SCENE VIII. Southwark. The Second part of King Henry the Sixth  Shakespeare homepage  |  Henry VI, part 2  | Act 4, Scene 8 

 Previous scene  |  Next scene  SCENE VIII. Southwark. 

 Alarum and retreat. Enter CADE and all his rabblement  CADE  Up Fish Street! down Saint Magnus' Corner! Kill 

 and knock down! throw them into Thames! 



 Sound a parley  What noise is this I hear? Dare any be so bold to 

 sound retreat or parley, when I command them kill? 



 Enter BUCKINGHAM and CLIFFORD, attended  BUCKINGHAM  Ay, here they be that dare and will disturb thee: 

 Know, Cade, we come ambassadors from the king 

 Unto the commons whom thou hast misled; 

 And here pronounce free pardon to them all 

 That will forsake thee and go home in peace. 

 CLIFFORD  What say ye, countrymen? will ye relent, 

 And yield to mercy whilst 'tis offer'd you; 

 Or let a rebel lead you to your deaths? 

 Who loves the king and will embrace his pardon, 

 Fling up his cap, and say 'God save his majesty!' 

 Who hateth him and honours not his father, 

 Henry the Fifth, that made all France to quake, 

 Shake he his weapon at us and pass by. 

 ALL  God save the king! God save the king! 

 CADE  What, Buckingham and Clifford, are ye so brave? And 

 you, base peasants, do ye believe him? will you 

 needs be hanged with your pardons about your necks? 

 Hath my sword therefore broke through London gates, 

 that you should leave me at the White Hart in 

 Southwark? I thought ye would never have given out 

 these arms till you had recovered your ancient 

 freedom: but you are all recreants and dastards, 

 and delight to live in slavery to the nobility. Let 

 them break your backs with burthens, take your 

 houses over your heads, ravish your wives and 

 daughters before your faces: for me, I will make 

 shift for one; and so, God's curse light upon you 

 all! 

 ALL  We'll follow Cade, we'll follow Cade! 

 CLIFFORD  Is Cade the son of Henry the Fifth, 

 That thus you do exclaim you'll go with him? 

 Will he conduct you through the heart of France, 

 And make the meanest of you earls and dukes? 

 Alas, he hath no home, no place to fly to; 

 Nor knows he how to live but by the spoil, 

 Unless by robbing of your friends and us. 

 Were't not a shame, that whilst you live at jar, 

 The fearful French, whom you late vanquished, 

 Should make a start o'er seas and vanquish you? 

 Methinks already in this civil broil 

 I see them lording it in London streets, 

 Crying 'Villiago!' unto all they meet. 

 Better ten thousand base-born Cades miscarry 

 Than you should stoop unto a Frenchman's mercy. 

 To France, to France, and get what you have lost; 

 Spare England, for it is your native coast; 

 Henry hath money, you are strong and manly; 

 God on our side, doubt not of victory. 

 ALL  A Clifford! a Clifford! we'll follow the king and Clifford. 

 CADE  Was ever feather so lightly blown to and fro as this 

 multitude? The name of Henry the Fifth hales them 

 to an hundred mischiefs, and makes them leave me 

 desolate. I see them lay their heads together to 

 surprise me. My sword make way for me, for here is 

 no staying. In despite of the devils and hell, have 

 through the very middest of you? and heavens and 

 honour be witness, that no want of resolution in me. 

 but only my followers' base and ignominious 

 treasons, makes me betake me to my heels. 



 Exit  BUCKINGHAM  What, is he fled? Go some, and follow him; 

 And he that brings his head unto the king 

 Shall have a thousand crowns for his reward. 



 Exeunt some of them  Follow me, soldiers: we'll devise a mean 

 To reconcile you all unto the king. 



 Exeunt  Shakespeare homepage  |  Henry VI, part 2  | Act 4, Scene 8 

 Previous scene  |  Next scene 