thy five men, and if I do not leave you as dead as a door nail, I pray God, I may never eat grafs more. Iden. Nay, it fhall ne'er be faid while England ftands,

That Alexander Iden an Esquire of Kent,
Took odds to combat a poor famish'd man.
Oppofe thy ftedfalt gazing eyes to mine,
See, if thou canft out-face me with thy looks;
Set limb to limb, and thou art far the leffer;
Thy hand is but a finger to my fift;

Thy leg a ftick, compared with this truncheon,
My foot fhall fight with all the ftrength thou hast;
And if mine arm be heaved in the air,
Thy grave is digg'd already in the earth.

4 As for more words, whofe greatness answers words, Let this my fword report what fpeech forbears.

Cade. By my valour, the most compleat champion that ever I heard. Steel, if thou turn thine edge, or cut not out the burly-bon'd Clown in chines of beef ere thou fleep in thy fheath, I befeech Jove on my knees thou mayft be turned into hobnails.

[Here they fight. OI am flain! famine, and no other, hath flain me; let ten thousand devils come against me, and give me but the ten meals I have loft, and I'd defy them all. Wither garden, and be henceforth a burying place to all that do dwell in this houfe; because the unconquer'd foul of Cade is fled.

4 As for more words, whofe greatnefs aufwers swords, Let this my fword report what Speech forbears] Sir T. Hanmer, and after him Dr. Warburton, read,

As for more words, Lt this my

fword report (Whef greatnessanfwers words) What jpeech forbears. It feems to be a poor praife of a

fword, that its greatness answers words, whatever be the meaning of the expreffion. The old reading, though fomewhat obfcure, feems to me more capable of explanation. For more swords, whole pomp and tumour may answer words, and only words, I fhall for bear them, and refer the reft to my favira.

Iden. Is't Cade that I have flain, that monftrous traitor?

Sword, I will hallow thee for this thy deed,
And hang thee o'er my tomb, when I am dead.
Ne'er fhall this blood be wiped from thy point,
But thou shalt wear it as a herald's coat,
T'emblaze the honour which thy mafter got.

Cade. Iden, farewel, and be proud of thy victory. Tell Kent from me, fhe hath loft her beft man; and exhort all the world to be cowards; for I, that never fear'd any, am vanquifh'd by famine, not by valour. How much thou wrong'ft me, heaven be my judge!

Iden.

[Dies. Die damned wretch, the Curfe of her that bare thee; And as I thrust thy body in with my fword,

So with I, I might thruft thy foul to hell. Hence will I drag thee headlong by the heels Unto a dunghill, which fhall be thy grave; And there cut off thy moft ungracious head, Which I will bear in triumph to the King, Leaving thy trunk for crows to feed upon.

5 How much thou wrong'st me.] That is, in fuppofing that I am proud of my victory.

6 So with I, I might thrust thy foul to hell.] Not to dwell upon the wickedness of this horrid with, with which Iden debafes his character, this whole fpeech is wild and confufed. To

[Exit.

draw a man by the heels, headlong, is fomewhat difficult; nor can I difcover how the dunghill would be his grave if his trunk were left to be fed upon by crows. Thefe I conceive not to be the faults of corruption but of negligence, and therefore do not attempt correction.

ACT V.
V. SCENE I

In the Fields near London.

Enter York, and his army of Irish, with drum and colours,

YORK, at a distance from his followers.

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 Majelty 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,
Exc pt a word, or fcepter, balance it. *
A fcepter fhall it have, have I a foul, +
On which I'll tofs the Flower de-luce of France,

Enter Buckingham.

Whom have we here? Buckingham to disturb me?
The King hath fent him, fure I must diffemble,
Buck. York, if thou mean't well, I greet thee well.
York. Humphry of Buckingham. I accept thy greeting.
Art thou a meffenger, or come of pleafure?

Buck. A meffenger from Henry our dread Liege,
To know the reafon of thefe Arms in Peace?
Or why, thou, being a Subject as I am,
Against thy oath and true allegiance fworn,

-balance it.] That is, balance my hand

↑ A Scepter fall it have, have Iajou, I read, A feepter ball it have, have I a word. or obferves that his hand must

be employed with a sword or Scepter; he then naturally obferves, that he has a few rd, and refolves that if he has a fword he will have a jeepter.

Should

Shouldft raife fo great a power without his leave,
Or dare to bring thy force fo near the Court?
York. Scarce can I fpeak, my choler is fo
great.

Oh! I could hew up rocks and fight with flint,
I am fo angry at thefe abject terms.
And now, like Ajax Telemonius,

On theep or oxen could I fpend my fury.
I am far better born than is the King,

More like a King, more kingly in my
thoughts.

Afide.

But I must make fair weather yet a while,
Till Henry be more weak and I more strong. j
O Buckingham! I pr'ythee, pardon me,
That I have giv'n no answer all this while;
My mind was troubled with deep melancholy.
The caufe, why I have brought this army hither,
Is to remove proud Somerfet from the King,
Seditious to his Grace and to the State.

Buck. That is too much prefumption on thy part;
But if thy arms be to no other end,

The King hath yielded unto thy demand,
The Duke of Somerfet is in the Tower.

York. Upon thine Honour is he prifoner?
Buck. Upon mine Honour, he is prifoner.

York. Then, Buckingham, I do difmifs my Powers.
-Soldiers, I thank you all; difperse yourselves;
Meet me to morrow in St. George's field,
You fhall have Pay and every thing you wish.
-And let my Sovereign, virtuous Henry,
Command my eldeft fon; nay, all my fons,
As pledges of my fealty and love,
I'll fend them ali as willing as I live;
Lands, goods, horfe, armour, any thing I have
Is his to ule, fo Somerfet may die.

Buck. York, I commend this kind fubmiffion, We twain will go into his Highnels' tent.

H 4

[Exeunt.

SCENE

SCENE II.

Changes to the King's Pavilion.

Enter King Henry and Attendants. Re-enter Buck ingham and York, attended.

K. Henry. Buckingbam, doth York intend no Harm

That thus he marcheth with thee arm in arm?
York. In all fubmiffion and humility,

York doth prefent himself unto your Highness.

K. Henry. Then what intend thefe forces thou dost bring?

York. To heave the traitor Somerfet from hence, And fight againft that monftrous Rebel Cade, Whom, fince, I heard to be difcomfited.

Enter Iden with Cade's head.

Iden. If one fo rude, and of fo mean condition, May pass into the presence of a King,

Lo, I prefent your Grace a traitor's head;

The head of Cade, whom I in Combat flew.

K. Henry. The head of Cade? Great God! how just art thou?

O, let me view his visage being dead,

That, living, wrought me fuch exceeding trouble.
Tell me, my friend; art thou the man, that flew him?
Iden. I was, an't like your Majesty.

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

Iden. Alexander Iden, that's my name,

A poor Efquire of Kent, that loves the King,

Buck. So please it you, my Lord, 'twere not amifs He were created Knight for his good fervice.

K. Henry. Iden, kneel down. [he kneels] Rife up a Knight,

We