Buck. I read in's looks

Matter against me, and his eye revil'd

Me as his abject object; at this instant

He bores me with some trick, he's gone to th' King:
I'll follow and out-stare him.

Nor. Stay, my lord;

And let your reason with your choler question
What 'tis you go about. To climb steep hills,
Requires flow 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 your self,
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 diff'rence in no persons.

Nor. Be advis'd;

Heat not a furnace for your foe so hot,
That it do finge your self. We may out-run
By violent swiftness, that which we run at ;
And lose by over-running: know you not,
The fire that mounts the liquor 'till't run o'er,
Seeming t' augment it, wastes it? be advis'd:
I fay again, there is no English Soul
More stronger to dire& you than yourself;
If with the fap of reason you would quench,
Or but allay, the fire of passion..

Buck. Sir,

I'm 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 fincere motions; by intelligence,

And proofs as clear as founts in July, when
We see each grain of gravel, I do know

To be corrupt and treafonous.

Nor. Say not, treasonous.

[strong

Buck. To th' King I'll fay't, and make my vouch as

As fhore of rock. Attend. This holy fox,

Or wolf, or both, (for he is equal ravʼnous,

As he is subtle; and as prone to mischief,

As

As able to perform't ;) his mind and place
Infecting one another, yea reciprocally,
Only to shew his pomp, as well in France
As here at home, suggests the King our master
To this last costly treaty, th' enterview,
That swallow'd so much treasure, and like a glass
Did break i'th' rinfing.

Nor. Faith, and so it did.

[dinal

Buck. Pray give me favour, Sir. This cunning Car

The articles o'th' combination drew,

for worthy Wolfey,

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 Court-Cardinal
Has done this, and 'tis well
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 Emperor,
Under pretence to fee the Queen his aunt,
(For 'twas indeed his colour, but he came
To whisper 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 suit 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 course,
And break the forefaid peace. Let the King know,
(As foon he shall by me) that thus the Cardinal
Does buy and sell 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 shall appear in proof.

:

)

)

Enter

4

5

King HENRY VIII.

Enter Brandon, a Serjeant at Arms before him, and two or three of the guard.

Bran. Your office, Serjeant; execute it.

Serj. Sir,

My lord the Duke of Buckingham, and Earl
Of Hertford, Stafford, and Northampton, I

Arrest thee of high treason, in the name
Of our most Sov'reign King.

Buck. Lo you, my lord,

The net has fall'n upon me; I shall perish

Under device and practice.

To fee you ta'en from liberty, to look

Bran. I am forry

on

The business present.

'Tis his Highness' pleasure

You shall to th' Tower.

Buck. It will help me nothing

:

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'ny, fare ye well.

Bran. Nay, he must bear you company. The King Is pleas'd you shall to th' 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 Montague; and the bodies
Of the Duke's confeffor, John de la Car;
And Gilbert Peck, his chancellor. (5)

:

(5) One Gilbert Peck, his Counsellour.] So the Old Copies have it, but, when I publish'd my SHAKESPEARE restor'd, I, from the Authorities of Hall and Holingshead, chang'd it to Chancellour. And our Poet himself, in the Beginning of the second Act vouches for this Correction.

At which; appear'd against him his Surveyor,
Sir Gilbert Peck his Chancellor

Mr. Pope, in his last Edition, has vouchsaf'd to embrace my Correction.

:

Buck,

These are the limbs o'th' plot: no more, I hope?

Bran. A monk o'th' Chartreux,

Buck. Nicholas Hopkins? (6)

Bran. He.

Buck. My surveyor is false, the o'er-great Cardinal
Hath shew'd him gold; my life is spann'd already :
I am the shadow of poor Buckingham,
Whose figure ev'n this instant cloud puts on,
By dark'ning my clear sun. My lord, farewel.

1

A

[Exe.

SCENE changes to the Council-Chamber.

Cornet: Enter King Henry, leaning on the Cardinal's shoulder; the Nobles, and Sir Thomas Lovel; the Cardinal places himself under the King's feet, on his right fide..

King. M

Y life it

felf, and the best heart of it, [level

Thanks you for this great care: I stood i'th

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 person;
I'll hear him his confessions justifie,

And point by point the treasons of his mafter

He shall again relate.

1

A noise within, crying, Room for the Queen. Enter the Queen usher'd by the Duke of Norfolk, and Suffolk; She kneels. The King riseth from his state, takes her up, kisses and placeth her by him.

Queen. Nay, we must longer kneel; I am a suitor.
King. Arife, and take your 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 Majesty.

(6) Michael Hopkins ?] So all the Old Copies had it; and so Mr. Rove and Mr. Pope from them. But here again, by the Help of the Chronicles, I have formerly given the true Reading; which Mr. Pope has likewise adopted in his last Edition.

That you would love your self, 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 those of true condition, that your subjects
Are in great grievance. There have been commissions

Sent down among 'em, which have flaw'd the heart

Of all their loyalties; wherein although

[To Wolfey.

(My good lord Cardinal) they vent reproaches Most bitterly on you, as putter on

Of these exactions; yet the King our master (Whose honour heav'n fhield from foil) ev'n he escapes not Language unmannerly, yea fuch, which breaks

The fides of loyalty, and almost appears

In loud rebellion.

1

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 spinsters, 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 serves 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. Please you, Sir,

I know but of a fingle part in ought
Pertains to th' state, and front but in that file
Where others tell steps with me.

Queen. 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 Sov'raign would have note) they are

Most