ACT I. 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 the Palace. Enter the Duke of NORFOLK, at one door; at 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 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. Such a compounded one? The view of earthly glory: Men might say, ried To one above itself. Each following day Made Britain, India: every man that stood To do in these fierce⚫ vanities? I wonder, 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, [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 he that? If not from hell, the devil is a niggard; Buck. Why the devil, Upon this French going-out, took he upon him, Aber. I do know Kinsmen of mine, three at the least, that have Buck. O many Have broke their backs with laying manors on Honour and plenteous safety,) that you read The cardinal's malice and his potency dis-Together to consider further, that Sir Bevis, created for bis prowess Earl of Southampton by William the Conqueror. 1 Certainly. Practice. What his high hatred would effect, wants not It reaches far; and where 'twill not extend, 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. As here at home, suggests the king on? master To this last costly treaty, the interview, Did break i'the rinsing. Nor. 'Faith, and so it did. Buck. Pray, give me favour, Sir. This eun- The articles o'the combination drew, Has done this, and 'tis well; for worthy Wol- 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- Shall lessen this big look. Have not the power to muzzle him; therefore, Not wake him in his slumber. A beggar's look Out-worths a noble's blood. Nor. What, are you chaf'd? peror, Under pretence to see the queen his aunt, Peep'd harms that menac'd him he privily 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 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, the king; Aud break the aforesaid peace. Let the king Nor. I am sorry To hear this of him; and could wish he were Buck. No, not a syllable; I do pronounce him in that very shape, Enter BRANDON; a SERGEANT at Arms be Bran. Your office, sergeant; execute it. My lord the duke of Buckingham, and earl Buck. Lo you, my lord, The net has fallen upon me; I shall perish Bran. I am sorry To see you ta'en from liberty to look on The business present: 'Tis his highness' plea 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 meaus, 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; These And danger serves among them. K. Hen. Taxation ! are the limbs of the plot: no more, Wherein? aud 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 * already; I am the shadow of poor Buckingham; Of a full-charg'd confederacy, and give thanks And point by point the treasons of his master The KING takes his state. The Lords of the 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, Wol. Please you, Sir, I know but of a single part, in aught Pertains to the state; and front but in bat 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 exactions, Whereof my sovereign would have note, they are Most pestilent to the hearing; and, to bear them, The back is sacrifice to the load. They say, K. Hen. Still exaction! The nature of it? In what kind, let's know 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 which compel Comes through commissions, from each The sixth part of his substance, to be levied 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 slave To each incensed will. I would, your highness K. Hen. By my life, Wol. And for me, I have no farther gone in this, than by That you would love yourself; and, in that love, A single voice; and that not pass'd me, but virtue must go through. We must not stint t Sent down among them which have flaw'd the Our necessary actions, in the fear heart Of all their loyalties:-wherein, although, Of these exactions, yet the king our master, Language unmannerly, yea, such which breaks Nor. Not almost appears. It doth appear; for, upon these taxations, K. Hen. Things done well, And with a care, exempt themselves from fear; A trembling contribution! Why, we take with a root, thus To every county, The air will drink the sap. Free pardon to each man that has denied 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, [Exit SECRETARY. Enter SURVEYOR. K. Hen. 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? Surv. He was brought to this By a vain prophecy of Nicholas Hopkins. His confessor; who fed him every minute K. Hen. How know'st thou this? Surv. Not long before your highness sped to The duke being at the Rose, within the pe- Saint Lawrence Poultney, did of me demand 'Twould prove the verity of certain words Q. Kath. I am sorry that the duke of Buck- To me, should utter, with demure confidence ingbam It would infect his speech, That if the king Wol. Please your highness, note Q. Kath. My learn'd lord cardinal, • Beyond. + Conduct, manage. This pausingly ensu'd,-Neither the king, nor his heirs, (Tell you the duke) shall prosper: bid him strive It was much like to do: He answer'd, Tush! K. Hen. Ha! what, so rank? Ah, ha! There's mischief in this man:--Canst thou say further? Surv. I cau, my liege. K. Hen. Proceed. Surv. Being at Greenwich, After your highness had reprov'd the duke K. Hen. I remember, Of such a time :-Being my servant sworn, Surv. If, quoth he, I for this had been As to the Tower, I thought,-I would have As he made semblance of his duty, would· 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, K. Hen. There's his period, He is attach'd ; To sheath his knife in us. ones; For when they hold them, you would swear directly, Their very noses had been counsellors That never saw them pace before, the spavin, Cham. Death! my lord, Their clothes are after such a pagan cut too, That, sure, they have worn out Christendom. How now? What news, Sir Thomas Lovell? Enter Sir THOMAS LOVELL. Lov. 'Faith, my lord, I hear of none but the new proclamation Cham. What is't for? Lou. The reformation of our travell'd gallants, That fill the court with quarrels, talk, and tailors. Cham. I am glad, 'tis there; now I would pray our monsieurs To think an English courtier may be wise, Lov. They must either (For so run the conditions,) leave these remnants 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, Short blister'd breeches, and those types of travel, And understand again like honest men; Or pack to their old playfellows: there I take it, And have an hour of hearing; and, by'r-lady, Cham. Well said, lord Sands; Your colt's tooth is not cast yet. Nor shall not, while I have a stump. Whither were you a-going? Lov. To the cardinal's ; This night he makes a supper, and a great ɔne, A hand as fruitful as the land that feeds us : 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, Cham. True, they are so ; But few now give so great ones. My barge stays; + Your lordship shall along :-Come, good Sir We shall be late else, which I would not be. [Exeunt. SCENE IV.-The Presence-Chamber in York Place. Hautboys. A small table under a state for the CARDINAL, a longer table for the guests. Enter at one door ANNE BULLEN, und divers Lords, Ladies, and Gentlewomen, as guests; at another door, enter Sir HENRY GUILDFORD. Guild. Ladies, a general welcome from his grace Salutes ye all: This night he dedicates To fair content and you: none here, he hopes, In all this noble bevy, has brought with her One care abroad; he would have all as merry As first-good, company, good wine, good wel. |