The Dramatic Works of William Shakspeare

ACT I.

the Palace.

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

SCENE I-London.-An Ante-chamber in From his ambitious finger. 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:

I was then present, saw them salute on horse.
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

I mean, who set the body and the limbs
Of this great sport together, as you guess?
Nor. One, certes, that promises no element ¶
In such a business.

Buck. I pray you, who, my lord?

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
A place next to the king.

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 be 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,

[file t

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

Kinsmen of mine, three at the least, that have By this so sicken'd their estates, that never They shall abound as formerly.

Buck. O many

Have broke their backs with laying manors on them

For this great journey.

But minister communication of

A most poor issue?

What did this vanity

[values

Nor. Grievingly I think,

The peace between the French and us not The cost that did conclude it.

Buck. Every man,

After the hideous 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 purchas'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

Nor. All this was order'd by the good dis- Together to consider further, that

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 ?

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 dam, treason,)-Charles the em

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

Out-worths a noble's blood.

Nor. What, are you chaf'd?

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, made,

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

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,

(As soon he shall by me,) that thus the car

dinal

Does buy and sell his honour as be pleases, Aud for his own advantage.

Nor. I am sorry

To hear 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 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.

Buck. Lo you, my lord,

The net has fallen upon me; I shall perish
Under device and practice.t

Bran. I am sorry

To see you ta'en from liberty to look on
The business preseut: 'Tis his highness' plea-

sure

You shall to the Tower.

Buck. It will help me nothing,

To plead mine innocence; for that dies on

me,

Which makes my whitest part black. The will

of heaven

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.

Unfair 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 manner, 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 !

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

I hope.

Bran. A monk o'the Chartreux.
Buck. O Nicholas Hopkins ?

Bran. He.

Buck. My surveyor is false; the o'er-great cardinal

Hath show'd him gold; my life is spann'd ⚫ al-
ready;

I am the shadow of poor Buckingham;
Whose figure even this instant clouds put on,
By dark'ning my clear sun.-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 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,

You that are blam'd for it alike with us,
Know you of this taxation?

Wol. Please you, Sir,

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

Where others tell steps with me.

Q. Kath. No, my lord,

You know no more than others: but you frame
Things, that are known alike; which are not
wholesome
To those which would not know them, and yet
must

Perforce be their acquaintance. These exac-
tions,
Whereof my sovereign would have note, they
Most pestilent to the bearing; and, to bear
them,

are

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's grief

Comes through commissions,

from each

which compel

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

And those of true condition, that your sub-'Tis but the fate of place, and the rough

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

Our necessary actions, in the fear

Το 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

To every county,

The air will drink the sap.
Where this is question'd, send our letters,
with

Free pardon to each man that bas 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 conceived 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.

The duke being at the Rose, within the pe
rish

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 dake
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 creuture living, but

Q. Kath. I am sorry that the duke of Buck- To me, should utter, with demure confidence

ingham

It would infect his speech, That if the king
Should without issue die, he'd carry it so
To make the sceptre 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. My learn'd lord cardinal,
Deliver all with charity.

• Rerond.

↑ Conduci, manage.

This pausingly ensu'd,-Neither the king, nor his heirs,

(Tell you the duke) shall prosper: bid him

strive

To gain the lore of the commonalty; the duke
Shall govern England.

Q. Kuth. If I know you well,

You were the duke's surveyor, and lost your office

On the complaint o'the tenants: Take good
heed,

Yon charge not in your spleen a noble person,
And spoil your nobler soul! I say, take heed;
Yes, heartily beseech you.

K. Hen. Let him on :-
Go forward.

Surv. On my soul, I'll speak but truth.
I told my lord the duke, By the devil's ill-
sions

The monk might be deceiv'd; and that 'twas dang'rous for him,

To ruminate ou this so far, until

It forg'd him some design, which, being be-
liev'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.

K. Hen. Ha! what, so rank? Ah, ha! There's mischief in this man:-Canst thon say further?

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?

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

K. Hen. There's his period,

To sheath his knife in us. 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. New customs,

Though they be never so ridiculous,
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.
Sands. They have all new legs, and lame
ones; one would take it,

That never saw them pace before, the spavin,
A springbalt + reign'd among them.

Cham. Death! my lord,

Their clothes are after such a pagan cut too, That, sure, they have worn out Christendom.

How now?

of fool and feather, that they got in France, With all their honourable points of ignorance, Pertaining thereunto, (as fights, and fireworks; Abusing better men than they can be, Out of a foreign wisdom,) renouncing clean The faith they have in tennis, and tall stockings,

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An honest country lord, as I am, beaten

A long time out of play, may bring his plain song,

And have an hour of hearing; and, by'r-lady,
Held current music too.

Cham. Well said, lord Sands;
Your colt's tooth is not cast yet.
Sands. No, my lord;

Nor shall not, while I have a stump.
Cham, Sir Thomas,

Whither were you a-going?
Lov. To the cardinal's;
Your lordship is a guest too,

Cham. Oh I 'tis true;

This night he makes a supper, and a great one,
To many lords and ladies; there will be
The beauty of this kingdom, I'll assure you.
Lov. That churchman bears a bounteous mind
indeed,

A hand as fruitful as the land that feeds us :
His dews fall every where.

Cham. No doubt, he's noble ;

He had a black mouth that said other of him, Sands. He may, my lord, he has wherewithal; in him,

Sparing would show a worse sin than ill doctrine :

Men of his way should be most liberal,
They are set here for examples.

Cham. True, they are so;

But few now give so great ones. My barge stays; t

Your lordship shall along:-Come, good Sir
Thomas,

We shall be late else, which I would not be.
For I was spoke to, with Sir Henry Guildford,
This night to be comptrollers.
Sands. I am your lordship's.

[Exeunt.

Can make good people,--O my lord, you are
tardy;

Enter Lord CHAMBERLAIN, Lord SANDS, and
Sir THOMAS LOVELL.

Short blister'd breeches, and those types of The very thought of this fair company

travel,

Clapp'd wings to me.

Cham. You are young, Sir Harry Guildford.

• With authority. The speaker is at Bridewell, and the Cardinal's house was at Whitehall. ↑ Company.

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