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Bevis. He fhall have the fkins of our enemies to make dog's leather.of...

Hol. And Dick the butcher:

Bevis. Then is fin ftruck down like an ox, and iniquity's throat cut like a calf.

Hol. And Smith the weaver :

Bevis. Argo, their thread of life is spun.
Hol. Come, come, let's fall in with them.

Drum. Enter Cade, Dick the butcher, Smith the weaver, and a fawyer, with infinite numbers. Cade. We John Cade, fo term'd of our fuppofed father

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Dick. Or rather of stealing a cade of herrings. * Cade. For our enemies fhall fall before us, * inspired with the fpirit of putting down Kings and Princes. -Command filence.

Dick. Silence.

Cade. My father was a Mortimer—

Dick. He was an honeft man and a good bricklayer.
Cade. My mother a Plantagenet-

Dick. I knew her well, fhe was a midwife.
Cade. My wife defcended of the Lacies-

Dick. She was indeed a pedlar's daughter, and fold many laces.

Weav. But, now of late, not able to travel with her 3 furr'd pack, fhe washes bucks here at home.

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 houfe but the cage.

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Cade. Valiant I am.

Weav. A' must needs, for beggary is valiant.

- a cade of herrings.] That is, a barrel of herrings. I fuppofe the word keg, which is now uled, is cade corrupted.

*

-our enemies fhall full before us,] He alludes to his

name Cade, from cado, Lat. to fall. He has too much learning for his character.

3 furred pack,] A wallet or knapsack of fkin with the hair outward.

Cade.

Cade. I am able to endure much.

Dick. No queftion of that; for I have feen him whipt three market days together.

Cade. I fear neither fword nor fire.

Weav. He need not fear the fword, for his coat is of proof.

Dick. But, methinks he should ftand in fear of fire, being burnt i'th' hand for stealing of sheep.

Cade. Be brave then, for your captain is brave, and vows reformation. There fhall be in England feven half-penny loaves fold for a penny; the three-hoop'd pot shall have ten hoops, and I will make it felony to drink small beer. All the realm fhall be in common, and in Cheapfide fhall my palfry go to grafs; and when I am King, as King I will be

All. God fave your Majefty!

Cade. I thank you, good people. There shall be no money; all shall eat and drink upon my score; and Î 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 the fkin of an innocent lamb fhould be made parchment; that parchment being fcribbled o'er, fhould undo a man? Some fay, the bee ftings; but I fay, 'tis bee's wax; for I did but feal once to a thing, and I was never my own man fince. How now? who is there?

Enter a Clerk.

Weav. The clerk of Chatham, he can write and read, and caft accompt.

4 There fhall be no money ;] To mend the world by banishing money is an old contrivance of thofe who did not confider that the quarrels and mischiefs which arife from money, as the fign or VOL. V.

ticket of riches, muft, if money
were to cease, arife immediately
from riches themselves, and could
never be at an end till every man
was contented with his own
fhare of the goods of life.
G
Cade.

'Cade. O monftrous!

Weav. We took him fetting boys copies.

Cade. Here's a villain!

Weav. He'as a book in his pocket with red letters in't.

Cade. Nay, then he's a conjurer.

Dick. Nay, he can make obligations, and write court-hand.

Cade. I am forry for't: the man is a proper man, on mine honour, unless I find him guilty, he fhall not die. Come hither, firrah, I must examine thee; what is thy name?

Clerk. Emanuel.

Dick. They ufe to write it on the top of letters. 'Twill go hard with you.

Cade. Let me alone. - Doft thou ufe to write thy name? or haft thou a mark to thy felf like an honeft plain dealing man?

Clerk. Sir, I thank God, I have been fo well brought up, that I can write my name.

All. He hath confeft; away with him; he's a villain and a traitor.

Cade. Away with him, I fay; hang him with his pen and inkhorn about his neck. [Exit one with the clerk.

Enter Michael.

Mch. Where is our General?

Cade. Here I am, thou particular fellow.

Mich. Fly, fly, fly. Sir Humphry Stafford and his brother are hard by with the King's forces.

Cade. Stand, villain, ftand, or I'll fell thee down. He fhall be encounter'd with a man as good as himfelf. He is but a knight, is a'?

Mich. No.

They use to write it on the acts. See Mabillon's Diplomata.

top of letters: i. e. of letters

mifive, and fuch like publick

WARBURTON.

Cade:

Cade. To equal him, I will make myfelf a knight prefently. [kneels.] Rife up, Sir John Mortimer. Now have at him. Is there any more of them that be knights? Mich. Ay, his brother.

Cade. Then kneel down, Dick Butcher. [he kneels.] Rife up, Sir Dick Butcher. Now found up the drum.

[blocks in formation]

Enter Sir Humphry Stafford and young Stafford, with drum and foldiers.

Staf. Rebellious hinds, the filth and fkum of Kent, Mark'd for the gallows, lay your weapons down, Home to your cottages, forfake this groom. The King is merciful, if you revolt.

Y. Staf. But angry, wrathful, and inclin'd to blood If you go forward. Therefore yield or die.

Cade. As for thefe filken-coated flaves, I pafs 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.

Staff. Villain, thy father was a plaisterer, And thou thyself a fhearman, art thou not? Cade. And Adam was a gardener.

Y. Staf. And what of that?

Cade. Marry this-Edmund Mortimer Earl of March married the Duke of Clarence's daughter, did he not? Staf. Ay, Sir.

Cade. By her he had two children at one birth.
Y. Staf. That's falfe.

Cade. Ay, there's the queftion; but I fay 'tis true,

The elder of them being put to nurse,

Was by a beggar-woman ftol'n away;

And, ignorant of his birth and parentage,

Became a bricklayer when he came to age,
His fon am I; deny it if you can.

Dick. Nay, 'tis too true, therefore he fhall be King.

G 2

Weav.

Weav. Sir, he made a chimney in my father's house, and the bricks are alive at this day to teftify it; therefore deny it not.

Staf. And will you credit this base drudge's words, That speaks he knows not what?

All. Ay, marry, will we; therefore get you gone. Y. Staf. Jack Cade, the Duke of York hath taught you this.

Cade. He lies, for I invented it myself. Go to, firrah, tell the King from me, that for his father's fake Henry the fifth, in whofe time boys went to span-counter for French crowns, I am content he fhall reign; but I'll be protector over him.

Dick. And furthermore we'll have the Lord Say's head for felling the Dukedom of Maine.

Cade. And good reafon; for thereby is England maim'd, and fain to go with a staff, but that my puiffance holds it up. Fellow-Kings, I tell you, that that Lord Say hath gelded the common-wealth, and made it a eunuch; and more than that, he can fpeak French, and therefore he is a traitor.

Staf. O grofs and miferable ignorance!

Cade. Nay, anfwer if you can. The Frenchmen are our enemies; go to then, I ask but this, can he that fpeaks with the tongue of the enemy, be a good counfellor or no?

All. No, no, and therefore we'll have his head.

Y. Staf. Well, feeing gentle words will not prevail, Affail them with the army of the King.

Staf. Herald, away, and throughout every town
Proclaim them traitors that are up with Cade;
That thofe which fly before the battle ends,
May even in their wives' and children' fight
Be hang'd up for example at their doors;

And you, that be the King's friends, follow me.

[Exeunt the two Staffords, with their Train. Cade. And you, that love the commons, follow me. Now fhew yourselves men, 'tis for liberty.

We

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