*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. Say. The trust I have is in mine innocence, And therefore am I 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? Cade. Be it a lordship thou shalt have it for that word. '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. Cade. 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 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 com- But I am troubled here with them myself, 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. Sold. Jack Cade! Jack Cade! Cade. Knock him down there. [They kill him.? *Smith. If this fellow be wise, 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, hrst, go and set London Bridge on fire; and, if you can, burn down the Tower too. Come, let's [Exeunt. away. Dick. I have a suit unto your lordship. 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. Enter GEORGE BEVIS, with the LORD SAY. 'Cade. Well, he shall be beheaded for it ten times.-Ay, thou say, thou serge, nay, thou buckram ford! now art thou withm 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, as no Christian ear can endure to hear. Thou 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 wear a cloak, when honester men than thou in go their hose and doublets. king his father. See also W. of Wyrcestre, 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.' 6 It was reported, indeed, that he should safe with great pride that within four daies all the laws of Eng. land 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 pencil of Benedetto di Montagna, for a very singular fountain of this kind, in that elegant book the Hypnerotomachia, 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 1430, with a small cisterne for fresh water, having one cock continually run-lem in the time of Henry VI. Shakspeare's anachroning. 1 '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 hypothe sis 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 sometime! 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 osten tatious. *Dick. And work in their shirt too; as myself, *for example, that am a butcher. Say. You men of Kent,Dick. What say you of Kent? Say. Nothing but this: 'Tis bona terra, mala gens.1 Cade. Away with him, away with him! he speaks Latin. * Say. Hear me but speak, and bear me where you will. Kent, in the commentaries Cæsar writ, Is term'd the civil'st place of all this isle:* Sweet is the country, because full of riches; The people liberal, valiant, active, wealthy; Which makes me hope you are not void of pity. I sold not Maine, I lost not Normandy: *Yet, to recover them, would lose my life. * Justice with favour have I always done; * Prayers and tears have mov'd me, gifts never. Is my apparel sumptuous to behold? *Whom have I injur'd, that ye seek my death? *These hands are free from guiltless blood-shedding, 6 *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, could* *When have I aught exacted at your hands, * Kent, to maintain the king, the realm, and you?3 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 heaven, * Unless you be possess'd with devilish spirits, You cannot but forbear to murder me. *This tongue hath parley'd 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 struck * Those that I never saw, and struck them dead. 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. All. It shall be done. * Say. Ah, countrymen! if when you make your prayers, 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 shall we go to Cheapside, and take up commodities upon our bills ?16 Cade. Marry, presently. 'All. O brave! * Geo. O monstrous coward! what, to come be-Re-enter Rebels, with the Heads of LORD SAY, 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 causes Hath made me full of sickness and diseases. *Cade. Ye shall have a hempen caudle then, * and the pap of a hatchet. • Dick. Why dost thou quiver, man? Say. The palsy, and not fear, provoketh me. Cade. Nay, he nods at us; as who should say, I'll be even with you. I'll see if his head will ⚫ stand steadier on a pole, or no: Take him away, ⚫ and behead him. Say. Tell me, wherein I have offended most? *Have I affected wealth, or honour; speak? * Are my chests fill'd up with extorted gold? 1 After this line the old play proceeds thus:Cade. Bonun terrum, What's that? Dick. He speaks French. Will. No, is Dutch. Nick. No, xis Outalian: I know it well enough. 2 Ex his omnibus sunt humanissimi, qui Cantium Incolunt. Cæsar. Thus translated by Ar. Golding, 1590:- Of all the inhabitants of the isle, the civilest are the Kentish-folke.' It is said also in the same words in Lyly's Euphues and his England, 1580. 3 This passage has been supposed corrupt merely because it was erroneously pointed. I have now placed a comma at Kent, to show that it is parenthetically spoken; and then I see not the slightest difficulty in the meaning of the passage. It was thus absurdly pointed in the folio > When have I aught exacted at your hands? Kent to maintain, the king, the realm, and you? Large gifts, have I bestow'd on learned clerks,' &c. 4 i. e. in consequence of. 5 The old copy reads the help of a hatchet.' There can be little doubt but that Dr. Farmer's emendation, pap of a hatchet,' is the true reading: it is a proper accompaniment to the 'hempen caudle.' Lyly wrote a pamphlet with the title of Pap with a Hatchet;' and the phrase occurs in his play of Mother Bombie: They give us pap with a spoone, and when we speake for what we love, pap with a hatchet." 6 1. e. these hands are free from shedding guiltless or innocent blood. his Son-in-law. and Cade. But is not this braver ?-Let them kiss one another," for they loved well, when they were alive. 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. 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? 7 A demon who was supposed to attend at call. 9 It was William Crowmer, sheriff of Kent, whom Cade put to death. Lord Say and he had been previ ously sent to the Tower, and both, or at least the former, convicted of treason at Cade's mock commission of Oyer and Terminer at Guildhall. See W. of Wyrcester, p. 470. 9 Alluding to an ancient usage, on which Beaumont and Fletcher have founded their play called the Custom of the Country. See Cowel's Law Dictionary, or Blount's Glossographia, 1651, in voce Marcheta. Blackstone is of opinion that it never prevailed in England, though he supposes it certainly did in Scotland. Boetius and Skene both mention this custom as existing in the time of Malcolm III. A. D. 1057. Sir D. Dalrymple controverts the fact, and denies the actual existence o the custom; as does Whitaker in his History of Manchester. There are several ancient grants from our early kings to their subjects, written in rude verse, and empowering them to enjoy their lands as 'free as heart can wish or tongue can tell. The authenticity of them, however, is doubtful. See Blount's Jocular Tenures. 10 An equivoque alluding to the halberts or bills borne by the rabble. Shakspeare has the same quibble in Much Ado about Nothing, Act iii. Sc. 3. 11 This may be taken from the Legend of Jack Cade in the Mirror for Magistrates, as Dr. Farmer observes but both Hall and Holinshed mention the circumstance. Enter BUCKINGHAM, and Old CLIFFORD, with 'Buck. Ay, here they be that dare and will disturb thee: [Exeunt. Enter KING Follow me, soldiers; we'll devise a mean *K. Hen. Was ever king that joy'd an earthly throne, *And could command no more content than I? Know, Cade, we come ambassadors from the king Cade. What, Buckingham, and Clifford, are ye your "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? '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. Wer'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, Better, ten thousand base-born Cades miscarry, Henry hath money, you are strong and manly; "God on our side, doubt not of victory. 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 'Fifth hales them to a 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. In despight of the devils and hell, have through the very midst of you! and heavens and honour be witness, that 6 no want of resolution in me, but only my follow'ers' base and ignominious treasons, makes me betake me to my heels. [Exit. 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. Enter BUCKINGHAM and CLIFFORD. * Buck. Health, and glad tidings, to your majesty! *K. Hen. Why, Buckingham, is the traitor, Cade, surpris'd? Enter, below, a great number of CADE's Followers, *Or is he but retir'd to make him strong? เ with Halters about their Necks. Clif. He's fled, my lord, and all his powers do 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 country: Continue still in this so good a mind, And Henry, though he be infortunate, 'Assure yourselves, will never be unkind: 'And 80, with thanks, and pardon to you all, 'I do dismiss you to your several countries. All. God save the king! God save the king! Enter a Messenger. *Mess. Please it your grace to be advertised, * His arms are only to remove from thee And ask him, what's the reason of these arms, *K. Hen. In any case, 1 So all the historians agree; and yet in Part I. Act The second folio printed by mistake claimed; and the iii. Sc. 4, King Henry is made to say : "I do remember how my father said a plain proof that the whole of that play was not written by the same hand as this. 2The Galloglasse useth a kind of pollax for his weapon. These men are grim of countenance, tall of stature, big of limme, lusty of body, wel and strongly timbered. The kerne is an ordinary foot-soldier, using for weapon his sword and target, and sometimes his Fiece, being commonly good markmen.'-Stanihurst's Descript, of Ireland, c viii. f. 21. 3 The first folio reads calme; which may be right. third folio calm'd. This reading has been adopted as most perspicuous, and because in Othello we have:must be be-lee'd and calm'a. 4 But is here not adversative. It was only just now (says Henry,) that Cade and his followers were routed." 5A gentleman of Kent, named Alexander Eden, awaited so his time, that he took the said Cade in a gar den in Sussex, so that there he was slaine at Hothfield,' &c.-Holinshed, p. 635. This en was, in fact, the new sheriff of Kent, who had followen Cade from Rochester.'-William of Wyrcesver, p. 472. *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 lay'd 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, 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, 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. Iden. Lord, who would live turmoiled in the court, And may enjoy such quiet walks as these? This small inheritance, my father left me, Contenteth me, and is 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. 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 and 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, 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 That Alexander Iden, an esquire of Kent, Thy leg a stick, compared with this truncheon; ing-place to all that do dwell in this house, bocause the unconquered soul of Cade is fled. 'Iden. Is'i 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. [Dies. * Iden. How much thou wrong'st me, heaven be my judge. *Die, damned wretch, the curse of her that bare thee! 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. And pluck the crown from feeble Henry's head: Ring, bells, aloud; burn, bonfires,. lear and bright, Ah, sancta majestas! who would not buy thee dear? To entertain great England's lawful king. This hand was made to handle nought but gold: Let them obey that know not how to rule; Except a sword, or sceptre, balance it. I cannot give due action to my words, On which I'll toss the flower-de-luce of France. A sceptre shall it have, have I a soul; 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. York. Humphrey of Buckingham, I accept thy greeting. Art thou a messenger, or come of pleasure? 'Buck. 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'st raise so great a power without his leave, 'Or dare to bring thy force so near the court. 'York. Scarce can I speak, my choler is so great. Carle. By my valour, the most complete champion that ever I heard.-'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 mayest be turned to hobnails. [They fight; CADE falls.] 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 bury-On sheep or oxen could I spend my fury!] 1 A sallet is a helmet. 2 See note on the Second Part of King Henry IV. Act v. Sc. 3. 3 Johnson explains this, 'As for words, whose pomp and rumour may answer words, and only words, I shall forbear them, and refer the rest to my sword.' 4 In the folio 'I beseech Jove' was substituted to avoid the penalty of the statute, 3 Jac. I. c. 2, against profane swearing. Cade was very unlikely to swear by Jove. 5 This sentiment is much more correctly expressed in the quarto: O sword, I'll honour thee for this, and in my chamber Shak thon hang, as a monument to after age, For this great service thou hast done to me? O, I could hew up rocks, and fight with flint, And now, like Ajax Telamonius, Aside. that I am proud of my victory.' 6 Johnson erroneously ir terprets this, 'In supposing Iden evidently means that Cade wrongs him by undervaluing his prowess. wish, with which Iden debases his character, the whole 7 Not to dwell upon the wickedness of this horrid favourable both to Iden's morality and language. This of this speech is wild and confused. The quarto is more faulty amplification was owing to the desire of expandtreated as an interpolation, however we may desire to ing a scanty thought in the old play. It can hardly be think it such. strong. Aside. O Buckingham, I pr'ythee, pardon me, 'Buck. That is too much presumption on thy part: • Soldiers, I thank you all: disperse yourselves; my sons, * Lands, goods, horse, armour, any thing I have *Is his to use, so Somerset may die. 'Buck. York, I commend this kind submission: 'We twain will go into his highness' tent. Enter KING HENRY, attended. 'K. Hen. Buckingham, doth York intend no harm to us, York. How now! Is Somerset at liberty? False king! why hast thou broken faith with me, ‹ That head of thine doth not become a crown; And with the same to act controlling laws. *If they can brook I bow a knee to man.- [Exit an Attendant. That thus he marcheth with thee arm in arm? * York. In all submission and humility, *York doth present himself unto your highness. *K. Hen. Then what intend these forces thou* dost bring? *York. To heave the traitor Somerset from hence; And fight against that monstrous rebel, Cade, 'Who since I heard to be discomfited. Enter IDEN, with CADE's Head. 'Iden. If one so rude, and of so mean condition, Lo, I present your grace a traitor's head, 'K. Hen. The head of Cade ?-Great God, how 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. To say, if that the bastard boys of York *Shall be the surety for their traitor father. Outcast of Naples, England's bloody scourge *York. O blood-bespotted Neapolitan, Shall be their father's bail: and bane to those The sons of York, thy betters in their birth, 'That for my surety will refuse the boys. Enter EDWARD and RICHARD PLANTAGENET with Forces, at one side; at the other, with Forces also, Old CLIFFORD and his Son, *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 Nay, do not fright us with an angry look: K. Hen. How art thou call'd? and what is thy For thy mistaking so, we pardon thee. degree? Iden. Alexander Iden, that's my name; We give thee for reward a thousand marks; Iden. May Iden live to merit such a bounty,' Clif. This is my king, York, I do not mistake; But thou mistak'st me much, to think I do: To Bedlam with him? is the man grown mad? 'K. Hen. Ay, Clifford; a bedlam and ambitious humour Makes him oppose himself against his king. Clif. He is a traitor; let him to the Tower, Edw. Ay, noble father, if our words will serve. shall. 4 This has been thought an anachronism; but Stowa shows that it is not: Next unto the parish of St. Buttolph is a fayre inne for receipt of travellers; then an hospitall of S. Mary of Bethlehem, founded by Simon Fitz-Mary, one of the Sheriffes of London, in the yeare 1246. He founded it to have beene a priorie of cannona with brethren and sisters, and King Edward the Thirde granted a protection, which I have seene, for the brethren Milicia beata Maria de Beldem, within the citie of London, the 14th yeare of his raigne. It was an hos pitall for distracted people.-Survey of London, p 127, 1599. |