Act I, Scene 2

The same. The council-chamber.

[Cornets. Enter KING HENRY VIII, leaning on] [p]CARDINAL WOLSEY's shoulder, the Nobles, and LOVELL; [p]CARDINAL WOLSEY places himself under KING HENRY [p]VIII's feet on his right side]

• Henry VIII. 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 320
  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 KATHARINE, ushered by NORFOLK, and SUFFOLK: 325
  she kneels. KING HENRY VIII riseth from his state,
  takes her up, kisses and placeth her by him]

• Queen Katharine. Nay, we must longer kneel: I am a suitor.

• Henry VIII. Arise, and take place by us: half your suit
  Never name to us; you have half our power: 330
  The other moiety, ere you ask, is given;
  Repeat your will and take it.

• Queen Katharine. Thank your majesty.
  That you would love yourself, and in that love
  Not unconsider'd leave your honour, nor 335
  The dignity of your office, is the point
  Of my petition.

• Henry VIII. Lady mine, proceed.

• Queen Katharine. I am solicited, not by a few,
  And those of true condition, that your subjects 340
  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 345
  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 350
  In loud rebellion.

• Duke of 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 355
  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 then! 360

• Henry VIII. Taxation!
  Wherein? and what taxation? My lord cardinal,
  You that are blamed for it alike with us,
  Know you of this taxation?

• Cardinal Wolsey. Please you, sir, 365
  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 Katharine. No, my lord,
  You know no more than others; but you frame 370
  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, 375
  The back is sacrifice to the load. They say
  They are devised by you; or else you suffer
  Too hard an exclamation.

• Henry VIII. Still exaction!
  The nature of it? in what kind, let's know, 380
  Is this exaction?

• Queen Katharine. 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 385
  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 390
  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. 395

• Henry VIII. By my life,
  This is against our pleasure.

• Cardinal Wolsey. And for me,
  I have no further gone in this than by
  A single voice; and that not pass'd me but 400
  By learned approbation of the judges. If I am
  Traduced by ignorant 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 405
  That virtue must go through. We must not stint
  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 410
  Than vainly longing. What we oft do best,
  By sick interpreters, once weak ones, is
  Not ours, or not allow'd; what worst, as oft,
  Hitting a grosser quality, is cried up
  For our best act. If we shall stand still, 415
  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.

• Henry VIII. Things done well,
  And with a care, exempt themselves from fear; 420
  Things done without example, in their issue
  Are to be fear'd. Have you a precedent
  Of this commission? I believe, not any.
  We must not rend our subjects from our laws,
  And stick them in our will. Sixth part of each? 425
  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 430
  Free pardon to each man that has denied
  The force of this commission: pray, look to't;
  I put it to your care.

• Cardinal Wolsey. A word with you.
  [To the Secretary] 435
  Let there be letters writ to every shire,
  Of the king's grace and pardon. The grieved commons
  Hardly conceive of me; let it be noised
  That through our intercession this revokement
  And pardon comes: I shall anon advise you 440
  Further in the proceeding.

[Exit Secretary]

[Enter Surveyor]

• Queen Katharine. I am sorry that the Duke of Buckingham
  Is run in your displeasure. 445

• Henry VIII. It grieves many:
  The gentleman is learn'd, and a most rare speaker;
  To nature none more bound; his training such,
  That he may furnish and instruct great teachers,
  And never seek for aid out of himself. Yet see, 450
  When these so noble benefits shall prove
  Not well disposed, 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, 455
  Almost with ravish'd listening, 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— 460
  This was his gentleman in trust—of him
  Things to strike honour sad. Bid him recount
  The fore-recited practises; whereof
  We cannot feel too little, hear too much.

• Cardinal Wolsey. Stand forth, and with bold spirit relate what you, 465
  Most like a careful subject, have collected
  Out of the Duke of Buckingham.

• Henry VIII. Speak freely.

• Surveyor. First, it was usual with him, every day
  It would infect his speech, that if the king 470
  Should without issue die, he'll carry it so
  To make the sceptre his: these very words
  I've heard him utter to his son-in-law,
  Lord Abergavenny; to whom by oath he menaced
  Revenge upon the cardinal. 475

• Cardinal Wolsey. Please your highness, note
  This dangerous conception in this point.
  Not friended by by his wish, to your high person
  His will is most malignant; and it stretches
  Beyond you, to your friends. 480

• Queen Katharine. My learn'd lord cardinal,
  Deliver all with charity.

• Henry VIII. Speak on:
  How grounded he his title to the crown,
  Upon our fail? to this point hast thou heard him 485
  At any time speak aught?

• Surveyor. He was brought to this
  By a vain prophecy of Nicholas Hopkins.

• Henry VIII. What was that Hopkins?

• Surveyor. Sir, a Chartreux friar, 490
  His confessor, who fed him every minute
  With words of sovereignty.

• Henry VIII. How know'st thou this?

• Surveyor. Not long before your highness sped to France,
  The duke being at the Rose, within the parish 495
  Saint Lawrence Poultney, did of me demand
  What was the speech among the Londoners
  Concerning the French journey: I replied,
  Men fear'd the French would prove perfidious,
  To the king's danger. Presently the duke 500
  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 Car, my chaplain, a choice hour 505
  To hear from him a matter of some moment:
  Whom after under the confession's seal
  He solemnly had sworn, that what he spoke
  My chaplain to no creature living, but
  To me, should utter, with demure confidence 510
  This pausingly ensued: neither the king nor's heirs,
  Tell you the duke, shall prosper: bid him strive
  To gain the love o' the commonalty: the duke
  Shall govern England.'

• Queen Katharine. If I know you well, 515
  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. 520

• Henry VIII. Let him on.
  Go forward.

• Surveyor. On my soul, I'll speak but truth.
  I told my lord the duke, by the devil's illusions
  The monk might be deceived; and that 'twas dangerous for him 525
  To ruminate on this so far, until
  It forged him some design, which, being believed,
  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, 530
  The cardinal's and Sir Thomas Lovell's heads
  Should have gone off.

• Henry VIII. Ha! what, so rank? Ah ha!
  There's mischief in this man: canst thou say further?

• Surveyor. I can, my liege. 535

• Henry VIII. Proceed.

• Surveyor. Being at Greenwich,
  After your highness had reproved the duke
  About Sir William Blomer,—

• Henry VIII. I remember 540
  Of such a time: being my sworn servant,
  The duke retain'd him his. But on; what hence?

• Surveyor. 'If,' quoth he, 'I for this had been committed,
  As, to the Tower, I thought, I would have play'd
  The part my father meant to act upon 545
  The usurper Richard; who, being at Salisbury,
  Made suit to come in's presence; which if granted,
  As he made semblance of his duty, would
  Have put his knife to him.'

• Henry VIII. A giant traitor! 550

• Cardinal Wolsey. Now, madam, may his highness live in freedom,
  and this man out of prison?

• Queen Katharine. God mend all!

• Henry VIII. There's something more would out of thee; what say'st?

• Surveyor. After 'the duke his father,' with 'the knife,' 555
  He stretch'd him, and, with one hand on his dagger,
  Another spread on's breast, mounting his eyes
  He did discharge a horrible oath; whose tenor
  Was,—were he evil used, he would outgo
  His father by as much as a performance 560
  Does an irresolute purpose.

• Henry VIII. There's his period,
  To sheathe his knife in us. He is attach'd;
  Call him to present trial: if he may
  Find mercy in the law, 'tis his: if none, 565
  Let him not seek 't of us: by day and night,
  He's traitor to the height.

[Exeunt]