Come, and get thee a sword, though made of a lath; they have been up these two days.

They have the more need to sleep now, then.

I tell thee, Jack Cade the clothier means to dress the commonwealth, and turn it, and set a new nap upon it.

So he had need, for ’tis threadbare. Well, I say it was never merry world in England since gentlemen came up.

O miserable age! Virtue is not regarded in handicraftsmen.

The nobility think scorn to go in leather aprons.

Nay, more, the King’s Council are no good workmen.

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.

Thou hast hit it; for there’s no better sign of a brave mind than a hard hand.

I see them! I see them! There’s Best’s son, the tanner of Wingham.

He shall have the skin of our enemies, to make dog’s leather of.

And Dick the butcher.

Then is sin struck down like an ox, and iniquity’s throat cut like a calf.

And Smith the weaver.

Argo, their thread of life is spun.

Come, come, let’s fall in with them.

We, John Cade, so termed of our supposed father—

[Aside.] Or rather, of stealing a cade of herrings.

For our enemies shall fall before us, inspired with the spirit of putting down kings and princes. Command silence.

Silence!

My father was a Mortimer—

[Aside.] He was an honest man and a good bricklayer.

My mother a Plantagenet—

[Aside.] I knew her well; she was a midwife.

My wife descended of the Lacies—

[Aside.] She was indeed a pedler’s daughter, and sold many laces.

[Aside.] But now of late, not able to travel with her furred pack, she washes bucks here at home.

Therefore am I of an honourable house.

[Aside.] Ay, by my faith, the field is honourable; and there was he born, under a hedge, for his father had never a house but the cage.

Valiant I am.

[Aside.] He must needs; for beggary is valiant.

I am able to endure much.

[Aside.] No question of that; for I have seen him whipped three market-days together.

I fear neither sword nor fire.

[Aside.] He need not fear the sword, for his coat is of proof.

[Aside.] But methinks he should stand in fear of fire, being burnt i’ th’ hand for stealing of sheep.

Be brave, then, for your captain is brave, and vows reformation. There shall be in England seven halfpenny loaves sold for a penny; the three-hooped 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 palfrey go to grass. And when I am king, as king I will be—

God save your majesty!

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.

The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers.

Nay, that I mean to do. Is not this a lamentable thing, that of the skin of an innocent lamb should be made parchment; that parchment, being scribbled o’er, should undo a man? Some say the bee stings, but I say ’tis the bee’s wax; for I did but seal once to a thing, and I was never mine own man since. How now? Who’s there?

The clerk of Chartham. He can write and read and cast account.

O, monstrous!

We took him setting of boys’ copies.

Here’s a villain!

H’as a book in his pocket with red letters in ’t.

Nay, then, he is a conjurer.

Nay, he can make obligations and write court-hand.

I am sorry for ’t. The man is a proper man, of mine honour; unless I find him guilty, he shall not die.—Come hither, sirrah, I must examine thee. What is thy name?

Emmanuel.

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

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

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

He hath confessed. Away with him! He’s a villain and a traitor.

Away with him, I say! Hang him with his pen and inkhorn about his neck.

Where’s our general?

Here I am, thou particular fellow.

Fly, fly, fly! Sir Humphrey Stafford and his brother are hard by, with the King’s forces.

Stand, villain, stand, or I’ll fell thee down. He shall be encountered with a man as good as himself. He is but a knight, is he?

No.

And Adam was a gardener.

And what of that?

Ay, sir.

By her he had two children at one birth.

That’s false.

Nay, ’tis too true; therefore he shall be King.

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.

Ay, marry, will we; therefore get ye gone.

Jack Cade, the Duke of York hath taught you this.

[Aside.] He lies, for I invented it myself.—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.

And furthermore, we’ll have the Lord Saye’s head for selling the dukedom of Maine.

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

O gross and miserable ignorance!

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?

No, no, and therefore we’ll have his head.

They are all in order and march toward us.

But then are we in order when we are most out of order. Come, march forward.