SCENE VIII

Southwark.

Alarum and retreat. Enter Cade and all his rabblement.

Cade. Up Fish Street! down Saint Magnus' Corner! kill and knock down! throw them into Thames! [Sound a parley.] What noise is this I hear? Dare any be so bold to sound retreat or parley, when I command them kill?

Enter Buckingham and Clifford, attended.

Buck. Aye, here they be that dare and will disturb thee:

Know, Cade, we come ambassadors from the

king

Unto the commons whom thou hast misled;

And here pronounce free pardon to them all, 10 That will forsake thee and go home in peace. Clif. What say ye, countrymen? will ye relent,

And yield to mercy whilst 'tis offer'd you;

Sc. 8. Southwark. This is certainly the locality of the latter part of the scene, where Cade is "left" at the White Hart. The opening words, however, suggest that Shakespeare is dramatising the battle on the bridge, of July 5 (1450), when, according to Holinshed, at one time "the Londoners were beaten back to St. Magnus' corner; and suddenly again the rebels were repelled to the stoops in Southwark." The charge and retreat are thus compressed into six lines, and as Mr. Daniel says, Cade's men "seem to be on both sides of the river at the same time."-C. H. H.

Or let a rebel lead you to your deaths?

Who loves the king and will embrace his pardon,

Fling up his cap, and say 'God save his majesty!'

Who hateth him and honors not his father, Henry the fifth, that made all France to quake, Shake he his weapon at us and pass by. All. God save the king! God save the king! Cade. What, Buckingham and Clifford, are ye

20

so brave? And you, base peasants, do ye be-
lieve him? will you needs be hanged with
your pardons about your necks? Hath my
sword therefore broke through London
gates, that you should leave me at the White
Hart in Southwark? I thought ye would
never have given out these arms till you had
recovered your ancient freedom; but you are
all recreants and dastards, and delight to 30
live in slavery to the nobility. Let them
break your backs with burthens, take your
houses over your heads, ravish your wives
and daughters before your faces: for me, I
will make shift for one; and so, God's curse
light upon you all!

All. We'll follow Cade, we 'll follow Cade!
Clif. Is Cade the son of Henry the Fifth,
That thus you do exclaim you '11 go with him?
Will he conduct you through the heart of

France,

40

14. "rebel"; Singer's emendation (Collier MS. and Anon. MS.) of Ff., "rabble"; Vaughan, "ribald."-I. G.

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.
Were 't not a shame, that whilst you live at jar,
The fearful French, whom you late van-
quished,

Should make a start o'er seas and vanquish
you?

Methinks already in this civil broil

I see them lording it in London streets,
Crying 'Villiago!' unto all they meet.

50

Better ten thousand base-born Cades miscarry,
Than you should stoop unto a Frenchman's

mercy.

To France, to France, and get what you have
lost;

Spare England, for it is your native coast:
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 60 the Fifth hales them to an 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 despite of the devils and hell, have through the very middest of you! and heavens and honor be witness that no want of resolution in me, but only my

followers' base and ignominious treasons,
make me betake me to my heels.

70

[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.
Follow me, soldiers: we'll devise a mean
To reconcile you all unto the king.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IX

Kenilworth Castle.

Sound trumpets. Enter King, Queen, and
Somerset, on the terrace.

King. Was ever king that joy'd an earthly throne,
And could command no more content than I?
No sooner was I crept out of my cradle
But I was made a king, at nine months old.
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 majesty! King. Why, Buckingham, is the traitor Cade surprised?

Or is he but retired to make him strong?

Enter, below, multitudes, with halters about their necks.

Clif. He is fled, my lord, and all his powers do yield;

10

And humbly thus, with halters on their necks, Expect your highness' doom, of life or death. King. Then, heaven, set ope thy everlasting 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 so, with thanks and pardon to you all, 20 I do dismiss you to your several countries. All. God save the king! God save the king! Enter Messenger.

Mess. Please it your grace to be advertised
The Duke of York is newly come from Ire-
land,

And with a puissant and mighty power
Of gallowglasses and stout kernes
Is marching hitherward in proud array,
And still proclaimeth, as he comes along,
His arms are only to remove from thee

26. "gallowglasses," native Irish soldiers, armed with pole-axes, and noted as being "grim of countenance, tall of stature, big of limb, lusty of body, well and strongly timbered."-C. H. H.

"Of gallowglasses and stout kernes"; Hanmer, reads, "Of desp'rate gallowglasses," &c.; Capell, "Of nimble g.," &c.; Dyce, “Of savage g.," &c.; "stout"; Mitford, “stout Irish"; "kernes"; Keightley, "kernes, he"; Vaughan, "kernes supplied."—I. G.

29. "arms"; F. 1, “Armes”; Ff. 2, 3, 4, “Armies.”