SSA

Early modern literature
Drama, gender & the body

Henry VI, Part 2

Act 4, Scene 3

Modern spelling. Stage directions omitted.

Listen to Act 4. LibriVox volunteers recorded “Act 4” as one track, so it runs past this scene and includes stage directions this page leaves out. LibriVox catalog.

CADE

Where’s Dick, the butcher of Ashford?

DICK

Here, sir.

CADE

They fell before like sheep and oxen, and behaved’st thyself as if hadst been in own slaughterhouse. Therefore thus will I reward : the Lent shall be as long again as it is, and have a licence to kill for a hundred lacking one.

DICK

I desire no more.

CADE

And, to speak truth, deservest no less. This monument of the victory will I bear. And the bodies shall be dragged at my horse heels till I do come to London, where we will have the Mayor’s sword borne before us.

DICK

If we mean to thrive and do good, break open the gaols and let out the prisoners.

CADE

Fear not that, I warrant . Come, let’s march towards London.

All of Henry VI, Part 2

Act 1

Act 1, Scene 1Act 1, Scene 2Act 1, Scene 3Act 1, Scene 4,

Act 2

Act 2, Scene 1Act 2, Scene 2Act 2, Scene 3Act 2, Scene 4,

Act 3

Act 3, Scene 1Act 3, Scene 2Act 3, Scene 3,

Act 4

Act 4, Scene 1Act 4, Scene 2Act 4, Scene 3Act 4, Scene 4Act 4, Scene 5Act 4, Scene 6Act 4, Scene 7Act 4, Scene 8Act 4, Scene 9Act 4, Scene 10,

Act 5

Act 5, Scene 1Act 5, Scene 2Act 5, Scene 3

Open Henry VI, Part 2 in the 1623 First Folio. See its words in the cloud.

Modern spelling for reading. The edition is public domain in the United States. Edition source.