And fight against that monstrous rebel Cade, 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. 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. 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 We give thee for reward a thousand marks, IDEN. May Iden live to merit such a bounty, Enter QUEEN and SOMERSET. [Rises. KING. See, Buckingham, Somerset comes with the queen: Go, bid her hide him quickly from the duke. QUEEN. 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? False king! why hast thou broken faith with me, Not fit to govern and rule multitudes, Which darest not, no, nor canst not rule a traitor. SOM. O monstrous traitor! I arrest thee, York, [these, YORK. Wouldst have me kneel? first let me ask of [Exit Attendant. my enfranchisement. 1 QUEEN. 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 old CLIFFORD and his Son. QUEEN. And here comes Clifford to deny their bail. CLIF. Health and all happiness to my lord the king! YORK. I thank thee, Clifford: say, with thee? [Kneels. what news Nay, do not fright us with an angry look: CLIF. This is my king, York, I do not mistake; But thou mistakest me much to think I do: To Bedlam with him! is the man grown mad? KING. Ay, Clifford; a bedlam and ambitious humour Makes him oppose himself against his king. 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. Enter the EARLS OF WARWICK and SALISBURY. CLIF. Are these thy bears? we'll bait thy bears to death, And manacle the bear-ward in their chains, YORK. Nay, we shall heat you thoroughly anon. CLIF. Take heed, lest by your heat you burn yourselves. KING. Why, Warwick, hath thy knee forgot to bow? Old Salisbury, shame to thy silver hair, Thou mad misleader of thy brain-sick son! What, wilt thou on thy death-bed play the ruffian, And in my conscience do repute his grace KING. Hast thou not sworn allegiance unto me? SAL. I have. KING. Canst thou dispense with heaven for such an oath? SAL. It is great sin to swear unto a sin, But greater sin to keep a sinful oath. |