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PERSONS REPRESENTED.

King HENRY the Eighth.
Cardinal WOLSEY. Cardinal CAMPFIUS.
CAPUCIUS, Ambassador from the Emperor
Charles V.

CRANMER, Archbiskop of Canterbury.
Duke of NORFOLK. Duke of BUCKINGHAM.
Duke of SUFFOLK. Earl of SURREY.
Lord Chamberlain.

Sir THOMAS AUDLEY, Lord Keeper.
GARDINER, Bishop of Winchester.
Bishop of LINCOLN.

Lord ABERGAVENNY. Lord SANDS,
Sir HENRY GUILDFORD.

I

Sir THOMAS LOVELL,

Sir ANTHONY DENNY.

Sir NICHOLAS VAUX.

Sir WILLIAM SANDS 1.

CROMWELL, Srvant to Wolfcy.

GRIFFITH, Gentleman-Ufber to Queen Katha

rice.

Three other Gentlemen.

Doctor BUTTS, Physician to the King.
GARTER, King at Arms.

Surveyor to the Duke of Buckingham.
BRANDON, and a Serjeant at Arms.
Door-keeper of the Council Chamber.
Porter, and bis Man.

Queen KATHARINE.

ANNE BULLEN.

An old Lady, Friend to Anne Bullen.
PATIENCE, Woman to Quein Katharine.
Several Lords and Ladies in the dumb shows.
Women attending upon the Queen. Spirits,
which appear to ber.
Scribes, Officers,
Guards, and other Attendants.

The SCENE lies mofily in London and Westminster; once, at Kimbolton.

PROLOGU

COME no more to make you laugh; things now,
That bear a weighty and a ferious brow,
Sad, bigb, and working, full of flate and woe,
Such noble scenes as draw the eyε το μου,
We now present. Those that can pity, bere
May, if they think it well, let fall a tear;
The subject will deferue it. Such, as give
Their money out of hope they may believe,
May bere find truth too. Those, that come to fee
Only a show or two, and jo agree,

The play may pass; if they be flill and willing,
I'll undertake, may fee away their shilling
Richly in two short hours. Only they,
That come to bear a merry, bawdy play,
A noise of targets; or to fee a fellow
In a long motley coat, guarded with yellow,

SCÈNE

London.

Ε.

Will be deceiv'd: for, gentle bearers, know,
To rank our chojen truth with fuch a show
As fool and fight is, (befide forfeiting
Our own brains, and the opinion that we bring
To make that only true we now intend 3)
Will leave us never an understanding friend.
Therefore, for goodness' fake, and as you are known
The first and bappiest bearers of the town,
Be fad, as we would make ye: Think, ye fee
The very perfons of our noble ftory,
As they were living; think, you see them great,
And follow'd with the general throng, and sweat
Of tboufand friends; then, in a moment, fee
How foon this mightiness meets misery !
And, if you can be merry then, I'll fay,
A man may weep upon bis wedding-duy.

ACT

I.

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I.

Nor. I thank your grace :
Healthful; and ever fince a fresh 4 admirer
Of what I faw there.

Buck. An untimely ague
Stay'd me a prifoner in my chamber, when
Thofe fons of glory, those two lights of men,
Met in the vale of Arde.

Nor. 'Twixt Guines and Arde:

1 Mr. Steevens observes, that Sir William Sands was created Lord Sands about this time, but is here introduced among the perfons of the drama, as a distinct character. Sir William has not a fingle fpeech afligned to him; and, to make the blunder the greater, is brought on after Lord Sands has already made his appearance. 2 Alluding to the fools and buffoons, introduced for the generality in the plays a little before our author's time, and of whom he has left us a small tafte in his own. 3 i, e. pretend. 4 i. c. an untured admirer,

I was then prefent, faw them falute on horse-back; Back. The devil speed him! no man's pye is Beheld them, when they lighted, how they clung

free'd

In their embracement, as they grew together;
From his ambitious finger. What had he
Which had they, what four thron'd ones could, To do in these fierce vanities? I wonder,

have weigh'd

Such a compounded one ?

Buck. All the whole time

I was my chamber's prifoner,
Nor. Then you loft

The view of earthly glory: Men might say,
'Till this time, pomp was fingle; but now marry'd
To one above itself. Each following day
Became the next day's mafter, 'till the laft
Made former wonders it's: To-day, the French,
All clinquant', all in gold, like heathen gods,
Shone down the Englan; and, to-morrow, they
Made Britain, India: every man, that flood,
Shew'd like a mine. Their dwarfish pages were
As cherubims, 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 mak
Was cry'd incomparable; and the enfuing night
Made it a fool, and beggar. The two kings,
Equal in luftre, were now beit, now worft,
As prefence did present them; him in eye,
Still him in praise and, being present both,
Twas faid, they saw but one: and no difcerner
Durft wag his tongue in cenfure 2. When these

funs,

(For fo they phrafe 'em) by their heralds challeng'd
The noble fpirits to arms, they did perform
Beyond thought's compaís; that former fabulous
ftory,

Being now feen poffible enough, got credit,
That Bevis 3 was believ'd.

Buck. Oh, you go far.

Nor. As I belong to worship, and affect
In honour honcfty, the tract of every thing
Would by a good difcourfer lofe fome life,
Which action's felf was tongue to. All was royal;
To the difpofing of it nought rebell'd,

Order gave each thing view; the office did
Diftinétiy his full function 4.

Buck. Who did guide,

I mean, whe fet the body and the limbs
Of this great fport together, as you guess?

Nor. Onc, certes, that promifes no element 5
In fuch a bufinefs.

Buck. 1 pray you, who, my lord?

That fuch a keech 7 can with his very bulk
Take up the rays o' the beneficial fun,
And keep it from the earth.

Nor. Surely, fir,

There's in him stuff that puts him to these ends;
For, being not propt by ancestry, (whose grace
Chalks fucceffors their way) nor call'd upon
For high feats done to the crown; neither ally'd
To eminent affiftants, but, spider-like,

Out of his felf-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 fee 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
Of all the gentry; for the most part fuch
Too, whom as great a charge as little honour
He meant to lay upon and his own letter,
The honourable board of council out 9,
Must fetch in him he papers 10.

Aber. I do know

Kinfmen of mine, three at the least, that have
By this fo ficken'd their eftates, 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,
But minifter communication of

A moft poor iffue?

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 confulting, broke
Into a general prophecy, That this tempeft,

Nor. All this was ordu'd by the good difcretion Dafning the garment of this peace, aboaded Of the right reverend cardinal of York.

ance.

The fudden breach on't.

4 i. e. the com

i. e. all glittering, all shining. Cerfure for determination of which had the noblest appear 3 The old romantic legend of Bevis of Southampton. This Bevis (or Beavois) a daxon, was for his prowess created by William the Conqueror carl of Southampton. miffion for regulating this feflivity was well executed. 5 No initiation, no previous practices. 61. e. proud. 7 A kecth is a folid lump or mass. A cake of wax or tallow formed in a mould is called yet in fome places a keech. There may, perhaps, be a fingular propriety in this term of contempt. Wolfey was the fon of a butcher, and in the Second Part of King Henry IV. a butcher's wile is called-Goody Keech. 8 1. e. the lift. 9 That is, all mention of the board of council being left out of his letter. 10 i. e. His own letter, by his own fingle authority, and without the concurrence of the council, muft fetch in him whom he papers down. effect had this pompous how but the production of a wretched conclufion?

Hi.e. What

Nor. Buck. I'll to the king;

Nor. Which is budded out; For France hath flaw'd the league, and hath attach'd And from a mouth of honour quite cry down

Our merchants' goods at Bourdeaux.

Aber. L it therefore

The ambailador is filenc'd?

Nor. Marry, is't.

This Ipfwich fellow's infolence; or proclaim,
There's difference in no perfons.

Nor. Be advis'd;

Heat not a furnace for your foe fo hot

Afer. A proper title of a peace 2; and purchas'd That it do finge yourself: We may out-run, At a fuperfluous rate!

Buck. Why, all this business

Our reverend cardinal carry'd.

Nor. Like it your grace,

The state takes notice of the private difference

Betwixt you and the cardinal. I advise you,

By violent fwiftness, 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 feeming to augment it, waftes it? Be advis'd;
I fay again, there is no English foul

More stronger to direct you than yourself;

(And take it from a heart that wishes towards you If with the fap of reason you would quench,

Honour and plenteous iafety) that you read

The cardinal's malice and his potency

Together: to confider further, that

What his high hatred would effect, wants not
A minifter 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 faid,
It reaches far; and where 'twill not extend,
Thither he darts it. Bofom up my counsel, [rock,
You'll find it wholesome. Lo, where comes that
That I advise your thunning.

Enter Cardinal Wolfey, 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 difdain.

Wol. The duke of Buckingham's surveyor? ha? Where's his examination?

Secr. Here, fo please you.

Wol. Is he in perfon ready?

Seer. Ay, please your grace.

[ingham

Wal. Well, we shall then know more; and Buck

Shall leffen this big look.

[Excunt Cardinal, and his train.

Buck. This butcher's cur 3 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 Out-worths a noble's blood 4.

Nor. What, are you chaf'd?

Or but allay, the fire of paffion.

Buck. Sir,

I am 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 treafonous.

[as ftrong

Nor. Say not, treafonous.
Buck. To the king I'll fay't; and make my vouch
As shore of rock. Attend. This holy fox,
Or wolf, or both, (for he is equal ravenous
As he is fubtle; and as prone to mifchief
As able to perform't: his mind and place
Infecting one another, yea, reciprocally)
Only to thew his pomp as well in France
As here at home, suggests 7 the king our mafter
To this laft coftly treaty, the interview,
That fwallow'd fo much treafure, and like a glafs
Did break i' the rinfing.

Nor. 'Faith, and fo it did.

[cardinal

Buck. Pray, give me favour, fir. This cunning

The articles o' the combination drew,
As himself pleas'd; and they were ratify'd,
As he cry'd, Thus let be to as much end,
As give a crutch to the dead: But our court cardinal
Has done this, and 'tis well; for worthy Wolfey,
Who cannot err, he did it. Now this follows,

Afk God for temperance; that's the appliance only, (Which, as I take it, is a kind of puppy

Which your disease requires.
Buck. I read in his looks

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To the old dam, treafon)-Charles the emperor,
Under pretence to fee the queen his aunt,
(For 'twas, indeed, his colour; but he came
To whifper 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
Pay'd ere he promis'd; whereby his fuit was granted,
Ere it was alk'd-bat when the way was made,
And pav'd with gold, the emperor thus defir'd
That he would please to alter the king's course,

4 That is.

1 Silenc'd for recalled. 2 A fine name of a peace! spoken ironically. 3 Wolfev, as has been before obferved, is faid to have been the fon of a butcher. the literary qualifications of a bookish beggar are more prized than the high defcent of hereditary greatness. This is a 'contemptuous exclamation very naturally put into the mouth of one of the antient, unletter'd, martial nobility. 5 i. e. he stabs or wounds me by fome artifice or fiction. i. e. from honeft indignation; warmth of integrity.

7 i. e. excites.

Xx

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And break the forefaid peace. Let the king know, Of a full-charg'd confederacy; and give thanks

(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 with, he were
Something mistaken in 't.

Buck. No, not a fyllable;

I do pronounce him in that very shape,

He fhall appear in proof.

Enter Brandon; a Serjeant at Arms before bim, and two or three of the guard.

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

My lord the duke of Buckingham, and earl
Of Hereford, Stafford, and Northampton, I
Arrest thee of high treason, in the name
Of our most fovereign king.

Buck. Lo you, my lord,

The net has fallen upon me; I shall perish
Under device and practice.

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

Bran. Nay, he muft bear you company:-The
king
[To Aberg

Is pleas'd, you shall to the Tower, 'till you know
How he determines further.

Aber. As the duke faid,

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 justify;

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

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A noise within, crying, Room for the Queen. Enter
the Queen, ushered by
Dukes of Norfolk
Sufolk: she kneels. The King rifeth from bis
flate, takes ber up, kisses, and placeth ber by him.

Quten. 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 yourself; 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. 1 am folicited, not by a few,
And those of true condition, that your fubjects

Are in great grievance: There have been commitlions

Sent down among them, which have flaw'd the heart Of all their loyalties:-wherein, although,

[To Wolfey.

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Language unmannerly, yea, such which breaks The fides of loyalty, and almost appears

The will of heaven be done, and the king's pleasure In loud rebellion.

By me obey'd !

Nor. Not almost appears,

Bran. Here is a warrant from

It doth appear: for, upon these taxations,

The king, to attach lord Montacute; and the bodies

The clothiers all, not able to maintain

Of the duke's confeffor, John de la Court,

The many to them 'longing, have put off

One Gilbert Peck, his chancellor,

The fpintters, carders, fullers, weavers, who,

Buck. So, fo;

Unfit for other life, compell'd by hunger

Buck. O, Nicholas Hopkins?

Bran. He.

Daring the event to the teeth, are all in uproar, And Danger ferves among them.

These are the limbs of the plot: No more, I hope. And lack of other means, in defperate manner

Bran. A monk o' the Chartreux.

Buck. My furveyor is falfe; the o'er-great cardinal Hath shew'd him gold: my life is spann'd already: I am the fhadow of poor Buckingham;

Whose figure even this inftant cloud puts on,

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

SCENE

The Council Chamber.

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[Exeunt.

11.

Cornet. Enter King Henry, leaning on the Cardinal's shoulder; the Nobles, and Sir Thomas Lovel. The Cardinal places bimself under the King's feet, on bis right fide.

You know no more than others: but you frame Things, that are known alike; which are not

wholefome

King. My life itself, and the best heart of it,

To those which would not know them, and yet must Perforce be their acquaintance. These exactions, Whereof my fovereign would have note, they are

Thanks you for this great care: I stood i' the level [Most peftilent to the hearing; and, to bear them,

i. e. the multitude.

2 i. c. I am but first in the row of counsellors.

The

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