WOLSEY.The Duke of Buckingham's surveyor?Ha!Where's his examination?SECRETARY.Here,so please you.WOLSEY.Is he in person ready?SECRETARY.Ay,please your Grace.WOLSEY.Well,we shall then know more,and Buckingham shall lessen this big look.Exeunt WOLSEY and his train BUCKINGHAM.This butcher's cur is venom-mouth'd,and I Have not the power to muzzle him;therefore best Not wake him in his slumber.A beggar's book Outworths a noble's blood.NORFOLK.What,are you chaf'd?Ask God for temp'rance;that's th'appliance only Which your disease requires.BUCKINGHAM.I read in 's looks Matter against me,and his eye revil'd Me as his abject object.At this instant He bores me with some trick.He's gone to th'King;I'll follow,and outstare him.NORFOLK.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 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.BUCKINGHAM.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.NORFOLK.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 't 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.BUCKINGHAM.Sir,I am thankful to you,and I'll go along By your preion;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.NORFOLK.Say not treasonous.BUCKINGHAM.To th'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 rav'nous As he is subtle,and as prone to mischief As able to perform't,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,th'interview That swallowed so much treasure and like a glass Did break i'th'wrenching.NORFOLK.Faith,and so it did.BUCKINGHAM.Pray,give me favour,sir;this cunning cardinal The articles o'th'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 th'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 th'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 menac'd him--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.NORFOLK.I am sorry To hear this of him,and could wish he were Something mistaken in't.BUCKINGHAM.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
BRANDON.Your office,sergeant:execute it.SERGEANT.Sir,My lord the Duke of Buckingham,and Earl Of Hereford,Stafford,and Northampton,I Arrest thee of high treason,in the name Of our most sovereign King.BUCKINGHAM.Lo you,my lord,The net has fall'n upon me!I shall perish Under device and practice.BRANDON.I am sorry To see you ta'en from liberty,to look on The business present;'tis his Highness'pleasure You shall to th'Tower.BUCKINGHAM.It will help nothing To plead mine innocence;for that dye is on me Which makes my whit'st part black.The will of heav'n Be done in this and all things!I obey.O my Lord Aberga'ny,fare you well!BRANDON.Nay,he must bear you company.[To ABERGAVENNY]The King Is pleas'd you shall to th'Tower,till you know How he determines further.ABERGAVENNY.As the Duke said,The will of heaven be done,and the King's pleasure By me obey'd.BRANDON.Here is warrant from The King t'attach Lord Montacute and the bodies Of the Duke's confessor,John de la Car,One Gilbert Peck,his chancellor--BUCKINGHAM.So,so!These are the limbs o'th'plot;no more,I hope.BRANDON.A monk o'th'Chartreux.BUCKINGHAM.O,Nicholas Hopkins?BRANDON.He.BUCKINGHAM.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 cloud puts on By dark'ning my clear sun.My lord,farewell.Exeunt
SCENE 2.London.The Council Chamber
Cornets.Enter KING HENRY,leaning on the CARDINAL'S shoulder,the NOBLES,and SIR THOMAS LOVELL,with others.The CARDINAL places himself under the KING'S feet on his right side
KING.My life itself,and the best heart of it,Thanks you for this great care;I stood i'th'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 his confessions justify;And point by point the treasons of his master He shall again relate.