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And now hence-forward it shall be treason for any that calls me other than Lord Mortimer.

Enter a foldier running,

Sol. Jack Cade, Jack Cade!

Cade. Knock him down there.

[They kill him.

Weav. If this fellow be wife, he'll never call you Jack Cade more; I think, he hath a very fair warning. Dick. My Lord, there's an army gathered together in Smithfield,

Cade. Come then, let's go fight with them. But firft go and fet London-bridge on fire, and if you can, burn down the Tower too. Come, let's away.

[Exeunt omnes.

SCENE changes to Smithfield.

Alarm. Matthew Goff is flain, and all the reft. Then enter Jack Cade with his company,

Cade. Savoy; others to the inns of courts; down

O, Sirs. Now go fome and pull down the

with them all.

Dick. I have a fuit unto your Lordship.

Cade. Be it a Lordship, thou fhalt have it for that word.

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

John. Mafs, 'twill be fore law then, for he was thruft in the mouth with a fpear, and 'tis not whole yet.

Smith. Nay, John, it will be ftinking law, for his breath ftinks with eating toasted cheese.

Cade. I have thought upon it, it fhall be fo, Away, burn all the records of the realm, my mouth fhall be the parliament of England,

John,

John. Then we are like to have biting statutes, unlefs his teeth be pull'd out.

Cade. And henceforward all things fhall be in com

mon,

SCENE

Enter a Messenger.

VI.

Mef. My Lord, a prize, a prize! Here's the Lord Say which fold the town in France; he that made us pay one and twenty fifteens and one fhilling to the pound, the laft fubfidy.

Enter George with the Lord Say.

Cade. Well, he shall be beheaded for it ten times.Ah, thou Say, thou ferge, 7 nay, thou buckram Lord, now art thou within point-blank of our jurifdiction regal. What canft thou answer to my Majefty for giving up of Normandy unto Monfieur Bafimecu, the Dauphin of France? Be it known unto thee by these prefents, even the prefence of Lord Mortimer, that I am the befom that must sweep the court clean of fuch filth as thou art. Thou haft moft traiterously corrupted the youth of the Realm in erecting a grammar-school; and whereas before, our fore-fathers had no other books but the fcore and the tally, thou haft caufed printing to be us'd; and contrary to the King, his crown and dignity, thou haft built a paper-mill. It will be prov'd to thy face that thou haft men about thee, that usually talk of a Noun and a Verb, and fuch abominable words, as no christian ear can endure to hear. Thou haft appointed juftices of the peace to call poor men before them, about matters they were not able to anfwer.

thou Say, thou ferge, Say was the old word for filk, on this depends the series of degradation, from Jay to ferge, from

ferge to buckram.

*

Printing to be us'd] Shakefpeare is a little too early with this accufation.

More

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Moreover, thou haft put them in prison; and because they could not read, thou haft hang'd them; when, indeed, only for that cause they have been moft worthy to live. Thou doft ride on a foot-cloth, doft thou not?

Say. What of that?

Cade. Marry, thou ought'st not * to let thy horfe wear a cloak when honefter men than thou go in their hofe and doublets.

Dick. And work in their fhirt too; as myself, for example, that am a butcher.

Say. You men of Kent,

Dick. What fay 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 fpeak, and bear me where you will.

Kent, in the Commentaries Cæfar writ,

Is term'd the civil'ft place of all this ifle;
Sweet is the country, becaufe full of riches,
The people liberal, valiant, active, wealthy,
Which makes me hope thou art not void of pity.
I fold not Maine; I loft not Normandy,
Yet, to recover them, would lofe my life.
Juftice with favour have I always done';

Prayers and tears have mov'd me, gifts could never.
When have I aught exacted at your hands??

8. because they could not read, thou haft hang'd them ;] That is, they were hanged because they could not claim the benefit of clergy.

* To let thy horse wear a cloak.] This is a reproach truly characteriftical. Nothing gives fo much offence to the lower ranks of mankind as the fight of fuperfluities merely oftentatious.

Kent.

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Kent to maintain, the King, the realm and you,
Large gifts have I bestow'd on learned clerks,
Because my book preferr'd me to the King;
And seeing, ignorance is the curse of God,
Knowledge the wing wherewith we fly to heav'n,
Unless you be poffeft with dev'lifh fpirits,
Ye cannot but forbear to murder me.

This tongue hath parlied unto foreign Kings
For your behoof.

Cade. Tut, when struck'st thou one blow in the field?

Say. Great men have reaching hands; oft have I ftruck

Thofe that I never faw, and ftruck them dead.

George. O monstrous coward' what, to come behind folks?

Say. These cheeks are pale with watching for

your good. Cade. Give him a box o'th' ear, and that will make 'em red again.

Say. Long fitting to determine poor mens' Causes Hath made me full of fickness and diseases.

Cade. Ye fhall have a hempen caudle then, and the help of a hatchet.

Dick. Why dost thou quiver, man?

Say. The palfy, and not fear, provokes me.

Cade. Nay, he nods at us, as who fhould fay, I'll be even with you. I'll fee, if his head will ftand steadier on a pole or no. Take him away, and behead him.

Say. Tell me, wherein have I offended moft? Have I affected wealth or honour, speak.

to maintain Kent and the King. This is not very clear; and befides, he gives in the following line another reafon of his bounty, that learning raised him, and therefore he fupported learning.. I am inclined to think Kent flip

ped into this paffage by chance, and would read,

When have I aught exacted at your hand,

But to maintain the King, the realm, and you?

Are

Are my chefts fill'd up with extorted gold?
Is my apparel fumptuous to behold?

Whom have I injur'd, that ye feek my death?
Thefe hands are free from guiltless blood-fhedding,
This breaft from harb'ring foul deceitful thoughts.
O, let me live ! —

Cade. I feel remorfe in myself with his words; but I'll bridle it; he fhall die, an it be for pleading fo well for his life. Away with him, he has a Familiar under his tongue, he fpeaks not o'God's name. Go, take him away, I fay, and ftrike off his head presently; and then break into his fon-in-law's house, Sir James Cromer, and ftrike off his head, and bring them both upon two poles hither."

All. It fhall be done.

Say. Ah, Country-men, if when you make your pray❜rs,

God fhould be fo obdurate as yourselves,
How would it fare with your departed fouls;
And therefore yet relent, and fave my life.

Cade. Away with him, and do as I command ye. The proudest peer of the Realm fhall not wear a head on his fhoulders, unlefs he pay me tribute; there fhall not a maid be married, but fhe fhall pay me her maiden-head ere they have it; men fhall hold of me in Capite, and we charge and command, that their wives be as free as heart can wifh, or tongue can tell. Dick. My Lord, when fhall we go to Cheapfide, and take up commodities upon our bills?

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Cade. Marry, prefently.

All. O brave!

Enter one with the heads.

Cade. But is not this braver? Let them kifs one another; for they lov'd well when they were alive. Now part them again, left they confult about the giving up of fome more towns in France. Soldiers, de

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