Where's his examination?

Secr. Here, fo please you.

Wol. Is he in perfon ready?
Secr. Ay, an't please your Grace.
Wol. Well, we shall then know more;
And Buckingham fhall leffen this big look.

[Exeunt Cardinal and his train.
Buck. This butcher's cur is venom-mouth'd, and I
Have not the pow'r to muzzle him; therefore best
Not wake him in his flumber. A beggar's book
Out-worths a noble's blood.

Nor. What, are you chaf'd?

Afk God for temp'rance; that's th' appliance only,
Which your disease requires.

Buck. I read in's looks

Matter against me, and his eye revil'd

Me as his abject object; at this inftant

He bores me with fome trick, he's gone to th' King: I'll follow and out-ftare him.

Nor. Stay, my lord;

And let your reafon with your choler question
What 'tis you go about. To climb fteep hills,
Requires flow pace at firft. Anger is like
A full-hot horfe, who being allow'd his way,
Self-mettle tires him: not a man in England
Can advise me, like you: be to your self,
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 infolence; or proclaim,
There's diff'rence in no perfons.

Nor. Be advis'd;

Heat not a furnace for your foe fo hot,
That it do finge your felf. We may out-run
By violent swiftnefs, that which we run at ;
And lofe by over-running: know you not,
The fire that mounts the liquor 'till't run o'er,
Seeming t augment it, waftes it? be advis'd:
I fay again, there is no English Soul
More ftronger to direct you than your felf;
If with the fap of reason you would quench,

Or

Or but allay, the fire of paffion.

Buck. Sir,

I'm 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 fincere motions; by intelligence,
And proofs as clear as founts in July, when
We fee each grain of gravel, I do know
To be corrupt and treasonous.

Nor. Say not, treasonous.

Buck. To th' King I'll fay't, and make my vouch as

ftrong

As fhore of rock.

-Attend. This holy fox,

Or wolf, or both, (for he is equal rav'nous,
As he is fubtle; and as prone to mischief,
As able to perform't;) 7 his mind and place
Infecting one another, yea, reciprocally,
Only to fhew his pomp, as well in France
As here at home, fuggefts the King our maler
To this laft coftly treaty, th' enterview,

8

That fwallow'd fo much treasure, and like a glass
Did break i'th' rinfing:

Nor. Faith, and fo it did.

Buck. Pray, give me favour, Sir.This cunning Cardinal

The articles o'th' combination drew,

As himself pleas'd; and they were ratify'd,

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.

to as much end, But our Court-Cardinal for worthy Wolfey,

Now this follows,

(Which, as I take it, is a kind of puppy

To th' old dam, treafon ;) Charles the Emperor,
Under pretence to fee the Queen his aunt,

6 From fincere motions ;] in the fenfe of fyncerus, Lat. legitimate, out of love to my country, and from no private prejudices.

7

his mind and place

Infecting one another;] This is very fatirical. His mind he reprefents as highly corrupt; and yet he fuppofes the contagion of the place of first minifter as adding an infection to it.

8

-suggests the King our master] suggests, for excites.

(For 'twas indeed his colour, but he came
To whisper Wolfey ;) here makes vifitation:
His fears were, that the interview betwixt
England and France might through their amity
Breed him fome 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 fure, the Emperor
Paid ere he promis'd, whereby his fuit was granted,
Ere it was afk'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 forefaid 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.

Nor. I am forry

To hear this of him; and could wish, you were
Something mistaken in't.

Buck. No, not a fyllable:

I do pronounce him in that very shape,
He shall appear in proof.

Enter Brandon, a Serjeant at Arms before him, and tro or three of the guard.

Bran. Your office, Serjeant; execute it.
Serj. Sir,

My lord the Duke of Buckingham, and Earl
Of Hertford, Stafford, and Northampton, I
Arreft thee of high treason, in the name
Of our moft Sov'reign King.

Buck. Lo you, my lord,

The net has fall'n upon me; I fhall perisk
Under device and practice.

Bran. I am forry

To see you ta'en from liberty, to look on

The bufinefs prefent.

You shall to th' Tower.

"Tis his Highness' pleasure

Buck. It will help me nothing

Το

To plead mine innocence; for that dye is on me,
Which makes my whit'ft part black.

heav'n

Be done in this and all things! I obey.
O my lord Aberga'ny, fare ye well.

The will of

Bran. Nay, he must bear you company. The King Is pleas'd you fhall to th' Tower, 'till you know How he determines further.

Aber. As the Duke said,

The will of heav'n be done, and the King's pleasure
By me obey'd!

Bran. Here is a warrant from

The King, t'attach lord Montague; and the bodies
Of the Duke's confeffor, John de la Court
And Gilbert Peck his chancellor.

Buck. So, fo;

These are the limbs o'th' plot; no more, I hope ?
Bran. A monk o'th' Chartreux.

Buck. Nicholas Hopkins?

Bran. He.

Buck. My furveyor is false, the o'er-great Cardinal Hath fhew'd him gold; my life is fpann'd already: I am the fhadow of poor Buckingham,

Whofe figure ev'n this inftant cloud puts on,

By dark'ning my clear fun. My lord, farewel.

SCENE IV.

Changes to the Council-Chamber.

[Exeunt

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.

King.

8

M

Y life it felf, 8 and the best heart of it, Thanks you for this great care: I ftood i'th level

-and the beft heart of it,] The expreffion is monftrous.. The heart is fuppofed the feat of life: But, as if he had many lives, and to each of them, a heart, he fays, bis beft heart. A way of fpeaking that would have become a cat rather than a King.

P 3

Of

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 perfon;
I'll hear him his confeffions juftifie,

And point by point the treasons of his master
He shall again relate.

A noife within, crying, Room for the Queen. Enter the Queen ufber'd by the Dukes of Norfolk, and Suf folk: fbe kneels. The King rifeth from his ftate, takes ber up, kiffes and placeth her by him.

Queen. Nay, we must longer kneel; I am a fuitor. King. Arife, and take your place by us; half your

fuit

Never name to us; you have half our power:
The other moiety, ere you afk, is given;
Repeat your will, and take it.

Queen. Thank your Majefty.

That you would love your self, and in that love
Not unconfider'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 thofe 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
Moft bitterly on you, as putter on

Of these exactions; yet the King our master
(Whofe honour heav'n fhield from foil) ev'n he 'fcapes not
Language unmannerly; yea fuch, 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,