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  • Title: Henry VI, Part 2 (Quarto 1, 1594)

  • Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Henry VI, Part 2 (Quarto 1, 1594)

    Houses, of Yorke and Lancaster.
    2905Enter Iacke Cade at one doore, and at the other, maister Alexander
    2920 Eyden and his men, and Iack Cade lies downe picking of hearbes
    2920.1 and eating them.
    Eyden. Good Lord how pleasant is this country life,
    This litle land my father left me here,
    With my contented minde serues me as well,
    2924.1As all the pleasures in the Court can yeeld,
    2925Nor would I change this pleasure for the Court.
    Cade. Sounes, heres the Lord of the soyle, Stand villaine, thou
    wilt betraie mee to the King, and get a thousand crownes for my
    head, but ere thou goest, ile make thee eate yron like an Astridge,
    and swallow my sword like a great pinne.
    Eyden. Why sawcy companion, why should I betray thee?
    Ist not inough that thou hast broke my hedges,
    And enterd into my ground without the leaue of me the owner,
    2940But thou wilt braue me too.
    Cade. Braue thee and beard thee too, by the best blood of the
    Realme, looke on me well, I haue eate no meate this fiue dayes, yet
    and I do not leaue thee and thy fiue men as dead as a doore nayle, I
    2945pray God I may neuer eate grasse more.
    Eyden. Nay, it neuer shall be saide whilst the world doth stand,
    that Alexander Eyden an Esquire of Kent, tooke oddes to combat
    with a famisht man, looke on me, my limmes are equall vnto thine,
    and euery way as big, then hand to hand, ile combat thee. Sirrha
    fetch me weopons, and stand you all aside.
    2960Cade. Now sword, if thou doest not hew this burly-bond churle
    into chines of beefe, I beseech God thou maist fal into some smiths
    hand, and be turnd to hobnailes.
    Eyden. Come on thy way. (They fight, and Cade fals downe.
    2965Cade. Oh villaine, thou hast slaine the floure of Kent for chiual-
    2965.1rie, but it is famine & not thee that has done it, for come ten thou-
    sand diuels, and giue me but the ten meales that I wanted this fiue
    daies, and ile fight with you all, and so a poxe rot thee, for Iacke
    2970Cade must die. (He dies.
    Eyden. Iack Cade, & was it that monstrous Rebell which I haue
    slaine. Oh sword ile honour thee for this, and in my chamber shalt
    thou hang as a monument to after age, for this great seruice thou
    2985hast done to me. Ile drag him hence, and with my sword cut off his
    head, and beare it to the King. Exet.
    Enter