Henry VI, Pt. 2
Act IV, Scene 9
Kenilworth Castle.
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Sound trumpets. Enter King, Queen, and Somerset on the
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tarras.
King Henry the Sixth
1 - 6
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Was ever king that joy’d an earthly throne
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And could command no more content than I?
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No sooner was I crept out of my cradle
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But I was made a king, at nine months old.
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Was never subject long’d to be a king
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As I do long and wish to be a subject.
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Enter Buckingham and old Clifford.
Duke of Buckingham
7
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Health and glad tidings to your Majesty!
King Henry the Sixth
8 - 9
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Why, Buckingham, is the traitor Cade surpris’d?
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Or is he but retir’d to make him strong?
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Enter, below, multitudes with halters about their necks.
Lord Clifford
10 - 12
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He is fled, my lord, and all his powers do yield,
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And humbly thus, with halters on their necks,
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Expect your Highness’ doom, of life or death.
King Henry the Sixth
13 - 21
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Then, heaven, set ope thy everlasting gates
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To entertain my vows of thanks and praise!
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Soldiers, this day have you redeem’d your lives,
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And show’d how well you love your prince and country:
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Continue still in this so good a mind,
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And Henry, though he be infortunate,
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Assure yourselves, will never be unkind.
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And so with thanks and pardon to you all,
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I do dismiss you to your several countries.
Cade’s Followers
22
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God save the King! God save the King!
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Enter Fourth Royal Messenger.
Fourth Royal Messenger
23 - 30
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Please it your Grace to be advertised
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The Duke of York is newly come from Ireland,
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And with a puissant and a mighty power
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Of gallowglasses and stout kerns
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Is marching hitherward in proud array,
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And still proclaimeth, as he comes along,
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His arms are only to remove from thee
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The Duke of Somerset, whom he terms a traitor.
King Henry the Sixth
31 - 40
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Thus stands my state, ’twixt Cade and York distress’d,
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Like to a ship that, having scap’d a tempest,
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Is straightway calm’d and boarded with a pirate.
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But now is Cade driven back, his men dispers’d,
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And now is York in arms to second him.
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I pray thee, Buckingham, go and meet him,
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And ask him what’s the reason of these arms.
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Tell him I’ll send Duke Edmund to the Tower;
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And, Somerset, we will commit thee thither,
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Until his army be dismiss’d from him.
Duke of Somerset
41 - 43
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My lord,
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I’ll yield myself to prison willingly,
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Or unto death, to do my country good.
King Henry the Sixth
44 - 45
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In any case, be not too rough in terms,
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For he is fierce and cannot brook hard language.
Duke of Buckingham
46 - 47
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I will, my lord, and doubt not so to deal
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As all things shall redound unto your good.
King Henry the Sixth
48 - 49
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Come, wife, let’s in, and learn to govern better,
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For yet may England curse my wretched reign.
