More than to Richmond? for the self-same heaven, | Inspire us with the spleen of fiery dragons! That frowns on me, looks sadly upon him.
Nor. Arm, arm, my lord; the foe vaunts in the field.
[horse ;- K. Rich. Come, bustle, bustle;-Caparison my Call up lord Stanley, bid him bring his power :- I will lead forth my soldiers to the plain, And thus my battle shall be ordered. My foreward shall be drawn out all in length, Consisting equally of horse and foot; Our archers shall be placed in the midst: John duke of Norfolk, Thomas earl of Surrey, Shall have the leading of this foot and horse. They thus directed, we ourself will follow
In the main battle; whose puissance on either side Shall be well winged with our chiefest horse. This, and Saint George to boot!-What think'st thou, Norfolk?
Nor. A good direction, warlike sovereign.- This found I on my tent this morning.
(Giving a scroll.) K.Rich. (Reads.) Jocky of Norfolk, be not too bold, For Dickon thy master is bought and sold. A thing devised by the enemy. Go, gentlemen, every man unto his charge: Let not our babbling dreams afright our souls; Conscience is but a word that cowards use, Devis'd at first to keep the strong in awe ; Our strong arms be our conscience, swords our law. March on, join bravely, let us to't pell-mell; If not to heaven, then hand in hand to hell.
What shall I say more than I have infer'd? Remember whom you are to cope withal ;- A sort of vagabonds, rascals, and run-aways, A scum of Bretagnes, and base lackey peasants, Whom their o'er-cloy'd country vomits forth To desperate ventures and assur'd destruction. You sleeping safe, they bring you to unrest; You having lands, and bless'd with beauteous wives, They would restrain the one, distain the other. And who doth lead them, but a paltry fellow, Long kept in Bretagne at our mother's cost? A milk-sop, one that never in his life Felt so much cold as over shoes in snow? Let's whip these stragglers o'er the seas again; Lash hence these over-weening rags of France, These famish'd beggars, weary of their lives; Who, but for dreaming on this fond exploit, For want of means, poor rats, had hang'd them-
If we be conquer'd, let men conquer us, And not these bastard Bretagnes? whom our fathers Have in their own land beaten, bobb'd, and thump'd, And, on record, left them the heirs of shame. Shall these enjoy our lands? lie with our wives? Ravish our daughters?-Hark, I hear their drum. (Drum afar off.) Fight, gentlemen of England! fight, bold yeomen! Draw, archers, draw your arrows to the head! Spar your proud horses hard, and ride in blood; Amaze the welkin with your broken staves!
Enter a Messenger. What says lord Stanley? will he bring his power? Mess. My lord, he doth deny to come. K. Rich. Offinstantly with his son George's head. Nor. My lord, the enemy is pass'd the marsh; After the battle let George Stanley die.
K. Rich. A thousand hearts are great within my
Advance our standards, set upon our foes; Our ancient word of courage, fair Saint George,
Upon them! Victory sits on our helms. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. Another Part of the Field. Alarum: Excursions. Enter NORFOLK, and Forces; to him CATESBY.
Cate. Rescue, my lord of Norfolk, rescue, rescue! The king enacts more wonders than a man, Daring an opposite to every danger;
His horse is slain, and all on foot he fights, Seeking for Richmond in the throat of death: Rescue, fair lord, or else the day is lost!
Alarum. Enter King RICHARD.
K. Rich. A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!
Cate. Withdraw, my lord, I'll help you to a horse. K. Rich. Slave, I have set my life upon a cast, And I will stand the hazard of the die:
I think, there be six Richmonds in the field; Five have I slain to-day, instead of him:- A horse! a horse! my kingdom for a horse!
[Exeunt. Alarums. Enter King RICHARD and RICHMOND; and exeunt, fighting. Retreat, and flourish. Then enter RICHMOND, STANLEY bearing the crown, with divers other Lords, and Forces.
Richm. God, and your arms, be prais'd, victorious friends;
The day is ours, the bloody dog is dead.
Stan. Courageous Richmond, well hast thou ac- quit thee!
Lo, here, this long-usurped royalty, From the dead temples of this bloody wretch Have I pluck'd off, to grace thy brows withal; Wear it, enjoy it, and make much of it.
Richm. Great God of heaven, say, amen, to all !— But, tell me first, is young George Stanley living?
Stan. He is, my lord, and safe in Leicester town; Whither, if it please you, we may now withdraw
Richm. What men of name are slain on either Stan. John duke of Norfolk, Walter lord Ferrers, Sir Robert Brakenbury, and sir William Brandon. Richm. Inter their bodies as becomes their births. Proclaim a pardon to the soldiers fled, That in submission will return to us; And then, as we have ta'en the sacrament, We will unite the white rose with the red :-
Smile heaven upon this fair conjunction, That long hath frown'd upon their enmity!- What traitor hears me, and says not,-amen?
England hath long been mad, and scarr'd herself; The brother blindly shed the brother's blood, The father rashly slaughter'd his own son, The son, compell'd, been butcher to the sire; All this divided York and Lancaster, Divided, in their dire division.- O, now, let Richmond and Elizabeth, The true succeeders of each royal house, By God's fair ordinance conjoin together! And let their heirs, (God, if thy will be so,) Enrich the time to come with smooth-fac'd peace, With smiling plenty, and fair prosperous days! Abate the edge of traitors, gracious Lord, That would reduce these bloody days again, And make poor England weep in streams of blood! Let them not live to taste this land's increase, That would with treason wound this fair land's peace! Now civil wounds are stopp'd, peace lives again; That she may long live here, God say-Amen!
EARL OF SURREY. Lord Chamberlain.
Lord Chancellor.
GARDINER, Bishop of Winchester.
BISHOP OF LINCOLN.
LORD ABERGAVENNY. LORD SANDS.
SIR HENRY GUILDFORD.
SIR THOMAS LOVELL. SIR ANTHONY DENNY. SIR NICHOLAS VAUX. Secretaries to Wolsey. CROMWELL, Servant to Wolsey.
GRIFFITH, Gentleman-Usher to Queen Katharine. Three other Gentlemen.
DOCTOR BUTTS, Physician to the King.
Garter, King at Arms.
Surveyor to the Duke of Buckingham.
BRANDON, and a Sergeant at Arms.
Door-keeper of the Council-Chamber.
Porter, and his Man.
Page to Gardiner.
An old Lady, Friend to Anne Bullen. PATIENCE, Woman to Queen Katharine.
Several Lords and Ladies in the Dumb Shows; Women attending upon the Queen; Spirits which appear to her; Scribes, Officers, Guards, and other Attend- ants.
SCENE,-Chiefly in London and Westminster; once at Kimbolton.
I come no more to make you laugh; things now, That bear a weighty and a serious brow, Sad, high, and working, full of state and woe, Such noble scenes as draw the eye to flow, We now present. Those that can pity, here May, if they think it well, let fall a tear; The subject will deserve it. Such, as give Their money out of hope they may believe, May here find truth too. Those, that come to see Only a shew or two, and so agree,
The play may pass; if they be still, and willing, I'll undertake, may see away their shilling Richly in two short hours. Only they, That come to hear a merry, bawdy play, A noise of targets; or to see a fellow In a long motley coat, guarded with yellow, Will be deceiv'd: for, gentle hearers, know, To rank our chosen truth with such a shew As fool and fight is, beside forfeiting Our own brains, and the opinion that we bring, (To make that only true we now intend,) Will leave us never an understanding friend. Therefore, for goodness' sake, and as you are known The first and happiest hearers of the town,
Be sad, as we would make ye: think, ye see The very persons of our noble story, As they were living; think you see them great, And follow'd with the general throng, and sweat, Of thousand friends; then, in a moment, see How soon this mightiness meets misery! And, if you can be merry then, I'll say, A man may weep upon his wedding day.
SCENE I.- London. An Ante-chamber in the Palace.
Enter the Duke of NORFOLK, at one door; at the other, the Duke of BUCKINGHAM, and the Lord ABERGAVENNY.
Buck. Good morrow, and well met. How have you done,
Since last we saw 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 of glory, those two lights of men,
Met in the vale of Arde.
I was then present, saw them salute on horseback; 'Twixt Guynes and Arde: Beheld them, when they lighted, how they clung In their embracement, as they grew together; Which had they, what four thron'd ones could have weigh'd
Such a compounded one? Buck.
I was my chamber's prisoner. Nor. The view of earthly glory: Men might say, Then you lost 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 Made former wonders it's: To-day, the French, All clinquant, all in gold, like heathen gods, Shone down the English; and, to-morrow, they Made Britain, India: every man, that stood, 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 mask Was cry'd 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 Still him in praise: and, being present both, 'Twas said they saw but one; and no discerner Durst wag his tongue in censure. When these suns (For so they phrase them,) by their heralds chal-
The noble spirits to arms, they did perform Beyond thought's compass; that former fabulous story,
Being now seen possible enough, got credit, That Bevis was believ'd.
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. All was royal; To the disposing of it nought rebell'd, Order gave each thing view; the office did Distinctly his full function.
I mean, who set the body and the limbs Of this great sport together, as you guess? Nor. One, certes, that promises no element In such a business.
Buck. Nor. All this was order'd by the good discretion pray you, who, my lord? Of the right reverend cardinal of York.
Buck. The devil speed him! no man's pie is free'd From his ambitious finger. What had he To do in these fierce vanities? I wonder, That such a keech can with his very bulk Take up the rays o' the beneficial sun, And keep it from the earth. Nor. There's in him stuff, that puts him to these ends: Surely, sir, 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 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.
What heaven hath given him, let some graver eye I cannot tell Pierce into that; but I can see 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.
Upon this French going out, took he upon him, Without the privity o' the king, to appoint
Of all the gentry; for the most part such Who should attend on him? He makes up the file 491 The honourable board of council out, Too, whom as great a charge as little honour He meant to lay upon; and his own letter, Must fetch him in he papers.
Aber. Kinsmen of mine, three at the least, that have By this so sicken'd their estates, that never They shall abound as formerly. O, many
Buck. Have broke their backs with laying manors on them For this great journey. What did this vanity, But minister communication of
The peace between the French and us not values The cost that did conclude it.
Buck. After the hideous storm that follow'd, was Every man, A thing inspir'd; and, not consulting, broke Into a general prophecy, That this tempest, Dashing the garment of this peace, aboded The sudden breach on't.
For France hath flaw'd the league, and hath attach'd Our merchants' goods at Bourdeaux.
The ambassador is silenc'd?
Aber. A proper title of a peace; and purchas'd Our reverend cardinal carried. At a superfluous rate! Buck. Why, all this business Nor.
The state takes notice of the private difference 'Like it your grace, Betwixt you and the cardinal. I advise you, (And take it from a heart, that wishes towards you Honour and plenteous safety,) that you read What his high hatred would effect, wants not The cardinal's malice and his potency Together to consider further, that 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, it 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 That I advise your shunning. [rock,
Enter 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. The duke of Buckingham's surveyor? ha? Where's his examination?
And from a mouth of honour quite cry down This Ipswich fellow's insolence; or proclaim, There's difference in no persons.
Be advis'd; 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 over-running. Know you not, The fire, that mounts the liquor till it run o'er, In seeming to augment it, wastes it? Be advis'd: I say again, there is no English soul More stronger to direct you than yourself, If with the sap of reason you would quench, Or but allay, the fire of passion.
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 sincere motions,) by intelligence, And proofs as clear as founts in July, when 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, As he is subtle; and as prone to mischief, As able to perform it: his mind and place Infecting one another, yea, reciprocally,) Only to shew 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.
Buck. Pray, give me favour, sir. This cunning cardinal
The articles o'the combination drew, As himself pleas'd; and they were ratified, As he cried, Thus let be: to as much end,
As give a crutch to the dead: But our count-cardinal
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 menao'd him: He privily Deals with our cardinal; and, as I trow,- Which I do well; for, I am sure, the emperor Paid ere he promis'd; whereby his suit was granted, Ere it was ask'd;-but when the way was made, And pav'd with gold, the emperor thus desir'd ;- 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.
I am sorry To hear this of him; and could wish, he were Something mistaken in't.
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.
Bran. Your office, sergeant; execute it.
SCENE II.-The Council-Chamber. Cornets. Enter King HENRY, Cardinal WOLSEY, the Lords of the Council, Sir THOMAS LOVELL, Officers, and Attendants. The King enters, leaning on the Cardinal's shoulder.
K. Hen. My life itself, and the best heart of it, Thanks you for this great care: I stood i' the level Of a full-charg'd confederacy, and give thanks To you, that chok'd 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.
The King takes his State. The Lords of the Coun- cil take their several places. The Cardinal places himself under the King's feet, on his right side. A noise within, crying, Room for the Queen! Enter the Queen, ushered by the Dukes of NORFOLK and SUFFOLK: she kneels. The King riseth from his State, takes her up, kisses, and placeth her by him.
Q. Kath. Nay, we must longer kneel: I am a suitor. :-Half
K. Hen. Arise, and take place by us:- 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.
Q. Kath. 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.
Q. Kath. I am solicited, not by a few, And those of true condition, that your subjects
Are in great grievance: there have been commis- |
Sent down among them, 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.
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.
Wherein? and what taxation?-My lord cardinal, You, that are blam'd for it alike with us, Know you of this taxation?
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.
No, my lord, Q. Kath. You know no more than others: but you frame Things, that are known alike; which are not whole-
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 hearing; and, to bear them, The back is sacrifice to the load. They say, They are devis'd by you; or else you suffer Too hard an exclamation. Still exaction!
The nature of it? In what kind, let's know, Is this exaction?
I am much too venturous
Q. Kath. In tempting of your patience; but am bolden'd Under your promis'd pardon. The subject's 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 nam'd, 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, That tractable obedience is a slave
To each incensed will. I would, your highness Would give it quick consideration, for There is no primer business.
This is against our pleasure.
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 I am traduc'd by 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, 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. 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,
We should take root here where we sit, or sit In fear our motion will be mock'd or oarp'd at, Things, done well, K. Hen. State statues only. And with a care, exempt themselves from fear: 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? 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 Free pardon to each man that has denied The force of this commission: Pray, look to't; put it to your care. A word with you. Wol.
(To the Secretary.) Let there be letters writ to every shire,
Of the king's grace and pardon. The griev'd com
Q. Kath. I am sorry, that the duke of Buckingham Is run in your displeasure. It grieves many: K. Hen, To nature none more bound; his training such, The gentleman is learn'd, and a most rare speaker, And never seek for aid out of himself. That he may furnish and instruct great teachers, Yet see,
When these so noble benefits shall prove
Not well dispos'd, the mind growing once corrupt, They turn to vicious forms, ten times more ugly Than ever they were fair. This man so cómplete, Who was enroll'd 'mongst wonders, and when we, Almost with ravish'd list'ning, 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 (This was his gentleman in trust,) of him Things to strike honour sad.-Bid him recount The fore-recited practices; whereof We cannot feel too little, hear too much.
Wol. Stand forth; and with bold spirit relate what you,
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