Thy hand is but a finger to my fist; Thy leg a stick, compar'd with this truncheon; My foot shall fight with all the strength thou hast; 'And if mine arm be heaved in the air, Thy grave is digg'd already in the earth. As for more words, whose greatness answers words, 'Let this my sword report what speech forbears.

* Cade. By my valour, the most complete cham* pion that ever I heard. Steel, if thou turn the ' edge, or cut not out the burly-boned clown in 'chines of beef ere thou sleep in thy sheath, I be'seech God on my knees, thou mayest be turned to hob-nails. [They fight. Cade falls. O, I am 'slain! famine, and no other, hath slain me: let 'ten thousand devils come against me, and give 'me but the ten meals I have lost, and I'd defy ' them all. Wither, garden; and be henceforth a burying-place to all that do dwell in this house, because the unconquered soul of Cade is fled. 'Iden. Is't Cade that I have slain, that monstrous

traitor?

• Sword, I will hallow thee for this thy deed, And hang thee o'er my tomb, when I am dead: * Ne'er shall this blood be wiped from thy point; * But thou shalt wear it as a herald's coat, * To emblaze the honour that thy master got. Cade. Iden, farewell; and be proud of thy vic 'tory; Tell Kent from me, she hath lost her best 'man, and exhort all the world to be cowards; for I, that never feared any, am vanquished by fam

'ine, not by valour.

be my judge.

Dres.

* Iden. How much thou wrong'st me, heaven * Die, damned wretch, the curse of her that bare * And as I thrust thy body in with my sword, * So wish I, I might thrust thy soul to hell.

thee!

(1) i. e. In supposing that I am proud of my vic

1

Hence will I drag thee headlong by the heels 'Unto a dunghill, which shall be thy grave, And there cut off thy most ungracious head; Which I will bear in triumph to the king, 'Leaving thy trunk for crows to feed upon.

[Exit, dragging out the body.

ACT V.

SCENE I.-The same. Fields between Dartford and Blackheath. The King's camp on one side. On the other, enter York attended, with drum and colours: his forces at some distance.

York. From Ireland thus comes York, to claim his right, And pluck the crown from feeble Henry's head: 'Ring, bells, aloud; burn, bonfires, clear and bright, To entertain great England's lawful king. Ah, sancta majestas! who would not buy thee dear? 'Let them obey, that know not how to rule; This hand was made to handle nought but gold: 'I cannot give due action to my words, 'Except a sword or sceptre balance it, A sceptre shall it have, have I a soul; 'On which I'll toss the flower-de-luce of France.

Enter Buckingham.

Whom have we here? Buckingham, to disturb me? The king hath sent him, sure: I must dissemble. 'Buck. York, if thou meanest well, I greet thee

well.

'York. Humphrey of Buckingham, I accept thy greeting.

'Art thou a messenger, or come of pleasure? Buck. A messenger from Henry, our dread liege,

(1) i. e. Balance my hand.

To know the reason of these arms in peace; 'Or why, thou-being a subject as I am,'Against thy oath and true allegiance sworn, • Should'st raise so great a power without his leave, 'Or dare to bring thy force so near the court. York. Scarce can I speak, my choler)

is so great.

'O, I could hew up rocks, and fight with

flint, I am so angry at these abject terms; • And now, like Ajax Telamonius, On sheep or oxen could I spend my fury! Aside. I am far better born than is the king; 'More like a king, more kingly in my

thoughts:

But I must make fair weather yet a while,
Till Henry be more weak, and I more

strong.

• O Buckingham, I pr'ythee, pardon me,
That I have given no answer all this while;
My mind was troubled with deep melancholy.
The cause why I have brought this army hither,
Is-to remove proud Somerset from the king,
Seditious to his grace, and to the state.

Buck. That is too much presumption on thy

part:

But if thy arms be to no other end,
The king hath yielded unto thy demand;
The duke of Somerset is in the Tower.
York. Upon thine honour, is he prisoner?
Buck. Upon mine honour, he is prisoner.
'York. Then, Buckingham, I do dismiss my

powers.

Soldiers, I thank you all: disperse yourselves; • Meet me to-morrow in Saint George's field, You shall have pay, and every thing you wish. * And let my sovereign, virtuous Henry, * Command my eldest son,-nay, all my sons, * As pledges of my fealty and love, * I'll send them all as willing as I live ;

* Lands, goods, horse, armour, any thing I have * Is his to use, so Somerset may die.

'Buck. York, I commend this kind submission: 'We twain will go into his highness' tent.

Enter King Henry, attended.

'K. Hen. Buckingham, doth York intend no harm to us,

That thus he marcheth with thee arm in arm? * York. In all submission and humility, * York doth present himself unto your highness.

* K. Hen. Then what intend these forces thou

dost bring?

York. To heave the traitor Somerset from

hence;

And fight against that monstrous rebel, Cade, 'Who since I heard to be discomfited.

Enter Iden, with Cade's head.

Iden. If one so rude, and of so mean condition, May pass into the presence of a king, 'Lo, I present your grace a traitor's head, 'The head of Cade, whom I in combat slew.

'K. Hen. The head of Cade?-Great God, how

just art thou!

'O, let me view his visage, being dead,

That living wrought me such exceeding trouble. Tell me, my friend, art thou the man that slew him? 'Iden. I was, an't like your majesty.

'K. Hen. How art thou call'd? and what is thy

degree?

Iden. Alexander Iden, that's my name; 'A poor esquire of Kent, that loves his king.

* Buck. So please it you, my lord, 'twere not

amiss

* He were created knight for his good service. 'K. Hen. Iden, kneel down. [He kneels.] Rise

up a knight.

We give thee for reward a thousand marks; 'And will, that thou henceforth attend on us.

!

Iden. May Iden live to merit such a bounty,

And never live but true unto his liege!
K. Hen. See, Buckingham! Somerset comes
with the queen;

Go, bid her hide him quickly from the duke.
Enter Queen Margaret and Somerset.

Q. Mar. For thousand Yorks he shall not hide
his head,

But boldly stand, and front him to his face. 'York. How now! Is Somerset at liberty? Then, York, unloose thy long-imprison'd thoughts, And let thy tongue be equal with thy heart. Shall I endure the sight of Somerset?'False king! why hast thou broken faith with me,

،

6

Knowing how hardly I can brook abuse?
King did I call thee? no, thou art not king;
Not fit to govern and rule multitudes,
Which dar'st not, no, nor canst not rule a traitor.
That head of thine doth not become a crown;
Thy hand is made to grasp a palmer's staff,
And not to grace an awful princely sceptre.
That gold must round engirt these brows of mine;
Whose smile and frown, like to Achilles' spear,
Is able with the change to kill and cure.

'Here is a hand to hold a sceptre up,
'And with the same to act controlling laws.
'Give place; by heaven, thou shalt rule no more
'O'er him, whom heaven created for thy ruler.

Som. O monstrous traitor! - I arrest thee, York, Of capital treason 'gainst the king and crown: * Obey, audacious traitor; kneel for grace.

* York. Would'st have me kneel? first let me

ask of these,
* If they can brook I bow a knee to man.-
* Sirrah, call in my sons to be my bail;

* I know,

ere

[Exit an attendant.

they will have me go to ward,

(1) Custody, confinement.