Bro. That's false. 152
Cade. Ay, there's the question; but I say, 'tis true:
The elder of them, being put to nurse,
Was by a beggar-woman stol'n away;
And, ignorant of his birth and parentage, 156
Became a bricklayer when he came to age:
His son am I; deny it if you can.
Butch. Nay, 'tis too true; therefore he shall be king.
Weav. Sir, he made a chimney in my father's 160
house, and the bricks are alive at this day to
testify it; therefore deny it not.
Staf. And will you credit this base drudge's words,
That speaks he knows not what? 164
All. Ay, marry, will we; therefore get ye gone.
Bro. Jack Cade, the Duke of York hath taught you this.
Cade. [Aside.] He lies, for I invented it my-
self. Go to, sirrah; tell the king from me, that, 168
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. 172
Butch. And furthermore, we'll have the Lord
Say's head for selling the dukedom of Maine.
Cade. And good reason; for thereby is Eng-
land mained, and fain to go with a staff, but 176
that my puissance holds it up. Fellow kings, I
tell you that that Lord Say hath gelded the
commonwealth, and made it an eunuch; and
more than that, he can speak French; and 180
therefore he is a traitor.
Staf. O gross and miserable ignorance!
Cade. Nay, answer, if you can: the French-
170 span-counter: children's game played with coins or counters
176 mained: maimed
