Nor. Then you lost The view of earthly glory: Men might say, Till this time, pomp was single; but now married 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 cherubins, 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 cry'd 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 (For so they phrase them,) by their heralds challeng'd The noble spirits to arms, they did perform Beyond thought's compass; that former fabulous story, Buck. O, you go far. Nor. As I belong to worship, and affect In honour honesty, the tract of every thing' + All clinquant,] All glittering, all shining. Clarendon uses this word in his description of the Spanish Juego de Toros. Durst wag his tongue in censure.] Censure for determination, of which had the noblest appearance. That Bevis was believ'd.] The old romantick legend of Bevis of Southampton. 7 the tract of every thing, &c.] The course of these tri Would by a good discourser lose some life, Order gave each thing view; the office did Buck. Who did guide, Buck. I pray you, who, my lord? Nor. All this was order'd by the good discretion Of the right reverend cardinal of York. Buck. The devil speed him! no man's pie is free'd From his ambitious finger. What had he To do in these fierce vanities? I wonder, That such a keech,2 can with his very bulk Take up the rays o' the beneficial sun, And keep it from the earth. Nor. Surely, sir, There's in him stuff that puts him to these ends: For, being not propp'd by ancestry, (whose grace umphs and pleasures, however well related, must lose in the description part of that spirit and energy which were expressed in the real action. 8 the office did Distinctly his full function.] The commission for regulating this festivity was well executed, and gave exactly to every particular person and action the proper place. JOHNSON. 9 - element] No initiation, no previous practices. Elements are the first principles of things, or rudiments of knowledge. The word is here applied, not without a catachresis, to a person. 1 fierce vanities?] Fierce is here, I think, used like the French fier for proud, unless we suppose an allusion to the mimical ferocity of the combatants in the tilt. JOHNSON. 2 That such a keech -] A keech is a solid lump or mass. A cake of wax or tallow formed in a mould, is called yet in some places, a keech. There may, perhaps, be a singular propriety in this term of contempt. Wolsey was the son of a butcher, and in The Second Part of King Henry IV. a butcher's wife is calledGoody Keech. Chalks successors their way,) nor call'd upon Out of his self-drawing web, he gives us note, Aber. 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 Buck. Why the devil, Upon this French going-out, took he upon him, Must fetch him in he papers.* Aber. I do know Kinsmen of mine, three at the least, that have They shall abound as formerly. Buck. O, many Have broke their backs with laying manors on them A most poor issue?5 3 the file] That is, the list. * Must fetch him in he papers.] He papers, a verb; his own letter, by his own single authority, and without the concurrence of the council, must fetch him in whom he papers down. Nor. Grievingly I think, The peace between the French and us not values Buck. Nor. Which is budded out; For France hath flaw'd the league, and hath attach'd Our merchants' goods at Bourdeaux. Aber. The ambassador is silenc'd?" Nor. Is it therefore Marry, is't. Aber. A proper title of a peace; and purchas'd At a superfluous rate! Buck. Why, all this business 'Like it your grace, Our reverend cardinal carried." Nor. What his high hatred would effect, wants not 5 What did this vanity, But minister, &c.] What effect had this pompous show, but the production of a wretched conclusion. JOHNSON. 6 The ambassador is silenc'd?] I understand this of the French ambassador residing in England, who, by being refused an audience, may be said to be silenc'd. JOHNSON. A proper title of a peace;] A fine name of a peace. Ironically. JOHNSON. Our reverend cardinal carried.] To carry a business was at this time a current phrase for to conduct or manage it. That he's revengeful; and I know, his sword 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. Wol. Well, we shall then know more; and Buckingham Shall lessen this big look. [Exeunt WOLSEY, and Train. Buck. This butcher's cur' is venom-mouth'd, and I Have not the power to muzzle him; therefore, best Not wake him in his slumber. A beggar's book Out-worths a noble's blood.1 Nor. What, are you chaf'd? Ask God for temperance; that's the appliance only, Which your disease requires. 9 a butcher. 1 butcher's cur-] Wolsey is said to have been the son of A beggar's book Out-worths a noble's blood.] That is, the literary qualifications of a bookish beggar are more prized than the high descent of hereditary greatness. This is a contemptuous exclamation very naturally put into the mouth of one of the ancient, unlettered, martial nobility. JOHNSON. |