Shakespeare - First Folio facsimile (1910)/The Famous History of the Life of King Henry the Eight/Act 1 Scene 2
Scena Secunda.
Cornets. Enter King Henry, leaning on the Cardinals shoulder,the Nobles, and Sir Thomas Louell: the Cardinallplaces himselfe vnder the Kings feete onhis right side.
King.My life it selfe, and the best heart of it,Thankes you for this great care: I stood i'th'leuellOf a full-charg'd confederacie, and giue thankesTo you that choak'd it. Let be cald before vsThat Gentleman of Buckinghams, in person,Ile heare him his confessions iustifie,And point by point the Treasons of his Maister,He shall againe relate.
A noyse within crying roome for the Queene, vsher'd by theDuke of Norfolke. Enter the Queene, Norfolke andSuffolke: she kneels. King riseth from his State,takes her vp, kisses and placethher by him.
Queen.Nay, we must longer kneele; I am a Suitor.
King.Arise, and take place by vs; halfe your SuitNeuer name to vs; you haue halfe our power: The other moity ere you aske is giuen,Repeat your will, and take it.
Queen.Thanke your MaiestyThat you would loue your selfe, and in that loueNot vnconsidered leaue your Honour, norThe dignity of your Office; is the poyntOf my Petition.
Kin.Lady mine proceed.
Queen.I am solicited nor by a few,And those of true condition; That your SubiectsAre in great grieuance: There haue beene CommissionsSent downe among 'em, which hath flaw'd the heartOf all their Loyalties; wherein, althoughMy good Lord Cardinall, they vent reprochesMost bitterly on you, is putter onOf these exactions: yet the King, our MaisterWhose Honor Heauen shield from soile; euen he escapes notLanguage vnmannerly; yea, such which breakesThe sides of loyalty, and almost appearesIn lowd Rebellion.
Norf.Not almost appeares,It doth appeare; for, vpon these Taxations,The Clothiers all not able to maintaineThe many to them longing, haue put offThe Spinsters, Carders, Fullers, Weauers, whoVnfit for other life, compeld by hungerAnd lack of other meanes, in desperate mannerDaring th'euent too th'teeth, are all in vprore,And danger serues among them.
Kin.Taxation?Wherein? and what Taxation? My Lord Cardinall,You that are blam'd for it alike with vs,Know you of this Taxation?
Card.Please you Sir,I know but of a single part in oughtPertaines to th'State; and front but in that FileWhere others tell steps with me.
Queen.No, my Lord?You know no more then others? But you frameThings that are knowne alike, which are not wholsomeTo those which would not know them, and yet mustPerforce be their acquaintance. These exactions(Whereof my Soueraigne would haue note) they areMost pestilent to th'hearing, and to beare 'em,The Backe is Sacrifice to th'load; They sayThey are deuis'd by you, er else you sufferToo hard an exclamation.
Kin.Still Exaction:The nature of it, in what kinde let's know,Is this Exaction?
Queen.I am much too venturousIn tempting of your patience; but am boldnedVnder your promis'd pardon. The Subiects griefeComes through Commissions, which compels from eachThe sixt part of his Substance, to be leuiedWithout delay; and the pretence for thisIs nam'd, your warres in France: this makes bold mouths,Tongues spit their duties out, and cold hearts freezeAllegeance in them; their curses nowLiue where their prayers did; and it's come to passe,This tractable obedience is a SlaueTo each incensed Will: I would your HighnesseWould giue it quicke consideration; forThere is no primer basenesse.
Kin.By my life,This is against our pleasure.
Card.And for me,I haue no further gone in this, then byA single voice, and that not past me, butBy learned approbation of the Iudges: If I amTraduc'd by ignorant Tongues, which neither knowMy faculties nor person, yet will beThe Chronicles of my doing: Let me say,'Tis but the fate of Place, and the rough BrakeThat Vertue must goe through: we must not stintOur necessary actions, in the feareTo cope malicious Censurers, which euer,As rau'nous Fishes doe a Vessell followThat is new trim'd; but benefit no furtherThen vainly longing. What we oft doe best,By sicke Interpreters (once weake ones) isNot ours, or not allow'd; what worst, as oftHitting a grosser quality, is cride vpFor our best Act: if we shall stand still,In feare our motion will be mock'd, or carp'd at,We should take roote here, where we sit;Or sit State Statues onely.
Kin.Things done well,And with a care, exempt themselues from feare:Things done without example, in their issueAre to be fear'd. Haue you a PresidentOf this Commission? I beleeue, not any.We must not rend our Subiects from our Lawes,And sticke them in our Will. Sixt part of each?A trembling Contribution; why we takeFrom euery Tree, lop, barke, and part o'th'Timber:And though we leaue it with a roote thus hackt,The Ayre will drinke the Sap. To euery CountyWhere this is question'd, send our Letters, withFree pardon to each man that has deny'deThe force of this Commission: pray looke too't;I put it to your care.
Card.A word with you.Let there be Letters writ to euery Shire,Of the Kings grace and pardon: the greeued CommonsHardly conceiue of me. Let it be nois'd,That through our Intercession, this ReuokementAnd pardon comes: I shall anon aduise youExit Secret.Further in the proceeding.
Enter Surueyor.
Queen.I am sorry, that the Duke of BuckinghamIs run in your displeasure.
Kin.It grieues many:The Gentleman is Learn'd, and a most rare Speaker,To Nature none more bound; his trayning such,That he may furnish and instruct great Teachers,And neuer seeke for ayd out of himselfe: yet see,When these so Noble benefits shall proueNot well dispos'd, the minde growing once corrupt,They turne to vicious formes, ten times more vglyThen euer they were faire. This man so compleat,Who was enrold 'mongst wonders; and when weAlmost with rauish'd listning, could not findeHis houre of speech, a minute: He, (my Lady)Hath into monstrous habits put the GracesThat once were his, and is become as blacke,As if besmear'd in hell. Sit by Vs, you shall heare(This was his Gentleman in trust) of himThings to strike Honour sad. Bid him recountThe fore-recited practises, whereofWe cannot feele too little, heare too much.
Card.Stand forth, & with bold spirit relate what youMost like a carefull Subiect haue collectedOut of the Duke of Buckingham.
Kin.Speake freely.
Sur.First, it was vsuall with him; euery dayIt would infect his Speech: That if the KingShould without issue dye; hee'l carry it soTo make the Scepter his. These very wordsI'ue heard him vtter to his Sonne in Law,Lord Aburgany, to whom by oth he menac'dReuenge vpon the Cardinall.
Card.Please your Highnesse noteThis dangerous conception in this point,Not frended by his wish to your High person;His will is most malignant, and it stretchesBeyond you to your friends.
Queen.My learn'd Lord Cardinall,Deliuer all with Charity.
Kin.Speake on;How grounded hee his Title to the CrowneVpon our faile; to this poynt hast thou heard him,At any time speake ought?
Sur.He was brought to this,By a vaine Prophesie of Nicholas Henton.
Kin.What was that Henton?
Sur.Sir, a Chartreux Fryer,His Confessor, who fed him euery minuteWith words of Soueraignty.
Kin.How know'st thou this?
Sur.Not long before your Hignesse sped to France,The Duke being at the Rose, within the ParishSaint Laurence Poultney, did of me demandWhat was the speech among the Londoners,Concerning the French Iourney. I replide,Men feare the French would proue perfidiousTo the Kings danger: presently, the DukeSaid, 'twas the feare indeed, and that he doubted'Twould proue the verity of certaine wordsSpoke by a holy Monke, that oft, sayes he,Hath sent to me, wishing me to permitIohn de la Car, my Chaplaine, a choyce howreTo heare from him a matter of some moment:Whom after vnder the Commissions Seale,He sollemnly had sworne, that what he spokeMy Chaplaine to no Creature liuing, butTo me, should vtter, with demure Confidence,This pausingly ensu'de; neither the King, nor's Heyres(Tell you the Duke) shall prosper, bid him striueTo the loue o'th'Commonalty, the DukeShall gouerne England.
Queen.If I know you well,You were the Dukes Surueyor, and lost your OfficeOn the complaint o'th'Tenants; take good heedYou charge not in your spleene a Noble person,And spoyle your nobler Soule; I say, take heed;Yes, heartily beseech you.
Kin.Let him on: Goe forward.
Sur.On my Soule, Ile speake but truth,I told my Lord the Duke, by th'Diuels illusionsThe Monke might be deceiu'd, and that 'twas dangerousFor this to ruminate on this so farre, vntillIt forg'd him some designe, which being beleeu'dIt was much like to doe: He answer'd, Tush,It can doe me no damage; adding further,That had the King in his last Sicknesse faild,The Cardinals and Sir Thomas Louels headsShould haue gone off.
Kin.Ha? What, so rancke? Ah, ha,There's mischiefe in this man; canst thou say further?
Sur.I can my Liedge.
Kin.Proceed.
Sur.Being at Greenwich,After your Highnesse had reprou'd the DukeAbout Sir William Blumer.
Kin.I remember of such a time, being my sworn seruant,The Duke retein'd him his. But on: what hence?
Sur.If (quoth he) I for this had beene committed,As to the Tower, I thought; I would haue plaidThe Part my Father meant to act vponTh'Vsurper Richard, who being at Salsbury,Made suit to come in's presence; which if granted,(As he made semblance of his duty) wouldHaue put his knife into him.
Kin.A Gyant Traytor.
Card.Now Madam, may his Highnes liue in freedome,And this man out of Prison.
Queen.God mend all.
Kin.Ther's somthing more would out of thee; what say'st?
Sur.After the Duke his Father, with the knifeHe stretch'd him, and with one hand on his dagger,Another spread on's breast, mounting his eyes,He did discharge a horrible Oath, whose tenorWas, were he euill vs'd, he would outgoeHis Father, by as much as a performanceDo's an irresolute purpose.
Kin.There's his period,To sheath his knife in vs: he is attach'd,Call him to present tryall: if he mayFinde mercy in the Law, 'tis his; if none,Let him not seek't of vs: By day and nightExeunt.Hee's Traytor to th'height.