Henry The Eighth (Modern)

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2.0.2317Cornets. Enter King Henry, leaning on the Cardinal's 318shoulder, the nobles, and Sir Thomas Louell. [Secretary enters with Cardinal] The Cardinal 319places himself under the King's feet on 320his right side.
2.1321King Henry
  My life itself, and the best heart of it,
2.2322Thanks you for this great care. I stood i'th'level
2.3323Of a full-charged confederacy, and give thanks
2.4324To you that choked it. Let be called before us
2.5325That gentleman of Buckingham's: in person
2.6326I'll hear him his confessions justify,
2.7327And point by point the treasons of his master
2.8328He shall again relate.
2.8.1329A noise within crying "Room for the Queen." [The Queen is] ushered by the 330Duke of Norfolk. Enter the Queen, Norfolk and 331Suffolk. She kneels. King riseth from his state, 332takes her up, kisses and placeth 333her by him.
2.9334Katharine
 Nay, we must longer kneel; I am a suitor.
2.10335King Henry
 Arise and take place by us. Half your suit
2.11336Never name to us; you have half our power.
2.12337The other moiety ere you ask is given.
2.13338Repeat your will and take it.
2.14339Katharine
 Thank your majesty.
2.15340That you would love yourself, and in that love
2.16341Not unconsidered leave your honor nor
2.17342The dignity of your office, is the point
2.18343Of my petition.
2.19344King Henry
 Lady mine, proceed.
2.20345Katharine
 I am solicited not by a few,
2.21346And those of true condition, that your subjects
2.22347Are in great grievance. There have been commissions
2.23348Sent down among 'em which hath flawed the heart
2.24349Of all their loyalties; wherein although,
2.25350[to Cardinal] My good Lord Cardinall, they vent reproaches
2.26351Most bitterly on you, as putter on
2.27352Of these exactions. Yet the king our master,
2.28353Whose honor heaven shield from soil, even he escapes not
2.29354Language unmannerly. Yea, such which breaks
2.30355The sides of loyalty and almost appears
2.31356In loud rebellion.
2.32357Norfolk
 Not almost appears,
2.33358It doth appear; for, upon these taxations,
2.34359The clothiers all, not able to maintain
2.35360The many to them longing, have put off
2.36361The spinsters, carders, fullers, weavers who,
2.37362Unfit for other life, compelled by hunger
2.38363And lack of other means, in desperate manner,
2.39364Daring th'event to th'teeth, are all in uproar,
2.40365And danger serves among them.
2.41366King Henry
 Taxation?
2.42367Wherein, and what taxation? My lord cardinal,
2.43368You that are blamed for it alike with us,
2.44369Know you of this taxation?
2.45370Wolsey
 Please you, sir,
2.46371I know but of a single part in aught
2.47372Pertains to th'state, and front but in that file
2.48373Where others tell steps with me.
2.49374Katharine
 No, my lord,
2.50375You know no more then others, but you frame
2.51376Things that are known alike, which are not wholesome
2.52377To those which would not know them, and yet must
2.53378Perforce be their acquaintance. These exactions
2.54379(Whereof my sovereign would have note), they are
2.55380Most pestilent to th'hearing, and to bear 'em
2.56381The back is sacrifice to th' load. They say
2.57382They are devised by you, ere else you suffer
2.58383Too hard an exclamation.
2.59384King Henry
 Still, exaction!
2.60385The nature of it? In what kind let's know:
2.61386Is this exaction?
2.62387Katharine
 I am much too venturous
2.63388In tempting of your patience, but am emboldened
2.64389Under your promised pardon. The subjects' grief
2.65390Comes through commissions, which compels from each
2.66391The sixth part of his substance, to be levied
2.67392Without delay; and the pretence for this
2.68393Is named your wars in France. This makes bold mouths,
2.69394Tongues spit their duties out and cold hearts freeze
2.70395Allegiance in them; their curses now
2.71396Live where their prayers did, and it's come to pass
2.72397This tractable obedience is a slave
2.73398To each incensed will. I would your highness
2.74399Would give it quick consideration, for
2.75400There is no primer baseness.
2.76401King Henry
 By my life,
2.77402This is against our pleasure!
2.78403Wolsey
 And for me,
2.79404I have no further gone in this than by
2.80405A single voice, and that not past me, but
2.81406By learned approbation of the judges. If I am
2.82407Traduced by ignorant tongues, which neither know
2.83408My faculties nor person, yet will be
2.84409The chronicles of my doing, let me say
2.85410'Tis but the fate of place and the rough brake
2.86411That virtue must go through. We must not stint
2.87412Our necessary actions in the fear
2.88413To cope malicious censurers, which ever,
2.89414As ravenous fishes, do a vessel follow
2.90415That is new-trimmed, but benefit no further
2.91416Than vainly longing. What we oft do best,
2.92417By sick interpreters (once weak ones) is
2.93418Not ours or not allowed. What worst, as oft,
2.94419Hitting a grosser quality, is cried up
2.95420For our best act. If we shall stand still
2.96421In fear our motion will be mocked or carped at;
2.97422We should take root here where we sit,
2.98423Or sit state-statues only.
2.99424King Henry
 Things done well
2.100425And with a care exempt themselves from fear.
2.101426Things done without example in their issue
2.102427Are to be feared. Have you a precedent
2.103428Of this commission? I believe not any.
2.104429We must not rend our subjects from our laws
2.105430And stick them in our will. Sixth part of each?
2.106431A trembling contribution; why, we take
2.107432From every tree lop, bark, and part o'th'timber,
2.108433And though we leave it with a root thus hacked
2.109434The air will drink the sap. To every county
2.110435Where this is questioned send our letters with
2.111436Free pardon to each man that has denied
2.112437The force of this commission. Pray, look to't;
2.113438I put it to your care.
2.114439Wolsey
 [to Secretary] A word with you.
2.115440Let there be letters writ to every shire
2.116441Of the King's grace and pardon. The grieved commons
2.117442Hardly conceive of me. Let it be noised
2.118443That through our intercession this revokement
2.119444And pardon comes. I shall anon advise you
2.120445Further in the proceeding. 
2.120.2446Enter Surveyor.
2.121447Katharine
 I am sorry that the Duke of Buckingham
2.122448Is run in your displeasure.
2.123449King Henry
 It grieves many.
2.124450The gentleman is learned and a most rare speaker,
2.125451To nature none more bound. His training such
2.126452That he may furnish and instruct great teachers
2.127453And never seek for aid out of himself. Yet see
2.128454When these so noble benefits shall prove
2.129455Not well disposed; the mind growing once corrupt,
2.130456They turn to vicious forms ten times more ugly
2.131457Than ever they were fair. This man so complete
2.132458Who was enrolled amongst wonders; and when we,
2.133459Almost with ravished listening, could not find
2.134460His hour of speech a minute. He, my lady,
2.135461Hath into monstrous habits put the graces
2.136462That once were his, and is become as black
2.137463As if besmeared in hell. Sit by us: you shall hear
2.138464(This was his gentleman in trust) of him
2.139465Things to strike honor sad. Bid him recount
2.140466The fore-recited practices, whereof
2.141467We cannot feel too little, hear too much.
2.142468Wolsey
 Stand forth and with bold spirit relate what you,
2.143469Most like a careful subject, have collected
2.144470Out of the Duke of Buckingham.
2.145471King Henry
 Speak freely.
2.146472Surveyor
 First, it was usual with him, every day
2.147473It would infect his speech, that if the King
2.148474Should without issue die he'll carry it so
2.149475To make the sceptre his. These very words
2.150476I've heard him utter to his son-in-law,
2.151477Lord Abergavenny, to whom by oath he menaced
2.152478Revenge upon the cardinal.
2.153479Wolsey
 Please, your highness, note
2.154480This dangerous conception in this point 
2.155481Not friended by his wish to your high person. 
2.156482His will is most malignant and it stretches
2.157483Beyond you to your friends.
2.158484Katharine
 My learn'd lord cardinal, 
2.159485Deliver all with charity.
2.160486King Henry
 Speak on. 
2.161487How grounded he his title to the crown
2.162488Upon our fail? To this point hast thou heard him
2.163489At any time speak aught?
2.164490Surveyor
 He was brought to this
2.165491By a vain prophecy of Nicholas Hopkins.
2.166492King Henry
 What was that Hopkins?
2.167493Surrey
 Sir, a Chartreux friar, 
2.168494His confessor, who fed him every minute 
2.169495With words of sovereignty.
2.170496King Henry
 How know'st thou this?
2.171497Surveyor
 Not long before your Highness sped to France, 
2.172498The duke being at the Rose, within the parish
2.173499Saint Laurence Poultney, did of me demand
2.174500What was the speech among the Londoners
2.175501Concerning the French journey. I replied
2.176502Men fear the French would prove perfidious
2.177503To the king's danger. Presently, the duke
2.178504Said 'twas the fear indeed, and that he doubted
2.179505'Twould prove the verity of certain words
2.180506Spoke by a holy monk that oft, says he,
2.181507"Hath sent to me, wishing me to permit 
2.182508John Delacourt, my chaplain, a choice hour
2.183509To hear from him a matter of some moment".
2.184510Whom after, under the confession's seal,
2.185511He solemnly had sworn that what he spoke
2.186512My chaplain to no creature living but
2.187513To me should utter with demure confidence
2.188514This pausingly ensued: "Neither the King, nor his heirs
2.189515(Tell you the Duke) shall prosper, bid him strive
2.190516To the love of the commonalty, the Duke
2.191517Shall govern England".
2.192518Katharine
 If I know you well,
2.193519You were the Duke's surveyor and lost your office
2.194520On the complaint of the tenants. Take good heed
2.195521You charge not in your spleen a noble person
2.196522And spoil your nobler soul. I say take heed;
2.197523Yes, heartily beseech you.
2.198524King Henry
 Let him on. Go forward.
2.199525Surveyor
 On my soul I'll speak but truth.
2.200526I told my lord the duke, by the devil's illusions
2.201527The monk might be deceived and that 'twas dangerous
2.202528For this to ruminate on this so far, until
2.203529It forged him some design, which being believed
2.204530It was much like to do. He answered, "Tush,
2.205531It can doe me no damage," adding further,
2.206532That had the King in his last sickness failed,
2.207533The cardinal's and Sir Thomas Lovell's heads
2.208534Should have gone off.
2.209535King Henry
 Ha? What, so rank? Ah, ha!
2.210536There's mischief in this man. Canst thou say further?
2.211537Surveyor
 I can, my liege.
2.212538King Henry
 Proceed.
2.213539Surveyor
 Being at Greenwich,
2.214540After your highness had reproved the duke
2.215541About Sir William Blumer --
2.216542King Henry
 I remember of such a time; being my sworn servant,
2.217543The duke retained him his. But on, what hence?
2.218544Surveyor
 "If", quoth he, "I for this had been committed,
2.219545As to the Tower I thought I would have played
2.220546The part my father meant to act upon
2.221547The usurper Richard; who being at Salisbury,
2.222548Made suit to come in his presence; which, if granted,
2.223549(As he made semblance of his duty) would
2.224550Have put his knife into him."
2.225551King Henry
 A giant traitor.
2.226552Wolsey
 Now Madame, may his highness live in freedom
2.227553And this man out of prison.
2.228554Katharine
 God mend all.
2.229555King Henry
 There's something more would out of thee; what sayest?
2.230556Surveyor
 After the duke his father with the knife
2.231557He stretched him, and with one hand on his dagger
2.232558Another spread on's breast, mounting his eyes
2.233559He did discharge a horrible oath whose tenor
2.234560Was, were he evil used, he would outgo
2.235561His father by as much as a performance
2.236562Does an irresolute purpose.
2.237563King Henry
 There's his period:
2.238564To sheath his knife in us. He is attached.
2.239565Call him to present trial. If he may
2.240566Find mercy in the law 'tis his; if none,
2.241567Let him not seek it of us. By day and night
2.242568He's traitor to the height. 
2.242.1Exeunt.
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Henry The Eighth (Modern)
