Cade. Marry, this. Edmund Mortimer Earl of March, married the Duke of Clarence's daughter, did he not?

Staf. Ay, Sir,..

Cade. By her he had two children at one birth.
Y. Staf. That's false.

Cade. Ay, there's the question; but I fay 'tis true:
The elder of them being put to nurse,

Was by a beggar-woman ftol'n away,
And ignorant of his birth and parentage,
Became a bricklayer when he came to age.
His fon am I, deny it if you can.

Dick. Nay, 'tis too true, therefore he shall be King. Wear. Sir, he made a chimney in my father's houfe, and the bricks are alive at this day to testify it; therefore deny it not.

Staf. And will you credit this base drudge's words, That fpeaks he knows not what?

All. Ay marry will we, therefore get you gone.

Y. Staf, Jack Cade, the Duke of York hath taught you

this.

Cade. He lies, for I invented it my felf. Go to, Sirrah, tell the King from me, that for his father's fake, Henry the Fifth, (in whofe time boys went to fpan-counter for French crowns) I am content he fhall reign, but I'll be Protector over him.

Dick. And furthermore we'll have the Lord Say's head, for felling the Dukedom of Maine.

Cade. And good reafon; for thereby is England maim'd, and fain to go with a ftaff, but that my puiffance holds it up. Fellow-Kings, I tell you, that Lord Say hath gelded the Common-wealth, and made it an eunuch; and more than that, he can fpeak French, and therefore he is a

traitor.

Staf. O grofs and miferable ignorance!

Cade. Nay, anfwer if you can: the Frenchmen are our enemies: go to then; I ask but this; can he that speaks with the tongue of the enemy be a good counsellor or no? All. No, no, and therefore we'll have his head.

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Y. Staf.

Y. Staf. Well, feeing gentle words will not prevail,
Affail them with the army of the King.

Staf. Herald away, and throughout every town
Proclaim them traitors that are up with Cade;
That those which fly before the battel ends,
May (even in their wives and childrens fight)
Be hang'd up for example at their doors;
And you that be the King's friends follow me.

Exeunt the two Staffords with their followers.
Cade. And you that love the Commons follow me.
Now fhew your felves men, 'tis for liberty.
We will not leave one Lord, one gentleman;
Spare none, but fuch as go in clouted fhoone,
For they are thrifty honest men, and such

As would (but that they dare not) take our parts.
Dick. They are all in order, and march toward us.
Cade. But then are we in order, when we are most out of
order. Come, march forward. [Ex. Cade and his party.
[Alarum to fight, wherein both the Staffords are flain.
Enter Cade and the reft.

Cade. Where's Dick, the butcher of Ashford?
Dick. Here, Sir.

Cade. They fell before thee like fheep and oxen, and thou behaved'st thy felf as if thou hadft been in thine own flaughter-house; therefore thus I will reward thee: the Lent fhall be as long again as it is, and thou fhalt have a licenfe to kill for a hundred lacking one.

Dick. I defire no more.

Cade. And to speak truth, thou deserv'ft no less. This monument of the victory will I bear, and the bodies fhall be dragg'd at my horfe's heels 'till I do come to London, where we will have the Mayor's fword born before us.

Dick. If we mean to thrive and do good, break open the goals, and let out the prisoners.

Cade. Fear not that, I warrant thee. march towards London.

Come, let's

[Exeunt.

SCENE

BLACK-HEATH.

Enter King Henry with a fupplication, and Queen Margaret with Suffolk's head, the Duke of Buckingham, and the Lord Say.

Q. Mar.OF

FT have I heard that grief foftens the mind, And makes it fearful and degenerate; Think therefore on revenge, and ceafe to weep. But who can ceafe to weep, and look on this? Here may his head lye on my throbbing breaft: But where's the body that I fhould imbrace?

Buck. What anfwer makes your Grace to the rebels fupplication?

K. Henry. I'll fend fome holy Bishop to intreat; For God forbid fo many fimple fouls

Should perish by the fword! And I my self,

Rather than bloody war fhould cut them short,
Will parly with Jack Cade their General.

But ftay, I'll read it over once again.

Q. Mar. Ah barbarous villains! hath this lovely face Rul'd like a wand'ring planet over me, And could it not inforce them to relent, That were unworthy to behold the fame?

[head.

K. Henry. Lord Say, Jack Cade hath fworn to have thy
Say. Ay, but I hope your Highness shall have his.
K. Henry. How now, Madam?

Lamenting ftill, and mourning Suffolk's death?

I fear me, love, if that I had been dead,

Thou would'ft not half have mourn'd fo much for me. Q. Mar. My love, I should not mourn, but die for thee. Enter a Meffenger.

K.Henry. How now? what news? why com'ft thou in fuch Mef. The rebels are in Southwark; fly, my Lord: [hafte?

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Jack

Jack Cade proclaims himself Lord Mortimer,
Defcended from the Duke of Clarence' house,
And calls your Grace ufurper openly,
And vows to crown himself in Westminster.
His army is a ragged multitude

Of hinds and peasants, rude and merciless:
Sir Humphry Stafford and his brother's death
Hath given them heart, and courage to proceed :
All scholars, lawyers, courtiers, gentlemen,
They call falfe caterpillers, and intend their death.
K. Henry. Ograceless men! they know not what they do.
Buck. My gracious Lord, retire to Killingworth,
Until a power be rais'd to put them down.

Q. Mar. Ah! were the Duke of Suffolk now alive,
Thefe Kentish rebels fhould be foon appeas'd.

K.Henry. Lord Say, the traitors hate thee, Therefore away with us to Killingworth.

Say. So might your Grace's perfon be in danger: The fight of me is odious in their eyes;

And therefore in this city will I ftay,

And live alone as fecret as I may.

Enter another Messenger.

2 Mef. Jack Cade hath gotten London-bridge, The citizens fly him, and forfake their houses: The rafcal people thirsting after prey

Join with the traitor, and they jointly swear
To fpoil the city and your royal Court.

Buck. Then linger not, my Lord; away, take horse.
K.Henry, Come, Margret, God our hope will fuccour us.
Q. Mar. My hope is gone, now Suffolk is deceas'd.
K. Henry. Farewel, my Lord, truft not to Kentish rebels.
Buck. Truft no body, for fear you be betray'd.
Say. The truft I have is in mine innocence,
And therefore am I bold and refolute.

[Exeunt.

SCENE

Enter Lord Scales upon the Tower walking. Then enter two or three Citizens below.

Scales.OW now? is Jack Cade flain?

How

1 Cit. No, My Lord, nor like to be flain: for they have won the bridge, killing all thofe 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 fpare you fhall command, But I am troubled here with them my felf. The rebels have affay'd to win the Tower. But get you into Smithfield, gather head, And thither will I fend you Matthew Goff. Fight for your King, your country and your lives, And fo farewel, for I must hence again.

[Exeunt.

Changes to Cannon-street.

Enter Jack Cade and the reft, and ftrikes bis ftaff on London-Stone.

Cade. NOW is Mortimer Lord of this city, and here fitting upon London-Stone, I charge and command that of the city's coft the piffing conduit run nothing but claret wine the first year of our reign. And now henceforward it fhall be treafon for any that calls me other than Lord Mortimer.

Enter a Soldier running.

Sol. Jack Cade, Jack Cade!
Cade. Knock him down there.

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[They kill him.

Wear.