The same. SCENE VI. Cannon Street. Enter JACK CADE, and his Followers. 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 this 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. Sold. 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 gathered together in Smithfield. 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 VII. The same. Smithfield. Alarum. Enter, on one side, CADE and his Company; on the other, Citizens, and the King's Forheaded by MATTHEW GOUGH. They fight; the Gitizens are routed, and MATTHEW GOUGH is slain ces, 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. 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 [Aside. Away, breath stinks with eating toasted cheese. Cade. I have thought upon it, it shall be so. burn all the records of the realm ;3 my mouth shall be the parliament of England. [3] Little more than half a century had elapsed from the time of writing this play, before a similar proposal was actually made in parliament. Bishop Burnet in his life of Sir Matthew Hale, says: "Among the other ex 15 VOL. V. John. Then we are like to have biting statutes, unless his teeth be pulled out. [Aside. Cade. And henceforward all things shall be in common. Enter a Messenger. Mess. My lord, a prize, a prize! here's the lord Say, which sold the towns 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. Cade. Well, he shall be beheaded for it ten times.Ah, thou say, thou serge,4 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 presents, 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 traitorously corrupted the youth of the realm, in erecting a grammar-school; and whereas, before, our fore-fathers had no other books but the score and the tally, thou hast caused printing to be used;5 and, contrary to the king, his crown, and dignity, thou hast built a paper-mill. 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 of peace, to call poor men before them about matters they were not able to answer. Moreover, thou hast put them in prison; and because they could not read, thou hast hanged them ;6 when, indeed, only for that cause they have been most worthy to live. Thou dost ride on a foot-cloth, dost thou not? Say. What of that? Cade. Marry, thou oughtest not to let thy horse wear travagant motions made in this parliament (i. e. one of Oliver Cromwell's one was to destroy all the records in the Tower, and to settle the nation on a new foundation; So he (Sir M. Hale) took this province to himself, to show the madness of the proposition, the injustice of it, and the mischiefs that would follow on it; and did it with such clearness and strength of reason as not only satisfied all sober persons (for it may be supposed that was soon done) but stopt even the mouths of the frantic people themselves." REED. [4] Say was the old word for silk; on this depends the series of degradadation, from say to serge, from serge to buckram. JOHNS. Shakspeare is a little too early with this accusation. JOHNS. That is, they were hanged because they could not claim the benefit of elergy. JOHNS. 7 a cloak, when honester men than thou go in their hose and doublets. 8 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? 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 : Prayers and tears have mov'd me, gifts could never. This tongue hath parley'd unto foreign kings 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 [7] A foot-cloth was a kind of housing, which covered the body of the horse, and almost reached the ground. It was sometimes made of velvet, and bordered with gold lace. MAL. [8] This is a reproach truly characteristical. Nothing gives so much offence to the lower ranks of mankind, as the sight of superfluities merely ostentatious. JOHNS. [9] I am inclined to think Kent slipped into this passage by chance, and would read -When have I aught exacted at your hands, But to maintain the king, the realm, and you? JOHNS. Hath make me full of sickness and diseases. Cade. Ye shall have a hempen caudle then, and the pap of a 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 affeced 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? 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 under his tongue 2 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, country men! if when you make your prayers, God should 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 bills?3 [1] This sentiment is not merely designed as an expression of ferocious triumph, but to mark the eternal enmity which the vulgar bear to those of more liberal education and superior rank. The vulgar are always ready to depreciate the talents which they behold with envy, and insult the eminence which they despair to reach STEEV. [2] A familiar is a demon who was supposed to attend at call. STEEV Cade. Marry, presently. 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 lov'd well, when they were alive. 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? Enter BUCKINGHAM, and old CLIFFORD, with Forces. 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 [3] Perhaps this is an equivoque alluding to the brown bills, or halberds, with which the commons were anciently armed. PERCY. |