Shakespeare's First Folio Part 383

Exeunt. omnes.

Sound Trumpets. Enter King, Queene, and Somerset on the Tarras.

King. Was euer King that ioy'd an earthly Throne, And could command no more content then I?

No sooner was I crept out of my Cradle, But I was made a King, at nine months olde.

Was neuer Subiect long'd to be a King, As I do long and wish to be a Subiect.

Enter Buckingham and Clifford.

Buc. Health and glad tydings to your Maiesty

Kin. Why Buckingham, is the Traitor Cade surpris'd?

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

Enter Mult.i.tudes with Halters about their Neckes

Clif. He is fled my Lord, and all his powers do yeeld, And humbly thus with halters on their neckes, Expect your Highnesse doome of life, or death

King. Then heauen set ope thy euerlasting gates, To entertaine my vowes of thankes and praise.

Souldiers, this day haue you redeem'd your liues, And shew'd how well you loue your Prince & Countrey: Continue still in this so good a minde, And Henry though he be infortunate, a.s.sure your selues will neuer be vnkinde: And so with thankes, and pardon to you all, I do dismisse you to your seuerall Countries

All. G.o.d saue the King, G.o.d saue the King.

Enter a Messenger.

Mes. Please it your Grace to be aduertised, The Duke of Yorke is newly come from Ireland, And with a puissant and a mighty power Of Gallow-gla.s.ses and stout Kernes, Is marching hitherward in proud array, And still proclaimeth as he comes along, His Armes are onely to remoue from thee The Duke of Somerset, whom he tearmes a Traitor

King. Thus stands my state, 'twixt Cade and Yorke distrest, Like to a s.h.i.+p, that hauing scap'd a Tempest, Is straight way calme, and boorded with a Pyrate.

But now is Cade driuen backe, his men dispierc'd, And now is Yorke in Armes, to second him.

I pray thee Buckingham go and meete him, And aske him what's the reason of these Armes: Tell him, Ile send Duke Edmund to the Tower, And Somerset we will commit thee thither, Vntill his Army be dismist from him

Somerset. My Lord, Ile yeelde my selfe to prison willingly, Or vnto death, to do my Countrey good

King. In any case, be not to rough in termes, For he is fierce, and cannot brooke hard Language

Buc. I will my Lord, and doubt not so to deale, As all things shall redound vnto your good

King. Come wife, let's in, and learne to gouern better, For yet may England curse my wretched raigne.

Flourish. Exeunt.

Enter Cade.

Cade. Fye on Ambitions: fie on my selfe, that haue a sword, and yet am ready to famish. These fiue daies haue I hid me in these Woods, and durst not peepe out, for all the Country is laid for me: but now am I so hungry, that if I might haue a Lease of my life for a thousand yeares, I could stay no longer. Wherefore on a Bricke wall haue I climb'd into this Garden, to see if I can eate Gra.s.se, or picke a Sallet another while, which is not amisse to coole a mans stomacke this hot weather: and I think this word Sallet was borne to do me good: for many a time but for a Sallet, my brain-pan had bene cleft with a brown Bill; and many a time when I haue beene dry, & brauely marching, it hath seru'd me insteede of a quart pot to drinke in: and now the word Sallet must serue me to feed on.

Enter Iden.

Iden. Lord, who would liue turmoyled in the Court, And may enioy such quiet walkes as these?

This small inheritance my Father left me, Contenteth me, and worth a Monarchy.

I seeke not to waxe great by others warning, Or gather wealth I care not with what enuy: Sufficeth, that I haue maintaines my state, And sends the poore well pleased from my gate

Cade. Heere's the Lord of the soile come to seize me for a stray, for entering his Fee-simple without leaue. A Villaine, thou wilt betray me, and get a 1000. Crownes of the King by carrying my head to him, but Ile make thee eate Iron like an Ostridge, and swallow my Sword like a great pin ere thou and I part

Iden. Why rude Companion, whatsoere thou be, I know thee not, why then should I betray thee?

Is't not enough to breake into my Garden, And like a Theefe to come to rob my grounds: Climbing my walles inspight of me the Owner, But thou wilt braue me with these sawcie termes?

Cade. Braue thee? I by the best blood that euer was broach'd, and beard thee to. Looke on mee well, I haue eate no meate these fiue dayes, yet come thou and thy fiue men, and if I doe not leaue you all as dead as a doore naile, I pray G.o.d I may neuer eate gra.s.se more

Iden. Nay, it shall nere be said, while England stands, That Alexander Iden an Esquire of Kent, Tooke oddes to combate a poore famisht man.

Oppose thy stedfast gazing eyes to mine, See if thou canst out-face me with thy lookes: Set limbe to limbe, and thou art farre the lesser: Thy hand is but a finger to my fist, Thy legge a sticke compared with this Truncheon, My foote shall fight with all the strength thou hast, And if mine arme be heaued in the Ayre, Thy graue is digg'd already in the earth: As for words, whose greatnesse answer's words, Let this my sword report what speech forbeares

Cade. By my Valour: the most compleate Champion that euer I heard. Steele, if thou turne the edge, or cut not out the burly bon'd Clowne in chines of Beefe, ere thou sleepe in thy Sheath, I beseech Ioue on my knees thou mayst be turn'd to Hobnailes.

Heere they Fight.

O I am slaine, Famine and no other hath slaine me, let ten thousand diuelles come against me, and giue me but the ten meales I haue lost, and I'de defie them all. Wither Garden, and be henceforth a burying place to all that do dwell in this house, because the vnconquered soule of Cade is fled

Iden. Is't Cade that I haue slain, that monstrous traitor?

Sword, I will hallow thee for this thy deede, And hang thee o're my Tombe, when I am dead.

Ne're shall this blood be wiped from thy point, But thou shalt weare it as a Heralds coate, To emblaze the Honor that thy Master got

Cade. Iden farewell, and be proud of thy victory: Tell Kent from me, she hath lost her best man, and exhort all the World to be Cowards: For I that neuer feared any, am vanquished by Famine, not by Valour.

Dyes.

Id. How much thou wrong'st me, heauen be my iudge; Die d.a.m.ned Wretch, the curse of her that bare thee: And as I thrust thy body in with my sword, So wish I, I might thrust thy soule to h.e.l.l.

Hence will I dragge thee headlong by the heeles Vnto a dunghill, which shall be thy graue, And there cut off thy most vngracious head, Which I will beare in triumph to the King, Leauing thy trunke for Crowes to feed vpon.

Enter.

Enter Yorke, and his Army of Irish, with Drum and Colours.

Yor. From Ireland thus comes York to claim his right, And plucke the Crowne from feeble Henries head.

Ring Belles alowd, burne Bonfires cleare and bright To entertaine great Englands lawfull King.

Ah Sancta Maiestas! who would not buy thee deere?

Let them obey, that knowes not how to Rule.

This hand was made to handle nought but Gold.

I cannot giue due action to my words, Except a Sword or Scepter ballance it.

A Scepter shall it haue, haue I a soule, On which Ile tosse the Fleure-de-Luce of France.

Enter Buckingham.

Whom haue we heere? Buckingham to disturbe me?

The king hath sent him sure: I must dissemble

Buc. Yorke, if thou meanest wel, I greet thee well

Yor. Humfrey of Buckingham, I accept thy greeting.

Art thou a Messenger, or come of pleasure

Buc. A Messenger from Henry, our dread Liege, To know the reason of these Armes in peace.

Or why, thou being a Subiect, as I am, Against thy Oath, and true Allegeance sworne, Should raise so great a power without his leaue?

Or dare to bring thy Force so neere the Court?

Yor. Sca.r.s.e can I speake, my Choller is so great.

Oh I could hew vp Rockes, and fight with Flint, I am so angry at these abiect tearmes.