ACT I.

the Palace.

Buck. The devil speed him I no man's pie is free'd

Enter the Duke of NORFOLK, at one door; at the other, the Duke of BUCKINGHAM, and

the Lord ABERGAVENNY.

Buck. Good morrow, and well met. have you done,

Since last we saw in France ?

Nor. I thank your grace:

Healthful; and ever siuce a fresh admirer
Of what I saw there.

Buck. An untimely ague

How

Stay'd me a prisoner in my chamber, when Those suns of glory, those two lights of men, Met in the vale of Arde.

Nor. 'Twixt Guynes and Arde:

I was then present, saw them salute on horse. back; [clung Beheld them, when they lighted, how they In their embracement, as they grew together; Which had they, what four thron'd ones could have weigh'd

Such a compounded one?

Buck. All the whole time
I was my chamber's prisoner.
Nor. Then you lost

The view of earthly glory: Men might say,
Till this time, pomp was single; but now mar-
ried

To one above itself. Each following day Became the next day's master, till the last Made former wonders it's: To-day, the French, All clinquant, + all in gold, like heathen gods, Shone down the English: and, to-morrow, they

Made Britain, India: every man that stood Show'd like a mine. Their dwarfish pages

were

As cherubims, all gilt; the madams too,
Not us'd to toil, did almost sweat to bear
The pride upon them, that their very labour
Was to them as a painting: now this mask
Was cried incomparable; and the ensuing
night

Made it a fool and beggar. The two kings,
Equal in lustre, were now best, now worst,
As presence did present them; him in eye,
Still him in praise: and, being present both,
'Twas said, they saw but one; and no discerner
Durst wag his tongue in censure. When
these suns
[challeng'd
(For so they phrase them,) by their heralds
The noble spirits to arms, they did perform
Beyond thought's compass; that former fabu-

lous story,

Being now seen possible enough, got credit, That Bevis was believ'd.

Buck. Oh! you go far.

Nor. As I belong to worship, and affect In honour honesty, the tract of every thing Would by a good discourser lose some life, Which action's self was tongue to.

royal;

All was

To the disposing of it nought rebell'd, Order gave each thing view; the office did Distinctly his full function.

Buck. Who did guide,

I mean, who set the body and the limbs
Of this great sport together, as you guess?
Nor. One, certes, that promises no element ¶
In such a business.

Buck. I pray you, who, my lord?

Nor. All this was order'd by the good cretion

Of the right reverend cardinal of York.

Henry VIII. and Francis 1. king of Francs.

+ Glittering, shining.

In opinion, which was most noble.

Nor. Surely, Sir,

There's in him stuff that puts him to these ends:

For being not propp'd by, ancestry, (whose

grace

Chalks successors their way,) nor call'd upon For high feats done to the crown; neither

allied

To eminent assistance, but, spider-like,
Out of his self drawing web, he gives us note,
The force of his own merit makes his way;
A gift that heaven gives for him, which buys
A place next to the king.
Aber. I cannot tell

[eye What heaven hath given him, let some graver Pierce into that; but I can see his pride Peep through each part of him: Whence has he that ?

If not from hell, the devil is a niggard;
Or has given all before, and he begins
A new hell in himself.

Buck. Why the devil,

Upon this French going-out, took he upon him,
Without the privity o' the king, to appoint
Who should attend on him? He makes up the
Of all the gentry for the most part such [tile t
Too, whom as great a charge as little honour
He meant to lay upon and his own letter, §
The honourable board of council out,
Must fetch him in the papers.

Aber. I do know

Sir Bevis, created for his prowess Earl of Southampton by William the Conqueror.

| Certainly.

Practice.

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 ?

1 Secr. Here, so please you. Wol. Is he in person ready?

1 Secr. Ay, please your grace.

master

and I

Have not the power to muzzle him; therefore,

best

Not wake him in his slumber. A beggar's look

Out-worths a noble's blood.

Nor. What, are you chaf'd?

peror,

only,

Which your disease requires.

Buck. I read in his looks

Matter against me and his eye revil'd

Me, as his abject object: at this instant

Ere it was ask'd;-but when the way was

granted, made,

And pav'd with gold, the emperor thus desir'd ;

the 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 clime 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 you would to your friend.

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 outrun,
By violent swiftness, that which we run at,
And lose by over running. Know you not,
The fire, that mounts the liquor till it

o'er, In seeming to augment it, wastes it? Be vis'd:

I say again, there is no English soul
More stronger to direct you than yourself;
If with the sap of reason you would quench,
Or but allay, the fire of passion.

Buck. Sir,

run

ad

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

• Wolsey was the son of a butcher. + Stabs.

To hear this of him; and could wish he were Something mistaken in't.

Buck. No, not a syllable;

I do pronounce him in that very shape,
He shall appear in proof.

Enter BRANDON; a SERGEANT at Arms be
fore him, and two or three of the guard.
Bran. Your office, sergeant; execute it.
Serg. Sir.

My lord the duke of Buckingham, and earl
Of Hereford, Stafford, and Northampton, I
Arrest thee of high treason, in the name
Of our most sovereign king.

Buck. Lo you, my lord,

The net has fallen upon me; I shall perish
Under device and practice. †

Bran. Here is a warrant from

Unfit for other life, compell'd by hunger

Of the duke's confessor, John de la Court,

One Gilbert Peck, his chancellor,

Buck. So, so;

And danger serves among them.

K. Hen. Taxation !

1 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 clouds put on,
By dark'ning my clear sun.-My lord, farewell.
[Exeunt.

SCENE II.-The Council Chamber.
Cornets. Enter King HENRY, Cardinal WOL-
SEY, the Lords of the Council, Sir THOMAS
LOVELL, Officers, and Attendants.
KING enters, leaning on the CARDINAL'S
shoulder.

The

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 himself under the KING's
fcet 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 places her by him.

Q. Kath Nay, we must longer kneel; I am a

suitor.

K. Hen. Arise, and take place by us :-Half 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.

Q. Kath. Thank your majesty.

You know no more than others: but you frame Things, that are known alike; which are not wholesome To those which would not know them, and yet must Perforce be their acquaintance. These exactions, Whereof my sovereign would have note, they Most pestilent to the hearing; and, to bear them,

are

The back is sacrifice to the load. They say,
They are devis'd by you; or else you suffer
Too hard an exclamation.

K. Hen. Still exaction!

The nature of it? In what kind, let's know
Is this exaction?

Q. Kath. I am much too venturous In tempting of your patience; but am bolden'd Under your promis'd pardon. The subject's grief Comes through commissions, which compel from each

The sixth part of his substance, to be levied Without delay; and the pretence for this, Is nam'd your wars in France: This makes bold mouths: Tougues spit their duties out, and cold hearts freeze

Allegiance in them; their curses now, Live where their prayers did; and it's come to pass,

That tractable obedience is a slave

To each incensed will. I would, your highness
Would give it quick consideration, for
There is no primer business.

K. Hen. By my life,
This is against our pleasure.
Wol. And for me,

I have no farther gone in this, thau by

Are in great grievance: there hath been commissions

Sent down among them which have 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.

Nor. Not almost appears.

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,

brake +

That virtue must go through. We must not stint

Our necessary actions, in the fear
To cope malicious censures; 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 our's, 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