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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 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.

Buck.

Sir,

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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 show his pomp as well in France

As here at home, suggests the king our master
To this last costly treaty, the interview,

(For 't was, 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 menac'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

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Buck. Lo you, my lord, The net has fallen upon me; I shall perish Under device and practice.b Bran. I am sorry

That swallow'd so much treasure, and like a glass To see you ta'en from liberty, to look on
Did break i' the rinsing.c
The business present: "Tis his highness' plea-

'Faith, and so it did.

Nor. 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 't is 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,

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John de la Car-the name of the original and of the Chronicles; but ordinarily printed John de la Court.

Michael Hopkins. So the original. The same personthe "Chartreux friar"-is in the next scene called by "the Surveyor" Nicholas Hentom: in both these passages the name is changed by the modern editors to Nicholas Hopkins. Some confusion is probably saved by this; but we also think that the poet might intend Buckingham to give the Nicholas Hopkins of the Chronicles' a wrong Christian-name in his precipitation; and that the Surveyor might call him by his more formal surname, Nicholas Henton-Nicholas of Henton -to which convent he belonged. With this explanation we retain the original text, in both cases.

This passage is not easy to be understood. Is the comparison a single or a double one? Douce says it is double: Buckingham is first made to say that he is but a shadow; in other terms a dead man. He then adverts to the sudden cloud of misfortune that overwhelms him, and, like a shadow, obscures his prosperity." Johnson treats the comparison as single: "I am the shadow of poor Buckingham, whose post and dignity is assumed by the cardinal that overclouds and oppresses me, and who gains my place by darkening my clear sun." Offering another explanation, Johnson would read puts out; and Steevens inclines to pouts on. We think the comparison is continuous, though not exactly single: I am the shadow of poor Buckingham-Buckingham is no longer a reality-but even this figure of himself is absorbed, annihilated, by the instant cloud. The metaphor, however, forgets that

"the shadow proves the substance true."

And point by point the treasons of his master He shall again relate.

The KING takes his State. The Lords of the Council 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.

K. Hen. 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.

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Q. Kath. 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 them, which have 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.
Nor.
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."
K. Hen.
Taxation!
Wherein? and what taxation?-My lord car-
dinal,

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You that are blam'd for it alike with us,
Know you of this taxation?

Wol.

The chronicles of my doing,-let me say
"T is but the fate of place, and the rough brake
That virtue must go through. We must not
stint

Please you, sir,
I know but of a single part, in aught
Pertains to the state; and front but in that file Our necessary actions, in the fear

Where others tell steps with me.

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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

To those which would not know them, and yet Not ours, or not allow'd; what worst, as oft,

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Hitting a grosser quality, is cried up

For our best act. If we shall stand still,

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.

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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;
A word with you.

Tongues spit their duties out; and cold hearts I put it to your care.

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Wol.

[To the Secretary. Let there be letters writ to every shire, Of the king's grace and pardon.

commons

The griev'd

Hardly conceive of me; let it be nois'd,
That through our intercession this revokement
And pardon comes: I shall anon advise you
Further in the proceeding. [Exit Secretary.

Enter Surveyor.

Q. Kath. I am sorry that the duke of Buck

ingham

Is run in your displeasure.

K. Hen.

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 When these so noble benefits shall prove

Not well dispos'd, the mind growing once cor

rupt,

Once is here used in the sense of sometimes.

They turn to vicious forms, ten times more ugly Said, "T was the fear, indeed; and that he 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,

Most like a careful subject, have collected
Out of the duke of Buckingham.

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Surv. First, it was usual with him, every day
It would infect his speech, That if the king
Should without issue die, he 'd carry it so
To make the sceptre his: These very words
I have heard him utter to his son-in-law,
Lord Aberga'ny; to whom by oath he menac'd
Revenge upon the cardinal.

Wol.

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doubted,

"T would 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
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
This pausingly ensued-Neither the king, nor
his heirs,

(Tell you the duke) shall prosper: bid him strive
To gain the love of the commonalty; the duke
Shall govern England.'
Q. Kath.
If I know you well,
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.

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On my soul, I'll speak but truth.

I told my lord the duke, by the devil's illusions
Please your highness, note The monk might be deceiv'd; and that 't was

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

Q. Kath.
My learn'd lord cardinal,
Deliver all with charity.

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dangerous for him

To ruminate on this so far, until

It forg'd him some design, which, being believ'd,
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,
The cardinal's and sir Thomas Lovell's heads
Should have gone off.

K. Hen.

Ha! what so rank? Ah, ha!
There's mischief in this man: Can'st thou say
further?
Surv. I can, my liege.
K. Hen.

Surv.

Proceed.

Being at Greenwich,
After your highness had reprov'd the duke
About sir William Blomer,-

K. Hen.
I remember
Of such a time-Being my sworn servant,
The duke retain'd him his.- -But on; What

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To think an English courtier may be wise,
And never see the Louvre.

Lov.
They must either
(For so run the conditions,) leave those remnants
Of fool, and feather, that they got in France,
With all their honourable points of ignorance,
Pertaining thereunto, (as fights, and fireworks;
Abusing better men than they can be,
Out of a foreign wisdom,) renouncing clean
The faith they have in tennis and tall stockings,
Short blister'd breeches, and those types of travel,
And understand again like honest men;
Or pack to their old playfellows: there, I take it,
They may, cum privilegio, wear away

The lag end of their lewdness, and be laugh'd at. Sands. "T is time to give them physic, their diseases

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