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
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 advertisèd23
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
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 pleasèd21 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 comparèd with this truncheon46:
My foot shall fight with all the strength thou hast,
And if mine arm be heavèd 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 heard. 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 wipèd 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, damnèd 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]
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 change 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
Makes him oppose himself against his king.
CLIFFORD He is a traitor: let him to134 the Tower,
And chop away that factious pate135 of his.
QUEEN MARGARET He is arrested, but will not obey:
His sons, he says, shall give their words for him.
YORK Will you not, sons?
EDWARD Ay, noble 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 glass142, and call thy image so.
I am thy king, and thou a false-heart143 traitor:
Call hither to the stake my two brave bears144,
That with the very shaking of their chains
They may astonish these fell-lurking curs146:
Bid Salisbury and Warwick come to me.
Enter the Earls of Warwick and Salisbury
CLIFFORD Are these thy bears? We’ll bait thy bears to death,
And manacle the bearherd149 in their chains,
If thou dar’st bring them to the baiting place150.
RICHARD Oft have I seen a hot o’erweening151 cur
Run back and bite152, because he was withheld:
Who, being suffered with the bear’s fell153 paw,
Hath clapped his tail between his legs and cried:
And such a piece of service155 will you do,
If you oppose yourselves to match156 Lord Warwick.
CLIFFORD Hence, heap of wrath, foul indigested lump157,
As crooked in thy manners as thy shape158!
YORK Nay, we shall heat you159 thoroughly anon.
CLIFFORD Take heed, lest by your heat you burn yourselves.
KING HENRY VI Why, Warwick, hath thy knee forgot to bow?
Old Salisbury, shame to thy silver hair,
Thou mad misleader of thy brainsick son!
What, wilt thou on thy death-bed play the ruffian,
And seek for sorrow with thy spectacles165?
O, where is faith? O, where is loyalty?
If it be banished from the frosty167 head,
Where shall it find a harbour168 in the earth?
Wilt thou go dig a grave to find out war,
And shame thine honourable age with blood?
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 mickle174 age.
SALISBURY My lord, I have considered with myself
The title of this most renownèd duke,
And in my conscience do repute177 his grace
The rightful heir to England’s royal seat.
KING HENRY VI Hast thou not sworn allegiance unto me?
SALISBURY I have.
KING HENRY VI Canst thou dispense with181 heaven for such an oath?
SALISBURY 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 murd’rous deed, to rob a man,
To force a spotless virgin’s chastity,
To reave187 the orphan of his patrimony,
To wring188 the widow from her customed right,
And have no other reason for this wrong
But that he was bound by a solemn oath?
QUEEN MARGARET A subtle191 traitor needs no sophister.
KING HENRY VI Call Buckingham, and bid him arm himself.
YORK Call Buckingham, and all the friends thou hast,
I am resolved for death or dignity194.
CLIFFORD The first I warrant thee, if dreams prove true.
WARWICK You were best to go to bed and dream again,
To keep thee from the tempest of the field197.
CLIFFORD I am resolved to bear a greater storm
Than any thou canst conjure up today:
And that I’ll write upon thy burgonet200,
Might I but know201 thee by thy household badge.
WARWICK Now by my father’s202 badge, old Neville’s crest,
The rampant bear chained to the ragged203 staff,
This day I’ll wear aloft my burgonet204,
As on a mountain top the cedar shows205
That keeps his leaves in spite of any storm,
Even to affright thee with the view thereof.
CLIFFORD And from thy burgonet I’ll rend208 thy bear
And tread it under foot with all contempt,
Despite the bearherd that protects the bear.
YOUNG CLIFFORD And so to arms, victorious father,
To quell the rebels and their complices212.
RICHARD Fie, charity, for shame! Speak not in spite,
For you shall sup with Jesu Christ tonight.
YOUNG CLIFFORD Foul stigmatic215, that’s more than thou canst tell.
RICHARD If not in heaven, you’ll surely sup in hell.
Exeunt [severally]
[Act 5 Scene 2]
running scene 21
[Alarums to the battle.] Enter Warwick
WARWICK Clifford of Cumberland, ’tis Warwick calls:
And if thou dost not hide thee from the bear,
Now, when the angry trumpet sounds alarum
And dead4 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 afoot8?
YORK The deadly-handed Clifford slew my steed:
But match to match I have encountered him
And made a prey for carrion kites11 and crows
Even of the bonny beast he loved so well.
Enter Clifford
WARWICK Of13 one or both of us the time is come.
YORK Hold, Warwick: seek thee out some other chase14,
For I myself must hunt this deer to death.
WARWICK Then, nobly16, York: ’tis for a crown thou fight’st:—
As I intend, Clifford, to thrive today,
It grieves my soul to leave thee unassailed.
Exit Warwick
CLIFFORD 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 fast21 mine enemy.
CLIFFORD 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
As I in justice and true right express it25.
CLIFFORD My soul and body on the action both26!
They fight, and Clifford falls
YORK A dreadful lay! Address27 thee instantly.
CLIFFORD La fin couronne les oeuvres.28
Dies
YORK Thus war hath given thee peace, for thou art still.
Peace with his soul, heaven, if it be thy will.
[Exit]
Enter Young Clifford
YOUNG CLIFFORD Shame and confusion, all is on the rout31!
Fear frames32 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 part35
Hot coals of vengeance. Let no soldier fly36.
He that is truly dedicate37 to war
Hath no self-love38: nor he that loves himself
Hath not essentially but by circumstance39
Seeing his dead father
The name of valour.— O, let the vile world end,
And the premised41 flames of the last day.
Knit42 earth and heaven together.
Now let the general trumpet43 blow his blast,
Particularities44 and petty sounds
To cease. Wast thou ordainèd45, dear father,
To lose46 thy youth in peace, and to achieve
The silver livery47 of advisèd age,
And in thy reverence and thy chair-days48, thus
To die in ruffian battle? Even at this sight
My heart is turned to stone: and while ’tis mine,
It shall be stony. York not our old men spares:
No more will I their babes: tears virginal52
Shall be to me even as the dew to fire53,
And beauty that the tyrant oft reclaims54
Shall to my flaming wrath be oil and flax55:
Henceforth I will not have to do with pity.
Meet I an infant of the House of York,
Into as many gobbets58 will I cut it
As wild Medea young Absyrtus59 did.
In cruelty will I seek out my fame.
Come, thou new ruin of old Clifford’s house:
As did Aeneas old Anchises bear62,
So bear I thee upon my manly shoulders:
But then Aeneas bare64 a living load,
Nothing so heavy65 as these woes of mine.
[Exit with Clifford’s body]
Enter Richard and Somerset to fight. [Somerset is killed]
RICHARD So lie thou there:
For underneath an ale-house’ paltry sign,
The Castle in St Albans, Somerset
Hath made the wizard69 famous in his death:
Sword, hold thy temper: heart, be wrathful still70:
Priests pray for enemies, but princes kill.
[Exit]
Eight. Excursions. Enter King [Henry VI], Queen [Margaret]. and others
QUEEN MARGARET Away, my lord, you are slow: for shame, away!
KING HENRY VI Can we outrun the heavens? Good Margaret, stay73.
QUEEN MARGARET What are you made of? You’ll nor74 fight nor fly:
Now is it75 manhood, wisdom and defence,
To give the enemy way, and to secure us76
By what77 we can, which can no more but fly.
Alarum afar off
If you be ta’en78, we then should see the bottom
Of all our fortunes: but if we haply scape79,
As well we may, if not through your neglect,
We shall to London get, where you are loved
And where this breach82 now in our fortunes made
May readily be stopped.
Enter [Young]. Clifford
YOUNG CLIFFORD But that my heart’s on future mischief84 set,
I would speak blasphemy ere85 bid you fly:
But fly you must: uncurable discomfit86
Reigns in the hearts of all our present parts87.
Away, for your relief88, and we will live
To see their day and them our fortune give.89
Away, my lord, away!
Exeunt
[Act 5 Scene 3]
running scene 21 continues
Alarum. Retreat. Enter York, Richard, Warwick and Soldiers, with Drum and Colours
YORK Of Salisbury, who can report of him,
That winter2 lion, who in rage forgets
Agèd contusions and all brush3 of time,
And, like a gallant in the brow4 of youth,
Repairs him with occasion5? This happy day
Is not itself, nor have we won one foot6,
If Salisbury be lost.
RICHARD My noble father:
Three times today I holp9 him to his horse,
Three times bestrid him10: thrice I led him off,
Persuaded him from any further act:
But still12 where danger was, still there I met him,
And like rich hangings in a homely13 house,
So was his will in his old feeble body.
But noble as he is, look where he comes.
Enter Salisbury
SALISBURY Now, by my sword, well hast thou fought today:
By th’mass, so did we all. I thank you, Richard.
God knows how long it is I have to live:
And it hath pleased him that three times today
You have defended me from imminent death.
Well, lords, we have not got that which we have21:
’Tis not enough our foes are this time fled,
Being opposites of such repairing nature23.
YORK I know our safety24 is to follow them,
For, as I hear, the king is fled to London,
To call a present26 court of parliament:
Let us pursue him ere the writs27 go forth.
What says Lord Warwick, shall we after them?
WARWICK After them? Nay, before them, if we can:
Now by my hand, lords, ’twas a glorious day.
St Albans battle won by famous York
Shall be eternized32 in all age to come.
Sound drum and trumpets, and to London all,
And more such days as these to us befall!
Exeunt
TEXTUAL NOTES
Q = First Quarto text of 1594
Q2 = Second Quarto text of 1600
Q3 = Third Quarto text of 1619 F = First Folio text of 1623
F2 = a correction introduced in the Second Folio text of 1632
F4 = a correction introduced in the Fourth Folio text of 1685
Ed = a correction introduced by a later editor
SD = stage direction
SH = speech heading (i.e. speaker’s name)
List of parts = Ed
THE … HUMPHREY = F. Printed as The First Part of the Contention betwixt the two famous Houses of York and Lancaster, with the death of the good Duke Humphrey in Q, Q2, and Q3
1.1.24–31 Great … minister Q has the following alternative lines (all alternative Q passages are here edited and modernized):
Th’excessive love I bear unto your grace
Forbids me to be lavish of my tongue,
Lest I should speak more than beseems a woman:
Let this suffice: my bliss is in your liking,
And nothing can make poor Margaret miserable,
Unless the frown of mighty England’s King.
50 SD Lets … fall derived from Q’s direction: Duke Humphrey lets it fall 92 had = Ed. F = hath 100 Razing = Ed. F = Racing 131 SH GLOUCESTER = Ed. F = Hum./Glo. (throughout) 168 hoist spelled hoyse in F 177 Protector = Q. F = Protectors 255 in my = Ed.
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