• Buch. 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? 6 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, 'Should'st raise so great a power without his leave, 'Or dare to bring thy force so near the court. York. Scarce can I speak, my choler is so great. 'O, I could hew up rocks, and fight with 'I am so angry at these abject terms; 6 But I must make fair weather yet a while, 'O Buckingham, I pr'ythee thee, pardon me, 'That I have given no answer all this while; Aside. 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. Buck. That is too much presumption on thy part: 'But if thy arms be to no other end, 'The king hath yielded unto thy demand; York. Then, Buckingham, I do dismiss my powers. 'Soldiers, I thank you all; disperse yourselves; *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. Enter King HENRY, attended. 'K. Hen. 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. *K. Hen. Then what intend 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 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! O, let meriew 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; 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. K. Hen. Iden, kneel down; [He kneels.] Risé up a knight, We give thee for reward a thousand marks; K. Hen. See, Buckingham! Somerset comes Go, bid her hide him quickly from the duke. Enter Queen MARGARET and SOMERSET. Q. Mar. For thousand Yorks he shall not hide But boldly stand, and front him to his face. 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 multitudes, '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 scepter. That gold must round engirt these brows of mine; 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. 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.Sirrah, call in my sons to be my bail; * [Exit an Attendant. I know, ere they will have me go to ward, *They'll pawn their swords for my enfranchisement. Q. Mar. Call hither Clifford; bid him come amain, *To say, if that the bastard boys of York * Outcast of Naples, England's bloody scourge! Enter EDWARD and RICHARD PLANTAGENET, with Forces, at one Side; at the other, with Forces also, old CLIFFORD and his Son. *See, where they come; I'll warrant they'll make it good. * Q. Mar. 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: '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 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. 6 Clif. Are these thy bears? we'll bait thy bears to death, • And manacle the bear-ward in their chains, • Call hither to the stake my two brave bears,— Bid Salisbury, and Warwick, come-] The Nevils, earls of Warwick, had a bear and ragged staff for their cognizance. |