King John & Henry VIII Page 19

  Of all the gentry: for the most part such87

  To whom as great a charge as little honour

  He meant to lay upon: and his own letter89,

  The honourable board of council out90,

  Must fetch him in, he papers91.

  ABERGAVENNY I do know

  Kinsmen of mine, three at the least, that have

  By this so sickened94 their estates, that never

  They shall abound95 as formerly.

  BUCKINGHAM O, many

  Have broke their backs with laying manors on ’em97

  For this great journey. What did this vanity98

  But minister communication of99

  A most poor issue?

  NORFOLK Grievingly101 I think

  The peace between the French and us not values102

  The cost that did conclude it.

  BUCKINGHAM Every man,

  After the hideous storm that followed, was

  A thing inspired, and, not consulting106, broke

  Into a general107 prophecy: that this tempest,

  Dashing the garment of this peace, aboded108

  The sudden breach on’t109.

  NORFOLK Which is budded out110,

  For France hath flawed the league, and hath attached111

  Our merchants’ goods at Bordeaux.

  ABERGAVENNY Is it therefore113

  Th’ambassador is silenced114?

  NORFOLK Marry115, is’t.

  ABERGAVENNY A proper title of116 a peace, and purchased

  At a superfluous rate117.

  BUCKINGHAM Why, all this business

  Our reverend cardinal carried119.

  NORFOLK Like it120 your grace,

  The state takes notice of the private difference121

  Betwixt you and the cardinal. I advise you —

  And take it from a heart that wishes towards you

  Honour and plenteous safety — that you read124

  The cardinal’s malice and his potency125

  Together: to consider further that

  What his high hatred would effect wants127 not

  A minister128 in his power. You know his nature,

  That he’s revengeful: and I know his sword

  Hath a sharp edge: it’s long and’t may be said,

  It reaches far, and where ’twill not extend,

  Thither he darts it. Bosom up132 my counsel,

  You’ll find it wholesome. Lo133, 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

  CARDINAL WOLSEY The Duke of Buckingham’s surveyor135, ha?

  Where’s his examination136?

  SECRETARY Here, so please you.

  CARDINAL WOLSEY Is he in person ready?

  SECRETARY Ay, please your grace.

  CARDINAL WOLSEY Well, we shall then know more, and Buckingham

  Shall lessen this big141 look.

  Exeunt Cardinal and his train

  BUCKINGHAM This butcher’s cur142 is venom-mouthed, and I

  Have not the power to muzzle him: therefore best

  Not wake him in his slumber. A beggar’s book144

  Outworths a noble’s blood.

  NORFOLK What, are you chafed146?

  Ask God for temp’rance: that’s th’appliance only147

  Which your disease requires.

  BUCKINGHAM I read in’s looks

  Matter150 against me, and his eye reviled

  Me as his abject object151: at this instant

  He bores152 me with some trick: he’s gone to th’king:

  I’ll follow, and outstare him.

  NORFOLK Stay, my lord,

  And let your reason with your choler155 question

  What ’tis you go about: to climb steep hills

  Requires slow pace at first. Anger is like

  A full hot158 horse, who being allowed his way,

  Self-mettle159 tires him: not a man in England

  Can advise me like you: be to yourself

  As you would to your friend.

  BUCKINGHAM I’ll to the king,

  And from a mouth of honour quite163 cry down

  This Ipswich164 fellow’s insolence, or proclaim

  There’s difference165 in no persons.

  NORFOLK Be advised166:

  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 overrunning170: know you not

  The fire that mounts171 the liquor till’t run o’er,

  In seeming to augment it wastes it? Be advised:

  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 allay176 the fire of passion.

  BUCKINGHAM Sir,

  I am thankful to you, and I’ll go along

  By your prescription: but this top-proud179 fellow —

  Whom from the flow of gall180 I name not, but

  From sincere motions — by intelligence181,

  And proofs as clear as founts182 in July when

  We see each grain of gravel, I do know

  To be corrupt and treasonous.

  NORFOLK Say not ‘treasonous’.

  BUCKINGHAM To th’king I’ll say’t, and make my vouch186 as strong

  As shore of rock: attend. This holy fox,

  Or wolf, or both — for he is equal188 rav’nous

  As he is subtle189, and as prone to mischief

  As able to perform’t, his mind and place190

  Infecting one another, yea, reciprocally —

  Only to show his pomp192 as well in France

  As here at home, suggests193 the king our master

  To this last costly treaty, th’interview194

  That swallowed so much treasure195, and like a glass

  Did break i’th’wrenching196.

  NORFOLK Faith, and so it did.

  BUCKINGHAM Pray give me favour198, sir: this cunning cardinal

  The articles o’th’combination drew199

  As himself pleased: and they were ratified

  As he cried ‘Thus let be’, to as much end201

  As give a crutch to th’dead. But our count-cardinal202

  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 th’old dam treason — Charles the Emperor206,

  Under pretence to see the queen his aunt —

  For ’twas indeed his colour208, but he came

  To whisper209 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

  Peeped harms that menaced him. He privily213

  Deals with our cardinal, and as I trow214 —

  Which I do well, for I am sure the emperor

  Paid ere216 he promised, whereby his suit was granted

  Ere it was asked — but217 when the way was made

  And paved with gold, the emperor thus desired

  That he219 would please to alter the king’s course,

  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 he222 pleases,

  And for his own advantage.

  NORFOLK I am sorry

  To hear this of him, and could wish he were

  Something mistaken226 in’t.

  BUCKINGHAM No, not a syllable:

  I do pronounce him in that very shape

  He shall appear in proof229.

  Enter Brandon,
a Sergeant-at-Arms before him, and two or three of the Guard

  BRANDON Your office230, sergeant: execute it.

  To Buckingham

  SERGEANT Sir,

  My lord the Duke of Buckingham, and Earl

  Of Hertford233, Stafford and Northampton, I

  Arrest thee of high treason, in the name

  Of our most sovereign king.

  BUCKINGHAM Lo you, my lord,

  The net has fall’n upon me: I shall perish

  Under device and practice238.

  BRANDON I am sorry

  To see you ta’en from liberty, to look on240

  The business present. ’Tis his highness’ pleasure241

  You shall to th’Tower242.

  BUCKINGHAM It will help me nothing243

  To plead mine innocence, for that dye is on me

  Which makes my whit’st part black. The will of heav’n

  Be done in this and all things: I obey.

  O my Lord Aberga’nny, fare you well.

  To Abergavenny

  BRANDON Nay, he must bear you company.— The king

  Is pleased you shall to th’Tower, till you know

  How he determines further.

  ABERGAVENNY As the duke said,

  The will of heaven be done, and the king’s pleasure

  By me obeyed.

  BRANDON Here is a warrant from

  The king t’attach Lord Montague and the bodies255

  Of the duke’s confessor, John de la Car,

  One Gilbert Perk, his chancellor—

  BUCKINGHAM So, so;

  These are the limbs o’th’plot: no more, I hope.

  BRANDON A monk o’th’Chartreux260.

  BUCKINGHAM O, Nicholas Hopkins?

  BRANDON He.

  BUCKINGHAM My surveyor is false263: the o’er-great cardinal

  Hath showed him gold: my life is spanned264 already:

  I am the shadow of poor Buckingham265,

  Whose figure even this instant cloud puts on267,

  By dark’ning my clear sun. My lord, farewell.

  Exeunt

  Act 1 Scene 2

  running scene 2

  Cornets. Enter King Henry [VIII], leaning on the Cardinal [Wolsey]’s shoulder, the Nobles, [Wolsey’s Secretary] and Sir Thomas Lovell: the Cardinal places himself under the King’s feet on his right side

  KING HENRY VIII My life itself, and the best heart1 of it,

  Thanks you for this great care: I stood i’th’level2

  Of a full-charged confederacy3, and give thanks

  To you that choked it. Let be called before us

  That gentleman of Buckingham’s: in person

  I’ll hear him his confessions justify6,

  And point by point the treasons of his master

  He shall again relate.

  A noise within crying ‘Room for the Queen, ushered by the Duke of Norfolk’. Enter the Queen [Katherine], Norfolk and Suffolk: she kneels. [The] King riseth from his state, takes her up, kisses and placeth her by him

  QUEEN KATHERINE Nay, we must longer kneel: I am a suitor9.

  KING HENRY VIII Arise, and take place10 by us: half your suit

  The Queen moves to his side

  Never name to us: you have half our power:

  The other moiety12 ere you ask is given:

  Repeat your will13 and take it.

  QUEEN KATHERINE Thank14 your majesty.

  That you would love yourself, and in that love

  Not unconsidered leave your honour, nor

  The dignity17 of your office, is the point

  Of my petition.

  KING HENRY VIII Lady mine, proceed.

  QUEEN KATHERINE I am solicited20, not by a few,

  And those of true condition21, that your subjects

  Are in great grievance: there have been commissions22

  Sent down among ’em which hath flawed23 the heart

  Of all their loyalties: wherein, although,

  My good lord cardinal, they vent reproaches

  Most bitterly on you, as putter-on26

  Of these exactions27, yet the king our master —

  Whose honour heaven shield from soil28 — even he escapes not

  Language unmannerly, yea, such which breaks

  The sides of loyalty, and almost appears

  In loud rebellion.

  NORFOLK Not ‘almost appears’,

  It doth appear: for, upon these taxations,

  The clothiers34 all, not able to maintain

  The many to them longing, have put off35

  The spinsters, carders, fullers36, weavers, who,

  Unfit for other life37, compelled by hunger

  And lack of other means, in desperate manner

  Daring th’event to th’teeth39, are all in uproar,

  And danger serves40 among them.

  KING HENRY VIII Taxation?

  Wherein, and what taxation? My lord cardinal,

  You that are blamed for it alike with us,

  Know you of this taxation?

  CARDINAL WOLSEY Please you, sir,

  I know but of a single part in aught46

  Pertains to th’state, and front but in that file47

  Where others tell48 steps with me.

  QUEEN KATHERINE 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.53 These exactions,

  Whereof my sovereign would have note54, they are

  Most pestilent to th’hearing, and to bear55 ’em

  The back is sacrifice to th’load56. They say

  They are devised by you, or else you suffer

  Too hard an exclamation58.

  KING HENRY VIII Still ‘exaction’:

  The nature of it? In what kind60, let’s know,

  Is this exaction?

  QUEEN KATHERINE I am much too venturous62

  In tempting of your patience, but am boldened63

  Under your promised pardon. The subjects’ grief64

  Comes through commissions, which compels from each

  The sixth part of his substance66, to be levied

  Without delay, and the pretence67 for this

  Is named 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 prayers71 did: and it’s come to pass

  This tractable obedience is a slave72

  To each incensèd will. I would73 your highness

  Would give it quick consideration, for

  There is no primer baseness75.

  KING HENRY VIII By my life,

  This is against our pleasure77.

  CARDINAL WOLSEY And for me,

  I have no further gone in this than by

  A single voice, and that not passed80 me but

  By learnèd approbation81 of the judges: if I am

  Traduced82 by ignorant tongues, which neither know

  My faculties83 nor person, yet will be

  The chronicles of my doing, let me say

  ’Tis but the fate of place, and the rough brake85

  That virtue must go through: we must not stint86

  Our necessary actions, in the fear

  To cope malicious censurers88, which ever,

  As rav’nous fishes, do a vessel follow

  That is new trimmed90, but benefit no further

  Than vainly longing. What we oft do best91,

  By sick interpreters, once weak ones, is

  Not ours, or not allowed: what worst, as oft93,

  Hitting a grosser quality, is cried up

  For our best act: if we shall stand still,

  In fear our motion will be mocked or carped at96,

  We should take root here where we sit,

  Or sit state-statues98 only.
<
br />   KING HENRY VIII Things done well,

  And with a care, exempt themselves from fear:

  Things done without example, in their issue101

  Are to be feared. Have you a precedent

  Of103 this commission? I believe not any.

  We must not rend our subjects from our laws104,

  And stick them in our will. Sixth part of each?

  A trembling106 contribution; why, we take

  From every tree lop107, bark, and part o’th’timber:

  And though we leave it with a root, thus hacked

  The air will drink the sap109. To every county

  Where this is questioned110 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.

  To the Secretary

  CARDINAL WOLSEY A word with you.

  Let there be letters writ to every shire,

  Aside to Secretary

  Of the king’s grace and pardon.— The grievèd commons116

  Hardly conceive of me. Let it be noised117

  That through our intercession this revokement118

  And pardon comes: I shall anon119 advise you

  Further in the proceeding.

  Exit Secretary

  Enter Surveyor

  To the King

  QUEEN KATHERINE I am sorry that the Duke of Buckingham

  Is run in122 your displeasure.

  KING HENRY VIII It grieves many: