Spare England, for it is your native Coaft.
Henry hath mony, you are ftrong and manly:
God on our fide, doubt not of victory.

All. A Clifford! a Clifford! we'll follow the King and Clifford.

Cade. Was ever feather fo lightly blown to and fro, as this multitude? the name of Henry the fifth hales thei to an hundred mischiefs, and makes them leave me desolate. I fee them lay their heads together to furprize me. My fword make way for me, for here is no ftaying; in defpite of the devils and hell, have through the very midft of you; and heavens and honour be witness, that no want of refolution in me, but only my followers bafe and ignominious treasons make me betake me to my heels. [Exit Buck. What, is he fled go fome, and follow him. And he, that brings his head unto the King, Shall have a thousand crowns for his reward.

[Exeunt fome of them.

Follow me, foldiers; we'll devise a mean
To reconcile you All unto the King.

[Exeunt omne

SCENE, the Palace at Killingworth.

Sound trumpets. Enter King Henry, Queen Margaret, and Somerfet on the Terras.

K. Henry. WAS

AS ever King that joy'd an earthly
throne,

And could command no more content than I?
No fooner 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 Majefty!
K. Henry. Why, Buckingham, is the traitor Cade fuc

priz❜d ?

Or is he but retir'd to make him strong?

Enter multitudes with balters about their necks.

Clif. He's fled, my lord, and all his pow'rs do yield; And humbly thus with halters on their necks Expect your highness' doom of life or death.

K. Henry. Then, heav'n, fet ope thy everlasting gates,
To entertain my vows of thanks and praise.
Soldiers, this day have you redeem'd your lives,
And fhew'd how well you love your Prince and Country:
Continue ftill in this fo good a mind,

And Henry, though he be unfortunate,
Affure yourselves, will never be unkind:
And fo with thanks, and Pardon to you all,
I do difmifs you to your several countries.
All. God fave the king! God fave the King!
Enter Messenger.

Me. Please it your grace to be advertised,
The Duke of York is newly come from Ireland.
And with a puiffant and mighty pow'r
Of Gallow glaffes and ftout Kernes,
Is marching hitherward in proud array:
And ftill proclaimeth, as he comes along,
His arms are only to remove from thee

The Duke of Somerset, whom he terms a traitor.

K. Henry. Thus ftands my state, 'twixt Cade and York diftreft;

Like to a fhip, that, having 'cap'd a tempeft,
Is ftraitway calm'd and boarded with a pirate. (1.1)
But now is Cade driv'n back, his men difpers'd;
And now is York in arms to fecond him.

(11) Is ftraitway claim'd, and boarded with a pirate.] I doubt not but my Readers will agree, that I have reftor'd to the Text its true Reading. After the violent Working of a Tempeft, the Sea is, for the most part, totally becalm'd. Befides, with Allufion to the King's Affairs, the Tempest of Cade's Rebellion was just blown over; the State was in a Calm, by that Infurrection being quieted and immediately York, like an ufurping Pirate, comes to feize the Veffel of Government. And again, which heightens the Juftness of the Metaphor, a Calm is the moft ufual Occafion of Veffels being taken by Pirates; which, by the Ufe of their Sails, they might otherwise escape.

I pray thee, Buckingham, go and meet with him,
And ask him what's the reason of these arms:
Tell him, I'll fend Duke Edmond to the Tower;
And, Somerfet, we will commit thee thither,
Until his army be dismist from him.
Som. My lord,

I'll yield myself to prifan willingly,
Or unto death, to do my country good.

K. Henry. In any cafe be not too rough in terms,
For he is fierce and cannot brook hard language.
Buck. I will, my lord; and doubt not fo to deal,
As all things fhall redound unto your Good.

K. Henry. Come, wife, let's in, and learn to govern better;

For yer may England curfe my wretched Reign. [Exeunt.

SCENE, a Garden in Kent.
Enter Jack Cade.

Cade. IE on ambitions; fie on myself, that have a

Ffword, am ready

five days have I hid me in these woods and durft not peep out, for all the country is laid for me: but now am I fo hungry, that if I might have a leafe of my life for a thousand years, I could ftay no longer. Wherefore on a brick-wall have I climb'd into this garden to fee if I can eat grafs, or pick a fallet another while, which is not amifs to cool a man's stomach this hot weather; and, I think, this word fallet was born to do me good; for many a time, but for a fallet, my brain-pan had been cleft. with a brown bill; and many a time when I have been dry, and bravely marching, it hath ferv'd me inftead of a quart-pot to drink in; and now the word fallet must serve me to feed on.

Enter Iden.

Iden. Lord! who would live turmoiled in the Court, And may enjoy fuch quiet Walks as these? This fmall inheritance, my father left me, Contenteth me, and's worth a monarchy. I feek not to wax Great by others' waining;

Or

Or gather wealth, I care not with what envy;
Sufficeth, That I have maintains my ftate;
And fends the poor well pleafed from my gate.

Cade. Here's the lord of the foil come to feize me for a ftray, for entring his fee fimple 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 oftridge, and fwallow my fword like a great pin, ere thou and I part.

Iden. Why, rude companion, whatsoe'er thou be,
I know thee not; why then fhould 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 fpight of me the owner,
But thou wilt brave me with these fawcy terms?

Cade. Brave thee? by the best blood that ever was broach'd, 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 as dead as a door nail, I pray God, I may never eat grafs more.

Iden. Nay, it fhall ne'er be faid while England stands,
That Alexander Iden an Efquire of Kent,
Took odds to combat a poor famish'd man.
Oppose thy ftedfast gazing eyes to mine,
See, if thou canft out face me with thy looks:
Set limb to limb, and thon art far the leffer:
Thy hand is but a finger to my fift;

Thy leg a ftick, compared with this truncheon.
My foot fhall fight with all the ftrength thou haft;
And if mine arm be heaved in the air,

Thy grave is digg'd already in the earth:

As for more words, whofe greatness answers words,
Let this my fword report what speech forbears.

Cade. By my valour, the most complete champion that ever I heard. Steel, if thou turn thine edge, or cut not out the burly-bon'd Clown in chines of beef ere thou fleep in thy fheath, I befeech Jove on my knees thou may'st be turned into hobnails. [Here they fight. OI am flain! famine, and no other, hath flain me; let ten thousand devils come against me, and give me but the

ten

ten meals I have loft, and I'd defy them all. Wither garden, and be hence forth a burying-place to all that do dwell in this house; because the unconquer'd foul of Cade is fled.

Iden. Is't Cade that I have flain, that monftrous traitor ? Sword, I will hallow thee for this thy deed,

And hang thee o'er my tomb, when I am dead.
Ne'er fhall this blood be wiped from thy point,
But thou fhalt wear it as a herald's coat,
T'emblaze the honour which thy mafter got.

Cade. Iden, farewel, and be proud of thy victory: tell Kent from me, fhe hath loft her best man; and exhort all the world to be cowards; for I, that never fear'd any, am vanquished by famine, not by valour. [Dies. Iden. How much thou wrong'ft me, heaven be my judge!

Die damned wretch, the curfe of her that bare thee:
And as I thruft thy body in with my fword,
So with I, I might thrust thy foul to hell.
Hence will I drag thee headlong by the heels
Unto a dunghill, which fhall be thy grave;
And there cut off thy moft ungracious head,
Which I will bear in triumph to the King,
Leaving thy trunk for crows to feed upon.

ACT