Buck. Pray give me favour, Sir-
Cardinal
The articles o' th' combination drew
As himself pleas'd; and they were ratify'd
As he cry'd, let it be
to as much end,
As give a crutch to th' dead. But our b Court-Cardinal
Has done this, and 'tis well-for worthy Wolfey,
Who cannot err, he did it. Now this follows,
(Which, as I take it, is a kind of
puppy
To th'old dam, treafon) Charles the Emperor,
Under pretence to fee the Queen his aunt,
(For 'twas indeed his colour, but he came
To whifper Wolfey) here makes visitation:
His fears were, that the interview betwixt
England and France, might through their amity
Breed him fome 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 fure the Emperor !
Paid ere he promis'd, whereby his fuit was granted
Ere it was ask'd. But when the way was made,
And pav'd with gold; the Emp'ror thus defir'd,
That he would please to alter the King's courfe,
And break the forefaid peace. Let the King know,
(As foon he shall by me) that thus the Cardinal
Does buy and fell his honour as he pleases,
And for his own advantage.
}
Nor. I am forry
To hear this of him; and could wish you were
Something mistaken in't.
Buck. No, not a fyllable :'
I do pronounce him in that very shape
He hall appear in proof.
SCENE III.
Enter Brandon, a ferjeant at arms before him, and two or three of the guard.
Bran. Your office, Serjeant; execute it.
b count.
Serj. Sir,
My lord the Duke of Buckingham, and Earl
Of Hertford, Stafford, and Northampton, I
Arreft thee of high treafon, in the name
Of our moft Sov'reign King.
Buck. Lo you, my lord,
The net has fall'n upon me; I fhall perif
Under device and practice.
Bran. I am forry
To fee you ta'en from liberty, to look on
The bufinefs prefent. 'Tis his Highness pleasure
You fhall to th' Tower.
Buck. It will help me nothing
To plead mine innocence; for that dye is on me,
Which makes my whit'ft part black. The will of heav'n
Be done in this and all things: I obey,
O my lord Aberganny, fare ye well.
Bran. Nay, he must bear you company. The King
Is pleas'd you fhall to the Tower, 'till you know
How he determines further.
Aber. As the Duke faid,
The will of heav'n be done, and the King's pleasure
By me obey'd.
Bran. Here is a warrant from
The King, t'attach lord Mantague, and the bodies
Of the Duke's confeffor, John de la Car,
And Gilbert Peck, his chancellor.
Buck. So, fo;
Thefe are the limbs o'th' plot: no more, I hope!
Bran. A monk o' th' Chartreux.
Buck. Nicholas Hopkins ?
Bran. He.
Buck. My furveyor is falfe, the o'er-great Cardinal
Hath fhew'd him gold, my life is fpann'd already :
I am the fhadow of poor
Whofe figure ev'n this inftant cloud puts on,
By dark'ning my clear fun. My lord, farewel. [Exe
Buckingham,
SCENE IV.
Cornet, Enter King Henry, leaning on the Cardinal's fhoulder; the Nobles and Sir Thomas Lovel; the Cardinal places himself under the King's feet, on his right fide.
King. Thanks you for this great care: 1 stood
Y life it felf, and the best heart of it,
i'th' level
Of a full charg'd confed'racy, and give thanks
To you that choak'd it. Let be call'd before us
That gentleman of Buckingham's in perfon,
I'll hear him his confeffions juftifie,
And point by point the treasons of his master
He fhall again relate.
A noife, with crying, Room for the Queen. Usher'd by the Duke of Norfolk, Enter the Queen, Norfolk and Suffolk; he kneels. The King rifeth from his ftate, takes her up, kiffes and placeth her by him.
Queen. Nay, we muft longer kneel, I am a fuitor King. Arite,and take place by us; half your fuit Never name to us; you have half our power: The other moiety ere you ask is given; Repeat your will and take it.
Queen. Thank your Majefty.
That you would love your felf, and in that love
Not unconfider'd leave your honour, nor
The dignity of your office, is the point
Of my petition.
King. Lady mine, proceed.
Queen. I am follicited, not by a few, And thofe of true condition, that your fubjects Are in great grievance. There have been commiffions Sent down among 'em, which have flaw'd the heart Of all their loyalties; wherein although [To Wolley.
(My
(My good lord Cardinal) they vent reproaches
Moft bitterly on you as putter on
Of these exactions, yet the King our mafter
(Whose honour heav'n fhield from foil) escapes not
Language unmannerly; yea fuch which breaks
The fides 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 fpinfters, carders, fullers, weavers, who
Unfit for other life, compell'd by hunger
And lack of other means, in defp'rate manner
Daring th' event to th' teeth, are all in uproar,
And danger ferves among them.
King. Taxation ?
Wherein and what taxation? my lord Cardinal,
You that are blam'd for it alike with us,
Know you of this taxation?
Wol. Pleafe you, Sir,
I know but of a fingle part in ought
Pertains to th' ftate, and front but in that file
Where others tell fteps with me.
Queen. No, my lord,
You know no more than others: but you frame
Things that are known alike, which are not wholsome
To those which would not know them, and yet muft
Perforce be their acquaintance. Thefe exactions
(Whereof my Sov'raign would have note) they are
Moft peftilent to th' hearing; and to bear 'em,
The back is facrifice to th' load; they fay,
They are devis'd by you, or else you fuffer
Too hard an exclamation.
King. Still exa&ion!
The nature of it, in what kind let's know
In this exaction?
Queen. I am much too vent'rous
In tempting of your patience, but am bolden'd
Under your promis'd pardon. The fubjects grief
Comes
Comes through commiffions, which compel from each
The fixth part of his fubftance, to be levy'd
Without delay; and the pretence for this
Is nam'd your wars in France. This makes bold mouths;
Tongues fpit their duties out, and cold hearts freeze
Allegiance in them; all their curses now
Live where their pray'rs 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 bafeness.
King. By my life,
This is against our pleasure.
Wol. And for me,
I have no further gone in this, than by
A fingle voice, and that not paft me but
By learned approbation of the judges.
If I'm traduc'd by tongues, which neither know
My faculties nor perfon, yet will be
The chronicles of my doing; let me fay,
'Tis but the fate of place; and the rough brake
That virtue muft go through we must not ftint
Our neceffary actions, in the fear
To cope malicious cenfures; which ever,
As rav'nous filhes do a veffel follow
That is new trimm'd; but benefit no further
Than vainly longing. What we oft do best,
By fick interpreters, or weak ones, is
Not ours, or not allow'd: what worst, as oft
Hitting a groffer quality, is cry'd up
For our best act: if we ftand ftill, in fear
Our motion will be mock'd or carped at,
We should take root here where we fit:
Or fit ftate-ftatues only.
King. Things done well
And with a care, exempt themfelves from fear-
Things done without example, in their iffue
Are to be fear'd. Have you a precedent
Of this commiffion? I believe not any.
We must not rend our fubjects from our laws,
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