And make the meanest of you earls and dukes? I see them lording it in London streets, Better ten thousand base-born Cades miscarry, 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 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 midst of you; and heavens and honour be witness, that no want of resolution in me, but only my followers' base and ignominious treasons, makes me betake me to my heels. [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 HENRY, Queen MARGARET, and SOMERSET, on the Terrace of the Castle. K. Hen. 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, As I do long and wish to be a subject. Enter BUCKINGHAM and CLIFFORD. Buck. Health, and glad tidings, to your majesty! K. Hen. Why, Buckingham, is the traitor, Cade, surpris'd? Or is he but retir'd to make him strong? Enter, below, a number of CADE's Followers, with Halters about their Necks. Clif. He's fled, my lord, and all his powers do yield, And humbly thus, with halters on their necks, Expect your highness' doom, of life, or death. K. Hen. 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, Enter a Messenger. Mess. Please it your grace to be advertised, The duke of Somerset, whom he terms a traitor. K. Hen. Thus stands my state, 'twixt Cade and York distress'd, Like to a ship, that, having scap'd a tempest, Som. My lord, I'll yield myself to prison willingly, Or unto death to do my country good. K. Hen. In any case, 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 shall redound unto your good. K. Hen. Come, wife, let's in, and learn to govern better; For yet may England curse my wretched reign. [Exeunt. 3 Of GALLOWGLASSES, &c.] "The galloglasse," says Stanihurst, in his "Description of Ireland," as quoted by Bowle, "useth a kind of pollax for his weapon. These men are grim of countenance, tall of stature, big of limme, and lusty of body, wel and strongly timbered. The kerne is an ordinary souldier, using for weapon his sword and target, and sometimes his peece, being commonly good markmen. Kerne signifieth a shower of hell, because they are taken for no better than for rake-hells, or the devils blacke garde." 4 I pray thee, Buckingham, go and meet him,] Modern editors have interpolated forth into this line, without warrant from any old authority. SCENE X. Kent. IDEN'S Garden. Enter CADE. Cade. Fie on ambition"! fie on myself; that have a sword, and yet am ready to famish! These five days have I hid me in these woods, and durst not peep out, for all the country is laid for me; but now am I so hungry, that if I might have a lease of my life for a thousand years, I could stay no longer. Wherefore, on a brick-wall have I climbed into this garden, to see if I can eat grass, or pick a sallet another while, which is not amiss to cool a man's stomach this hot weather. And, I think, this word sallet was born to do me good: for, many a time, but for a sallet, my brain-pan had been cleft with a brown bill; and, many a time, when I have been dry and bravely marching, it hath served me instead of a quart-pot to drink in; and now the word sallet must serve me to feed on. 5 Fie on AMBITION !] The folio, 1623, has ambitions. Instead of the soliloquy with which the present scene begins in the folio, the quarto "Contention" has only this stage direction: "Enter Jack Cade at one door, and at the other Master Alexander Eyden and his men; and Jack Cade lies down picking of herbs, and eating them." 6 this word sallet was born to do me good :] Cade puns upon the word sallet," which meant a helmet as well as a composition of herbs. The same joke occurs in the Interlude of "Thersites," written in 1537. The hero applies to Mulciber for a suit of armour, and among other things mentions a "sallet:" Mulciber pretends to misunderstand Thersites : "Thersites. Nowe, I pray Jupiter that thou dye a cuckold : I mean a sallet with which men do fyght. "Mulciber. It is a small tastinge of a mannes might, That he should for any matter Fyght with a fewe herbes in a platter." The same play upon the word "sallet" forms the point of a jest in the "Sackfull of News," mentioned by Laneham, in his Letter from Kenilworth, 1575, although no copy of the "Sackfull of News" earlier than 1673 has yet been discovered. It contains several stories, highly characteristic of the age when they were written, more than a century before the date of the copy to which we refer. Enter IDEN, with Servants. Iden. Lord! who would live turmoiled in the court, And may enjoy such quiet walks as these? This small inheritance, my father left me, Contenteth me, and worth a monarchy. I seek not to wax great by others' waning"; Or gather wealth I care not with what envy: Sufficeth that I have maintains my state, And sends the poor well pleased from my gate. Cade. Here's the lord of the soil come to seize me for a stray, for entering his fee-simple without leave. A 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 ostrich, and swallow my sword like a great pin, ere thou and I part. Iden. Why, rude companion, whatsoe'er thou be, Cade. Brave thee? ay, by the best blood that ever was broached, 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 all as dead as a door nail, I pray God I may never eat grass more. Iden. Nay, it shall ne'er be said, while England stands, That Alexander Iden, an esquire of Kent, 7- by others' wANING ;] The old copies have "others' warning," corrected by Pope. In the preceding line, is must be understood: to insert it, with Rowe, spoils the metre. |