Is nam’d, your wars in France: This makes bold
mouths:
Tongues spit their duties out, and cold hearts freeze
Allegiance in them; their curses now,
Live where their prayers did ; and it's come to pass,
That tractable obedience is a slave
To each incensed will. I would, your highness
Would give it quick consideration, for
There is no primer business.
K. Hen.
By my life,
This is against our pleasure.
Wol.
And for me,
I have no farther gone in this, than by
A single voice; and that not pass’d me, but
By learned approbation of the judges.
If I am 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 stintt
Our necessary actions, in the fear
To cope | malicious censurers; which ever,
As ravenous fishes, do a vessel follow
That is new trimm'd; but benefit no further
Than vainly longing. What we oft do best,
By sick interpreters, once weak ones, is
Not ours, or not allow'dll; what worst, as oft,
Hitting a grosser quality, is cried up
For our best act. If we shall stand still,.
In fear our motion will be mock'd or carp'd at,
We should take root here where we sit, or sit
State statues only.
K. Hen.
Things done well,
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.
* Thicket of thorns. Sometime.
We must not rend our subjects from our laws,
And stick them in our will. Sixth part of each?
A trembling contribution! Why, we take,
From every tree, lop, bark, and part o' the timber;
And, though we leave it with a root, thus hack'd,
The air will drink the sap. To every county.
Where this is question'd, send our letters, with
Free pardon to each man that has denied
The force of this commission : Pray, look to't;
I put it to your care.
Wol.
A word with you.
To the Secretary. Let there be letters writ to every shire, of the king's grace and pardon. The griev'd commons Hardly conceive of me; let it be nois’d, That, through our intercession, this revokement And pardon comes : I shall anon advise you Further in the proceeding. (Erit Secretary.
Q. Kath. I am sorry, that the duke of Bucking
ham Is run in your displeasure. K. Hen.
It grieves many: The gentleman is learn'd, and a most rare speaker, To nature none more bound; his training such, That be may furnish and instruct great teachers, And never seek for aid out of himself. Yet see When these so noble benefits shall prove Not well.dispos'd, the mind growing once corrupt, They turn to vicious forms, ten times more ugly Than ever they were fair. This man so complete, Who was enroll'd 'mongst wonders, and when we Almost with ravish'd list'ning, could not find His hour of speech a minute; he, my lady, Hath into monstrous habits put the graces
That once were his, and is become as black
As if besmear'd in hell. Sit by us; you shall hear
(This was his gentleman in trust), of him
Things to strike honour sad.-Bid him recount
The fore-recited practices; whereof
We cannot feel too little, hear too much
Wol. Stand forth; and with bold spirit relate what
you,
Most like a careful subject, have collected
Out of the duke of Buckingham,
K. Hen.
Speak freely.
Suro. First, it was usual with him, every day
It would infect his speech, That if the king
Should without issue die, he'd carry* it so
To make the sceptre his : These very words
I have heard him utter to his son-in-law,
Lord Aberga'ny; to whom by oath he menac'd
Revenge upon the cardinal.
Wol.
Please your highness, note
This dangerous conception in this point.
Not friended by his wish, to your high person
His will is most malignant; and it stretches
Beyond you, to your friends.
Q. Kath.
My learn'd lord cardinal,
Deliver all with charity
K. Hen.
Speak on :
How grounded he his title to the crown,
Upon our fail ? to this point hast thou heard him
At any time speak aught?
Suro.
He was brought to this By a vain prophecy of Nicholas Hopkins.
K. Hen. Wbat was that Hopkins ?
Suro.
Sir, a Chartreux friar,
His confessor; who fed him every minute
With words of sovereignty.
K. Hen.
How know'st thou this? Surd. Not long before your highness sped to
France,
The duke being at the Rose*, within the parish
Saint Lawrence Poultney, did of me demand
What was the speech amongst the Londoners
Concerning the French journey: I replied,
Men fear'd, the French would prove perfidious, .
To the king's danger. Presently the duke
Said, 'Twas the fear, indeed ; and that he doubted,
'Twould prove the verity of certain words
Spoke by a holy monk ; That oft, says he,
Hath sent to me, wishing me to permit
John de la Court, my chaplain, a choice hour
To hear from him a matter of some moment:
Whom after under the confessioni's seal
He solemnly had sworn, that, what he spoke,
My chaplain to no creature living, but
To me, should utter, with demure confidence
This pausingly ensu'd,Neither the king, nor his
heirs, (Tell you the duke) shall prosper: bid him stride To gain the love of the commonalty; the duke Shall govern England. Q. Kath.
If I know you well, You were the duke's surveyor, and lost your office On the complaint o' the tenants: Take good heed, You charge not in your spleen a noble person, And spoil your nobler soul! I say, take heed: Yes, heartily beseech you. K. Hen.
Let him on:Go forward.
Suro. On my soul, I'll speak but truth. I told my lord the duke, By the devil's illusions The monk might be deceiv'd; and that 'twas dang's
ous for him, To ruminate on this so far, until It forg'd him some design, which, being believ'd. It was much like to do: He answer'd, Tush! It can do me no damage: adding further, That, had the king in his last sickness fail'd,
• Now Merchant-Taylor's School.
The cardinal's and sir Thomas Lovell's heads
Should have gone off.
K. Hen.
Ha! what, so rank? Ah, ha! There's mischief in this man:-Canst thou say fur
ther?
Suro. I can, my liege..
K. Hen.
Proceed.
Suru.
. Being at Greenwich,
After your highness had reprov'd the duke
About sir William Blomer,
K. Hen.
I remember, Of such a time:-Being my servant sworn, The duke retain'd him his. But on; What hence? Surv. If, quoth he, I for this had been com.
mitted,
As to the Tower, I thought, I would have play'd
The part my father meant to act upon
The usurper Richard : who, being at Salisbury,
Made suit to come in his presence; which if
granted,
As he made semblance of his duty, would
Have put his knife into him.
K. Hen.
A giant traitor! Wol. Now, madam, may hiş highness live in free.
dom,
And this man out of prison ?
Q. Kath.
God mend all!
K. Hen. There's something more would out of
thee; What say'st?
Suro. After the duke his father, - with the
knife,
He stretch'd him, and, with one hand on his dagger,
Another spread on his breast, mounting his eyes,
He did discharge a horrible oath; whose tenour
Was, Were he evil us'd, he would out-go
His father, by as much as a performance
Does an irresolute purpose.
K. Hen.
There's his period,
To sheath his knife in us. He is attach'd ;
Call him to present trial :'if he may
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