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?BUCKINGHAM.What answer makes your Grace to the rebels'supplication?KING HENRY.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 Rul'd like a wandering planet over me,And could it not enforce them to relent That were unworthy to behold the same?KING HENRY.Lord Say,Jack Cade hath sworn to have thy head.SAY.Ay,but I hope your Highness shall have his.KING HENRY.How now,madam!Still lamenting and mourning for Suffolk's death?I fear me,love,if that I had been dead,Thou wouldst not have mourn'd so much for me.QUEEN.No,my love,I should not mourn,but die for thee.
Enter A MESSENGER
KING HENRY.How now!What news?Why com'st thou in such haste?MESSENGER.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 HENRY.O graceless men!they know not what they do.BUCKINGHAM.My gracious lord,retire to Killingworth Until a power be rais'd to put them down.QUEEN.Ah,were the Duke of Suffolk now alive,These Kentish rebels would be soon appeas'd!KING HENRY.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
SECOND MESSENGER.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.BUCKINGHAM.Then linger not,my lord;away,take horse.KING HENRY.Come Margaret;God,our hope,will succour us.QUEEN.My hope is gone,now Suffolk is deceas'd.KING HENRY.[To LORD SAY]Farewell,my lord,trust not the Kentish rebels.BUCKINGHAM.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 CITIZEN.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
SOLDIER.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,let's away.Exeunt
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 th'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.[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.JOHN.[Aside]Then we are like to have biting statutes,unless his teeth be pull'd out.CADE.And henceforward all things shall be in common.Enter a MESSENGER
MESSENGER.My lord,a prize,a prize!Here's the Lord Say,which sold the towns in France;he that made us pay one and twenty fifteens,and one shining to the pound,the last subsidy.
