From every tree, lop2, bark, and part o' the timber;
And, though we leave it with a root, thus hack'd,
The air will drink the sap. To every county,
Where this is question'd, send our letters, with
Free pardon to each man that has denied
The force of this commission: Pray, look to't;
I put it to your care.

Wol.

A word with you.

[To the Secretary.

Let there be letters writ to every shire,

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

That, through our intercession, this revokement

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

[Exit Secretary.

Enter Surveyor.

Q. Kath. I am sorry, that the duke of Buckingham
Is run in your displeasure.

K. Hen.
It grieves many:
The gentleman is learn'd, 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

3

When these so noble benefits shall prove

Not well dispos'd, the mind growing once corrupt,
They turn to vicious forms, ten times more ugly
Than ever they were fair. This man so cómplete,
Who was enroll'd 'mongst wonders, and when we,
Almost with ravish'd list'ning, could not find
His hour of speech a minute; he, my lady,

From every tree, lop,-] Lop is a substantive, and signifies the branches.

And never seek for aid out of himself.] Beyond the treasures of his own mind.

Hath into monstrous habits

put the

graces

That once were his, and is become as black

As if besmear'd in hell. Sit by us; you shall hear (This was his gentleman in trust,) of him

Things to strike honour 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 scepter his: These very words
I have heard him utter to his son-in-law,
Lord Aberga'ny; to whom by oath he menac'd
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 learn'd 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?

Suro.

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

To me, should utter, with demure confidence

This pausingly ensu'd, - 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,

your

You were the duke's surveyor, and lost 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 deceiv'd; and that 'twas dang❜rous for him,

To ruminate on this so far, until

↑ The duke being at the Rose, &c.] This house was purchased about the year 1561, by Richard Hill, sometime master of the Merchant Tailors company, and is now the Merchant Tailors school, in Suffolk-lane.

It forg'd him some design, which, being believ❜d,
It was much like to do: He answer'd, Tush!
It can do me no damage: adding further,
That, had the king in his last sickness fail'd,
The cardinal's and sir Thomas Lovell's heads
Should have gone off.

After your highness had reprov'd the duke

About sir William Blomer,

K. Hen.

Of such a time:

I remember,

Being my servant sworn,

But on; What hence?

The duke retain'd him his.

Surv. If, quoth he, I for this had been committed, As, to the Tower, I thought, I would have play'd

The part my father meant to act upon

The usurper Richard: who, being at Salisbury,
Made suit to come in his presence; which, if granted,
As he made semblance of his duty, would

Have put his knife into him.

K. Hen.

A giant traitor !

Wol. Now, madam, may his highness live in freedom, And this man out of prison?

Q. Kath.

God mend all!

K. Hen. There's something more would out of thee;

What say'st? Surv. After-the duke his father, with the knife,He stretch'd him, and, with one hand on his dagger, Another spread on his breast, mounting his eyes, He did discharge a horrible oath; whose tenour

so rank?] Rank weeds, are weeds grown up to great height and strength. What, says the king, was he advanced to this pitch?

JOHNSON.

Was, Were he evil us'd, he would out-go
His father, by as much as a performance
Does an irresolute purpose.

K. Hen.

To sheath his knife in us.

There's his period,
He is attach'd;

Call him to present trial: if he may

Find mercy in the law, 'tis his; if none,

Let him not seek't of us: by day and night,"
He's traitor to the height.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

A Room in the Palace.

Enter the Lord Chamberlain and Lord SANDS.

Cham. Is it possible, the spells of France should juggle Men into such strange mysteries??

Sands.

Though they be never so ridiculous,

New customs,

Nay, let them be unmanly, yet are follow'd.
Cham. As far as I see, all the good our English
Have got by the late voyage, is but merely

A fit or two o'the face; but they are shrewd ones;
For when they hold them, you would swear directly,
Their very noses had been counsellors

To Pepin, or Clotharius, they keep state so.

by day and night,] This, I believe, was a phrase anciently signifying at all times, every way, completely. The king's words, however, by some criticks have been considered as an adjuration. I do not pretend to have determined the exact force of them. STEEVENS.

7 Is it possible, the spells of France should juggle

Men into such strange mysteries?] i, e. those fantastick manners and fashions of the French, which had operated as spells or enchant

ments.

• A fit or two o'the face;] A fit of the face is what we now term a grimace, an artificial cast of the countenance.