Buck.

Why, all this business Our reverend cardinal carried. 9 Nor. 'Like it, your grace, The state takes notice of the private difference Betwixt you and the cardinal. I advise you, (And take it from a heart that wishes towards you Honour and plenteous safety,) that you read The cardinal's malice and his potency Together to consider further, that What his high hatred would effect, wants not A minister in his power: You know his nature, That he's revengeful; and I know, his sword Hath a sharp edge: it's long, and, it may be said, It reaches far; and where 'twill not extend, Thither he darts it. Bosom up my counsel, You'll find it wholesome. Lo, where comes that rock, That I advise your shunning.

Enter CARDINAL WOLSEY, (the Purse borne before him,) certain of the Guard, and two Secretaries with Papers. The CARDINAL in his passage fixeth his eye on BUCKINGHAM, and BUCKINGHAM on him, both full of disdain.

Wol. The duke of Buckingham's surveyor? ha? Where's his examination?

Matter against me; and his eye revil'd Me, as his abject object: at this instant

I am thankful to you: and I'll go along

By your prescription: - but this top-proud fellow, (Whom from the flow of gall I name not, but From sincere motions,) by intelligence,

And proofs as clear as founts in Júly, when
We see each grain of gravel, I do know
To be corrupt and treasonous
Nor.
Say not, treasonous.
Buck. To the king I'll say't; and make my vouch
as strong

As shore of rock. Attend. This holy fox,
Or wolf, or both, (for he is equal ravenous,
As he is subtle; and as prone to mischief,
As able to perform it: his mind and place
Infecting one another, yea, reciprocally,)
Only to show his pomp as well in France
As here at home, suggests the king our master
To this last costly treaty, the interview,
That swallow'd so much treasure, and like a glass
Did break i' the rinsing.

The articles o' the combination drew,
As himself pleas'd; and they were ratified,
As he cried, Thus let be: to as much end,

As give a crutch to the dead: But our count-cardinal
Has done this, and 'tis well; for worthy Wolsey,
Who cannot err, he did it. Now this follows,
(Which, as I take it, is a kind of puppy
To the old dam, treason,)
Charles the emperor,
Under pretence to see the queen his aunt,
(For 'twas, indeed, his colour; but he came
To whisper Wolsey,) here makes visitation:
His fears were, that the interview, betwixt
England and France, might, through their amity,
Breed him some prejudice; for from this league
Peep'd arms that menac'd him: He privily
Deals with our cardinal; and, as I trow, -
Which I do well; for, I am sure, the emperor
Paid ere he promis'd; whereby his suit was granted,
-but when the way was made,
And pav'd with gold, the emperor thus desir'd ; ·
That he would please to alter the king's course
And break the aforesaid peace. Let the king know,
(As soon he shall by me,) that thus the cardinal
Does buy and sell his honour as he pleases,
And for his own advantage.

king;

I'll follow, and out-stare him.

Nor.

Stay, my lord, And let your reason with your choler question What 'tis you go about: To climb steep hills Requires slow pace at first: Anger is like A full-hot horse; who being allow'd his way, Self-mettle tires him. Not a man in England Can advise me like you; be to yourself As would to your friend.

you

Buck.

I'll to the king, And from a mouth of honour quite cry down This Ipswich fellow's insolence; or proclaim, There's difference in no persons.

Nor. Be advis'd: Heat not a furnace for your foe so hot That it do singe yourself: We may out-run, By violent swiftness, that which we run at, And lose by over-running. Know you not, The fire, that mounts the liquor till it run o'er, In seeming to augment it, wastes it? Be advis'd: I say again, there is no English soul More stronger to direct you than yourself;

9 Conducted. I Wolsey was the son of a butcher. 2 Stabs.

Be done in this and all things! O my lord Aberga'ny, fare you well. Bran. Nay, he must bear you company: -The king [To ABERGAVENNY. Is pleas'd, you shall to the Tower, till you know How he determines further.

Aber. As the duke said, The will of heaven be done, and the king's pleasure By me obey'd. Bran.

Here is a warrant from

Are in great grievance: there hath been commissions
Sent down among them, which hath flaw'd the heart
Of all their loyalties: - wherein, although,
My good lord cardinal, they vent reproaches
Most bitterly on you, as putter-on

Of these exactions, yet the king our master,
(Whose, honour heaven shield from soil!) even he
escapes not

Language unmannerly, yea, such which breaks
The sides of loyalty, and almost appears,
In loud rebellion.
Not almost appears,

Nor.
It doth appear; for, upon these taxations,
The clothiers all, not able to maintain
The many to them 'longing, have put off
The spinsters, carders, fullers, weavers, who,
Unfit for other life, compell'd by hunger
And lack of other means, in desperate manner

Buck.

So, so;

These are the limbs of the plot: no more, I hope. Bran. A monk o' the Chartreux,

Buck. O, Nicholas Hopkins? Bran. He. Buck. My surveyor is false; the o'er-great cardinal Hath show'd him gold: my life is spann'd already; I am the shadow of poor Buckingham; Whose figure even this instant cloud puts on, By dark'ning my clear sun. My lord, farewell. [Exeunt.

-

SCENE II.. The Council-chamber. Cornets. Enter KING HENRY, CARDINAL WOLSEY, the Lords of the Council, SIR THOMAS LOVELL, Officers, and Attendants. The KING enters, leaning on the Cardinal's Shoulder.

K. Hen. My life itself and the best heart of it,
Thanks you for this great care: I stood i' the level
Of a full-charg'd confederacy, and give thanks
To you that chok'd it.— Let be call'd before us
That gentleman of Buckingham's: in person
I'll hear him his confessions justify;

And point by point the treasons of his master
He shall again relate.

The KING takes his State. The Lords of the Council
take their several Places. The CARDINAL places him-
self under the King's Feet, on his right Side.
A Noise within, crying, Room for the Queen. Enter
the QUEEN, ushered by the DUKES OF NORFOLK and
SUFFOLK she kneels. The KING riseth from his
State, takes her up, kisses, and placeth her by him.
Q. Kath. Nay, we must longer kneel; I am a
suitor.

K. Hen. Arise, and take place by us : your suit

Never name to us; you have half our power: The other moiety, ere you ask, is given; Repeat your will, and take it.

And danger serves among them.

K. Hen.

Taxation! Wherein? and what taxation?— My lord cardinal, You that are blam'd for it alike with us, Know you of this taxation? Wol. Please you, sir, I know but of a single part, in aught Pertains to the state; and front but in that file Where others tell steps with me. 6

Q. Kath. No, my lord, You know no more than others: but you frame Things, that are known alike; which are not whole

some

Thank your majesty.

Q. Kath. That you would love yourself; and in that love, Not unconsider'd leave your honour, nor The dignity of your office, is the point Of my petition.

K. Hen.

Lady mine, proceed.

Q. Kath. I am solicited, not by a few, And those of true condition, that your subjects Chair of state, throne.

Wol.

By my life,

And for me,

I have no farther gone in this, than by
A single voice; and that not pass'd me, but
By learned approbation of the judges.

If I am traduc'd by tongues, which neither know
My faculties, nor person, yet will be

The chronicles of my doing,- let me say, 'Tis but the fate of place, and the rough brake 8 That virtue must go through. We must not stint 6 I am only one among the other counsellors. 7 More important. 8 Thicket of thorns.

Our necessary actions, in the fear

To cope 9 malicious censurers; which ever,
As ravenous fishes, do a vessel follow
That is new trimm'd; but benefit no further
Than vainly longing. What we oft do best,
By sick interpreters, once weak ones, is

Not ours, or not allow'd; what worst, as oft,
Hitting a grosser quality, is cried up

For our best act. If we shall stand still,

In fear our motion will be mock'd or carp'd at, We should take root here where we sit, or sit State statues only.

K. Hen.

Things done well,

And with a care, exempt themselves from fear;
Things done without example, in their issue
Are to be fear'd. Have you a precedent
Of this commission? I believe, not any.
We must not rend our subjects from our laws,
And stick them in our will. Sixth part of each?
A trembling contribution! Why, we take,
From every tree, lop, bark, and part o' the timber;
And though we leave it with a root, thus hack'd,
The air will drink the sap. To every county,
Where this is question'd, send our letters, with
Free pardon to each man that has denied
The force of this commission: Pray, look to't;
I put it to your care.

Wol. A word with you. [To the Secretary.
Let there be letters writ to every shire,
Of the king's grace and pardon. The griev'd

When these so noble benefits shall prove
Not well dispos'd, the mind growing once corrupt,
They turn to vicious forms, ten times more ugly
Than ever they were fair. This man so cómplete,
Who was enroll'd 'mongst wonders, and when we,
Almost with ravish'd listening, could not find
His hour of speech a minute; he, my lady,
Hath into monstrous habits put the graces
That once were his, and is become as black

K. Hen.

How know'st thou this?
Surv. Not long before your highness sped to France,
The duke being at the Rose 3, within the parish
Saint Lawrence Poultney, did of me demand
What was the speech amongst the Londoners
Concerning the French journey: I replied,
Men fear'd, the French would prove perfidious,
To the king's danger. Presently the duke
Said, 'Twas the fear, indeed; and that he doubted,
"Twould prove the verity of certain words
Spoke by a holy monk; That oft, says he,
Hath sent to me, wishing me to permit
John de la Court, my chaplain, a choice hour
To hear from him a matter of some moment:
Whom after under the confession's seal
He solemnly had sworn, that what he spoke,
My chaplain to no creature living, but

To me, should utter, with demure confidence
This pausingly ensu'd,― Neither the king, nor his heirs,
(Tell you the duke) shall prosper: bid him strive
To gain the love of the commonalty; the duke
Shall govern England.

Q. Kath.
If I know you well,
You were the duke's surveyor, and lost your office
On the complaint o'the tenants: Take good heed,
You charge not in your spleen a noble person,
And spoil your nobler soul! I say, take heed;
Yes, heartily beseech you.

K. Hen. Go forward.

Surv.

Let him on:

On my soul, I'll speak but truth. I told my lord the duke, by the devil's illusions The monk might be deceiv'd; and that 'twas dang'rous for him,

To ruminate on this so far, until

(This was his gentleman in trust,) of him Things to strike honour sad. - Bid him recount The fore-recited practices; whereof

We cannot feel too little, hear too much.

It was much like to do: He answer'd, Tush! It can do me no damage: adding further, That, had the king in his last sickness fail'd, The cardinal's and sir Thomas Lovell's heads

K. Hen. Ha! what, so rank? Ah, ha! There's mischief in this man :- Canst thou say further?

2 Approved.

I remember, Now Merchant Taylors' School.

tongue;

And, pray, receive them nobly, and conduct them, Into our presence, where this heaven of beauty Shall shine at full upon them: Some attend him. [Exit Chamberlain, attended. All arise, and Tables removed. You have now a broken banquet: but we'll mend it. A good digestion to you all: and, once more, I shower a welcome on you; - Welcome all. Hautboys. Enter the KING, and twelve others, as Maskers, habited like Shepherds, with sixteen Torchbearers; ushered by the Lord Chamberlain. They pass directly before the Cardinal, and gracefully

salute him.