K. HEN.

Taxation!

Wherein? and what taxation? - My lord cardinal,

You that are blam'd for it alike with us,

Know you of this taxation?

WOL.

Please you, fir,

I know but of a single part, in aught
Pertains to the state; and front but in that file

Where others tell steps with me.

2. KATH.

You know no more than others:
Things, that are known alike;

wholesome

No, my lord, but you frame which are not

To those which would not know them, and yet

muft

Perforce be their acquaintance. These exactions,
Whereof my fovereign would have note, they are
Most peftilent to the hearing; and, to bear them,
The back is facrifice to the load. They say,
They are devis'd by you; or elfe you suffer
Too hard an exclamation.

K. HEN.

Still exaction!

The nature of it? In what kind, let's know,
Is this exaction?

2. KATH.

I am much too venturous In tempting of your patience; but am bolden'd

2-front but in that file-) I am but primus inter pares. I am but first in the row of counsellors. JOHNSON.

This was the very idea that Wolfey wished to disclaim. It was not his intention to acknowledge that he was the first in the row of counsellors, but that he was merely on a level with the rest, and stept in the fame line with them. M. MASON.

3 You know no more than others: &c.] That is, you know no more than other counsellors, but you are the person who frame those things which are afterwards proposed, and known equally by all.

Under your promis'd pardon. The subject's grief Comes through commissions, which compel from

each

The fixth part of his substance, to be levy'd
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 flave

To each incenfed will. I would, your highness
Would give it quick confideration, for
There is no primer business.s

4

-tractable obedience &c.] i. e. those who are tractable and obedient, muft give way to others who are angry. MUSGRAVE. The meaning of this is, that the people were so much irritated by oppreffion, that their resentment got the better of their obedience. M. MASON.

The meaning, I think, is-Things are now in such a fituation, that resentment and indignation predominate in every man's breaft over duty and allegiance. MALONE.

5 There is no primer business.] In the old edition:

men.

There is no primer baseness.

The queen is here complaining of the fuffering of the commons; which, she suspects, arose from the abuse of power in some great But she is very reserved in speaking her thoughts concerning the quality of it. We may be affured then, that she did not, in conclufion, call it the highest baseness; but rather made use of a word that could not offend the cardinal, and yet would incline the king to give it a speedy hearing. I read therefore :

There is no primer business.

i. e. no matter of state that more earnestly presses a dispatch.

WARBURTON.

Dr. Warburton (for reasons which he has given in his note) -no primer business :

K. HEN.

By my life,

WOL.

And for me,

This is against our pleasure.

I have no further gone in this, than by

A fingle 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 stint' Our necessary actions, in the fear

To cope malicious cenfurers; 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 beft,
By fick interpreters, once weak ones, is

but I think the meaning of the original word is sufficiently clear. No primer baseness is no mischief more ripe or ready for redress. So, in Othello:

"Were they as prime as goats, as hot as monkies-."

" If I am traduc'd by tongues, which neither know,

STEEVENS.

My faculties, nor person,] The old copy-by ignorant tongues. But furely this epithet must have been an interpolation, the ignorance of the supposed speakers being sufficiently indicated by their knowing neither the faculties nor person of the Cardinal. I have, therefore, with Sir T. Hanmer, restored the measure, by the present omiffion. STEEVENS.

We must not stint-) To stint is to stop, to retard. Many inftances of this sense of the word are given in a note on Romeo and Juliet, Act I. sc. iii. STEEVENS.

8 To cope-] To engage with; to encounter. The word is ftill used in some counties. JOHNSON.

So, in As you like it :

"I love to cope him in these sullen fits." STEEVENS. 9-once weak ones,) The modern editors read-or weak

Not ours, or not allow'd; what worst, as oft,
Hitting a groffer quality, is cry'd 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 fit, or fit
State statues only.

K. HEN.

Things done well,

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 fubjects 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,

ones; but once is not unfrequently used for sometime, or at one time or other, among our ancient writers.

So, in the 13th Idea of Drayton:

"This diamond shall once confume to duft."

Again, in The Merry Wives of Windfor: -" I pray thee, once tonight give my sweet Nan this ring." Again, in Leicester's if God should take from us her most excellent majefty (as once he will) and so leave us deftitute-."

Commonwealth:

7

STEEVENS,

- or not allow'd;) Not approved. See Vol. III. p. 386, 1.5. MALONE.

what worst, as oft,

Hitting a groffer quality, The worst actions of great men are commended by the vulgar, as more accommodated to the grossness of their notions. JOHNSON.

9 For our best act.] I suppose, for the fake of measure, we should read-action. Perhaps the three laft letters of this word were accidentally omitted by the compofitor. STEEVENS.

* Things done well,] Sir T. Hanmer, very judicioufly in my opinion, completes the measure by reading:

Things that are done well. STEEVENS.

3 From every tree, lop, bark, and part o' the timber;] Lop is a substantive, and signifies the branches. WARBURTON.

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 deny'd
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 fhire,
Of the king's grace and pardon.

commons

The griev'd

Hardly conceive of me; let it be nois'd,
That, through our interceffion, this revokement
And pardon comes: 4 I shall anon advise you

Further in the proceeding.

[Exit Secretary.

Enter Surveyor.s

2. KATH. I am forry, 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,

4 That, through our interceffion, &c.] So, in Holinshed, p. 892: "The cardinall, to deliver himself from the evill will of the commons, purchased by procuring and advancing of this demand, affirmed, and caused it to be bruted abrode that through his inter. ceffion the king had pardoned and released all things."

STEEVENS.

5 Enter Surveyor.] It appears from Holinshed that his name was Charles Knyvet. RITSON.

6 The gentleman is learn'd, &c.] We understand from "The Prologue of the tranflatour," that the Knyghte of the Swanne, a French romance, was tranflated at the request of this unfortunate nobleman. Copland, the printer, adds, " this present hiftory compyled, named Helyas the Knight of the Swanne, of whonz linially is defcended my faid lord." The duke was executed on Friday the 17th of May, 1521. The book has no date.

STEEVENS.