Cardinal Wolsey. Cardinal Campeius. Capucius, ambassador from the emperor Charles V.
Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury. Duke of Norfolk. Duke of Buckingham. Duke of Suffolk. Earl of Surrey. Lord Chamberlain. Lord Chancellor. Gardiner, bishop of Winchester.
Bishop of Lincoln. Lord Abergavenny. Lord Sands.
Sir Henry Guildford. Sir Thomas Lovell. Sir Anthony Denny. Sir Nicholas Vaux. Secretaries to Wolsey.
Cromwell, servant to Wolsey.
Griffith, gentleman-usher to queen Katharine. Three other Gentlemen.
Doctor Butts, physician to the king. Garter, king at arms.
I COME no more to make you laugh; things
That bear a weighty and a serious brow, Sad, high, and working, full of state and wo, Such noble scenes as draw the eye to flow, We now present. Those that can pity, here May, if they think it well, let fall a tear; The subject will deserve it. Such, as give Their money out of hope they may believe, May here find truth too. Those, that come to see Only a show or two, and so agree,
The play may pass; if they be still, and willing, I'll undertake, may see away their shilling Richly in two short hours. Only they, That come to hear a merry, bawdy play, A noise of targets; or to see a fellow
In a long motley coat, guarded' with yellow, Will be deceiv'd: for, gentle hearers, know, To rank our chosen truth with such a show As fool and fight is, beside forfeiting Our own brains, and the opinion that we bring (To make that only true we now intend,2) Will leave us never an understanding friend. Therefore, for goodness' sake, and as you are known
The first and happiest hearers of the town, Be sad, as we would make ye: Think, ye see The very persons of our noble story,
As they were living; think, you see them great, And follow'd with the general throng, and sweat, Of thousand friends; then, in a moment, see How soon this mightiness meets misery! And, if you can be merry then, I'll say, A man may weep upon his wedding-day. (1) Laced. (2) Pretend.
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 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 chal- leng'd
The noble spirits to arms, they did perform Beyond thought's compass; that former fabulous story,
Being now seen possible enough, got credit, That Bevis2 was believ'd.
Nor. As I belong to worship, and affect In honour honesty, the tract of every thing Would by a good discourser lose some life, Which action's self was tongue to. All was royal ;| To the disposing of it nought rebell'd; Order gave each thing view; the office did Distinctly his full function.
Who did guide, I mean, who set the body and the limbs Of this great sport together, as you guess?
Nor. One, certes,3 that promises no element In such a business.
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 freed|| From his ambitious finger. What had he To do in these fierces vanities? I wonder, That such a keech6 can with his very bulk Take up the rays o'the beneficial sun, And keep it from the earth.
Nor. 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 assistants, 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 A place next to the king.
Aber. What heaven hath given him, let some graver eye Pierce into that; but I can see his pride Peep through each part of him: Whence has he
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 Together to consider further, that What his high hatred would effect, wants not A minister in his power: You know his nature, That he's revengeful; and I know, his sword Hath a sharp edge: it's long, and, it may be said, 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, ha? Where's his examination?
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. [Exe. Wolsey, and train. Buck. This butcher's curl0 is venom-mouth'd,
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.
Nor. What, are you chaf'd? Ask God for temperance; that's the appliance only, Which your disease requires.
Matter against me; and his eye revil'd
Me, as his abject object: at this instant
(8) Sets down in his letter without consulting the council.
(10) Wolsey was the son of a butcher.
He bores me with some trick He's gone to the || (As soon he shall by me,) that thus the cardinal Does buy and sell his honour as he pleases, And for his own advantage.
I'll follow, and out-stare him.
Nor. Stay, my lord, And let your reason with your choler question What 'tis you go about: To climb steep hills, 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.
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 over-running. Know you not, The fire, that mounts the liquor till it 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. Say not, treasonous. Buck. To the king I'll say't; and make vouch as strong As shore of rock. Attend. This holy fox, Or wolf, or both (for he is equal ravenous, As he is subtle; and as prone to mischief, As able to perform it: 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, the interview, That swallow'd so much treasure, and like a glass Did break i'the rinsing.
To hear this of him; and could wish, he were Something mistaken in't.
No, not a syllable, I do pronounce him in that very shape, He shall appear in proof.
Enter Brandon; a Serjeant at Arms before him, and two or three of the guards.
Bran. Your office, serjeant; execute it. Serj.
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.
Lo you, my lord, The net has fall'n upon me; I shall perish Under device and practice.3 Bran. I am sorry 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, To plead mine innocence; for that die is on me, Which makes my whitest part black. The will of Heaven
Be done in this and all things!-I obey.- O my lord Aberga'ny, fare you well.
Bran. Nay, he must bear you company :-The [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.
Buck. Pray, give me favour, sir. This cunning Hath show'd him gold: my life is spann'd already :
The articles o'the combination drew,
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-cardinal Has done this, and 'tis well; for worthy Wolsey, 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, And pav'd with gold, the emperor thus desir'd;- That he would please to alter the king's course, And break the foresaid peace. Let the king know,|
(1) Stabs. (2) Excites. (3) Unfair stratagem.
I am the shadow of poor Buckingham; Whose figure even this instant cloud puts on, By dark'ning my clear sun.-) n.—My lord, farewell. [Exeunt.
SCENE II.-The council-chamber. Cornets. Enter King Henry, Cardinal Wolsey, the Lords of the Council, Sir Thomas Lovell, Officers, and Assistants. 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.
(4) Measured. (5) Chair.
A noise within, crying Room for the Queen. En-Is nam'd, your wars in France: This makes bold ter the Queen, ushered by the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk: she kneels. The King riseth from his state, takes her up, kisses, and placeth her by him.
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.
This is against our pleasure. Wol.
I have no farther gone in this, than by A single voice; and that not pass'd me, but 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, 'Tis but the fate of place, and the rough brake? That virtue must go through. We must not stint3 Our necessary actions, in the fear
To cope4 malicious censurers; 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 ours, or not allow'd ;6 what worst, as oft, Hitting a grosser quality, is cried up
(Whose honour Heaven shield from soil!) even he|| For our best act. If we shall stand still,
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, Unfit for other life, compell'd 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.
Wherein? and what taxation ?-My lord cardinal, You that are blam'd for it alike with us, Know you of this taxation?
Please you, sir, I know but of a single part, in aught Pertains to the state; and front but in that filel Where others tell steps with me.
In fear our motion will be mock'd or carp'd at, We should take root here where we sit, or sit State statues only.
And with a care, exempt themselves from fear; Things done without example, in their issue Are to be fear'd. 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? 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 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
Q. Kath. No, my lord, You know no more than others: but you frame Things, that are known alike; which are not whole-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 Bucking- ham 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
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 complete,
(4) Encounter. (5) Sometime. (6) Approved. (7) Beyond.
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