Save to the God of heaven, and to my king; A Roman sworder and banditto slave, Pompey the Great; and Suffolk dies by pirates. [Exit Suff. with Whit. and others. Cap. And as for these whose ransom we have set, It is our pleasure, one of them depart:Therefore come you with us, and let him go. [Exeunt all but the first Gentleman. Re-enter WHITMORE, with SUFFOLK's Body. 1 Gent. O barbarous and bloody spectacle! [Eait. [Exit with the Body. SCENE 11. BLACKHEATH. Enter GEORGE BEVIS and JOHN HOLLAND. Geo. Come, and get thee a sword, though made of a lath; they have been up these two days. John. They have the more need to sleep now then. Geo. I tell thee, Jack Cade, the clothier, means to dress the commonwealth, and turn it, and set a new nap upon it. John. So he had need, for 'tis threadbare. Well, I say, it was never merry world in England, since gentlemen came up. Geo. O miserable age! Virtue is not regarded in handicraftsmen. John. The nobility think scorn to go in leather aprons. Geo. Nay more, the king's council are no good workmen. John. True; And yet it is said,-Labour in thy vocation: which is as much to say, as,-let the magistrates be labouring men; and therefore should we be magistrates. Geo. Thou hast hit it: for there's no better sign of a brave mind, than a hard hand. John. I see them! I see them! There's Best's son, the tanner of Wingham; Geo. He shall have the skins of our enemies, to make dog's leather of. John. And Dick the butcher, Geo. Then is sin struck down like an ox, and iniquity's throat cut like a calf. John. And Smith the weaver. Geo. Argo, their thread of life is spun. John. Come, come, let's fall in with them. Drum. Enter CADE, DICK the Butcher, SMITH the Weaver, and others, in great number. Cade. We, John Cade, so termed of our supposed father, Dick. Or rather, of stealing a cade of herrings. Aside. Cade. for our enemies shall fall before us, inspired with the spirit of putting down kings and princes,Command silence. Dick. Silence! Cade. My father was a Mortimer,— Dick. He was an honest man, and a good bricklayer. Cade. My mother a Plantagenet, [Aside. Dick. I knew her well, she was a midwife. [Aside. Cade. My wife descended of the Lacies, Dick. She was, indeed, a pedlar's daughter, and sold many laces. [Aside. Smith. But, now of late, not able to travel with her furred pack, she washes bucks here at home. [Aside. Cade. Therefore am I of an honourable house. Dick. Ay, by my faith, the field is honourable; and there was he born, under a hedge; for his father had never a house, but the cage. Cade. Valiant I am. Smith. 'A must needs; for beggary is valiant. Cade. I am able to endure much. [Aside. [Aside. Dick. No question of that; for I have seen him whipped three market days together. Cade. I fear neither sword nor fire. [Aside. Smith. He need not fear the sword, for his coat is of proof. [Aside. Dick. But, methinks, he should stand in fear of fire, being burnt i'the hand for stealing of sheep. [Aside. Cade. Be brave then; for your captain is brave, and vows reformation. There shall be, in England, seven half-penny loaves sold for a penny: the threehooped pot shall have ten hoops; and I will make it felony, to drink small beer: all the realm shall be in common, and in Cheapside shall my palfry go to grass. And, when I am king, (as king I will be) All. God save your majesty! Cade. I thank you, good people:-there shall be no money; all shall eat and drink on my score; and I will apparel them all in one livery, that they may agree like brothers, and worship me their lord. Dick. The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers. Cade. Nay, that I mean to do. Is not this a lamentable thing, that of the skin of an innocent lamb should be made parchment? that parchment, being scribbled o'er, should undo a man? Some say, the bee stings: but I say, 'tis the bee's wax; for I did but seal once to a thing, and I was never mine own man since. How now? who's there? Enter some, bringing in the Clerk of Chatham. Smith. The clerk of Chatham: he can write and read, and cast accompt. Cade. O monstrous! Smith. We took him setting of boys' copies. Cade. Here's a villain! Smith. H'as a book in his pocket, with red letters in't. Cade. Nay, then he is a conjurer. Dick. Nay, he can make obligations, and write courthand. Cade. I am sorry for't: the man is a proper man, on mine honour; unless I find him guilty, he shall not die, -Come hither, sirrah, I must examine thee: What is thy name? Clerk. Emmanuel. Dick. They use to write it on the top of letters;"Twill go hard with you. Cade. Let me alone:-Dost thou use to write thy name? or hast thou a mark to thyself, like an honest plain-dealing man? Clerk. Sir, I thank God, I have been so well brought up, that I can write my name. All. He hath confessed: away with him; he's a villain and a traitor. Cade. Away with him, I say; hang him with his pen and inkhorn about his neck. [Exeunt some with the Clerk. Enter MICHAEL. Mich. Where's our general? Cade. Here I am, thou particular fellow. Mich. Fly, fly, fly! sir Humphrey Stafford and his brother are hard by, with the king's forces. Cade. Stand, villain, stand, 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 myself a knight presently; Rise up sir John Mortimer. him. Now have at Enter SIR HUMPHREY STAFFORD, and WILLIAM his Brother, with Drum and Forces. Staff Rebellious hinds, the filth and scum of Kent, Mark'd for the gallows,-lay your weapons down, Home to your cottages, forsake this groom;— The king is merciful, if you revolt. W. Staff. But angry, wrathful, and inclin'd to blood, If you go forward: therefore yield, or die. Cude. As for these silken-coated slaves, I pass not; It is to you, good people, that I speak, O'er whom, in time to come, I hope to reign; Staff. Villain, thy father was a plasterer; W. Staff. And what of that? Cade. Marry, this:-Edmund Mortimer, earl of March, Married the duke of Clarence' daughter; Did he not? Cade. By her he had two children at one birth. Cade. Ay, there's the question; but, I say, 'tis true: The elder of them, being put to nurse, Was by a beggar-woman stol'n away; And, ignorant of his birth and parentage, Dick. Nay, 'tis too true; therefore he shall be king. Smith. Sir, he made a chimney in my father's house, and the bricks are alive at this day to testify it; therefore, deny it not. Staff. And will you credit this base drudge's words, That speaks he knows not what? All. Ay, marry, will we; therefore get ye gone. W. Staff. Jack Cade, the duke of York hath taught you this. |