Vaux. To signify unto his majesty,
That Cardinal Beaufort is at point of death:
For suddenly a grievous sickness took him,
That makes him gasp and stare, and catch the
air,

Blaspheming God, and cursing men on earth.
Sometime, he talks as if duke Humphrey's
ghost

Were by his side: sometime, he calls the king,
And whispers to his pillow, as to him,
The secrets of his overcharged soul:
And I am sent to tell his majesty,
That even now he cries aloud for him.

Q. Mar. Go, tell this heavy message to the
king.
Ah me! what is this world? What news are
[Exit VAUX.
these?

But wherefore grieve I at an hour's poor loss,
Omitting Suffolk's exile, my soul's treasure?
Why only, Suffolk, mourn I not for thee,

And with the southern clouds contend in tears;
Theirs for the earth's increase, mine for my
sorrows?
[coming;
Now, get thee hence: the king thou know'st is
If thou be found by me, thou art but dead.

Suf. If I depart from thee, I cannot live:
And in thy sight to die, what were it else,
But like a pleasant slumber in thy lap?
Here could I breathe my soul into the air,
As mild and gentle as the cradle-babe,
Dying with mother's dug between its lips:
Where, from thy sight, I should be raging
mad,

And cry out for thee to close up mine eyes.
To have thee with thy lips to stop my mouth;
So shouldst thou either turn my flying soul,
Or I should breathe it so into thy body,
And then it lived in sweet Elysium.
To die by thee, were but to die in jest;
From thee to die, were torture more than
death:

O, let me stay, befall what may befall.

Q. Mar. Away! Though parting be a fretful
corrosive,

It is applied to a deathful wound.
[thee;
To France, sweet Suffolk: Let me hear from
For wheresoe'er thou art in this world's globe,
I'll have an Irist that shall find you out,

Suf. I go.

Q. Mar. And take my heart with thee.
Suf. A jewel lock'd into the woeful'st cask
That ever did contain a thing of worth.
Even as a splitted bark, so sunder we:
This way fall 1 to death.

Q. Mar. This way for me. [Exeuni, severally.

SCENE III.-London.-Cardinal BEAUFORT'S
Bed-chamber.

Enter King HENRY, SALISBURY, WARWICK,
and others.-The CARDINAL in Bed; Atten-
dants with him.

K. Hen. How fares my lord? Speak, Beaufort, to thy sovereign.

Car. If thou be'st death, I'll give thee Eng-
land's treasure,

Enough to purchase such another island,
So thou wilt let me live, and feel no pain.

K. Hen. Ah, what a sign it is of evil life,
When death's approach is seen so terrible!
War. Beaufort, it is thy sovereign speaks
to thee.

Car. Bring me unto my trial when you will. Died he not in his bed? Where should he die? Can I make men live, whe'r they will or no?

O! torture me no more, I will confess.-
Alive again? Then show me where he is;
I'll give a thousand pounds to look upon
him.-

He hath no eyes, the dust hath blinded them.—
Comb down his hair; look! look! it stands
upright,

Like lime-twigs set to catch my winged soul!-
Give me some drink; and bid the apothecary
Bring the strong poison that I bought of him.
K. Hen. O thou eternal Mover of the hea-
vens,

Look with a gentle eye upon this wretch!
O, beat away the busy meddling fiend,
That lays strong siege upon this wretch's soul,
And from his bosom purge this black despair!
War. See, how the pangs of death doth
make him grin.

Sal. Disturb him not, let him pass peaceably.
K. Hen. Peace to his soul, if God's plea-

sure be!

[bliss, Lord cardinal, if thou think'st on heaven's Hold up thy hand, make signal of thy hope.He dies, and makes no sign; O God, forgive him!

War. So bad a death argues a monstrous

life.

SCENE 1.-Kent.-The sea-shore near Dorer.
Firing heard at Sea.--Then enter from a Boat,
a CAPTAIN, a MASTER, a MASTER'S-MATE,
WALTER WHITMORE, and others; with them
SUFFOLK, and other Gentlemen, Prisoners.
Cap. The gaudy, blabbing, and remorseful
Is crept into the bosom of the sea; [day
That drag the tragic melancholy night;
And now loud-howling wolves arouse the jades
Who with their drowsy, slow, and flagging
Clip dead men's graves, and from their misty
wings
jaws
Breathe foul contagious darkness in the air.
Therefore, bring forth the soldiers of our prize;
For, whilst our pinnace anchors in the Downs,
Here shall they make their ransom on the sand,
Or with their blood stain this discolour'd
shore.-

Master, this prisoner freely give I thee:-
And thou that art his mate, make boot of
this:-

The other, [Pointing to Suffolk.] Walter Whit-
more, is thy share.

1 Gent. What is my ransom, master? Let me know.

Must. A thousand crowns, or else lay down your head.

Mate. And so much shall you give, or ofl

goes yours.

Cap. What, think you much to pay two
thousand crowns,

And bear the name and port of gentlemen?-
Cut both the villains' throats;-for die you

shall;

The lives of those which we have lost in fight,
Cannot be counterpoised with such a petty

sum.

1 Gen. I'll give it, Sir; and therefore spare my life.

2 Gen. And so will I, and write home for it straight.

* Pitiful.

And therefore, to revenge it, shalt thou die;
[To Suffolk.
And so should these, if I might have my will.
Cap. Be not so rash; take ransom, let him
live.

Whit. I lost mine eye in laying the prize | Against the senseless winds shall grin in vain,
aboard,
Who, in contempt, shall hiss at thee again:
And wedded be thou to the hags of hell,
For daring to affy* a mighty lord
Unto the daughter of a worthless king,
Having neither subject, wealth, nor diadem.
By devilish policy art thou grown great,
And, like ambitious Sylla, overgorged
With gobbets of thy mother's bleeding heart.
By thee, Anjou and Maine were sold to France:
The false revolting Normans, thorough thee,
Disdain to call us lord; and Picardy
Hath slain our governors, surprised our forts,
And sent the ragged soldiers wounded home.
The princely Warwick, and the Nevils all,—
Whose dreadful swords were never drawn in
As hating thee, are rising up in arms: [vain;
And now the house of York-thrust from the

Suf. Look on my George, I am a gentleman;
Rate me at what thou wilt, thou shalt be paid.
Whit. And so am I; my name is-Walter
Whitmore.
[affright?
How now? Why start'st thou? What, doth death
Suf. Thy name affrights me, in whose sound
is death.

A cunning man did calculate my birth,
And told me that by Water I should die :
Yet let not this make thee be bloody-minded;
Thy name is-Gualtier, being rightly sounded.
Whit. Gualtier, or Walter, which it is, I care
not;

Ne'er yet did base dishonour blur our name,
But with our sword we wiped away the blot;
Therefore, when merchant-like I sell revenge,
Broke be my sword, my arms torn and defac'd,
And I proclaim'd a coward through the world!
[Lays hold on SUFFOLK.
Suf. Stay, Whitmore; for thy prisoner is a
prince,

The duke of Suffolk, William de la Poole.
Whit. The duke of Suffolk, muffled up in
rags!

Suf. Ay, but these rags are no part of the duke:

Jove sometime went disguised, and why not I? Cap. But Jove was never slain, as thou shalt be.

Suf. Obscure and lowly swain, king Henry's
The honourable blood of Lancaster, [blood,
Must not be shed by such a jaded groom,*
Hast thou not kiss'd thy hand, and held my
stirrup?

Bare-headed plodded by my foot-cloth mule,
And thought thee happy when I shook my head?
How often hast thou waited at my cup,
Fed from my trencher, kneel'd down at the
board,

When I have feasted with queen Margaret?
Remember it, and let it make thee crest-fallen;
Ay, and allay this thy abortive pride:
How in our voiding lobby hast thou stood,
And duly waited for my coming forth?
This hand of mine hath writ in thy behalf,
And therefore shall it charm thy riotous tongue.
Whit. Speak, captain, shall I stab the for-
lorn swaiu?

Cup. First let my words stab him, as he hath

crown,

By shameful murder of a guiltless king,
And lofty proud encroaching tyranny,-
Burns with revenging fire; whose hopeful co-
lours

Advance our half-faced sun, striving to shine,
Under the which is writ-Invitis nubibus.
The commons here in Kent are up in arms:
And, to conclude, reproach, and beggary,
Is crept into the palace of our king,
And all by thee-Away! Convey him hence.
Suf. O that I were a god, to shoot forth
thunder

Upon these paltry, servile, abject drudges?
Small things make base men proud: this villain
here,

Being captain of a pinnacet threatens more
Than Burgulus the strong Illyrian pirate.
Drones suck not eagle's blood, but rob bee-
It is impossible, that I should die [hives.
By such a lowly vassal as thyself.
Thy words move rage, and not remorse, in me:
I go of message from the queen to France;
I charge thee, waft me safely cross the channel.
Cap. Walter,-

Whit. Come, Suffolk, I must waft thee to thy
death.

Suf. Gelidus timor occupat artus:-'Tis thee I fear.

Whit. Thou shalt have cause to fear, before

I leave thee.

What, are ye daunted now? Now will ye stoop? 1 Gent. My gracious lord, entreat him, speak him fair.

Suf. Suffolk's imperial tongue is stern and

rough,

Used to command, untaught to plead for favour.
Fare be it, we should honour such as these
With humble suit: no, rather let my head
Stoop to the block, than these knees bow to

Cap. And as for these whose ransom we have It is our pleasure, one of them depart:- [set, Therefore come you with us, and let him go.

[Exeunt all but the first GENTLEMAN. Re-enter WHITMORE with SUFFOLK'S Body. Whit. There let his head and lifeless body lie,

Until the queen his mistress bury it.

[Exit.

1 Gent. O barbarous and bloody spectacle! His body will I bear unto the king: 'If he revenge it not, yet will his friends; So will the queen, that living held him dear. [Exit with the Body.

SCENE II.-Blackheath.

Enter GEORGE BEVIS, and JOHN HOLLAND. Geo. Come, and get thee a sword, though made of a lath; they have been up these two days.

John. They have the more need to sleep now then.

Geo. I tell thee, Jack Cade the clothier means to dress the commonwealth, and turn it, and set a new nap upon it.

John. So he had need, for 'tis threadbare. Well, I say, it was never merry world in England, since gentlemen came up.

[Aside.

Cade. I fear neither sword nor fire. Smith. He need not fear the sword, his coat is of proof.

[Aside. Dick. But, methinks, he should stand in fear of fire, being burnt i'the hand for stealing of sheep. [Aside.

Cade. Be brave then; for your captain is in England, seven halfpenny loaves sold for a brave, and vows reformation. There shall be, penny: the three-hoop'd pot shall have ten beer: all the realm shall be in common, and in hoops; and I will make it felony, to drink small when I am king, (as king I will be)Cheapside shall my palfry go to grass. And,

All. God save your majesty!

shall be no money; all shall eat and drink on Cade. I thank you, good people:-There my score; and I will apparel them all in one livery, that they may agree like brothers, and

Geo. O miserable age! Virtue is not regard-worship me their lord. ed in handycrafts-men.

John. The nobility think scorn to go in leather aprons.

Geo. Nay more, the king's council are no good workmen.

John. True: and yet it is said,-Labour in thy vocation: which is as much to say, as,— let the magistrates be labouring men: and therefore should we be magistrates. Geo. Thou hast hit it: for there's no better sign of a brave mind, than a hard hand. John. I see them! I see them! There's Best's son, the tanner of Wingham;

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

John. And Dick the butcher,

Geo. Then is sin struck down like an ox, and iniquity's throat cut like a calf.

John. And Smith the weaver: Geo. Argo, their thread of life is spun. John. Come, come, let's fall in with them. Drum.-Enter CADE, DICK the Butcher, SMITH the Weaver; and others in great number. Cade. We John Cade, so term'd of our supposed father,

Dick. Or rather, of stealing a cade of herrings.* [Aside. Cade. for our enemies shall fall before us, inspired with the spirit of putting down kings and princes,-Command silence.

Dick. Silence!

Cade. My father was a Mortimer,Dick. He was an honest man, and a good bricklayer.

[Aside.

Cade. My mother a Plantagenet,— Dick. I knew her well, she was a midwife. [Aside. Cade. My wife descended of the Lacies,Dick. She was, indeed, a pedlar's daughter, and sold many laces. [Aside.

Smith. But, now of late, not able to travel with her furred pack, she washes bucks here at home. [Aside. Cade. Therefore am I of an honourable house. Dick. Ay, by my faith, the field is honoura

* A barrel of herrings,

lawyers.
Dick. The first thing we do, let's kill all the

lamentable thing, that of the skin of an inno-
Cude. Nay, that I mean to do. Is not this a
parchment, being scribbled o'er, should undo
cent lamb should be made parchment? That
'tis the bee's-wax: for I did but seal once to a
a man? Some say, the bee stings: but I say,
thing, and I was never mine own man since.

How now? Who's there?

Enter some, bringing in the CLERK of Chatham.
and read, and cast accompt.
Smith. The clerk of Chatham: he can write

Cade. O monstrous!

Smith. We took him setting of boys' copies.
Cude. Here's a villain!

Smith. H'as a book in his pocket, with red letters in't.

Cade. Nay, then he is a conjurer.

Dick. Nay, he can make obligations, and Write court-hand.

Cade. I am sorry for't: the man is a proper he shall not die.-Come hither, sirrah, I must man, on mine honour; unless I find him guilty, examine thee: What is thy name?

Clerk. Emmanuel.

ters:-Twill go hard with you.
Dick. They use to write it on the top of let-

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

brought up, that I can write my name.
Clerk. Sir, I thank God, I have been so well

All. He hath confess'd: 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: [Exeunt some with the CLERK. Enter MICHAEL.

Mich. Where's our general?

Cade. Here I am, thou particular fellow. Mich. Fly, fly, fly! Sir Humphrey Stafford and his brother are hard by, with the king's

forces.

Cude. Stand, villain, stand, or I'll fell theo

Now show yourselves men, 'tis for liberty. We will not leave one lord, one gentleman: Spare none, but such as go in clouted shoon;* For they are thrifty honest men, and such Cade. As for these silken-coated slaves, I As would, (but that they dare not) take our

SCENE III.-Another part of Blackheath. Alarums.-The two Parties enter, and fight, and both the STAFFORDS are slain.

Cade. Where's Dick, the butcher of Ashford?
Dick. Here, Sir.

Cade. They fell before thee like sheep and oxen, and thou behavedst thyself as if thou hadst been in thine own slaughter-house:

Cade. Ay, there's the question; but, I say, therefore thus will I reward thee,-The Lent

And could it not enforce them to relent,
That were unworthy to behold the same?
K. Hen. Lord Say, Jack Cade hath sworn
to have thy head.

Say. Ay, but hope, your highness shall

have his.

K. Hen. How now, madam? Still
Lamenting and mourning for Suffolk's death?
I fear, my love, if that I had been dead, [me.
Thou would'st not have mourn'd so much for
Q. Mar. No, my love, I should not mourn,
but die for thee.

Enter a MESSENGER.

K. Hen. How now! What news? Why
comest thou in such haste?
Mes. 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 pro-
ceed:

All scholars, lawyers, courtiers, gentlemen,
They call-false caterpillars, and intend their
death.

K. Hen. O graceless men!-They know not
what they do.

Buck. My gracious lord, retire to Kenel-
worth,

Until a power be raised to put them down.
Q. Mar. Ah! were the duke of Suffolk now

alive,

These Kentish rebels would be soon appeased.
K. Hen. Lord Say, the traitors hate thee,
Therefore away with us to Kenelworth.

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.

2 Mes. 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!

K. Hen. Come, Margaret; God, our hope, will succour us.

Q. Mar. My hope is gone, now Suffolk is de-
ceased.

K. Hen. Farewell, my lord; [To Lord SAY.]
trust not the Kentish rebels.
Buck. Trust nobody, for fear you be be
tray'd.

Say. The trust I have is in mine innocence,
And therefore am I bold and resolute.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V.-The same.The Tower. Enter Lord SCALES, and others, on the Walls. -Then enter certain CITIZENS, below. Scales. How now? Is Jack Cade slain? 1 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.

[ACT IF. Scales. Such aid as I can spare, you shall command;

But I am troubled here with them myself,
But get you to Smithfield, and gather head,
The rebels have assay'd to win the Tower.
And thither I will send you Matthew Gough:
Fight for your king, your country, and your
lives;

And so farewell, for I must hence again.

[Exeunt.

SCENE VI.-The same.-Cannon Street. Enter JACK CADE, and his Followers.-He strikes his Staff on London-stone. Cade. Now is Mortimer lord of this city. and command, that of the city's cost, the pisAnd here, sitting upon London-stone, I charge sing-conduit run nothing but claret wine this ward, it shall be treason for any that calls me first year of our reign. And now, henceforother 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 you Jack Cade more; fair warning. think, he hath a very

Dick. My lord, there's an army gather'd together in Smithfield.

Cade. Come then, let's go fight with them: and, if you can, burn down the Tower too. but first, go and set London-bridge on fire; Come, let's away. [Exeunt.

SCENE VII.-The same.-Smithfield. Alarum.-Enter, on one side, CADE and his Company; on the other, Citizens, and the King's Forces, headed by MATTHEW GOUGH. -They fight; the Citizens are routed, and MATTHEW GOUGH is slain.

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.

John. Mass, 'twill be sore law then; for he was thrust in the mouth with a spear, and 'tis not whole yet. for his breath stinks with eating toasted Smith. Nay, John, it will be stinking law [Aside. [Aside.

cheese.

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

tutes, unless his teeth be pull'd out.
John. Then we are like to have biting sta-
in common.
Cade. And henceforward all things shall be
[Aside.

Enter a MESSENGER.

lord Say, which sold the towns in France; he Mes. My lord, a prize, a prize! Here's the that made us pay one and twenty fifteens, and one shilling to the pound, the last subsidy.

Enter GEORGE BEVIS, with the Lord SAY. times.-Ah, thou say, thou serge, nay, thou Cade. Well, he shall be beheaded for it ten

* A fifteen was the fifteenth part of all the moveables,
or personal property, of each subject.
Say was a kind of serge.