KING HENRY VIII.

ACT I.

SCENE I.- London.-An Ante-chamber in the
Palace.

Enter the Duke of NORFOLK, at one Door; at the
other, the Duke of BUCKINGHAM, and the Lord
ABERGAVENNY.

Buck. Good morrow, and well met. How have you done,

Since last we saw in France ?

Nor. I thank your grace:
Healthful; and eyer since a fresh admirer
Of what I saw there.

Buck. An untimely ague

Stay'd me a prisoner in my chamber, when
Those suns of glory, those two lights of men,
Met in the vale of Arde

Nor. 'Twixt Guynes and Arde:

I was then present, saw them salute on horseback;
Beheld them, when they lighted, how they clung
In their embracement, as they grew together;
Which had they,

What four throned ones could 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,
Till this time, pomp was single; but now married
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,
Shew'd like a mine. Their dwarfish pages were
As cherubins, all gilt: the madams too,

Glittering, shining.

Not used 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 cried 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 challenged

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 believed.

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,

1 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 free'd

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.

Nor. Surely, Sir,

There's in him stuff that puts him to these ends:
For, being not propp'd by ancestry, (whose grace
Chalks successors their way,) nor call'd upon
For high feats done to the crown; neither allied,
To eminent assistants, but, spider-like,

• Initiation.

A term of reproach.

Out of his self-drawing web, he gives us note,
The force of his own merit makes his way;
A gift that heaven gives for him, which buys
A place next to the king.

Aber. I cannot tell

What heaven hath given him, let some graver eye 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,

Upon this French going-out, took he upon him,
Without the privity o' the king, to appoint

Who should attend on him? He makes up the file.

Of all the gentry; for the most part such
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.

Buck. O, many

Have broke their backs with laying manors on them

For this great journey. What did this vanity,
But minister communication of

A most poor issue?

Nor. Grievingly I think,

The peace between the French and us not values The cost that did conclude it.

Buck. Every man,

After the hideous storm that follow'd, was
A thing inspired; and, not consulting, broke
Into a general prophecy, That this tempest,
Dashing the garment of this peace, aboded
The sudden breach on't.

Nor. Which is budded out;

For France hath flaw'd the league, and hath attach'd

Our merchants' goods at Bourdeaux.

Aber. Is it therefore

The ambassador is silenced?

The list

Nor. Marry, is't.

Aber. A proper title of a peace; and purchased At a superfluous rate!

Buck. Why, all this business

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 kis Eye on BUCKINGHAM, and BUCKINGHAM, on him, both full of disdain.

Wol. The duke of Buckingham's surveyor? ha? Where's bis 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.

[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 book
Out-worths a noble's blood.

Nor. What, are you chafed?

Ask God for temperance; that's the appliance only, Which your disease requires.

Buck. I read in his looks

• Managed.

Matter against me; and his eye reviled
Me, as his abject object: at this instant

He bores me with some trick: he's gone to 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 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 advised;

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 advised:
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 shew his pomp as well in France
As here at home, suggests the king our master
To this last costly treaty, the interview,