SCENE I. Fields between Dartford and Blackheath. 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 know not how to rule;
This hand was made to handle naught 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
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 a while, 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 powers.
Soldiers, I thank you all; disperse yourselves;Meet me to-morrow in St. George's field, You shall have pay and every thing 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, any thing 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 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 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. KING HENRY VI The head of Cade! Great God, 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 VI 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 VI Iden, kneel down.
He kneels Rise up a knight.
We give thee for reward a thousand marks, And will that thou henceforth attend on us. IDEN May Iden live to merit such a bounty.
And never live but true unto his liege!
Rises Enter QUEEN MARGARET and SOMERSET KING HENRY VI See, Buckingham, Somerset comes with the 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 front him to his face. YORK How now! is Somerset at liberty?
Then, York, unloose thy long-imprison'd 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 multitudes, Which darest 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 they will have me go to ward, They'll pawn their swords for my enfranchisement. QUEEN MARGARET 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 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 YOUNG CLIFFORD QUEEN MARGARET 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?