ACT I.

Buck. The devil speed him I no man's pie 18

free'd

the Palace.

have weigh'd

Such a compounded one?

Buck. All the whole time

I was my chamber's prisoner.

Nor. Then you lost

The view of earthly glory: Men might say,

To do in these fierce vanities ? I wonder,
That such a keech can with his very bulk
Take up the rays o' the beneficial sun,
And keep it from the earth.

What heaven hath given him, let some graver 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,

ried

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

Who should attend on him? He makes up the
Of all the gentry for the most part such
(tile t
Too, whom as great a charge as little honour
He meant to lay upon and his own letter, §
The honourable board of council out,

Must fetch him in the papers.

Aber. I do know

Kinsmen of mine, three at the least, that have
By this so sicken'd their estates, that never
They shall abound as formerly.

It reaches far; and where 'twill not extend, Thither he darts it. Bosom up iny 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. Wol. Is he in person ready?

1 Secr. Ay, please your grace.

Who cannot err, he did it. Now this follows, (Which, as I take it, is a kind of puppy

Buckingham

Shall lessen this big look.

[Exeunt WOLSEY, and train. Buck. This butcher's cur is venom-mouth'd,

and I

Have not the power to muzzle him; therefore, best Not wake him in his slumber. A beggar's look Out-worths a noble's blood.

Nor. What, are you chaf'd ?

peror,

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 harms that menac'd him: he privily Deals with our cardinal; and as I trow,Which I do well; for I am sure, the emperor

only,

Which your disease requires.

Buck. I read in his looks

Matter against me: and his eye revil'd

Me, as his abject object: at this instant

granted,

Ere it was ask'd;-but when the way was made, And pav'd with gold, the emperor thas desir'd ;

the 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 clime 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;

Heat not a furnace for your foe so hot That it do singe yourself: We may outrun, By violent swiftness, that which we run at, And lose by over-running. Know you not, The fire, that mounts the liquor till it

o'er,

run

ad

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 my

vouch 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

• Wolsey was the son of a butcher.
† Stabs.

To hear this of him; and could wish he were

Something mistaken in't.

Buck. No, not a syllable;

I do pronounce him in that very shape,

He shall appear in proof.

Enter BRANDON; a SERGEANT at Arms be fore him, and two or three of the guard.

Bran. Your office, sergeant; execute it.
Serg. Sir.

My lord the duke of Buckingham, and earl
Of Hereford, Stafford, and Northampton, 1
Arrest thee of high treason, in the name
Of our most sovereign king.

Buck. Lo you, my lord,

The net has fallen upon me; I shall perish
Under device and practice.t

bodies

it,

K. Hen. My life itself, and the best heart of 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 himself under the KING'S
fcet 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 places her by him.

Q. Kath Nay, we must longer kneel; I am a suitor.

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

Daring the event to the teeth, are all in up.

You know no more than others: but you frame Things, that are known alike; which are not wholesome

must

are

To those which would not know them, and yet
Perforce be their acquaintance. These exac-
tions,
Whereof my sovereign would have note, they
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 The sixth part of his substance, to be levied Without delay; and the pretence for this, Is nam'd your wars in France: This makes bold mouths:

freeze

Tongues spit their duties out, and cold hearta
Allegiance in them; their curses now,
Live where their prayers did; and it's come to

your suit

Never name to us; you have half our power:

The other moiety, ere you ask is given;

K. Hen. By my life, This is against our pleasure.

Repeat your will, and take it.

Wol. And for me,

Q. Kath. Thank your majesty.

I have no farther gone in this, thau by

By learned approbation of the judges.

If I am traduc'd by tongues, which neither

That virtue must go through. We must not stint‡

Our necessary actions, in the fear

To cope § malicious censures; which ever,
As ravenous fishes, do a vessel follow

That is new trimm'd; but benefit no further
Than vainly longing. What we oft do best,
By sick interpreters, once || weak ones, is
Not our's, or not allow'd; what worst, as oft,
Hitting a grosser quality, is cried up

For our best act. If we shall stand still,

In fear our motion will be mock'd or carp'd at,

We should take root here where we sit, or