Speeches (Lines) for Lord Clifford in "History of Henry VI, Part II"

Duke of 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.

Lord 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. We'll follow Cade, we'll follow Cade!

Lord 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.

Henry VI. Why, Buckingham, is the traitor Cade surprised?
Or is he but retired to make him strong?
[Enter below, multitudes, with halters about]
their necks]

Lord Clifford. He is fled, my lord, and all his powers do yield;
And humbly thus, with halters on their necks,
Expect your highness' doom of life or death.

Queen Margaret. And here comes Clifford to deny their bail.

Lord Clifford. Health and all happiness to my lord the king!

Richard Plantagenet - Duke of York. I thank thee, Clifford: say, what news with thee?
Nay, do not fright us with an angry look;
We are thy sovereign, Clifford, kneel again;
For thy mistaking so, we pardon thee.

Lord Clifford. 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?

Henry VI. Ay, Clifford; a bedlam and ambitious humour
Makes him oppose himself against his king.

Lord Clifford. He is a traitor; let him to the Tower,
And chop away that factious pate of his.

Richard Plantagenet the Younger. And if words will not, then our weapons shall.

Lord Clifford. Why, what a brood of traitors have we here!

Richard Plantagenet - Duke of 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.

Lord Clifford. Are these thy bears? we'll bait thy bears to death.
And manacle the bear-ward in their chains,
If thou darest bring them to the baiting place.

Richard Plantagenet the Younger. Oft have I seen a hot o'erweening cur
Run back and bite, because he was withheld;
Who, being suffer'd with the bear's fell paw,
Hath clapp'd his tail between his legs and cried:
And such a piece of service will you do,
If you oppose yourselves to match Lord Warwick.

Lord Clifford. Hence, heap of wrath, foul indigested lump,
As crooked in thy manners as thy shape!

Richard Plantagenet - Duke of York. Nay, we shall heat you thoroughly anon.

Lord Clifford. Take heed, lest by your heat you burn yourselves.

Richard Plantagenet - Duke of York. Call Buckingham, and all the friends thou hast,
I am resolved for death or dignity.

Lord Clifford. The first I warrant thee, if dreams prove true.

Warwick. You were best to go to bed and dream again,
To keep thee from the tempest of the field.

Lord Clifford. I am resolved to bear a greater storm
Than any thou canst conjure up to-day;
And that I'll write upon thy burgonet,
Might I but know thee by thy household badge.

Warwick. Now, by my father's badge, old Nevil's crest,
The rampant bear chain'd to the ragged staff,
This day I'll wear aloft my burgonet,
As on a mountain top the cedar shows
That keeps his leaves in spite of any storm,
Even to affright thee with the view thereof.

Lord Clifford. And from thy burgonet I'll rend thy bear
And tread it under foot with all contempt,
Despite the bear-ward that protects the bear.

Warwick. Then, nobly, York; 'tis for a crown thou fight'st.
As I intend, Clifford, to thrive to-day,
It grieves my soul to leave thee unassail'd.

Lord Clifford. What seest thou in me, York? why dost thou pause?

Richard Plantagenet - Duke of York. With thy brave bearing should I be in love,
But that thou art so fast mine enemy.

Lord Clifford. Nor should thy prowess want praise and esteem,
But that 'tis shown ignobly and in treason.

Richard Plantagenet - Duke of York. So let it help me now against thy sword
As I in justice and true right express it.

Lord Clifford. My soul and body on the action both!

Richard Plantagenet - Duke of York. A dreadful lay! Address thee instantly.

Lord Clifford. La fin couronne les oeuvres.