Buck.
Good morrow, and well met. How have ye done
Since last we saw ^note in France?

Nor.
I thank your grace,
Healthful, and ever since a fresh admirer
Of what I saw there.

Buck.
An untimely ague
Stay'd me a prisoner in my chamber when
Those suns ^note of glory, those two lights of men,
Met in the vale of Andren ^note.

Nor.
'Twixt Guynes and Arde ^note:
I was then present, saw them ^note salute on horseback;
Beheld them, when they 'lighted, how they clung

In their embracement, as they grew together;
Which had they, what four throned ones could have weigh'd ^note
Such a compounded one?

Buck.
All the whole time
I was my chamber's prisoner.

Nor.
Then you lost
The view of earthly glory: men might say,
Till this time pomp was single, but now married
To one above itself. Each following day
Became the next day's master, till the last ^note
Made former wonders ^note its ^note. To-day the French,
All clinquant, all in gold, like heathen ^note gods,
Shone down the English; and to-morrow they
Made Britain India: every man that stood
Show'd like a mine. Their dwarfish pages were
As cherubins, all gilt: the madams too,
Not used to toil, did almost sweat to bear
The pride upon them, that their very labour
Was to them as a painting: now this masque
Was cried incomparable; and the ensuing night
Made it a fool and beggar. The two kings,
Equal in lustre, were now best, now worst,
As presence did present them; him in eye
Still him in praise; and being present both,
'Twas said they saw but one, and no discerner
Durst wag his tongue in censure. When ^note these suns—
For so they phrase 'em—by their heralds challenged
The noble spirits to arms, they did perform
Beyond thought's compass; that former ^note fabulous story,
Being now seen possible enough, got credit,
That ^note Bevis was believed.

Buck.
O, you go far.

Nor.
As I belong to worship and affect

In honour honesty, the tract of every thing
Would by a good discourser lose some life
Which action's self was tongue to ^note. All was royal;
To the disposing of it nought rebell'd;
Order gave each thing view; the office ^note did
Distinctly his full function.

Buck.
Who did guide,
I mean, who set the body and the limbs
Of this great sport together, as you guess?

Nor.
One, certes ^note, that ^note promises no element
In such a business. ^note

Buck.
I pray ^note you, who, my lord?

Nor.
All this was order'd by the good discretion
Of the right reverend Cardinal of York.

Buck.
The devil speed him! no man's pie is freed
From his ambitious finger. What had he
To do in these fierce vanities? I wonder
That such a keech ^note can with his very bulk ^note
Take up the rays o' the beneficial sun,
And keep it from the earth.

Nor.
Surely ^note, sir,
There's in him stuff that puts him to these ends;
For, being not propp'd by ancestry, whose grace
Chalks successors their way, nor call'd upon
For high feats done to the crown; neither allied
To eminent assistants; but, spider-like,
Out of his self-drawing ^note web, he gives us note ^note,

The force of his own merit makes his way;
A gift that heaven gives for him, which buys ^note
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 see his pride
Peep through each part of him: whence has he that?
If not from hell, ^note the devil is a niggard,
Or has given all before, and he begins
A new hell in himself ^note.

Buck.
Why ^note 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 such
To whom ^note as great a charge as little honour
He meant ^note to lay upon: and his own letter ^note,
The honourable board of council out,
Must fetch him in he ^note papers ^note. ^note

Aber.
I do know
Kinsmen of mine, three at the least, that have
By this so sicken'd ^note their estates that never
They shall abound as formerly.

Buck.
O, many
Have broke their backs with laying manors on 'em ^note

For this great journey. What ^note did this vanity ^note
But minister communication ^note of
A most poor issue?

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 inspired, and not consulting broke
Into a general prophecy: That this tempest,
Dashing the garment of this peace, aboded
The sudden breach on't.

Nor.
Which is budded out;
For France hath flaw'd the league, and hath attach'd
Our merchants' goods at Bourdeaux ^note.

Aber.
Is it therefore
The ambassador is silenced?

Nor.
Marry, is't.

Aber.
A proper title of a peace ^note, and purchased
At a superfluous rate!

Buck.
Why, all this business
Our reverend cardinal carried.

Nor.
Like it ^note your grace,
The state takes notice of the private difference
Betwixt you and the cardinal. I advise you—
And take it from a heart that wishes towards you ^note
Honour and plenteous safety—that you read
The cardinal's malice and his potency
Together; to consider further that
What his high hatred would effect ^note wants not
A minister in his power. You know his nature,
That he's revengeful, and I know his sword
Hath a sharp edge; it's long and 't may be said
It reaches far, and where 'twill not extend,

Thither he darts it. Bosom up my counsel;
You'll find it wholesome. Lo, where comes that rock
That I advise ^note your shunning. ^noteEnter Cardinal Wolsey, 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 disdain.

Wol. ^note
The Duke of Buckingham's surveyor, ha?
Where's his examination?

First Sec. ^note
Here, so please you.

Wol.
Is he in person ready?

First Sec.
Ay, please ^note your grace.

Wol.
Well, we shall then know more; and Buckingham
Shall lessen this ^note big look. ^note [Exeunt Wolsey ^note and his Train.

Buck.
This butcher's cur is venom-mouth'd ^note, and I
Have not the power to muzzle him; therefore best
Not wake him in his slumber. A beggar's book ^note
Outworths a noble's blood.

Nor.
What, are you chafed ^note?
Ask God for temperance; that's the appliance only
Which your disease requires.

Buck.
I read in's looks ^note
Matter against me, and his eye reviled
Me as his abject object: at this instant
He bores ^note me with some trick: he's gone to the ^note king;
I'll follow and outstare him.

Nor.
Stay, my lord,
And let your reason with your choler question
What 'tis you go about: to climb steep hills

Requires slow pace at first: anger is like
A full-hot ^note horse, who being allow'd his way,
Self-mettle tires him. Not a man in England
Can advise me like you: be to yourself
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 insolence, or proclaim
There's difference in no persons.

Nor.
Be advised;
Heat not a furnace for your foe so hot
That it do singe yourself: we may outrun,
By violent swiftness, that which we run at,
And lose by ^note over-running. Know you not,
The fire that mounts the liquor till't run o'er
In seeming to ^note augment it wastes it? Be advised:
I say again, there is no English soul
More ^note stronger to direct you than yourself,
If with the sap of reason you would quench,
Or but allay, the fire of passion.

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 ^note not but
From sincere motions—by intelligence
And proofs as clear as founts in July ^note when ^note
We see each grain of gravel, I do know
To be corrupt and treasonous.

Nor.
Say not ‘treasonous.’

Buck.
To the king I'll say 't; and make my vouch as strong
As shore of rock. Attend. This holy fox,
Or wolf, or both—for he is equal ravenous ^note
As he is subtle, and as prone to mischief

As able to perform't; his mind and place
Infecting one another, yea, reciprocally ^note—
Only to show his pomp as well in France
As here at home, suggests the king our master
To this last costly treaty, the interview,
That swallow'd so much treasure, and like a glass
Did break i' the rinsing ^note.

Nor.
Faith, and so it did.

Buck.
Pray, give me favour, sir ^note. This cunning cardinal
The articles o' the ^note combination drew
As himself pleased; and they were ratified
As he cried ‘Thus let ^note be,’ to as much end
As give a crutch to the dead: but our count-cardinal ^note
Has done this, and 'tis well; for worthy Wolsey,
Who cannot err, he did it. Now this follows—
Which, as I take it, is a kind 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 ^note privily
Deals with our cardinal; and, as I trow ^note—
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 ^note 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. ^note

Nor.
I am sorry
To hear this of him, and could wish he ^note were
Something mistaken in't.

Buck.
No, not a syllable:
I do pronounce him in that very shape
He shall appear in proof. Enter Brandon, ^note a Sergeant at arms before him, and two or three of the Guard. ^note

Bran.
Your office, sergeant; execute it.

Serg.
Sir,
My lord the Duke of Buckingham, and Earl
Of Hereford ^note, Stafford, and Northampton, I
Arrest thee of high treason, in the name
Of our most sovereign king.

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

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

Buck.
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 ^note, fare you ^note well!

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

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

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

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

Bran.
A monk o' the Chartreux.

Buck.
O ^note, Nicholas ^note Hopkins?

Bran.
He.

Buck.
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 ^note cloud puts on ^note,
By darkening ^{note note} my clear sun. My lord ^note, farewell. [Exeunt. ^note

Previous section

Next section