I fee them lay their Heads together to furprize me. My Sword make way for me, for here is no ftaying; in defpight of the Devils and Hell, have through the very midft of you; and Heavens and Honour be witness, that no want of Refolution in me, but only my Followers bafe and ig Heels. nominious Treasons make me betake me to my

[Exit. Buck, What, is he fled? Go fome and follow him. And he that brings his Head unto the King, Shall have a thoufand Crowns for his Reward.

[Exeunt fome of them.

Follow me, Soldiers; we'll devife a mean
To reconcile you all unto the King.

[Exeunt omnes. Sound Trumpets. Enter King Henry, Queen Margaret, and Somerset on the Terras

K. Henry. Was ever King that joy'd an Earthly Throne, And could command no more Content than I? No fooner 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 wifh to be a Subject.

Enter Buckingham and Clifford.

Buck. Health and glad Tidings to your Majefty. K. Henry. Why Buckingham, is the Traitor Cade furpriz'd? Or is he but retir'd to make him ftrong?

Enter Multitudes with Halters about their Necks. Clif. He is filed my Lord, and all his Powers do yield, And humbly thus with Halters on their Necks, Expect your Highnefs doom of Life or Death.

K.Henry. Then, Heaven, fet ope thy everlasting Gates,
To entertain my Vows of Thanks and Praife.
Soldiers, this day have you redeem'd your Lives,
And fhew'd how well you love your Prince and Country:
Continue still in this fo good a Mind,

And Henry, though he be unfortunate,
Affure your felves will never be unkind:
And fo with Thanks and Pardon to you all,
I do difmifs you to your feveral Countries.
All. God fave the King, God fave the King.

Enter

Enter Messenger.

Mef. Please it your Grace to be advertised,
The Duke of York is newly come from Ireland,
And with a puiffant and mighty Power
Of Gallow-glaffes and ftout Kernes,
Is marching hitherward in proud Array;
And ftill proclaimeth, as he comes along,
His Arms are only to remove from thee
The Duke of Somerset, whom he terms a Traitor.

K. Henry. Thus ftands my State, 'twixt Cade and York-idLike to a Ship, that having fcap'd a Tempeft,

Is ftraightway calm'd and boarded with a Pyrate.
But now, is Cade driven back, his Men difpers'd,
And now is Tork in Arms to fecond him.

I

pray thee Buckingham, go and meet with him,
And ask him what's the reafon of thefe Arms:
Tell him, I'll fend Duke Edmund to the Tower,
And Somerset, we will commit thee thither,
Until his Army be difmift from him.
Som. My Lord,

I'll yield my felf to Prifon willingly,
Or unto Death, to do my Country good.

K. Henry. In any cafe be not too rough in terms,
For he is fierce, and cannot brook hard Language.
Buck. I will, my Lord, and doubt not fo to deal,
As all things fhall redound unto your good.

[ftreft,

K. Henry. Come, Wife, let's in, and learn to govern better, For yet may England curfe my wretched Reign. [Exeunt. Enter Jack Cade.

Cade. Fy on Ambition; fy on my felf, that have a Sword, and yet am ready to famifh. Thefe five days have I hid me in thefe Woods, and durft not peep out, for all the Country is laid for me: But now am I fo hungry, that if I might have a leafe of my Life for a thousand Years, I could ftay no longer. Wherefore on a Brick Wall have I climb'd into this Garden, to fee if I can eat Grafs, or pick a Sallet another while, which is not amifs to coola Man's Stomach this ho: 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 No 2

been

been cleft with a brown Bill; and many a time when I have been dry, and bravely marching, it hath ferv'd me instead of a quart pot to drink in; and now the word Sallet muft ferve me to feed on.

Enter Iden.

Iden. Lord, who would live turmoiled in the Court,
And may enjoy fuch quiet Walks as thefe,
This fmall inheritance my Father left me,
Contenteth me, and's worth a Monarchy.
I seek not to wax great by others warning,
Or gather Wealth I care not with what Envy;
Sufficeth, that I have, 'maintains my State,
And fends the Poor well pleafed from my Gate.

Cade. Here's the Lord of the Soil come to feize me for a Stray, for entring his Fee-fimple without leave. Ah Villain, thou wilt betray me, and get 1000 Crowns of the King, by carrying my Head to him, but I'll make thee eat Iron like an Oftridge, and fwallow my Sword like a great Pin, c'er thou and I part.

Iden. Why, rude Companion, whatfoe'er thou be,
I know thee not, why then fhould 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 fpight of me the Owner,
But thou wilt brave me with these fawcy Terms?

Cade. Brave thee? Ay, by the best Blood that ever was broach'd, and beard thee too. Look on me well, I have eat no Meat thefe five Days, yet come thou and thy five Men, and if I do not leave you as dead as a door Nail, I pray God I may never eat Grass more.

Iden. Nay, it fhall ne'er be faid, while England ftands,
That Alexander Iden, an Efquire of Kent,
Took odds to combat a poor famifh'd Man.
Oppofe thy ftedfaft gazing Eyes to mine,
See if thou canft out face me with thy Looks:
Set Limb to Limb, and thou art far the leffer:
Thy Hand is but a Finger to my Fist,

Thy Leg a Stick compared with this Truncheon,
My Foot fhall fight with all the ftrength thou haft,

And

And if mine Arm be heaved in the Air,

Thy Grave is digg'd already in the Earth:

As for more Words, whofe greatness anfwers Words,
Let this my Sword report what Speech forbears.

Cade. By my Valour; the most compleat Champion that ever I heard. Steel, if thou turn thine edge, or cut not out the burly bon'd Clown in Chines of Beef, e'er thou fleep in thy Sheath, I befeech Jove on my Knees thou may'st be turned into Hobnails.

Here they Fight.

OI am flain! Famine and no other hath flain me, let ten thousand Devils come against me, and give me but the ten Meals I have loft, and I'd defie them all. Wither 'Garden, and be henceforth a burying place to all that do dwell in this House, because the unconquer'd Soul of Cade is fled.

Iden. Is't Cade that I have flain, that monftrous Traitor? Sword, I will hallow thee for this thy Deed, And hang thee o'er my Tomb when I am dead. Ne'er fhall this Blood be wiped from thy Point, But thou shalt wear it as a Herald's Coat, To emblaze the Honour which thy Mafter got.

Cade. Iden farewel, and be proud of thy Victory: Tell Kent from me, fhe hath loft her beft Man, and exhort all the World to be Cowards; for I that never fear'd any, am vanquished by Famine, not by Valour.

[Dies. Iden. How much thou wrong'st me, Heav'n be my Judge; Die, damned Wretch, the curfe of her that bare thee: And as I thrust thy Body in with my Sword, So with I, I might thruft thy Soul to Hell. Hence will I drag thee headlong by the Heels Unto a Dunghill, which fhall be thy Grave, And there cut off thy moft ungracious Head, Which I will bear in Triumph to the King, Leaving thy Trunk for Crows to feed upon.

[Exit,

Enter York, and his Army of Irish, with Drum and

Colours.

York. From Ireland thus comes York to claim his Right, And pluck the Crown from feeble Henry's Head.

Nn 3

Ring

Ring Bells aloud, burn Bonfires clear and bright,
To entertain great England's lawful King.

Ah Sanita Majeftas! 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,
Except a Sword or Scepter ballance it.
A Scepter fhall it have, have I a Soul,

On which I'll tofs the Flower-de-Luce of France.
Enter Buckingham.

Whom have we here? Buckingham to disturb me?
The King hath fent him fure: I muft diffemble.
Buck, York, if thou meaneft well, I greet thee well.
York. Humphry of Buckingham, I accept thy greeting.
Art thou a Meffenger, or come of pleasure ?

Buck. A Meffenger from Henry, our dread Liege,
To know the reafon of thefe Arms in peace?
Or why, thou being a Subject, as I am,
Against thy Oath, and true Allegiance fworn,
Should raife fo great a Power without his leave?
Or dare to bring thy Force fo near the Court?

York: Scarce can I speak, my Choler is fo great.'
Oh, I could hew up Rocks, and fight with Flint,
I am fo angry at these abject Terms.
And now like Ajax Telamonius,

On Sheep or Oxen could I spend my Fury.
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 Heary be more weak, and I more ftrong.
O Buckingham! I prethee pardon me,
That I have given no Anfwer 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 Prefumption on thy part;
But if thy Arms be to no other end,
The King hath yielded unto thy Demand:

[Afide.

The