Ere it was afk'd ;-but when the way was made,
And pav'd with gold, the emperor thus defir'd;—
That he would please to alter the king's course,
And break the forefaid peace. Let the king know,
(As foon he fhall by me,) that thus the cardinal
Does buy and fell his honour as he pleases,

And for his own advantage.

To hear this of him; and could with, he were
Something mistaken in't.

Buck.

No, not a fyllable;

I do pronounce him in that very shape,

He fhall appear in proof.

Enter BRANDON; a Sergeant at arms before him, and tro or three of the guard.

Bran. Your office, fergeant; execute it.
Serg.
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.

Buck.

Sir,

Lo you, my lord,

The net has fall'n upon me; I shall perish
Under device and practice.

To fee you ta'en from liberty, to look on

The business prefent: 'Tis his highness' pleasure,
You fhall to the Tower.

Buck.

It will help me nothing,

To plead mine innocence; for that die is on me,

Which makes my whiteft part black. The will of heaven

Be

eaven

Be

Bran.

Here is a warrant from

The king, to attach lord Montacute; an
Of the duke's confessor, John de la Cou
One Gilbert Peck, his chancellor,-

Buck.

So,

These are the limbs of the plot: No mor
Bran. A monk o'the Chartreux.
O, Nicholas Hopkins

Buck.
Bran.

Buck. My furveyor is false; the o'er-g Hath fhow'd him gold: my life is fpann I am the shadow of poor Buckingham; Whofe figure even this inftant cloud put By dark'ning my clear, fun.—My lord,

SCENE II.

The Council-Chamber.

Cornets. Enter King HENRY, Cardinal W of the Council, Sir THOMAS LOVELL tendants. The King enters leaning on the

K. Hen. My life itself, and the best he Thanks you for this great care: I ftood Of a full-charg'd confederacy, and give

8

To you that chok'd it.-Let be call'd before us
That gentleman of Buckingham's: in perfon
I'll hear him his confeffions justify;

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

The King takes his ftate. The Lords of the Council take their feveral places. The Cardinal places himself under the King's feet, on his right fide.

A noife within, crying, Room for the Queen. Enter the Queen, ufbered by the Dukes of NORFOLK and SUFFOLK: fhe kneels. The King rifeth from his flate, takes her up, kiffes, and placeth her by him.

fuit

2. Kath. Nay, we must longer kneel; I am a fuitor. K. Hen. Arife, and take place by us :-) :- Half your Never name to us; you have half our power: The other moiety, ere you afk, is given;

Repeat your will, and take it.

2: Kath.

Thank your majesty.

That you would love yourself; and, in that love,

Not unconfider'd leave your honour, nor

The dignity of your office, is the point

Of my petition.

K. Hen.

Lady mine, proceed.

2. Kath. I am folicited, not by a few,

And thofe of true condition, that your fubjects
Are in great grievance: there have been commiffions
Sent down among them, which hath flaw'd the heart
Of all their loyalties:wherein, although,

My good lord cardinal, they vent reproaches
Moft bitterly on you, as putter-on

of

Of these exactions, yet the king our master,

(Whose honour heaven shield from foil!) even he escapes

not

Language unmannerly, yea, fuch which breaks

The fides of loyalty, and almost appears

In loud rebellion.

Nor.

Not almoft 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 defperate manner
Daring the event to the teeth, are all in uproar,
And Danger ferves among them.

K. Hen.

Taxation?

Wherein? and what taxation ?—My lord cardinal,
You that are blam'd for it alike with us,

Know you of this taxation?

Wol.

Please you, fir,

I know but of a fingle part, in aught

Pertains to the state; and front but in that file

Where others tell steps with me.

2: Kath.

No, my lord,

You know no more than others but you frame

Things, that are known alike; which are not wholesome
To those which would not know them, and yet must
Perforce be their acquaintance. These exactions,
Whereof my fovereign would have note, they are
Most peftilent to the hearing; and, to bear them,
The back is facrifice to the load. They fay,
They are devis'd by you; or else you suffer
Too hard an exclamation.

K, Hen.

Still exaction!

The

The nature of it? In what kind, let's know,

Is this exaction?

2. Kath.

I am much too venturous

In tempting of your patience; but am bolden'd

Under your promis'd pardon. The subject's grief
Comes through commiffions, which compel from each
The fixth part of his fubftance, to be levy'd

Without delay; and the pretence for this

Is nam'd, your wars in France: This makes bold mouths:
Tongues fpit their duties out, and cold hearts freeze
Allegiance in them; their curfes now,

Live where their prayers did; and it's come to pass,
That tractable obedience is a flave

To each incenfed will. I would, your highness

Would give it quick confideration, for

There is no primer bufinefs.

K. Hen.

This is againft our pleasure.

Wol.

By my life,

And for me,

I have no further gone in this, than by

A fingle 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 muft go through. We must not ftint
Our neceffary actions, in the fear

To cope malicious cenfurers; which ever,
As ravenous fishes, do a veffel follow

That is new trimm'd; but benefit no further
Than vainly longing. What we oft do beft,
By fick interpreters, once weak ones, is
Not ours, or not allow'd; what worst, as oft,

Hitting