SCENE X. - Kent. Iden's Garden.

Enter CADE.

Cade. Fie on ambition! fie on myself, that have a sword, and yet am ready to famish! These five days have I hid me in these woods; and durst not peep out, for all the country is laid for me. But now am I so hungry that if I might have a lease of my life for a thousand years, I could stay no longer. Wherefore, on a brick-wall have I climbed into this garden; to see if I can eat grass, or pick a sallet another while, which is not amiss to cool a man's stomach this hot weather. And I think this word sallet was born to do me good: for, many a time, but for a sallet my brain-pan had been cleft with a brown bill; and, many a time, when I have been dry, and bravely marching, it hath served me instead of a quart-pot to drink in: and now the word sallet must serve me to feed on.

Enter IDEN.

Iden. Lord, who would live turmoiled in the court,

And may enjoy such quiet walks as these?
This small inheritance my father left me
Contenteth me, and 's worth a monarchy.
I seek not to wax great by others' waning;
Or gather wealth I care not with what envy;
Sufficeth that I have maintains my state,
And sends the poor well pleasèd from my gate.

Cade. [aside.] Here's the lord of the soil come to seize me for a stray, for entering his feesimple without leave. -Ah, villain, thou wilt betray me, and get a thousand crowns of the king by carrying my head to him: but I'll make thee eat iron like an ostrich, and swallow my sword like a great pin, ere thou and I part.

Iden. Why, rude companion, whatsoe'er thou

be,

I know thee not: why then should I betray thee?
Is't not enough to break into my garden,
And, like a thief, to come to rob my grounds,
Climbing my walls in spite of me the owner,
But thou wilt brave me with these saucy terms ?

Cade. Brave thee? ay, by the best blood that ever was broached, and beard thee too. Look on me well: I have eat no meat these five days: yet, come thou and thy five men, and if I do not leave you all as dead as a door-nail, I pray God I may never eat grass more.

Iden. Nay, it shall ne'er be said, while England

stands,

That Alexander Iden, an esquire of Kent,
Took odds to combat a poor famish'd man.
Oppose thy steadfast-gazing eyes on mine,
See if thou canst outface me with thy looks.
Set limb to limb, and thou art far the lesser ;
Thy hand is but a finger to my fist;
Thy leg a stick, compared with this truncheon;
My foot shall fight with all the strength thou

hast;

And if mine arm be heavèd in the air,
Thy grave is digg'd already in the earth.
As for words, whose greatness answers words,
Let this my sword report what speech forbears.

Cade. By my valour, the most complete champion 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 beseech God on my knees thou mayest be turned to hobnails. [They fight. CADE falls.] Ο, Ι 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 mon-
strous 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 wipèd 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 victory. 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 famine, not by valour. [Dies.

Iden. How much thou wrong'st me, heaven be my judge.

Die, damned 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 soul to hell.
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. - Kent. 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.

ROM 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 fleur-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, 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, Shouldst raise so great a power without his

leave,

Or dare to bring thy force so near the court.

York. [aside.] 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!
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.
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 everything you wish.