Jack Cade

Ol' Jack Cade was a revolution man
In 1450 he made his stand
Wars of the Roses bled the country dry
The common people made a cry
Saying "Fie opon your taxes King Henry
Fie opon your lawyers and your ministry
You lost us France and have got debts
To hell with your bribery and favorites"

The King went to Warwickshire to take refuge
The people to Southwark in revolution mood
Five thousand rebels all came up through Kent
To take their grievance to the government
It wasn't just the peasant but Lord and Magnate too
They made a manifesto demanding what was due
Saying that the King is not above the Law
But that the Law is what he's put there for

They paused at the London Boundary stone
Which Cade he then struck with his sword
This by tradition made him Lord Mayor
He said he was related to the Mortimers
Then they all marched over London Bridge
To the Guildhall then the Tower their demands to give
They captured and beheaded the Lord Treasurer
Displayed his head on a spike with several others

Then Cade and some rebels had a looting spree
Which he had often said was not going to be
Officials gathered forces down at the Bridge
To stop them in their riot of violent rage
Bloodshed lasted there all through the next day
Insurgents taking heavy casualties
Till Archbishop and Chancellor Lord John Kemp
Persuaded Jack Cade to make it end

Promises were made to grant demands in full
Official pardons were given round as well
Yet very soon many were made to die
Cade was killed and quartered on the Twelfth of July
Does this history a moral tell?
That violence breeds the same very well
Remember now that these were brutal times
And today does seem to work on similar lines