The spinsters, carders, fullers, weavers, who,
Unfit for other life, compelled by hunger
And lack of other means, in desperate manner
Daring the event to the teeth, are all in uproar,
And Danger serves among them.

K. Hen.

Taxation!

Wherein? and what taxation ?-My lord cardinal,
You that are blamed 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 file1
Where others tell steps with me.

Q. Kath.

You know no more than others;

Things, that are known alike;

some

No, my lord, but you frame which are not whole

To those which would not know them, and yet must
Perforce be their acquaintance. These exactions,
Whereof my sovereign would have note, they are
Most pestilent to the hearing; and, to bear them,
The back is sacrifice to the load. They say,
They are devised 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 boldened
Under your promised 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 named, your wars in France. This makes bold

mouths:

Tongues spit their duties out, and cold hearts freeze Allegiance in them; their curses now

1 He means to say that he is but one among many counsellors, who proceed in the same course with him in the business of the state.

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.1

K. Hen.

This is against our pleasure.
Wol.

By my life,

And for me,

I have no further gone in this, than by

A single voice; and that not passed me, but
By learned approbation of the judges. If I am
Traduced 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 2 That virtue must go through. We must not stint Our necessary actions, in the fear

3

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

4

That is new trimmed; but benefit no further
Than vainly longing. What we oft do best,
By sick interpreters, once weak ones, is
Not ours, or not allowed; 5 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 mocked or carped 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 feared. 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?

1 The old copy reads, "There is no primer baseness." Warburton made the alteration.

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 hacked,
The air will drink the sap. To every county,
Where this is questioned, send our letters, with
Free pardon to each man that has denied
The force of this commission; pray, look to't;
put it to your care.
A word with you.

I

Wol.

[To the Secretary.

Let there be letters writ to every shire,

Of the king's grace and pardon. The grieved commons Hardly conceive of me; let it be noised,

That, through our intercession, this revokement

And pardon comes. I shall anon advise you
Further in the proceeding.

Enter Surveyor.1

[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 learned, 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 disposed, 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 enrolled 'mongst wonders, and when we,
Almost with ravished 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
As if besmeared in hell. Sit by us; you shall hear
(This was his gentleman in trust) of him

1 Holinshed says that this surveyor's name was Charles Knyvet.

Things to strike honor 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 so
To make the sceptre his. These very words
I have heard him utter to his son-in-law,
Lord Aberga'ny; to whom by oath he menaced
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 learned 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?

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 amongst the Londoners

1 This house was purchased about the year 1561, by Richard Hill, some time master of the merchant tailors' company, and is now the merchant tailors' school, in Suffolk-lane.

Concerning the French journey: I replied,
Men feared 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 seal1
He solemnly had sworn, that, what he spoke,
My chaplain to no creature living, but

To me, should utter, with demure confidence

This pausingly ensued,-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 deceived; and that 'twas dangerous for him

To ruminate on this so far, until

It forged him some design, which, being believed,
It was much like to do. He answered, Tush!

It can do me no damage; adding further,
That, had the king in his last sickness failed,
The cardinal's and sir Thomas Lovell's heads
Should have gone off.

K. Hen.

Ha! what, so rank? Ah, ah!
Canst thou say further?

There's mischief in this man.

1 The old copy has "commission's seal."