The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 207

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 entertain great England's lawful king.

Ah, sancta majestas! who would not buy thee dear?

Let them obey that knows not how to rule; This hand was made to handle nought but gold.

I cannot give due action to my words Except a sword or sceptre balance it.

A sceptre shall it have, have I a soul On which I'll toss the flower-de-luce of France.

Enter BUCKINGHAM

[Aside] Whom have we here? Buckingham, to disturb me?

The King hath sent him, sure: I must dissemble.

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 pleasure?

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.

YORK. [Aside] Scarce can I speak, my choler is so great.

O, I could hew up rocks and fight with flint, I am so angry at these abject terms; And now, like Ajax Telamonius, On sheep or oxen could I spend my fury.

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 awhile, Till Henry be more weak and I more strong.- 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 pow'rs.

Soldiers, I thank you all; disperse yourselves; Meet me to-morrow in Saint George's field, You shall have pay and everything you wish.

And let my sovereign, virtuous Henry, Command my eldest son, nay, all my sons, As pledges of my fealty and love.

I'll send them all as willing as I live: Lands, goods, horse, armour, anything I have, Is his to use, so Somerset may die.

BUCKINGHAM. York, I commend this kind submission.

We twain will go into his Highness' tent.

Enter the KING, and attendants

KING HENRY. 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. 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 discomfited.

Enter IDEN, with CADE's head

IDEN. If one so rude and of so mean condition May pa.s.s 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. The head of Cade! Great G.o.d, how just art Thou!

O, 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.

KING HENRY. How art thou call'd? And what is thy degree?

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.

KING HENRY. Iden, kneel down. [He kneels] Rise up a knight.

We give thee for reward a thousand marks, And will that thou thenceforth attend on us.

IDEN. May Iden live to merit such a bounty, And never live but true unto his liege!

Enter the QUEEN and SOMERSET

KING HENRY. See, Buckingham! Somerset comes with th' Queen: Go, bid her hide him quickly from the Duke.

QUEEN. For thousand Yorks he shall not hide his head, But boldly stand and front 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 abuse?

King did I call thee? No, thou art not king; Not fit to govern and rule mult.i.tudes, Which dar'st not, no, nor canst not rule a traitor.

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, Whose smile and frown, like to Achilles' spear, 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.

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 capital treason 'gainst the King and crown.

Obey, audacious traitor; kneel for grace.

YORK. Wouldst have me kneel? First let me ask of these, If they can brook I bow a knee to man.

Sirrah, call in my sons to be my bail: Exit attendant I know, ere thy will have me go to ward, They'll p.a.w.n their swords for my enfranchis.e.m.e.nt.

QUEEN. Call hither Clifford; bid him come amain, To say if that the b.a.s.t.a.r.d boys of York Shall be the surety for their traitor father.

Exit BUCKINGHAM YORK. O blood-bespotted Neapolitan, Outcast of Naples, England's b.l.o.o.d.y scourge!

The sons of York, thy betters in their birth, Shall be their father's bail; and bane to those That for my surety will refuse the boys!

Enter EDWARD and RICHARD PLANTAGENET

See where they come: I'll warrant they'll make it good.

Enter CLIFFORD and his SON

QUEEN. And here comes Clifford to deny their bail.

CLIFFORD. Health and all 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.

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 Bedlam with him! Is the man grown mad?

KING HENRY. Ay, Clifford; a bedlam and ambitious humour Makes him oppose himself against his king.

CLIFFORD. He is a traitor; let him to the Tower, And chop away that factious pate of his.

QUEEN. He is arrested, but will not obey; His sons, he says, shall give their words for him.

YORK. Will you not, sons?

EDWARD. Ay, n.o.ble father, if our words will serve.

RICHARD. And if words will not, then our weapons shall.

CLIFFORD. Why, what a brood of traitors have we here!

YORK. Look in a gla.s.s, 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.

Enter the EARLS OF WARWICK and SALISBURY