Most peftilent to th' hearing; and, to bear 'em,
The back is facrifice to th' load; they say,
They are devis'd by you, or else you fuffer
Too hard an exclamation.

King. Still, exaction!

The nature of it, in what kind let's know
Is this exaction?..

Queen. I am much too vent'rous
In tempting of your patience, but am bolden'd
Under your promis'd pardon. The subjects grief
Comes through commiffions, which compel from each
The fixth part of his substance, to be levy'd
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; All their curses now
Live where their pray'rs did; and it's come to pafs,
That tractable obedience is a flave

To each incenfed will. I would, your Highness
Would give it quick confideration, for

There is no primer baseness.

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 past me, but
By learned approbation of the judges.
If I'm 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
That virtue must go through: we must not stint
Our necessary actions, in the fear...
To cope malicious cenfurers; which ever,
As rav'nous fishes do a vessel follow
That is new trimm'd; but benefit no further
Than vainly longing. What we oft do beft,
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

For our best act: if we stand still, in fear
Our motion will be mock'd or carped at,
We should take root here where we fit :
Or fit state-statues only.

King. Things done well,

And with a care, exempt themselves from fear :
Things done without example, in their issue
Are to be fear'd. Have you a precedent
Of this commiffion? I believe, not any.
We must not rend our subjects from our laws,
And stick them in our will. Sixth part of each !
A trembling contribution! - why, we take
From ev'ry tree, lop, bark, and part o'th' timber :
And though we leave it with a root, thus hackt,
The air will drink the sap. To ev'ry county,
Where this is question'd, send our letters, with
Free pardon to each man that has deny'd
The force of this commission: pray, look to't;
I put it to your care.

Wol. A word with you.

Let there be letters writ to ev'ry shire,

;

[To the Secretary.

Of the King's grace and pardon: The griev'd commons

Hardly conceive of me, let it be nois'd,
That, through our interceffion, this revokement

And pardon comes; I shall anon advise you

Further in the proceeding.

Enter Surveyor.

[Exit Secretary.

Queen. I'm sorry that the Duke of Buckingham Is run in your difpleasure.

King. It grieves many;

The gentleman is learn'd, a most rare speaker,
To nature none more bound; his training such,
That he may furnish and instruct great teachers,
And never seek for aid out of himself.
Yet fee, when noble benefits shall prove
Not well dispos'd, the mind growing once corrupt,
They turn to vicious forms, ten times more ugly
Than ever they were fair. This man so compleat,
Who was enroll'd 'mongst wonders, and when we,

Almost

Almost with lift'ning ravish'd, could not find
His hour of speech, a minute; he, my lady,
Hath into monstrous habits put the graces
That once were his; and is become as black,
As if besmear'd in hell. Sit, you shall hear
(This was his gentleman in trust) of him
Things to strike honour fad. Bid him recount
The fore-recited practices, whereof

We cannot feel too little, hear too much.

Wol. Stand forth, and with bold spirit relate, what you, Most like a careful subject, have collected Out of the Duke of Buckingham.

King. Speak freely.

Surv. First, it was usual with him, ev'ry day
It would infect his speech, that if the King
Should without issue die, he'd carry't fo
To make the scepter his. These very words
I've heard him utter to his fon-in-law,
Lord Aberga'ny, to whom by oath he menac'd
Revenge upon the Cardinal.

Wol. Please your Highness, note
His dangerous conception in this point:
Not friended by his wish to your high perfon,
His will is most malignant, and it stretches
Beyond you to your friends.

Queen. My learn'd lord Cardinal,

Deliver all with charity.

King. 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 prophecie of Nicholas Hopkins. (7)

VOL. V.

B

King.

(7) By a vain Prophecy of Nicholas HENTON] We heard before, from Brandon, of one Nicholas Hopkins; and now his Name is chang'd into Henton; so that Brandon and the Surveyor seem to be in two Stories. There is, however, but one and the same Person meant, Hopkins; as I have reftor'd it in the Text: nor will it be any Difficulty to account for the other Name, when we come to consider, that He was a Monk of the Convent, call'd Henton, near Bristol. So both Hall and Holingshead acquaint King. What was that Hopkins ?

Surv. Sir, a Chartreux Friar,

His confeffor, who fed him ev'ry minute
With words of Sov'reignty.

King. How know'ft thou this?

:

Surv. Not long before your Highness sped to France, The Duke being at the Rofe, within the parish St. Lawrence Poultney, did of me demand What was the speech among the Londoners Concerning the French journey? I reply'd, Men fear'd the French would prove perfidious, To the King's danger: presently the Duke Said, 'twas the fear, indeed, and that he doubted, 'Twould prove the verity of certain words Spoke by a holy Monk; that oft, says he, Hath fent to me, wishing me to permit John de la Car, my chaplain, a choice hour To hear from him a matter of fome moment: Whom after under the Confeffion's feal (8) He folemnly had fworn, that, what he spoke, My chaplain to no creature living, but To me, should utter; with demure confidence, This paufingly ensu'd; -Neither the King, nor's heirs (Tell you the Duke) shall profper; bid him ftrive To gain the love o'th' commonalty; the Duke Shall govern England.

Queen. If I know you well,

You were the Duke's surveyor, and lost your office
On the complaint o'th' tenants; take good heed,

quaint us. And he might, according to the Custom of those Times, be call'd as well Nicholas of Henton, from the Place; as Hopkins, from his Family. I formerly fet the Text right; and Mr. Pope has fince acceded to my Alteration.

[8] under the Commiffion's Seal

He folemnly had fworn,] So all the Editions down from the very Beginning. But, what Commission's Seal? That is a Question, I dare say, none of our diligent Editors ever ask'd themselves. The Text must be reffor'd, as I have corrected it; and honest Holingshead, from whom our Author took the Substance of this Passage, may be call'd in as a Teftimory.- "The Duke in Talk told the Monk, that he had done very well

o bind his Chaplain, John de la Court, under the Seal of Confeffion, to keep fecret fuch Matter." Vid. Life of Henry VIII. p. 863.

You

:

You charge not in your spleen a noble person,

And fpoil your nobler foul: I say, take heed; (9)

Yes, heartily I beseech you.

King, Let him on.

Go forward.

Surv. On my foul, I'll speak but truth.
I told my lord the Duke, by th' devil's illufions
The Monk might be deceiv'd, and that 'twas dang'rous
For him to ruminate on this, until

It forg'd him fome design, which, being believ'd,
It was much like to do: he answer'd, Tush,
It can do meno damage: adding further,
That had the King in his last sickness fail'd,
The Cardinal's and Sir Thomas Lovell's heads
Should have gone off.

King. Ha! what, so rank ? ah ha -
There's mischief in this man; canst thou say further ?

Surv. I can, my Liege.

King. Proceed.

Surv. Being at Greenwich,

After your Highness had reprov'd the Duke
About Sir William Blomer

King. I remember

Of such a time, he being my sworn servant,
The Duke retain'd him his. But on; what hence ?
Surv. If, quoth he, I for this had been committed,
As to the Tower, I thought; I would have plaid
The part my father meant to act upon
Th' ufurper Richard, who being at Salisbury,
Made suit to come in's prefence; which, if granted,
(As he made semblance of his duty) would
Have put his knife into him.

King. A giant traitor !

Wol. Now, Madam, may his Highness live in freedom, And this man out of prifon?

[9] And Spoil your noble Soul:] Mr. Rorve's Edition, I think, firft fophisticated this Passage: The oldest Copies read, nabler. And it seems very proper for a pious Queen to say, the Soul of any Person was of a nobler Regard than the Life of the most noble Person.

1