Henry VIII

of puppy
To the old dam, treason⁠—Charles the emperor,
Under pretence to see 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 menaced him: he privily
Deals with our cardinal; and, as I trow⁠—
Which I do well; for I am sure the emperor
Paid ere he promised; whereby his suit was granted
Ere it was ask’d; but when the way was made,
And paved with gold, the emperor thus desired,
That he would please to alter the king’s course,
And break the foresaid peace. Let the king know,
As soon he shall by me, that thus the cardinal
Does buy and sell his honour as he pleases,
And for his own advantage. Norfolk

I am sorry
To hear this of him; and could wish he were
Something mistaken in’t.

Buckingham

No, not a syllable:
I do pronounce him in that very shape
He shall appear in proof.

Enter Brandon, a Sergeant-at-arms before him, and two or three of the Guard. Brandon Your office, sergeant; execute it. Sergeant

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 sovereign king.

Buckingham

Lo, you, my lord,
The net has fall’n upon me! I shall perish
Under device and practice.

Brandon

I am sorry
To see you ta’en from liberty, to look on
The business present: ’tis his highness’ pleasure
You shall to the Tower.

Buckingham

It will help me nothing
To plead mine innocence; for that dye is on me
Which makes my whitest part black. The will of heaven
Be done in this and all things! I obey.
O my Lord Abergavenny, fare you well!

Brandon

Nay, he must bear you company. The king To Abergavenny.
Is pleased you shall to the Tower, till you know
How he determines further.

Abergavenny

As the duke said,
The will of heaven be done, and the king’s pleasure
By me obey’d!

Brandon

Here is a warrant from
The king to attach Lord Montacute; and the bodies
Of the duke’s confessor, John de la Car,
One Gilbert Peck, his chancellor⁠—

Buckingham

So, so;
These are the limbs o’ the plot: no more, I hope.

Brandon A monk o’ the Chartreux. Buckingham O, Nicholas Hopkins? Brandon He. Buckingham

My surveyor is false; the o’er-great cardinal
Hath show’d him gold; my life is spann’d already:
I am the shadow of poor Buckingham,
Whose figure even this instant cloud puts on,
By darkening my clear sun. My lord, farewell. Exeunt.

Scene II

The same. The council-chamber.

	Cornets. Enter the King, leaning on the Cardinal’s shoulder, the Nobles, and Sir Thomas Lovell; the Cardinal places himself under the King’s feet on his right side.
King	My life itself, and the best heart of it, Thanks you for this great care: I stood i’ the level Of a full-charged confederacy, and give thanks To you that choked it. Let be call’d before us That gentleman of Buckingham’s; in person I’ll hear him his confessions justify; And point by point the treasons of his master He shall again relate.
	A noise within, crying “Room for the Queen!” Enter Queen Katherine, ushered by the Duke of Norfolk, and the Duke of Suffolk: she kneels. The King riseth from his state, takes her up, kisses and placeth her by him.
Queen Katherine	Nay, we must longer kneel: I am a suitor.
King	Arise, 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 Katherine	Thank your majesty. That you would love yourself, 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 Katherine	I am solicited, not by a few, And those of true condition, that your subjects Are in great grievance: there have been commissions Sent down among ’em, which hath flaw’d the heart Of all their loyalties: wherein, although, My good lord cardinal, they vent reproaches Most bitterly on you, as putter on Of these exactions, yet the king our master⁠— Whose honour heaven shield from soil!⁠—even he escapes not Language unmannerly, yea, such which breaks The sides of loyalty, and almost appears In loud rebellion.
Norfolk	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 desperate manner Daring the event to the teeth, are all in uproar, And danger serves among them.
King	Taxation! Wherein? and what taxation? My lord cardinal, You that are blamed for it alike with us, Know you of this taxation?
Wolsey	Please you, sir, I know but of a single part, in aught Pertains to the state; and front but in that file Where others tell steps with me.
Queen Katherine	No, my lord, You know no more than others; but you frame Things that are known alike; which are not wholesome To those which would not know them, and yet must Perforce be their acquaintance. These exactions, Whereof my sovereign would have note, they are Most pestilent to the bearing; and, to bear ’em, The back is sacrifice to the load. They say They are devised by you; or else you suffer Too hard an exclamation.
King	Still exaction! The nature of it? in what kind, let’s know, Is this exaction?
Queen Katherine	I am much too venturous In tempting of your patience; but am bolden’d Under your promised pardon. The subjects’ grief Comes through commissions, which compel from each The sixth part of his substance, to be levied Without delay; and the pretence for this Is named, 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, This tractable obedience is a slave To each incensed will. I would your highness Would give it quick consideration, for There is no primer business.
King	By my life, This is against our pleasure.
Wolsey	And for me, I have no further gone in this than by A single voice; and that not pass’d me but By learned approbation of the judges. If