Imatges de pàgina
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It were but necessary you were wak'd ;
Lest, being suffer'd in that harmful slumber,
The mortal worm might make the sleep eternal:
And therefore do they cry, though you forbid,
That they will guard you, whe'r you will, or no,
From such fell serpents as false Suffolk is;
With whose envenomed and fatal sting,
Your loving uncle, twenty times his worth,
They say, is shamefully bereft of life.

Commons. [Within.] An answer from the king, my lord of Salisbury.

Suf. 'Tis like, the commons, rude unpolish'd hinds, Could send such message to their sovereign: But you, my lord, were glad to be employ'd, To shew how quaint an orator you are: But all the honour Salisbury hath won, Is that he was the lord ambassador, Sent from a sort of tinkers to the king. Commons. [Within.] An answer from the king, or we 'll all break in.

K. Hen. Go, Salisbury, and tell them all from me,
I thank them for their tender loving care;
And had I not been 'cited so by them,
Yet did I purpose as they do entreat;
For sure, my thoughts do hourly prophesy
Mischance unto my state by Suffolk's means.
And therefore-by His majesty I swear,
Whose far unworthy deputy I am,

He shall not breathe infection in this air
But three days longer, on the pain of death. [Er. SAL.
Q. Mar. O Henry, let me plead for gentle Suffolk!
K. Hen. Ungentle queen, to call him gentle Suffolk.
No more, I say; if thou dost plead for him,
Thou wilt but add increase unto my wrath.
Had I but said, I would have kept my word;
But, when I swear, it is irrevocable:--

If, after three days' space, thou here be'st found
On any ground that I am ruler of,

The world shall not be ransome for thy life.-
Come, Warwick, come, good Warwick, go with me:
I have great matters to impart to thee.

[Exeunt K. HENRY, WARWICK, Lords, &c.
Q. Mar. Mischance, and sorrow, go along with you!
Heart's discontent, and sour affliction,
Be playfellows to keep you company!
There's two of you; the devil make a third!
And threefold vengeance tend upon your steps!
Suf. Cease, gentle queen, these execrations,
And let thy Suffolk take his heavy leave.
Q.Mar. Fye,coward woman, and soft-heartedwretch!
Hast thou not spirit to curse thine enemies? [them?
Suf. A plague upon them! wherefore should I curse
Would curses kill, as doth the mandrake's groan,
I would invent as bitter-searching terms,
As curst, as harsh, and horrible to hear,
Deliver'd strongly through my fixed teeth,
With full as many signs of deadly hate,
As lean-fac'd Envy in her loathsome cave:
My tongue should stumble in mine earnest words:
Mine eyes should sparkle like the beaten flint;
My hair be fix'd on end, as one distract;
Ay, every joint should seem to curse and ban:
And even now my burden'd heart would break,
Should I not curse them. Poison be their drink!
Gall, worse than gall, the daintiest that they taste!
Their sweetest shade, a grove of cypress trees!
Their chiefest prospect, murdering basilisks!
Their softest touch, as smart as lizards' stings!
Their music, frightful as the serpent's hiss;
And boding screech-owls make the concert full!
All the foul terrors in dark-seated hell

[thyself; Q. Mar. Enough, sweet Suffolk; thou torment'st

And these dread curses-like the sun 'gainst glass,
Or like an overcharged gun, recoil,
And turn the force of them upon thyself.

Suf. Your bade me ban, and will you bid me leave?
Now, by the ground that I am banish'd from,
Well could I curse away a winter's night,
Though standing naked on a mountain top,
Where biting cold would never let grass grow,
And think it but a minute spent in sport.

Q. Mar. O, let me entreat thee, cease! Give me thy That I may dew it with my mournful tears; [hand, Nor let the rain of heaven wet this place, To wash away my woeful monuments. O, could this kiss be printed in thy hand;

[Kisses his hand. That thou might'st think upon these by the seal, Through whom a thousand sighs are breath'd for thee! So, get thee gone, that I may know my grief; 'Tis but surmis'd whilst thou art standing by, As one that surfeits thinking on a want. I will repeal thee, or, be well assured, Adventure to be banished myself: And banished I am, if but from thee. Go, speak not to me; even now be gone.O, go not yet!-Even thus two friends condemn'd Embrace, and kiss, and take ten thousand leaves, Loather a hundred times to part than die. Yet now farewell; and farewell life with thee!

Suf. Thus is poor Suffolk ten times banished,
Once by the king, and three times thrice by thee.
'Tis not the land I care for, wert thou hence;
A wilderness is populous enough,
So Suffolk had thy heavenly company:
For where thou art, there is the world itself,
With every several pleasure in the world;
And where thou art not, desolation.

I can no more:-Live thou to joy thy life;
Myself no joy in nought, but that thou liv'st.
Enter VAUX.

Q. Mar. Whither goes Vaux so fast? what news, I
Vaux. To signify unto his majesty, [pr'ythee?
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. [Exit VAUX. Ah me what is this world? what news are 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; Their's for the earth's increase, mine for my sorrows? Now, get thee hence; The king thou know'st, is comIf thou be found by me, thou art but dead. [ing? 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 should'st thou either turn my flying soul,

Or I should breathe it so into thy body,
And then it liv'd 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.

To France, sweet Suffolk: Let me hear from thee;
For wheresoe'er thou art in this world's globe,
I'll have an Iris that shall find thee 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 I to death.

Q. Mar. This way for me.

SCENE III.

Clip dead men's graves, and from their misty 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 ransome 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 Whitmore,
is thy share.

1 Gent. What is my ransome, master? let me know. Mast. A thousand crowns, or else lay down your head.

Mate. And so much shall you give, or off goes yours. Cap. What, think you much to pay two thousand

crowns.

[Exeunt, severally. 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 counterpois'd with such a petty sum. 1 Gent. I'll give it, sir; and therefore spare my life. 2 Gent. And so will I, and write home for it straight. Whit. I lost mine eye in laying the prize aboard, And therefore, to revenge it, shalt thou die; [To SUF. And so should these, if I might have my will.

London.-Cardinal Beaufort's Bed-Chamber. Enter KING HENRY, SALISBURY, WARWICK, & others. The CARDINAL in bed; Attendants with him. K. Hen. How fares my lord? speak, Beaufort, to thy sovereign. [treasure, Car. If thou be'st death, I'll give thee England's 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 shew me where he is; I'll give a thousand pound 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 heavens, Look with a gentle eye upon this wretch! O, beat away the busy meddling fiend, That lays strong siege unto this wretch's soul, And from his bosom purge this black despair! War. See how the pangs of death do make him grin. Sal. Disturb him not, let him pass peaceably. K. Hen. Peace to his soul, if God's good pleasure be! Lord cardinal, if thou think'st on heaven's bliss, 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. K. Hen. Forbear to judge, for we are sinners all. Close up his eyes, and draw the curtain close; And let us all to meditation.

ACT IV.

[Exeunt.

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more.

Cap. Be not so rash; take ransome, let him live. 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 Whit[fright? How now? why start'st thou? what, doth death afSuf. 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; But with our sword we wip'd away the blot; Ne'er yet did base dishonour blur our name, 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 Pole.

my

head?

Whit. The duke of Suffolk, muffled up in rags! Jove sometime went disguis'd, and why not I? Suf. Ay, but these rags are no part of the duke; Cap. But Jove was never slain, as thou shalt be. Suf. Obscure and lowly swain, king Henry's blood, The honourable blood of Lancaster, 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 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-fall'n; 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 forlorn swain? Cap. First let my words stab him, as he hath me. Suf. Base slave! thy words are blunt, and so art thou. Cap. Convey him hence, and on our long-boat's side Strike off his head. Thou dar'st not for thy own.

Suf.
Cap. Yes, Poole.

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Cap.

Poole? Sir Poole? lord? |
Ay, kennel, puddle, sink; whose filth and dirt
Troubles the silver spring where England drinks.
Now will I dam up this thy yawning mouth,
For swallowing the treasure of the realm:

Thy lips, that kiss'd the queen, shall sweep the ground:
And thou, that smil'dst at good duke Humphrey's
Against the senseless winds shalt grin in vain, [death,
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, overgorg'd
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 their governors, surpriz'd our forts,
And sent the ragged soldiers wounded home.
The princely Warwick, and the Nevils all,--
Whose dreadful swords were never drawn in vain,-
As hating thee, are rising up in arms:
And now the house of York-thrust from the crown,
By shameful murder of a guiltless king,
And lofty proud encroaching tyranny,-
Burns with revenging fire; whose hopeful colours
Advance our half-fac'd 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 pinnace, threatens more
Than Bargulus the strong Illyrian pirate.
Drones suck not eagles' blood, but rob bee-hives.
It is impossible, that I should die

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, Us'd to command, untaught to plead for favour. Far 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 any, Save to the God of heaven, and to my king; And sooner dance upon a bloody pole, Than stand uncovered to the vulgar groom. True nobility is exempt from fear :More can I bear, than you dare execute.

Cap. Hale him away, and let him talk no more. Suf. Come, soldiers, shew what cruelty ye can, That this my death may never be forgot!— Great men oft die by vile bezonians: A Roman sworder and banditto slave, Murdered sweet Tully; Brutus' bastard hand Stabb'd Julius Cæsar; savage islanders, Pompey the great: and Suffolk dies by pirates. [Exit Sur. with WHIT. and others.

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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, ter's fall in with them. Drum. Enier CADE, DICK the butcher, SMITH the weaver, and others in great number. Cade. We John Cade, so termed of our supposed father,

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Cade. My father was a Mortimer,—

Dick. He was an honest man, and a good brick[Aside.

layer.

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 honourable; and

there was he born, under a hedge; for his father had | Cade. To equal him, I will make myself a knight never a house, but the cage. [Aside. presently; Rise up sir John Mortimer. Now have at him.

Cade. Valiant I am.

Smith. 'A must needs; for beggary is valiant.

[Aside.

Cade. I am able to endure much. Dick. No question of that; for I have seen him whipped three market days together. [Aside. Cade. I fear neither sword nor fire. Smith. He need not fear the sword, for 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 brave, and vows reformation. There shall be, in England, seven half-penny loaves sold for a penny: the threehooped pot shall have ten hoops; and I will make it felony, to drink small beer: all the realm shall be in common, and in Cheapside shall my palfry go to grass. And, when I am king, (as king I will be)— All. God save your majesty!

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

Enter Sir HUMPHREY STAFFORD, and WILLIAM his
brother, with drum and Forces.

Staf. Rebellious hinds, the filth and scum of Kent,
Mark'd for the gallows,-lay your weapons down,
Home to your cottages, forsake this groom ;-
The king is merciful, if you revolt.

W.Staf. But angry, wrathful, and inclin❜d to blood,
If you go forward: Therefore yield, or die.
Cade. As for these silken-coated slaves, I pass not;
It is to you, good people, that I speak,
O'er whom, in time to come, I hope to reign
For I am rightful heir unto the crown.

Staf. Villain, thy father was a plasterer;
And thou thyself, a shearman, Art thou not?
Cade. And Adam was a gardener.

W. Staf. And what of that?

Cade. Marry this: Edmund Mortimer, earl of March,
Married the duke of Clarence' daughter;- Did he not?
Staf. Ay, sir.

Cade. By her, he had two children at one birth.
W. Staf. That's false.

Dick. The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers.
Cade. Nay, that I mean to do. Is not this a la-The elder of them, being put to nurse,
mentable thing, that of the skin of an innocent lamb Was by a beggar-woman stol'n away;
should be made parchment? that parchment, being And, ignorant of his birth and parentage,
scribbled o'er, should undo a man? Some say, the Became a bricklayer, when he came to age:
bee stings: but I say, 'tis the bee's wax, for I did His son am I; deny it, if you can.
but seal once to a thing, and I was never mine own
man since. How now! who's there?

Cade. Ay, there's the question; but, I say, 'tis true:

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

Cade. O monstrous !

Smith. We took him setting of boys' copies.
Cade. 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 man, on mine honour; unless I find him guilty, he shall not die,-Come hither, sirrah, I must examine thee: What is thy name!

Clerk. Emmanuel.

Dick. They use to write it on the top of letters; 'Twill go hard with you.

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

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

All. He hath confessed: 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. Cade. Stand, villain, stand, or I'll fell thee down: He shall be encountered with a man as good as self: He is but a knight, is 'a?

Mich. No.

Dick. Nay, 'tis too true; therefore he shall be king. Smith. Sir, he made a chimney in my father's house, and the bricks are alive at this day to testify it; therefore, deny it not.

Staf. And will you credit this base drudge's words, That speaks he knows not what?

All. Ay, marry, will we; therefore get ye gone. W. Staf. Jack Cade, the duke of York hath taught you this.

Cade. He lies, for I invented it myself. [Aside.Go to, sirrah, Tell the king from me, that for his father's sake, Henry the Fifth, in whose time boys went to span-counter for French crowns.-I am content he shall reign; but I'll be protector over him.

Dick. And, furthermore, we'll have the lord Say's head, for selling the dukedom of Maine.

Cade. And good reason, for thereby is England maimed, and fain to go with a staff, but that my puissance holds it up. Fellow kings, I tell you, that that lord Say hath gelded the commonwealth, and made it an eunuch: and more than that, he can speak French, and therefore he is a traitor.

Staf. O gross and miserable ignorance!

Cade. Nay, answer, if you can: The Frenchmen are our enemies: go to then, I ask but this ; Can he, that speaks with the tongue of an enemy, be a good counsellor, or no?

Ail. No, no; and therefore we'll have his head.
W. Staf. Well, seeing gentle words will not pre-
Assail them with the army of the king. [vail,
Staf. Herald, away: and, throughout every town,
Proclaim them traitors that are up with Cade;
That those, which fly before the battle ends,
May, even in their wives' and children's sight,
Be hang'd up for example at their doors :-
And you, that be the king's friends, follow me.

[Exeunt the two STAFFORDS, and Forces.
Cade. And you, that love the commons, follow me.-
him-Now shew yourselves men, 'tis for liberty.
We will not leave one lord, one gentleman:
Spare none, but such as go in clouted shoon;

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