SCENE VI.

Cannon-Street. Enter JACK CADE, and the Rest. He strikes his Staff on London-Stone.

Cade. Now is Mortimer lord of this city. And here, sitting upon London-Stone, I charge and command, that, of the city's cost, the pissing conduit run nothing but claret wine the first year of our reign. And now, henceforward, it shall be treason 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.

Smith. If this fellow be wise, he'll never call you Jack Cade more; I think, he hath a very fair warning. Dick. My lord, there's an army gather'd together in Smithfield.

442

Cade. Come then, let's go fight with them: But, first, go and set London-Bridge on fire; and, if you can, burn down the Tower too. Come, let's away.

[Exeunt.

SCENE

SCENE VII.

Smithfield. Alarum. Enter JACK CADE with his Company. They fight with the King's Forces, and MATTHEW GOUGH is slain.

Cade. So, sirs:-Now go some and pull down the Savoy; others to the inns of court; down with them all.

Dick. I have a suit unto your lordship.

451

Cade. Be it a lordship, thou shalt have it for that word. Dick. Only, that the laws of England may come out of your mouth.

John. Mass, 'twill be sore law then; for he was thrust in the mouth with a spear, and 'tis not whole yet. [Aside. Smith. Nay, John, it will be stinking law; for his breath stinks with eating toasted cheese.

[Aside. Cade. I have thought upon it, it shall be so. Away, burn all the records of the realm; my mouth shall bẹ the parliament of England.

461

John. Then we are like to have biting statutes,

unless his teeth be pull'd out.

[Aside. Cade. And henceforward all things shall be in com,

mon.

Enter a Messenger.

Mes. My lord, a prize, a prize

here's the lord

Say, which sold the town in France; he that made us

pay one and twenty fifteens, and one shilling to the pound, the last subsidy.

Enter GEORGE BEVIS, with the Lord SAY.

:

469

Cade. Well, he shall be beheaded for it ten times.Ah, thou say, thou serge, nay, thou buckram lord! now art thou within point-blank of our jurisdiction regal. What canst thou answer to my majesty, for giving up of Normandy unto monsieur Basimecu, the dauphin of France? Be it known unto thee by these presence, even the presence of lord Mortimer, that I am the besom that must sweep the court clean of such filth as thou art. Thou hast most traiterously corrupted the youth of the realm, in erecting a grammarschool and whereas, before, our fore-fathers had no other books but the score and the tally, thou hast caused printing to be us'd; and, contrary to the king, his crown, and dignity, thou hast built a papermill. It will be proved to thy face, that thou hast men about thee, that usually talk of a noun, and a verb; and such abominable words, as no Christian ear can endure to hear. Thou hast appointed justices peace, to call poor men before them about mat ters they were not able to answer. Moreover, thou hast put them in prison; and, because they could not read, thou hast hang'd them; when, indeed, only for that cause they have been most worthy to live. Thou dost ride on a foot-cloth, dost thou not

of

Say. What of that?

493

Cade.

Cade. Marry, thou ought'st not to let thy horse wear a cloke, when honester men than thou go in their hose and doublets.

Dick. And work in their shirt too; as myself, for example, that am a Butcher.

Say. You men of Kent

Dick. What say you of Kent?

500

Say. Nothing but this: 'Tis bona terra, mala gens. Cade. Away with him, away with him! he speaks Latin.

Say. Hear me but speak, and bear me where you will.

Kent, in the commentaries Cæsar writ,

Is term'd the civil'st place of all this isle :
Sweet is the country, because full of riches ;

The people liberal, valiant, active, wealthy;
Which makes me hope you are not void of pity. 510
I sold not Maine, I lost not Normandy;

Yet, to recover them, would lose my life.

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. :

521

This

This tongue hath parly'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.

George. O monstrous coward! what, to come behind folks!

Say. These cheeks are pale with watching for your

good.

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

539

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 a hatchet.

Dick. Why dost thou quiver, man ?

Say. The palsy, and not fear, provokes 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?

549

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