Know, Cade, we come ambassadors from the king And here pronounce free pardon to them all, That will forsake thee, and go home in peace. Clif. What say ye, countrymen ? will ye relent, 'And yield to mercy, whilst 'tis offer'd you; 'Or let a rabble lead you to your deaths? 'Who loves the king, and will embrace his pardon, 6 Fling up his cap, and say-God save his majesty! Who hateth him, and honours not his father, Henry the fifth, that made all France to quake, All. God save the king! God save the king! Cade. What, Buckingham, and Clifford, are ye so brave? And you, base peasants, do ye believe him? 'will you needs be hanged with your pardons about 'your necks? Hath my sword therefore broke through 'London Gates, that you should leave me at the White Hart in Southwark? I thought, ye would never have given out these arms, till you had recovered your 'ancient freedom: but you are all recreants, and dastards; and delight to live in slavery to the nobility. Let them break your backs with burdens, take your 'houses over your heads, ravish your wives and daugh 6 ters before your faces: For me,-I will make shift 'for one; and so-God's curse light upon you all! 'All. We'll follow Cade, we'll follow Cade. 6 Clif. Is Cade the son of Henry the fifth, That thus you do exclaim-you'll go with him? And make the meanest of you earls and dukes? Alas, he hath no home, no place to fly to; Nor knows he how to live but by the spoil, Unless by robbing of your friends, and us. 'Were't not a shame, that whilst you live at jar, The fearful French, whom you late vanquished, Should make a start o'er seas, and vanquish you? 'I see them lording it in London streets. Crying-Villageois! unto all they meet. Better, ten thousand base-born Cades miscarry, Than you should stoop unto a Frenchman's mercy. To France, to France, and get what you have lost ; Spare England, for it is your native coast: Henry hath money, you are strong and manly; All. A Clifford! a Clifford! we'll follow the king, ' and Clifford. 'Cade. Was ever feather so lightly blown to and fro, as this multitude? the name of Henry the fifth hales them to an hundred mischiefs, and makes them leave 'me desolate. I see them lay their heads together, to surprize me: my sword make way for me, for here is no staying. In despight of the devils and hell, have through the very midst of you! and heavens and 'honour be witness, that no want of resolution in me, ' but only my followers' base and ignominious treasons, 'makes me betake me to my heels. [Exit. 'Buck. What, is he fled? go some, and follow him ; And he that brings his head unto the king, Shall have a thousand crowns for his reward. Enter King HENRY, Queen MARGARET, and SOMERSET, on the Terrace of the Castle. *K. Hen. Was ever king, that joy'd an earthly throne, * And could command no more content than I? * No sooner was I crept out of my cradle, * But I was made a king, at nine months old: * Was never subject long'd to be a king, * As I do long and wish to be a subject. Enter BUCKINGHAM and CLIFFORD. * Buck. Health, and glad tidings, to your majesty! * K. Hen. Why, Buckingham, is the traitor Cade surpriz❜d? *Or is he but retir'd to make him strong? Enter, below, a great number of CADE's Followers, with Halters about their Necks. 'Clif. He's fled, my lord, and all his powers do yield ; And humbly thus, with halters on their necks, Expect your highness' doom, of life or death. 'K. Hen. Then, heaven set ope thy everlasting gates, To entertain my vows of thanks and praise!— Soldiers, this day have you redeem'd your lives, And show'd how well you love your prince and country; 'Continue still in this so good a mind, And so, with thanks, and pardon to you all, Enter a Messenger. * Mess. Please it your grace to be advértised, * The duke of York is newly come from Ireland: * And with a puissant and a mighty power, * Of gallowglasses, and stout kernes, * Is marching hitherward in proud array; 9. Of gallowglasses, and stout kernes,] These were two orders of foot-soldiers among the Irish. * And still proclaimeth, as he comes along, * His arms are only to remove from thee The duke of Somerset, whom he terms a traitor. *K. Hen. Thus stands my state, 'twixt Cade and York distress'd; * Like to a ship, that, having 'scap'd a tempest, * Is straightway calmed+ and boarded with a pirate: * But now is Cade driven back, his men dispers'd; * And now is York in arms to second him.— *I pray thee, Buckingham, go forth and meet him: *And ask him, what's the reason of these arms. *Tell him, I'll send duke Edmund to the Tower;* And, Somerset, we will commit thee thither, * Until his army be dismiss'd from him. *Som. My lord, * I'll yield myself to prison willingly, *Or unto death, to do my country good. *K. Hen. In any case, be not too rough in terms; * For he is fierce, and cannot brook hard language. * Buck. I will, my lord; and doubt not so to deal, * As all things shall redound unto your good. *K. Hen. Come, wife, let's in, and learn to govern better; * For yet may England curse my wretched reign. [Exeunt. SCENE X. * Kent. Iden's Garden'. Enter CADE *Cade. Fye on ambition! fye on myself; that have a sword, and yet am ready to famish! These five days *have I hid me in these woods; and durst not peep 1 Kent. Iden's Garden.] This Iden was the new sheriff of Kent, who had followed Cade from Rochester. * out, for all the country is lay'd for me; but now I am *so hungry, that if I might have a lease of my life for * a thousand years, I could stay no longer. Wherefore, on a brick-wall have I climbed into this garden; to see if I can eat grass, or pick a sallet another while, *which is not amiss to cool a man's stomach this hot * weather. And, I think, this word sallet was born to * do me good: for, many a time, but for a sallet, my * brain-pan' had been cleft with a brown bill; and many * a time, when I have been dry, and bravely marching, * it hath served me instead of a quart pot to drink in ; * And now the word sallet must serve to feed on. Enter IDEN, with Servants. Iden. Lord, who would live turmoiled in the court, And may enjoy such quiet walks as these? This small inheritance, my father left me, • Contenteth me, and is worth a monarchy. 6 And sends the poor well pleased from my gate. Cade. Here's the lord of the soil come to seize me for a stray, for entering his fee-simple without leave. Ah, villain, thou wilt betray me, and get a thousand crowns of the king for 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 2 but for a sallet, my brain-pan, &c.] A quibble from salut, Fr; as an helmet keeps the head safe. VOL. V. Gg |