You fhall to the Tower. Buck. It will help me nothing To plead mine innocence; for that die is on me, Which makes my whiteft part black. The will of heaven 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 [To ABERG. Is pleas'd, you fhall to the Tower, till you know How he determines further. Aber. As the duke faid, The will of heaven be done, and the king's pleasure Bran. Here is a warrant from The king, to attach lord Montacute; and the bodies Of the duke's confeffor, John de la Car, And Gilbert Peck, his chancellor. Buck. So, fo; These are the limbs o' the plot: No more, I hope ? Bran. A monk o' the Chartreux. Buck. O, Nicholas Hopkins. Bran. He. Buck. My furveyor is false; the o'er-great cardinal Hath fhew'd him gold: my life is fpann'd already :(8) I am the fhadow of poor Buckingham; Whofe figure even this inftant cloud puts on, By dark'ning my clear fun. My lord, farewel. [Exeunt. SCENE II. 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 Side. King. My life itself, and the best heart of it,(1) Thanks you for this great care: I ftood i' the level (8) To fpan is to gripe, or inclofe in the hand; to fpan is alfo to meafure by the palm and fingers. The meaning, therefore, may either be, that hold is taken of my life, my life is in the gripe of my enemies;" or that my time is measured, the length of my life is now determined." JOHNS. (1) Heart is not here taken for the great organ of circulation and life, but, in a common and popular fenfe, for the most valuable or precious part. Our author, in Hamlet, mentions the "heart of heart." Exhaufted and effete ground is faid by the farmer to be "out of heart." The hard and inner part of the oak is called "heart of oak.” ib. Of a full-charg'd confederacy ;(2) and give thanks : And point by point the treasons of his mafter A Noife within, crying, Room for the Queen. Enter Queen. Thank your majesty. -That you would love yourfelf; 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 folicited, not by a few, And thofe of true condition, that your subjects Are in great grievance: There have been commiffions Sent down among 'em, which have flaw'd the heart My good lord cardinal, they vent reproaches Of thefe exactions, yet the king our mafter [To WOL. (Whofe honor heaven shield from foil!) even he efcapes 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 thefe taxations, (2) To ftand in the level of a gun is to ftand in a line with its mouth, To as to be hit by the fhot. JOHNS. (3) The many is the meiny, the train, the people. Dryden is, perhaps, the laft that used this word,-"The kings before their many rode." JOH. Daring the event to the teeth, are all in uproar, 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, fir, I know but of a fingle part, in aught Pertains to the ftate; and front but in that file Where others tell fteps with me.(5) Queen. No, my lord, You know no more than others: but you frame' King. Still, exaction! The nature of it? In what kind, let's know, Queen. I am much too venturous In tempting of your patience; but am bolden'd Under your promis'd pardon. The fubjects' 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 fpit their duties out, and cold hearts freeze Allegiance in them; their curses now, Live where their prayers did; and it's come to pass, To each incenfed will. I would, your highness There is no primer business. King. By my life, This is against our pleasure. (4) Could one eafily believe, that a writer, who had, but immediately be fore, funk fo low in his expreffion, should here rife again to a height fo truly fublime where, by the nobleft ftretch of fancy, Danger is perfonalized as ferving in the rebel army, and shaking the eftablished government. WARB. (5) I am but primus inter pares. I am but firft in the row of counsellors. JOHNS. Wol. And for me, I have no further gone in this, than by If I am Traduc'd by ignorant tongues-which neither know My faculties, nor perfon, yet will be The chronicles of my doing-let me say, 'Tis but the fate of place, and the rough brake To cope malicious cenfurers ;(6) which ever That is new trimm'd, but benefit no further Not ours, or not allow'd; what worst, as oft, For our beft act. If we shall stand still, In fear our motion will be mock'd or carp'd at, King. Things done well, And with a care, exempt themselves from fear; We must not rend our fubjects from our laws, From every tree, lop, bark, and part o' the timber ;(8) Wol. A word with you. Let there be letters writ to every shire, [To the Secretary. Of the king's grace and pardon. The griev'd commons Hardly conceive of me; let it be nois'd, (6) To cope-to engage with; to encounter. The word is ftill used in fome counties. JOHNS. (7) The worst actions of great men are commended by the vulgar, as more accommodated to the groffnefs of their notions. (8) Lop is a fubitantive, and fignifies the branches. JOHNS. That, through our interceffion, this revokement Enter Surveyor. [Exit Secretary. Queen. I am forry, that the duke of Buckingham Is run in your displeasure. King. It grieves many: The gentleman is learn'd; a moft rare speaker; Not well difpos'd,(1) the mind growing once corrupt, Things to ftrike 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, Moft like a careful subject, have collected Out of the duke of Buckingham. King. Speak freely. Surv. First, it was ufual with him, every day It would infect his fpeech, That, if the king Should without iffue die, he'd carry it fo To make the scepter his Thefe very words I have heard him utter to his fon-in-law, Lord Aberga'ny; to whom by oath he menac'd Wol. Please your highness, note This dangerous conception in this point.(3) (9) Beyond the treafures of his own mind. JOHNS. (1) Great gifts of nature and education, not joined with good difpo$tions. JOHNS. (2) To liften a man, for, to hearken to him, is commonly ufed by our author. So by Milton, ....I liften'd them awhile. JOHNS. (3) Note this particular part of this dangerous defign." JOHNS. |