Q. Kath.

Thank your Majesty.

That you would love yourself, and in that love

Not unconsider'd leave your honour, nor

The dignity of your office, is the point

Of my petition.

K. Hen.

Lady mine, proceed.

Q. Kath. I am solicited not by a few,

And those of true condition, that your subjects

Are in great grievance. There have been commis

sions

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

Of these exactions, yet the King our master,

Whose honour Heaven shield from soil, even he escapes not

Language unmannerly; yea, such which breaks
The sides of loyalty, and almost appears

In loud rebellion.

Nor.

Not almost 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 desperate manner
Daring th' event to th' teeth, are all in uproar,
And danger serves among them.

K. Hen.

Wherein and what taxation?

Taxation!

My Lord Cardinal,

You that are blam'd for it alike with us,
Know you of this taxation?

Wol.

Please you, sir,

I know but of a single part, in aught

Pertains to th' State; and front but in that file
Where others tell steps with me.

No, my lord,

Q. Kath. You know no more than others; but you frame Things, that are known alike, which are not whole

some

To those which would not know them, and yet

must

Perforce be their acquaintance. These exactions,
Whereof my sovereign would have note, they are
Most pestilent to th' hearing; and, to bear them,
The back is sacrifice to th' load. They say
They are devis'd by you, or else you suffer
Too hard an exclamation.

K. Hen.

Still exaction!

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

Q. Kath.

I am much too venturous

In tempting of your patience; but am bolden'd

Under your promis'd pardon. The subjects' grief Comes through commissions, which compel from each The sixth part of his substance, to be levied

Without delay; and the pretence for this

Is nam'd

your wars in France. This makes bold mouths:

Tongues spit their duties out, and cold hearts freeze Allegiance in them: their curses now

Live where their prayers did; and it's come to pass This tractable obedience is a slave

To each incensed will. I would your Highness

Would give it quick consideration, for

There is no primer business.

K. Hen.

This is against our pleasure.

Wol.

By my life,

And for me,

I have no farther gone in this than by

A single voice, and that not pass'd me but
By learned approbation of the judges. If I am
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 rav'nous fishes do a vessel follow

That is new trimm'd, but benefit no farther
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
Hitting a grosser quality, is cri'd up

For our best act. If we shall stand still,

In fear our motion will be mock'd or carp'd at,
We should take root here, where we sit, or sit
State statues only.

K. Hen.

Things done well,

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' th' 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 deni'd
The force of this commission. Pray look to't;
I put it to your care.

Wol.

A word with you.

[To the Secretary.

Let there be letters writ to every shire,

Of the King's grace and pardon. The griev'd Com

mons

Hardly conceive of me: let it be nois'd

That through our intercession this revokement
And pardon comes. I shall anon advise you
Farther in the proceeding.

[Exit Secretary.

Enter Surveyor.

Q. Kath. I am sorry that the Duke of Bucking

ham

Is run in your displeasure.

K. Hen. 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
The fore-recited practices, whereof

We cannot feel too little, hear too much.

Wol. Stand forth; and with bold spirit relate what

you,

Most like a careful subject, nave collected
Out of the Duke of Buckingham.

K. Hen.

Speak freely.

Surveyor. First, it was usual with him, every day It would infect his speech, that if the King

Should without issue die, he'd carry it so
To make the sceptre his. These very words
I've heard him utter to his son-in-law,

Lord Aberga'ny, to whom by oath he menac'd
Revenge upon the Cardinal.

Wol.

Please your Highness, note

This dangerous conception in this point.

Not friended by his wish, to your high person
His will is most malignant; and it stretches

Beyond you, to your friends.

Q. Kath.

Deliver all with charity.

K. Hen.

My learn'd Lord Cardinal,

Speak on.

How grounded he his title to the crown,

Upon our fail? to this point hast thou heard him

At any time speak aught?

Surv.

By a vain prophecy of Nicholas Henton.

He was brought to this

Sir, a Chartreux friar.

K. Hen. What was that Henton?

Surv.
His confessor; who fed him every minute

With words of sovereignty.

K. Hen.

How know'st thou this?

Surv. Not long before your Highness sped to

France

The Duke, being at the Rose, within the parish
Saint Lawrence Poultney, did of me demand
What was the speech among the Londoners
Concerning the French journey? I repli'd,
Men fear'd the French would prove perfidious,