Cade. And, to speak truth, thou deservest no less. This monument of the victory will I bear [putting on part of Sir H. Stafford's armour ];151) and the bodies shall be dragged at my horse' heels till I do come to London, where we will have the mayor's sword borne before us.

Dick. If we mean to thrive and do good,(152) break open the gaols, and let out the prisoners.

Cade. Fear not that, I warrant thee.-Come, let's march towards London.

SCENE IV. London. A room in the palace.

[Exeunt.

Enter King HENRY, reading a supplication; the Duke of BUCKINGHAM and Lord SAY with him: at some distance, Queen MARGARET, mourning over SUFFOLK's head.

Q. Mar. Oft have I heard that grief softens the mind,
And makes it fearful and degenerate;

Think therefore on revenge, and cease to weep.
But who can cease to weep, and look on this?

Here may his head lie on my throbbing breast:
But where's the body that I should embrace?

Buck. What answer makes your grace to the rebels' supplication?

K. Hen. I'll send some holy bishop to entreat;
For God forbid so many simple souls

Should perish by the sword. And I myself,
Rather than bloody war shall cut them short,
Will parley with Jack Cade their general:-

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

Q. Mar. Ah, barbarous villains! hath this lovely face
Rul'd, like a wandering planet, over me,
And could it not enforce them to relent,

(151) [putting on part of Sir H. Stafford's armour] Not in the folio. -Steevens quotes from Holinshed; "Jack Cade, upon his victory against the Staffords, apparelled himself in Sir Humphrey's brigandine, set full of gilt nails, and so in some glory returned again toward London."

(152) to thrive and do good,] "i.e.," says Steevens, "ourselves to thrive, and do good to others."-Johnson would read "to thrive, do good."

That were unworthy to behold the same?

K. Hen. Lord Say, Jack Cade hath sworn to have thy

head.

Say. Ay, but I hope your highness shall have his.

K. Hen. How now, madam!

Lamenting still, and mourning Suffolk's death ?(158)
I fear me, love, if that I had been dead,

Thou wouldest not have mourn'd so much for me.

Q. Mar. No, love,(154) I should not mourn, but die for thee.

Enter a Messenger.

K. Hen. How now! what news? why com'st thou in such haste?

Mess. The rebels are in Southwark; fly, my lord

Jack Cade proclaims himself Lord Mortimer,
Descended from the Duke of Clarence' house;
And calls your grace usurper openly,

And vows to crown himself in Westminster.
His army is a ragged multitude

Of hinds and peasants, rude and merciless :
Sir Humphrey Stafford and his brother's death
Hath given them heart and courage to proceed:
All scholars, lawyers, courtiers, gentlemen,
They call false caterpillars, and intend their death.

K. Hen. O graceless 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, These Kentish rebels would be soon appeas'd!

K. Hen. Lord Say, the traitor hateth thee; (155)

Therefore away with us to Killingworth.

(153) Lamenting still, and mourning Suffolk's death!] So Pope and Mr. Collier's Ms. Corrector.-The folio and the older play have" Still lamenting and mourning for Suffolkes death?"

the

(154) love,] The folio and the older play have "my loue." (155) Lord Say, the traitor hateth thee;] The folio has " Traitors," &c.-Capell printed "Lord Say, the traitor rebel hateth thee." (By "the traitor" is meant, of course, Cade. Compare the next speech but one.)

Say. So might your grace's person be in danger;
The sight of me is odious in their eyes:

And therefore in this city will I stay,
And live alone as secret as I may.

Enter a second Messenger.

Sec. Mess. Jack Cade hath gotten London-bridge;(156) The citizens fly and forsake their houses:(157)

The rascal people, thirsting after prey,

Join with the traitor; and they jointly swear

To spoil the city and your royal court.

Buck. Then linger not, my lord; away, take horse.

K. Hen. Come, Margaret; God, our hope, will succour us. Q. Mar. My hope is gone, now Suffolk is deceas'd.

K. Hen. [to Lord Say] Farewell, my lord: trust not the Kentish rebels.

Buck. Trust nobody, for fear you be (158) betray'd.

Say. The trust I have is in mine innocence, And therefore am I hold 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?

First 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 command;

(156) Jack Cade hath gotten London-bridge;] The words "My lord" seem to be required either at the beginning of this line or (where Capell inserted them) at the end of it.

(157) The citizens fly and forsake their houses:] The second folio has -fly him, and forsake," &c.-Malone makes the words "The citizens" the concluding portion of the preceding line, leaving this line imperfect.

(158) be] Added in the second folio.

But I am troubled here with them myself,-
The rebels have assay'd to win the Tower.
But get you to Smithfield, and gather head,

And thither I will send you Matthew Gough:

Fight for your king, your country, and your lives;
And so, farewell, for I must hence again.

[Exeunt.

SCENE VI. The same. Cannon-street.

Enter CADE and his followers. He strikes his staff on Londonstone.

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-conduit 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 ye 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 first, go and set London-bridge on fire; and, if you can, burn down the Tower too. Come, let's away. [Exeunt.

SCENE VII. The same. Smithfield.

Alarums. Enter, on one side, CADE and his company; on the other, Citizens, and the King's Forces, headed by MATTHEW GOUGH. They fight; the Citizens are routed, and MATTHEW GOUGH is slain.

Cade. So, sirs:-now go some and pull down the Savoy; others to the inns of court; down with them all.

Dick. I have a suit unto your lordship.

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. [aside] Mass, 'twill be sore law, then; for he was thrust in the mouth with a spear, and 'tis not whole yet. Smith. [aside] Nay, John, it will be stinking law; for his breath stinks with eating toasted cheese.

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. [aside] Then we are like (159) to have biting statutes, unless his teeth be pulled out.

Cade. And henceforward all things shall be in 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 oneand-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.-Ah, thou say, thou serge, nay, thou buckram lord! now art thou within 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, (160) 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 grammarschool 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 dig

(159) Then we are like] Walker (Crit. Exam., &c., vol. ii. p. 248) would read "Then are we like."

(160) by these presence,] The fourth folio has "by these presents,"which several editors prefer (kindly correcting Cade's language).