Justice with favour have I always done;

Prayers and tears have mov'd me, gifts could never.
When have I aught exacted at your hands,

Kent, to maintain the king, the realm, and you?
Large gifts have I bestow'd on learned clerks,
Because my book preferr'd me to the king:
And, seeing ignorance is the curse of God,
Knowledge the wing wherewith we fly to heaven,
Unless you be possess'd with devilish spirits,
You cannot but forbear to murder me.

This tongue hath parley'd unto foreign kings
For your behoof.

Cade. Tut! when struck'st thou one blow in the field?

Say. Great men have reaching hands: oft have I struck

Those that I never saw, and struck them dead.

Geo. O monstrous coward! what, to come behind folks?

Say. These cheeks are pale for watching for your good.

Cade. Give him a box o' the ear, and that will make 'em red again.

Say. Long sitting, to determine poor men's causes, Hath made me full of sickness and diseases.

Cade. Ye shall have a hempen caudle, then, and the help' of hatchet.

Dick. Why dost thou quiver, man?

Say. The palsy, and not fear, provoketh me.

Cade. Nay, he nods at us; as who should say, I'll be even with you. I'll see if his head will stand steadier on a pole, or no. Take him away, and behead him. Say. Tell me, wherein have I offended most? Have I affected wealth, or honour; speak? Are my chests fill'd up with extorted gold? Is my apparel sumptuous to behold?

Whom have I injur'd, that ye seek my death?
These hands are free from guiltless blood-shedding,
This breast from harbouring foul deceitful thoughts.
O, let me live.

Cade. I feel remorse in myself with his words; but I'll bridle it; he shall die, an it be but for pleading so well for his life.-Away with him! he has a familiar 1 Farmer reads: "pap of hatchet," a colloquial phrase of the time.

under his tongue: he speaks not o' God's name. Go, take him away, I say, and strike off his head presently; and then break into his son-in-law's house, sir James Cromer, and strike off his head, and bring them both upon two poles hither.

All. It shall be done.

Say. Ah, countrymen! if when you make your

prayers,

God shall be so obdurate as yourselves,

How would it fare with your departed souls?
And therefore yet relent, and save my life.

Cade. Away with him, and do as I command ye. [Exeunt some with Lord SAY. The proudest peer in the realm shall not wear a head on his shoulders, unless he pay me tribute: there shall not a maid be married, but she shall pay to me her maidenhead, ere they have it. Men shall hold of me in capite; and we charge and command, that their wives be as free as heart can wish, or tongue can tell. Dick. My lord, when shall we go to Cheapside, and take up commodities upon our bills1?

Cade. Marry, presently.

All. O brave!

Re-enter Rebels, with the Heads of Lord SAY and his Son-in-law.

Cade. But is not this braver ?-Let them kiss one another, for they loved well, when they were alive. [Jowl them together.] Now part them again, lest they consult about the giving up of some more towns in France. Soldiers, defer the spoil of the city until night; for with these borne before us, instead of maces, will we ride through the streets; and at every corner have them kiss.-Away! [Exeunt.

SCENE VIII.-Southwark.

Alarum. Enter CADE, and all his Rabblement. Cade. Up Fish-street! down Saint Magnus' corner! kill and knock down! throw them into Thames !-[A Parley sounded, then a Retreat.] What noise is this I hear? Dare any be so bold to sound retreat or parley, when I command them kill?

1 Weapons, resembling pikes. Not in f. e.

Enter BUCKINGHAM, and Old CLIFFORD, with Forces. Buck. Ay, here they be that dare, and will disturb thee;

Know, Cade, we come ambassadors from the king
Unto the commons whom thou hast misled;
And here pronounce free pardon to them all,
That will forsake thee, and go home in peace.
Clif. What say ye, countrymen? will ye repent' ?
And yield to mercy, whilst 't is offer'd you,
Or let a rebel' lead you to your deaths?

Who loves the king, and will embrace his pardon,
Fling up his cap, and say-God save his majesty!
Who hateth him, and honours not his father,
Henry the fifth, that made all France to quake,
Shake he his weapon at us, and pass by.

All. God save the king! God save the king!

Cade. What! Buckingham, and Clifford, are ye so brave?—And you, base peasants, do ye believe him? will you needs be hanged with your pardons about your necks? Hath my sword therefore broke through London Gates, that you should leave me at the White Hart in Southwark? I thought ye would never have given out these arms, till you had recovered your ancient freedom; but you are all recreants, and dastards, and delight to live in slavery to the nobility. Let them break your backs with burdens, take your houses over your heads, ravish your wives and daughters before your faces. For me,-I will make shift for one; and so-God's curse 'light upon you all!

All. We'll follow Cade: we'll follow Cade.
Clif. Is Cade the son of Henry the fifth,
That thus you do exclaim, you'll go with him?
Will he conduct you through the heart of France,
And make the meanest of you earls and dukes?
Alas, he hath no home, no place to fly to;
Nor knows he how to live, but by the spoil,
Unless by robbing of your friends, and us.
Wer 't not a shame, that whilst you live at jar,
The fearful French, whom you late vanquished,
Should make a start o'er seas, and vanquish you?
Methinks, already, in this civil broil,

I see them lording it in London streets,
Crying-Villageois! unto all they meet.

1 relent: in f. e. 2 rabble in f. e.

Better ten thousand base-born Cades miscarry,
Than you should stoop unto a Frenchman's mercy.
To France, to France! and get what you have lost:
Spare England, for it is your native coast.

Henry hath money, you are strong and manly:
God on our side, doubt not of victory.

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.

SCENE IX.-Kenilworth Castle.

[Exeunt.

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,

But I was made a king, at nine months old:
Was never subject long'd to be a king,

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,

And Henry, though he be infortunate,
Assure yourselves, will never be unkind:
And so, with thanks, and pardon to you all,
I do dismiss you to your several countries.
All. God save the king! God save the king!
Enter a Messenger.

Mess. Please it your grace to be advertis'd,
The duke of York is newly come from Ireland,
And with a puissant, and united1 power
Of Gallowglasses, and stout Irish3 kernes,
Is marching hitherward in proud array;
And still proclaimeth, as he comes along,
His arms are only to remove from thee

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,
Is straightway calm'd, and boarded with a pirate.
But now is Cade driven back, his men dispers'd,
And now is York in arms to second him.—

I pray thee, Buckingham, then go and meet him,
And ask him, what's the reason of these arms?
Tell him, I'll send duke Edmund to the tower;—
And, Somerset, we will commit thee thither,
Until his army be dismiss'd from him.

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.

1 a mighty in f. e. 2 Tall, able-bodied men, armed (says Banaby Rich's Ireland, 1610), with "a scull, a shirt of mail, and a Gallowglas axe"-the kerne was a common foot soldier. 3 This word is not in f. e. 4 Dyce reads: aims.

VOL. V.-14