0 Buckingham, I pr'ythee, pardon me, But if thy arms be to no other end, York. Upon thine honour, is he prisoner ? powers. Soldiers, 1 thank you all; disperse yourselves; Enter King HENRY, attended. K. Hen. Buckingham, doth York intend no harm to us, That thus he marcheth with thee arm in arm? York. To heave the traitor Somerset from Enter IDEN, with Cade's head. Idea. If one so rude, and of so mean condition, 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. K. Hen. The head of Cade?-Great God, how just art thou! 0, let me view his visage being dead, That living wrought me such exceeding trouble. Tell me, my friend, art thou the man that slew him? Iden. I was, an't like your majesty. K. Hen. How art thou call'd? and what is thy degree? Iden. Alexander Iden, that's my name; He were created knight for his good service. We give thee for reward a thousand marks; Iden. May Iden live to merit such a bounty, And never live but true unto his liege! K. Hen. See, Buckingham! Somerset comes with the queen; Go, bid her hide him quickly from the duke. Enter Queen MARGARET and SOMERSET. Q. Mar. For thousand Yorks he shall not hide his head, But boldly stand, and front him to his face. And let thy tongue be equal with thy heart. Som. O monstrous traitor!-I arrest thee, York, Of capital treason 'gainst the king and crown: Obey, audacious traitor; kneel for grace. York. Would'st have me kneel? first let me ask of these, If they can brook I bow a knee to man.- [Exit an Attendant. I know, ere they will have me go to ward, They'll pawn their swords for my enfranchise ment. Q. Mar. Call hither Clifford; bid him come amain, To say, if that the bastard boys of York York. O blood-bespotted Neapolitan, with Forces, at one side; at the other, with Forces also, Old CLIFFORD and his son. Sce, where they come; I'll warrant they'll make it good. Q. Mar. And here comes Clifford, to deny their bail. Clif Health and happiness to my lord the king! [Kneels. York. I thank thee, Clifford : Say, what news with thee? Nay, do not fright us with an angry look: Clif. This is my king, York, I do not mistake; But thou mistak'st me much, to think I do :To Bedlam with him! is the man grown mad? K. Hen. 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. Q. Mar. 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. Rich. And if words will not, then our weapons shall. 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.Call hither to the stake my two brave bears, That, with the very shaking of their chains, They may astonish these fell lurking curs; Bid Salisbury, and Warwick, come to me. Drums. Enter WARWICK and SALISBURY, with Forces. Clif. Are these thy bears? we'll bait thy bears to death, And manacle the bear-ward in their chains, Rich. Oft have I seen a hot o'erweening cur 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. K. Hen. Why, Warwick, hath thy knee for- Old Salisbury,-shame to thy silver hair, And seek for sorrow with thy spectacles? Sal. My lord, I have consider'd with myself The title of this most renowned duke; And in my conscience do repute his grace Sal. I have. K. Hen. Canst thou dispense with heaven for such an oath? 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, 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, But that he was bound by a solemn oath ? Q. Mar. A subtle traitor needs no sophister. K. Hen. Call Buckingham, and bid him arm himself. York. Call Buckingham, and all the friends thou hast, I am resolv'd for death, or dignity. Clif. The first, I warrant thee, if dreams prove true. The rampant bear chain'd to the ragged staff, Clif. And from thy burgonet I'll rend thy bear, And tread it under foot with all contempt, Despight the bear-ward that protects the bear. Y. Clif. And so to arms, victorious father, To quell the rebels and their 'complices. Rich. Fye! charity, for shame! speak not in spite, For you shall sup with Jesu Christ to-night. Y. Clif. Foul stigmatick, that's more than thou canst tell. Rich. If not in heaven, you'll surely sup in [Exeunt severally. hell. SCENE II.-Saint Albans. Alarums: Excursions. Enter WARWICK. War. Clifford of Cumberland, 'tis Warwick calls! And if thou dost not hide thee from the bear, Now, when the angry trumpet sounds alarm, And dead men's cries do fill the empty air,Clifford, I say, come forth and fight with me! 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? York. The deadly-handed Clifford slew my steed; But match to match I have encounter'd him, And made a prey for carrion kites and crows Even of the bonny beast he lov'd so well. Enter CLIFFORD. War. Of one or both of us the time is come. York. Hold, Warwick, seek thou out some other chace, For I myself must hunt this deer to death. 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 Warwick. Clif. What seest thou in me, York? why dost thou pause? York. With thy brave bearing should I be in love, 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. thou art still.— Peace with his soul, heaven, if it be thy will! [Exit. Enter Young CLIFFORD. Y. Clif. Shame and confusion! all is on the rout; Fear frames disorder, and disorder wounds To cease!-Wast thou ordain'd, dear father, And, in thy reverence, and thy chair-days, thus Shall be to me even as the dew to fire; As did Æneas old Anchises bear, [Exit. Alarums: Excursions. Enter King HENRY, K. Hen. Can we outrun the heavens? good Q. Mar. What are you made of? you'll not Now is it manhood, wisdom, and defence, Enter Young CLIFFORD. Y. Clif. But that my heart's on future mis- I would speak blasphemy, ere bid you fly; SCENE III.-Fields near Saint Albans. Alarum: Retreat. Flourish; then enter YORK, RICHARD PLANTAGENET, WARWICK, and Soldiers, with drum and colours. York. Of Salisbury, who can report of him; That winter lion, who, in rage, forgets Aged contusions and all brush of time; And, like a gallant in the brow of youth, G Repairs him with occasion? this happy day Rich. My noble father, Three times to-day I holp him to his horse, Three times bestrid him, thrice I led him off, Persuaded him from any further act: But still, where danger was, still there I met him; And like rich hangings in a homely house, Enter SALISBURY. Sal. Now, by my sword, well hast thou fought to-day; By the mass, so did we all.-I thank you, Richard: God knows, how long it is I have to live; And it hath pleas'd him, that three times to-day You have defended me from imminent death.Well, lords, we have not got that which we have: 'Tis not enough our foes are this time fled, Being opposites of such repairing nature. York. I know, our safety is to follow them; For, as I hear, the king is fled to London, To call a present court of parliament. Let us pursue him, ere the writs go forth: What says lord Warwick ? shall we after them? War. After them! nay, before them, if we can. Now by my faith, lords, 'twas a glorious day : Saint Albans' battle, won by famous York, Shall be eterniz'd in all age to come.Sound, drums and trumpets ;-and to London all: And more such days as these to us befall ! [Exeunt. CESTER, Duke of NORFOLK, Marquis of MONTAGUE, Earl of WARWICK, Earl of PEMBROKE, Lord HASTINGS, Lord STAFFORD, his sons. of the duke of York's party. Sir JOHN SOMERVILLE. Tutor to RUTLAND. Mayor of York. Lieutenant of the Tower, Two Keepers. A Huntsman. A Son that has killed his father. Queen MARGARET. Lady GREY, afterwards queen to EDWARD IV. Soldiers, and other Attendants on king HENRY SCENE, during part of the third act, in France; during all the rest of the play, in England. |