Part 16
_King._ Was ever king that joy’d an earthly throne, [bdi001] 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 long’d to be a king ·bdi005· As I do long and wish to be a subject. [bdi006]
_Enter_ BUCKINGHAM _and old_ CLIFFORD.
_Buck._ Health and glad tidings to your majesty!
_King._ Why, Buckingham, is the traitor Cade surprised? Or is he but retired to make him strong? [bdi009]
_Enter, below, multitudes, with halters about their necks_.
_Clif._ He is fled, my lord, and all his powers do yield; [bdi010] And humbly thus, with halters on their necks, Expect your highness’ doom, of life or death.
_King._ Then, heaven, set ope thy everlasting gates, To entertain my vows of thanks and praise! Soldiers, this day have you redeem’d your lives ·bdi015· And show’d how well you love your prince and country: Continue still in this so good a mind, And Henry, though he be infortunate, [bdi018] Assure yourselves, will never be unkind: And so, with thanks and pardon to you all, ·bdi020· I do dismiss you to your several countries. [bdi021]
_All._ God save the king! God save the king! [bdi022]
_Enter a Messenger_.
_Mess._ Please it your grace to be advertised The Duke of York is newly come from Ireland, And with a puissant and a mighty power [bdi025] Of gallowglasses and stout kernes [bdi026] Is marching hitherward in proud array, And still proclaimeth, as he comes along, His arms are only to remove from thee [bdi029] The Duke of Somerset, whom he terms a traitor. ·bdi030·
_King._ Thus stands my state, ’twixt Cade and York distress’d; Like to a ship that, having ’scaped a tempest Is straightway calm’d and boarded with a pirate: [bdi033] But now is Cade driven back, his men dispersed; [bdi034] And now is York in arms to second him. ·bdi035· I pray thee, Buckingham, go and meet him, [bdi036] And ask him what’s the reason of these arms. Tell him I’ll send Duke Edmund to the Tower; And, Somerset, we will commit thee hither, Until his army be dismiss’d from him. ·bdi040·
_Som._ My lord, I’ll yield myself to prison willingly, Or unto death, to do my country good.
_King._ In any case, be not too rough in terms; For he is fierce and cannot brook hard language. ·bdi045·
_Buck._ I will, my lord; and doubt not so to deal As all things shall redound unto your good.
_King._ Come, wife, let’s in, and learn to govern better; For yet may England curse my wretched reign. [bdi049] [_Flourish. Exeunt._
## SCENE X. _Kent. Iden’s garden_.
_Enter_ CADE.
_Cade._ Fie on ambition! fie on myself, that have a [bdj001] sword, and yet am ready to famish! These five days have I hid me in these woods and durst not peep out, for all the [bdj003] country is laid for me; but now am I so hungry that if I [bdj004] might have a lease of my life for a thousand years I could ·bdj005· stay no longer. Wherefore, on a brick wall have I climbed [bdj006] into this garden, to see if I can eat grass, or pick a sallet another while, which is not amiss to cool a man’s stomach this hot weather. And I think this word ‘sallet’ was born to do me good: for many a time, but for a sallet, my brain-pan [bdj010] had been cleft with a brown bill; and many a time, when I have been dry and bravely marching, it hath served [bdj012] me instead of a quart pot to drink in; and now the word ‘sallet’ must serve me to feed on. [bdj014]
_Enter_ IDEN.
_Iden._ Lord, who would live turmoiled in the court, ·bdj015· And may enjoy such quiet walks as these? This small inheritance my father left me Contenteth me, and worth a monarchy. [bdj018] I seek not to wax great by others’ waning, [bdj019] Or gather wealth, I care not, with what envy: ·bdj020· Sufficeth that I have maintains my state And sends the poor well pleased from my gate.
_Cade._ Here’s the lord of the soil come to seize me for [bdj023] a stray, for entering his fee-simple without leave. Ah, [bdj024] villain, thou wilt betray me, and get a thousand crowns of [bdj025] the king by carrying my head to him: but I’ll make thee eat iron like an ostrich, and swallow my sword like a great pin, ere thou and I part.
_Iden._ Why, rude companion, whatsoe’er thou be, I know thee not; why, then, should I betray thee? ·bdj030· 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 saucy terms? [bdj034]
_Cade._ Brave thee! ay, by the best blood that ever was [bdj035] broached, and beard thee too. Look on me well: I have eat no meat these five days; yet, come thou and thy five [bdj037] men, and if I do not leave you all as dead as a door-nail, I [bdj038] pray God I may never eat grass more.
_Iden._ Nay, it shall ne’er be said, while England stands, ·bdj040· That Alexander Iden, an esquire of Kent, [bdj041] Took odds to combat a poor famish’d man. Oppose thy steadfast-gazing eyes to mine, [bdj043] See if thou canst outface me with thy looks: Set limb to limb, and thou art far the lesser; ·bdj045· Thy hand is but a finger to my fist, Thy leg a stick compared with this truncheon; My foot shall fight with all the strength thou hast; And if mine arm be heaved in the air, Thy grave is digg’d already in the earth. ·bdj050· As for words, whose greatness answers words, [bdj051] Let this my sword report what speech forbears.
_Cade._ By my valour, the most complete champion that ever I heard! Steel, if thou turn the edge, or cut not out [bdj054] the burly-boned clown in chines of beef ere thou sleep in [bdj055] thy sheath, I beseech God on my knees thou mayst be [bdj056] turned to hobnails. [_Here they fight. Cade falls._ [bdj057]
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’ld defy them all. Wither, ·bdj060· 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 monstrous traitor? Sword, I will hallow thee for this thy deed, [bdj065] 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 coat, To emblaze the honour that thy master got. [bdj069]
_Cade._ Iden, farewell, and be proud of thy victory. Tell ·bdj070· 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 bare thee; ·bdj075· And as I thrust thy body in with my sword, [bdj076] 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 ungracious head; [bdj080] Which I will bear in triumph to the king, Leaving thy trunk for crows to feed upon. [_Exit._ [bdj082]
## ACT V.
## SCENE I. _Fields between Dartford and Blackheath_.
_Enter_ YORK, _and his army of Irish, with drum and colours_.
_York._ From Ireland thus comes York to claim his right, [bea001] And pluck the crown from feeble Henry’s head: Ring, bells, aloud; burn, bonfires, clear and bright, To entertain great England’s lawful king. Ah! sancta majestas, who would not buy thee dear? [bea005] Let them obey that know not how to rule; [bea006] This hand was made to handle nought but gold. I cannot give due action to my words, [bea008] Except a sword or sceptre balance it: A sceptre shall it have, have I a soul, [bea010] On which I’ll toss the flower-de-luce of France. [bea011]
_Enter_ BUCKINGHAM.
Whom have we here? Buckingham, to disturb me? The king hath sent him, sure: I must dissemble.
_Buck._ York, if thou meanest well, I greet thee well.
_York._ Humphrey of Buckingham, I accept thy greeting. ·bea015· Art thou a messenger, or come of pleasure?
_Buck._ 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, ·bea020· Should raise so great a power without his leave, [bea021] Or dare to bring thy force so near the court.
_York._ [_Aside_] Scarce can I speak, my choler is so great: [bea023] O, I could hew up rocks and fight with flint, I am so angry at these abject terms; ·bea025· And now, like Ajax Telamonius, On sheep or oxen could I spend my fury. [bea027] I am far better born than is the king, More like a king, more kingly in my thoughts: But I must make fair weather yet a while, ·bea030· Till Henry be more weak and I more strong.-- Buckingham, I prithee, pardon me, [bea032] 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 ·bea035· Is to remove proud Somerset from the king, Seditious to his grace and to the state.
_Buck._ That is too much presumption on thy part: But if thy arms be to no other end, [bea039] The king hath yielded unto thy demand: ·bea040· The Duke of Somerset is in the Tower.
_York._ Upon thine honour, is he prisoner?
_Buck._ Upon mine honour, he is prisoner. [bea043]
_York._ Then, Buckingham, I do dismiss my powers. Soldiers, I thank you all; disperse yourselves; ·bea045· Meet me to-morrow in Saint George’s field, You shall have pay and every thing you wish. And let my sovereign, virtuous Henry, Command my eldest son, nay, all my sons, As pledges of my fealty and love; ·bea050· I’ll send them all as willing as I live: Lands, goods, horse, armour, any thing I have, Is his to use, so Somerset may die.
_Buck._ York, I commend this kind submission: We twain will go into his highness’ tent. [bea055]
_Enter_ KING _and_ Attendants.
_King._ Buckingham, doth York intend no harm to us, [bea056] That thus he marcheth with thee arm in arm?
_York._ In all submission and humility York doth present himself unto your highness.
_King._ Then what intends these forces thou dost bring? [bea060]
_York._ To heave the traitor Somerset from hence, [bea061] And fight against that monstrous rebel Cade, Who since I heard to be discomfited. [bea063]
_Enter_ IDEN, _with_ CADE’S _head_.
_Iden._ If one so rude and of so mean condition May pass into the presence of a king, [bea065] Lo, I present your grace a traitor’s head, The head of Cade, whom I in combat slew.
_King._ The head of Cade! Great God, how just art Thou! O, let me view his visage, being dead, That living wrought me such exceeding trouble. ·bea070· Tell me, my friend, art thou the man that slew him? [bea071]
_Iden._ I was, an’t like your majesty. [bea072]
_King._ How art thou call’d? and what is thy degree?
_Iden._ Alexander Iden, that’s my name; [bea074] A poor esquire of Kent, that loves his king. [bea075]
_Buck._ So please it you, my lord, ’twere not amiss [bea076] He were created knight for his good service. [bea077]
_King._ Iden, kneel down. [_He kneels._] Rise up a knight. [bea078] We give thee for reward a thousand marks, And will that thou henceforth attend on us. ·bea080·
_Iden._ May Iden live to merit such a bounty, And never live but true unto his liege! [_Rises._ [bea082]
_Enter_ QUEEN _and_ SOMERSET.
_King._ See, Buckingham, Somerset comes with the queen: [bea083] Go, bid her hide him quickly from the duke.
_Queen._ For thousand Yorks he shall not hide his head, ·bea085· But boldly stand and front him to his face.
_York._ How now! is Somerset at liberty? Then, York, unloose thy long-imprison’d thoughts, And let thy tongue be equal with thy heart. Shall I endure the sight of Somerset? ·bea090· False king! why hast thou broken faith with me, Knowing how hardly I can brook abuse? King did I call thee? no, thou art not king, [bea093] Not fit to govern and rule multitudes, [bea094] Which darest not, no, nor canst not rule a traitor. [bea095] That head of thine doth not become a crown; Thy hand is made to grasp a palmer’s staff, And not to grace an awful princely sceptre. That gold must round engirt these brows of mine, [bea099] Whose smile and frown, like to Achilles’ spear, [bea100] Is able with the change to kill and cure. Here is a hand to hold a sceptre up And with the same to act controlling laws. [bea103] Give place: by heaven, thou shalt rule no more O’er him whom heaven created for thy ruler. ·bea105·
_Som._ O monstrous traitor! I arrest thee, York, Of capital treason ’gainst the king and crown: Obey, audacious traitor; kneel for grace.
_York._ Wouldst have me kneel? first let me ask of these, [bea109] If they can brook I bow a knee to man. ·bea110· Sirrah, call in my sons to be my bail: [_Exit Attendant._ [bea111] I know, ere they will have me go to ward, They’ll pawn their swords for my enfranchisement. [bea113]
_Queen._ Call hither Clifford; bid him come amain. To say if that the bastard boys of York ·bea115· Shall be the surety for their traitor father. [bea116] [_Exit Buckingham._
_York._ O blood-bespotted Neapolitan, Outcast of Naples, England’s bloody scourge! The sons of York, thy betters in their birth, Shall be their father’s bail; and bane to those [bea120] That for my surety will refuse the boys! [bea121]
_Enter_ EDWARD _and_ RICHARD.
See where they come: I’ll warrant they’ll make it good. [bea122]
_Enter old_ CLIFFORD _and his_ Son.
_Queen._ And here comes Clifford to deny their bail.
_Clif._ Health and all happiness to my lord the king! [bea124] [_Kneels_.
_York._ I thank thee, Clifford: say, what news with thee? [bea125] Nay, do not fright us with an angry look: [bea126] We are thy sovereign, Clifford, kneel again; For thy mistaking so, we pardon thee.
_Clif._ This is my king, York, I do not mistake; But thou mistakest me much to think I do: [bea130] To Bedlam with him! is the man grown mad?
_King._ Ay, Clifford; a bedlam and ambitious humour Makes him oppose himself against his king.
_Clif._ He is a traitor; let him to the Tower, And chop away that factious pate of his. [bea135]
_Queen._ He is arrested, but will not obey; His sons, he says, shall give their words for him.
_York._ Will you not, sons?
_Edw._ Ay, noble father, if our words will serve. [bea139]
_Rich._ And if words will not, then our weapons shall. ·bea140·
_Clif._ Why, what a brood of traitors have we here!
_York._ Look in a glass, and call thy image so: I am thy king, and thou a false-heart traitor. [bea143] Call hither to the stake my two brave bears, That with the very shaking of their chains ·bea145· They may astonish these fell-lurking curs: [bea146] Bid Salisbury and Warwick come to me. [bea147]
_Enter the_ EARLS OF WARWICK _and_ SALISBURY.
_Clif._ Are these thy bears? we’ll bait thy bears to death, [bea148] And manacle the bear-ward in their chains, [bea149] If thou darest bring them to the baiting place. [bea150]
_Rich._ Oft have I seen a hot o’erweening cur Run back and bite, because he was withheld; [bea152] Who, being suffer’d with the bear’s fell paw, [bea153] Hath clapp’d his tail between his legs and cried: [bea154] And such a piece of service will you do, ·bea155· If you oppose yourselves to match Lord Warwick. [bea156]
_Clif._ Hence, heap of wrath, foul indigested lump, [bea157] As crooked in thy manners as thy shape!
_York._ Nay, we shall heat you thoroughly anon.
_Clif._ Take heed, lest by your heat you burn yourselves. ·bea160·
_King._ Why, Warwick, hath thy knee forgot to bow? Old Salisbury, shame to thy silver hair, Thou mad misleader of thy brain-sick son! What, wilt thou on thy death-bed play the ruffian, And seek for sorrow with thy spectacles? ·bea165· O, where is faith? O, where is loyalty? If it be banish’d from the frosty head, Where shall it find a harbour in the earth? Wilt thou go dig a grave to find out war, [bea169] And shame thine honourable age with blood? [bea170] Why art thou old, and want’st experience? Or wherefore dost abuse it, if thou hast it? For shame! in duty bend thy knee to me That bows unto the grave with mickle age. [bea174]
_Sal._ My lord, I have consider’d with myself [bea175] The title of this most renowned duke; And in my conscience do repute his grace The rightful heir to England’s royal seat.
_King._ Hast thou not sworn allegiance unto me?
_Sal._ I have. ·bea180·
_King._ Canst thou dispense with heaven for such an oath? [bea181]
_Sal._ It is great sin to swear unto a sin, But greater sin to keep a sinful oath. Who can be bound by any solemn vow To do a murderous deed, to rob a man, ·bea185· To force a spotless virgin’s chastity, To reave the orphan of his patrimony, To wring the widow from her custom’d right, And have no other reason for this wrong [bea189] But that he was bound by a solemn oath? ·bea190·
_Queen._ A subtle traitor needs no sophister.
_King._ Call Buckingham, and bid him arm himself.
_York._ Call Buckingham, and all the friends thou hast, I am resolved for death or dignity. [bea194]
_Clif._ The first I warrant thee, if dreams prove true. [bea195]
_War._ You were best to go to bed and dream again, [bea196] To keep thee from the tempest of the field.
_Clif._ I am resolved to bear a greater storm Than any thou canst conjure up to-day; And that I’ll write upon thy burgonet, ·bea200· Might I but know thee by thy household badge. [bea201]
_War._ Now, by my father’s badge, old Nevil’s crest, [bea202] The rampant bear chain’d to the ragged staff, [bea203] This day I’ll wear aloft my burgonet, As on a mountain top the cedar shows ·bea205· That keeps his leaves in spite of any storm, Even to affright thee with the view thereof. [bea207]
_Clif._ And from thy burgonet I’ll rend thy bear And tread it under foot with all contempt, Despite the bear-ward that protects the bear. [bea210]
_Y. Clif._ And so to arms, victorious father, [bea211] To quell the rebels and their complices. [bea212]
_Rich._ Fie! charity, for shame! speak not in spite, For you shall sup with Jesu Christ to-night.
_Y. Clif._ Foul stigmatic, that’s more than thou canst tell. ·bea215·
_Rich._ If not in heaven, you’ll surely sup in hell. [bea216] [_Exeunt severally._
## SCENE II. _Saint Alban’s_.
_Alarums to the battle. Enter_ WARWICK.
_War._ Clifford of Cumberland, ’tis Warwick calls: And if thou dost not hide thee from the bear, [beb002] Now, when the angry trumpet sounds alarum And dead men’s cries do fill the empty air, [beb004] Clifford, I say, come forth and fight with me: ·beb005· Proud northern lord, Clifford of Cumberland, Warwick is hoarse with calling thee to arms.
_Enter_ YORK.
How now, my noble lord! what, all a-foot? [beb008]
_York._ The deadly-handed Clifford slew my steed, But match to match I have encounter’d him ·beb010· And made a prey for carrion kites and crows [beb011] Even of the bonny beast he loved so well. [beb012]
_Enter old_ CLIFFORD.
_War._ Of one or both of us the time is come.
_York._ Hold, Warwick, seek thee out some other chase, For I myself must hunt this deer to death. ·beb015·
_War._ Then, nobly, York; ’tis for a crown thou fight’st. As I intend, Clifford, to thrive to-day, It grieves my soul to leave thee unassail’d. [_Exit._
_Clif._ What seest thou in me, York? why dost thou pause? [beb019]
_York._ With thy brave bearing should I be in love, ·beb020· But that thou art so fast mine enemy.
_Clif._ Nor should thy prowess want praise and esteem, But that ’tis shown ignobly and in treason.
_York._ So let it help me now against thy sword [beb024] As I in justice and true right express it. ·beb025·
_Clif._ My soul and body on the action both!
_York._ A dreadful lay! Address thee instantly. [beb027] [_They fight, and Clifford falls._
_Clif._ La fin couronne les œuvres. [_Dies._ [beb028]
_York._ Thus war hath given thee peace, for thou art still. Peace with his soul, heaven, if it be thy will! [_Exit._ ·beb030·
_Enter young_ CLIFFORD.
_Y. Clif._ Shame and confusion! all is on the rout; [beb031] Fear frames disorder, and disorder wounds Where it should guard. O war, thou son of hell, Whom angry heavens do make their minister, Throw in the frozen bosoms of our part ·beb035· Hot coals of vengeance! Let no soldier fly. [beb036] He that is truly dedicate to war Hath no self-love, nor he that loves himself [beb038] Hath not essentially but by circumstance The name of valour. [_Seeing his dead father_] O, let the vile world end, [beb040] And the premised flames of the last day [beb041] Knit earth and heaven together! [beb042] Now let the general trumpet blow his blast,
## Particularities and petty sounds
To cease! Wast thou ordain’d, dear father, [beb045] To lose thy youth in peace, and to achieve The silver livery of advised age, And, in thy reverence and thy chair-days, thus To die in ruffian battle? Even at this sight My heart is turn’d to stone: and while ’tis mine, ·beb050· It shall be stony. York not our old men spares; No more will I their babes: tears virginal Shall be to me even as the dew to fire, And beauty that the tyrant oft reclaims Shall to my flaming wrath be oil and flax. ·beb055· Henceforth I will not have to do with pity: Meet I an infant of the house of York, Into as many gobbets will I cut it As wild Medea young Absyrtus did: [beb059] In cruelty will I seek out my fame. ·beb060· Come, thou new ruin of old Clifford’s house: As did Æneas old Anchises bear, So bear I thee upon my manly shoulders; But then Æneas bare a living load, Nothing so heavy as these woes of mine. [beb065] [_Exit, bearing off his father._
_Enter_ RICHARD _and_ SOMERSET _to fight._ SOMERSET _is killed_.
_Rich._ So, lie thou there; [beb066] For underneath an alehouse’ paltry sign, [beb067] The Castle in Saint Alban’s, Somerset Hath made the wizard famous in his death. Sword, hold thy temper; heart, be wrathful still: ·beb070· Priests pray for enemies, but princes kill. [_Exit._ [beb071]
_Fight: excursions. Enter_ KING, QUEEN, _and others_.
_Queen._ Away, my lord! you are slow; for shame, away! [beb072]
_King._ Can we outrun the heavens? good Margaret, stay.