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KING HENRY VIII.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

King Henry the Eighth.

Cardinal Wolsey. Cardinal Campeius.
Capucius, ambassador from the emperor
Charles V.

Cranmer, archbishop of Canterbury.
Duke of Norfolk. Duke of Buckingham.
Duke of Suffolk. Earl of Surrey.

Lord Chamberlain. Lord Chancellor.
Gardiner, bishop of Winchester.

Bishop of Lincoln. Lord Abergavenny.
Sands.

Sir Henry Guildford. Sir Thomas Lovell. Sir Anthony Denny. Sir Nicholas Vaux. Secretaries to Wolsey.

Cromwell, servant to Wolsey.

Griffith, gentleman-usher to queen Katharine. Three other Gentlemen.

Doctor Butts, physician to the king.

Garter, king at arms.

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I COME no more to make you laugh; things SCENE I-London. An ante-chamber in the

now,

That bear a weighty and a serious brow,
Sad, high, and working, full of state and wo,
Such noble scenes as draw the eye to flow,
We now present. Those that can pity, here
May, if they think it well, let fall a tear;
The subject will deserve it. Such, as give
Their money out of hope they may believe,
May here find truth too. Those, that come to see
Only a show or two, and so agree,

The play may pass; if they be still, and willing,
I'll undertake, may see away their shilling
Richly in two short hours. Only they,
That come to hear a merry, bawdy play,
A noise of targets; or to see a fellow
In a long motley coat, guarded' with yellow,
Will be deceiv'd: for, gentle hearers, know,
To rank our chosen truth with such a show
As fool and fight is, beside forfeiting

Our own brains, and the opinion that we bring
(To make that only true we now intend,*)
Will leave us never an understanding friend.
Therefore, for goodness' sake, and as you are

known

The first and happiest hearers of the town,
Be sad, as we would make ye; Think, ye see
The very persons of our noble story,

As they were living; think, you see them great,
And follow'd with the general throng, and sweat,
Of thousand friends; then, in a moment, see
How soon this mightiness meets misery!
And, if you can be merry then, I'll say,
A man may weep upon his wedding-day.
(1) Laced.
(2) Pretend.

Palace. Enter the Duke of Norfolk, at one door; at the other, the Duke of Buckingham, and the Lord Abergavenny.

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Made Britain, India: every man, that stood,
Show'd like a mine. Their dwarfish pages were
As cherubims, all gilt: the madams too,
Not us'd to toil, did almost sweat to bear
The pride upon them, that their very labour
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
leng'd,

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The peace between the French and us not values The cost that did conclude it. Buck. Every man, chal-After the hideous storm that follow'd, was A thing inspir'd: and, not consulting, broke Into a general prophecy,-That this tempest Dashing the garment of this peace, aboded The sudden breach on't. Which is budded out; For France hath flaw'd the league, and hath attach'd Our merchants' goods at Bourdeaux.

The noble spirits to arms, they did perform
Beyond thought's compass; that former fabulous
story,

Being now seen possible enough, got credit,
That Bevis was believ'd.

Buck.
O, you go far.
Nor. As I belong to worship, and affect
In honour honesty, the tract of every thing
Would by a good discourser lose some life,
Which action's self was tongue to. All was royal;
To the disposing of it nought rebell'd;
Order gave each thing view; the office did
Distinctly his full function.

Buck.

Who did guide, I mean, who set the body and the limbs Of this great sport together, as you guess? Nor. One, certes, 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 freed From his ambitious finger. What had he 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.

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Nor.

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Our reverend cardinal carried."

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.

Wol. Is he in person ready?

1 Secr. Ay, please your grace. Wol. Well, we shall then know more; and

Buckingham

Shall lessen this big look. [Ere. Wolsey and train. Buck. This butcher's curio is venom-mouth'd,

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He bores me with some trick: He's gone to the (As soon he shall by me,) that thus the cardinal
king;
Does buy and sell his honour as he pleases,
And for his own advantage.

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 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 run o'er,
In seeming to augment it, wastes it? Be advis'd:
I say again, there is no English soul
More stronger to direct you than yourself;
If with the sap of reason you would quench,
Or but allay, the fire of passion.

Buck.

Sir,

I am 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 sincere 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 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
As here at home, suggests the king our master
To this last costly treaty, the interview,
That swallow'd so much treasure, and like a glass
Did break i'the rinsing.
'Faith, and so it did.

Nor.

Buck. Pray, give me favour, sir. This cunning

cardinal

The articles o'the combination drew,
As himself pleas'd; and they were ratified,
As he cried, Thus let be: to as much end,
As give a crutch to the dead: But our count-cardinal
Has done this, and 'tis well; for worthy Wolsey,
Who cannot err, he did it. Now this follows
(Which as I take it is a kind of puppy

To the old dam, treason,) Charles the Emperor,
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
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 emperor thus desir'd ;-
That he would please to alter the king's course,
And break the foresaid peace. Let the king know,
(1) Stabs. (2) Excites. (3) Unfair stratagem.

Nor.

I am sorry

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 before him, and two or three of the guards.

Bran. Your office, serjeant; execute it.
Serj.

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

Buck.

Sir,

Lo you, my lord, The net has fall'n upon me; I shall perish Under device and practice.3

Bran.

I am sorry

To see you ta'en from liberty, to look on
The business present: "Tis his highness' pleasure
You shall to the Tower.

Buck.

It will help me nothing,

To plead mine innocence; for that die is on me, Which makes my whitest part black. The will

of Heaven

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Enter King Henry, Cardinal Wolsey, the Lords of the Council, Sir Thomas Lovell, Officers, and Assistants. The King enters, leaning on the Cardinal's shoulder.

K. Hen. My life itself, and the best heart of it, 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 feet, on his right side.

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