King. Then what intends these forces thou dost bring? York. hence, 60 To heave the traitor Somerset from And fight against that monstrous rebel Cade, Enter IDEN, with CADE's head. Iden. 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. King. The head of Cade! Great God, how just art Thou! O, let me view his visage, being dead, Iden. I was, an't like your majesty. 71 King. 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. Buck. So please it you, my lord, 'twere not amiss He were created knight for his good service. King. Iden, kneel down. [He kneels.] Rise up a knight. 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! Enter QUEEN and SOMERSET. 80 [Rises. King See, Buckingham, Somerset comes with the 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. 90 York. How now! is Somerset at liberty? Which darest not, no, nor canst not rule a traitor. Of capital treason 'gainst the king and crown: If they can brook I bow a knee to man. [Exit Attendant. I know, ere they will have me go to ward, They'll pawn their swords for my enfranchise ment. Queen. Call hither Clifford; bid him come amain, To say if that the bastard boys of York Shall be the surety for their traitor father. [Exit Buckingham. York. O blood-besotted 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 120 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 old CLIFFORD and his Son. Queen. And here comes Clifford to deny their bail. Clif 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: Clif. This is my king, York, I do not mistake; But thou mistakest me much to think I do: 130 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. 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 Enter the EARLS OF WARWICK and SALISBURY. Clif. Are these thy bears? we'll bait thy bears to death, And manacle the bear-ward in their chains, If you oppose yourselves to match Lord Warwick. Clif. Hence, heap of wrath, foul indigested lump, As crooked in thy manners as thy shape! anon. King. Why, Warwick, hath thy knee forgot to bow? Old Salisbury, shame to thy silver hair, And seek for sorrow with thy spectacles? Rich. If not in heaven, you'll surely sup in hell. [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, And shame thine honourable age with blood? 170 Warwick is hoarse with calling thee to arms. Why art thou old, and want'st experience? Sal. My lord, I have consider'd with myself King. Hast thou not sworn allegiance unto me? 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 it. Clif. My soul and body on the action both! York. A dreadful lay! Address thee instantly. [They fight, and Clifford falls. Clif. La fin couronne les œuvres. [Dies. York. Thus war hath given thee peace, for thou art still. Peace with his soul, heaven, if it be thy will! 30 [Exit. Enter young Clifford. Y. Clif. Shame and confusion! all is on the rout; Fear frames disorder, and disorder wounds And the premised flames of the last day Now let the general trumpet blow his blast, 40 Particularities and petty sounds To cease! Wast thou ordain'd, dear father, To lose thy youth in peace, and to achieve The silver livery of advised age, 49 And, in thy reverence and thy chair-days, thus Come, thou new ruin of old Clifford's house: So bear I thee upon my manly shoulders; 60 [Exit, bearing off his father. garet, stay. Re-enter young CLIFFORD. Y. Clif. But that my heart's on future mischief set, I would speak blasphemy ere bid you fly: SCENE III. Fields near St Alban's. Alarum. Retreat. Enter YORK, RICHARD, 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, Rich. My noble father, But, noble as he is, look where he comes. ΙΟ 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 pleased him that three times to-day You have defended me from imminent death. Well, lords, we have not got that which we have: Mar-'Tis not enough our foes are this time fled, Being opposites of such repairing nature. Queen. What are you made of? you'll nor fight nor fly: Now is it manhood, wisdom and defence, 80 21 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 Alban's battle won by famous York Shall be eternized in all age to come. Sound drums and trumpets, and to London all: And more such days as these to us befall! 30 [Exeunt. SCENE 1. London. The Parliament-house. Alarum. Enter the DUKE OF YORK, EDWARD, RICHARD, NORFOLK, MONTAGUE, WARWICK, and Soldiers. War. I wonder how the king escaped our hands. York. While we pursued the horsemen of the north, He slily stole away and left his men: Is either slain or wounded dangerously; Whom I encounter'd as the battles join'd. Rich. Speak thou for me and tell them what I did. [Throwing down the Duke of Somerset's head. York. Richard hath best deserved of all my sons. But is your grace dead, my Lord of Somerset? Norf. Such hope have all the line of John of Gaunt! LORD STAFFORD, SIR JOHN MORTIMER, uncles to the Duke of SIR HUGH MORTIMER, York. HENRY, Earl of Richmond, a youth. LORD RIVERS, brother to Lady Grey. SIR WILLIAM STANLEY. SIR JOHN MONTGOMERY. SIR JOHN SOMERVILLE. Tutor to Rutland. Mayor of York. Lieutenant of the Tower. A Nobleman. Two Keepers. A Huntsman. QUEEN MARGARET. LADY GREY, afterwards Queen to Edward IV. BONA, sister to the French Queen. Soldiers, Attendants, Messengers, Watchmen, &c. SCENE: England and France. Rich. Thus do I hope to shake King Henry's head. 20 War. And so do I. Victorious Prince of York, Before I see thee seated in that throne Which now the house of Lancaster usurps, I vow by heaven these eyes shall never close. This is the palace of the fearful king, And this the regal seat: possess it, York; For this is thine and not King Henry's heirs'. York. Assist me, then, sweet Warwick, and I will; For hither we have broken in by force. Norf. We'll all assist you; he that flies shall die. 30 York. Thanks, gentle Norfolk: stay by me, my lords; And, soldiers, stay and lodge by me this night. [They go up. War. And when the king comes, offer him no violence, Unless he seek to thrust you out perforce. But little thinks we shall be of her council: War. The bloody parliament shall this be call'd, Unless Plantagenet, Duke of York, be king, 40 And bashful Henry deposed, whose cowardice Hath made us by-words to our enemies. York. Then leave me not, my lords: be resolute; 1 4 I mean to take possession of my right. The proudest he that holds up Lancaster, Flourish. And slew your fathers, and with colours spread And, by his soul, thou and thy house shall rue it. I send thee, Warwick, such a messenger K. Hen. My lords, look where the sturdy As shall revenge his death before I stir. rebel sits, 50 Even in the chair of state: belike he means, On him, his sons, his favourites and his friends. in steel. West. What, shall we suffer this? let's pluck him down: My heart for anger burns; I cannot brook it. 60 Clif Patience is for poltroons, such as he: North. Well hast thou spoken, cousin: be K. Hen. Ah, know you not the city favours them, And they have troops of soldiers at their beck? Exe. But when the duke is slain, they'll quickly fly. 70 K. Hen. York. Exe. For shame, come down: he made thee York. 'Twas my inheritance, as the earldom was. Exe. Thy father was a traitor to the crown. War. Exeter, thou art a traitor to the crown In following this usurping Henry. 81 Clif. Whom should he follow but his natural War. True, Clifford; and that's Richard K. Hen. And shall I stand, and thou sit in York. It must and shall be so: content thyself. War. Be Duke of Lancaster; let him be king. West. He is both king and Duke of Lancaster; And that the Lord of Westmoreland shall maintain. War. And Warwick shall disprove it. You forget 89 That we are those which chased you from the field War. 100 Poor Clifford! how I scorn his worthless threats! York. Will you we show our title to the crown? If not, our swords shall plead it in the field. K. Hen What title hast thou, traitor, to the crown? K. Hen. Peace, thou! and give King Henry leave to speak. 120 War. Plantagenet shall speak first: hear him, And be you silent and attentive too, K. Hen. Think'st thou that I will leave my Wherein my grandsire and my father sat? 130 War. Prove it, Henry, and thou shalt be king. York. 'Twas by rebellion against his king. Tell me, may not a king adopt an heir? K. Hen. An if he may, then am I lawful king; 140 And made him to resign his crown perforce. War. Suppose, my lords, he did it unconstrain'd, |