Bevis. He shall have the skins of our enemies to make dog's leather of.

Hol. And Dick the butcher:

Bevis. Then is sin struck down like an ox, and ini

quity'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, so term'd of our supposed father

Dick. Or rather of stealing a cade of herrings. * Cade. For our enemies shall 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 honest man and a good bricklayer.

Cade. My mother a Plantagenet

Dick. I knew her well, she was a midwife.

Cade. My wife descended 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 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 house but the cage.

2

Cade. Valiant I am.

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

- a cade of berrings.] That is, a barrel of herrings. I suppose the word keg, which is now used, is cade corrupted.

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

וי

Cade. I am able to endure much.

Dick. No question of that; for I have seen him

whipt three market days together.

Cade. I fear neither sword nor fire.

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

Dick. But, methinks he should stand 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 shall be in England seven 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 shall be in common, and in Cheapside shall my palfry go to grass; and when I am King, as King I will be

All. God fave your Majesty!

Cade. I thank you, good people. There shall be no money; 4 all shall eat and drink upon my fcore; 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 skin of an innocent lamb should be made parchment; that parchment being scribbled o'er, should undo a man? Some fay, the bee stings; but I say, 'tis bee's wax, for I did but seal once to a thing, and I was never my own man since. How now? who is there?

Enter a Clerk.

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

There shall be no money;) To mend the world by banishing money is an old contrivance of those who did not confider that the quarrels and mischiefs which arife from money, as the sign or VOL. V.

ticket of riches, must, if money were to cease, arise immediately from riches themselves, and could never be at an end till every man was contented with his own share of the goods of life.

G

Cade.

:

Cade. O monstrous!

Weav. We took him setting 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 shall not die. Come hither, sirrah, I must examine thee; what is thy name? Clerk.

Emanuel.

Dick. They use to write it on the top of letters.

'Twill go hard with you.

Cade. Let me alone. - Dost thou use to write thy name? or haft thou a mark to thyself like an honest plain dealing man?

Clerk. Sir, I thank God, I have been so 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 say; 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, stand, 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'?

i

Cade. To equal him, I will make myself a knight presently: [kneels.] Rise 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.] Rise 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 of Kent, Mark'd for the gallows, lay your weapons down, Home to your cottages, forsake 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 these silken-coated slaves, I pass 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 plaifterer, And thou thyself a shearman, 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 false.

Cade. Ay, there's the question; but I say 'tis true.

The eider of them being put to nurse,

Was by a beggar-woman stol'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.

G2

Wear.

Weav. Sir, he made a chimney in my father's house, and the bricks are alive at this day to testify 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 whose time boys went to span-counter for French crowns, I am content he shall 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 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 it a eunuch; and more than that, he can speak French, and therefore he is a traitor.

Staf. O gross and miferable ignorance!

Cade. Nay, answer 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, seeing 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 those 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 thew yourselves men, 'tis for liberty.

We