Enter Michael.

Mich. Where is our General?

Cade. Here I am, thou particular Fellow.

Mich. Fly, fly, fly, Sir Humphry Stafford and his Brother are hard by with the King's Forces.

Cade. Stand Villain, ftand, or I'll fell thee down; he shall be encountered with a Man as good as himself. He is but a Knight, is a?

Mich. No.

Cade. To equal him I will make my felf a Knight prefently; rife up, Sir John Mortimer. Now have at him.

Enier Sir Humphry Stafford, and young Stafford, with
Drum and Soldiers.

Staf. Rebellious Hinds, the filth and fcum of Kent,
Mark'd for the Gallows; lay your Weapons down,
Home to your Cottages; forfake this Groom.
The King is merciful if you revol'.

Y.Staf. But angry, wrathful, and inclin'd to Blood,

If you go forward; therefore yield or die.

Cade. As for thefe filken-coated Slaves I pafs not,

It is to you good People, that I fpeak,

Over whom (in time to come) I hope to reign:
For I am rightful Heir unto the Crown.

Staf. Villain, thy Father was a Plaisterer,

And thou thy felf a Shearman, art thou not?
Cade. And Adam was a Gardener.

T. Staf. And what of that?

Cade. Marry, this Edmond Mortimer Earl of March, married the Duke of Clarence's Daughter, did he not?

Staf. Ay, Sir.

Cade. By her he had two Children at one birth.

T. Staf. That's falfe.

Cade. Ay, there's the Queftion; but I fay, 'tis true:

The elder of them being put to Nurse,

Was by a Beggar-woman ftoln away,

And ignorant of his Birth and Parentage.

Became a Bricklayer, when he came to age.

His Son am I, deny it if you can.

Dick. Nay, 'tis too true, therefore he shall be King.

Wear.

Weav. Sir, he made a Chimney in my Father's Houfe, and the Bricks are alive at this day to teftify it; therefore deny it not.

Staf. And will you credit this base Drudge's Words, that fpeaks he knows not what?

All. Ay marry will we, therefore get you gone.

T. Staf. Jack Cade, the Duke of York bath taught you this. Cade. He lies, for I invented it my felf. Go too, Sirrah, tell the King from me, That for his Father's fake, Henry the Fifth (in whofe time Boys went to Span-counter for French Crowns) I am content he fhall Reign, but I'll be Protector over him.

Dick. And furthermore, we'll have the Lord Say's Head, for felling the Dukedom of Main.

Cade. And good reafon; for thereby is England maim'd, and fain to go with a Staff, but that my Puiffance holds it up: Fellow-Kings, I tell you, that Lord Say hath gelded the Commonwealth, and made it an Eunuch; and more than that, he can fpeak French, and therefore he is a Traitor.

Staf. O grofs and miferable Ignorance.

Cade. Nay, anfwer if you can; the Frenchmen are our Enemies; go too then: I ask but this, Can he that fpeaks with the Tongue of the Enemy be a good Councellor, or no? All. No, no, and therefore we'll have his Head. T. Staf. Well, feeing gentle Words will not prevail, Affail them with the Army of the King.

[Exit.

Staf. Herald away, and throughout every Town,
Proclaim them Traitors that are up with Cade;
That thofe which fly before the Battel ends,
May, even in their Wives and Childrens fight,
Be hang'd up for Example at their Doors;
And you that be the King's Friends fellow me.
Cade. And you that love the Commons follow me;
Now fhew your felves Men, 'tis for Liberty.
We'll not leave one Lord, one Gentleman;
Sparenone, but fuch as go in clouted Shoone,
For they are thrifty honeft Men, and such
As would (but that they dare not) take our parts.
Dick. They are all in order, and march towards us.

Cade.

Cade. But then are we in order, when we are most out of order. Come, march forward.

Alarum to fight, wherein both the Staffords are flain.
Enter Cade and the rest.

Cade. Where's Dick, the Butcher of Ashford?
Dick. Here, Sir.

Cade. They fell before thee like Sheep and Oxen, and thou behaved'ft thy felf, as if thou hadst been in thine own Slaughter-houfe: Therefore thus I will reward thee, the Lent fhall be as long again as it is, and thou shalt have a License to kill for a hundred lacking one.

Dick. I defire no more.

Cade. And to fpeak truth, thou deferv'ft no lefs. This Monument of the Victory will I bear, and the Bodies fhall be dragg'd at my Horfe's heels, 'till I do come to London, where we will have the Mayor's Sword born before us.

Dick If we mean to thrive and do good, break open the Goals, and let out the Prisoners.

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

[Exeunt. Enter King Henry with a Supplication, and Queen Margaret with Suffolk's Head, the Duke of Buckingham, and the Lord Say.

Q. Mar. Oft have I heard that Grief foftens the Mind, And makes it fearful and degenerate,

Think therefore on Revenge, and ceafe to weep.
But who can ceafe to weep, and look on this?
Here may his Head lye throbbing on my Breaft:
But where's the Body that I fhould imbrace?

Buck. What Anfwer makes your Grace to the Rebels Supplication?

K. Henry. I'll fend fome Holy Bifhop to intreat;

For God forbid fo many fimple Souls

Should perish by the Sword. And I my felf,

Rather than bloody War fhould cut them fhort,

Will parly with Jack Cade their General.

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

Q. Mar. Ah barbarous Villains! hath this lovely Face Rul'd like a wandring Planet over me,

And could it not inforce them to relent,

That

That were unworthy to behold the fame?

K. Henry. Lord Say, Jack Cade hath (worn to have thy Head.
Say. Ay, but I hope your Highnefs fhall have his.
K. Henry. How now, Madam?

Still lamenting and mourning for Suffolk's death?
I fear me, Love, if that I had been dead,

Thou would'ft not half have mourn'd fo much for me.
Q. Mar. No, my Love, I should not mourn, but die
[for thee.
K. Henry. How now? what News? Why com'ft thou in

Enter a Messenger.

[fuch hafte?
Mef. The Rebels are in Southwark; fly, my Lord:
Jack Cade proclaims himself Lord Mortimer,
Defcended from the Duke of Clarence's House,
And calls your Grace Ufurper openly,
And vows to crown himself in Westminster.
His Army is a ragged multitude

Of Hinds and Peasants, rude and merciless:
Sir Humphry Stafford, and his Brother's death,
Hath given them Heart and Courage to proceed:
All Scholars, Lawyers, Courtiers, Gentlemen,
They call falfe Caterpillars, and intend their death.
K. Henry. O graceless Men! they know not what they do.
Buck. My gracious Lord, retire to Killingworth,
Until a Power be rais'd to pull them down.

Q. Mar. Ah! were the Duke of Suffolk now alive,
Thele Kentish Rebels fhould be foon appeas'd.
K.Henry. Lord Say, the Traitors hate thee,
Therefore away with us to Killingworth.
Say. So might your Grace's Pefon be in danger:
The fight of me is odious in their Eyes;
And therefore in this City will I ftay,

And live alone as fecret as I may.

Enter another Messenger.

2 Mef. Jack Cade hath gotten London-bridge,
The Citizens fly him, and for fake their Houles:
The Rafcal People, thirfting after prey,
Join with the Traitor, and they jointly fwear
To fpoil the City, and your Royal Court.

Buck.

Buck. Then linger not, my Lord; away, take Horse. K. Henry. Come, Margaret, God, our hope, will fuccour us. Q. Mar. My hope is gone, now Suffolk is deceas'd. K. Henry. Farewel, my Lord, truft not to Kentish Rebels. Buck. Truft no Body, for fear you be betray'd. Say. The truft I have is in mine Innocence, And therefore am I bold and refolute. Enter Lord Scales upon the Tower walking. two or three Citizens below.

Scales. How now? Is Jack Cade flain?

1 Cit. No, my Lord, nor like to be flain: For they have won the Bridge,

Killing all thofe that withstand them :

[Exeunt.

Then enter

The Lord Mayor craves aid of your Honour from the Tower
To defend the City from the Rebels.

Scales. Such Aid as I can fpare you fhall command,
But I am troubled here with them my felf.
The Rebels have affay'd to win the Tower.

But get you into Smithfield, and gather Head,

And thither will I fend you Matthew Goff.

Fight for your King, your Country, and your Lives,
And fo farewel, for I muft hence again.

[Exeunt. Enter Jack Cade and the reft, and ftrikes his Staff on

London Stone.

Cade. Now is Mortimer Lord of this City,
And here fitting upon London Stone.

I charge and command, that of the City's coft
The piffing Conduit run nothing but Claret Wine
The first year of our Reign.

And now henceforward it fhall be Treafon for any
That calls me other than Lord Mortimer.

Enter a Soldier running.

Sol. Jack Cade, Jack Cade.

Cade. Knock him down there.

[They kill him.

Weav. If this Fellow be wife, he'll never call you 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 firft, go and fet London-bridge on Fire,

And