A pun, perhaps alluding to the brown bills, or halberds, with which the commons were anciently armed. 2 This fact is recorded by Holinfhed, p. 634: "and as it were in a fpite caufed them in every street to kiffe together."

Soldiers, this day have you redeem'd your lives,
And fhew'd how well you love your prince and
Country:

Continue ftill in this fo good a mind,
And Henry, though he be infortunate,
Affure yourselves, will never be unkind:
And fo, with thanks, and pardon to you all,
I do difmifs you to your feveral countries.

All. God fave the king! God fave the king!
Enter a Meffenger,

Mef. Please it your grace to be advertised,
The duke of York is newly come from Ireland:
And with a puiflant and a mighty power,
Of Gallow-glaffes, and ftout Kernes 1,
Is marching hitherward in proud array;
And ftill proclaimeth, as he comes along,
His arms are only to remove from thee
The duke of Somerfet, whom he terms a traitor.
K. Heny. Thus ftands my ftate, 'twixt Cade and
York diftrefs'd;

Like to a fhip, that, having 'fcap'd a tempeft,
Is ftraightway calm'd, and boarded with a pirate:
But now is Cade driven back, his men difpers'd;
And now is York in arms, to second him.-
I pray thee, Buckingham, go and meet him;
And ask him, what's the reafon of these arms.
Tell him, I'll fend duke Edmund to the Tower :-
And, Somerset, we will commit thee thither,
Until his army be difmifs'd from him.

Som. My lord,

I'll yield myself to prison willingly,
Or unto death, to do my country good.

K. Hen. In any cafe be not too rough in terms;
For he is fierce, and cannot brook hard language.
Buck. I will, my lord; and doubt not fo to deal,
As all things fhall redound unto your good.

K. Henry. Come, wife, let's in, and learn to vern better;

For yet may England curfe my wretched reign.

drink in; and now the word fallet must ferve me to feed on.

Enter Iden, with Servants.

Iden. Lord, who would live turmoiled in the
And may enjoy fuch quiet walks as these? [court,
This fma!! inheritance, my father left me,
Contenteth me, and's worth a monarchy.
I feek not to wax great by others' waining;
Or gather wealth, I care not with what envy;
Sufficeth, that I have maintains my state,
And fends the poor well pleafed from my gate.

Cade. Here's the lord of the foil come to feize me for a ftray, for entering his fee-fimple without leave. Ah, villain, thou wilt betray me, and get a thonfand crowns of the king for carrying my head to him; but I'll make thee eat iron like an oftridge, and fwallow my fword like a great pin, ere thou and I part.

Iden. Why, rude companion, whatfee'er thou be,
I know thee not; Why then thould 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 fpight of me the owner,
But thou wilt brave me with thefe faucy terms?

Cade. Brave thee? ay, by the best blood that ever was broach'd, and beard thee too. Look on me well: I have eat no meat thefe 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, 1 may never eat grafs more.

Iden. Nay, it fhall ne'er be faid, while England
stands,

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

[Excunt.

Thy leg a flick, compared with this truncheon ;
My foot fhall fight with all the strength thou haft ;
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 fword report what speech forbears 3.

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-bon'd clown in chines
of beef ere thou sleep in thy fheath, I beseech Jove
on my knees, thou may'st be turn'd to hobnails.
[Here they fight.

Cade. Fie on ambition! fie on myfelf; that have a fword, and yet am ready to famifh! These five days have I hid me in these woods; and durft not peep out, for all the country is lay'd for me; but now am I fo hungry, that if I might have a leafe of my life for a thoufand years, I could ftay no longer. Wherefore, on a brick-wall have 10, I am flain! famine, and no other, hath flain climb'd into this garden; to fee if I can eat grafs, me: let ten thousand devils come against me, and or pick a fallet another while, which is not amifs to give me but the ten meals I have loft, and I'd defy cool a man's ftomach this hot weather. And, I them all. Wither, garden; and be henceforth a think, this word fallet was born to do me good: burying-place to all that do dwell in this house, befor, many a time, but for a fallet, my brain-pan caufe the unconquer'd foul of Cade is fled. had been cleft with a brown bill; and, many a time, when I have been dry, and bravely marching, it hath ferv'd me inftead of a quart-pot to Sword, I will hallow thee for this thy deed,

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

Gallowglaffes and Kernes were two orders of foot foldiers among the Irish. by corruption from celata, a helmet (lays Skinner), quia galeenlate fuerunt. more words, whole pomp may aníwer words, and only words, I fhall forbear them, to my sword.

Ne'er fhall this blood be wiped from thy point; Die, damned wretch, the curfe of her that bare thee ! But thou shalt wear it as a herald's coat, And as I thruft thy body in with my fword, To emblaze the honour that thy mafter got. So with I, I might thruft thy foul to hell. Cade. Iden, farewel; and be proud of thy vic-Hence will I drag thee headlong by the heels tory: Tell Kent from me, the hath loft her beft Unto a dunghill, which fhall be thy grave, man, and exhort all the world to be cowards; for And there cut off thy moft ungracious head; I, that never fear'd any, am vanquish'd by famine,' Which I will bear in triumph to the king, not by valour. [Dies. Leaving thy trunk for crows to feed upon. [Exit.

ACT V.

1 How Iden was to hang a fword over his own tomb, after he was dead, we cannot pretend to explain. The fentiment of this paffage is more correctly expreffed thus in the quarto: "Oh fword, I'll honour thee for this, and in my chamber fhalt thou hang, as a monument to after age, for this great fervice thou haft done to me." 2 That is, balance my hand. A poor

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; [be kneels] Rife
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 fuch a bounty,
And never live but true unto his liege!

K. Henry, See, Buckingham! Somerset comes
with the queen ;

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

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

But boldly ftand, and front him to his face.

Tork. How now! is Somerfet at liberty?
Then, York, unloofe thy long imprifon'd thoughts,
And let thy tongue be equal with thy heart.
Shall I endure the fight of Somerset ?-
Falfe king! why hast thou broken faith with me,
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'ft not, no, nor canft 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 scepter.
That gold must round engirt thefe brows of mine;
Whofe fmile and frown, like to Achilles' fpear,
Is able with the change to kill and cure.
Here is a hand to hold a fcepter up,
And with the fame to act controlling laws.
Give place; by heaven, thou fhalt rule no more
O'er him, whom heaven created for thy ruler.

Som. O monftrous traitor !—I arrest thee, York,
Of capital treafon 'gainst the king and crown:
Obey, audacious traitor; kneel for grace.

York. Sirrah, call in my fons to be my bail.
[Exit an Attendant.
Wouldit have me kneel? firft let me afk of thefe,
If they can brook I bow a knee to man.-
I know, ere they will let me go to ward,
They'll pawn their fwords for my enfranchifement.
2. Mar. Call hither Clifford; bid him come
amain,

To fay, if that the baftard boys of York
Shall be the furety for their traitor father.

York. O blood-befpotted Neapolitan,
Out-caft of Naples, England's bloody fcourge!
The fons of York, thy betters in their birth,
Shall be their father's bail; and bane to thofe
That for my furety will refufe the boys.

Enter Edward and Richard.

York. We thank thee, Clifford: Say, what
news with thee?

Nay, do not fright us with an angry look:
We are thy fovereign, Clifford, kneel again;
For thy miftaking fo, we pardon thee.

Clif. This is my king, York, I do not mistake ;
But thou mistak'ft me much, to think I do :-
To Bedlam with him! is the man grown mad?
K. Henry. Ay, Clifford; a bedlam and ambitious

humour

Makes him oppofe himself against his king.
Clif. He is a traitor; let him to the Tower,
And crop away that factious pate of his.

2. Mar. He is arrefted, but will not obey;
His tons, he fays, fhall give their words for him.
York. Will you not, fors?
[ferve.

E. Plan. Ay, noble father, if our words will
R. Plan. And if words will not, then our wea-

pons fhall.

Clif. Why, what a brood of traitors have we here!
York. Look in a glafs, and call thy image fo;
I am thy king, and thou a falfe-heart traitor.—
Call hither to the stake my two brave bears,
That, with the very fhaking of their chains,
They may astonish these fell lurking curs:
Bid Salisbury, and Warwick, come to me.
Drums. Enter the Earls of Warwick and Salifoury.
Clif. Are these thy bears? we'll bait thy bears
to-death,

And manacle the bear-ward in their chains,
If thou dar'ft bring them to the baiting-place.

R. Plan. Oft have I feen 2 a hot o'er-weening cur
Run back and bite, because he was withheld;
Who, being fuffer'd with the bear's fell paw,
Hath clapp'd his tail between his legs, and cry'd:
And fuch a piece of fervice will you do,

If you oppofe yourselves to match lord Warwick.
As crooked in thy manners as thy fhape!
Clif. Hence, heap of wrath, foul indigested lump,

York. Nay, we shall heat you thoroughly anon.
Clif. Take heed, left by your heat you burn
{to bow?-

yourselves.

K. Henry. Why, Warwick, hath thy knee forget
Old Salisbury,-thame to thy filver hair,
Thou mad mif-leader of thy brain-fick fon!
What, wilt thou on thy death-bed play the ruffian,
And feek for forrow with thy fpectacles —
Oh, where is faith? oh, where is loyalty?
If it be banish'd from the frofty head,
Where fhall it find a harbour in the earth?
Wilt thou go dig a grave to find out war,
And fhame thine honourable age with blood?
Why art thou old, and want'ft experience?
Or wherefore doft abuse it, if thou hart it?

See, where they came; I'll warrant, they'll make For fhame! in duty bend thy knee to me,

it good.

That bows unto the grave with mickle age.

Sal. My lord, I have confider'd with myself
The title of this most renowned duke;

| And in my confcience do repute his grace
The rightful heir to England's royal feat.
K. Henry. Haft thou not fworn allegiance unto me?
Sal. I have,

1 The Nevils, earls of Warwick, had a bear and ragged fluff for their cognizance. was anciently a royal sport,

2 Bear-baiting

K. Henry

K. Henry. Can't thou difpenfe with heaven for
fuch an oath?

Sal. It is great fin, to fwear unto a fin;
But greater fin, to keep a finful oath.
Who can be bound by any folemn vow
To do a murderous deed, to rob a man,
To force a spotleís virgin's chattity,
To reave the orphan of his patrimony,

To wring the widow from her cuftom'd right;
And have no other reafon for this wrong,
But that he was bound by a folemn oath ?

2. Mar. A fubtle traitor needs no sophister.
K. Henry. Call Buckingham, and bid him arm
himielf.
[haft,
York. Call Buckingham, and all the friends thou
I am refolv'd for death, or dignity.

O!! Clif. The firit I warrant thee, if dreams

prove true.

War. You were beft go to bed, and dream again,
To keep thee from the tempeft of the field.

Old Clif. I am refolv'd to bear a greater storm,
Than any thou canst conjure up to-day :
And that I'll write upon thy burgonet 1,
Might 1 but know thee by thy houfe's badge.

Enter Clifford.

War. Of one or both of us the time is come.

York. Hold, Warwick, feek thee out fome other
chace,

For I myself muft hunt this deer to death.
War. Then, nobly, York; 'tis for a crown
thou fight'ft.-

As I intend, Clifford, to thrive to-day,
It grieves my foul to leave thee unatiail'd.

[Exit arwick. Clif. What feet thou in me, York? why doft thou paute

York. With thy brave bearing fhould I be in love, But that thou art fo falt mine enemy. [efteem, Chif. Nor should thy prowefs want praise and But that 'tis fhewn ignobly, and in treafon.

York. So let it help me now againft thy fword, As I in juftice and true right exprefs it! Clif. My foul and body on the action both !— York. A dreadful lay 3 !--addrefs thee inftantly. [Fight, and Clifford fall. Clif. La fin couronne les œurpes [Dies. York. Thus war hath given thee peace, for thou art ftill.

Wa. Now by my father's badge, old Nevil's Peace with his foul, heaven, if it be thy will!

creit,

The rampant bear chain'd to the ragged staff,
This day I'll wear aloft my burgonet,
(As on a mountain top the cedar fhews,
That keeps his leaves in fpight of any storm)
Even to affright thee with the view thereof.
Old Clif. And from thy burgonet I'll rend thy bear,|
And tread it under foot with all contempt,
Defpight the bear-ward that protects the bear.

Y. Chf. And so to arms, victorious noble father,
To quell thefe traitors and their 'complices.
R. Plan. Fie! charity, for fhame! fpeak not
in fpight,

For you shall sup with Jefu Chrifi to-night.

Y. Clif. Foul ftigmatic 2, that's more than thou

War. Clifford of Cumberland, 'tis Warwick calls!
And if thou doft not hide thee from the bear,
Now, when the angry trumpet founds alarm,
And dead men's cries do fill the empty air,-
Clifford, I fay, come forth and fight with me!
Proud northern lord, Clifford of Cumberland,
Warwick is hoarfe with calling thee to arms.
Enter York.

How now, my noble lord? what, all a-foot?
York. The deadly-handed Clifford flew my fteed;
But match to match I have encounter'd him,
And made a prey for carrion kites and crows
Even of the bonny beaft he lov'd fo well.

Enter young Clifford.

[Exit.

Y. Clif. Shame and confufion! all is on the rout ;
Fear frames diforder, and diforder wounds
Where it should guard. O war, thou fon of hell,
Whom angry heavens do make their minifter,
Throw in the frozen bosoms of our part
Hot coals of vengeance !-Let no foldier fly:
He that is truly dedicate to war,
Hath no felf-love; nor he, that loves himself,
Hath not effentially, but by circumitance,
The name of valour.-O let the vile world end,
[Seeing his dead father.

And the premised 5 flames of the laft day
Knit earth and heaven together!
Now let the general trumpet blow his blaft,
Particularities and petty founds

To ceafe!Waft thou ordain'd, dear father,
To lofe thy youth in peace, and to achieve 7
The filver livery of advited age;

And, in thy reverence, and thy chair-days, thus
To die in ruffian battle-Even at this fight,
My heart is turn'd to ftone: and, while 'tis mine,
It shall be ftony. York not our old men ipares ;
No more will I their babes: tears virginal
Shall be to me even as the dew to fire;
And beauty, that the tyrant oft reclaims,
Shall to my flaming wrath be oil and flax.
Henceforth, I will not have to do with pity:
Meet I an infant of the houfe of York,
Into as many gobbets will I cut it,
is wiki Medea young Abfyrtus did :
In cruelty will feek out my fame.
Come, thou new ruin of old Clifford's houfe;
[Taking up the body.

2 A figmatic is one on whom nature has fet a mark of deformity. 5 Premifed, for fent before their time.

4 1. c. prepare.

The fenfe is, let the flames referved for the lait day be fent now. oi.c. to top. 7 i. e. to obtain.

As