Will be deceiv'd; for, gentle hearers, know,
To rank our chosen truth with such a show
As fool and fight is, beside forfeiting
Our own brains, and the opinion that we bring,
(To make that only true we now intend,)
Will leave us never an understanding friend.
Therefore, for goodness' sake, and as you are known
The first and happiest hearers of the town,
Be sad, as we would make ye: Think, ye see
The very persons of our noble story,

As they were living; think you see them great,
And follow'd with the general throng, and sweat,

Of thousand friends: then, in a moment, see
How soon this mightiness meets misery!
And, if you can be merry then, I'll say,
A man may weep upon his wedding day.

2 Pretend.

An Ante-chamber in the Palace.

Nor.

Then you lost The view of earthly glory: Men might say, Till this time, pomp was single; but now married 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 were As cherubin, all gilt: the madams too, Not us'd to toil, did almost sweat to bear The pride upon them, that their very Was to them as a painting: now this mask Was cry'd incomparable; and the ensuing night Made it a fool, and beggar. The two kings, Equal in lustre, were now best, now worst, As presence did present them; him in eye, Still him in praise: and, being present both, 'Twas said, they saw but one; and no discerner Durst wag his tongue in censure. When these suns (For so they phrase them,) by their heralds challeng'd

labour

The noble spirits to arms, they did perform Beyond thought's compass; that former fabulous story,

Being now seen possible enough, got credit,
That Bevis 4 was believ'd.

Nor. One, certes 5 that promises no element In such a business. Buck. I pray you, who, my lord? Nor. All this was order'd by the good discretion Of the right reverend cardinal of York.

Buck. The devil speed him! no man's pie is free'd From his ambitious finger. What had he To do in these fierce vanities? I wonder, That such a keech 7 can with his very bulk Take up the rays o'the beneficial sun, And keep it from the earth.

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 assistants, 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
What heaven hath given him, let some graver eye
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;
Or has given all before, and he begins
A new hell in himself.

Buck.
Why the devil,
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 file
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 8,
The honourable board of council out,
Must fetch him in the papers.

:

Buck.
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.

The ambassador is silenc'd?

Nor.

Is it therefore

Marry, is't.

Aber. A proper title of a peace; and purchas'd At a superfluous rate!

8 Sets down in his letter without consulting the council

Buck.

Why, all this business Our reverend cardinal carried. 9 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 Together to consider further, that What his high hatred would effect, wants not A minister in his power: You know his nature, That he's revengeful; and I know, his sword Hath a sharp edge: it's long, and, it may be said, 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.

I read in his looks Matter against me; and his eye revil'd Me, as his abject object: at this instant

I am thankful to you: and I'll go along
By your prescription: - but this top-proud fellow,
(Whom from the flow of gall I name not, but
From sincere motions,) by intelligence,
And proofs as clear as founts in Júly, when
We see each grain of gravel, I do know
To be corrupt and treasonous.
Nor.
Say not, treasonous.
Buck. To the king I'll say't; and make vouch
my
as strong
As shore of rock. Attend. This holy fox,
Or wolf, or both, (for he is equal ravenous,
As he is subtle; and as prone to mischief,
As able to perform it: his mind and place
Infecting one another, yea, reciprocally,)
Only to show his pomp as well in France
As here at home, suggests the king our master
To this last costly treaty, the interview,
That swallow'd so much treasure, and like a glass
Did break i' the rinsing.

Nor.

'Faith, and so it did. Buck. Pray, give me favour, sir. This cunning

cardinal

The articles o' the combination drew,
As himself pleas'd; and they were ratified,
As he cried, Thus let be: to as much end,
As give a crutch to the dead: But our count-cardinal
Has done this, and 'tis well; for worthy Wolsey,
Now this follows,
Who cannot err, he did it.
(Which, as I take it, is a kind of puppy
To the old dam, treason,) Charles the emperor,
Under pretence to see the queen his aunt,
(For 'twas, indeed, his colour; but he came
To whisper 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
Peep'd arms that menac'd him: He privily
Deals with our cardinal; and, as I trow,—
Which I do well; for, I am sure, the emperor
Paid ere he promis'd; whereby his suit was granted,
but when the way was made,
And pav'd with gold, the emperor thus desir'd; —
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 cardinal
Does buy and sell his honour as he pleases,
And for his own advantage.

king;

I'll follow, and out-stare him.

Stay, my lord, Nor. And let your reason with your choler question What 'tis you go about: To climb steep hills Requires slow pace at first: Anger is like A full-hot horse; who being allow'd his way, Self-mettle tires him. Not a man in England Can advise me like you; be to yourself As you would to your friend.

Buck.

I'll to the king, And from a mouth of honour quite cry down This Ipswich fellow's insolence; or proclaim, There's difference in no persons.

Nor.

Be advis'd:

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.

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.

Sir,

Buck. Lo you, my lord, The net has fall'n upon me; I shall perish Under device and practice. *

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,
Unfit for other life, compell'd by hunger
And lack of other means, in desperate manner

So, so;

Buck. These are the limbs of the plot: no more, I hope. Bran. A monk o' the Chartreux, Buck. Bran.

O, Nicholas Hopkins?

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; Whose figure even this instant cloud puts 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 him-
self 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 placeth her by him.
Q. Kath. Nay, we must longer kneel; I am a
suitor.

K. Hen. Arise, and take place by us: 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.

And danger serves among them.

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, sir,
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. 6

Q. Kath.
No, my lord,
You know no more than others: but you frame
Things, that are known alike; which are not whole-

some

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,
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, which compel from each
Without delay; and the pretence for this
The sixth part of his substance, to be levied
Is nam'd, your wars in France: This makes bold

mouths:

Wol.

By my life,

And for me,

I have no farther gone in this, than by
A single 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 8
That virtue must go through. We must not stint
6 I am only one among the other counsellors.
7 More important.
8 Thicket of thorns.