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 overrunning. Know you not,
The fire that mounts the liquor till 't run o'er,
In seeming to augment it wastes it? Be advis'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.

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 July, when
We see each grain of gravel,—I do know
To be corrupt and treasonous.

Nor.

132

136

140

144

148

152

Say not 'treasonous.' 156 Buck. To the king I'll say 't; and make my vouch

as strong

As shore of rock. Attend. This holy fox,

138 Ipswich; cf. n. 153 motions: motives

151 top-proud: supremely insolent 157 vouch: proof

Or wolf, or both, for he is equal ravenous
As he is subtle, and as prone to mischief
As able to perform 't, his mind and place
Infecting one another, yea, reciprocally,
Only to show his pomp as well in France
As here at home, suggests the king our master
To this last costly treaty: th' interview,
That swallow'd so much treasure, and like a glass
Did break i' the rinsing.

Nor.

Faith, and so it did.

160

164

Buck. Pray give me favour, sir. This cunning

cardinal

The articles o' the combination drew

168

As himself pleas'd; and they were ratified
As he cried, "Thus let be,' to as much end

As give a crutch to the dead. But our count-car

dinal

Has done this, and 'tis well; for worthy Wolsey,

172

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

To the old dam, treason,-Charles the emperor,
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
Peep'd harms that menac'd him. He privily
Deals with our cardinal, and, as I trow,—
Which I do well; for I am sure the emperor
Paid ere he promis'd, whereby his suit was granted
Ere it was ask'd;-but when the way was made,

164 suggests: tempts

172 count-cardinal; cf. n.

178 colour: excuse

176

180

184

169 combination: agreement 176 Charles the emperor; cf. n. 183 He privily; cf. n.

And pav'd with gold, the emperor thus desir'd:
That he would please to alter the king's course,

188

And break the foresaid peace. Let the king know— As soon he shall by me-that thus the cardinal

Does buy and sell his honour as he pleases,

And for his own advantage.

Nor.

I am sorry

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

Buck.

192

No, not a syllable:

196

I do pronounce him in that very shape

He shall appear in proof.

Enter Brandon; a Sergeant-at-Arms before 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.

To see you ta'en from liberty, to look on

The business present. 'Tis his highness' pleasure
You shall to the Tower.

Buck.

It will help me nothing

200

204

To plead mine innocence, for that dye is on me 208

195 mistaken: misjudged

200 Hereford; cf. n.

204 device and practice: plot and trick 204-206 I am sorry, etc.; cf. n.

197 S. d. Enter Brandon; cf. n. 202 Lo you: behold!

Which makes my whit'st part black.

heaven

Be done in this and all things! I obey.

O, my Lord Abergavenny, fare you well!

The will of

Bran. Nay, he must bear you company. [To Abergavenny.] The King

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!

Bran.

Here is a warrant from

The king t' attach Lord Montacute; and the bodies
Of the duke's confessor, John de la Car,

One Gilbert Peck, his chancellor,

Buck.

So, so;

212

216

These are the limbs o' the plot: no more, I hope. 220 Bran. A monk o' the Chartreux.

Buck.

Bran.

O! Nicholas Hopkins?

He.

224

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 cloud puts on, By dark'ning my clear sun. My lord, farewell.

211 Lord Abergavenny; cf. n.

219 Gilbert Peck, his chancellor; cf. n. 221 Nicholas Hopkins; cf. n.

226 My lord; cf. n.

Exeunt.

218 John de la Car; cf. n.

225 instant: moment; cf. n.

Cornets.

Scene Two

[The Council Chamber]

Enter King Henry, leaning on the Cardinal's shoulder, the nobles and Sir Thomas Lovell; the Cardinal places himself under the King's feet on his right side.

King. 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.

8

A noise within, crying, 'Room for the Queen, ushered by the Duke of Norfolk.' Enter the Queen, Norfolk and Suffolk: she kneels. King riseth from his state, takes her up, kisses, and placeth her by him. Queen. Nay, we must longer kneel: I am a suitor. King. 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.

Queen.

12

Thank your majesty.

That you would love yourself, and in that love
Not unconsider'd leave your honour nor

The dignity of your office, is the point

16

2 level: range, aim

12 moiety: half