Buck. Pray give me favour, Sir this cunning
The articles o' th' combination drew
were ratify'd
to as much end,
But ourb Court-Cardinal
for worthy Wolfey,
Now this follows,
As himself pleas'd; and they
As he cry'd, let it be
As give a crutch to th' dead.
Has done this, and 'tis well
Who cannot err, he did it.
(Which, as I take it, is a kind of puppy
To th'old dam, treason) Charles the Emperor,
Under pretence to fee 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 fuit was granted
Ere it was ask'd. But when the way was made,
And pav'd with gold; the Emp'ror thus defir'd,
That he would please to alter the King's course,
And break the foresaid peace. Let the King know,
(As foon he shall by me) that thus the Cardinal
Does buy and fell his honour as he pleases,
And for his own advantage..
To hear this of him; and could wish you 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 ferjeant at arms before him; and
two or three of the guard.
Bran. Your office, Serjeant; execute it.
My lord the Duke of Buckingham, and Earl
Of Hertford, Stafford, and Northampton, I
Arrest thee of high treason, in the name
Of our most Sov'reign King.
Buck. Lo you, my lord,
The net has fall'n upon me; I shall per
Under device and practice.
To see you ta'en from liberty, to look on
The business present.
You shall to th' Tower.
'Tis his Highness pleasure
Buck. It will help me nothing
To plead mine innocence; for that dye is on me, Which makes my whit'st part black. The will of heav'n Be done in this and all things: I obey.
O my lord Aberganny, fare ye well.
Bran. Nay, he must bear you company. The King Is pleas'd you shall to the Tower, 'till you know How he determines further.
The will of heav'n be done, and the King's pleasur+ By me obey'd.
Bran. Here is a warrant from
The King, t'attach lord Mantague, and the bodies
Of the Duke's confeffor, John de la Car,
And Gilbert Peck, his chancellor.
These are the limbs o'th' plot: no more, I hope!
Bran. A monk o' th Chartreux.
Buck. My surveyor is false, the o'er-great Cardinal Hath shew'd him gold; my life is spann'd already : I am the shadow of poor Buckingham,
Whose figure ev'n this instant cloud puts oh,
By dark'ning my clear fun, My lord, farewel. [Exe.
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 fide.
self, and the best heart of it, Thanks you for this great care : I stood i'th' level
Of a full charg'd confed'racy, and give thanks
To you that choak'd it. Let be call'd before us
That gentleman of Buckingham's in person,
I'll hear him his confessions justifie,
And point by point the treasons of his master
He shall again relate.
A noise, with crying, Room for the Queen. Usher'd by the Duke of Norfolk, Enter the Queen, Norfolk and Suffolk; She kneels. The King riseth from his state, takes her up, kisses and placeth her by him.
Queen. Nay, we must longer kneel, I am a suitor
King. Arife, and take place by us; half your suit
Never name to us; you have half our power:
The other moiety ere you ask is given;
Repeat your will and take it.
Queen. Thank your Majesty.
That you would love your self, and in that love
Not unconsider'd leave your honour, nor
The dignity of your office, is the point
Of my petition.
King. Lady mine, proceed.
Queen. I am follicited, not by a few, And those of true condition, that your subjects
Are in great grievance. There have been commiffions Sent down among 'em, which have flaw'd the heart, Of all their loyalties; wherein although [To Wolfey.
(My good lord Cardinal) they vent reproaches
Most bitterly on you as putter on
Of these exactions, yet the King our master
(Whose honour heav'n fhield from foil) escapes not
Language unmannerly; yea such which breaks
The fides of loyalty, and almost appears
In loud rebellion.
Nor. Not almost appears,
It doth appear; for upon these taxations,
The clothiers all, not able to maintain
The many to them longing, have put off
The spinsters, carders, fullers, weavers, who
Unfit for other life, compell'd by hunger
And lack of other means, in desp'rate manner
Daring th' event to th' teeth, are all in uproar,
And danger serves among them.
Wherein ? and what taxation? my lord Cardinal,
You that are blam'd for it alike with us,
Know you of this taxation?
I know but of a single part in ought
Pertains to th' state, and front but in that file
Where others tell steps with me.
You know no more than others: but you frame
Things that are known alike, which are not wholsome
To those which would not know them, and yet must
Perforce be their acquaintance. These exactions
(Whereof my Sov'raign would have note) they are
Most peftilent to th' hearing, and to bear 'em,
The back is facrifice to th' load; they say,
They are devis'd by you, or else you fuffer
Too hard an exclamation.
The nature of it, in what kind let's know
In this exaction?
Queen. I am much too vent'rous
In tempting of your patience, but am bolden'd
Under your promis'd pardon. The subjects 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 spit their duties out, and cold hearts freeze-
Allegiance in them; all their curses now
Live where their pray'rs did; and it's come to pass.
That tractable obedience is a flave
To each incensed will. I would your Highness
Would give it quick confideration, for.
There is no primer baseness..
King. By my life,
This is against our pleasure..
Wol. And for me,
I have no further gone in this, than by
A fingle voice, and that not past me but
By learned approbation of the judges.
If I'm traduc'd by tongues, which neither know
My faculties nor person, yet will be
The chronicles of my doing; let me say,
'Tis but the fate of place; and the rough brake
That virtue must go through: we must not ftint:
Our necessary actions, in the fear
To cope malicious cenfures; which ever,
As rav'nous fishes do a vessel follow
That is new trimm'd; but benefit no further
Than vainly longing. What we oft do best,.
By fick interpreters, or weak ones, is
Not ours, or not allow'd: what worst, as oft
Hitting a groffer quality, is cry'd up
For our best act: if we stand still, in fear
Our motion will be mock'd or carped at,
We should take root here where we fit ::
Or fit state-statues only.
And with a care, exempt themselves from fear:
Things done without example, in their issue
Are to be fear'd. Have you a precedent
Of this commission? I believe not any.
We must not rend our subjects from our laws,
|