Henry VI, Part II · Character

Jack Cade

A clothier-turned-rebel who claims Mortimer blood and leads a Kentish mob against the gentlemen of England with a butcher at his elbow.

major

Also known as Cade, Brother Jack Cade, Soldier Jack Cade, John Cade, John Mortimer, Cade Marry, Cade surprised, Cade O monstrous, Cade Tut, Cade Valiant, Cade Here, Cade Iden, Messenger Jack Cade, that monstrous rebel Cade

First appearance: Scene II

As a major figure in Henry VI, Part II, Jack Cade is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Leads the rebellion, claiming descent from Mortimer and Plantagenet, and vows to reform England by killing lawyers and abolishing literacy.

In the storyScene IIOpen this moment free

See Jack Cade in Scene II Book page

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Cade is the voice of the leather-apron crowd, promising seven halfpenny loaves for a penny and a commonwealth turned inside out. His pretensions to noble descent are punctured at every turn by Dick the Butcher's asides, which expose the bricklayer father and the whipping at the market cross. He matters because his rebellion shows how thoroughly the quarrels of lords have loosened the bonds of order, letting a braggart with a stolen name raise an army.

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The fuller portrait of Jack Cade sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.

See Jack Cade in Scene II

Character Web

26 connections

A slice of how Jack Cade sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

Relationship types

Friendship
Rivalry
Other

Character groups

Conspirators and rebels
Protagonist

+21 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Rising action.

Setup
Escalation
Breaking point
Aftermath
Closing

York’s aside reveals his barely contained fury and his strategic decision to dissemble, marking the emotional…

Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.

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Relationships

Dick the Butcher
friendship · positive
Dick is a loyal follower and enforcer for Cade, supporting his rebellion with brutal… How this plays out →
King Henry VI
rivalry · negative
Smith the Weaver
friendship · positive
Sir Humphrey Stafford
rivalry · negative
Smith the Weaver
friendship · positive
Dick the Butcher
friendship · positive
Dick is a loyal follower and enforcer for Cade, supporting his rebellion with brutal… How this plays out →
King Henry VI
rivalry · negative
Dick the Butcher
friendship · positive
Dick is a loyal follower and enforcer for Cade, supporting his rebellion with brutal… How this plays out →
Sir Humphrey Stafford
rivalry · negative
Smith the Weaver
friendship · positive

Dick the Butcher
Dick is a loyal follower and enforcer for Cade, supporting his rebellion with brutal enthusiasm.
King Henry VI
Cade leads a popular rebellion against King Henry, seeking to overthrow his rule.
Smith the Weaver
Smith is a fellow rebel and follower of Cade, participating in the uprising.
Sir Humphrey Stafford
Stafford is a loyalist commander sent to confront and fight Cade's rebel army.
Smith the Weaver
Smith is a fellow rebel and follower of Cade, participating in the uprising.
Dick the Butcher
Dick is a loyal follower and enforcer for Cade, supporting his rebellion with brutal enthusiasm.
King Henry VI
Cade leads a popular rebellion against King Henry, seeking to overthrow his rule.
Dick the Butcher
Dick is a loyal follower and enforcer for Cade, supporting his rebellion with brutal enthusiasm.
Sir Humphrey Stafford
Stafford is a loyalist commander sent to confront and fight Cade's rebel army.
Smith the Weaver
Smith is a fellow rebel and follower of Cade, participating in the uprising.

Relationship notes

How these ties play out is in the reading companion — open the free preview.

See Jack Cade in Scene II

In the story

Jack Cade appears across 7 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Scene II
Leads the rebellion, claiming descent from Mortimer and Plantagenet, and vows to reform England by killing lawyers and abolishing literacy.
Scene III
Leads the rebels, celebrates victory, and plans to march on London.
Scene VI
Proclaims himself Lord Mortimer, sits on London-stone, and orders executions and arson.
Scene VII
Leads the rebellion, orders the destruction of legal records and the execution of Lord Say, declaring himself the voice of the new order.
Scene VIII
Leads the rebellion but is abandoned by his followers when the king's pardon is offered.
Scene IX
Reported to have fled; his rebellion is effectively over.
Scene X
Starving and desperate, Cade climbs into Iden's garden to find food, fights Iden, and is slain, blaming famine for his defeat.

Chapter companion notes

Spoil-light check-ins for Jack Cade unlock in the free preview.

See Jack Cade in Scene II