Bevis.

days.

C

SCENE II.

Changes to Southwark.

Enter Bevis and John Holland.
OME, and get thee a sword though made
of a lath; they have been up these two

Hol. They have the more need to fleep now then. Bevis. I tell thee, Jack Cade the clothier means to drefs the commonwealth, and turn it, and set a new nap upon it.

Hol. So he had need, for 'tis thread-bare. Well, I fay, it was never merry world in England fince Gentlemen came up.

Bevis. O miferable age! virtue is not regarded in handy-crafts-men.

Hol. The Nobility think scorn to go in leather aprons.

Bevis. Nay more, the King's Council are no good workmen.

Hol. True, and yet it is said, Labour in thy vocation; which is as much as to fay, let the magiftrates be labouring men; and therefore should we be magiftrates.

Bevis. Thou haft hit it; for there's no better fign

of a brave mind than a hard hand.

Hol. I fee them, I fee them; there's Beft's fon, the the Tanner of Wingham.

Bevis. He fhall have the skins 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 fpun.
Hol. Corne, come, let's fall in with them.

Drum.

Drum. Enter Cade, Dick the butcher, Smith the weaver, and a fawyer, with infinite numbers.

Cade. We John Cade, so term'd of our supposed Father

Dick. Or rather of ftealing a cade of herrings.

Cade. For our enemies fhall fall before us, infpired with the spirit 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 furr'd pack, she washes bucks here at home.

Cade. Therefore am I of a 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 house but the cage.

Cade. Valiant I am.

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

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.

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

Dick. But, methinks he should stand in fear of fire, being burnt i'th' hand for ftealing of fheep.

Cade. Be brave then, for your Captain is brave, and vows reformation. There fhall be in England feven halfpenny loaves fold for a penny; the threehoop'd pot fhali have ten hoops, and I will make it felony to drink finall beer. All the realm fhall be

in

in common, and in Cheapfide fhall my palfry go to grafs; and when I am King, as King I will beAll. God fave your Majelly!

Cade. I thank you, good people. There shall be no money; all fall eat and drink upon 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 the fkin of an innocent lamb fhould be made parchment; that parchment being scribbled o'er, should 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 was never my own man fince. How now? who is there?

Enter a Clerk.

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

Cade. O monftrous!

Weau. 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, of mine honour; unless I find him guilty, he fall not die. Come hither, firrah, I muft examine thee; what is thy name?

Clerk. Emanuel.

Dick They ufe to write it on the top of letters : 'twill go haid with you.

Cade. Let me alone. Doft thou use to write thy name? or ha thou a mark to thyfelf like an honeft plain dealing man?

Clerk.

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.

Mich. 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 shall be encounter'd with a man as good as himfelf. He is but a knight, is a'?

Mich. No.

Cade. To equal him, I will make myself a knight prefently; 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. Rife up. Sir Dick Butcher. Now found up the drum.

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

Staf. REBELLIOUS hinds, the filth and skum

Mark'd for the gallows, lay your weapons down,
Home to your cottages, forfake this groom;
The King is merciful, if you revolt.

Y. Staff. 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 fpeak,

VOL. VI.

E

O'er

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 ftoll'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 shall be King. 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 myfelf. Go to, firrah, tell the King from me, that for his father's fake Henry the fifth (in whofe time boys went to fpan-counter for French crowns) I am content he fhall reign; but I'll be protedor over him.

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

Cade. And good reason; 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