And, to conclude, reproach and beggary Are crept into the palace of our king, Suf. O that I were a god, to shoot forth thunder Small things make base men proud: this villain here, Than Bargulus, the strong Illyrian pirate.(137) It is impossible that I should die By such a lowly vassal as thyself. Thy words move rage and not remorse in me: I go of message from the queen to France; I charge thee waft me safely cross the Channel. Whit. Come, Suffolk, I must waft thee to thy death. First Gent. My gracious lord, entreat him, speak him fair. And sooner dance upon a bloody pole Than stand uncover'd to this(139) vulgar groom. More can I bear than you dare execute. Cap. Hale him away, and let him talk no more. Suf. Come, soldiers, show what cruelty ye can,(141) A Roman sworder and banditto slave Pompey the Great; and Suffolk dies by pirates. [Exeunt Whitmore and others with Suffolk. Cap. And as for these whose ransom we have set, It is our pleasure one of them depart :-(142) Therefore come you with us, and let him go. [Exeunt all except the First Gentleman. Re-enter WHITMORE with SUFFOLK's body. Whit. There let his head and lifeless body lie, Until the queen his mistress bury it. First Gent. O barbarous and bloody spectacle ! His body will I bear unto the king: [Exit. If he revenge it not, yet will his friends; So will the queen, that living held him dear. [Exit with the body. SCENE II. 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 handicrafts-men. 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, (143)-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. . 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,-(145) Dick. [aside] Or rather, of stealing a cade of herrings. Cade. For our enemies shall fall (146) before us,-inspired with the spirit of putting down kings and princes,-Command silence. Dick. Silence! Cade. My father was a Mortimer,— Dick. [aside] He was an honest man, and a good bricklayer. Cade. My mother a Plantagenet, Dick. [aside] I knew her well; she was a midwife. Dick. [aside] She was, indeed, a pedler's daughter, and sold many laces. Smith. [aside] But now of late, not able to travel with her furred pack, she washes bucks here at home. Cade. Therefore am I of an honourable house. Dick. [aside] 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. [aside] 'A must needs; for beggary is valiant. Cade. I am able to endure much. Dick. [aside] No question of that; for I have seen him whipped three market-days together. Cade. I fear neither sword nor fire. Smith. [aside] He need not fear the sword; for his coat is of proof. Dick. [aside] But methinks he should stand in fear of fire, being burnt i' the hand for stealing of sheep. Cade. Be brave, then; for your captain is brave, and vows reformation. There shall be in England seven halfpenny loaves sold for a penny: the three-hooped 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 palfrey 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. 'Has a book in his pocket with red letters in't. Dick. Nay, he can make obligations, and write courthand. Cade. I am sorry for't: the man is a proper man, of mine honour; unless I find him guilty, he shall not die.—Come hither, sirrah, I must examine thee: what is thy name? Clerk. Emmanuel. go Dick. They use to write it on the top of letters :-'twill 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. [Kneels.] Rise up Sir John Mortimer. [Rises.] Now have at him! Enter Sir HUMPHREY STAFFORD and WILLIAM his brother, with drum and Forces. Staf. 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. Staf. But angry, wrathful, and inclin'd to blood, If you go forward; therefore yield, or die. Cade. 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; For I am rightful heir unto the crown. Staf. Villain, thy father was a plasterer; And thou thyself a shearman,-art thou not? W. Staf. And(147) what of that? Cade. Marry, this :-Edmund Mortimer, Earl of March, Married the Duke of Clarence' daughter,-did he not ? Staf. Ay, sir. Cade. By her he had two children at one birth. W. Staf. That's false. Cade. Ay, there's the question; but I say 'tis true: |