KING HENRY THE EIGHTH. CARDINAL WOLSEY. CARDINAL CAMPEIUS. PERSONS REPRESENTED. GRIFFITH, Gentleman-usher to Queen Katharine DOCTOR BUTTS, Physician to the King. CAPUCIUS, Ambassador from the Emperor Charles V. Garter King at Arms. CRANMER, Archbishop of Canterbury DUKE OF NORFOLK. DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM. DUKE OF Suffolk. EARL OF SURREY. Lord Chancellor. GARDINER, Bishop of Winchester. BISHOP OF LINCOLN. LORD ABERGAVENNY. SIR HENRY GUILDFORD. SIR THOMAS LOVELL. Queen. An old Lady, Friend to Anne Bullen. Several Lords and Ladies in the dumb shows; SCENE, chiefly in London and Westininster; once at Kimbolton. Will be deceiv'd; for, gentle hearers, know, As they were living; think you see them great, Of thousand friends: then, in a moment, see 2 Pretend. ACT I. 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, 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 If not from hell, the devil is a niggard; Buck. : Buck. Nor. 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 Nor. 'Faith, and so it did. Buck. Pray, give me favour, sir. This cunning cardinal The articles o' the combination drew, He bores? me with some trick: He's gone to the Ere it was ask'd; 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, Enter BRANDON; a Sergeant at Arms before him, and two or three of the Guard. Bran. Your office, sergeant; execute it. My lord the duke of Buckingham, and earl 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 king, to attach lord Montacute; and the bodies Daring the event to the teeth, are all in uproar, 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, And point by point the treasons of his master The KING takes his State. The Lords of the Council 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, Q. Kath. some To those which would not know them, and yet must K. Hen. Q. Kath. mouths: Tongues spit their duties out, and cold hearts freeze To each incensed will. I would, your highness Wol. By my life, And for me, I have no farther gone in this, than by If I am traduc'd by tongues, which neither know |