Crying. 'Villiago!'44 unto all they meet.
Better ten thousand base-born Cades miscarry45
Than you should stoop unto a Frenchman's mercy.
To France, to France, and get what you have lost:
Spare England, for it is your native coast:
Henry hath money, you are strong and manly:
God on our side, doubt not of victory.
ALL A51 Clifford, a Clifford! We'll follow the king and Clifford.
CADE Was ever feather so lightly blown to and fro as this
multitude? The name of Henry the Fifth hales53 them to an
hundred mischiefs, and makes them leave me desolate. I see
them lay their heads together to surprise55 me. My sword make
way for me, for here is no staying: in despite56 of the devils and
hell, have through57 the very middest of you: and heavens and
honour be witness, that no want of resolution in me, but
only my followers' base and ignominious treasons, makes
me betake me60 to my heels.
Exit
BUCKINGHAM What, is he fled? Go, some, and follow him,
And he that brings his head unto the king
Shall have a thousand crowns for his reward.
Exeunt some of them
Follow me, soldiers: we'll devise a mean64
To reconcile you all unto the king.
Exeunt all
[Act 4 Scene 9]
running scene 18
Sound Trumpets. Enter King [Henry VI], Queen [Margaret] and Somerset on the terrace [above]
KING HENRY VI Was ever king that joyed1 an earthly throne,
And could command no more content than I?
No sooner was I crept out of my cradle
But I was made a king at nine months old.
Was never subject longed to be a king
As I do long and wish to be a subject.
Enter Buckingham and Clifford
BUCKINGHAM Health and glad tidings to your majesty.
KING HENRY VI Why, Buckingham, is the traitor Cade surprised8?
Or is he but retired9 to make him strong?
Enter [below] Multitudes with halters about their necks
CLIFFORD He is fled, my lord, and all his powers10 do yield,
And humbly thus with halters on their necks,
Expect your highness' doom12 of life or death.
KING HENRY VI Then, heaven, set ope13 thy everlasting gates,
To entertain14 my vows of thanks and praise.
Soldiers, this day have you redeemed your lives,
And showed how well you love your prince and country:
Continue still in this so good a mind,
And Henry, though he be infortunate18,
Assure yourselves, will never be unkind:
And so, with thanks and pardon to you all,
I do dismiss you to your several countries21.
ALL God save the king! God save the king!
Enter a Messenger
MESSENGER Please it your grace to be advertised23
The Duke of York is newly24 come from Ireland,
And with a puissant25 and a mighty power
Of galloglasses and stout kerns26
Is marching hitherward in proud array27,
And still28 proclaimeth, as he comes along,
His arms are only to remove from thee
The Duke of Somerset, whom he terms a traitor.
KING HENRY VI Thus stands my state31, 'twixt Cade and York distressed,
Like to a ship that, having scaped a tempest,
Is straightway calmed33 and boarded with a pirate.
But now is Cade driven back, his men dispersed,
And now is York in arms to second35 him.
I pray thee, Buckingham, go and meet him,
And ask him what's the reason of37 these arms:
Tell him I'll send Duke Edmund38 to the Tower,
And, Somerset, we will commit thee thither,
Until his army be dismissed from him.
SOMERSET My lord,
I'll yield myself to prison willingly,
Or unto death, to do my country good.
KING HENRY VI In any case, be not too rough in terms44,
For he is fierce and cannot brook45 hard language.
BUCKINGHAM I will, my lord, and doubt not so to deal46
As all things shall redound unto47 your good.
KING HENRY VI Come, wife, let's in, and learn to govern better,
For yet49 may England curse my wretched reign.
Flourish. Exeunt
[Act 4 Scene 10]
running scene 19
Enter Cade
CADE Fie1 on ambitions: fie on myself, that have a sword,
and yet am ready to famish2. These five days have I hid me in
these woods and durst not peep out, for all the country is laid3
for me: but now am I so hungry that if I might have a lease of
my life for a thousand years I could stay5 no longer. Wherefore
o'er a brick wall have I climbed into this garden, to see if I can
eat grass, or pick a sallet another while7, which is not amiss to
cool a man's stomach this hot weather: and I think this word8
'sallet' was born to do me good: for many a time, but for a
sallet, my brain-pan had been cleft with a brown bill10: and
many a time when I have been dry11 and bravely marching, it
hath served me instead of a quart pot to drink in: and now
the word 'sallet' must serve me to feed on.
Enter Iden [and his Men]
IDEN Lord, who would live turmoiled14 in the court,
And may enjoy such quiet walks as these?
This small inheritance my father left me
Contenteth me, and worth a monarchy.
I seek not to wax great by others' waning18,
Or gather wealth I care not with what envy19:
Sufficeth that20 I have maintains my state
And sends the poor well pleased21 from my gate.
CADE Here's the lord of the soil22 come to seize me for a
stray, for entering his fee-simple23 without leave. Ah, villain,
thou wilt betray me, and get a thousand crowns of24 the king
by carrying my head to him: but I'll make thee eat iron like
an ostrich26, and swallow my sword like a great pin ere thou
and I part.
IDEN Why rude companion28, whatsoe'er thou be,
I know thee not: why, then, should I betray thee?
Is't not enough to break into my garden,
And, like a thief, to come to rob my grounds,
Climbing my walls in spite of me the owner,
But thou wilt brave me with these saucy33 terms?
CADE Brave thee? Ay, by the best blood that ever was
broached, and beard thee too. Look on me well: I have eat35 no
meat36 these five days, yet come thou and thy five men, and if I
do not leave you all as dead as a doornail, I pray God I may
never eat grass more.
IDEN Nay, it shall ne'er be said, while England stands,
That Alexander Iden, an esquire40 of Kent,
Took odds41 to combat a poor famished man.
Oppose thy steadfast gazing eyes to mine,
See if thou canst outface43 me with thy looks:
Set limb to limb, and thou art far the lesser:
Thy hand is but a finger to my fist,
Thy leg a stick compared with this truncheon46:
My foot shall fight with all the strength thou hast,
And if mine arm be heaved in the air,
Thy grave is digged already in the earth49:
As for words, whose greatness answers words50,
Let this my sword report what speech forbears51.
CADE By my valour, the most complete52 champion that
ever I h
eard. Steel, if thou turn the edge53, or cut not out the
burly-boned clown in chines54 of beef ere thou sleep in thy
sheath, I beseech Jove on my knees thou mayst be turned to55
hobnails.
Here they fight. [Cade falls]
O, I am slain! Famine and no other hath slain me: let ten
thousand devils come against me, and give me but the ten
meals I have lost, and I'd defy them all. Wither, garden, and
be henceforth a burying place to all that do dwell in this
house, because the unconquered soul of Cade is fled.
IDEN Is't Cade that I have slain, that monstrous62 traitor?
Sword, I will hallow63 thee for this thy deed,
And hang thee o'er my tomb when I am dead.
Ne'er shall this blood be wiped from thy point,
But thou shalt wear it as a herald's coat66,
To emblaze67 the honour that thy master got.
CADE Iden, farewell, and be proud of thy victory. Tell Kent
from me, she hath lost her best man, and exhort all the world
to be cowards: for I that never feared any, am vanquished by
famine, not by valour.
Dies
IDEN How much thou wrong'st me, heaven be my judge:
Die, damned wretch, the curse of her that bare73 thee:
And as I thrust thy body in with my sword74,
So wish I I might thrust thy soul to hell.
Hence will I drag thee headlong by the heels
Unto a dunghill which shall be thy grave,
And there cut off thy most ungracious78 head,
Which I will bear in triumph to the king,
Leaving thy trunk80 for crows to feed upon.
Exeunt [with Cade's body]
[Act 5 Scene 1]
running scene 20
Enter York, and his army of Irish, with Drum and Colours
YORK From Ireland thus comes York to claim his right,
And pluck the crown from feeble Henry's head.
Ring, bells, aloud: burn, bonfires, clear and bright,
To entertain4 great England's lawful king.
Ah, sancta majestas5! Who would not buy thee dear?
Let them obey that knows not how to rule.
This hand was made to handle naught but gold7.
I cannot give due action to my words,
Except9 a sword or sceptre balance it.
A sceptre shall it have, have I10 a soul,
On which I'll toss the flower-de-luce11 of France.
Enter Buckingham
Aside
Whom have we here? Buckingham to disturb me?
The king hath sent him sure: I must dissemble13.
BUCKINGHAM York, if thou meanest well, I greet thee well.
YORK Humphrey of Buckingham, I accept thy greeting.
Art thou a messenger, or come of pleasure16?
BUCKINGHAM A messenger from Henry, our dread liege,
To know the reason of these arms in peace:
Or why thou, being a subject as I am,
Against thy oath and true allegiance sworn,
Should raise so great a power without his leave,
Or dare to bring thy force so near the court.
Aside
YORK Scarce can I speak, my choler23 is so great.
O, I could hew up rocks and fight with flint,
I am so angry at these abject25 terms.
And now, like Ajax Telamonius26,
On sheep or oxen could I spend27 my fury.
I am far better born28 than is the king:
More like a king, more kingly in my thoughts.
But I must make fair weather30 yet a while,
Till Henry be more weak and I more strong.--
Aloud
Buckingham, I prithee pardon me,
That I have given no answer all this while:
My mind was troubled with deep melancholy.
The cause why I have brought this army hither
Is to remove proud Somerset from the king,
Seditious to his grace and to the state.
BUCKINGHAM That is too much presumption on thy part:
But if thy arms be to no other end,
The king hath yielded unto thy demand:
The Duke of Somerset is in the Tower.
YORK Upon thine honour, is he prisoner?
BUCKINGHAM Upon mine honour, he is prisoner.
YORK Then, Buckingham, I do dismiss my powers.
Soldiers, I thank you all: disperse yourselves:
Meet me tomorrow in St George's Field46,
You shall have pay and everything you wish.
And let my sovereign, virtuous Henry,
Command49 my eldest son, nay, all my sons,
As pledges of my fealty50 and love,
I'll send them all as willing as I live:
Lands, goods, horse, armour, anything I have,
Is his to use, so53 Somerset may die.
BUCKINGHAM York, I commend this kind54 submission:
We twain55 will go into his highness' tent.
Enter King [Henry VI] and Attendants
KING HENRY VI Buckingham, doth York intend no harm to us,
That thus he marcheth with thee arm in arm?
YORK In all submission and humility
York doth present himself unto your highness.
KING HENRY VI Then what intends these forces thou dost bring?
YORK To heave the traitor Somerset from hence,
And fight against that monstrous rebel Cade,
Who since I heard to be discomfited63.
Enter Iden with Cade's head
IDEN If one so rude and of so mean condition64
May pass into the presence of a king,
Lo, I present your grace a traitor's head,
The head of Cade, whom I in combat slew.
KING HENRY VI The head of Cade? Great God, how just art thou!
O, let me view his visage, being dead,
That living wrought70 me such exceeding trouble.
Tell me, my friend, art thou the man that slew him?
IDEN I was, an't like72 your majesty.
KING HENRY VI How art thou called? And what is thy degree73?
IDEN Alexander Iden, that's my name:
A poor esquire of Kent, that loves his king.
BUCKINGHAM So please it you, my lord, 'twere not amiss
He were created knight for his good service.
Iden kneels and is knighted He rises
KING HENRY VI Iden, kneel down.
Rise up a knight.
We give thee for reward a thousand marks79,
And will80 that thou henceforth attend on us.
IDEN May Iden live to merit such a bounty,
And never live but true unto his liege.
[Exit]
Enter Queen [Margaret] and Somerset
KING HENRY VI See, Buckingham, Somerset comes wi'th'queen:
Go bid her hide him quickly from the duke.
QUEEN MARGARET For thousand Yorks he shall not hide his head,
But boldly stand and front86 him to his face.
YORK How now? Is Somerset at liberty?
Then, York, unloose thy long-imprisoned thoughts,
And let thy tongue be equal with thy heart.
Shall I endure the sight of Somerset?
False king, why hast thou broken faith with me,
Knowing how hardly I can brook abuse92?
King did I call thee? No, thou art not king:
Not fit to govern and rule multitudes,
Which95 dar'st not, no, nor canst not rule a traitor.
That head of thine doth not become96 a crown:
Thy hand is made to grasp a palmer's97 staff,
And not to grace an awful98 princely sceptre.
That gold must round engirt99 these brows of mine,
Whose smile and frown, like to Achilles' spear100,
Is able with the c
hange to kill and cure.
Here is a hand to hold a sceptre up,
And with the same to act controlling103 laws:
Give place: by heaven, thou shalt rule no more
O'er him whom heaven created for thy ruler.
SOMERSET O monstrous traitor! I arrest thee, York,
Of capital107 treason gainst the king and crown:
Obey, audacious traitor, kneel for grace.
YORK Wouldst have me kneel? First let me ask of these109,
If they can brook I bow a knee to man110.
Sirrah, call in my sons to be my bail;
[Exit Attendant]
I know, ere they will have me go to ward112,
They'll pawn their swords for my enfranchisement113.
QUEEN MARGARET Call hither Clifford: bid him come amain114,
To say if that115 the bastard boys of York
Shall be the surety for their traitor father.
[Exit Buckingham]
YORK O blood-bespotted Neapolitan117,
Outcast of Naples, England's bloody scourge118!
The sons of York, thy betters in their birth,
Shall be their father's bail, and bane120 to those
That for my surety will refuse the boys.
Enter Edward and Richard
See where they come: I'll warrant they'll make it good.
Enter Clifford [and his son Young Clifford]
QUEEN MARGARET And here comes Clifford to deny their bail.
Kneeling to Henry, then rising
CLIFFORD Health and all happiness to my lord the king.
YORK I thank thee, Clifford: say, what news with thee?
Nay, do not fright us with an angry look:
We are thy sovereign, Clifford, kneel again:
For thy mistaking so, we pardon thee.
CLIFFORD This is my king, York, I do not mistake:
But thou mistakes me much to think I do:
To Bedlam131 with him! Is the man grown mad?
KING HENRY VI Ay, Clifford, a bedlam and ambitious humour132