Henry VI, part 2, Act 4 Scene 8 runs 68 lines of dialogue, spoken by 4 speakers. That is shorter than the play’s average scene length of about 130 lines. This scene is part of Act 4 of Henry VI, part 2.
Full Dialogue
Cade ♂
Up Fish Street! down Saint Magnus' Corner! Kill
and knock down! throw them into Thames!
What noise is this I hear? Dare any be so bold to
sound retreat or parley, when I command them kill?
and knock down! throw them into Thames!
What noise is this I hear? Dare any be so bold to
sound retreat or parley, when I command them kill?
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
Follow me, soldiers: we'll devise a mean
To reconcile you all unto the king.
And he that brings his head unto the king
Shall have a thousand crowns for his reward.
Follow me, soldiers: we'll devise a mean
To reconcile you all unto the king.
68 lines rendered verbatim from the dialogue corpus.
Who’s On Stage
Speaking characters in this scene
| Character | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Cade | 28 | 41.2% |
| Clifford | 27 | 39.7% |
| Buckingham | 10 | 14.7% |
| All | 3 | 4.4% |
Line distribution
The top speaker in this scene delivers 28 lines, while the scene’s average per speaker is about 17 lines.
Total speakers on stage
4 named characters speak in this scene.
Scene in Context
Position within Act 4
This is Scene 8 of 10 in Act 4 of Henry VI, part 2.
Scene length vs. play average
At 68 lines, this scene is shorter than the Henry VI, part 2 average scene in Henry VI, part 2 (~130 lines).
Adjacent scenes
Previous: Act 4 Scene 7 · Next: Act 4 Scene 9
About Act 4 Scene 8 of Henry VI, part 2
Who carries Act 4 Scene 8 of Henry VI, part 2?
Cade, with 28 lines — about 41% of the scene.
Is the scene a dialogue or a solo?
With 4 speakers and the lead holding 41% of the lines, this scene is a balanced multi-voice exchange.