The Comic History of EnglandÀ Beckett, Gilbert Abbott
History
The Comic History of England
À Beckett, Gilbert Abbott
Great Britain -- History -- Humor
The court was now prepared with an answer in the shape of a large army,
which advanced upon Blackheath, and caused Cade to be taken so regularly
aback, that he jibbed as far as Sevenoaks. Here he halted, and waited
the attack of the royal army, a detachment of which came up and went
down like a pack of cards, though as they had lost all heart there is
something defective in the comparison. When the main army at Blackheath
heard the fate of the detachment at Sevenoaks, the soldiers suddenly
began to object to fighting against their own countrymen. The Court then
found it time to make concession, and commenced by sending a few of its
own party to the Tower, in order to propitiate the malcontents. Lord
Say, an obnoxious minister, who was not merely a say, but a tremendous
do, was at once locked up with some others who had rendered themselves
unpopular.
Cade now made himself master of the right bank of the Thames from
Greenwich to Lambeth, both inclusive, and made the celebrated incision
into the latter, which retained the name of the New Cut to a very
distant period. Cade took up his own quarters in Southwark, but went
into London every morning, where he and his followers behaved very
quietly for a few days, returning home regularly every evening to their
lodgings in the Borough. Their first act of violence was to insist
on the trial of Say, who was not allowed to have his say in his
own defence, but was hurried off to Cheapside and beheaded. As too
frequently happens with the promoters of the public good, Cade's
followers could not keep their hands off private property, and a little
pillage was perpetrated. Even Jack himself, who sometimes set a good
example to his followers, was tempted to plunder the house at which
he usually dined; and the citizens, feeling that as the spoons were
beginning to go, their turn would probably be next, became indignant
at the outrage. They consequently refused admission to Cade the next
morning when he came to transact his city business as usual.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account