Shone down the English ; and, to-morrow, they
Made Britain, India: every man, that stood,
Show'd like a mine. Their dwarfish pages were
As cherubins, 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 challeng'd
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.6

Buck. Oh, you go far.

All was royal;

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.
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

[5] Censure, for determination, of which had the noblest appearance.

WARB.

[6] The old romantic legend of Bevis of Southampton. This Bevis, (or Beavois,) a Saxon, was for his prowess created by William the Conqueror Earl of Southampton of whom Camden speaks in his Britannia.

THEO

[7] The course of these triumphs and pleasures, however well related, must lose in the description part of that spirit and energy which were expressed in the real action. JOHNS.

[8] No initiation, no previous practices. Elements are the first principles of things or rudiments of knowledge. The word is here applied, not with. out a catachresis, to a person. JOHNS.

[0] To have a finger in the pie, is a proverbial phrase.

REED.

From his ambitious fingers. 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 propt 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,

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 3
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, 4

Must fetch him in he papers.5

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,

6

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 inspir'd; and, not consulting, broke
Into a general prophecy, - That this tempest,
Dashing the garment of this peace, aboaded
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 Bordeaux.

Aber. Is it therefore

The ambassador is silenc'd ?7

Nor. Marry, is't.

Aber. A proper title of a peace; & and purchas'd

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 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.

[Exe. WOLSEY, and train.

Buck. This butcher's curs 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 Outworth's a noble's blood.

Nor. What, are you chaf'd?

Ask God for temperance; that's the appliance 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

He bores me with some trick:

I'll follow, and out-stare him.

Nor. Stay, my lord,

He's gone to the king:

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 honour2 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,

[9] Wolsey is said to have been the son of a butcher. JOHNS.

[1] He stabs or wounds me by some artifice or fiction. JOHNS.

[2] I will crush this base-born fellow, by the due influence of my rank, or

say that all distinction of persons is at an end JOHNS.

2*

VOL. VI.

(Whom from the flow of gall I name not, but
From sincere motions,)3 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, 4
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 masters
To this last costly treaty, the interview,
That swallow'd so much treasure, and like a glass
Did break i' the rinsing.

Nor. 'Faith, and so it did.

Buck. Pray, give me favour, sir. This cunning cardinal The articles o' the combination drew,

As himself pleas'd; and they were ratify'd,
As he cry'd, Thus let it 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,

[3] Honest indignation, warmth of integrity. Perhaps name not, should be blame not.

JOHNS.

[4] Equal for equally. Shakspeare frequently uses adjectives adverbially. MAL, [5] Suggests, for excites.

WARB.