SCENE 1.London.The palace
Enter the DUKE OF NORFOLK at one door;at the other,the DUKE OF BUCKINGHAM and the LORD ABERGAVENNY
BUCKINGHAM.Good morrow,and well met.How have ye done Since last we saw in France?NORFOLK.I thank your Grace,Healthful;and ever since a fresh admirer Of what I saw there.BUCKINGHAM.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 Andren.NORFOLK.'Twixt Guynes and Arde--I was then present,saw them salute on horseback;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?BUCKINGHAM.All the whole time I was my chamber's prisoner.NORFOLK.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 Made former wonders its.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 Show'd like a mine.Their dwarfish pages were As cherubins,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 masque Was cried incomparable;and th'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 these suns--For so they phrase 'em--by their heralds challeng'd 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.BUCKINGHAM.O,you go far!NORFOLK.As I belong to worship,and affect In honour honesty,the tract of ev'rything 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.BUCKINGHAM.Who did guide--I mean,who set the body and the limbs Of this great sport together,as you guess?NORFOLK.One,certes,that promises no element In such a business.BUCKINGHAM.I pray you,who,my lord?NORFOLK.All this was ord'red by the good discretion Of the right reverend Cardinal of York.BUCKINGHAM.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 can with his very bulk Take up the rays o'th'beneficial sun,And keep it from the earth.NORFOLK.Surely,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 th'crown,neither allied To eminent assistants,but spider-like,Out of his self-drawing web,'a 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.ABERGAVENNY.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,the devil is a niggard Or has given all before,and he begins A new hell in himself.BUCKINGHAM.Why the devil,Upon this French going out,took he upon him--Without the privity o'th'King--t'appoint Who should attend on him?He makes up the file Of all the gentry;for the most part such To whom as great a charge as little honour He meant to lay upon;and his own letter,The honourable board of council out,Must fetch him in he papers.ABERGAVENNY.I do know Kinsmen of mine,three at the least,that have By this so sicken'd their estates that never They shall abound as formerly.BUCKINGHAM.O,many Have broke their backs with laying manors on 'em For this great journey.What did this vanity But minister communication of A most poor issue?NORFOLK.Grievingly I think The peace between the French and us not values The cost that did conclude it.BUCKINGHAM.Every man,After the hideous storm that follow'd,was 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.NORFOLK.Which is budded out;For France hath flaw'd the league,and hath attach'd Our merchants'goods at Bordeaux.ABERGAVENNY.Is it therefore Th'ambassador is silenc'd?NORFOLK.Marry,is't.ABERGAVENNY.A proper tide of a peace,and purchas'd At a superfluous rate!BUCKINGHAM.Why,all this business Our reverend Cardinal carried.NORFOLK.Like it 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 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 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 your shunning.
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.