log out

Henry VI, Pt. 2: Act IV, Scene 9

Henry VI, Pt. 2
Act IV, Scene 9

Kenilworth Castle.

  1. Sound trumpets. Enter King, Queen, and Somerset on the
  2. tarras.

King Henry the Sixth

1 - 6
  1. Was ever king that joy’d an earthly throne
  2. And could command no more content than I?
  3. No sooner was I crept out of my cradle
  4. But I was made a king, at nine months old.
  5. Was never subject long’d to be a king
  6. As I do long and wish to be a subject.
  1. Enter Buckingham and old Clifford.

Duke of Buckingham

7
  1. Health and glad tidings to your Majesty!

King Henry the Sixth

8 - 9
  1. Why, Buckingham, is the traitor Cade surpris’d?
  2. Or is he but retir’d to make him strong?
  1. Enter, below, multitudes with halters about their necks.

Lord Clifford

10 - 12
  1. He is fled, my lord, and all his powers do yield,
  2. And humbly thus, with halters on their necks,
  3. Expect your Highness’ doom, of life or death.

King Henry the Sixth

13 - 21
  1. Then, heaven, set ope thy everlasting gates
  2. To entertain my vows of thanks and praise!
  3. Soldiers, this day have you redeem’d your lives,
  4. And show’d how well you love your prince and country:
  5. Continue still in this so good a mind,
  6. And Henry, though he be infortunate,
  7. Assure yourselves, will never be unkind.
  8. And so with thanks and pardon to you all,
  9. I do dismiss you to your several countries.

Cade’s Followers

22
  1. God save the King! God save the King!
  1. Enter Fourth Royal Messenger.

Fourth Royal Messenger

23 - 30
  1. Please it your Grace to be advertised
  2. The Duke of York is newly come from Ireland,
  3. And with a puissant and a mighty power
  4. Of gallowglasses and stout kerns
  5. Is marching hitherward in proud array,
  6. And still proclaimeth, as he comes along,
  7. His arms are only to remove from thee
  8. The Duke of Somerset, whom he terms a traitor.

King Henry the Sixth

31 - 40
  1. Thus stands my state, ’twixt Cade and York distress’d,
  2. Like to a ship that, having scap’d a tempest,
  3. Is straightway calm’d and boarded with a pirate.
  4. But now is Cade driven back, his men dispers’d,
  5. And now is York in arms to second him.
  6. I pray thee, Buckingham, go and meet him,
  7. And ask him what’s the reason of these arms.
  8. Tell him I’ll send Duke Edmund to the Tower;
  9. And, Somerset, we will commit thee thither,
  10. Until his army be dismiss’d from him.

Duke of Somerset

41 - 43
  1. My lord,
  2. I’ll yield myself to prison willingly,
  3. Or unto death, to do my country good.

King Henry the Sixth

44 - 45
  1. In any case, be not too rough in terms,
  2. For he is fierce and cannot brook hard language.

Duke of Buckingham

46 - 47
  1. I will, my lord, and doubt not so to deal
  2. As all things shall redound unto your good.

King Henry the Sixth

48 - 49
  1. Come, wife, let’s in, and learn to govern better,
  2. For yet may England curse my wretched reign.
  1. Flourish. Exeunt.
© 2021 Unotate.comcontactprivacy policyCreative Commons text from PlayShakespeare.comAll illustrations are public domain or Creative Commons