The Dramatic Works of William Shakspeare

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ACT I.

the Palace.

Buck. The devil speed him! no man's pie 18 free'd

SCENE 1-London.-An Ante-chamber in From bis ambitious fiuger. What had he
To do in these fierce vanities? I wonder,
That such a keech + can with his very bulk
Take up the rays o' the beneficial sun,
And keep it from the earth.

Enter the Duke of NORFOLK, at one door;
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 since 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:

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

I was then present, saw them salute on horse-A place next to the king.

back;
[clung
Beheld them, when they lighted, how they
In their embracement, as they grew together;
Which had they, what four throu'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. t When
[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-

these suns

lous story,

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
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

Nor. Grievingly I think,

The peace between the French and us not
The cost that did conclude it.
Buck. Every man,

After the bideous storm that follow'd, was
A thing inspir'd: and, not consulting, broke
Into a general prophecy,-That this tempest
Dashing the garment of this peace, aboded
The sudden breach on't.

Nor. Which is budded out;

For France hath flaw'd the league, and hath attach'd

Our merchants goods at Bourdeaux.

Aber. Is it therefore

The ambassador is silenc'd?

Nor. Marry, is't.

Aber. A proper title of a peace; and pur chas'd

At a superfluous rate!

Buck. Why all this business

Our reverend cardinal carried. ||

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 dis-Together: to consider further, that

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 1 know, his sword
Hath a sharp edge: it's long, and it may be
said

4 Sets down in his letter without cousulting the council.

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 ? ba?

Where's his examination ?

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

1 Secr. Ay, please your grace.

Who cannot err, he did it. Now this follows, (Which, as I take it, is a kind of puppy

Wol. Well, we shall then know more; and To the old damn, treason,)-Charles the em
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 bim; therefore,

best

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

Dut-worths a noble's blood.

Nor. What, are you chard?

peror,

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

Prep'd harms that menac'd him: he privily Deals with our cardinal; and as I trow,Which I do weil; for I am sure, the emperor

Ask God for temperance; that's the appliance Paid ere he promis'd: whereby his suit was

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

granted,

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

made,

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

He bores me with some trick: He's gone to That he would please to alter the king's course,

And break the aforesaid peace. Let the king

know,

To bear 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. t

Bran. I am sorry

Be done in this and all things! I obey.-O my lord Aberg'any, 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.

• Excites.

+ Unia stratagems.

Bran. Here is a warrant from

Unfit for other life, compell'd by hunger

The king, to attach lord Montacute; and the And lack of other means, in desperate manuer, bodies Daring the event to the teeth, are all in uproar,

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 I

These are the limbs of the plot: no more, Wherein? and what taxation ?-My lord car.

I hope.

SCENE 11.-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 himself 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 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.

dinal,

Most pestilent to the hearing; and, to bear them,

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'a 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 :
Tongues 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, than by

That you would love yourself; and, in that love, A single voice; and that not pass'd me, but

Not unconsider'd leave your honour, nor

The dignity of your office, is the point

Of my petition.

K. Hen, Lady mine!-proceed. K. Kath. I am solicited, not by a few, And those of true condition, that your jects

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, sub-Tis but the fate of place, and the rough

Are in great grievance: there hath been com.

missions

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 t

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

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