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 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. '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.] 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! 'K. Hen. See, Buckingham! Somerset comes with the queen; 'Go, bid her hide him quickly from the duke. Enter Queen Margaret and Somerset. 'Q. Mar. For thousand Yorks he shall not hide his head, But boldly stand, and front him to his face. '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 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; Whose smile and frown, like to Achilles' spear, Is able with the change to kill and cure. 'Here is a hand to hold a scepter 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. 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 Attend. * I know, ere they will have me go to ward, They'll pawn their swords for my enfranchise ment. Q. Mar. Call hither Clifford; bid him come amain, [Exit Buckingham. *To say, if that the bastard boys of York * Shall be the surety for their traitor father. *York. O blood-bespotted 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 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 'Clif. Are these thy bears? we'll bait thy bears to death, And manacle the bear-ward in their chains, 'If thou dar'st bring them to the baiting-place. * Rich. Oft have I seen a hot o'erweening cur * Run back and bite, because he was withheld; * Who, being suffer'd with the bear's fell paw, * Hath clapp'd his tail between his legs, and cry'd: *And such a piece of service will you do, * If you oppose yourselves to match lord Warwick. * Clif. Hence, heap of wrath, foul indigested lump, * As crooked in thy manners as thy shape! *York. Nay, we shall heat you thoroughly anon. * Clif. Take heed, lest by your heat you burn yourselves. * K. Hen. 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 spectacles? * O, where is faith? O, where is loyalty? *If it be banish'd from the frosty head, *Where shall it find a harbour 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 mickle age. * Sal. My lord, I have consider'd with myself *The title of this most renowned duke; * And in my conscience do repute his grace *The rightful heir to England's royal seat. *K. Hen. Hast thou not sworn allegiance unto me? *Sal. I have. |