SCENE X.

Kent. Iden's Garden.'

Enter CADE.

*Cade. Fye on ambition! fye 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 lay'd for me; * but now I am 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-pan2 *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.

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 is worth a monarchy. 'I seek not to wax great by others' waning; 'Or gather wealth, I care not with what envy;

'Kent. Iden's Garden.] This Iden was the new sheriff of Kent, who had followed Cade from Rochester.

2 but for a sallet, my brain-pan, &c.] A quibble from salut, Fr. as an helmet keeps the head safe.

'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. Ah, villain, thou wilt betray me, and get a thousand crowns of the king for 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, I know thee not; Why then should 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 spite of me the owner, 'But thou wilt brave me with these saucy terms?

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,
Took odds to combat a poor famish'd man.

Oppose thy stedfast gazing eyes to mine,

'See if thou canst outface me with thy looks. 'Set limb to limb, and thou art far the lesser ; Thy hand is but a finger to my fist;

Thy leg a stick compared with this truncheon; 'My foot shall fight with all the strength thou hast ; And if mine arm be heaved in the air,

Thy grave is digg'd already in the earth,

'As for more words, whose greatness answers words, "Let this my sword report what speech forbears.

* Cade. By my valour, the most complete cham*pion that ever I heard. Steel, if thou turn the

edge, or cut not out the burly-boned clown in 'chines of beef ere thou sleep in thy sheath, I be'seech God on my knees, thou mayest be turned 'to hobnails. [They fight. CADE falls.] O, I am 'slain famine, and no other, hath slain me let 'ten thousand devils come against me, and give me 'but the ten meals I have lost, and I'd defy them 'all. Wither, garden; and be henceforth a burying place to all that do dwell in this house, because the unconquered soul of Cade is fled.

Iden. Is't Cade that I have slain, that monstrous traitor?

Sword, I will hallow thee for this thy deed, 'And hang thee o'er my tomb, when I am dead : * Ne'er shall this blood be wiped from thy point; * But thou shalt wear it as a herald's coat,

* To emblaze the honour that thy master got.

Cade. Iden, farewell; and be proud of thy vice 6 tory: Tell Kent from me, she hath lost her best 'man, and exhort all the world to be cowards; for 'I, that never feared any, am vanquished by famine, 'not by valour. [Dies. * Iden. How much thou wrongst me, heaven,

be my judge.

3

* Die, damned wretch, the curse of her that bare

thee!

* And as I thrust thy body in with my sword, * So wish I, I might thrust thy soul to hell.*

3 How much thou wrong'st me,] That is, in supposing that I am proud of my victory.

+ So wish I, I might thrust thy soul to hell, &c.] Not to dwell upon the wickedness of this horrid wish, with which Iden debases his character, the whole speech is wild and confused. To draw a man by the heels, headlong, is somewhat difficult; nor can I discover how the dunghill would be his grave, if his trunk were left to be fed upon by crows. These I conceive not to be the faults of Corruption but negligence, and therefore do not attempt correction. JOHNSON,

Hence will I drag thee headlong by the heels • Unto a dunghill, which shall 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.

[Exit, dragging out the Body,

The King's Camp on one side. On the other, enter YORK attended, with Drum and Colours: his Forces at some distance.

York. From Ireland thus comes York, to claim

his right,

And pluck the crown from feeble Henry's head: Ring, bells, aloud; burn, bonfires, clear and bright; To entertain great England's lawful king.

Ah, sancta majestas! who would not buy thee dear? 'Let them obey, that know not how to rule; This hand was made to handle nought but gold :

• I cannot give due action to my words,

6

Except a sword, or scepter, balance it.3

A scepter shall it have, have I a soul;

On which I'll toss the flower-de-luce of France.

Enter BUCKINGHAM,

Whom have we here? Buckingham, to disturb me? The king hath sent him, sure: I must dissemble:

balance it.] That is, balance my hand.

• Buck. York, if thou meanest well, I greet thee well.

York. Humphrey, of Buckingham, I accept thy greeting.

'Art thou a messenger, or come of pleasure? 'Buck. A messenger from Henry, our dread liege, To know the reason of these arms in peace; 'Or why, thou-being a subject as I am,Against thy oath and true allegiance sworn, 'Should'st raise so great a power without his leave, 'Or dare to bring thy force so near the court. 'York. Scarce can I speak, my choler is

so great.

"O, I could hew up rocks, and fight with flint,

'I am so angry at these abject terms; 'And now, like Ajax Telamonius,

'On sheep or oxen could I spend my fury! Aside. 'I am far better born than is the king; More like a king, more kingly in my

thoughts:

'But I must make fair weather yet a while, Till Henry be more weak, and I more strong.

'O Buckingham, I pr'ythee, pardon me, 'That I have given no answer all this while, My mind was troubled with deep melancholy. The cause why I have brought this army hither, "Is-to remove proud Somerset from the king, 'Seditious to his grace, and to the state.

Buck. That is too much presumption on thy part:

But if thy arms be to no other end,

The king hath yielded unto thy demand;
The duke of Somerset is in the Tower.

York. Upon thine honour, is he prisoner?
Buck. Upon mine honour, he is prisoner.