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.
But minister communication of A most poor issue?]
That is, But furnish discourse on the poverty of its result. Communication in the sense of talk, or discourse, is found so repeatedly in writers of Shakespeare's time, that the passage would hardly have required explanation, if the commentators had not overlooked this meaning of the word, aud Mr. Collier, in adopting "consummation,"-a reading of his annotator,-had not pronounced the old text "little better than nonsense."
b Like it your grace,-] Equivalent to "An it like your grace."
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.
BUCK. Sir, I am thankful to you; and I'll go along
By your prescription:-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 Júly, when We see each grain of gravel, I do know To be corrupt and treasonous.
BUCK. To the 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 ravenous 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, the interview, That swallow'd so much treasure, and like a glass
Did break i' the rinsing:-*
Faith, and so it did. 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 countcardinal
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 the 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: het 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,
(*) Old text, Councellour.
see you deprived of liberty, that I am a witness of this business.
Are in great grievance: there have been com
Sent down among 'em, which hath flaw'd the heart Of all their loyalties :—wherein, although, My good lord cardinal, they vent reproaches Most bitterly on you, as putter-on b
Of these exactions, yet the king our master, (Whose honour heaven shield from soil!) even he
Language unmannerly, yea, such which breaks The sides of loyalty, and almost appears In loud rebellion. NORF. 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 cardinal, You that are blam'd for it alike with us, Know you of this taxation?
Please you, sir, I know but of a single part, in aught Pertains to the state; and front but in that file Where others tell steps with me.
Q. KATH. No, my lord, You know no more than others: but you frame Things, that are known alike, which are not whole-
Traduc'd by ignorant 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 must go through. We must not stint Our necessary actions, in the fear
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 Not ours, or not allow'd; what worst, as oft,
"Their tractable obedience," &c.
b Norimer business.] The old copies have "basenesse," which was corrected in Southern's copy of the fourth folio.
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; I put it to your care. WOL.
Let there be letters writ to every shire,
Of the king's grace and pardon. The griev'd
Q. KATH. I am sorry that the duke of Buckingham
Is run in your displeasure.
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 corrupt, They turn to vicious forms, ten times more ugly Than ever they were fair. This man so complete,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
a A trembling contribution !] Mr. Collier's annotator would change this to,"A trebling contribution."
b Lop.-] Lop is the technical term for the branches, or faggot wood, of a tree, distinct from the trunk or timber.
e Nicholas Hopkins.] The old text has Nicholas Henton; and Hopkins was sometimes so named from the convent of Henton,
How grounded he his title to the crown, Upon our fail? to this point hast thou heard him At any time speak aught?
By a vain prophecy of Nicholas Hopkins." K. HEN. What was that Hopkins?
SURV. His cónfessor; who fed him every minute With words of sovereignty. K. HEN.
How know'st thou this? SURV. Not long before your highness sped to
The duke being at the Rose, within the parish Saint Lawrence Poultney, did of me demand What was the speech amongst the Londoners Concerning the French journey: I replied, Men fear'd the French would prove perfidious, To the king's danger. Presently the duke Said, 't was the fear, indeed; and that he doubted "Twould 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's heirs,
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