Shakespeare Portal

Act 4, Scene 9

Kenilworth Castle.

  1. [Sound trumpets. Enter KING, QUEEN, and SOMERSET, on the terrace.]
  2. King Henry VI
  3. 2626 Was ever king that joy'd an earthly throne,
  4. 2627 And could command no more content than I?
  5. 2628 No sooner was I crept out of my cradle
  6. 2629 But I was made a king at nine months old.
  7. 2630 Was never subject long'd to be a king
  8. 2631 As I do long and wish to be a subject.
  9. [Enter BUCKINGHAM and old CLIFFORD.]
  10. Duke of Buckingham
  11. 2632 Health and glad tidings to your majesty!
  12. King Henry VI
  13. 2633 Why, Buckingham, is the traitor Cade surpris'd?
  14. 2634 Or is he but retir'd to make him strong?
  15. [Enter, below, multitudes with halters about their necks.]
  16. Lord Clifford
  17. 2635 He is fled, my lord, and all his powers do yield,
  18. 2636 And humbly thus, with halters on their necks,
  19. 2637 Expect your highness' doom, of life or death.
  20. King Henry VI
  21. 2638 Then, heaven, set ope thy everlasting gates,
  22. 2639 To entertain my vows of thanks and praise!—
  23. 2640 Soldiers, this day have you redeem'd your lives
  24. 2641 And show'd how well you love your prince and country.
  25. 2642 Continue still in this so good a mind,
  26. 2643 And Henry, though he be infortunate,
  27. 2644 Assure yourselves, will never be unkind.
  28. 2645 And so, with thanks and pardon to you all,
  29. 2646 I do dismiss you to your several countries.
  30. All
  31. 2647 God save the king! God save the king!
  32. [Enter a Messenger.]
  33. Messenger
  34. 2648 Please it your grace to be advertised
  35. 2649 The Duke of York is newly come from Ireland,
  36. 2650 And with a puissant and a mighty power
  37. 2651 Of gallowglasses and stout kerns
  38. 2652 Is marching hitherward in proud array,
  39. 2653 And still proclaimeth, as he comes along,
  40. 2654 His arms are only to remove from thee
  41. 2655 The Duke of Somerset, whom he terms a traitor.
  42. King Henry VI
  43. 2656 Thus stands my state, 'twixt Cade and York distress'd,
  44. 2657 Like to a ship that, having scap'd a tempest,
  45. 2658 Is straightway calm'd and boarded with a pirate;
  46. 2659 But now is Cade driven back, his men dispers'd,
  47. 2660 And now is York in arms to second him.—
  48. 2661 I pray thee, Buckingham, go and meet him,
  49. 2662 And ask him wha t's the reason of these arms.
  50. 2663 Tell him I'll send Duke Edmund to the Tower;—
  51. 2664 And, Somerset, we will commit thee thither,
  52. 2665 Until his army be dismiss'd from him.
  53. Duke of Somerset
  54. 2666 My lord,
  55. 2667 I'll yield myself to prison willingly,
  56. 2668 Or unto death, to do my country good.
  57. King Henry VI
  58. 2669 In any case, be not too rough in terms,
  59. 2670 For he is fierce and cannot brook hard language.
  60. Duke of Buckingham
  61. 2671 I will, my lord, and doubt not so to deal
  62. 2672 As all things shall redound unto your good.
  63. King Henry VI
  64. 2673 Come, wife, let's in, and learn to govern better;
  65. 2674 For yet may England curse my wretched reign.
  66. [Flourish. Exeunt.]