But now is Cade driv'n back, his men difpers'd;
And now is York in arms to fecond him.

I pray thee, Buckingham, go and meet with him,
And ask him what's the reafon of thefe arms:
Tell him, I'll fend Duke Edmund to the Tower ;
And, Somerfet, we will commit thee thither,
Until his army be difmift from him.

Som. My Lord,

I'll yield myself to prifon willingly,

Or unto death, to do my country good.

K. Henry. In any cafe be not too rough in terms, For he is fierce and cannot brook hard language. Buck. I will, my Lord; and doubt not fo to deal, As all things fhall redound unto your good.

K. Hen. Čome, wife, let's in, and learn to govern better; For yet may England curfe my wretched reign. [Exeunt.

Cade.

F

SCENE, a Garden in Kent.

Enter Jack Cade.

IE on ambitions; fy on myfelf, that have a fword, and yet am ready to famish. Thefe five days have 1 hid me in thefe woods and durft not peep out, for all the country is laid for me: but now am I fo hungry, that if I might have a leafe of my life for a thousand years, I could ftay no longer. Wherefore on a brick-wall have I climb'd into this garden to fee if I can eat grass, or pick a fallet another while, which is not amifs to cool a man's ftomach this hot weather; and, I think, this word fallet was born to do me good; for many a time, but for a fallet, my brainpan had been cleft with a brown bill; and many a time when I have been dry, and bravely marching, it hath ferv'd me inftead of a quart-pot to drink in; and now the word fallet muft serve me to feed on.

Enter Iden.

Iden. Lord! who would live turmoiled in the Court, And may enjoy fuch quiet walks as thefe ?

This fmall inheritance, my father left me,

Contenteth

Contenteth me, and's worth a monarchy.
I seek not to wax great by others' waining;
Or gather wealth, I care not with what envy;
Sufficeth, that I have, maintains my state;
And fends the poor well pleafed from my gate.

Cade. Here's the Lord of the foil come to feize me for a ftray, for entring his fee-fimple without leave. Ah 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 oftridge, and fwallow my fword 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 fpight of me the owner,
But thou wilt brave me with these fawcy terms ?

Cade. Brave thee? by the beft blood that ever was broach'd, 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 as dead as a doornail, I pray God, I may never eat grafs more.

Iden. Nay, it fhall never be faid while England stands, That Alexander Iden an Efquire of Kent,

Took odds to combat a poor famish'd man.
Oppofe thy fted faft gazing eyes to mine,

See, if thou canft out-face me with thy looks :
Set limb to limb, and thou art far the leffer :
Thy hand is but a finger to my fift;

Thy leg a ftick, compared with this truncheon.
My foot fhall fight with all the ftrength thou haft;
And if mine arm be heaved in the air,

Thy grave is digg'd already in the earth:

As for more words, whofe greatness answers words,
Let this my fword report what fpeech forbears.

Cade. By my valour, the most complete champion that ever I heard. Steel, if thou turn thine edge, or cut not out the burly-bon'd clown in chines of beef ere thou sleep in thy fheath, I befeech Jove on my knees thou may't be turned into hob-nails. [Here they fight.

ΟΙ

OI am flain! famine, and no other, hath flain me let ten thousand devils come against me, and give me but the ten meals I have loft, and I'd defy them all. Wither garden, and be henceforth a burying-place to all that do dwell in this houfe; because the unconquer'd foul of Cade is fled."

Iden. Is't Cade that I have flain, that monftrous traitor? Sword, I will hallow thee for this thy deed, And hang thee o'er my tomb, when I am dead. Ne'er fhall this blood be wiped from thy point, But thou fhalt wear it as a herald's coat, T'emblaze the honour which thy mafter got.

Cade. Iden, farewel, and be proud of thy victory: tell Kent from me, fhe hath loft her beft man; and exhort all the world to be cowards; for I, that never fear'd any, am vanquished by famine, not by valour.

[Dies. Iden. How much thou wrong'ft me, heaven be my judge! Die damned wretch, the curfe of her that bare thee: And as I thruft thy body in with my fword, So with I, I might thruft thy foul to hell. Hence will I drag thee headlong by the heels Unto a dunghill, which fhall be thy grave; And there cut off thy moft ungracious head, Which I will bear in triumph to the King, Leaving thy trunk for crows to feed upon.

ACT

АСТ

V.

SCENE, in the fields near London.

Enter York, and his army of Irish, with drum and

F

colours.

YORK.

ROM 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 Majefty! who would not buy thee dear?
Let them obey, that know not how to rule.
This hand was made to handle nought but gold.
I cannot give due action to my words,
Except a fword, or fcepter, balance it.
A fcepter fhall it have, have I a foul,

On which I'll tofs the Flower-de-luce of France.

Enter Buckingham.

Whom have we here? Buckingham to disturb me?
The King hath fent him, fure: I muft diffemble.
Buck. York, if thou meaneft well, I greet thee well.
York. Humphry of Buckingham, I accept thy greeting,
Art thou a meffenger, or come of pleafure?

Buck. A meffenger from Henry our dread Liege,
To know the reafon of these arms in peace?
Or why, thou, being a fubject as I am,
Againit thy oath and true allegiance fworn,
Shouldft raife fo great a power without his leave?
Or dare to bring thy force fo near the Court?

York.

York. Scarce can I fpeak, my choler is fo great."
Oh! I could hew up rocks and fight with flint.
I am fo angry at these abject terms.
And now, like Ajax Telemonius,

On fheep 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.
O Buckingham! I pr'ythee, pardon me,
That I have giv'n no answer all this while;
My mind was troubled with deep melancholy.
The caufe why I have brought this army hither,
Is to remove proud Somerfet from the King,
Seditious to his Grace and to the State.

[Afide.

Buck. That is too much prefumption 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 prifoner?
Buck. Upon mine Honour he is prifoner?

York. Then, Buckingham, I do difmifs my Powers.
Soldiers, I thank you all; difperfe yourselves;
Meet me to-morrow in St. George's field,
You shall have pay and every thing you wish.
And let my Sovereign, virtuous Henry,
Command my eldest son; nay, all my fons,
As pledges of my fealty and love,

I'll fend them all as willing as I live;

Lands, goods, horfe, armour, any thing I have,
Is his to ufe, fo Somerfet may die.

Buck. York, I commend this kind fubmiffion,
We twain will go into his Highnefs' tent.

[Exeunt.

SCENE