Cade

Jack, in English history, a leader of insurrection. Little is known of his early history beyond the fact that he was an Irishman. In 1450 he placed himself at the head of 20,000 discontented laborers and artisans of Kent and marched on London, leading what would now be called an armed strike. The movement spread over a fourth of England. In response to a complaint setting forth their dissatisfaction with unequal taxes, interference with elections, and extravagance of the courtiers, the king sent an army to disperse them. In the conflict that followed Cade and his men were victorious and entered London. The most obnoxious two of the king's ministers were executed. The king promised redress of past misrule, and issued a proclamation of general amnesty. The workingmen dispersed; but Cade, despite his letter of pardon, was afterward seized and executed. His head was set up on London Bridge as a warning to reformers. In the second part of King Henry VI, Shakespeare represents Cade as an ignorant monster. Jack holds a court to dispose of some prisoners. The following words are addressed to unlucky Lord Say before ordering his head stricken off:

I am the besom that must sweep the court clean of such filth as thou art. Thou hast most traitorously corrupted the youth of the realm in erecting a grammar school: and whereas, before, our forefathers had no other books but the score and the tally, thou hast caused printing to be used, and, contrary to the king, his crown and dignity, thou hast built a paper-mill. It will be proved to thy face that thou hast men about thee that usually talk of a noun and a verb, and such abominable words as no Christian ear can endure to hear.

This seems merely an aristocratic sneer at a man who was trying patriotically to better the condition of the common people and to abolish shameful abuses in politics. Jack was rough and his methods were rough, but his heart was on the right side.