JACK CADE IN LONDON (1450).
The rebellion headed by Cade was a manifestation of discontent at the incompetence of the Government. An expensive and unsuccessful war had been carried on in France, and there was very little disposition in England to aid the inadequate resources of the royal treasury, or to relieve the King from the load of debt which had been contracted. The King's Ministers were forced to have recourse to arbitrary measures, and the affections of the people were completely estranged. Cade was able, by holding out the prospect of redress of grievances, to collect about him a formidable body of malcontents. They were admitted into the City, where at first they conducted themselves with comparative moderation; but very soon indications of violence showed themselves, and the citizens realised their danger and were able to hold the rebels at bay until, dispirited by the opposition which they encountered, they dispersed.
Source.—Hall's Chronicle.
The captain being advised of the King's absence, came first into Southwark, and there lodged at the White Hart, prohibiting to all men, Murder, Rape, or Robbery: by which colour he allured to him the hearts of the common people. But after that he entered into London, and cut the ropes of the drawbridge, sticking his sword on London stone, saying: Now is Mortimer lord of this city, and rode in every street like a lordly Captain. And after a flattering declaration made to the Mayor of the city of his thither coming, he departed again to Southwark. And upon the third day of July, he caused Sir James Fynes, Lord Say, and Treasurer of England, to be brought to the Guildhall of London, and there to be arraigned: which being before the King's justices put to answer, desired to be tried by his peers, for the longer delay of his life.
The captain perceiving his dilatory plea, by force took him from the officers, and brought him to the standard in Cheape, and there before his confession ended, caused his head to be cut off, and pitched it on a high pole, which was openly borne before him through the streets. And this cruel tyrant not content with the murder of the Lord Say, went to Mile end, and there apprehended Sir James Cromer, then sheriff of Kent, and son in law to the said Lord Say, and him without confession or excuse heard, caused there likewise to be beheaded, and his head to be fixed on a pole, and with these two heads, this bloody butcher entered into the city again, and in despite caused them in every street to kiss together, to the great detestation of all the beholders.
After this shameful murder, succeeded open rapine and manifest robbery in divers houses within the City, and in especial in the house of Philip Malpas, Alderman of London, and divers others: over and beside ransoming, and fining of divers notable merchants, for the security of their lives and goods, as Robert Horne alderman, who paid 500 marks, and yet neither he, nor any other person was either of life or substance in a surety or safeguard. He also put to execution in Southwark divers persons, some for infringing his rules and precepts, because he would be seen indifferent, others he tormented of his old acquaintance, lest they should blaze and declare his base birth, and lousy lineage, disparaging him from his usurped surname of Mortimer, for the which, he thought and doubted not, both to have friends and fautors, both in London, Kent, and Essex. The wise Mayor, and sage magistrates of the City of London, perceiving themselves neither to be sure of goods nor of life well warranted, determined with fear to repel and expulse this mischievous head, and his ungracious company. And because the Lord Scales was ordained Keeper of the Tower of London, with Matthew Gough, the often named captain in Normandy, (as you have heard before), they purposed to make them acquainted both of their intent and enterprise. The Lord Scales promised them his aid, with shooting of ordinance, and Matthew Gough was by him appointed to assist the Mayor and the Londoners; because he was both of manhood, and experience greatly renowned and noised. So the Captains of the City appointed, took upon them in the night to keep the bridge of London, prohibiting the Kentish men, either to pass or approach. The rebels, which never soundly slept, for fear of sudden chances, hearing the bridge to be kept and manned, ran with great haste to open their passage, where between both parties was a fierce and cruel encounter. Matthew Gough, more expert in martial feats than the other chieftains of the City, perceiving the Kentish men better to stand to their tackling than his imagination expected, advised his company no further to proceed, toward Southwark, till the day appeared: to the intent, that the citizens hearing where the place of the jeopardy rested, might occur their enemies, and relieve their friends and companions. But this counsel came to small effect: for the multitude of the rebels drave the citizens from the staples at the bridge foot, to the draw bridge, and began to set fire in divers houses. Alas what sorrow it was to behold that miserable chance: for some desiring to eschew the fire, leapt on his enemies weapon, and so died; fearful women with children in their arms, amazed and appalled, leapt into the river: others doubting how to save themselves between fire, water, and sword, were in their houses suffocated and smouldered. Yet the Captains nothing regarding these chances, fought on the draw bridge all the night valiantly, but in conclusion, the rebels held the draw bridge, and drowned many, and slew John Sutton alderman, and Robert Heysande a hardy citizen, with many other, beside Matthew Gough, a man of great wit, much experience in feats of chivalry, the which in continual wars, had valiantly served the King and his father, in the parts beyond the sea (as before you have heard). But it is often seen that he, which many times hath vanquished his enemies in strange countries, and returned again as a conqueror, hath of his own nation afterward been shamefully murdered, and brought to confusion. This hard and sore conflict endured on the bridge, till 9 o'clock in the morning, in doubtful chance, and fortunes balance: for some time the Londoners were beaten back to the stulpes at Saint Magnes corner, and suddenly again the rebels were repulsed and driven back, to the stulpes in Southwark, so that both parties, being faint, weary and fatigued, agreed to desist from fight, and to leave battle till the next day, upon condition: that neither Londoners should pass into Southwark, nor the Kentishmen into London.
After this abstinence of war agreed, the lusty Kentish Captain, hoping on more friends, broke up the gaols of the Kings Bench and Marshalsea, and set at liberty a swarm of galants, both meet for his service and apt for his enterprise. The Archbishop of Canterbury, being then Chancellor of England, and for his surety lying in the Tower of London, called to him the Bishop of Winchester, which also for fear, lurked at Halywell. These two prelates seeing the fury of the Kentish people, by reason of their beating back, to be mitigate and minished, passed the River of Thames from the Tower, into Southwark, bringing with them under the King's great seal, a general pardon unto all the offenders: which they caused to be openly proclaimed and published. Lord how glad the poor people were of this pardon (the more than of the Jubilee of Rome) and how they accepted the same, in so much that the whole multitude, without bidding farewell to their captain, retired the same night, every man to his own home, as men amazed, and stricken with fear.
But John Cade desperate of help, which by the friends of the duke of York, were to him promised, and seeing his company thus without his knowledge suddenly depart, mistrusting the sequel of the matter, departed secretly in habit disguised into Sussex: but all his metamorphoses or transfiguration little prevailed. For after a Proclamation made, that whosoever could apprehend the aforesaid Jack Cade should have for his pains a thousand marks, many sought for him, but few espied him, till one Alexander Iden, esquire of Kent found him in a garden, and there in his defence, manfully slew the catiff Cade, and brought his dead body to London, whose head was set on London Bridge. This is the success of all rebels, and this fortune chanceth ever to traitors. For where men strive against the stream, their boat never cometh to his pretenced port.