Act 4, Scene 6

London. Cannon Street.

[Enter JACK CADE and the rest, and strikes his staff on London-stone.]
Jack Cade
2424 Now is Mortimer lord of this city. And here, sitting upon
2425 London-stone, I charge and command that, of the city's cost, the
2426 conduit run nothing but claret wine this first year of our reign.
2427 And now henceforward it shall be treason for any that calls me
2428 other
2429 than Lord Mortimer.
[Enter a Soldier, running.]
Soldier
2430 Jack Cade! Jack Cade!
Jack Cade
2431 Knock him down there.
[They kill him.]
Smith the Weaver
2432 If this fellow be wise, he'll never call ye Jack
2433 Cade more; I think he hath a very fair warning.
Dick the Butcher
2434 My lord, there's an army gathered together in Smithfield.
Jack Cade
2435 Come then, let's go fight with them. But first, go and set
2436 London bridge on fire; and, if you can, burn down the Tower too.
2437 Come, let's away.
[Exeunt.]

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Notes

TLN 2424historical topical
“Now is Mortimer lord of this city”
Cade enters London calling himself 'Mortimer,' the dynastic alias York has coached him to use. By claiming descent from the Mortimers — the family whose bloodline gave the house of York its superior claim to the crown through Edward III's second surviving son, Lionel of Clarence — Cade frames the rebellion as a legitimate restoration of the rightful royal line, not mere riot.
historical Jack Cade's Rebellion
TLN 2425historical topical
“the city's cost, the conduit run nothing but claret wine”
City conduits were the public water-pipes and fountains that supplied Londoners with fresh water; making them flow with wine at the city's expense was a traditional royal extravagance, staged at coronations and great victories to signal that the new ruler's abundance overflows to the people. Cade orders this for the 'first year of our reign' — a parody of royal ceremony that proclaims him London's new sovereign while promising the crowd the carnival of free wine.
historical Jack Cade's Rebellion
TLN 2435historical topical
“set London bridge on fire; and, if you can, burn down the Tower too”
London Bridge was the only bridge over the Thames in the city, and whoever controlled it controlled movement between London and the south — including supply lines and any army coming from Kent. The Tower of London was the royal fortress, armory, and prison; holding it meant holding the crown's weapons, its treasury, and the ability to imprison enemies. Cade's orders target the two most strategic points in the city: cut the bridge, neutralize the royal stronghold.
historical Jack Cade's Rebellion