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 ignorant 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
That virtue must go through. We must not stint
Our necessary actions, in the fear

To cope malicious censurers; which ever,
As ravenous fishes, do a vessel follow

That is new trimm'd, but benefit no farther
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.

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,

There is no primer BASENESS.] So all the old copies. Warburton changed "baseness" to business, for which it was certainly an easy misprint. In the copy of the fourth folio, formerly belonging to Southern, and now in the possession of Mr. Holgate, I find that that poet in MS. substituted business for "baseness." Nevertheless, as all the folios agree, and as the meaning, adhering to "baseness," is evident, we are not warranted in making the change.

7 By sick interpreters (ONCE weak ones)] i. e. By sick interpreters, who are sometimes weak ones. This mode of employing "once" was not peculiar to Shakespeare. The parenthesis is in the folio.

VOL. V.

Ll

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 back'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.

I put it to your care.
Wol.

Pray, look to't;

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 commons
Hardly conceive of me: let it be nois'd,

That through our intercession this revokement
And pardon comes. I shall anon advise you
Farther in the proceeding.

Enter Surveyor.

[Exit Secretary.

Q. Kath. I am sorry that the duke of Buckingham Is run in your displeasure.

K. Hen.
It grieves many:
The gentleman is learn'd, and a most rare speaker;
To nature none more bound; his training such,
That he may furnish and instruct great teachers,
And never seek for aid out of himself: yet see,
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 complete,
Who was enroll'd 'mongst wonders, and when we,
Almost with ravish'd list'ning, 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
As if besmear'd in hell. Sit by us; you shall hear
(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.

Wol. Stand forth; and with bold spirit relate what

you,

Most like a careful subject, have collected

Out of the duke of Buckingham.

K. Hen.

Speak freely,

Surv. First, it was usual with him, every day
It would infect his speech, that if the king
Should without issue die, he'd carry it so3
To make the sceptre his. These very words
I've heard him utter to his son-in-law,

Lord Aberga'ny, to whom by oath he menac'd
Revenge upon the cardinal.

Wol.

Please your highness, note

This dangerous conception in this point.
Not friended by his wish, to your high person
His will is most malignant; and it stretches
Beyond you, to your friends.

Q. Kath.

Deliver all with charity.

K. Hen.

My learn'd lord cardinal,

Speak on.

How grounded he his title to the crown,

Upon our fail? to this point hast thou heard him

At any time speak aught?

Surv.

He was brought to this

Sir, a Chartreux friar,

By a vain prophecy of Nicholas Hopkins'.
K. Hen. What was that Hopkins?

Surv.
His confessor; who fed him every minute

With words of sovereignty.

K. Hen.

How know'st thou this?

HE'D carry it so] Old copy,

he'll. Corrected by Rowe.

8

9 By a vain prophecy of Nicholas Hopkins.] Here, in the old copy, we have the Christian name right, Nicholas ; and the surname wrong, Henton : Hopkins was, however, sometimes called Nicholas Henton, from the place where the convent to which he belonged was situated, viz. Henton, near Bristol.

Surv. Not long before your highness sped to France, The duke being at the Rose, within the parish Saint Lawrence Poultney, did of me demand What was the speech among 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 Car, 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's heirs, (Tell you the duke) shall prosper: bid him strive

To gain the love2 o' the commonalty: the duke
Shall govern England."

If I know

you well,

Q. Kath.
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.

Yes, heartily beseech you.

K. Hen.

Go forward.
Surv.

1

I say, take heed;

Let him on.

On my soul, I'll speak but truth.

the CONFESSION's seal,] The old copies, from the misprint of the first folio, read "commission's seal," for "confession's seal." Theobald made the correction, which is supported in terms by Holinshed, Shakespeare's usual authority.

2 TO GAIN the love-] The first, second, and third folios read,

"bid him strive

To the love," &c.

The word "gain," supplied in the fourth folio, had evidently dropped out in the original impression of this play.

I told my lord the duke, by the devil's illusions

The monk might be deceiv'd; and that 'twas dangerous for him,

To ruminate on this so far, until

It forg'd him some design, which, being believ'd,
It was much like to do: He answer'd, "Tush!
It can do me no damage:" adding farther,
That had the king in his last sickness fail'd,
The cardinal's and sir Thomas Lovell's heads
Should have gone off.

K. Hen.

Ha! what, so rank? Ah, ha! There's mischief in this man.-Canst thou say farther? Surv. I can, my liege.

K. Hen.

Surv.

Proceed.

Being at Greenwich,

After your highness had reprov'd the duke
About sir William Blomer,—

K. Hen.

I remember,

Of such a time: being my sworn servant,

The duke retain'd him his.-But on: what hence?

Surv. "If," quoth he, "I for this had been committed,

As, to the Tower, I thought, I would have play'd
The part my father meant to act upon

Th' usurper Richard; who, being at Salisbury,
Made suit to come in's presence, which if granted,
As he made semblance of his duty, would

Have put his knife into him."

K. Hen.

A giant traitor!

Wol. Now, madam, may his highness live in free

dom,

And this man out of prison?

Q. Kath.

God mend all!

K. Hen. There's something more would out of thee: what say'st?

3- 'twas dangerous for HIM,] The folios read, "'twas dangerous for this," which Rowe properly corrected to our text.