I see them lording it in London streets,
Crying, Villageois! unto all they meet.
Better, ten thoufand bafe-born Cades mifcarry;
Than you fhould floop unto a Frenchman's mercy.
To France, to France, and get what you have loft;
Spare England, for it is your native coaft.

Henry hath mercy, you are ftrong and manly:
God on our fide, doubt not of victory.

All. A Clifford a Clifford! we'll follow the King and Clifford.

Cade. Was ever feather fo lightly blown to and fro, as this multitude? the name of Henry the fifth hales them to an hundred mifchiefs, and makes them leave me defolate. I fee them lay their heads together to furprize me. My fword make way for me, for here is no ftaying; in defpight of the devils and hell, have through the very midft of you; and heavens and honour be witness, that no want of refolution in me, but only my followers bafe and ignominious treafons make me betake me to my heels. [Exit. Buck. What, is he fled? go fome, and follow him. And he, that brings his head unto the King, Shall have a thousand crowns for his reward. [Exeunt fome of them.

Follow me, foldiers; we'll devise a mean
To reconcile

you All unto the King. [Exeunt omnes.

Sound trumpets. Enter King Henry, Queen Margaret, and Somerset on the Terras.

AS ever King that joy'd an earthly throne,

K. Henry. WAS

And could command no more content than I?
No fooner was I crept out of my cradle,
But I was made a King at nine months old:

Was,

Was never Subject long'd to be a King,
As I do long and wish to be a Subject.

Enter Buckingham and Clifford.

Buck. Health, and glad tidings to your Majefty! K. Henry. Why, Buckingham, is the traitor Cade furpriz'd?

Or is he but retir'd to make him ftrong!

Enter multitudes with halters about their necks.

Clif. He's fled, my lord, and all his pow'rs do
yield;

And humbly thus with halters on their necks
Exped your highness' doom of life or death.

K. Henry. Then, heav`n, set ope thy everlafting
gates,

To entertain my vows of thanks and praise.

Soldiers, this day have you redeem'd your lives,
And thew'd how well you love your Prince and
Country:

Continue ftill in this fo good a mind,
And Henry, though he be unfortunate,
Affure yourselves, will never be unkind :
And fo with thanks, and pardon to you all,
I do dismiss you to your feveral countries.
All. God fave the King! God fave the King!
Enter Meffenger.

Mef. Please it your Grace to be advertised,
The Duke of York is newly come from Ireland;
And with a puissant and mighty pow'r
Of Gallow-glaffes and ftout Kernes,
Is marching hitherward in proud array:
And ftill proclaimeth, as he comes along,

His Arms are only to remove from thee

The Duke of Somerset, whom he terms a traitor.
K. Henry. Thus ftands my ftate, 'twixt Cade and
York diftreft;

Like to a fhip, that, having 'fcap'd a tempeft,
Is ftraitway claim'd and boarded with a pirate.
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 reason of these 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.

any

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

K. Henry. Come, wife, let's in, and learn to govern better;

For yet may England curfe my wretched Reign.

SCENE

IX.

A Garden in KENT.

Enter Jack Cade.

[Exeunt.

Cade. Flfword, and yet am ready to familh. These

IE on ambitions; fie on myfelf, that have

five days have I hid me in these 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 lease 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 grafs, or pick a fallet another while, which is not amifs to cool a man's flomach this hot weather; and, I think, this word fallet was born to do me good; for many a time, but for a fallet, my brain-pan had been cleft with a brown bill; and many a time when I have been dry, and

bravely

bravely marching, it hath ferv'd me instead of a quart-pot to drink in; and now the word fallet muft ferve me to feed on.

Enter Iden.

Iden. Lord! who would live turmoiled in the Court, And may enjoy fuch quiet Walks as these? This fmall inheritance, my father left me, 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 pleased 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 swallow 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 fhould 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 faucy terms?

Cade. Brave thee? by the best 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 door nail, I pray God, I may never eat grafs more. Iden. Nay, it fhall ne'er be faid while England ftands, That Alexander Iden an Efquire of Kent, Took odds to combat a poor famifh'd man.

Oppofe thy ftedfaft 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

My foot shall 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, let this my fword report
(Whofe greatnefs anfwers words) 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 beseech Jove on my
knees thou may'ft be turned into hobnails. [Here
they fight.] O I 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; be-
caufe 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 shalt wear it as a herald's coat,

emblaze the honour which thy mafter got.

Cade. Iden, farewel, and be proud of thy victory: tell Kent from me, fhe hath loft her best 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 most ungracious head, Which I will bear in triumph to the King, Leaving thy trunk for crows to feed upon.

ACT