Unless you be poffeft with dev'lifh fpirits,

Ye cannot but forbear to murder me:

This tongue hath parlied unto foreign Kings
For your behoof.

Cade. Tut, when ftruck'ft thou one blow in the field? Say. Great men have reaching hands; oft have I ftruck Those that I never faw, and ftruck them dead.

George. O monftrous coward! what, to come behind folks?

Say. Thefe cheeks are pale with watching for your good.

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

Say. Long fitting to determine poor mens' caufes Hath made me full of ficknefs and diseases.

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

Dick. Why doft thou quiver, man?

Say. The palfy, and not fear, provokes me.

Cade. Nay, he nods at us, as who fhould fay, I'll be even with you. I'll fee, if his head will ftand 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 ? fpeak. Are my chests fill'd up with extorted gold? Is my apparel fumptuous to behold? Whom have I injur'd, that ye feek my death? Thefe hands are free from guiltlefs blood-fhedding; This breaft from harb'ring foul deceitful thoughts. O, let me live!.

Cade. I feel remorfe in myfelf with his words; but ́ I'll bridle it; he fhall die, an it be but for pleading fo well for his life. Away with him, he has a familiar under his tongue, he fpeaks not o' God's name. Go, take him away, I fay, and strike off his head prefently; and then break into his fon-in-law's houfe, Sir James Cromer, and ftrike off his head, and bring them both upon two poles hither.

All. It fhall be done.

Say. Ah, country-men, if when you make your pray'rs,

God

God fhould be fo obdurate as yourselves,
How would it fare with your departed fouls?
And therefore yet relent, and fave my life.

Cade. Away with him, and do as I command ye : the proudeft Peer of the Realm shall not wear a head on his fhoulders, unless he pay me tribute; there shall not a maid be married, but the shall pay me her maidenhead ere they have it; men fhall hold of me in Capite. And we charge and command, that their wives be as free as heart can with, or tongue can tell.

Dick. My Lord, when shall we go to Cheapfide, and take up commodities upon our bills ? Cade. Marry, presently.

All. O brave!

Enter one with the heads.

Cade. But is not this braver? Let them kifs one another; for they lov'd well when they were alive: Now part them again, left they confult about the giving up of fome more towns in France. Soldiers, defer the spoil of the City until night; for with thefe borne before us, instead of maces, will we ride through the ftreets, and at every corner have them kifs. Away. [Exeunt.

SCENE changes to Southwark.

Alarm, and Retreat.

Cade.

Enter again Cade, and all his
Rabblement.

U and knock down; throw them into Thames.
TP Fife-fireet, down St. Magnus' Corner, kill

What noife is this I hear?

[A Parley founded.

Dare any be fo bold to found retreat or parley,
When I command them kill ?

Enter Buckingham and old Clifford, attended.

Buck. Ay, here they be that dare and will disturb thee: Know, Cade, we come Ambaffadors from the King Unto the Commons, whom thou haft mif-led;

D 5

And

And here pronounce free pardon to them all,
That will forfake thee, and go home in peace.
Clif. What fay ye, countrymen, will ye relent,
And yield to mercy, whilft 'tis affer'd you,
Or let a rabble lead you to your deaths?

Who loves the King, and will embrace his Pardon,
Fling up his cap, and fay, God fave his Majefty!
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.

you are

All. God fave the King! God fave the King!
Cade. What Buckingham and Clifford, are ye fo brave?
and you, bafe peasants, do ye believe 'em ? will you needs
be hang'd with your pardons about your necks? hath
my fword therefore broke through London' gates, that
you should leave me at the White-hart in Southwark? I
thought, you would never have given out these arms, till
you had recovered your ancient freedom: but
all recreants and daftards, and delight to live in flavery
to the Nobility. Let them break your backs with bur-
dens, take your houses over your heads, ravifh your wives
and daughters before your faces. For me, I will make
thift for one, and fo God's curfe 'light upon you all!
All. We'll follow Cade, we'll follow Cade.
Clif. Is Cade the fon 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 meaneft of you Earls and Dukes ?
Alas, he hath no home, no place to fly to:
Nor knows he how to live, but by the fpoil;
Unless by robbing of your friends and us.
Were't not a fhame, that, whilft you live at jar,
The fearful French, whom you late vanquished,
Should make a flart o'er feas, and vanquish you?
Methinks, already in this civil broil

I fee them lording it in London ftreets,
Crying, Villagecis! unto all they meet.
Better, ten thousand base-born Cades mifcarry;
Than you should ftoop unto a Frenchman's mercy.
To France, to France, and get what you have loft;

Spare

!

Spare England, for it is your native coaft.
Henry hath money, you are ftrong and manly:
God on our fide, doubt not of victory.

All. A Clifford! a Clifford! we'll follow the King and Clifford.

Cade. Was ever feather fo 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 defolate. I fee them lay their heads together to furprize me. My fword make way for me, for here is no staying; in defpight of the devils and hell, have through the very midft of you; and heavens and honour be witness, that no want of refolution in me, but only my followers bafe and ignominious treasons make me betake me to my heels.

[Exit
Buck. What, is he fled? go fome, and follow him.
And he, that brings his head unto the King,
Shall have a thousand crowns for his reward.

[Exeunt fome of them.
Follow me, foldiers; we'll devise a mean
To reconcile you all unto the King. [Exeunt omnes.

SCENE, the Palace of Killingworth.

Sound trumpets.

K.H.

W

Enter King Henry, Queen Margaret, and Somerset on the Terras.

AS ever King that joy'd an earthly throne,
And could command no more content than I
No fooner was I crept out of my cradle,

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

As I do long and wish to be a fubje&.

Enter Buckingham and Clifford.

Buck. Health, and glad tidings to your Majefty!
K. Hen. Why, Buckingham, is the traitor Cade furpriz'd?

Or is he but retir'd to make him ftrong ?

Enter multitudes with halters about their necks.

Clif. He's fled, my Lord, and all his pow'rs do yield; And humbly thus with halters on their necks Expect your Highness' doom of life or death.

K.Henry. Then, heav'n, fet ope thy everlasting gates,
To entertain my vows of thanks and praife.
Soldiers, this day have you redeem'd your lives,
And fhew'd how well you love your Prince and country:
Continue ftill in this fo good a mind,

And Henry, though he be unfortunate,
Affure yourselves, will never be unkind :
And fo with thanks, and pardon to you all,
I do difmifs you to your feveral countries.
All. God fave the King! God fave the King!

Enter Messenger.

Mef. Please it your Grace to be advertised,
The Duke of York is newly come from Ireland;
And with a puiffant and mighty pow'r
Of gallow-glaffes and ftout Kernes,
Is marching hitherward in proud array :
And ftill proclaimeth, as he comes along,
His arms are only to remove from thee

The Duke of Somerfet, whom he terms a traitor.
K.H.Thus ftands my ftate,'twixt Cade and York diftreft ;
Like to a fhip, that, having 'fcap'd a tempeft,
Is ftraitway calm'd and boarded with a pirate. (11)

(11) Is fraitway claim'd, and boarded with a Pirate.] I doubt not but my Readers will agree, that I have reftored to the Text its true Reading. After the violent Working of a Tempeft, the Sea is, før the most part, totally becalmed. Befides, with Allufion to the King's Affairs, the Tempeft of Cade's Rebellion was juft blown over: the State was in a Calm, by that Infurrection being quieted: and immediately York, like an ufurping Pirate, comes to feize the Veffel of Government. And again, which heightens the Juftness of the Metaphor, a Calm is the moft ufual Occafion of Voffels being taken by Pirates; which, by the Ufe of their Sails, they might otherwife efcape.

Bat