for a stray, for entering his fee-simple without leave. Ah, villain, thou wilt betray me, and get a thousand crowns of the king by carrying my head to him : but I'll make thee eat iron like an ostrich, and swallow my sword like a great pin, ere thou and I part.

IDEN. Why, rude companion, whatsoe'er thou be, I know thee not; why, then, should I betray thee? Is’t not enough to break into my garden, And, like a thief, to come to rob my grounds, Climbing my walls in spite of me the owner, But thou wilt brave me with these saucy terms ?

CADE. Brave thee! ay, by the best blood that ever was broached, and beard thee too. Look on me well: I have eat no meat these five days; yet, come thou and thy five men, and if I do not leave you all as dead as a door-nail, I pray God I may never eat grass more. IDEN. Nay, it shall ne'er be said, while England

stands, That Alexander Iden, an esquire of Kent, Took odds to combat a poor famish'd man. Oppose thy steadfast-gazing eyes to mine, See if thou canst outface me with thy looks: Set limb to limb, and thou art far the lesser; Thy hand is but a finger to my fist, Thy leg a stick compared with this truncheon; My foot shall fight with all the strength thou hast; And if mine arm be heaved in the air, Thy grave is digg'd already in the earth. As for words, whose greatness answers words,

Let this my sword report what speech forbears.

CADE. By my valour, the most complete champion that ever I heard ! Steel, if thou turn the edge, or cut not out the burly-boned clown in chines of beef ere thou sleep in thy sheath, I beseech God on my knees thou mayst be turned to hobnails. [Here they fight. CADE falls.] 0, I am slain ! famine and no other hath slain me: let ten thousand devils come against me, and give me but the ten meals I have lost, and I'ld defy them all. Wither, garden; and be henceforth a burying-place to all that do dwell in this house, because the unconquered soul of Cade is fled. IDEN. Is’t Cade that I have slain, that monstrous

traitor ? Sword, I will hallow thee for this thy deed, And hang thee o'er my tomb when I am dead: Ne'er shall this blood be wiped from thy point; But thou shalt wear it as a herald's coat, To emblaze the honour that thy master got.

Cade. Iden, farewell, and be proud of thy victory. Tell Kent from me, she hath lost her best man, and exhort all the world to be cowards; for I, that never feared any, am vanquished by famine, not by valour.

[Dies. Iden. How much thou wrong'st me, heaven be

my judge. Die,damned wretch, the curse of her that bare thee; And as I thrust thy body in with my sword, So wish I, I might thrust thy soul to hell.

H

Hence will I drag thee headlong by the heels
Unto a dunghill which shall be thy grave,
And there cut off thy most ungracious head;
Which I will bear in triumph to the king,
Leaving thy trunk for crows to feed upon. [Exit.

ACT THE FIFTH.

SCENE I.

Fields between Dartford and Blackheath.

Enter York, and his army of Irish, with drum

and colours.

YORK. From Ireland thus comes York to claim

his right,

And pluck the crown from feeble Henry's head : Ring, bells, aloud; burn, bonfires, clear and

bright, To entertain great England's lawful king. Ah! sancta majestas, who would not buy thee

dear? Let them obey that know not how to rule; This hand was made to handle nought but gold. I cannot give due action to my words, Except a sword or sceptre balance it: A sceptre shall it have, have I a soul, On which I'll toss the flower-de-luce of France.

Enter BUCKINGHAM. Whom have we here? Buckingham, to disturb

me? The king hath sent him, sure: I must dissemble. Buck. York, if thou meanest well, I greet thee

well. York. Humphrey of Buckingham, I accept thy

greeting Art thou a messenger, or come of pleasure ? Buck. A messenger from Henry, our dread

liege,
To know the reason of these arms in peace;
Or why thou, being a subject as I am,
Against thy oath and true allegiance sworn,
Should raise so great a power without his leave,
Or dare to bring thy force so near the court.
YORK. (Aside] Scarce can I speak, my choler is

so great ;
O, I could hew up rocks and fight with flint,
I am so angry at these abject terms;
And now, like Ajax Telamonius,
On sheep or oxen could I spend my fury.
I am far better born than is the king,
More like a king, more kingly in my thoughts:
But I must make fair weather yet a while,
Till Henry be more weak and I more strong:-
Buckingham, I prithee, pardon me,
That I have given no answer all this while;
My mind was troubled with deep melancholy.
The cause why I have brought this army

Is to remove proud Somerset from the king,
Seditious to his grace and to the state.

Buck. That is too much presumption on thy part:
But if thy arms be to no other end,
The king hath yielded unto thy demand :
The Duke of Somerset is in the Tower.

YORK. Upon thine honour, is he prisoner?
Buck. Upon mine honour, he is prisoner.
YORK. Then, Buckingham, I do dismiss my

powers.
Soldiers, I thank you all; disperse yourselves;
Meet me to-morrow in Saint George's field,
You shall have

pay
and

every thing you wish. And let my sovereign, virtuous Henry, Command

my
eldest son, nay,

my sons,
As pledges of my fealty and love;
I'll send them all as willing as I live:
Lands, goods, horse, armour, any thing I have,
Is his to use, so Somerset

may

die. Buck. York, I commend this kind submission : We twain will go into his highness' tent.

Enter King and Attendants. King. Buckingham, doth York intend no harm

all

to us,

That thus he marcheth with thee arm in arm?

YORK. In all submission and humility York doth present himself unto your highness. King. Then what intends these forces thou dost

bring? YORK. To heave the traitor Somerset from hence,