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 QUEEN KATHARINE. Nay, we must longer kneel: I am suitor. |
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| KING. Arise, and take place by us. Half your suit |
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| Never name to us: you have half our power. |
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| The other moiety ere you ask is given; |
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| Repeat your will, and take it. |
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| QUEEN KATHARINE. Thank your Majesty. |
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| That you would love yourself, and in that love |
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| Not unconsidered leave your honour nor |
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| The dignity of your office, is the point |
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| Of my petition. |
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| KING. Lady mine, proceed. |
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| QUEEN KATHARINE. I am solicited, not by a few, |
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| And those of true condition, that your subjects |
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| Are in great grievance: there have been commissions |
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| Sent down among 'em which hath flaw'd the heart |
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| Of all their loyalties; wherein, although, |
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| My good Lord Cardinal, they vent reproaches |
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| Most bitterly on you as putter-on |
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| Of these exactions, yet the King our master— |
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| Whose honour Heaven shield from soil!—even he escapes not |
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| Language unmannerly; yea, such which breaks |
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| The sides of loyalty, and almost appears |
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| In loud rebellion. |
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| NORFOLK. Not almost appears— |
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| It doth appear; for, upon these taxations, |
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| The clothiers all, not able to maintain |
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| The many to them 'longing, have put off |
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| The spinsters, carders, fullers, weavers, who |
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| Unfit for other life, compell'd by hunger |
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| And lack of other means, in desperate manner |
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| Daring th' event to th' teeth, are all in uproar, |
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| And danger serves among them. |
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| KING. Taxation! |
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| Wherein? and what taxation? My Lord Cardinal, |
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| You that are blam'd for it alike with us, |
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| Know you of this taxation? |
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| WOLSEY. Please you, sir, |
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| I know but of a single part in aught |
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| Pertains to th' state, and front but in that file |
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| Where others tell steps with me. |
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| QUEEN KATHARINE. No, my lord! |
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| You know no more than others! But you frame |
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| Things that are known alike, which are not wholesome |
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| To those which would not know them, and yet must |
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| Perforce be their acquaintance. These exactions, |
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| Whereof my sovereign would have note, they are |
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| Most pestilent to th' hearing; and to bear 'em |
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| The back is sacrifice to th' load. They say |
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| They are devis'd by you, or else you suffer |
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| Too hard an exclamation. |
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| KING. Still exaction! |
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| The nature of it? In what kind, let's know, |
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| Is this exaction? |
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| QUEEN KATHARINE. I am much too venturous |
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| In tempting of your patience, but am bold'ned |
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| Under your promis'd pardon. The subjects' grief |
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| Comes through commissions, which compels from each |
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| The sixth part of his substance, to be levied |
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| Without delay; and the pretence for this |
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| Is nam'd your wars in France. This makes bold mouths; |
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| Tongues spit their duties out, and cold hearts freeze |
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| Allegiance in them; their curses now |
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| Live where their prayers did; and it's come to pass |
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| This tractable obedience is a slave |
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| To each incensed will. I would your Highness |
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| Would give it quick consideration, for |
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| There is no primer business. |
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| KING. By my life, |
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| This is against our pleasure. |
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| WOLSEY. And for me, |
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| I have no further gone in this than by |
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| A single voice; and that not pass'd me but |
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| By learned approbation of the judges. If I am |
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| Traduc'd by ignorant tongues, which neither know |
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| My faculties nor person, yet will be |
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| The chronicles of my doing, let me say |
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| 'Tis but the fate of place, and the rough brake |
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| That virtue must go through. We must not stint |
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| Our necessary actions in the fear |
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| To cope malicious censurers, which ever |
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| As rav'nous fishes do a vessel follow |
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| That is new-trimm'd, but benefit no further |
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| Than vainly longing. What we oft do best, |
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| By sick interpreters, once weak ones, is |
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| Not ours, or not allow'd; what worst, as oft |
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| Hitting a grosser quality, is cried up |
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| For our best act. If we shall stand still, |
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| In fear our motion will be mock'd or carp'd at, |
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| We should take root here where we sit, or sit |
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| State-statues only. |
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| KING. Things done well |
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| And with a care exempt themselves from fear: |
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| Things done without example, in their issue |
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| Are to be fear'd. Have you a precedent |
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| Of this commission? I believe, not any. |
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| We must not rend our subjects from our laws, |
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| And stick them in our will. Sixth part of each? |
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| A trembling contribution! Why, we take |
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| From every tree lop, bark, and part o' th' timber; |
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| And though we leave it with a root, thus hack'd, |
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| The air will drink the sap. To every county |
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| Where this is question'd send our letters with |
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| Free pardon to each man that has denied |
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| The force of this commission. Pray, look to't; |
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| I put it to your care. |
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| WOLSEY.[Aside to the SECRETARY]A word with you. |
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| Let there be letters writ to every shire |
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| Of the King's grace and pardon. The grieved commons |
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| Hardly conceive of me—let it be nois'd |
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| That through our intercession this revokement |
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| And pardon comes. I shall anon advise you |
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| Further in the proceeding. |
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| Exit SECRETARY |
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| Enter SURVEYOR |
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| QUEEN KATHARINE. I am sorry that the Duke of Buckingham |
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| Is run in your displeasure. |
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| KING. It grieves many. |
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| The gentleman is learn'd and a most rare speaker; |
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| To nature none more bound; his training such |
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| That he may furnish and instruct great teachers |
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| And never seek for aid out of himself. Yet see, |
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| When these so noble benefits shall prove |
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| Not well dispos'd, the mind growing once corrupt, |
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| They turn to vicious forms, ten times more ugly |
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| Than ever they were fair. This man so complete, |
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| Who was enroll'd 'mongst wonders, and when we, |
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| Almost with ravish'd list'ning, could not find |
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| His hour of speech a minute—he, my lady, |
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| Hath into monstrous habits put the graces |
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| That once were his, and is become as black |
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| As if besmear'd in hell. Sit by us; you shall hear— |
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| This was his gentleman in trust—of him |
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| Things to strike honour sad. Bid him recount |
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| The fore-recited practices, whereof |
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| We cannot feel too little, hear too much. |
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| WOLSEY. Stand forth, and with bold spirit relate what you, |
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| Most like a careful subject, have collected |
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| Out of the Duke of Buckingham. |
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| KING. Speak freely. |
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| SURVEYOR. First, it was usual with him—every day |
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| It would infect his speech—that if the King |
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| Should without issue die, he'll carry it so |
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| To make the sceptre his. These very words |
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| I've heard him utter to his son-in-law, |
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| Lord Aberga'ny, to whom by oath he menac'd |
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| Revenge upon the Cardinal. |
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| WOLSEY. Please your Highness, note |
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| This dangerous conception in this point: |
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| Not friended by his wish, to your high person |
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| His will is most malignant, and it stretches |
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| Beyond you to your friends. |
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| QUEEN KATHARINE. My learn'd Lord Cardinal, |
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| Deliver all with charity. |
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| KING. Speak on. |
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| How grounded he his title to the crown |
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| Upon our fail? To this point hast thou heard him |
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| At any time speak aught? |
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| SURVEYOR. He was brought to this |
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| By a vain prophecy of Nicholas Henton. |
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| KING. What was that Henton? |
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| SURVEYOR. Sir, a Chartreux friar, |
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| His confessor, who fed him every minute |
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| With words of sovereignty. |
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| KING. How know'st thou this? |
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| SURVEYOR. Not long before your Highness sped to France, |
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| The Duke being at the Rose, within the parish |
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| Saint Lawrence Poultney, did of me demand |
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| What was the speech among the Londoners |
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| Concerning the French journey. I replied |
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| Men fear'd the French would prove perfidious, |
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| To the King's danger. Presently the Duke |
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| Said 'twas the fear indeed and that he doubted |
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| 'Twould prove the verity of certain words |
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| Spoke by a holy monk 'that oft' says he |
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| 'Hath sent to me, wishing me to permit |
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| John de la Car, my chaplain, a choice hour |
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| To hear from him a matter of some moment; |
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| Whom after under the confession's seal |
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| He solemnly had sworn that what he spoke |
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| My chaplain to no creature living but |
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| To me should utter, with demure confidence |
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| This pausingly ensu'd: "Neither the King nor's heirs, |
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| Tell you the Duke, shall prosper; bid him strive |
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| To gain the love o' th' commonalty; the Duke |
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| Shall govern England."' |
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| QUEEN KATHARINE. If I know you well, |
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| You were the Duke's surveyor, and lost your office |
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| On the complaint o' th' tenants. Take good heed |
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| You charge not in your spleen a noble person |
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| And spoil your nobler soul. I say, take heed; |
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| Yes, heartily beseech you. |
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| KING. Let him on. |
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| Go forward. |
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| SURVEYOR. On my soul, I'll speak but truth. |
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| I told my lord the Duke, by th' devil's illusions |
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| The monk might be deceiv'd, and that 'twas dangerous |
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| for him |
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| To ruminate on this so far, until |
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| It forg'd him some design, which, being believ'd, |
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| It was much like to do. He answer'd 'Tush, |
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| It can do me no damage'; adding further |
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| That, had the King in his last sickness fail'd, |
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| The Cardinal's and Sir Thomas Lovell's heads |
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| Should have gone off. |
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| KING. Ha! what, so rank? Ah ha! |
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| There's mischief in this man. Canst thou say further? |
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| SURVEYOR. I can, my liege. |
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| KING. Proceed. |
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| SURVEYOR. Being at Greenwich, |
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| After your Highness had reprov'd the Duke |
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| About Sir William Bulmer— |
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| KING. I remember |
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| Of such a time: being my sworn servant, |
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| The Duke retain'd him his. But on: what hence? |
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| SURVEYOR. 'If' quoth he 'I for this had been committed— |
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| As to the Tower I thought—I would have play'd |
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| The part my father meant to act upon |
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| Th' usurper Richard; who, being at Salisbury, |
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| Made suit to come in's presence, which if granted, |
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| As he made semblance of his duty, would |
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| Have put his knife into him.' |
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| KING. A giant traitor! |
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| WOLSEY. Now, madam, may his Highness live in freedom, |
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| And this man out of prison? |
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| QUEEN KATHARINE. God mend all! |
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| KING. There's something more would out of thee: what say'st? |
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| SURVEYOR. After 'the Duke his father' with the 'knife,' |
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| He stretch'd him, and, with one hand on his dagger, |
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| Another spread on's breast, mounting his eyes, |
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| He did discharge a horrible oath, whose tenour |
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| Was, were he evil us'd, he would outgo |
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| His father by as much as a performance |
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| Does an irresolute purpose. |
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| KING. There's his period, |
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| To sheath his knife in us. He is attach'd; |
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| Call him to present trial. If he may |
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| Find mercy in the law, 'tis his; if none, |
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| Let him not seek't of us. By day and night! |
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| He's traitor to th' height. |
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| Exeunt |
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