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SCENE IV.

London. The palace.

Enter the KING with a supplication, and the QUEEN with SUFFOLK's head, the DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM and the LORD SAY.

QUEEN. Oft have I heard that grief softens the mind

And makes it fearful and degenerate;

Think therefore on revenge and cease to weep. But who can cease to weep and look on this? Here may his head lie on my throbbing breast: But where's the body that I should embrace?

BUCK. What answer makes your grace to the rebels' supplication?

KING. I'll send some holy bishop to entreat;
For God forbid so many simple souls

Should perish by the sword! And I myself,
Rather than bloody war shall cut them short,
Will parley with Jack Cade their general:
But stay, I'll read it over once again.

QUEEN. Ah, barbarous villains! hath this lovely face

Ruled, like a wandering planet, over me,
And could it not enforce them to relent,
That were unworthy to behold the same?

KING. Lord Say, Jack Cade hath sworn to have thy head.

SAY. Ay, but I hope your highness shall have

his.

G

KING. How now, madam !

Still lamenting and mourning for Suffolk's death? I fear me, love, if that I had been dead,

Thou wouldest not have mourn'd so much for me. QUEEN. No, my love, I should not mourn, but die for thee.

Enter a Messenger.

KING. How now! what news? why comest thou in such haste?

MESS. The rebels are in Southwark; fly, my

lord!

Jack Cade proclaims himself Lord Mortimer,
Descended from the Duke of Clarence' house,
And calls your grace usurper openly

And vows to crown himself in Westminster.
His army is a ragged multitude

Of hinds and peasants, rude and merciless:
Sir Humphrey Stafford and his brother's death
Hath given them heart and courage to proceed:
All scholars, lawyers, courtiers, gentlemen,
They call false caterpillars and intend their death.
KING. O graceless men! they know not what
they do.

BUCK. My gracious lord, retire to Killingworth, Until a power be raised to put them down.

QUEEN. Ah, were the Duke of Suffolk now

alive,

These Kentish rebels would be soon appeased!

KING. Lord Say, the traitors hate thee;

Therefore away with us to Killingworth.

SAY. So might your grace's person be in danger. The sight of me is odious in their eyes; And therefore in this city will I stay

And live alone as secret as I may.

Enter another Messenger.

MESS. Jack Cade hath gotten London bridge: The citizens fly and forsake their houses: The rascal people, thirsting after prey, Join with the traitor, and they jointly swear To spoil the city and your royal court.

BUCK. Then linger not, my lord; away, take horse.

KING. Come, Margaret; God, our hope, will

succour us.

QUEEN. My hope is gone, now Suffolk is deceased. KING. Farewell, my lord: trust not the Kentish rebels.

Buck. Trust nobody, for fear you be betray'd. SAY. The trust I have is in mine innocence, And therefore am I bold and resolute.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V.

London. The Tower.

Enter LORD SCALES upon the Tower, walking.
Then enter two or three 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.
But get you to Smithfield and gather head,
And thither I will send you Matthew Goffe ;
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 the rest, and 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, [Exeunt.

let's away.

SCENE VII.

London. Smithfield.

Alarums. MATTHEW GOFFE is slain, and all the rest. 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.

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

SMITH. [Aside] Nay, John, it will be stinking law; for his breath stinks with eating toasted cheese.

CADE. I have thought upon it, it shall be so. Away, burn all the records of the realm: my mouth shall be the parliament of England.

HOLL. [Aside] Then we are like to have biting statutes, unless his teeth be pulled out.

CADE. And henceforward all things shall be in

common.

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