet with the rebels.'

52

SECOND PART OF

*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.

* Buck. Trust nobody, for fear you be betray'd. I Say. The trust I have is in mine innocence, And therefore am 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?

for

1 Cit. No, my lord, nor likely to be slain; 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 com-
mand;

But I am troubled here with them myself,
The rebels have assay'd to win the Tower.
But get you to Smithfield, and gather head,
And thither will I send you Matthew Gough:
Fight for your king, your country, and your lives;
And so farewell, for I must hence again. [Exeunt.
Cannon Street. Enter
JACK CADE, and his Followers. He strikes his
Staff on Lonilon-stone.

SCENE VI. The same.

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 pissing-conduit1 run nothing but claret wine this first year of our reign. And now, henceforward, it shall be treason for any that calls me other than-Lord Mortimer. Enter a Soldier running.

Cade. Be it a lordship thou shalt have it for that word.

*

Dick. Only, that the laws of England may com out of your mouth.

[Aside.

'John. Mass, 'twill be sore law then; for he was
thrust in the mouth with a spear, and 'tis not
whole yet.
Smith. Nay, John, it will be stinking law; for
his breath stinks with eating toasted cheese.

[Aside.

so.

Cade. I have thought upon it, it shall be 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, [Aside. unless his teeth be pulled out.

* Cade. And henceforward all things shall be in

Mess. My lord, a prize, a prize! here's the 'Lord Say, which sold the towns in France; *that made us pay one and twenty fifteens, * one shilling to the pound, the last subsidy.

Enter GEORGE BEVIS, with the LORD SAY. Cade. Well, he shall be beheaded for it times.-Ay, thou say, thou serge, nay, thou buckram ford! now art thou within point-blank of our jurisdiction regal. What canst thou answer to my majesty, for giving up of Normandy unto Monsieur Basimecu, the dauphin of France? Be it known unto thee, by these presence, even 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, thou hast caused printing to be used; and, contrary 'to the king, his crown, and dignity, thou hast built a paper-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, Dick. My lord, there's an army gathered toge-as no Christian ear can endure to hear. Thou ther in Smithfield.

Sold. Jack Cade! Jack Cade!

Cade. Knock him down there. [They kill him.2 * Smith. If this fellow be wise, he'll never call Jack Cade more; I think he hath a very fair you *warning.

away.

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 [Exeunt. 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.

SCENE VII. The same.

Dick. I have a suit unto your lordship.

hast appointed justices of peace, to call poor men
before them about matters they were not able to
answer. Moreover, thou hast put them in prison;
and because they could not read, thou hast hanged
them;10 when, indeed, only for that cause, they
have been most worthy to live. Thou dost ride
on a foot-cloth," dost thou not?
Say. What of that?

Cade. Marry, thou oughtest not to let thy horse
go
their hose and doublets,
wear a cloak, when honester men than thou

in

king his father. See also W. of Wyreestre, p. 357; and the Paston Letters, vol. i. p. 42.

5 This trouble had been saved Cade's reformers by his predecessor Wat Tyler. It was never re-edified till Henry VI. founded the hospital.'

GIt was reported, indeed, that he should saie with great pride that within four daies all the laws of England should come foorth of his mouth.—Holinshed, p. 432.

7 A fifteen was the fifteenth part of all the moveables, or personal property of each subject.

1 Whatever offence to modern delicacy may be given
by this imagery, such ornaments to fountains appear to
have been no uncommon device in ancient times. The
curious reader may see a design, probably from the pen-
cil of Benedetto di Montagna, for a very singular foun-
tain of this kind, in that elegant book the Hypneroto-
machia, printed by Aldus in 1499. Le Grand, in his
Vie Privée des François, mentions that at a feast made
by Phillippe-le-Bon, there was une statue d'enfant nu,
pose sur une roche, et qui de sa broquette pissait eau
de rose. This conduit may, however, have been one
set up at the standarde in Cheape, according to Stowe,
by John Wels, grocer. mayor, in 1480, with a small cis-
terne for fresh water, having one cock continually run-lem in the time of Henry VI. Shakspeare's anachro-
ning.

2 He also put to execution in Southwarke diverse persons, some for breaking this ordinance, and other being his old acquaintance, lest they should bewray his base lineage, disparaging him for his usurped name of Mortimer-Holinshed, p. 634.

3 At that time London Bridge was of wood: the houses upon it were actually burnt in this rebellion. Hall says he entered London, and cut the ropes of the drawbridge.'

4 Holinshed calls Mathew Gough a man of great wit and much experience in feats of chivalrie, the which in continuall warres had spent his time in serving of the

8 Say is a kind of thin woollen stuff or serge. 9 Shakspeare is a little too early with this accusation. Yet Meerman, in his Origines Typographicæ, has availed himself of this passage to support his hypothesis that printing was introduced into England by Frederic Corsellis, one of Coster's workmen, from Haer

nisms are not more extraordinary than those of his contemporaries. Spenser mentions cloth made at Lincoln in the ideal reign of King Arthur, and has adorned a castle at the same period with cloth of Arras and of Tours.

10 i. e. they were hanged because they could not claim the benefit of clergy.

11 A foot-cloth was a kind of housing, which covered the body of the horse: it was sometimes made of velvet and bordered with gold lace. This is a reproach truly characteristical: nothing gives so much offence to the lower orders as the sight of superfluities merely ostentatious.

* Is my apparel sumptuous to behold?
*Whom have I injur'd, that ye seek my
death?
*These hands are free from guiltless blood-shed-
ding,

*This breast from harbouring foul deceitful thoughts.
*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 has a familiar' under his tongue; he speaks *not o' God's name. Go, take him' away, Isay,

and strike off his head presently; and then break into his son-in-law's house, Sir James Cromer, ' and strike off his head, and bring them both upon 'two poles hither.

could*

God should be so obdurate as yourselves,
*How would it fare with your departed souls?
* And therefore yet relent, and save my life.
*Cade. Away with him, and do as I command ye.
[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 shail we go to Cheap.
'side, and take up commodities upon our bills?1
Cade. Marry, presently.
All. O brave!

*Those that I never saw, and struck them dead.
*Geo. O monstrous coward! what, to come be-Re-enter
hind 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