[SCENE V. London. The Tower.

Enter LORD SCALES, and others, on the walls. Then enter certain Citizens below. Scales. How now! is Jack Cade slain? First. Cit. No, my lord, nor likely to be slain; for they have won the bridge, killing all those that withstand them: the lord mayor craves aid of your honour from the Tower, to defend the city from the rebels.

Scales. Such aid as I can spare, you shall command;

But I am troubled here with them myself;

The rebels have assay'd to win the Tower.

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But get you to Smithfield, and gather head, And thither I will send you Matthew Gough;

Fight for your king, your country, and your lives;

And so, farewell, for I must hence again.

[Exeunt.

SCENE VI. London. 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 ye 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. London. Smithfield.

Alarums. Enter, on one side, CADE and his followers; on the other, Citizens and the King's forces, headed by MATTHEW Gough. The Citizens are routed, and MATTHew Gough is slain. Then enter JACK CADE, with his company.

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. [Aside] Mass, 't will be sore law, then; for he was thrust in the mouth with a spear, and 't is not whole yet.

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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,1 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, nay, thou buckram lord! now art thou within pointblank of our jurisdiction regal. What canst thou answer to my majesty for giving up of Normandy unto Mounsieur Basimecu, the dauphin of France?] Be it known unto thee, by these presence, even the presence of Lord

4

1 Fifteens, i.e. fifteenths.

3

2 Say, a kind of satin.

3 Basimecu, the corrupted form of a vulgar term of abuse applied to Frenchmen.

4 By these presence, i.e. by these presents; the mistake is intended.

:

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 forefathers 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 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 hang'd them; when, indeed, only for that cause they have {been most worthy to live.] Thou dost ride in a foot-cloth, dost thou not?

Say. What of that?

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1 Take up, &c. ie. get things on credit. There is a play on the word. bills (halberds), and bills (promissory notes).

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 and retreat. 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?

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 them? will you needs be hang'd 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 out1 these arms till you had recovered your ancient freedom: but you are all recreants and dastards, and delight to live in slavery to the nobility. Let them break your backs with burthens, take your houses over your heads, ravish your wives and daughters before your faces: for me, I will make shift for one; and so, God's curse light upon you all!]

All. We'll follow Cade, we'll follow Cade! Clif. Is Cade the son of Henry2 the Fifth, That thus you do exclaim you'll go with him? Will he conduct you through the heart of France,

And make the meanest of you earls and dukes? Alas, he hath no home, no place to fly to; 40 Nor knows he how to live but by the spoil, Unless by robbing of your friends and us.

To France, to France, and get what you have lost;

Spare England, for it is your native coast: Henry hath money, you are strong and manly; God on our side, doubt not of victory.

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

Cade. [Aside] Was ever feather so 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 desolate. I see them lay their heads together to surprise me: my sword make way for me, for here is no staying. In despite of the devils in hell, have through the very middest of you! [and heavens and honour be witness that no want of resolution in me, but only my followers' base and ignominious treasons, makes me betake me to my heels. ] [Exit.

Buck. What, is he fled? Go some, and fol

3 Viliaco, a corruption of Italian Vigliacco rascal. Hales, draws. 5 Joy'd, enjoyed.